These days, there are a tonne of tools for creating online stores, so picking the best one for your company can be really challenging. Shopify apps is arguably the most well-known e-commerce platform available today, but is it the right choice for you? I’m going to assist you in finding out in this review, nonetheless. By the end of the post, you’ll have a clear idea of whether Shopify is the best ecommerce solution for your project or whether you’d be better off with an alternative. I’ll go into great detail about the platform’s pricing, templates, and selling features.
Let’s start off with a crucial query. Describe Shopify.
Shopify – what is it?
You may build your own online store using Shopify, a web application. You may sell either physical or digital goods thanks to the large selection of “themes” it offers, all of which can be tailored to fit your specific branding needs. You don’t need to know how to code to utilise Shopify, which seeks to enable non-technical users to create their own online stores. Nevertheless, the platform also caters to developers because it offers complete access to CSS, HTML, and Liquid (Shopify’s templating language).
How does Shopify operate?
With Shopify, you don’t need to purchase web hosting or install any software because it is a “hosted” solution that runs on its own servers. You can run a Shopify business from anywhere as long as you have access to the Internet since you develop and manage your Shopify store in a web browser. The platform’s “main idea” is to provide you with the essential components you need to create and market an online store “out of the box”; most Shopify plans include templates, a blog, a payment processor, and email marketing applications.
By adding apps (more on these later) or by utilising custom code, you can further customise your Shopify store. Last but not least, you pay a monthly price to utilise Shopify rather than owning a copy of it.
Pros and drawbacks of Shopify:
Here are the key advantages and disadvantages of adopting this e-commerce solution, in brief:
Benefits of Shopify:
It is simple to use. The templates are lovely and completely responsive (mobile friendly). The sophisticated abandoned cart saving feature is accessible on all plans, even the $5 “Starter” plan. This feature probably won’t be available on other platforms for a comparable low monthly cost. Anyone interested in dropshipping should consider it as a wonderful choice. Its sophisticated automatic tax computation tools have the potential to save merchants a tonne of time and administrative work. Shopify offers true multi-currency selling capabilities, which cannot be stated for many rival systems.
Any Shopify package can be used to build translations of your website in up to 20 different languages. If you use the integrated “Shopify Shipping” service to deliver your products, you may be eligible for sizable shipping discounts depending on your country. You can use Shopify to quickly add a shopping cart to any website or online business presence thanks to the ‘Buy Button’ feature of the Starter plan. With the email marketing tool that comes with Shopify, you can send up to 10,000 emails monthly.
Drawbacks of Shopify
Comparatively speaking, the free themes offered are rather few compared to other online store builders. Although you can make 100 different versions of a product, each one can only have three different product options. The only way to raise these restrictions is to buy a third-party app. Key features that you might anticipate being offered out of the box frequently necessitates the installation of an app; this might occasionally make store setup a bit more difficult than you might prefer, increase your prices, or somewhat slow down your site. Although it is possible to add custom fields, such as text boxes or file upload options, it is needlessly difficult (or involves purchasing an app). Only the most expensive options provide full reporting features. You can only sell internationally using Shopify Payments, the integrated payment processor. Only Shopify Payments users have access to the built-in multi-currency capability, and only “Shopify Plus” offers genuine automated currency conversion based on IP address. If you utilise a third-party payment gateway, you cannot avoid paying transaction costs.
Conclusion:
One of the biggest platforms for eCommerce enterprises, Shopify is used by around 4 million merchants across 175 nations. Shopify is preferred by store owners because of its dependability, security, and scalability. Shopify, even with its ongoing addition of new capabilities, is unable to satisfy all of the needs of Shopify retailers. Therefore, you will eventually need to extend the capabilities of your Shopify store if you want to reach more clients, increase conversions, and boost sales.
