Shopify

Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms on the market.

Businesses of all sizes use Shopify to create and manage their online stores.

Many people– including myself– know Shopify for its user-friendly interface, numerous features, and competitive pricing plans.

The company remains at the top of the industry for its adaptation and dedication to helping businesses thrive.

In this Shopify review, we will look at what Shopify offers you as a business owner and how you can use it to grow your online business.

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is an eCommerce platform that enables businesses to create and operate online stores.

Shopify offers users a customizable platform, an easy-to-use checkout process, and a wide range of features.

What Is Shopify Used For?

You can use Shopify for any online business, from small businesses to large enterprises.

Businesses in various industries use Shopify as their online e-commerce platform to sell anything under the sun, including apparel, cosmetics, furniture, and food & beverage.

How Shopify Works

Shopify works by providing you with a platform to build your online store and manage your inventory.

Shopify also gives you the ability to accept payments and track orders.

You can use Shopify to sell online, in-person, and on social media.

Notable Features of Shopify

Here are the most important advantages you’ll get from using Shopify.

1. Easily Build an Online Store

The builder inside your Shopify account offers one of the most user-friendly dashboards.

After logging into the dashboard, you can select from templates to give your website a distinct look and feel.

Shopify also offers an extensive app store, which provides access to plenty of tools to help you run your business more efficiently.

2. Themes

Shopify offers a selection of free and paid Shopify themes, so you’re sure to find one that fits your needs.

The e-commerce platform makes it easy to customize your themes.

Use the builder to adjust colors and fonts.

As well, add your logo to any theme. You can also hire Shopify experts to help you create a completely custom look for your store.

3. Accept Payments

With Shopify, you can accept payments from customers worldwide.

The platform integrates with popular payment processors like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Stripe.

You can start accepting payments as soon as you create your account.

You can also set up automatic tax calculations so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with the latest tax laws.

4. Track Orders

Shopify gives you the ability to track your orders from the warehouse to their final destination.

The platform allows you to see which orders already shipped out, which orders need to go out, and which deliveries have completed their process.

You can also view customer information and contact information so you can keep in touch with your customers.

5. Multiple Sales Channels

You don’t just get the ability to sell online with Shopify.

The platform also helps with in-person sales and selling through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Use email marketing, marketing automation, and various paid ad channels to market your online store’s products to customers.

Are There Any Minimum Requirements Necessary To Use Shopify?

Shopify is easy to use and doesn’t come with many requirements. It’s a web-based platform that you log into.

As long as you have an updated browser and a strong Internet connection, you can satisfactorily use Shopify.

How Much Does Shopify Cost?

Shopify offers several different subscription plans.

The following information summarizes the most important features accessible with each plan.

Each plan you use on Shopify includes transaction fees on top of the monthly plan fees laid out below.

Learn everything you need to know about fees for using Shopify.

Starter Plan

With the Starter Shopify plan, you will receive the following features.

• Sell without a website
• Share on social media networks, such as Facebook or Instagram
• Linkpop page to monetize social media
• Analytics
• Order management tools
• Customer support
• SMS text messaging

Cost: $5 per month

Basic Plan

The Basic plan gives you the following features.

• Online store
• Unlimited products
• Basic reports
• Up to four inventory locations
• Two staff accounts
• Up to 77% shipping discounts
• 24/7 customer support
• Manual order creation
• Sales channels
• Discount codes
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Free SSL certificate
• Customer segmentation
• Gift cards
• Unlimited contacts
• Marketing automation
• Shipping labels
• Fraud analysis
• International domains
• International market management
• Currency conversion
• Language Translation
• Local payments

Cost: $29 per month ($14.44 per month when paid annually)

Shopify Plan

The Shopify plan includes features from the Basic plan and the following additional features.

• Standard reports
• Up to five inventory locations
• Five staff accounts
• Up to 88% shipping discounts
• 24/7 customer support
• eCommerce automations
• USPS parcel select Cubic pricing
• USPS priority mail Cubic pricing
• Shipping insurance

Cost: $79 per month ($39.44 per month when paid annually)

Advanced Plan

You can add the following features to the Shopify plan by purchasing the Advanced plan.

• Advanced reports
• Up to eight inventory locations
• 15 staff accounts
• Custom pricing by market
• Duties and import taxes

Cost: $299 per month ($147.78 per month when paid annually)

Shopify Plus Plan

The Shopify Plus plan eliminates the need to pay for third-party hosting and infrastructure.

It will also make sure your website’s performance is the best in the industry at all times.

The plan helps large businesses migrate their online shops over to Shopify.

Cost: $2,000 per month

Does Shopify Have an Enterprise Version Available?

