Shopify Web Builder Review: With over two million merchants selling in over 170 countries, Shopify is one of the world’s most popular e-commerce platforms. An online store is an online store – so why do so many choose Shopify over the competition, even if they offer a lower price?
Read on to learn all about Shopify’s advantages, disadvantages, and pricing, and how it compares to other leading e-commerce solutions.
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Shopify Web Builder Review: Unveiling the E-commerce Giant
Compare Shopify to The Best Ecommerce Website Builders
Thousands of ecommerce businesses rely on Shopify, and we’re no different. After testing and researching a dozen ecommerce builders, we found it to be the best for most users. This is true whether Shopify is your first online store or you’re an ecommerce veteran looking to take your business to the next level. Sign up for a free 14-day trial of Shopify today.
You can read our full review of the best ecommerce website builders to get a better idea of why Shopify is our number one overall recommendation:
There are certainly cheaper ecommerce website builders than Shopify, but you’re not going to get the 24/7 customer service, the integrated payment processor, the beginner-friendly tools, or the huge list of integrations with other products. Out of the box, nothing is going to work as well as Shopify.
Shopify: The Good & The Bad
The Good
Plug-and-Play ecommerce: You can start selling very quickly as a small business on Shopify. Everything you need is included: hosting, website builder, payment gateway, order tracking and marketing tools. There is no complex setup process and no waiting time to start using the payment processor.
With other platforms, you may have to get web hosting, set up SSL certificates, install e-commerce plugins, etc. Shopify takes care of all of this, so you won’t have to wait long. Shopify takes care of all of this, so you don’t have to.
Discounts: To build stronger customer relationships and improve ecommerce marketing, Shopify users can offer discounts to their customers. Users can promote rebates on products, set up automatic discounts and create discount codes.
When a specific product has been added to a customer’s shopping cart, users can set up an automatic rebate without the need for a code. Users can set up specific rebates on products, showing customers the original price of the product. This assures them that they are getting a good deal and helps with customer conversion.
When creating a manual discount, users can set it as a percentage of a product’s price or as a fixed amount. A discount code can be modified to take effect based on variables such as the minimum amount of a customer’s order, the number of times the code can be used, which product collections the discount applies to, and the date range for which it is valid.
Sales Channels – Shopify is not the only platform that can be used to sell products. Shopify’s Sales Channels feature allows users to download external sales channels. Third-party channels such as Instagram, Amazon, Facebook, Messenger and Handshake can be used to sell products. These channels can be integrated through Shopify’s app store.
Shopify Point of Sale uses physical hardware and computer software to merge physical stores with online stores. If a business is selling to another business, the Shopify Plus wholesale channel is a great option. For third-party websites, users can implement the “Buy Button” to instantly turn the site into an online store.
Expert Marketplace: Shopify allows users to hire third-party agencies and freelancers to help them operate their business. The Expert Marketplace is there for any user who needs help with store setup, troubleshooting, branding, content writing, sales or marketing. This helps new business owners relieve stress by outsourcing activities they would rather not do.
Additional support: Helpful customer service is essential when running an online store. If a store is down, you may not be able to sell products until it is fixed. If a user needs help with support, Shopify gives them four contact options. Shopify agents are available 24/7 via phone, chat, email or Twitter. This ensures that user issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.
In addition to excellent customer support, Shopify provides users with a knowledge base, FAQ page and help forum. The help forum allows users to interact and create creative solutions to common problems. Shopify’s help center educates users through video tutorials, descriptions and e-commerce definitions.
Different product types: Shopify has different features and configurations depending on whether a user is selling a physical product or a digital one. Users can create drop shipping stores, manage shipping and fulfill orders when selling physical products. Users can distribute products with a downloadable link or by sending an email when selling digitally.
Multiple payment options: Every website building plan lets you start selling online immediately with Shopify Payments-without the need for a third-party application. Shopify customers can send money in a variety of ways, including credit cards, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal and cryptocurrencies. For a more efficient checkout process, Shop Pay allows customers to enter their shipping and payment information to decrease the number of steps needed to make another purchase.
