Shipping coffee can be more complex than shipping many other ecommerce products. Coffee is time-sensitive, easily damaged by poor handling, and closely tied to customer expectations around freshness and presentation. A single mistake—using the wrong packaging, choosing an unreliable carrier, or overlooking international documentation—can compromise quality coffee before it ever reaches the customer.

To illustrate how successful coffee businesses approach shipping, this article draws on the experience of Kyle Everett Smith of Canyon Coffee. In nearly six years with the brand, Kyle has worked across shipping, customer service, and finance, giving him a practical, end-to-end view of how packing decisions, carrier selection, and international shipping requirements affect both the business and the customer.

Using Canyon’s workflows as a real-world example, this article covers how to pack coffee for shipping, how to choose carriers for different order types, what to know about shipping coffee internationally, and practical tips for building a reliable coffee shipping operation.

Table of contents

How to pack coffee for shipping

If you run a coffee business, you need a consistent, repeatable process to protect freshness, minimize damage, and reduce fulfillment errors. Here’s how to pack coffee in four sequential steps, from preparing the beans to sealing the box for delivery:

1. Fill bags with beans and seal

Depending on the size of your roasting team, this task may be handled by a dedicated fulfillment role or shared across team members. For smaller operations, it’s often the first task in preparing a shipped order. Fill coffee bags with the appropriate beans based on the customer’s selected roast, using a scale to confirm each bag meets the correct weight before sealing.

If you use Kraft tin-tie coffee bags (a common brown bag packaging option for roasted coffee), this step may also include applying the appropriate product label. If you use pre-labeled bags, such as the MTPak bags Canyon uses, double-check that the bag matches the roast being packed. Once the beans are portioned, seal the bag—either with a band sealer (as Canyon does), vacuum sealed packaging, or via another airtight method—to keep the beans fresh throughout transit.

2. Select the right box for the order

Once your coffee is bagged and ready to ship, determine the correct shipping box for the order. Proper box sizing is a balance between protection, cost control, and presentation. At this stage, you’ll also need to add tissue paper or other void fill packing materials to help stabilize coffee bags.

“We’ve spent years calculating and measuring the right size boxes for different item combinations,” says Kyle, who joined Canyon in 2020 as its first salaried employee. “If someone orders one bag, two bags, a bag and a mug, or a five-pound bag, we’ve taken the time to ensure we select the right box.”

Together, box fit and packing materials help protect coffee from shifting and damage during the shipping process. For whole bean coffee shipments in particular, minimizing movement matters. Excess jostling can sometimes cause beans to crack, compromising flavor quality by the time the coffee reaches the customer.

3. Double-check the packing slip

Review the packing slip and confirm that the correct products, quantities, and variants are inside the box before sealing it. When teams are handling high order volume—especially during peak seasons or while switching between retail and wholesale fulfillment—mistakes can happen.

This check is often your last opportunity to catch errors before an order leaves your facility. It supports customer satisfaction and helps reduce returns, replacements, and reshipments, all of which can introduce delays and additional costs.

4. Seal and label the box

A well-sealed, correctly labeled package is less likely to be delayed, damaged, or returned, protecting both your product and your margins. Seal the box with packing tape and apply the correct shipping label. Focus on keeping box panels fully secured while taping neatly and consistently. A well-sealed box is more likely to hold up during transit and signals care in the fulfillment process.

Before the package leaves your workspace, confirm that the shipping label is placed correctly and matches the order details. Catching address or placement errors at this stage helps prevent packages from being delayed, rerouted, or returned mid-transit. For international orders, additional documentation and labeling requirements apply, which are covered later in this guide.

Carrier options for shipping coffee

USPS
UPS
DHL

Several carrier options are available for shipping coffee, and each serves different fulfillment needs. The right carrier often depends on order type, destination, and the level of reliability required. For specialty coffee or higher-value shipments, businesses may also want to review carrier insurance options or third-party coverage, especially for wholesale or international orders where replacements are costly.

This section looks at USPS, UPS, and DHL, outlining when each makes the most sense and why.

USPS

For Canyon, USPS has been the primary carrier for domestic ecommerce orders. The USPS Ground Advantage rate—about $7 to ship a 12-ounce bag of coffee beans—offers a cost-effective ground shipping option for lightweight, direct-to-consumer shipments. USPS estimates a shipping time of five to seven business days, with local deliveries often arriving sooner.

The lower rate does come with tradeoffs. Pickup times can be inconsistent, communication with a dedicated representative is limited, and orders may need to be dropped off at the post office if they aren’t ready when the carrier arrives. Even so, for high-volume ecommerce shipments where cost matters most, the savings can outweigh these limitations. For Canyon, USPS remains a reliable default for domestic ecommerce fulfillment.

UPS

For domestic wholesale orders, UPS has been a reliable partner for Canyon, particularly when consistency and predictability matter. UPS offers daily pickup within the same window, observes fewer holidays than USPS, and provides access to a dedicated representative when issues arise. For longer-distance shipments, its tracking updates tend to be detailed and transparent, making it easier to communicate delays to customers when they occur. “UPS is more expensive, but you’re paying for consistency and reliability,\" Kyle says.

UPS pricing is based on both shipment weight and how that weight is distributed across boxes. As Kyle explains, “One hundred pounds of coffee split between two boxes will get you a better rate than 100 pounds in one box.” This pricing structure encourages thoughtful box selection and load distribution. Compared to USPS, UPS’s core focus on package delivery helps explain its stronger performance for heavier, time-sensitive wholesale shipments.

DHL

For international orders, Canyon relies on DHL. The brand typically ships between three and five international orders per week and has found DHL to offer the most competitive rates for its destinations. DHL has also proven reliable for pickups. “They don’t come every day,” says Kyle, “but if a label gets made, they show up.”

Like UPS, DHL provides business customers access to a representative, though reaching a live contact can still take some persistence. That said, DHL’s tracking information is highly detailed, making it easier to understand where international shipments are in transit and why delays may occur. While international shipping timelines can extend up to 14 days, Kyle notes that most DHL shipments arrive within five to seven days after pickup.

Shipping coffee internationally

Shipping coffee internationally introduces additional complexity, most of which centers on customs clearance. According to Kyle, the single most important requirement is using the correct Harmonization System (HS) codes. These codes are standardized product classifications used by customs agencies to identify what’s inside a shipment and assess duties without having to open the package.

Every country maintains its own HS code system, with distinct codes for different products. In the US, for example, ground coffee and whole bean coffee are assigned separate HS codes. Many shipping services won’t even let you create a label without including HS codes, making accuracy essential to avoid delays or rejected shipments.

For international wholesale orders, additional documentation is also required. Shipments typically include three copies of a commercial invoice—one placed inside the box and two attached externally in a window envelope. Each copy lists the HS codes, provides an itemized description of the box’s contents, and includes a signature from a business representative. Together, these documents help ensure shipments move through customs efficiently and reach customers without unnecessary holdups.

Tips for shipping coffee

As order volume increases, many coffee companies benefit from building repeatable shipping systems rather than relying on ad hoc processes. These tips focus on building those systems while protecting product quality and customer experience:

1. Give yourself a processing window

Canyon advertises a processing time of up to three days between when an order is placed and when it ships. This buffer allows the team to prioritize quality control and ship fresh coffee rather than rushing orders out the door. For example, if an order is placed on Tuesday and the selected beans are scheduled to be roasted on Wednesday, the processing window makes it possible to ship the fresher batch while still meeting the stated fulfillment timeline.

2. Know your boxes

Selecting the right box size plays an important role in fulfilling coffee orders efficiently. To streamline this step, create a simple guide that maps popular order combinations—such as single bags, multibag orders, or coffee paired with merchandise—with the box sizes that fit them best. Keeping this guide easily accessible for your shipping team can reduce decision-making time and speed up fulfillment.

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3. Get creative with packaging

The moment a customer opens an order is a chance to reinforce your brand and set expectations for the product inside. Simple additions like tissue paper, picture cards, or a personalized message can make the unboxing feel intentional without complicating fulfillment. These elements also give you an opportunity to reflect your visual brand identity and tone, helping create a consistent experience for coffee lovers, from checkout through delivery. Pack your boxes so that the very act of opening an order is its own experience.

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“We don’t just throw the coffee in the box and tape it up,” Kyle explains. “Every box has tissue paper in it, and then throughout the year we’ll get artists or friends to do postcards for us.” This approach improves presentation while keeping items from shifting during transit.

4. Create an HS code table

For international orders, create a reference table that lists the HS codes for each item you ship globally. Keep this table posted near your shipping station or saved in an easily accessible folder. Having HS codes on hand reduces prep time for international orders and helps minimize errors that can lead to customs delays.

5. Use tiered shipping through Shopify

Shopify’s tiered shipping options allow customers to choose their preferred delivery timeframe at checkout, while recommending the best carriers based on timing and rates. This approach simplifies the checkout experience for customers and reduces the need to manually calculate, manage, or maintain multiple shipping rate options behind the scenes.

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Shipping coffee FAQ

Can coffee be shipped?

Coffee ships well through standard carriers like USPS, UPS, and DHL. Roasted coffee is shelf-stable and doesn't require refrigeration, though proper packaging (airtight seals, appropriate box sizing) helps preserve freshness. The best shipping method depends on how much you are shipping, where you are shipping to, and whether the order is domestic ecommerce, wholesale, or international.