Shopify doesn’t offer an enterprise plan.

The most advanced plan aimed at enterprise businesses is the above-mentioned Shopify Plus plan.

Who Are Shopify’s Main Alternatives?

When comparing Shopify to the following three most popular alternatives, you’ll have a better idea of which one is best for your needs.

1. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an eCommerce platform that is similar to Shopify.

It also offers various features and tools, as well as a user-friendly interface.

Like Shopify, BigCommerce is suitable for businesses of all sizes.

It offers plans that come in at the exact pricing as that offered by Shopify.

You can buy the BigCommerce Standard plan for $29.95 per month, the Plus plan at $79.95 per month, and $299.95 per month for the Pro plan.

The main features offered by BigCommerce include abandoned cart recovery, coupons and discounts, Google customer reviews, product filtering, real-time shipping quotes, secure checkout, SSL certificates, and website templates.

2. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an eCommerce plugin for WordPress. It is a popular Shopify alternative as it offers plenty of features that help you build your online store.

While Shopify is a complete eCommerce platform, WooCommerce only provides the plugin that you need to turn your WordPress site into an online store.

It means that you will need to find a suitable WordPress theme and hosting for your website before you can start using WooCommerce.

WooCommerce offers features like automatic tax calculations, built-in payment processing, email marketing integrations, and secure checkout.

You can download the WooCommerce plugin for free. You will often need to pay extra to purchase WooCommerce add-ons to achieve optimal functionality.

3. Wix

Wix works differently from Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce in that it is a website builder first and foremost.

It means that you can use Wix to create any type of website, including an online store.

Wix offers two main ways to build your site: the Wix Editor and Wix ADI (artificial design intelligence).

The former is a traditional drag-and-drop editor while the latter is a more automated approach that builds your site for you.

Wix gives you 500+ templates.

The company designs its templates for specific types of websites such as online stores, restaurants, and businesses.

You can use Wix for free, but this only gives you access to the builder and limited features.

To get full access to everything Wix has to offer, you will need to sign up for a paid plan.

Wix pricing ranges from $16 per month to $45 per month across four plan options.

How Does Shopify Differentiate Itself From Competitors?

Three ways that Shopify differentiates itself from competitors include the following.

Shopify is user-friendly and easy to navigate, even for those who are not tech-savvy.

Some competitors require more coding knowledge.

The company gives you the features required for successful online selling, including a built-in blogging platform and numerous integrations with other apps and platforms.

As well, Shopify provides a large and active user community, which can be a valuable resource for your business journey.

Who Is Shopify Best For?

Shopify is best for businesses looking to create an online store.

Why Is Shopify Best for Online Store Builders?

Shopify makes it easy to create and manage your online store, without needing any coding knowledge.

Shopify is also a good choice for businesses looking for an all-in-one solution, as it includes features such as hosting, marketing, and payments.

Is Shopify Easy To Use?

Yes, Shopify is one of the easiest e-commerce platforms to use.

You don’t need any coding skills or experience to create an online store.

Shopify’s drag-and-drop platform allows you to quickly add products, upload photos, and customize your store.

What Features Do Some Users Love?

Two features that Shopify users like most are Shopify Payments and Shopify POS.

Shopify Payments allows you to accept credit cards and other payment methods directly in your store.

You won’t need to worry about setting up a third-party payment processor.

Shopify POS is a point-of-sale app that lets you sell in person with Shopify.

You can track inventory, manage orders, and accept payments on the go. Use this feature when you’re attending trade shows, pop-up shops, or fairs.

What Features Do Some Users Find Frustrating?

Two features that Shopify users find frustrating are Shopify themes and Shopify apps.

Shopify themes allow you to change the look and feel of your store.

Some users find the themes limiting and not customizable enough.

Shopify apps are third-party apps that you can add to your store to improve its functionality.

However, some users find that there are too many apps available.

They will struggle to decide on which ones to use without becoming overwhelmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

You could still have concerns about using Shopify.

Let’s answer two of the most frequently asked questions regarding the online store builder.

Wrapping Up

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that you can use to grow your online business.

Its cost is affordable enough to allow any size business to use it.

Shopify is perfect when you want to start selling online and need help getting started.

Are you ready to begin using Shopify inside your business? Learn more in our review of Shopify.

After you use Shopify, we’d love for you to return to leave a review in the comments below.

By Brett Helling

Brett has been starting, growing, and monetizing websites since 2014. While in college, he began to learn about digital marketing. After graduating, he continued to build a diverse portfolio of websites while working a full time job. After years of building the portfolio on the side, he made the jump to run his websites full time.