Shopify users can select one of the countless third-party payment providers available. Customers will be redirected to an external website when using a third-party payment provider. However, they will be able to pay directly on the user’s website if the user uses a direct payment provider. To bypass commissions, Shopify Payments can be used instead.
Reporting & analytics: Shopify’s reports allow users to view important sales, marketing and customer information. Its analytics tools help users determine critical insights about their customers and track recent business activity. Shopify users can have a complete understanding of how their business is performing with data on overall business growth and daily website traffic.
Abandoned Cart Recovery – Abandoned cart recovery is a highly effective way to trickle over customers who procrastinate or get distracted while shopping on a site. If a customer leaves something in their shopping cart, this feature can be used to retarget them via email. This can be set up automatically and scheduled to be sent at strategic times.
The Bad
Total monthly price: Shopify can get expensive, depending on what you need. Yes, the monthly subscription is very competitive, but the price can go up with apps, plugins, and fees from third-party payment processors. This is basically the scenario with all e-commerce platforms, but we want to draw attention to the additional costs users may encounter.
Transition difficulty: If a Shopify user is ready to move their online store to a new platform, they are in for an inconvenient transition. Shopify permanently deletes online store data when an account is closed. Instead of helping users transition to a new platform, it locks them out by making it difficult to switch. This is also common with e-commerce platforms, but it’s something to keep in mind.
App dependency: We love the variety and diversity of Shopify’s app store, but there are some downsides that come with having many of the best features available only as apps. You’ll need to keep the apps up to date, possibly renew the subscription, and make sure the apps don’t cause problems. If you use too many apps, you’ll slow down (or break) your site.
Shopify Pricing & Options
If you sell online, Shopify has a plan that will fit your needs and budget:
When you sign up for a three-day free trial of Shopify, you can use any of the features included in the Advanced plan. This gives you three days to try virtually any ecommerce feature, though you’ll need to sign up to start selling.
Business users should contact Shopify to discuss migrating to Shopify Plus, which can take as little as 3-4 months to complete.
We’ll go through all of Shopify’s plans here, starting with the lightest and most affordable.
Shopify Starter
For people who want to sell online without running a full-fledged online store, Shopify Starter is the missing link. Seriously. For $5 a month, you can create links that go directly to a Shopify checkout page.
Start selling immediately, from your social media profile, images you post, or even through text messages. Anywhere you can put a link, you can make a sale.
Shopify Starter is lightweight by design. It’s a cheap and low maintenance way for people to get into ecommerce.
There’s no limit to the number of product pages you can create. And as far as your customers are concerned, there’s nothing lightweight or missing from their online shopping experience. Payment is easy, fast and secure.
We highly recommend it to people with audiences who want to share their products. There is no easier or more affordable way to get started in e-commerce.
Basic
If you’re new to ecommerce but want to launch an online store, Shopify’s Basic level is the best plan to start with. It gives each account two employees with Shopify admin privileges. It provides users with an ecommerce website and blog and allows them to sell unlimited products.
Shopify’s sales channels allow users to sell on social networks and online marketplaces. Its locations feature allows users to allocate inventory to up to 1,000 locations, including stores or pop-ups. It includes discounted shipping rates of up to 77% off from USPS, UPS or DHL Express.
Other features include discount codes, manual order creation, free SSL certificates, gift cards and abandoned cart recovery. It also includes fraud analysis and allows users to print shipping labels. It is important to note that a 2% fee applies when using a third-party payment provider.
For global business, users can sell in 133 different currencies. To ensure price consistency, users can round prices up or down. With Shopify Basic, users can sell in up to five different languages.
Basic is a great starting point for ecommerce beginners. It has all the essential features, including an ecommerce website, unlimited products and sales channels.
Shopify
The next Shopify plan is simply called “Shopify“. It is intended for growing businesses that only have one retail store. It has everything included in Shopify Basic, plus professional reporting and USPS Priority Mail cubic pricing.
