So, you’re building an eCommerce store and checking out Shopify, right?
Ummmm, of course, you are. It’s a very well known option.
Or
I’m sure you stumbled here possibly by searching the search engines for terms like…
- Shopify Review
- What does Shopify do
- Is Shopify easy to use
Or, of course maybe another way, 🙂
But, at the end of the day, you’re looking to build an online store
And:
This article will break it down for you to see if Shopify is worth trying.
Let’s Go:
Affiliate Disclosure: Just letting you know real quick that I’m an affiliate of Shopify. What does this mean? It means most likely if you click a link through to this site and use their product I can get paid out, with no cost to you, though. First of all thank if you do use my links, it really helps this site grow and provide more info. Second, this review is just a review on Shopify, plain and simple. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing this review.
What Is Shopify And How Does It Work?
Let’s keep this super simple:
Shopify is an all in one complete eCommerce solution.
Meaning, everything is under one roof to run your eCommerce store.
Just to name a few:
- Accept credit cards
- Track and respond to orders
- Setup your store and sell your goods
- Customize your storefront
- Hosting for your store
How Easy Is Shopify To Use?
This is perhaps the greatest attribute of Shopify. While those who are familiar with CSS and HTML may have an advantage, the truth is that Shopify is easy for anyone to use.
The combination of a simple interface with many eCommerce tools means that you can create a site relatively quickly, customize it to your needs, and sell the items you want.
If you have never built a website before, Shopify makes it simple.
You are walked through the process step-by-step, so you can create the type of site that you want.
Plus, the interface is constructed with those who have little to no experience in building a website. That means it is easy to understand even for beginners.
However, do not expect to go live with your new site in five minutes.
It will take a little more time will be revealed in this Shopify review the sheer number of tools and attributes that this site offers.
Plus, over time you will discover more attributes about Shopify that you may want to include in your site.
So, while setting up your site will take a little time, the sheer number of features means that your new online store will have plenty to offer.
You can follow along with this video that’s about 25 minutes long to get a ton done
Just to add, there won’t be a dime out of your pocket to do all of this.
Just a simple 14-day free trial. That way you know your good or your not. 🙂
Some of my testing and observations done when I signed up for how easy it is to use.
It’s always tough because I test out Shopify a lot so I’m familiar with it.
But as your signing up you will start to be at more ease while doing that.
When you get to the admin panel of your site I think the “what the heck do I do now” will totally come back.
And well, fight or flight will come in.
Just chill!!
Look closely cause there trying to help you out if you just look.
So, take that deep breath and you will see you can chat a rep to help you right away.
Or scroll a bit and see the fact you can pick a template for your store.
Once you get this part down, I think you will be way more confident on moving forward.
Shopping Cart Features For Shopify
A secure shopping cart
all your customers can be happy to know that you will be using the same level of security used by banks which is a 256-bit SSL certificate at the moment.
This is a huge thing with all the debit/credit card fraud going on in the world these days.
The big plus I loved too, is it’s just something Shopify takes care of for you.
no hunting for how to keep it secure.
Automatic shipping rates
I love the fact they integrate this right into their shopping cart and make it really easy on you.
You just don’t have time constantly keeping track of this.
Abandoned Check-Out Recovery
Ever get that email from some company cause you didn’t complete your order?
If not, this is a huge feature to help you capture potential sales that could be lost. This type of tool is huge because there is no reason to lose a sale if you don’t have to.
Just to add:
This is a feature you will start to appreciate more as you go on and understand the importance of conversion rate optimization toolss.
Payment Gateway Options
I have been in some stores that I actually had to walk out of because the payment options they offered were so minimal I just couldn’t make a purchase.
Shopify has a crapload of payment gateways, which when they say payment gateways they mean like Paypal.
Automatic Tax Rate
Shopify will update the tax rate based on your location, and as well it will automatically take control of your major countries and state tax rates itself.