What is the cheapest way to ship coffee?

The most affordable way to ship coffee depends on shipment size and destination. For single-item ecommerce orders, such as a single 12-ounce bag of coffee beans, USPS Ground Advantage is often the lowest-cost choice.

Can I send coffee through USPS?

USPS is commonly used for shipping coffee, especially for domestic ecommerce orders, and is practical for lightweight shipments.

","excerpt","Shipping coffee can be complex, as it’s both time-sensitive and easily damaged by poor handling. Learn how to do it right.","excerptHtml","

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Shipping coffee can be complex, as it’s both time-sensitive and easily damaged by poor handling. Learn how to do it right.

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Great graphic design can be a game-changer, shaping how customers perceive your brand and directly affecting trust and conversion rates. Before you begin the hunt for a graphic designer, it’s crucial to first articulate your needs and your budget, and understand graphic design prices.

Graphic designers can help you create a memorable logo, an engaging website, social media graphics, product packaging, and eye-catching marketing materials. But how should you budget for such an investment? And when do you know you need to hire an in-house designer?

This guide explains how graphic design pricing works, what factors influence designer rates, and how to choose between freelancers, agencies, and in-house designers for your business needs.

Table of contents

Factors that influence graphic design pricing

Here are three main factors that impact freelance graphic design rates:

1. Location

Your company’s location and the market in which you’re looking to hire will impact graphic design prices. Designers working in major cities often face higher costs of living and stronger market demand than those in smaller towns, which can drive rates up.

According to data from ZipRecruiter, typical freelance graphic design rates in cities hover around $35 an hour, with average freelance graphic design rates of around $38 per hour in New York City, $34 per hour in Austin, Texas, and $32 per hour in Des Moines, Iowa. Actual rates may fall above or below the average depending on demand and specialization.

2. Designer’s experience

Beginner graphic designers—those with one to three years of experience—typically charge less than more experienced designers. Rates often reflect not just skill level, but the maturity of a designer’s process and professionalism, such as how they handle feedback, timelines, and revisions.

More experienced or in-demand freelance graphic designers may charge significantly higher rates, particularly for complex or high-impact work. According to ZipRecruiter, the top end of freelance graphic design rates rises meaningfully within the same markets cited above, with top earners averaging around $52 per hour in New York City, $47 per hour in Austin, and $45 per hour in Des Moines. You may see rates of $75 to $150 an hour for senior designers with the highest degree of specialization and experience.

3. Project scope

The type and complexity of graphic design work affect cost as well. A single logo design generally commands a lower price than a full branding package. Digital products like web design projects or mobile apps add technical considerations, such as usability requirements, platform constraints, and ongoing iteration. Designers may also factor in project value; if their work is expected to drive significant revenue, such as a website redesign tied to conversion improvements or a product launch campaign, rates may reflect that.

Many designers offer project-based pricing, such as a flat fee for logo or website design or a full branding package. Project-based pricing generally accounts for the estimated hours to complete the job, required skills, and project complexity.

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Freelance designers vs. agencies vs. in-house designers

Depending on your graphic design needs and budget, there are three ways to source design work:

1. Freelance designers

Takeaway: Lowest upfront costs and fastest to engage, but pricing, availability, and long-term continuity can vary.

For short-term or exploratory design projects, freelance designers often are the most accessible option. Freelancers operate independent businesses and work with multiple clients, usually on a short-term or per-project basis. You can browse freelancers by style, rate, and location through marketplaces like 99designs, Upwork, or Behance, as well as through the Shopify Partner program.

Freelancers typically involve the lowest upfront financial commitment and can deliver results quickly for well-defined needs. Payment terms are usually agreed to in advance, with many marketplaces facilitating contracts and escrow. Pricing and availability vary widely among freelancers, and because freelance engagements often move quickly, a poor fit may not become apparent until work is well underway, potentially leading to lost time.

2. Design or branding agencies

Takeaway: Higher cost than freelance, with more structured support and predictable delivery for complex or ongoing work.

Design or branding agencies provide graphic design services through multidisciplinary teams of professional designers, strategists, and project managers. You can find design agencies through referrals, industry directories, or prior work examples and evaluate them based on portfolio strength, relevant experience, and strategic fit rather than individual rates alone. This model works well for businesses with multiple or connected projects, such as a brand refresh alongside a website relaunch.

Because agency pricing reflects team involvement and project management in addition to design execution, costs are generally higher than working with a solo freelancer. Agencies typically offer packaged projects or retainers, which can make expenses more predictable over time for businesses with ongoing needs.

3. In-house teams

Takeaway: Highest ongoing overall cost, but the greatest level of control, consistency, and brand integration.

In-house designers work closely with internal teams and offer the deepest level of brand familiarity and day-to-day collaboration. They can support continuous design needs as your business evolves. When considering an in-house designer, evaluate long-term workload, internal collaboration needs, and whether design will be a consistent, ongoing function.

This model carries the highest overall cost, as businesses must account for a salary, benefits, and insurance. This can be prohibitive for some small businesses, but may ultimately be worth it if your business relies on dynamic visuals and design as a core operational function.

Best practices for hiring a graphic designer

Ready to bring your vision to life with the help of the right graphic design partner? Although these best practices are most directly applicable to freelance and agency relationships, many of the same principles—clear communication, scope alignment, and staged work—can also inform how businesses approach early or contract-based in-house design teams.

The guidance below comes from seasoned freelancer Jonathan Mutch, a Toronto-based design director, and focuses on how to set up your graphic design partnership for success from the very start.

Communicate the why behind the project

One of the best things you can do as a prospective client is to come to discussions with clear enthusiasm—and context—for your project. It helps designers quickly understand your goals and assess whether they’re the right fit. Be prepared to speak to the impact the work will have on your brand, such as how it supports growth, clarifies positioning, or improves the customer experience, and what you hope it will help you achieve.

“There are projects that I do just because they pay well,” Jonathan says. “But if it’s a long-running project, I want to be excited about the work, and I want to believe in it. If it’s a project that excites me, then oftentimes I’m saying yes—even if I don’t have the life bandwidth.”

Tap your network

Whenever possible, seek word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations from your own network, such as peers, former collaborators, and other business owners, which can help bolster trust in early discussions and foster a healthier working relationship from the start.

“I don’t work with a lot of people that I don't know anything about,” Jonathan says. “I want to work with people who are respectful and good partners, so it’s often a friend of a friend, or someone can vouch for them.”

Know your project scope

Before you hire a graphic designer, have a strong understanding of what you need and what success looks like—and start the project only when both parties are aligned. “Often, a small project that you think you could wrap in a couple of weeks turns into eight weeks and is way out of scope, and then you have to have awkward conversations,” Jonathan says.

One way to prepare for the unexpected is to ask questions upfront about how freelance or agency graphic artists will handle reviews, revisions, and final sign-off. It also helps to be transparent about who will be involved on your end and to what extent, so feedback and decision-making don’t surface late in the process. Looping in stakeholders early can prevent last-minute changes that derail timelines. Consider creating a scope of work document so you and your team can align on what you’re looking for.

Jonathan notes that it can be difficult to accurately quote a project in advance because additional feedback and revisions often emerge as the work progresses. Even when expectations are clear, small changes can accumulate over time and extend timelines or increase effort beyond what was originally planned. For merchants, clearly defining scope, decision-makers, and revision limits upfront can help reduce surprises and keep projects on track as they evolve.

“You might prepare for two to three rounds of revisions, but then there will be a little thing that someone wants to change here, a little thing there. It’s really hard to know how iterative the feedback will be,” Jonathan says.

Think in stages

If budget is a concern, consider approaching design work in stages, starting with a smaller, high-impact deliverable and expanding into a broader package over time. This can help your business get what it needs now while keeping room for future upgrades without ruling them out entirely.

Many graphic designers—including Jonathan—offer tiered options, which makes budgeting easier by separating must-haves from nice-to-haves and giving both sides a shared language for shaping the work. If you’re quoted a single package rate, ask whether that work can be phased or priced in tiers. If you’re aiming to hire an in-house designer, this same approach could be used within a contract-to-hire model, allowing both parties to start with a more straightforward project before committing to a full-time position.

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Graphic design prices FAQ

How much will a graphic designer cost?

How much a graphic designer costs depends on factors like project type, location, and level of expertise. Scope also plays a major role in pricing and can determine whether you’re quoted an hourly rate or a per-project flat rate, which may reach into the thousands for larger initiatives.

Why is graphic design so expensive?

Graphic design can be expensive because it’s an in-demand skill that combines creative judgment with technical precision and experience. Good graphic design can boost brand perception and customer trust, so it’s often worth the investment for companies where visual identity plays an important role in marketing materials.

Do companies offer monthly graphic design packages?

Some design or branding agencies offer retainer-style contracts that provide ongoing access to design services on a monthly or quarterly basis. This approach can work well for brands with recurring design needs and help maintain consistency across different assets and campaigns.

","Learn about factors that determine graphic design prices, so you can budget confidently and choose the right designer for your business.","

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Learn about factors that determine graphic design prices, so you can budget confidently and choose the right designer for your business.

