Ecommerce » Shopify Review
When you look for Shopify reviews, you’ll notice that there are many feedbacks for this well-known online eCommerce platform. The reason is quite simple, people who want to join eCommerce business are serious with their choices, they want to have the best decision so that they can focus 100% on running their business (rather than messing around with technical problems). In this review, I won’t going around and messing you up with lots of information. I give you most reliable and honest information that related directly to your business, so you will have better understandings and make your decision easier. If you have been ready for this review, let’s begin right now.
First, what is an e-commerce platform (like Shopify)
An e-commerce platform is an online service that allows you to create your own store and Shopify is an online service that allows you to create your own CUSTOMIZED store, no matter you are providing a service (designing and programming for examples) or something tangible (men and women wear, watches, perfumes,…). By “customized” I mean you can have your own shop aesthetically designed. If you are a shoe seller, how you showcase your products plays a very important part in your monetization. With Shopify, you are totally free to select your own background pictures, your thumbnails in which you can locate your newest models of shoe, and many more details like a short description, price tags and some notes about payment. Moreover, you can have your customer database well-organized and managed; furthermore, your advertising/marketing campaign is also a key feature of Shopify.
What Shopify can bring to you?
As a store owner, what Shopify can bring and help you with your online business?
Simplicity
There are only 7 very simple steps to create a shop on Shopify. Shopify understands that technology can be a trouble for any ambitious vendor if it is too complicated and that’s why the business creating process here with Shopify is totally IT-supported, extremely transparent and above all, SIMPLE. Just an email account, fill in some key info about yourself and what you are trying to provide, pick up your theme and upload the image and info of your goods, you may change the URL of your shop as well as set up your shipping and taxes rates and, last but not least, your payment terms. For beginner, the simpler the process is, the easier to run and manage your online store. This is the key point why Shopify gains much popularity over the past few years.
Risk free
In online business, fraudulence is an issue that every businessmen/women should care of. The probability of losing a valuable item (if you are a seller) or money (if you are a buyer) to someone you don’t know can ruin to your motivation to exchange value for goods in a righteous way. With PayPal Express Checkout, one of the most prestigious online payment support services in the world, now your transaction on Shopify can be done thoroughly without any concern. One fact: Shopify is now serving more than 70 THOUSAND users, the number affirms its high-profile position and professional management. However, I would like to open a bracket here, you may confront some problems brought by PayPal like delayed payments, not-yet-updated foreign exchanges, and also limits for some areas.
Beautifully designed
This is what Shopify can be proud about. The platform truly makes your store unique and appealing. As I’ve mentioned above, you are totally free to pick up your theme and apply it for your shop. As you can see yourself, no buyer will NOT be emotionally affected by a well or creatively designed shop. Remember the feeling when you pass by a Timberland shops with fancy and desired leather products with brownish wooden shelves, or an IKEA store with Nordic theme or when you look at the window at Abercrombie or Banana or somewhere else. This is the feeling I’m sure you want your potential customers to have inside their heart when they scroll down your store. And Shopify will do it for you. One minus point here, Shopify’s theme support stands at only 100 themes. And I’m pretty sure that number can’t cover all demands from the customers. However, there are theme shops on Shopify that can satisfy your own demand. Click here for more information.
What Shopify can bring MORE to you? I.E ecommerce plugins
Remember many business support apps can be plugged to Shopify, here are some most important if you want to set up your own store on Shopify. Just download and use, but at a cost I’m afraid, however not so much don’t worry, business needs investments right?
Marketing campaign
One thing that differentiates Shopify with other ecommerce platform is its marketing support. With the integration of Chimpified (if you use Mad Chimp mailing list software) and Madify (if you choose Mad Mini instead) email management apps, you are able to manage very neatly your customers list. One interesting thing about Chimpified is that these apps are two-way synchronized, which means that if your potential buyer change the email they use for Shopify, the app can recognize it and will update automatically your email list. Madify is somehow much better in categorize your customers, which means that your customers will only receive what they’re interested in. Another very good app is Ecommerce 360, which allows you to keep track the conversion rate (aka the number of sales done divided by the number of customers)
Accounting
With apps like Quickbooks, Xero and Kashflow, a fifth grader can be better than a CPA. You know I’m just kidding, but these apps can help you to avoid headaches from calculating. Another app deserving put in the list is Sufio, which helps you to send beautifully designed invoices to your customers, safe and sound.
Inventory and Shipping
These are two most painful tasks of any business. Shopify knows it and it prepares you with great apps like Stitch and Bizelo keeping your inventory counts when you’re selling through multiple fronts, and Inventory Notifications will report the inventory status to you when your stock are running low. Remember that, when you’re creating a shop, Shopify requires you to configure a shipment service like Amazon, Shipwire and Webtigix. Like most of the vendors, I prefer Amazon for its well-known brand and strong service.
Going mobile
Social networks like Facebook or Twitter can’t be ignored in the online business environment today. Fortunately, Shopify also have some supports for your online marketing campaign. Facebook is a large community with a lot of potential customers and it’s a crime if you don’t take advantage of it. Another advantage is that Shopify has a strong support for mobile management, that is you are able to keep an eye on your business by your iPhone, iPad and other smart devices just like when you are on a computer.
What’s The Cons Of Using Shopify
I have finished talking about pros of using Shopify. However, it would be nonsense if I keep talking about how great this eCommerce platform is. Yes, Shopify is good and delivers more than you can expect from a platform, but it also has some drawbacks. Let’s see what are they.
Transaction Fees
You may notice from Shopify’s pricing structure that for lower plans, they charge 2% for each transaction you have. Put it simple, if your customer buys $100, you have to pay $2 for Shopify in addition to the regular monthly cost. Why do you have to pay for these fees? We can understand that for each transaction, Shopify needs to serve customers with data, bandwidth and premium payment service (even Paypal has their transaction fees). They charge store owners that amount to maintain the service plus make it fair for the provider. Of course, if your store is growing bigger and bigger, you can choose Unlimited Plans with no transaction fees at all. This is a great point for Shopify since they are 100% honest with your payment. Upon my experiences, there are a few services that charge you but they don’t even notice or tell your directly on the salepage. It is not until the billing day that you realize how much money you have lost for these hidden services.
Monthly Fees For Apps
Like WordPress, Shopify does have a lot of intergrated apps for your store. There are around 250 of them which upgrades or simplifies your management process. Sadly, these apps aren’t free. Most of them requires monthly subscription, you have to pay every month. These apps are not required, so you can choose what to use or use nothing at all.
Liquid Web Development Language
The last part, but it’s also the most struggling part for me. Although Shopify does have room for CSS/HTML codes for customizations, it runs a self-developed language called Liquid. For beginners (like me), it would be a pain in the *ss. Since it’s a brand new language, you have to learn different codes, skills and various structures from scratch. Another solution is to hire experts for these painful jobs, they know what to do with Liquid and its codes. It would cost more, but you can consider this as an investment for your store. Shopify has simplified your setting up process, another investment would be on designing and making a good store.
Shopify Reviews: Final Words
Let’s recap it a little bit. To run a successful and efficient store online, you need:
- Reliable service.
- Flexible development.
- Support basic payment methods.
- 24/7 support for your store.
Shopify is a mong the most suitable providers in terms of these conditions. It also provides 24/7 customer support with great care, so you can run your store smoothly and focus on building business. Beside, it offers you a 14 days free trial, so why don’t you give Shopify a try for real experiences. I won’t advocate for Shopify, but many of my friends who start their online businesses come to this service and run their stores. It’s a good sign from real life experiences.
To Try Shopify Free For 14 Days Right Now
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