You might be wondering this:
Product Options – The More The Better
Digital Products Download
I like the fact Shopify gives you a way to offer products on your site like this. Great for eBooks and other digital assets.
Plus, even if you add just a section for this you know you have that options for your customers.
Product Tags
This falls underneath SEO too but gives you the ability to tag everything in regards to the product to make it easily found for search engines.
Multiple Images
A picture is worth a thousand words, right? Sure, but also it’s nice to show your customer every possible side for your product just as if it was right in their hands.
It’s a huge feature to help your customers interact with the product as much as possible.
And trust me, take the time just to think about this.
We all like to see every bit of a product we can’t touch.
Inventory Management
I like how you can manage your whole inventory really easily with Shopify. In fact, Shopify knows when you’re out of inventory and will stop selling it for you.
Unlimited Products
Shopify gives you an unlimited number of products regardless of which plan you choose with Shopify.
Big plus as you grow your business and don’t have to worry about upgrading just because you need more products.
I will add:
Sure you might be thinking you only have 100 products now.
But, over time you might expand your inventory product line too.
Shopify Web Hosting Features
Daily Back-Ups
When I worked in an I.T. department we did this daily too, which when I saw them promoting this I was very happy. Can you imagine losing all your info?
Shopify does daily back-ups for many different items such as business information which includes customers, orders, inventory and products.
This is one of those things that may not seem like a big deal until it happens to you.
Unlimited Bandwidth
This is more common in general, but I am personally glad to see it out on their website letting everyone know the bandwidth is unlimited.
Auto Upgrades
Shopify does all the hard work when it comes to upgrading.
All of them will be automatic for you, so no worries on your end.
SSL Certificate
This keeps all your customer’s data and information secure.
With all the data breaching that has gone on with companies like The Home Depot, Target and more it’s good to have something in place that reassures your customers.
And, it’s not a need.
It’s a must-have enhancement for your website to be valuable.
This about this too.
Would you even know how to add this or get this on your site?
Sure, over time right?
But, it’s just under the roof of Shopify that handles it for you.
Shopify Hardware Solutions
Shopify actually offers a full line of hardware if you compliment your online eCommerce shop with a retail location.
They offer all your top of the line gear such as card readers, cash drawers, gift card stock, receipt printers and more.
They also offer packages such as having all the key components to set up which was a nice added touch.
This might not really fit your needs because you’re looking for a fully online eCommerce solution, but it is still nice to know they have this if it is ever needed.
Shopify Themes You Can Use
Internally Shopify has a nice selection of themes to choose from for your website. They range from free to paid, so you have a nice option at least to choose from.
The nice thing too, when you click on the theme it will give you a little info about it and let you view a live demo, which for me that can make or break it.
Free Shopify Themes
The free Shopify themes are very nice actually and cover all the different industries such as art, clothing, fashion, furniture and toys.
The free themes area a great touch and you will see they are a bit limited in selection but are still very professional Shopify themes.
Premium Shopify Themes
Just like the free Shopify themes, the premium ones cover all the industries and you have a larger selection to choose from.
From what I could tell is they range from $180 to $80 bucks which aren’t that bad at all.
In my opinion, a small price to pay to have such a nice website.
Keep in mind, these are the ones that are shown on their site, so I’m sure other developers offer them externally for different price ranges.
Custom Shopify Themes
So if you’re just not certain if one of these Shopify themes are good for you, or in a scenario maybe you like one that might not be a responsive Shopify theme, you’re still in luck.
In the expert’s section of Shopify, you can connect with designers to help you create one from scratch.
Shopify eCommerce University
Shopify has a very powerful section for anybody looking to learn about Shopify and different help sections.
It’s called their eCommerce university. In this area, they are all about helping you learn to build your website, launch your website and grow your eCommerce website.
Check out the different sections below for the Shopify eCommerce University.
Shopify Forum & Discuss
The forum has a ton of sections to network with others on different topics such as accounting and taxes, eCommerce marketing, wholesale & dropshipping and feedback on your store.
