How to Build and Transfer a Shopify Development Store

How to Create, Build & Transfer a Shopify Development Store

If you’re a Shopify Partner, one of the most powerful tools you have is the ability to create free development stores for your clients. These stores let you build complete Shopify websites at no cost, and once your client takes over and chooses a paid plan, you can earn recurring commissions on eligible plans.

What Is a Shopify Development Store?

A development store is a free Shopify environment available to all Shopify Partners. You can create as many development stores as you need, and use them to build, test, and customize online stores for clients before they go live.

Once a development store is transferred to the client and they activate a paid plan, Shopify begins paying you a monthly revenue share on eligible plans. This makes development stores an excellent way to grow a recurring income stream while helping clients launch successful online businesses.

You can direct clients to try Shopify using your affiliate link: https://shopify.pxf.io/jeeaYa.

Step 1 — Create a Development Store for Your Client

Follow these steps to create a new development store inside your Partner Dashboard:

• Log into your Shopify Partner Dashboard.
• Click Stores in the navigation.
• Select Add store, then choose Create development store.
• Under Development store use, select Create a store for a client.
• Enter a name for the client’s store. This will create the store’s myshopify.com URL and cannot be changed later.
• Choose the client’s country or region so that default taxes, shipping, and app suggestions are appropriate.
• Click Create development store to finish.

After the store is created, you can access it from the Stores tab in your Partner Dashboard and begin developing the design, structure, and functionality for your client.

Step 2 — Build and Enhance the Store

Once the development store is live, your job is to turn it into a polished, conversion-focused online shop that’s ready for real customers. Depending on your client’s needs, you can:

• Choose and customize a theme to match their branding.
• Migrate products, customers, and orders from another platform using a Store Importer app.
• Add multiple products at once using CSV import.
• Organize products into collections for easier browsing.
• Register a custom domain directly through Shopify.
• Create key pages like About Us, Contact, FAQs, and legal/policy pages.
• Optimize product images and content for a professional look.
• Review and help refine tax settings (or suggest they speak with a tax professional).
• Install apps from the Shopify App Store to extend functionality.

All of this preparation helps your client hit the ground running once the store is transferred and they pick a plan via your affiliate setup.

Step 3 — Share the Store with Your Team or Client

By default, every development store is password protected. Visitors can only see the storefront if they:

• Enter the password on the store’s password page,
• Log in through the store admin, or
• Visit a demo link from the Shopify Theme or App Store.

Unlike live stores, the password page on a development store isn’t tied to the theme and can’t be customized. You can only fully remove password protection after the store is transferred to a merchant on a paid plan.

To set or update the password:

• From the Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Preferences.
• Scroll to Password protection and enter a password that you’ll share with visitors.
• Click Save.

You or your client can preview the password page at: https://your-store-name.myshopify.com/password.

Step 4 — Prepare the Store for Transfer

Before handing the development store over to your client, make sure everything is set up correctly, because store ownership transfers can’t be reversed through the admin.

Key tasks before transfer:

• Add your client as a staff member and ensure they complete their staff account setup. After transfer, you’ll remain as a collaborator but won’t have access to financial information.
• Update the store address to your client’s address. This is particularly important if you’re in a different country than your client so they aren’t charged incorrect taxes on their Shopify invoices.
• Don’t upgrade to a paid plan (especially Shopify Plus) before transferring ownership. If you switch to a Plus plan and become the organization owner, that role can’t be changed through the regular admin.
• Inform your client about Shopify POS Pro. If they’re using POS with Pro features, they need to activate POS Pro for each location after choosing their ecommerce plan.

Remind your client that the credit card they add for their Shopify subscription will also be used to purchase themes, domains, and apps from inside the platform.

Step 5 — Transfer the Store to Your Client

You’ll typically transfer a development store when either:

• The build is complete and the store is ready to start selling, or
• The store needs a paid-plan-only feature before you’re fully finished working on it.

To transfer store ownership:

• In your Partner Dashboard, go to Stores.
• Find the store you want to transfer, click Actions, then choose Transfer ownership.
• Select the new owner from the list of eligible new owners.
• If the client isn’t in the list, click Add a staff account first and create one for them. They’ll receive an invitation and have seven days to complete their part of the setup.
• Once everything is ready, click Transfer store. The store will move under the Managed tab on your Stores page.

Shopify will email your client with instructions to finalize their account and select a plan. Until they accept the transfer, the store will remain paused.

What to Give Your Client After the Transfer

Once your client officially owns the store, help them start strong by sending a short onboarding guide that includes:

• Admin login URL: client-store.myshopify.com/admin
• Your recommended Shopify plan based on their goals and budget.
• Suggestions for apps, webinars, and learning resources to grow their traffic and sales.

This level of support makes you more valuable to the client and increases the chances they’ll stay long-term, which protects your recurring revenue.

Why This Process Is So Valuable for Partners

Using development stores is one of the best ways to build a sustainable Partner business. You help clients launch professional, optimized Shopify stores, and in return, you receive monthly recurring revenue on eligible plans for as long as those stores stay active.

Any time you introduce someone new to Shopify, you can also send them through your affiliate link: https://shopify.pxf.io/jeeaYa, so you’re rewarded when they sign up and grow.