Going viral on TikTok or Instagram can put your product in front of millions of people. That kind of attention moves fast, but if you don’t act quickly, it disappears just as fast.
The real win isn’t the views. It’s turning one hot product into a brand people trust and come back to.
This guide helps you to understand how to build that kind of brand using Shopify. You’ll learn the steps that matter: how to launch, keep customers, and scale smart, all while staying in control of your audience, not the algorithm.
Building An Ecommerce Brand Around Viral Products: Key Takeaways
- Going viral is great, but it doesn’t build a brand on its own.
- Start with a real plan, not just a trending product.
- Use Shopify to launch your store fast and make it easy to shop.
- Collect emails and phone numbers so you don’t lose your audience.
- Focus on getting people to buy again, not just once.
Basics of Building An Ecommerce Brand For A Viral Product
When a product goes viral, it can bring in thousands of people quickly. But that attention doesn’t last unless you have something real behind it. A strong brand keeps people interested long after the hype fades.
Here’s how to set the right foundation, just like brands behind Labubu Doll and Prime Juice did.
1. Start with a Real Brand Vision
Creating a successful eCommerce brand around viral products means acting fast and aligning your store with what’s trending. Shop Labubu Toys to see how a niche product turned into a collectible sensation through smart branding and community buzz. Their approach highlights the importance of combining visual appeal, storytelling, and limited drops to build lasting demand.
Labubu Doll followed a similar path. It’s not just a toy, it’s a collectible with a deep emotional connection. People don’t just buy it because it’s trending. They collect it, gift it, and share it. That’s what a real brand vision can do.
2. Understand Your Audience
TikTok and Instagram helped Labubu and Prime Juice go viral, but they didn’t stop there. They built email lists, created VIP groups, and utilized SMS to keep fans informed. That way, even if a post didn’t reach everyone, they still had direct access to their customers.
Use the same idea on your Shopify store. Add popups to collect emails or phone numbers. Use apps like Klaviyo and Postscript to send updates, product drops, or restock alerts. When you own your audience, you’re not at the mercy of the algorithm.
How to Turn a Viral Product into a Real Ecommerce Brand (Step-By-Step)
Getting views is great, but turning that attention into long-term success takes the right steps. This process helps you build a real business behind a product that’s getting noticed.
Step 1: Pick a Product That Can Go Viral
Products that go viral usually have one thing in common: they get a reaction. They’re fun, eye-catching, or different in some way. Focus on something that people will want to share just because it looks or feels cool.
Start by testing your idea with a simple landing page on Shopify. Use a clean layout and direct messaging. Apps like PageFly and Shogun make this easy. Add Shopify Collabs to find small creators who can test your product with their audience and give honest feedback.
Note: If people are clicking, asking questions, or saving the post, you’ve got a strong signal.
Step 2: Create Urgency With Limited Drops
Scarcity creates demand. If something is only available for a short time or in small amounts, people are more likely to act fast. This works well when you’re launching something new.
Set up a “coming soon” or pre-order page. Use countdown timers or show low stock alerts to build excitement. These little signals help turn interest into actual orders. You don’t need a huge launch; keeping it small makes it feel exclusive.
Tools like Pre-Order Now and Countdown Timer Bar can help you create that urgency right inside your Shopify store.
Step 3: Set Up a Shopify Store That Looks Like a Real Brand
Your website is your storefront. It needs to look clean, work well on mobile, and feel like a real brand, not just a one-off product page.
Start with a simple layout. Make sure customers can easily find product info, reviews, and shipping details.
Add an “About” page that shares your brand story. Reviews are key for trust; use tools like Loox or Vitals to show social proof.
Here’s a quick guide to starting a Shopify store if you need help setting things up.
With tools like GemPages, you can build a fast and user-friendly experience that makes people want to stay and shop.
Step 4: Keep Customers Coming Back
One-time customers are good. Repeat customers are better. If someone visits or buys once, don’t let that be the end of the conversation.
Use popups to collect emails and phone numbers. Then set up automated flows with Klaviyo or Postscript. Send welcome emails, restock updates, or small thank-you discounts to bring them back. You can also reward them with points using Smile.io. This step is about building a relationship, not just making a sale.