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Graphic designers are specialists in visual communication, using color, typography, layout, and imagery to express their clients’ visual identity. Starting a graphic design business requires artistic skill and vision, alongside a healthy dose of tenacity, perseverance, and patience. The payoff can be immensely rewarding: As an independent shop or freelancer, you can choose the projects you’re most excited by, set your own rates, and determine the schedule and workflow that’s best for you.

Learn about the types of graphic design businesses you can start, the steps involved, and what it takes to be successful, with advice from Jonathan Mutch, a Toronto-based graphic designer and design consultant who honed his skills in ad shops and agencies before launching his own business.

Table of contents

Types of graphic design work

Depending on your experience and the kinds of clients you hope to pursue, your graphic design business may specialize in one design area or offer a menu of services.

Here are common areas of focus to inspire your own graphic design business ideas:

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Branding. Branding work can include logo design, developing a visual brand identity through color palettes and typography, website design, marketing campaigns and advertising assets, and physical elements like signage and stickers.
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Product packaging. Product packaging design includes branded shipping and packing materials, store merchandising assets, product labels, inserts, instructions, and brand collateral like stickers or decals.
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Motion graphics. A specialty in motion graphics and/or animation includes designing dynamic websites, mobile app experiences, unique brand storytelling assets, and animated social media content.
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UX/UI. User experience (UX) design focuses on how users navigate a website, landing page, or mobile app. User interface (UI) design shapes the visual elements—like icons, buttons, typography, and menus—that help people interact with those digital spaces.
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Environmental design. Environmental graphic design focuses on the visual identity of physical spaces, using products like banners, posters, window decals, and informational signs to guide viewers.
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Information design. Information designers work with numbers, data, and other technical information to craft visuals like infographics, charts, diagrams, or other data-driven graphics that communicate ideas in a clear, understandable way.
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Print design. Print graphic designers specialize in projects with printed material needs, like magazines, books, pamphlets, flyers, and signage.
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How to start a graphic design business

It’s normal to feel the nerves as you make the jump into launching your business—even the seasoned pros still deal with it. “It was a bit intimidating at the start,” Jonathan says. “A lot of people who work in advertising, marketing, or any sort of creative field have a certain amount of imposter syndrome. I still struggle with that. Showing up is important. Trying hard is important. When you’re unsure of something, ask.”

Having a clear structure to work through—from choosing your design focus to setting rates and finding clients—can make starting your graphic design business less daunting. Here are the basic steps to launch your own shop, with insights and advice from Jonathan based on his journey.

1. Choose your focus

As with any new business venture, start by identifying your niche. List the types of projects you hope to work on, and determine whether you’ll focus on one area of graphic design or offer a broad menu of services. Your focus will influence what kinds of clients you go after, your pricing, how you present your portfolio of work, and your business name.

2. Register your business

Once you’ve chosen a focus, it’s time to choose your business name and structure, such as a sole proprietorship or limited-liability company (LLC), and register your business with both federal and state agencies, which will allow you to correctly handle your taxes and establish your business as a distinct legal entity. Depending on the structure you choose, follow federal and state registration guidelines to have your business recognized by the appropriate agencies.

This may also be a good time to open a business bank account, which can help keep your business and personal finances separate for income tracking, invoicing, and tax reporting. It can also make your business appear more professional as you begin working with clients.

3. Write a business plan

A business plan can be simple or extensive—and though it’s often used to secure funding from financiers or banks, it can also serve as an internal compass. Describing the types of projects you’re most passionate about, and showing exactly what you have to offer your clients (and how it is uniquely valuable in your given market or focus), makes your strategic decisions more cohesive. A business plan contains the core offerings and services of your company, a competitive analysis that provides the foundation for your unique value proposition, financial projections, and marketing strategies in service of your long-term goals.

4. Create a portfolio website

For professional graphic designers, a portfolio is your primary sales tool. Potential clients need a place to view your work to get a sense of your style and interests. Making it easy for them to do so is one of the best ways to market your services.

You can build your own portfolio website using Shopify’s website builder or create a profile on one of the many freelancing platforms popular with designers, like Behance, Dribbble, and 99designs. Some freelancing sites, like 99designs, offer a marketplace feel where you can bid for projects and interact with clients, while others, like Behance, are oriented more toward discovery and showcasing your past work.

Jonathan once landed a job at an advertising agency because one of its employees had seen some of his early work on Flickr. “He was really into my work; I was into his,” he says. “We exchanged prints, and he’s like, ‘I’m working at this small ad shop, I’d like you to meet them.’”

Jonathan’s advice: Don’t let not having client projects to showcase stop you from adding projects to your portfolio. If you don’t have past work to feature yet, you can do small projects for family and friends, spec projects for existing brands, or even create imaginary brands to showcase your work.

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5. Set your rates

Pricing your services is one of the perennial challenges for any freelance graphic designer or independent business owner. If you’ve worked for an agency, take cues from what they charge per hour, per day, and per project. From there, shape your pricing by considering factors such as your location, experience, and specific skill set. All of this will inform what clients will be willing to pay.

Your industry peers can also advise on pricing, especially if they are in a similar niche or location. “Don’t just look it up online, where I think a lot of people might not be telling the truth,” says Jonathan. “Have honest conversations with colleagues, or people that you went to school with, or friends in the industry.” Those conversations can help you understand what your work is worth and how to price it without scaring anyone off.

Over time, he adds, you’ll develop an ability to feel out what a client can and can’t afford, and how much you’re able to adjust your rates—or not.

6. Find your first clients

When it comes to finding your first graphic design clients and marketing your business, word-of-mouth referrals and your own network are two of the strongest assets you have. Knowing whether you’ve developed your network enough to support your move to independence can be a difficult moment to pin down.

“I’ve had colleagues who started their own thing straight out of school, while others waited eight to 10 years. It takes a certain amount of bravery to hop out there and really attack it,” he says. “For me, it was almost just an instinct. I had had enough working with the agency I was at, and it was time for a change. I reached out to a few people, could tell that there would be a little bit of work, and made the jump.”

Relying on your network, however small it feels in the beginning, also brings the bonus of increased trust. For Jonathan, it’s still the first place he’ll turn for a gut check. “I don’t work with a lot of people that I don’t know anything about,” he says. “It’s often a friend of a friend, or someone can vouch for this person.”

Lean on your network in the beginning to find graphic design clients, surface new opportunities, and make connections in the graphic design industry, and then rely on their insights or past experiences to guide your decisions as you grow. Showcasing your work and style on social media and your website not only helps you generate more leads, but also builds new connections with like-minded creatives who may become trusted peers.

7. Invest in project management software

Running a graphic design business means balancing the creative work with administrative responsibilities that all small business owners must contend with. One of the best ways to deal with this is by investing in intuitive, easy-to-use project management and accounting software.

“I’ve always struggled with being both the creative and the accounts person,” Jonathan says. “The work is what excites me; bookkeeping, invoicing, doing your taxes at the end of the year, plus the uncertainty of whether or not you would find full-time work … all that stuff scared me off from really diving in at first.”

Look for tools that combine client communications like invoicing and payment processing with accounting and time tracking for hourly-rate projects, like HoneyBook, Harvest, and FreshBooks.

5 key elements of a successful graphic design business

Here are Jonathan’s five tips for building your own graphic design business:

1. Showcase an adaptable style—or an iconic one

Whether you strive for an immediately recognizable graphic design style or pride yourself on your ability to transform for each project, you’ll likely still encounter the age-old debate over the merits of being a generalist or a specialist. Over the years, Jonathan has settled on a both/and approach, favoring one or the other depending on the client, or creative momentum in general.

“I’ve worked hard to be adaptable, because often you’re working within the constraints of a brand, especially in advertising, and you need to be creative within that framework,” Jonathan says. “When you’re creating brands, it’s also important to be flexible, because what you think is cool isn’t what a client might think is cool.”

There is, of course, an occasional exception to that rule: “As much as I’ve tried to be flexible and be able to create the best work I can within the circumstances that I find myself in, there are people who have a very set style, and people seek them out because of that style. I’ve seen people be hugely successful that way.”

The risk of sticking with one style is knowing whether it will remain in demand over the long term, or whether you’ll have cornered yourself after the moment has passed. Consider your strengths, target audience, and where you are in your career. If you’re just starting out, consider showcasing adaptability across your portfolio while reserving a section for your riskier, bolder style.

2. Continuously seek creative inspiration

To grow as a graphic designer—and to stay relevant to clients—it’s important to look beyond the immediate world of graphic design. To evolve your style or your range, try to consume a broad, diverse collection of works across the creative disciplines.

“I still spend an incredible amount of time on Pinterest, but picking up a book, heading for a walk, looking at record covers, hanging out with other people, and seeing what they’re into has been very beneficial,” Jonathan says. “I’ve also got an inspiration folder that I’ve been keeping since 2010. It’s fun to just bop around in there and see what I was into then.” Past loves have a habit of coming back around, and you never know what a fresh perspective might bring.

3. Adjust your rates with time and experience

One of the trickiest things to navigate as a new graphic design business is setting your rate. It’s a balance of need and value— for both you and your potential clients, who will consider your rate against their own expectations.

“Charge what you think your time is worth. You don’t want to go in too hot, but you also don’t want to undervalue yourself,” Jonathan says. “After about a year, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what companies and agencies are willing to spend, and you can adjust from there.”