Shopify Blog
Shopify doesn’t mess around with their blog section. It is updated constantly updated with data-driven discussions that are presented very well and easily scan-able.
To sum it up, they don’t mess around in educating others on eCommerce solutions. From what I can tell they grade on SEO, store usability, and social presence.
Here are some of the titles and topics they cover
Should you be Charging Sales Tax on Your Online Store?
3 Common Misconceptions About Conversion Rate Optimization That Are Wasting Your Time
6 Foundational eCommerce Marketing Tactics to Stop Your Bucket from Leaking
5 Data-Driven Tips for Smarter Pinterest Marketing
Shopify Stories
They want you to know how they rock and they put this in a whole area of stories of successful owners that have done an awesome job. It is a very inspiring area on their blog that you have to check out.
Shopify Grader
Pretty cool area to let Shopify examine your website. It makes sense anyways because this tool might make you convert into using Shopify. Test drive it and see what they think of your site.
Shopify History & Info
I figured it would be nice to fill you in on where Shopify came from, and some information about it. Kind of hard to believe too, that the first Shopify store was Shopify.
Founded – In 2006 by Tobias Lutke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake
Headquarters – Ottawa, Ontario
Funding – Shopify has received $122 million in series A,B,C funding from OMERS ventures.
January 9th, 2010 – Shopify acquired MNDCreative to expand its capabilities on mobile devices.
August 2013 – Shopify announced the launch of Shopify Payments. This gave Shopify the ability to accept VISA, MasterCard and AMEX credit cards.
Shopify Pricing Plans
There are 3 basic plans to sell online with Shopify
- Shopify Lite – $9 Monthly
- Basic Shopify – $29/Monthly
- Shopify – $79/Monthly
- Advanced Shopify – $299/Monthly
- Shopify Plus – Read More
- Shopify Gold – Read More
Here is the comparison chart for you.
Check out some of the discount pricing
Basic Shopify Plan Annual Plan Pricing
- 1-year contract – $312 which averages $26 monthly
- 2-year contract – $558 which averages $23.25 monthly
- 3-year contract – $783 which averages $21.75
Shopify Plan Annual Pricing
- 1-year contract – $852 which averages $71 monthly
- 2-year contract – $1,518 which averages $63.25 monthly
- 3-year contract – $2,133 which averages $59.25
Shopify Advanced Annual Plans
- 1-year contract – $3,192 which averages $266 monthly
- 2-year contract – $5,640 which averages $235.00 monthly
- 3-year contract – $7,884 which averages $219 monthly
Now, from a simple mathematical standpoint on choosing a plan based off transaction fees.
- The Shopify Basic Plan will be best for companies with sales of $0 – $16,665
- The Shopify Plan is great for companies with sales of $16,665 – $109,999
- The Shopify Advanced Plan is great for sales of $110,000 – $1,000,000
- If any larger your best option is probably going to be Shopify Plus.
SEO & Marketing Tools
Setting up an online store is the first step, but no one will see it unless you can bring them to your site. As this Shopify review explains, the company offers a considerable number of marketing tools that will show your online store to the world. Some of the tools that Shopify offers include the following.
– Blogging
– Email Marketing
– Multilingual Options
– Reporting Tools
The multilingual options let your site be seen by those who use a language other than English. This helps if you want to focus on a particular language or simply want your site to be understood around the world. Plus, Shopify does offer good blogging support to help you build up your brand and sell more items.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the most effective passive form of marketing on the internet. The use of SEO allows sites like yours to show up in search engine results such as on Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Shopify provides a number of SEO along with other marketing tools to make it easier for potential customers to find you.
The essence of SEO is the incorporation of keywords and key phrases, which are the queries used by those searching for products like yours, into the website you create. That means when someone searches for the products that you offer your site should appear in the search result pages. Shopify does offer a solid range of tools designed to enhance the SEO of your site.
