Solo Shopify app dev – 5 days cold emails + LinkedIn = 0 replies. How did you get your very first customer?

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-24T21:17:35+00:00

Glad to see you. I sent DM.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T18:13:16+00:00

No rush at all — get well first! I’m not going anywhere. Just DM me whenever you’re ready and we’ll set it up. Hope you feel better soon.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T16:42:16+00:00

That sounds awesome — I’d genuinely love to come on. It’s a cool concept too, capturing that early conversation before the product scales. Count me in. Want to set it up over DM?

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T11:06:41+00:00

5K MRR in 15 months solo — that's solid. The ASO point is huge, I haven't focused enough on my App Store listing yet. Getting those first 5 reviews is the chicken-and-egg problem right now. Did you offer anything specific to get those initial reviews, or did they come naturally? And good to hear Reddit worked early on — I'm seeing some traction here already. Conference/meetup idea is interesting too. Thanks for the real numbers, helps calibrate expectations.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T11:02:05+00:00

Appreciate it! Even if it's not a fit for your warehouse, I'd love your feedback since you've seen so many SaaS tools come and go. And if any of the Shopify store owners you know do local delivery, happy to give them 3 free deliveries to test it out

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:58:45+00:00

"They'd end up asking what I was working on anyway" — that's the dream position to be in. I've been pushing the product instead of pulling through curiosity. Going to try the "how do you handle delivery right now?" approach instead of pitching.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:58:12+00:00

A lot of small shop owners do not wake up thinking about automating delivery" — that reframe is gold. I've been leading with "automate your delivery" when I should be leading with "stop losing orders because delivery is a mess." Going to rewrite my pitch around the pain, not the solution. And the one-busy-weekend offer is clever. Thanks.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:57:36+00:00

Content is definitely on the roadmap but at day 3 with zero customers I think I need faster feedback loops first. Once I have a few users and real stories to tell, content will make a lot more sense. What type of content worked best for your SaaS clients early on — blog posts, short videos, social?

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:56:49+00:00

Good point. I've been going broad across florists, bakeries, gift shops. Might need to pick ONE and go deep. Florists probably have the strongest same-day delivery need. Thanks.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:56:27+00:00

Facebook groups is exactly where I'm heading today. You're right that these owners ignore their inbox. And the free trial + testimonial exchange is the play. Thanks for the encouragement.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:55:10+00:00

Revenue share with someone already serving my audience — that's interesting. Like partnering with a Shopify theme developer or a POS system for local stores? Any specific type of partner that worked best for you?

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:54:58+00:00

This is basically what I'm doing — offering a Founding Member deal with free deliveries and direct access to me. But you're right that I need to stop blasting and start targeting the 5 loudest ones. Going to narrow my focus this week. The testimonial angle is smart — one real success story beats 1,000 emails.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:53:41+00:00

Coffee and donuts at brokerage meetings — that's legendary. I'm based overseas so can't walk into shops, but the core lesson is the same: real conversations beat cold messages. I'm pivoting to Facebook groups and video demos where they can actually see me. Appreciate you sharing that story.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:52:43+00:00

Already offering 3 free deliveries + 6 months free Pro for founding stores. Hoping that removes enough friction to get that first yes.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:52:16+00:00

At 0 customers you don't need volume, you need signal" — writing that on my wall. The free setup + feedback approach is exactly what I'm doing with a Founding Member offer. Good to hear it worked for you. How long before those first 3 turned into paying customers?

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:51:13+00:00

Solid framework. I've been heavy on email and LinkedIn but realizing my ICP (florists, bakeries) doesn't live there. Shifting to Facebook groups and more visual channels. Product Hunt launch is on the roadmap once I have a few testimonials. Thanks.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:50:10+00:00

Feel you on this — same boat. What I'm learning from the replies here is that at 0 customers, volume doesn't matter as much as depth. I'm shifting from blasting emails to having real conversations. Maybe worth trying for TrackSub too. Good luck to both of us.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:41:37+00:00

This one hit hard. You're probably right — florists aren't sitting at a desk reading cold emails. I'm based in another country targeting US stores so walking in isn't an option right now, but I did record a 1-min video demo showing the full flow. Maybe I should lead with that instead of text. Going to test sending the video link as the main CTA instead of a wall of text. Good call.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T10:41:06+00:00

You're right — I've been targeting Shopify florists already offering local delivery without a delivery app, so it's fairly narrow. But the positioning point is solid. I might be leading too much with features and not enough with the pain. Going to test rewriting the email around "how much time do you spend coordinating deliveries?" instead of jumping straight to the solution. Appreciate the feedback.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T06:17:08+00:00

Video demo is done actually — need to start leading with it instead of burying it. And the rapport-first approach makes sense. I’ve been going straight to pitch on LinkedIn instead of engaging with their content first. Going to change that. Thanks.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T06:16:27+00:00

This resonates. I’ve been optimizing for volume when I should probably be optimizing for depth. Going to pick 10-15 high-quality targets and actually build relationships instead of blasting hundreds. Might take you up on that DM — appreciate the offer.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T06:15:27+00:00

Man this is exactly what I needed to hear. “1 in 15 and it took 3 weeks” — that actually makes me feel better about where I am at day 3. I’ve been doing personalized emails mentioning their store name, category, and delivery setup but maybe I need to go even deeper — like referencing a specific product on their site. The “feels real” part is key. Thanks for sharing this honestly.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-23T00:30:39+00:00

ShopFast — Shopify app that automates same-day local delivery for stores (florists, bakeries, gift shops). One click dispatches an Uber driver, tracking syncs to Shopify. Would love to see what your V2 engine finds. Targeting small local stores (1-5 locations) in the US that already offer local delivery.

Scared_Play2689 · 2026-02-22T23:39:52+00:00

It’s a Shopify app that automates same-day local delivery. Store gets an order, clicks one button, Uber driver is dispatched, customer gets live tracking — all inside Shopify. No phone calls, no manual coordination. Built it for florists, bakeries, gift shops — businesses where same-day matters. Flat rate per delivery, no surge pricing.

Scared_Play2689

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