Remember, too, that you should adjust your rates as your experience and list of graphic design clients grow. “I’ve slowly crept my rate up over eight to 10 years,” Jonathan says. “It’s gotten to the point where I’m comfortable with it, and I don’t get laughed at when I say, ‘That’s my rate.’”

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4. Offer tiered pricing

Offering more than one pricing option allows for flexibility and provides opportunities to upsell or expand on your services. For example, you can productize your services by creating a three-tiered option: a basic package covering core deliverables, a mid-tier option that includes additional applications, and a more comprehensive tier for ongoing support or strategy guidance.

Jonathan, like many graphic designers, has day rates, as well as flat-rate project quotes. Once he has a sense of a prospective client’s budget, he’ll typically offer three pricing tiers with various components and optional add-ons. Sometimes, clients will select a lower tier, but keep the door open for continued business down the line.

5. Foster client and agency relationships

Just as a well-tended network helps you to find new projects and connections, the relationships you build during the project also have the potential to generate steady, continuous contracts down the line. How you structure your interactions and process—and how easy you make that process for your clients—all impact the longevity of the collaboration.

Part of effective communication with graphic design clients is clarity around pricing and scope for creative work, and maintaining the boundaries you agree upon. For example, Jonathan says, “Have a strong understanding as to what they’re after, and don’t start the project until both parties are very clear. Often there’s, ‘Oh, can you help with this and this and this?’ and then a small project that you think you could wrap in a couple of weeks turns into eight weeks. It gets way out of scope, and you have to have those awkward conversations.” Clarity from the beginning will set you and your client up for success later on.

“Over-communicate, be incredibly transparent, be friendly and approachable,” says Jonathan. Your client relationships will translate into word-of-mouth referrals. Fostering those relationships is just as important as delivering top-notch creative work.

Graphic design business FAQ

What does a graphic design business do?

A graphic design business specializes in visual communication and uses color, typography, layout, and imagery to express its clients’ visual identity.

How do you start a graphic design small business?

To start a graphic design business, choose your focus and business name, write a business plan, and complete any required registration. Launch a portfolio website with examples of your work and style, set your pricing tiers, and find your first clients through industry connections, your social media accounts, or freelance marketplaces.

Can you make $100K a year as a graphic designer?

Yes, you can make $100,000 a year as a graphic designer, particularly if you offer in-demand skills, build a strong client base, and consistently manage a steady volume of work. Other factors, such as your market, specialization, pricing strategy, and whether you’re working as an in-house or freelance graphic designer, play a part as well.

","Launch a graphic design business by formulating a plan to profitability, creating a portfolio website, and landing your first clients.","

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Launch a graphic design business by formulating a plan to profitability, creating a portfolio website, and landing your first clients.

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Businesses both big and small seek out freelancers for any number of reasons: whether you need to hire a copywriter to help bring a great website to life, a graphic designer to refresh your logo design, an IT specialist to help with coding or security, or a temporary expert to support a marketing campaign, finding the right freelancer can help you reach your professional goals. It can also be less expensive than hiring someone in-house.

For freelancers looking to earn money for their services (and set the hourly rate they feel they deserve), work with top companies (but still work remotely), and choose clients with the potential to turn into long-term partnerships, freelance websites are one of the best ways to find work.

Unsure where to look? Read on for a guide to the many freelancing sites that can support your search.

Table of contents

What is a freelancing site?

A freelance site is a job marketplace and networking platform that connects freelancers with prospective clients.

Though the posting process differs slightly by platform, most sites allow freelancers to create profiles where they can post their services, portfolio, and starting rates, which talent seekers can then peruse and contact directly. Alternatively, businesses in need of a freelancer can post available jobs, and interested freelancers can browse jobs and bid on projects. Some websites do the sorting for you—matching clients and freelancers by project or budget.

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What to look for in a freelancing site

While some freelance platforms function like job boards or portfolio sites, others resemble community networking platforms or shared workspaces.

Here’s what to consider when evaluating freelance job sites for your business.

Communication tools

Depending on your needs or preferences, it’s important to consider how you communicate through the platform, either as a client or a as freelancer. Aim to get a sense for how different platforms support client-freelancer communication through features like direct messaging and on-site collaboration spaces.

User fees

User fees include charges for posting job opportunities, processing payments, or brokering partnerships. Some platforms do this per job posting, by contract, or on a monthly basis, like a subscription model. In most cases, freelancers can create an account for free but pay service fees for processing client payments. This is important for freelancers, because understanding how much a platform charges can impact how they set their rates.

Scope of offerings

Diversity in this case can refer to variety in experience levels, locations, or disciplines. The breadth of offerings on a given site—or its intentionally narrow focus—should fit what you’re looking for as a talent seeker or offering as a freelancer. For example, if you’re a copywriter who also does brand development and creative direction, or a photographer with extensive experience as a video producer, you’ll want a platform that allows you to find equally complex projects or post gigs in different disciplines.

Payment security

Prompt and secure payment is critical for freelancers. Some freelance platforms hold client payments in escrow once a project is accepted, ensuring no delays once it’s completed, while others provide secure methods for clients and freelancers to exchange money on an agreed-upon timeline.

In general, look for security badges and other signs of compliance, like a padlock in the URL field signifying a secure connection. You should ensure the platform facilitates all payments and does not rely on external communications such as WhatsApp or text.

Trustworthiness

As in any public marketplace, it’s important to be aware of spam job listings and fake reviews. Check external review sites for any platform you’re considering so you can learn about the quality and trustworthiness of the listings.

Whether you’re considering hiring a freelancer or answering a job listing, stay alert for suspicious messages or requests, unrealistic pay, unverified payment methods, and vague job descriptions or freelancer profiles.

7 best freelance marketplaces

The beauty of freelance marketplaces is that they allow independent professionals to find jobs directly and build careers on their own terms, and help companies to fill a need of any scope without the commitment of traditional employment.

These project-based businesses are a force in their own right: the freelance platforms market is projected to grow to $16.76 billion by 2029, per The Business Research Company. Here are a few of the marketplaces fueling that growth:

Fiverr

On Fiverr, there are sellers (job seekers), buyers (companies), and gigs, which range from one-off services to ongoing partnerships that support full-time freelancers and side hustlers. Fiverr is known as a generalist site and represents a wide variety of professionals, from freelance writers, graphic designers, and digital marketing pros to voiceover artists, accountants, software programmers, and more.

Costs: Fiverr is free to join and to post to, but sellers pay a 20% commission fee to the platform, and buyers pay a service fee, typically around 5.5%, for each transaction.

Pros: Low-cost and low barrier to entry allow for quick gigs and easy project setups, plus continued education for freelancers looking to hone or expand their skill set.

Cons: A large user base can make it harder for clients to find qualified talent and for freelancers to make their services stand out in the crowd. The high commission charges may impact a freelancer’s ability to profit from their work.

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Toptal

Toptal bills itself as a premium marketplace for the most qualified freelancers in a handful of industries, most notably in web development, project management, and business consulting. The site connects developers, designers, product and project managers, and marketing experts with top-tier companies. It also allows freelancers to offer broader consulting services on subjects like artificial intelligence, information security, and data analytics for longer-term hires.

Costs: Businesses pay a one-time $300 fee to post job openings, and hourly rates are anywhere from $45 per hour to $200 per hour.

Pros: Notably, Toptal features a comprehensive screening process for freelancers, meaning any of the talent found on the platform has completed a three- to eight-week assessment that includes an English language test, skill review, live interview, and test project—guaranteeing the “top” level of talent in each specialty and quality work that’s worth the extra money.

Cons: Freelancers on the site typically require higher hourly rates than most other platforms, with fewer options for budget-conscious clients or smaller projects. The high bar to entry may discourage skilled freelancers with more affordable rates from joining the platform.

Upwork

Upwork defines its focus as “anything people generally do on a computer,” with web, mobile, and software development, design work, and copywriting among the most popular freelance services.

Costs: Upwork offers two plans for businesses: a basic package that features a 5% fee and access to the greater marketplace, and a Business Plus plan that comes with a higher fee of 10%, but also unlocks access to vetted talent, $500 in site credit for every $1,000 spent on projects, direct messaging, advanced support, and more. Freelancers likewise choose between a free Basic account and a Plus account at $19.99 per month, which increases the number of monthly “connects” (the platform’s virtual currency that freelancers use to apply for jobs or boost their services) you have access to. Freelancers pay a service fee of up to 15% per contract.

Pros: There’s a sliding commission scale that rewards continuous work, along with a large global community of both experienced freelancers and companies offering a wide variety of projects and budgets.

Cons: The site is so vast that it can be hard to separate quality freelancers from the many freelancers competing for jobs and visibility.

99designs

99designs is, as the name suggests, a site dedicated to freelance designers. Talent seekers fill out a simple brief that outlines the project they’re looking for help with; after that, they can leave it to 99designs to curate a list of potential freelancers, or start a “contest,” which allows the entire community to submit ideas for selection.

Costs: Freelancers pay an “introduction fee” of $100 anytime they’re matched with a client, and a platform listing fee ranging from 5% to 15%, depending on their level of experience, both fees are typically included in the overall project cost. Clients pay a 5% fee that covers payment processing and customer support. Platform fees are automatically included in quotes and invoices.

