What are the Pros and Cons of Shopify as an eCommerce Platform?

Shopify is a platform for businesses of all sizes from small to large to create their online store. It offers users a customisable platform, an easy-to-use checkout process, and a wide range of features. While Shopify is a great platform for many businesses, there are some pros and cons to using Shopify as an eCommerce platform.

In this article, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of Shopify.

 

 

What are the Pros of Shopify?

Shopify is considered as one of the most popular eCommerce platforms undoubtedly, with so many good reasons. It’s easy to use, has a wide range of features, and is highly customisable. Plus, it’s suitable for businesses of all sizes. Here are some of the pros of using Shopify:

1. One of the biggest advantages of Shopify is that it’s extremely user-friendly. Even if you have no prior experience with website building or eCommerce platforms, you’ll be able to create a professional-looking website with Shopify. The platform is intuitive and very straightforward to use. Check how you can create a page on Shopify here.
2. Shopify is designed for retailers who want to sell online. It can be installed on your own domain or hosted through Shopify’s servers.
3. There is a wide range of templates available to choose from.
4. Shopify offers a comprehensive set of features that will allow you to build a fully functional eCommerce website. Some of the features include:
   • Drop shipping
   • Marketing tools for your store, including SEO and email marketing (read about Shopify email marketing here )
   • Storefront themes
   • Password protection until you go live (read more about it here )
5. Shopify offers a variety of payment options, including PayPal, credit cards and Bitcoin. You can even pay for your store with a credit card or bank account!
6. Shipping integration with a vast number of delivery companies
7. Shopify has a very strong and active support community.
8. Shopify is currently the leading and most popular eCommerce platform.
9. Shopify offers users a 14-day free trial, so you can test the platform before committing to it.
10. Shopify has 24/7 customer support, so you can always get help when you need it.
11. Shopify has a wide range of features, including an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor, which makes creating your online store easy and fun.
12. Shopify also offers a vast selection of themes and apps, so you can customise your store to match your unique brand. Shopify Plus allows you to install apps directly from the app store, so you can customise your store experience even more and add more functionalities.
13. Shopify is constantly updating its platform to ensure that it meets the needs of online retailers.
14. Shopify Plus(to find out more about Shopify Plus, click here) includes advanced analytics to help you learn about your customers, optimise your sales, apply advanced marketing strategies and create better content for the future.
15. Shopify Plus includes an advanced security system that protects against data breaches and cyber-attacks.
16. Shopify Plus includes 24/7 support. That means if you have any problems, you can get in touch with a customer service representative at any time.
17. Shopify Plus allows you to access their design team, who can help you customise your store using premium templates.
18. Shopify offers a free SSL certificate with every purchase of Shopify Plus.

What are the Cons of Shopify?

Like anything in the world, nothing is completely perfect. There are some potential drawbacks to using Shopify. These include the following:

1. The monthly fees can be quite expensive, especially for smaller businesses or if you are just starting out. There are three different pricing plans, and the most basic plan starts at US$29 per month. Check how you can select the best plan here.
2. Some of the features and customisation options can be challenging to use if you are not at all familiar with website development. Shopify requires users to have some technical knowledge. The site provides users with a simple interface, but it takes some time to learn how the platform works.
3. Shopify requires users to have a domain name. This may be an issue for businesses that aren’t online yet.
4. If you choose a clumsy theme, Shopify can become slow to load at times (it really depends on many factors, though).
5. There have been some security issues in the past (not a big issue anymore, in my opinion).
6. Some users have found customer service unhelpful (based on my recent experience, this is not that big of a problem anymore).
7. Shopify’s transaction fees can also add up, depending on the payment gateway you use.

Shopify has changed the game in the eCommerce world. If you have a product, you can now go online with a beautiful website pretty much within a day or two using Shopify as a platform. No need to depend on a development team and wait for their mercy to start building on your dream. In conclusion, the pros and cons of Shopify as an eCommerce platform show that it is a reliable and user-friendly option for businesses of all sizes. While there are some drawbacks, the overall benefits make it a worthwhile investment for those looking to start or grow their online store.