Step 5: Track What’s Working And Improve
Don’t rely on likes or comments to tell you if your brand is doing well. Look at real numbers, sales, return customers, and profit margins.
Shopify gives you the basics, but tools like Triple Whale or Google Analytics, and Lifetimely make it easier to see what’s growing and what’s not. If something’s working, do more of it. If it’s not, adjust early.
Tracking data regularly helps you make smarter decisions and avoid wasting time or money on things that aren’t moving your business forward.
3 Things to Help You Grow an Ecommerce Brand Around a Viral Product in 2025
The tools and rules of eCommerce are always changing, but a few key things can help you grow faster and smarter in 2025. Here’s what to keep in mind as you scale.
1. Shopify Makes Scaling Easy
Shopify isn’t just for launching, it’s built to grow with you. You can manage products, payments, shipping, and orders all in one place. As your sales increase, you don’t have to switch platforms or worry about technical stuff.
Need extra features? Just add apps. You can upsell products, run ads, or send abandoned cart emails, all inside Shopify. It also works in various countries through Shopify Markets, allowing you to start small and expand globally without needing to change your setup.
2. Mistakes to Avoid After Going Viral
Once things start taking off, it’s easy to make quick decisions that slow you down later. One of the biggest mistakes is ignoring shipping; late deliveries can lead to bad reviews and lost trust. Make sure your setup is ready before orders spike.
Another mistake is stopping communication after someone buys. Send updates, say thanks, and keep people in the loop. Also, don’t overload your store with too many new items at once. Focus on what’s working and build on that.
3. Keep Building Relationships, Not Just Orders
Repeat buyers are the key to long-term growth. Start a simple community, even just an email list or private group, where customers feel included. Give early access or small rewards to keep people engaged.
Share behind-the-scenes updates, product teasers, or feedback requests. When people feel like they’re part of your story, they’ll support your next product too, not just the one that went viral.
How Labubu Doll and Prime Juice Became Viral Brands (Case Study)
Some products go viral and fade. Others turn that attention into long-term success. Here’s how two very different products, a collectible doll and a sports drink, turned internet hype into real eCommerce brands using the same core steps.
Case Study 1: Labubu Doll
Labubu became popular for its cute and unique design, which quickly caught fire on TikTok and Instagram. The toy showed up in short videos and unboxing clips that made it feel collectible and rare — something worth showing off.
What really pushed the hype was that it started showing up with celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Kim Kardashian. That kind of visibility made it feel even more exclusive and desirable, especially for fans and collectors.
The brand kept drops limited, which added excitement and made each release feel special. Fans lined up online to get new versions, and the emotional connection helped build loyalty over time.
Behind the scenes, they used Shopify to manage high-traffic launches, handle orders, and create a smooth customer experience — all while keeping a strong, consistent brand presence.
Case Study 2: Prime Juice
Prime Juice gained attention fast thanks to its bold branding and co-founders (KSI and Logan Paul). But the product itself stood out with bright packaging and strong flavor, things that worked well in videos and photos.
They launched with influencers, built hype, and then used Shopify to manage everything from checkout to restocks. They collected emails, built a fanbase, and kept adding new flavors to stay fresh.
The brand became more than a drink; it became a lifestyle product, with its own voice, look, and repeat customers.
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Conclusion: Build A Real ECommerce Brand, Not Just A Viral Product
Going viral is a great start, but it’s not the end goal. Building an eCommerce brand means setting up the right systems, keeping your audience close, and creating a customer experience that feels real, not rushed.
Whether your product gets noticed on TikTok or picked up by influencers, the steps stay the same: act fast, think long-term, and use the right tools from the start.
FAQs
Shopify is built for speed, scale, and flexibility. It helps you launch quickly, handle traffic spikes, and connect with tools for email, SMS, and drops — all in one place.
It can, but only if there’s more than just hype. You need a real brand message, a strong customer experience, and a plan to keep people coming back.
You can start lean. A clean Shopify store, low-cost influencer outreach, and basic email flows are enough to grow steadily with the right product and message.
Depending only on social media for traffic. If you’re not collecting emails or phone numbers, you’re giving up control and missing chances to build real relationships.