Pros: Client-designer matching by the 99designs team helps narrow down and clarify the talent search, and the site features a wide range of design categories and styles from a worldwide community.

Cons: The specificity and details included in your brief will determine the caliber of results you receive; if your project is more early-stage or vague, it may be hard to find what you’re looking for or get overwhelmed by choice.

TaskRabbit

Sometimes what small businesses need most is a pair of extra hands, and that’s where TaskRabbit, a freelancing site for in-person tasks, comes in handy. The platform sorts freelancers by categories like installation and repair, delivery, personal assistant tasks, cleaning, and office services like assembling furniture or catering pick-ups. Some brands even use Taskers as a freelance merchandising team, checking on displays and inventory in stores far away from headquarters.

Costs: Hourly rates are set by individual Taskers, and invoices also include a service fee (15%) and, in some states, an additional trust and support fee of 7.5%.

Pros: TaskRabbit provides access to temporary manual labor and delivery help, merchandising support, and other in-person needs not often covered by most other virtual-first platforms.

Cons: Tasker expertise and skill levels can vary, so results may be mixed, depending on the specific job.

Creative Circle

While not exclusively dedicated to freelancers, Creative Circle acts as a talent agency for clients looking for help in areas like brand strategy, content writing, and web design. Freelancers, contract workers, or those looking for full-time creative work all use the site to find leads.

Costs: While it’s free for freelancers to join, clients pay a service fee per project that varies by type of engagement. In the case that a freelance project turns into full-time employment, clients pay a one-time percentage of the candidate’s first-year salary.

Pros: There’s a smooth hiring process where freelancers are paid by Creative Circle, not by individual clients. The platform acts as an intermediary for any placements and handles all payments and administrative details, and facilitates communication between parties.

Cons: There is less independence and discretionary freedom to set your own rates, bid, and pace projects as a freelancer.

Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com boasts 2,700 different categories on its wide-reaching platform, covering everything from translation services to animation, digital marketing, legal services, and more.

Costs: Free to sign up and to post, but clients pay a service fee once a project has been accepted (3% of the total project cost), and freelancers pay 10% commission back to the platform on every completed project.

Pros: Broad categories and a large user base mean talent seekers can easily find a freelancer for any number of projects with varying degrees of complexity.

Cons: Users mention weaker security screening than other sites, and a crowded field that results in a race to the bottom for rates.

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Best freelancing sites FAQ

What is the #1 freelance website?

Based on the number of users and the range of represented disciplines, Upwork offers variety and reliability for both businesses and the freelancers they’re looking to hire. However, the best option depends on your needs and qualifications: Toptal is an expensive but highly selective marketplace with a thorough vetting process, 99designs is geared toward jobs in the design world, and TaskRabbit targets in-person rather than virtual gigs.

Which freelancing platform is best for beginners?

For new freelancers looking to build out a portfolio and find clients, Fiverr is generally considered a good starting point. Unlike other contest-based platforms, which typically require written proposals in order to win jobs, Fiverr allows freelancers to create simple service offerings for purchase.

How can I start freelancing?

A freelance business starts the way any other business venture does: you need to identify your niche and offerings, craft a business plan that allows you to map out your financial needs and projections, build a portfolio website—alongside profiles on select freelance websites—and market your services to potential clients.

","Whether you’re a freelancer looking for gigs or a business on the hunt for reliable talent, these are the best freelancing sites to help you refine your search.","

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Whether you’re a freelancer looking for gigs or a business on the hunt for reliable talent, these are the best freelancing sites to help you refine your search.

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Many couples promise to support each other through sickness and in health, for richer or poorer—but a select group also promise to endure back orders and sellouts, viral moments and quiet launches. These couples, called copreneurs, are partners in life as well as in business. They blend the intimacy of a relationship with the complexity of entrepreneurship.

Copreneurial couples aren’t new. Hollywood legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz built Desilu Productions into one of the most influential studios of its time. Today, US Census Bureau data indicates that married couples own roughly one in 10 employer businesses. When you include unmarried partners, romantic couples operate nearly a quarter of all small businesses, according to a Management Review Quarterly study.

To understand the unique challenges copreneurs face, we talked with Ricardo Larroudé of footwear brand Larroudé and Jen Yu of men’s skin care line Jaxon Lane. Both are half of a copreneurial couple—Ricardo with his wife, Marina, and Jen with her husband, Alex. Their experiences share several throughlines, including complementary skill sets and a shared purpose, along with the efficiency that comes from working with someone who knows you deeply. They’ve both also weathered the challenges of tying personal and professional futures together.

Their experiences offer a practical look at how couples who want to start a business can make it work.

Table of contents

Ask the tough questions upfront

Money and timelines can be the most defining aspects of copreneurship—especially for early-stage founders.

For couples considering this path, the most practical advice is simply to prepare. Discuss money, timelines, and expectations before you’re deep in execution. Determine the level of risk you’re comfortable with, and plan for how you’ll financially navigate the early years of your business.

“In the first years of the business, most people aren’t bringing home enough money to pay for everything they need to pay for,” says Jen. “People think they’ll make money in year one or two—for 90% of businesses, that is not reality.”

Jen kept her full-time role at Google for Jaxon Lane’s first six years, while Alex ran the business day to day, creating the stability the business needed to grow. “We didn’t raise money, so somebody has to make the sacrifice,” she says.

That financial reality raises the questions couples should ask early: How long can one or both partners go without a predictable salary? Who’ll provide the health insurance and other benefits? How will you handle resentment if one partner feels they’re contributing more financially or operationally at different points in the journey?

Let strengths guide role division

Startups with two or more founders often outperform solo-led companies in raising venture capital, attracting customers, and maintaining operational stability, according to research by the Founders Forum Group and software company Carta. This is in large part because synergistic skill sets prevent bottlenecks and expand the team’s ability to execute.

When spouses or partners reach the point of taking full-time roles in the business, they should focus on carving out a set of responsibilities aligned with their natural strengths rather than trying to design a perfectly even split.

At Larroudé and Jaxon Lane, roles emerged organically as the couples began building their businesses. Both observed that the smoothest divisions of labor often feel inevitable rather than negotiated.

“The initial division was very natural. Anything that’s not fashion was me; everything that’s related to fashion and communication was Marina,” Ricardo says.

For Jaxon Lane, the pattern was similar: Jen’s strengths in finance and business operations balanced Alex’s focus on sales, customer communication, and relationship-building. “He always wanted to be on the trade show floor talking to people,” Jen says. “I don’t want to do that anyway. I’m the one setting up the infrastructure.”

Both founders also emphasized that roles don’t stay fixed. As a company grows, responsibilities shift, and partners sometimes find themselves out of their depth. Ricardo describes the importance of addressing those moments directly: “Do something about it. Learn it, talk about it, change roles. Just don’t let it simmer.”

Define how major decisions get made

Even with clear roles, cofounding means confronting decisions where partners disagree. Conflict is inevitable, but systems and structure can make it manageable. Decision-making works best when couples define how choices will be made before they’re tested in the heat of the moment.

Jen and Alex approach disagreements like a shared analytical exercise, and the goal isn’t always compromise or perfect agreement. “We lay out our cases and basically make a decision together, one way or the other,” Jen says. “We’re not trying to convince each other, per se, but both parties need to at least not disagree with it.”

Ricardo and Marina’s structure is different but built with the same intention. Their partnership is fully equal at the ownership level, but day-to-day authority is clearly delegated. “As shareholders, we’re equal partners, but day to day is 100% mine,” Ricardo explains.

That separation prevents every operational question from becoming a relationship question. And for the rare moments when a major decision reaches a deadlock, they’ve appointed a trusted board-level individual to make the final call.

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Build communication systems that reduce conflict

Communication can make or break any relationship, but when that relationship is also a business partnership, the stakes are higher. Treating communication as a structured system—with shared rules of engagement that you intentionally design—can protect both the relationship and the business.

Both Jen and Ricardo note that their communication improved significantly through counseling.

“Counseling helped us figure out what leads to defensiveness,” Jen says. “Nowadays I’ll ask, ‘Can I give you feedback?’ and preface it with context. Before, there was a lot of ‘You don’t do this, you don’t do that.’”

She adds that when you’re copreneurs, your livelihood depends on solving your marital problems because unresolved issues can quickly become business issues. “Even though the tasks are different, the nature of our disagreements—the fundamental underlying issues—are the same,” she says.

At the same time, some tensions were operational, not personal. Jen’s highly structured, list-driven style didn’t match Alex’s more free-flowing, sales-oriented approach. The mismatch created strain until they changed the workflow instead of trying to change each other.

“I’m very boom, boom, boom—this needs to be done,” she says. “We got [Alex] an assistant a few months ago, and it’s been amazing. Now I don’t have to get mad at him—I just go to the assistant.”

Ricardo also notes that he and Marina preemptively sought counseling to sharpen their communication through outside structure. He emphasizes directness and not letting issues simmer. “Hard conversations lead to an easier life,” he says. “You’d rather go red in the face for 10 minutes than pink for months.”

Set boundaries that provide separation

Every copreneurial couple faces the question of where business ends and the relationship begins. For many successful couples, the key is to establish intentional rhythms to protect the business and personal relationships. Perfect work-life separation isn’t necessary.

