Shopify and WooCommerce stand as two of the most prominent e-commerce platforms in today’s digital landscape. While WooCommerce is highly regarded for constructing extensive e-commerce stores, many business owners are exploring alternative solutions like Shopify to meet their e-commerce requirements. Shopify offers a swift and straightforward setup process for your online store, but what are the important Shopify facts you need to know before taking the plunge?
Table of Contents
- Introduction: Shopify vs. WooCommerce
- Important Shopify Fact #1: Proprietary Nature Limits Reusability
- Important Shopify Fact #2: Unique Features May Incur Additional Costs
- Important Shopify Fact #3: Feature Limitations
- Important Shopify Fact #4: Payment Processor Integration Costs
- Important Shopify Fact #5: The Responsibility Factor
- Conclusion: Why Command Center Could Be Your Ideal E-commerce Solution
1. You cannot Re-use your Shopify store outside of Shopify
Shopify's Proprietary Nature Limits Reusability Outside the Platform
One of the important Shopify facts that every business owner should be aware of is the platform’s proprietary nature. Shopify uses its own unique templating language, known as “Liquid,” which is based on PHP. Since Liquid is not open source, any code you develop or incorporate within Shopify cannot be reused on other platforms.
Moreover, while Shopify allows you to export product data, it does not permit a full site export. This means that if you decide to move away from Shopify, you risk losing all your valuable data and assets that are integral to your online store.
This is a significant contrast to open-source solutions like WordPress. With WordPress, if you’re dissatisfied with your hosting provider, you can simply export a full site backup and transfer it to a new environment. This is a crucial Shopify fact to consider when choosing your e-commerce platform.
2. Unique Features Come With A Unique Cost
Exclusive Features May Incur Additional Costs
Another important Shopify fact to consider is the potential cost associated with its unique features. As the Shopify marketplace continues to expand, it may not always offer an immediate solution tailored to your specific needs. In such cases, you might have to hire a Liquid developer to create a custom solution for you, which could be quite expensive.
It’s also important to note that Liquid developers are not as readily available due to Shopify’s relative novelty in the e-commerce world. This means that the demand for Liquid is still on the rise among developers, and so is the cost of developing specifically for Shopify. This is a crucial Shopify fact to keep in mind when budgeting for your e-commerce platform.
3. Limited Features
know your limits with shopify
- Theme Customization: Shopify offers limited options when it comes to theme customization. This could potentially restrict your ability to fully express your brand’s unique style and aesthetics.
- Plugins: The range of plugins available on Shopify is also limited. This might restrict the functionality you can add to your online store.
- SEO: Shopify does not support custom schemas, which could limit your site’s SEO capabilities and affect your online visibility.
- Custom Cart/Checkout Shopify has restrictions on customizing the cart and checkout process, which could impact the shopping experience you provide to your customers.
- Product Variations: Shopify has limitations on the number of product variations you can offer, which could affect your product listing strategy.
- Email Hosting: Shopify does not provide email hosting services, which means you’ll need to find an external provider for this.
These are crucial Shopify facts to consider when deciding if the platform meets all your e-commerce needs.
4. Payment Processor Integrations
Payment Processor Integration Costs Might Be a surprise
An important Shopify fact to be aware of pertains to its payment processor integrations. Shopify does offer multiple payment gateways for flexibility. However, if you choose not to use Shopify’s own payment gateway, you will be charged an additional fee on top of the standard payment processor fees.
This is a crucial Shopify fact to consider when calculating your e-commerce costs and deciding on the most cost-effective payment processing solution for your online store.
5. Responsibility
The Responsibility Factor
One of the key Shopify facts to consider is the responsibility that comes with using the platform. While Shopify is generally user-friendly, it does require a significant initial time investment.
Creating a successful online store involves more than just setting up a site. It requires strong branding, regularly updated content, appealing visuals, an efficient sales pipeline, customer support forms, business email, and more, depending on your specific goals.
Remember, launching your site is just the start of the journey. E-commerce demands adaptability and the ability to pivot quickly. This could be the determining factor in your business’s success or failure. Therefore, it’s crucial to ensure that Shopify provides the tools you need to manage your online store responsibly and effectively. This is an important Shopify fact to consider when choosing your e-commerce platform.
Conclusion
Final Thoughts: Why Command Center Could Be Your Ideal E-commerce Solution
While Shopify offers a user-friendly platform for setting up an online store, it’s essential to be aware of these important Shopify facts before making your decision. From potential additional costs for unique features to limitations in customization and payment processor integrations, Shopify might not always be the most suitable solution for every business.
That’s where Command Center comes into play. By offering a more flexible, customizable, and cost-effective solution, Command Center eliminates many of the challenges associated with Shopify. It provides a comprehensive toolset that allows you to pivot quickly and adapt to the ever-changing e-commerce landscape. So why not save yourself the headaches associated with Shopify and explore how Command Center can empower your online business? Make the smart move today, reach out now.
Did You Know...
- WordPress & WooCommerce are FREE
- Whitehouse.gov uses WordPress and is an essential piece of US infrastructure
- WordPress powers 39.6% of the internet in 2021
- WooCommerce has over 75 Million Downloads and 5 Million installs
- WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world
- Over 1.4 million live websites are using WooCommerce right now