One of the most important is the reporting tool. This allows you to see if the keywords incorporated into your site are having an effect. That way, you know what is working and what does not. When combined with Google Analytics, you can better track sales and see which keywords are the most effective.
However, Shopify does not offer keyword support which means that you will have to go elsewhere to find it. While this is not a deal-breaker, you will have to find such support if you want to incorporate the right keywords into your content.
Shopify Apps
The apps provided in the Shopify app store are the heart of what makes this platform so successful. Once you have built your site, you can shop from the over 3,200 apps that are available to enhance the services that you offer. Some of the apps are free while others are paid, but all of them may add something beneficial to your Shopify site.
The apps themselves range from providing a specific function to adding different tools that make some tasks easier for customers. The large number of options makes the use of apps not only improves the function of your store, but they can also help integrate other tools and platforms that expands
the reach of your site. Some of the different types of apps available include the following.
– Abandoned Cart Saver
– Accounting
– Data Capture
– Drop-Shipping
– Multicurrency
– Reporting
There are third-party apps that you can incorporate as well. This makes the features offered by Shopify even more useful.
However, you should expect to pay more for the apps that really make functionality and reaching out easier. The old saying that you get what you pay for applies to Shopify as well. This means that the apps which will have the greatest effect on your business are usually the ones that come with a fee. While there are some useful apps that are free, you should expect to pay for those that really enhance the features and reach of your online store.
Pros of Shopify
There are numerous advantages offered as explained in this Shopify review. For those who hare just starting out, the benefits of using Shopify are considerable.
Excellent Features: Arguably the best attribute of Shopify is the sheer number of features along with an emphasis on customer satisfaction. This means that you can tailor your online store to the needs of your customers and reap more sales as a result. This is because Shopify includes features that really work, so you spend less time researching and more time marketing and selling your items.
Reach: Another excellent benefit is that Shopify allows you to reach across the internet to sell on channels such as Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Instagram to name a few. Just selling on those platforms alone lets you reach millions of potential customers. Plus, you can tap into the social media market with ease thanks to Shopify’s reach.
Store Management: Running your Shopify store is dirt simple thanks to the inventory system that lets you see what is selling at a glance. You are provided with a considerable amount of information that lets you see what is working, what is not, and provide some direction as to what to do next. The key to running any store, online or not, is moving your inventory either through customer purchases or finding new items that sell. The inventory system that Shopify provides makes that task quite easy.
Cons of Shopify
However, not every attribute of Shopify works, so you will need to understand the disadvantages of going with this site.
App Happy:
In other words, the number of apps you need to provide additional features to your store can really add up over time.
This makes it harder to track what you have, so you may not be sure of what app does what over time.
This is not all that bad, but it is one of the prices of convenience that going with Shopify will have when you create your online store.
Reformat Difficulties: If you decide to switch themes which is quite common for those trying to find the right look for their Shopify store, the content will not reformat along with the changes. This means that you may need to start over if you need to change the look of your online site. Depending on the size of your store and the number of goods that you offer, this can be a herculean task to say the least. But then again this is price of convenience as this may help you in creating your store, but changing it is another matter.
Enforced Transaction Fee: As this Shopify review reveals, this is the only platform of its type to enforce its own transaction fee. This can be quite annoying unless you use Shopify Payments. There are those who do not want to use Shopify Payments and that makes the experience even worse. Not everything can be perfect with this platform and hopefully, Shopify will change soon when it comes to transaction fee enforcement that does not involve adding yet another program.
Shopify Review Conclusion
Shopify overall is going to be something you really enjoy. If you truly take the time to get using Shopify you have huge potential for your eCommerce business.
I mean how can you go wrong with great support, great templates, easy to use tools and great supporting documentation.
Enjoy Shopify and check out the free trial, it’s for 14 days like I mentioned earlier.
I think though you will most likely be up in running pretty well in the first day or two if you really take the time and get going.
Have any questions, feedback or great stories?
Drop some good conversation below so we can all chat about it.
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