It allows five admins instead of two, and also allows users to allocate inventory to up to 1,000 locations. It has up to 88% off shipping with USPS, UPS and DHL Express. Rates for third-party payment providers are reduced to 1%.
For global businesses, Shopify allows users to create country-specific domains, so international SEO is optimized. It also allows users to raise or lower product prices in different countries by customizing their global percentage change.
Shopify costs more than twice as much as Basic. Aside from some additional features and reduced third-party payment fees, it’s not considerably different. We think Shopify could do a better job making its second plan more unique than Shopify Basic.
Advanced
Shopify Advanced is for growing businesses with more than two retail stores. It includes everything from Shopify plus advanced reporting, third-party calculated shipping rates, and customizable international pricing per product.
Its third-party payment processing fees are reduced to 0.5%, and its limit of available Shopify admins is raised to 15 users. It allows inventory allocation for up to 1000 locations.
Advanced is priced considerably higher than Shopify and Basic. It allows for many more available admins, and customizable pricing for each international product is a plus. It is important to evaluate your business needs before deciding if it is worth paying the higher price for the advanced plan.
Shopify Plus
If you have a large business that needs enterprise-level solutions, Shopify Plus could be right for you. More than 10,000 leading brands, including Heinz, Staples and Allbirds use Shopify Plus. While some ecommerce platforms can take up to a year to transition, switching to Shopify Plus takes less than four months.
Shopify Plus’s Shop Pay provides up to 60% faster checkout times and up to 18% higher conversion rates. It uses modern technology such as video, 3D media and built-in AR when customers land on product pages. Shopify Plus includes powerful automation and integration tools to create a more seamless ecommerce experience.
Shopify Plus is a great platform that can be managed by a much smaller team compared to competing platforms of this size. Users report high satisfaction and ease of use, and the platform sets itself apart from other Shopify plans.
Shopify POS
Shopify’s Point of Sale (POS) system is not one of their core plans, but it’s worth mentioning. It’s perfect for e-commerce businesses with a physical store. With Shopify POS, store owners get a card reader, mobile barcode scanner, cash drawers and receipt printer. It includes a mobile app and allows users to connect their physical location to their online store.
Shopify POS Lite is included free with all Shopify plans. It includes a one-year hardware warranty and accepts popular payment methods including American Express, Visa and Mastercard. Shopify POS Pro can be purchased by adding $89 per month per location to an existing plan. It includes a two-year hardware warranty and omnichannel selling features.
Conclusion
When choosing the right eCommerce platform for your online store, you need to know what you’re looking for. Shopify’s Sales Channels, Expert Marketplace and Discount features are excellent additions to your platform.
Avoid Shopify if you place extreme importance on content marketing. If you need additional support, Shopify has the agents and resources to solve your ecommerce problems.
FAQ’s
Can I use Shopify if I’m a beginner with no technical knowledge?
Of course. Shopify is designed with beginners in mind. Its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality make it easy for anyone to set up and manage their online store without any technical knowledge.
Does Shopify provide secure payment options for my customers?
Yes, Shopify integrates with several secure payment gateways, ensuring that your customers’ transactions are safe and secure. It supports all major credit cards, PayPal and other payment methods.
Can I use my domain name with Shopify?
Of course. You can use your existing domain or purchase a new one through Shopify, allowing you to maintain your brand identity seamlessly.
Does Shopify provide marketing tools to help me grow my business?
Yes, Shopify offers a range of marketing tools, including SEO optimization, discount codes, email marketing integrations and social media integration, to help you attract and retain customers.
Does Shopify offer 24/7 customer support?
Yes, Shopify provides 24/7 customer support through various channels, including live chat, email and phone, ensuring you receive timely assistance whenever you need it.
Henry Sprung is an e-commerce tech blogger with several years of experience in online retail. Alex’s blog focuses on topics such as online marketplaces, payment processing, and digital marketing for e-commerce businesses. Henry’s expertise in e-commerce provides valuable insights into the latest trends in online retail and how businesses can use these platforms to grow their sales. He is a valuable resource for online retailers and entrepreneurs looking to start their own e-commerce businesses.
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