For Jen and Alex, boundaries shift day to day. “It kind of bleeds together,” Jen says. “Sometimes we’re at home and just think of things and talk.” Over time, however, they realized that trying to troubleshoot work issues in their off-hours created more stress than clarity. “We’re much more rigorous about having meetings about things at work versus trying to figure things out on the fly at home,” she says.

Ricardo and Marina experience the same challenge, and it requires active management. “Separating work and home is the hardest part because it’s very intense,” Ricardo admits. “We set timeouts—times we don’t talk about work.”

Neither couple treats separation as a rigid rule. Instead, they rely on deliberate habits that help them shift between roles without letting either domain overwhelm the other.

And blurred lines aren’t always a drawback. Ricardo notes that deep familiarity can make the business more efficient. Sometimes he and Marina will be “frying eggs in the morning and say, ‘Did you call that person?’”—a kind of shorthand that simply isn’t possible with a non-romantic cofounder.

Model the leadership behaviors for your team

One concern aspiring copreneurs may share is how employees will perceive working for a married or romantic pair. But in practice, how founders communicate, disagree, and resolve tension can shape the workplace far more than the relationship status of the people at the top. Employees take cues from the behavior founders model, such as predictability, fairness, and mutual respect.

Ricardo emphasizes that teams may sometimes assume underlying tension even when nothing is wrong—and that it’s the couple’s responsibility to shape how the dynamic is perceived. “A lot of people might feel awkward working for a couple … so we work extra hard on not showing bias toward each other.”

Professionalism, in his view, is non-negotiable. “We talk in the most professional way. There’s no pettiness,” he says. “People are building careers here. We must be respectful for the other 99.9% of the people helping this business come together.”

At Jaxon Lane, Jen and Alex aim to model open, respectful disagreement. “We disagree with each other more than we disagree with other people,” she says. “I don’t think employees feel awkward because we give each other so much feedback already.”

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Learn from leaders

Plan for moments that test the business and the relationship

Beyond planning for roles, finances, and communication, successful copreneurs prepare for difficult, existential moments before they arrive—whether the business falters, the relationship hits turbulence, or both. Thinking through these scenarios early creates stability for the couple, the company, and everyone who depends on them.

Jen gets to the emotional core by encouraging couples to consider what happens to the relationship if the business doesn’t make it. Ricardo flags discussing the mirror version—what happens to the company if the relationship struggles?

These questions aren’t hypothetical, and they require the same level of planning that founders would bring to finances or product strategy.

“You have to be really committed to seeing this through,” says Jen. “No matter what.”

Ricardo stresses the importance of having a contingency plan—what he calls the parachute—so the business isn’t left without direction if the relationship hits turbulence. For him, documenting that plan protects not just the couple but the employees and other shareholders who rely on stability at the top. These conversations aren’t comfortable, but they’re part of the discipline that makes copreneurship sustainable.

Despite these weighty issues, both Jen and Ricardo highlight the equally meaningful rewards. The trust, shorthand, and creative alignment can make the work feel uniquely fulfilling.

As Jen puts it: “You get to share this incredible, self-fulfilling experience with the person you love … and we’ve done amazing things for our marriage because of what we’ve had to do for the business.”

","Founders share their practical tips for starting and building a business with a romantic partner, from asking the tough questions upfront to setting work-life boundaries.","

$\"Illustration$

Founders share their practical tips for starting and building a business with a romantic partner, from asking the tough questions upfront to setting work-life boundaries.

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Want to boost your understanding of how well sales are going and what prompts customers to click that Buy button? Sales tracking software helps your marketing and sales teams better manage leads and the sales pipeline, so you can see how your business is performing at every stage.

In this guide, you’ll learn about the basics of sales tracking tools, some of the top sales tracking software options for small businesses, and how sales tracking features fuel data-driven decisions.

Table of contents

What is sales tracking software?

Sales tracking software monitors and measures the sales process: recording lead generation data, logging information from sales calls, tracking sales, and analyzing your sales team’s performance.

A sales tracking tool is like a combined performance dashboard and ledger of your company’s sales pipeline—a visual timeline of deals in progress. Many customer relationship management (CRM) platforms include built-in sales tracking capabilities.

This technology makes sales pipeline management simpler. Many businesses track leads on one platform, record sales calls on another, and store conversions and team performance data in a spreadsheet. Sales tracking software consolidates it all in one platform. This saves sales teams time by gathering and analyzing data automatically, instead of relying on sales reps to enter the data manually every time.

Tracking software also gives you a look into your team’s performance by measuring metrics such as the number of phone calls they’re making or answering, how often they’re nurturing leads, and how well they close deals (measured by conversion rates).

How sales tracking software works

Sales tracking software works by collecting data from the entire customer journey—every lead, sale, and customer interaction.

For example, when your marketing team gets sales leads from a social media ad, the software logs customer data such as contact information and what they’re interested in. After a lead converts and buys your product, the system adds their purchase history. If that customer later reaches out to your service team, it captures the details of the call.

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Benefits of using sales tracking software

Tracking software offers a clear view of your company’s sales performance, pulling in data from across your sales pipeline to give you a comprehensive picture. You can look at your dashboard to quickly identify if you’re on track for a record quarter—or if you need to make some sales strategy adjustments.

Insight into sales performance

Sales tracking isn’t just recording when sales happen—it’s analyzing how well your sales team is performing.

This technology allows you to see how your sales process is performing overall, with real-time visibility into each stage of the pipeline. How long does it take for a lead to become a conversion? Are conversion rates increasing? Is something hindering your reps from hitting sales targets?

Using tracking software (or the sales tracking capabilities in your CRM) answers these questions, giving you an inside look into sales processes so you can identify areas for improvement. You can benchmark performance against your own historical data, not just industry standards.

You can customize a dashboard within your sales tracking software to see the big picture, with the metrics most important to you front and center. This helps you keep tabs on key figures like conversion rates and sales cycle length, giving you the data you need to identify trends and make informed decisions.

Increased efficiency

A 2024 Salesforce study of 5,500 sales professionals found that 70% of sales reps’ time is spent on non-selling tasks like researching, manual contact management, and administrative duties. Choosing a CRM with strong sales tracking capabilities as part of your tech stack automates many of these tasks, so your reps can focus on what they do best: sell.

Using sales tracking software instead of a patchwork of tools helps your company become more efficient by keeping all sales data in one platform.

Improved pipeline management

Instead of relying on guesswork to understand where deals are getting stuck, tracking software highlights potential bottlenecks in your sales pipeline. You can use sales tracking as a diagnostic tool to triage your sales efforts and see if anything is hampering deal progression.

For example, sales tracking software might show that your company’s customer retention rate has fallen 10% compared to this time last year. You can investigate to see if a competitor is offering a better deal or if customer feedback points to a specific reason for the dropoff, such as a technical issue on your website or a bad customer service experience.

This helps you understand how your pipeline is performing and offers projections based on your data, so you can adjust your sales strategy and make smarter decisions in real time.

Sales coaching opportunities

Sales tracking tools allow you to see individual sales rep performance. You can look at key performance indicators like lead response time and number of follow-ups to see how well your reps are nurturing leads and closing deals.

Maybe a rep isn’t personalizing messaging well enough or is taking too long to follow up on leads. You can use this information to coach sales reps on aspects that need improvement. Some tools, such as Agentforce Sales and HubSpot’s Sales Hub, use CRM data like your key performance indicators (KPIs) to offer targeted coaching insights.

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What to look for in your sales tracking software

There are several common capabilities found in sales tracking software, each offering specific benefits for your sales process.

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Automation. Sales tracking software tools automate data entry tasks, such as inputting customer information and notes from sales calls, giving your reps more time to focus on selling.
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Pipeline management. Pipeline management features give sales reps a customizable dashboard that shows progress on KPIs and how deals are moving through each stage.
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Lead scoring. Not all leads are created equal—sales tracking software can prioritize leads based on their potential value to your company, letting your sales reps identify opportunities for increased revenue.
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Forecasting. If data analysis isn’t your strong suit, sales software forecasting features can forecast revenue using historical data.
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Scalability. Scalability ensures the software can grow with your company, supporting more users, higher data volumes, and additional features without straining your budget.
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User-friendliness. A user-friendly interface helps your team adopt the software quickly, reducing the learning curve and improving day-to-day productivity.
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When choosing sales tracking software for your business, start by identifying your biggest pain points. If your sales reps are spending too much time on data entry, look for strong automation features. If they’re struggling to understand where deals get stuck, prioritize robust pipeline management and forecasting capabilities.

Consider how the software will integrate with tools you’re already using: your email platform, marketing automation software, and accounting system. Also consider your team’s technical comfort level and choose software with a user interface that matches their skills.

8 best sales tracking software tools

There are a variety of sales tracking software options, with several pricing plans to fit your budget. Here are some of the best small-business tools to track deals and keep your pipeline moving. All pricing below reflects discounted rates for annual billing.

1. Shopify

Shopify allows small-business owners to manage and track sales activities in real time, monitoring KPIs like conversion rate and net sales. Shopify features pre-built reports that help you identify trends and an intuitive dashboard that gives you an at-a-glance look at sales performance based on the KPIs most important to you. This makes the platform especially helpful for businesses that want sales and ecommerce activity unified in one system.

