The most well-liked e-commerce platform for non-technical folks, aside from other e-commerce platforms, is Shopify. By using simple and easy operations in setting up and managing online stores, Shopify helps many people who do not know coding, create and grow their businesses better.
Nevertheless, nothing is flawless, and Shopify is no exception. This platform has advantages and disadvantages that you should consider if Shopify is suitable for your business plan.
Here is what we should know about the pros and cons of Shopify in the latest update 2023!
ADVANTAGES OF SHOPIFY
There are many reasons to explain why people love to choose Shopify to start their own dream business. In this blog post, we will sum up some of the most popular reasons!
One Of The Best Trial Deals
Last time, Shopify offered a 3-day free trial, then $1/month for the first three months. This year, they upgraded the offer. Without a credit card, you will receive a 14-day free trial, after which the first month will cost $1.
After the first month, you can choose one of the three pricing plans that match your needs. There are currently three plans available: Basic, Shopify, and Advance.
For each type of user, each plan offers a different set of benefits.
- Basic: You can work alone or with someone else when using this package. Each month, it costs $25. This bundle is for you if you wish to start your company on your own.
- Shopify: If you have a small team of under 5 members, the Shopify package is suitable for you only for $65/month. Instead of a basic report, with this bundle, you will receive a more complete report from the Shopify team.
- Advanced: This is the most expensive package at $399/month because this is for a big team with up to 15 members. However, you will receive a more specific report about your customers, and you can use a custom report builder.
In our opinion, this pricing plan is ideal for a medium to large-sized team!
Run Multiple Stores
There are numerous possibilities for beginning enterprises, whenever you want to invest in and run two to three web stores simultaneously. Shopify will give you an undeniable choice!
You can create and control numerous stores using a single seller account. You don’t have to be concerned about tampering with store data because each store has a separate data management and storage system.
Variety Way For Payment System
Shopify will support numerous payment gateway systems because it has up to 1,000 locations worldwide. Credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and other widely used payment methods are only a few examples of signature payment methods from different companies.
Additionally, it means that Shopify will support various currencies, including US dollars, Euros, Won, and Yen. Moreover, they provide a system that automatically changes prices to the local currencies of customers.
Wide Selection Of Themes
Themes on websites allow store owners to express their brand style. Each theme defines how the brand identity is expressed, including the use of colors, fonts, layouts, and design elements. Because of this, picking the right theme is crucial.
Shopify gives you lots of options to choose from so you can create an online store website that suits your needs. Thanks to its extensive selection of themes in various styles. Whatever you are selling—clothes, jewelry, goods for the kitchen or house—you can find a theme for your online shop that works.
Fully Responsive & Mobile-friendly Website Templates
A common problem that some website builder platforms have is not optimising for mobile versions. You always have to make manual corrections in mobile display mode.
However, with Shopify, you don’t have to worry about this issue. Use a responsive theme to make your Shopify store compatible with mobile devices. Your website will automatically change to fit the screen size of the device clients are using to access your retail online.
Additionally, make sure you test your store on mobile devices to ensure the user experience is easy and clear to use. It has a significant influence on how your customers shop.
Easy To Use & Customise With More Than 10k Third-party Apps
One of the simplest e-commerce website builder platforms for those without technical coding skills has always been Shopify. Nowadays, with support from multiple third-party apps, your website will be more customised than usual.
Most third-party apps prioritize an easy and convenient setup process by utilizing drag and drop functionality or condensing the setup steps. This is very helpful for sellers who are able to use and manage their stores but are not IT staff.
However, not every app will be free. Remember to check their price plan to see if it matches your budget or not.
24/7 Support Team
Due to the fact that Shopify is now accessible in 1000 locations worldwide, they require a fantastic support staff that is always available to assist. To receive their support, you are not required to make a purchase or sign up for a new price plan.
Shopify has a lot going for it, especially when errors crop up on your website and damage your sales. Customer assistance is available around-the-clock. You can message the support staff or use Livechat support to get in touch with them in an emergency.
- Live Chat: This is the most convenient way of getting direct with the support team. In the event that you are having trouble following their instructions, they will provide you with screenshots or a link to a video tutorial.
- Message: This will be a fantastic option for you if you don’t have any pressing issues. The Shopify support team will respond to your message within 24 hours.
Additionally, you can seek assistance from other Shopify users on the Shopify Community.
DISADVANTAGES OF SHOPIFY
Both Shopify and nothing else are perfect. Besides many advantages, Shopify also has some disadvantages. These are things you should consider to determine if Shopify is suitable for your needs or not.
Not Easy To Use With Other Platform
There are many e-commerce platforms, and each of them has its own benefits. It is difficult and requires technical knowledge to connect your Shopify store to another e-commerce platform.
You cannot, for instance, link your Shopify account with Woocommerce. Instead, you must link two platforms together by integrating your store using a plugin from another web builder, such as WP Shopify, Shopify for WordPress, or Shopify Connect for WooCommerce.
High Transaction Fee
You won’t pay any transaction fees if you use Shopify Payments. Shopify Payments can be used in some nations, but in others, you must utilize a third-party payment gateway, which comes with a 0.5% to 2% transaction fee. Your running store budget could increase as a result.
Although Shopify Payments is only available in 23, it can accept credit card payments from 130 different countries worldwide. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria are prohibited from using Shopify Payment, among other nations and regions.
This is the list of 23 countries that use Shopify Payment (updated 2023): Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States (not available to US territories except Puerto Rico).
Limited Free Selection
If you only need a straightforward website with a free template and essential features, Shopify is very optimized. In case you want a more powerful website, you need to upgrade the price plan for more customization options.
More premium themes and features are available with a higher plan price, which is especially advantageous for Print-On-Demand (POD) companies. Additionally, Shopify will send you a thorough report about your store when you upgrade the price plan.
IN CONCLUSION
Shopify is an easy-to-use e-commerce platform with many benefits, however, it also has many disadvantages regarding fees, connection or transactions, etc. This blog post is merely a resource for you to use before deciding which e-commerce platform is best for your spending limit or expanding business strategy.
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