Pricing: Shopify plans start at $29 per month.

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Create a store and bring your idea to life with a free trial. Discover how Shopify helps you manage your business and make sales.

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2. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM includes a customizable dashboard and sales automation as part of its sales tracking platform. You can also track sales by territory and use your data to forecast future performance. Managers can keep tabs on sales reps’ actual and projected performance through Zoho CRM. This is useful for growing small and midsize sales teams who need to automate repetitive tasks and gain deeper insight into team performance.

Pricing: Zoho CRM offers a limited free plan for three users; paid plans start at $14 per user per month.

3. Freshsales

Freshsales offers an AI-powered sales tracking platform, where an AI assistant (Freddy AI) helps track deals through the pipeline and generates lead nurturing emails. Freddy AI also scores leads and shows where they are in the pipeline, making recommendations along the way. Freshsales is well-suited for companies looking to use AI to make data-driven decisions.

Pricing: Freshsales has a basic starter plan (without Freddy AI) at $9 per user per month, with premium plans featuring Freddy AI starting at $39 per user per month.

4. Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce Sales Cloud features lead, account, contact, and opportunity management in a streamlined CRM platform. Agentforce Sales, which is tailored more for large enterprises, uses AI agents to help track and manage deals throughout the pipeline. Salesforce Sales Cloud is a fit for growing businesses that want more of a sales-focused CRM and are interested in using AI as they reach an enterprise stage.

Pricing: Salesforce plans (without AI agents) start at $25 per user per month, with Agentforce Sales (with AI agents) included at the $175 per user per month level.

5. HubSpot Sales Hub

HubSpot Sales Hub offers sales tracking and pipeline management, with premium plans including AI features such as a prospecting agent and customer support agent. Sales Hub features a comprehensive dashboard for sales reps, including a calendar, lead scoring, and a library of sales content. HubSpot helps small businesses better understand their pipeline, and the educational content and coaching are helpful for sales rep development.

Pricing: Sales Hub has a free bare-bones plan with basic sales, marketing, and service tools for up to two users. Plans with AI capabilities start at $9 per user per month.

6. Nutshell

Nutshell is a CRM that shows how your sales reps’ efforts are meeting quotas, offering a view of your company’s sales pipeline (and how deals are moving through it). It also includes an activity tracker, so you can see where your reps are spending their time, as well as customizable reports. Nutshell gives sales managers more insight into team performance, allowing you to better understand sales reps’ strengths and weaknesses.

Pricing: Nutshell Sales plans start at $13 per user per month and feature contact management and AI agents in the starter plan.

7. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 clearly displays your company’s sales funnel, showing the percentage of deals that are in each stage of the pipeline. With a colorful Kanban board, you can easily monitor sales from awareness through conversion. Bitrix24 also includes sales automation with rules that you can create and adjust as needed. Bitrix24’s visual tools help illustrate sales performance, which makes sales data more approachable than a spreadsheet format.

Pricing: Bitrix24 has a free basic plan. Paid plans start at $46 per month.

8. Pipedrive

Pipedrive allows you to manage leads, calendars, and pipelines all in one place. It also includes AI-generated sales reports and a view of how well your team is performing compared to goals. It’s available on Android and iOS apps. Pipedrive is a helpful one-stop shop for growing businesses, bringing sales data and team collaboration onto a single platform.

Pricing: Pipedrive starts at $14 per user per month.

Sales tracking software FAQ

What is the best sales tracking software?

The best sales tracking software is the one that most accurately fits your specific needs and budget. Many sales tracking software programs include AI to help forecast performance, and automation to handle repetitive tasks like contact management.

Is there a 100%-free CRM that includes sales tracking?

Some free CRM platforms include sales tracking, but they tend to limit the number of users who can access the software or the pipelines you can track.

What is the best CRM software for sales?

The best CRM software for sales has an intuitive dashboard that puts conversion rates, sales cycle length, and pipeline progress front and center. For instance, Shopify offers an ecommerce platform with a dashboard featuring live metrics, so you can see how sales are performing in real time.

","Use sales tracking software to monitor your sales process: track leads, log information from sales calls, monitor conversions, and analyze team performance.","

$\"A$

Use sales tracking software to monitor your sales process: track leads, log information from sales calls, monitor conversions, and analyze team performance.

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Many of us are familiar with the saying that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar, a metaphor about being kind. It’s also an apt proverb for the concept of customer stickiness. Satisfied customers who see the value in your product or service are more likely to make repeat purchases, which means more revenue for your business.

These customers are also the people who will vouch for your products through online reviews and word-of-mouth marketing. But how does customer stickiness differ from loyalty or retention? And how can you best increase the stickiness of your current customer base? Let’s break it down below.

This guide will show you how to measure customer stickiness and teach you strategies to increase it within your own business.

Table of contents

What is customer stickiness?

Customer stickiness is exactly what it sounds like—a business’s ability to keep customers sticking around and purchasing its products over time. You can also think of it as the result of creating and developing an offering that’s too good to pass up—or one that beats competing products. Improving stickiness involves developing strategies to increase the value of your product, ensuring it fits the needs and meets the standards of your buyers.

Giving ample attention to existing customers and focusing on increasing stickiness can have a significant payoff. According to a Bain & Company report, increasing customer retention by just 5% can improve your profits by up to 95%, and stickiness is a significant factor in retaining customers.

Customer stickiness vs. retention vs. loyalty

Although customer stickiness, loyalty, and retention are related and even used interchangeably, the concepts are slightly different. Stickiness is the likelihood of your customers purchasing products or services over and over again. Customer loyalty, on the other hand, measures a buyer’s commitment to opting for your brand over alternatives. Both customer stickiness and loyalty are components of customer retention over time.

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Dive into Shopify's free branding worksheet to develop your brand's name, style, and voice, and build a strong connection with your audience.

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How to measure customer stickiness

There are a few ways you can measure customer stickiness, depending on which customer success metrics matter most to you and the type of business you’re running:

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

One way to understand customer satisfaction and stickiness is through a Net Promoter Score (NPS). You can find your NPS through a survey that asks a group of customers how likely they are to recommend or use your products on a scale of 1 to 10.

You then separate the respondents into three categories depending on how they responded to the question: detractors (0 to 6), passives (7 to 8), and promoters (9 to 10). Finally, you use this equation to calculate your NPS:

NPS = [(Total promoters / Total respondents x 100) - (Total detractors / Total respondents)] x 100

Customer retention rate (CRR)

Another stickiness metric is customer retention rate (which encompasses both customer stickiness and customer loyalty). This gives you an idea of how often customers return to purchase your products, which you can compare with average industry rates to see how you rank. To calculate CRR, use the following formula:

Customer retention rate = [(Customers at the end of a set period - Customers acquired during a set period) / Customers at the start of a set period] x 100

Daily active users/monthly active users (DAU/MAU)

Software as a service (SaaS) and tech businesses often use another ratio: DAU/MAU. This is calculated by dividing your number of daily active users by your number of monthly active users. You get a ratio by multiplying that resulting number by 100.

This ratio tells you what percentage of users return to your website, app, or platform on a daily basis. It can give you an idea of drop-off and user fluctuation over different periods. Here’s the equation:

DAU/MAU ratio = (Daily active users / Monthly active users) x 100

Customer lifetime value

Another useful insight to gauge customer loyalty and stickiness is customer lifetime value (CLV). CLV estimates how much your customers are likely to spend with you over the course of their interaction with your business. Knowing this can help you figure out how much you can afford to spend on acquiring and retaining them. A basic starting formula for CLV is:

Customer lifetime value = Average order value x Purchase frequency x Average customer lifespan

Customer churn rate

Churn rate is another important metric when it comes to customer stickiness, and is helpful for subscription-based businesses or services. This metric tells you the percentage of customers who no longer purchase your products.

Knowing your business’s churn rate can inform your strategy for increasing sticky customers and figuring out why customers leave. The formula for calculating your churn rate is:

Churn rate = (Customers at the start of a set period - Customers at the end of a set period + New customers acquired in a set period) / Customers at the start of a set period

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How to increase customer stickiness

Once you’ve crunched the numbers and are ready to take action to improve customer stickiness and retention, these tactics can help:

Develop and refine your products

Iteration allows you a chance to improve the products or services you offer, increasing your chances of turning leads into repeat customers. Customer feedback can offer valuable insight into what is and isn’t working when it comes to your offerings. Listening to consumers allows you to better satisfy their needs, leading to products they love and will continue to purchase.

Focus on customer service

Another crucial customer retention strategy is improving customer service. That could look like offering fast delivery, white glove service, personalized onboarding support, or simply answering questions and concerns politely and promptly. Customer service can significantly determine whether customers have a positive experience and return to your brand. In fact, a Shep Hyken report finds that 59% of customers say customer service is a more important factor than price in their purchase decisions.

Personalize your marketing efforts

If your marketing strategy doesn’t speak to your audience or align with their needs and values, they’ll likely seek out an alternative product that does. Invest time in understanding your target customer segments and speak to existing clients in a way that reminds them of your product’s value. Personalized marketing content can help customers feel closer to your brand and like they’ve been heard, which can also improve customer stickiness.

Reward existing customers

You want to give people more reasons to return to your business, and a great way to do this is by rewarding customers. You can improve customer loyalty and stickiness by creating a customer loyalty program, where buyers earn points for purchasing products.

You could also set up a referral program where both a customer and anyone they refer to your business are rewarded for completing a purchase. This increases customer engagement and word of mouth, since buyers are encouraged to share their experience with your products and recommend your business to their friends and family.

Customer stickiness FAQ

What is the difference between customer stickiness and customer retention?

Customer stickiness and customer retention are often used in a similar context, but they’re slightly different. Customer stickiness refers to a business’s ability to get customers to stay around and make repeat purchases, often because of the value that they get from a product or service. Customer retention is how companies hold on to loyal customers over time.

How do you measure customer stickiness?

There isn’t only one formula to measure customer stickiness. To get a good picture of customer stickiness, you can look at metrics such as your brand’s Net Promoter Score, repeat purchase rate, and customer retention rate.

What is a good stickiness ratio?

A good customer stickiness ratio ranges between 9% and 13%, hovering around 9.8% for ecommerce if you use the DAU/MAU calculation. As an example, average customer retention rates are 30% for ecommerce businesses and 77% for software brands.

","Customer stickiness, or a business’s ability to keep customers purchasing its products over time, impacts customer lifetime value and long-term profitability.","

$\"A$

Customer stickiness, or a business’s ability to keep customers purchasing its products over time, impacts customer lifetime value and long-term profitability.

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The rise of the internet spurred the growth of ecommerce, but consumer trust didn’t come overnight. While early adopters embraced online shopping in the 1990s, many shoppers were wary of sharing credit card details online, preferring the familiarity and safety of brick-and-mortar stores.

Secure payment technologies and encryption gradually eased these concerns, laying the foundation of trust that now drives online shopping. Today, consumers purchase with confidence across devices, yet emerging security threats still challenge that trust. While the risk of online shopping remains low, vulnerable payment systems can expose customers to fraud, cyberattacks, data breaches, and financial losses.

A secure checkout flow isn’t just a technical requirement—it’s essential for protecting customers, transactions, and your brand reputation. Here’s what you need to know to build lasting trust in your online store.

Table of contents

What is a secure checkout?

Secure checkout is a protected payment system that safeguards online payments through encryption, which converts sensitive information like credit card data and billing addresses into unreadable code. Think of encryption as a lock-and-key system: the data gets scrambled (locked) using mathematical algorithms, and only authorized payment processors can unscramble (unlock) it, keeping customer data safe during its journey from the customer to your bank.

Secure checkout also includes fraud detection systems that flag suspicious patterns and potentially fraudulent transactions before they’re processed. Since customer data is most vulnerable during the payment process, secure checkout‘s encryption provides your first line of defense against cybercriminals attempting to intercept information.

Why is secure checkout essential for ecommerce?

Secure checkout isn’t just a feature—it’s a requirement. Here are the benefits of secure checkout:

Keep customer data safe at every step

Every online transaction transmits sensitive financial data across the internet—names, addresses, credit card numbers, CVV codes, and expiration dates—exposing multiple points of vulnerability to theft. Protecting this data prevents fraud, identity theft, and financial losses for both customers and your business.

Secure checkout systems protect this information through multiple layers of security, including encrypted connections and tokenization of payment data, replacing sensitive data with a temporary numeric token. These security measures ensure sensitive details are scrambled and unreadable even if intercepted by malicious actors.

Build long-term trust

The 2013 Target data breach exposed the payment card details of 40 million customers, resulting in years of bad press and an $18.5 million settlement—a cautionary tale for any business.

Data breaches do more than drain finances; they erode trust. Shoppers lose faith in the brand’s ability to protect their data and become hesitant to make purchases. While no system is foolproof, a secure checkout minimizes these risks, preserves customer confidence, and encourages repeat purchases.

Reduce cart abandonment rates

Secure checkout directly influences whether shoppers complete purchases. Familiar security indicators like SSL certificates, trusted payment gateway logos, and recognized security badges help instill confidence in customers. When they see these symbols on checkout pages, they’re more likely to complete their purchase than abandon their cart.

A 2024 survey found 25% of shoppers abandoned their carts because they didn’t trust the site with their credit card information, showing how weak security signals can directly hurt your bottom line. A separate study revealed that 76% of consumers say trust logos influence their confidence in a website, while 55% report abandoning purchases when security indicators are missing.

Stop payment fraud before it happens

Fraud detection in secure checkouts uses cutting-edge tech to analyze hundreds of transaction risk factors in real time, protecting your business from chargebacks and keeping your hard-earned revenue safe.

For instance, machine learning algorithms absorb patterns in historical data to detect subtle anomalies. Customer habits—like typing speed or sudden changes in purchasing patterns—or details like billing addresses, CVV codes, and IP geolocation can signal suspicious activity. Another key method, risk scoring, assigns risk levels to transactions to evaluate purchase history, geolocation, and device fingerprints (unique device identifiers for tracking) to identify risky behavior before it affects your bottom line.

Meet data protection standards with confidence

Businesses accepting online payments must comply with PCI DSS standards and regulations like GDPR in Europe. Non-compliance can result in steep financial penalties. A secure checkout system helps you ensure compliance by encrypting card data, maintaining secure payment environments, and aligning your processes with regulatory requirements.

6 ways to ensure secure checkout on Shopify

One of the most important steps in securing your online store is choosing the right ecommerce platform. Shopify comes with robust security features built in—from fraud detection to secure payment processing—to protect you and your customers. Here’s how to make the most of these security tools:

1. Opt for trusted payment gateways

Your payment gateway—i.e., your online payment processing service—protects customer card data, so choosing a reputable one is essential. Look for established providers with proven track records in security, reliability, and fraud protection. Shopify Payments is built into the platform; other trusted options include Stripe, Square, and PayPal.

Evaluate each gateway’s transaction fees, fraud analysis tools, and support for major credit cards. Your payment gateway should align with your business model and your customers’ preferred payment methods—particularly for international sales where local payment options matter. For example, some Canadian shoppers prefer to pay with Interac Debit, while customers in Asia often opt for popular payment methods like Alipay or WeChat Pay.

2. Use Shopify Payments with 3D Secure authentication

3D Secure adds a layer of fraud protection by requiring customers to authenticate their identity during online transactions. It redirects them to their card issuer’s domain for verification, then returns them to your store to completepayment. Implementing this process can shift liability for fraudulent chargebacks from you, the merchant, to the card issuer, reducing your financial risk.

3D Secure is automatically enabled with Shopify Payments and Stripe, activating as needed to comply with regulations like PSD2.

3. Take advantage of Shopify’s fraud analysis tools

Shopify’s built-in fraud analysis identifies potentially fraudulent orders by evaluating different indicators, like mismatched billing and shipping addresses or multiple failed payment attempts.

Orders are assigned a risk level—low, medium, or high—to help you make informed fulfillment decisions. Medium- and high-risk orders display a warning symbol beside their order number on the orders page. Reviewing the fraud analysis for each order lets you take corrective action, like verifying the order details or canceling the order to prevent chargebacks. With Shopify Flow, you can automate rules and block lists to manage which orders your store accepts.

4. Download third-party fraud apps from the Shopify App Store

Boost your store’s security by integrating third-party fraud prevention apps available in the Shopify App Store. These offer additional security features, including cart and checkout validations, allowing you to enforce specific rules. For instance, you can limit product quantities per purchase or require customers to complete custom fields during checkout.

Configure and activate the app’s checkout rules in your Shopify admin to align with your store’s policies, cutting the risk of fraudulent transactions.

5. Change your address collection preferences

You can manage how customer addresses are collected and validated in Shopify’s checkout settings—a key security feature to combat checkout fraud. By default, Shopify allows different shipping and billing addresses, streamlining checkout but potentially increasing fraud risk for certain businesses.

For most stores, the default setting—allowing different addresses—strikes a good balance between security and customer needs. However, if your store sees frequent fraudulent orders, you can require shipping and billing addresses to match.

The address validation feature also enhances security by automatically checking shipping addresses during checkout and suggesting corrections for invalid entries, reducing the risk of shipping fraud and failed deliveries.

6. Display badges to increase confidence

Secure checkout badges may not directly enhance your store’s actual security, but they foster customer trust. Badges like Norton and payment logos like Visa and Mastercard associate your store with trusted brands, reassuring customers of your legitimacy.

Place these badges near the checkout button, on product pages, and in the shopping cart to reduce shopping cart abandonment.

Secure checkout FAQ

How do I know if my checkout is secure?

Test your checkout system’s security by running a PCI compliance scan, reviewing your SSL certificate status, ensuring your payment gateway meets current security standards, and verifying that your platform encrypts payment details during online checkout.

What is the symbol for secure checkout?

Common indicators include the green padlock icon in your browser’s address bar, along with trusted payment logos like PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard, and recognized badges like Norton Secure or SSL certificates.

Does Shopify offer secure checkout options?

Yes. Shopify provides comprehensive security through fraud analysis tools, automatic SSL certificates, 3D Secure checkouts, and built-in PCI DSS compliance on all plans to help you safely accept payments.

","Protect your ecommerce store with secure checkout methods that keep customer data safe and prevent fraud.","

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Protect your ecommerce store with secure checkout methods that keep customer data safe and prevent fraud.

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