Wondering which is the best eCommerce website builder for your business? Don’t you worry, we got you covered. In this article, we are going to have a look at Shopify E-commerce and all things eCommerce-related. We are also going to offer you some guidance on what you should be looking for when it comes to building your online store. I bet you can already figure out what our answer is. Let’s find out why.
Photo Credit to Uxmastery
Spoiler: You are about to learn why thousands of merchants have chosen Shopify over any other eCommerce website builder.
Which is the Best eCommerce platform?
When choosing the optimal store builder for your website, you’ll want one with awesome features, multifunctionality and so much more. However, what your first and foremost concerns should be are fast and reliable SEO, and PCI ready for credit card purchases. These two factors are what will boost your shop’s visibility and sales. Increasing both sales and visibility will have that wonderful domino effect, bringing in even more sales and more popularity.
Let’s have a really close look at some of your options for your eCommerce website builder. This way you can have a more rounded understanding of what to look for and what is out there. Out there is that oh so tiny abstraction known as the world wide web of course!
1. BigCommerce
This platform works for those who have a wide variety of products and merchandise to sell online. One can easily customize their shop, and choose from multiple themes for their website. One of the drawbacks here is that they don’t really offer all that many free themes. So if you’re on a budget and want to start off with a free theme, this Website Builder might not be the best option for you. It’s flexible and scalable, but it does get quite pricey if you have a large inventory.
Furthermore, they don’t have 1-click selling/upsells. Upselling is your opportunity to offer your customer to buy an upgraded version of what they will or have bought. So what’s the one-click part about? One-click selling or upsell allows your customer to opt for the sale or upsell in just one click. I bet you can imagine what kind of boost that can have on your sales margins.
2. ShopWired
You may not have heard of ShopWired, because it’s only on the rise in popularity literally as we speak. As of May 17, 2022 – 3,364 online stores are using this platform. As you can see from this list, customers from all over the world are enjoying this hip new platform. For example, many merchants in the Uk have put their trust and trial in ShopWired. They’re basically made famous for their B2B features. Shop owners can easily create credit accounts, trade accounts, bulk discounts, and a quote request system. It’s super quick to load on desktops but isn’t quite there for mobile and tablets just yet.
One of the biggest drawbacks for many shop owners is that they don’t work with Amazon. Their SEO traffic isn’t quite where we’d like it to be and their apps and extensions are mostly made for those of us who know how to do coding. Yikes. That leaves one too many of us out of the world of apps and extensions.
Photo Credit to Shopwired
3. Wix
Wix is greatly loved among small-time business owners and those with a limited inventory. In the past, Wix didn’t quite hit the mark, but over the years they have truly made some major improvements. They offer abandoned cart recovery, they have drop ship and print on demand, and a few other perks. However, they really don’t have much storage space and they have limited features. It’s simple to use and set up and they have a lot of free themes. The only issue is, once you publish a theme, there’s no going back. Lastly, their biggest drawbacks are their poor SEO and security. Really makes you wonder. Wix does have a lot to offer, but it’s a commitment you’ll want to be sure of.
4. Shopify
If you really want to sell, then you really want Shopify for your eCommerce website builder. Shopify is ideal for those who plan on using Facebook and Instagram for boosting sales and traction to your site and products. It’s a platform that is really accessible for beginners and you won’t need to know much about coding or any of that complex language. They offer a wide range of apps and extensions, have incredibly quick load time, and did we mention how many well-designed themes they have to choose from? In the next few sections, we will have a more in-depth look at Shopify and all of its wonderful perks and advantages.
Is Shopify eCommerce Site Profitable for My Business?
If your brick-and-mortar store or business is ready to start making money online, then Shopify is the place for you. Shopify generates billions of sales and is the chosen platform for thousands of eCommerce businesses. Not only is it a fantastic choice for beginners, but it’s also easy to design, set up and manage for anyone interested in creating an online store. Shopify has an abundance of themes, with an abundance of features. They offer plenty of free themes and a wide price range of premium themes. Their themes work for both one-product businesses and shops with a wide variety of products.
If you opt for a premium theme, then you’ll have more service than you could ever imagine. The support you’ll discover with a premium theme really makes it worth that extra investment. If you’re working with a tight budget, your free themes will also come with start-up support. However, you won’t have that 24/7 type of assistance, which not all of us need.
Lastly, your business can profit from either selling your own products or dropshipping.
What is Dropshipping on Shopify?
Dropshipping is a highly profitable option on Shopify. This type of sales is an order fulfillment method where the owner doesn’t store their inventory. Rather than selling your own made products, dropshipping is when you order your products from a third-party provider. Dropshipping is when you act as the middleman between the buyer and seller.
This has many advantages, which is why so many business owners have made thousands, if not millions, through this option. Dropshipping can also work to your advantage as a starting point. You can work up to a higher budget, to then launch a business selling your own products. The two can work hand in hand.
Photo Credit to WebsiteBuilderExpert
Shopify Features that Increase Sales and Visibility for Your eCommerce Business
There’s a good reason for Shopify being one of the biggest names in website building. When you sign up with Shopify you’ll have web templates, back-end plug-ins, databases, and so many features that would take a whole article to get into! With Shopify, you won’t need any prior knowledge of coding or CSS. Even Though both may help you really get closer to what you want, it’s certainly not needed. Coding and CSS knowledge won’t be needed for both your website and all the apps and extensions, which you may choose to take advantage of.
Here are some of the features we totally love, that Shopify has to offer:
1. Check Out Features and Abandoned Cart Features
The checkout options on Shopify make it really easy and seamless for customers to buy multiple products in one sitting. Nearly 70% of customers abandon their carts when shopping. That certainly ain’t nothing! With Shopify, you’ll be able to identify those who abandoned their carts and send them email reminders of the products they were interested in. If you didn’t get them the first time around, there’s definitely a chance to catch the sale the second time around. It’s sort of like someone shopping in a market and coming around to your booth for the second time. They saw something they loved, kept walking, were reminded of that sweater, necklace, or couch, and came back for it. It really is as simple as that.
2. POS
Point of Sale (POS) is a special Shopify feature that will allow your business to sell products beyond your website. If you decide to open up a pop-up shop or sell inventory in a market, your sales can be linked up directly to your Shopify account. Your inventory will automatically be updated with a record of every transaction. If you’ve ever set up shop in a market or pop-up shop before then you know just how useful this feature is. It helps you stay organized, without needing to have a document here and a document there to keep all your numbers in order.
3. Shopify Analytics
Once you open your online shop, you’ll need to be able to analyze its performance. The tools Shopify offers make this process simple and smooth. The insights Shopify Analytics has to offer will have a major impact on the trajectory of your shop. You’ll have a clear overview of your customer activities, sales, and marketing, which will help you adjust your overall approach. We can’t all get it perfect the first time around. For this reason, Shopify makes it easy and simple to adjust, analyze, rework and tweak weak spots you may have overlooked when first launching your site. Thank heavens for second chances, am I right?
Photo Credit to Elevar Academy
4. The Great Wide World of Apps
Have you read up on the world of apps? Shopify will make sure that your niche and preferences are met by the perfect apps. Apps will help you organize your site in an extremely efficient manner. They’re especially useful if you are running a large inventory business with a few employees on the books. If they appear confusing and overwhelming at first, you’ll have tons of support to walk you through the process. Baby steps can really get you further than you’d imagine.
What’s the Difference Between Shopify and Amazon?
Firstly, Shopify and Amazon may seem to be doing the same thing, but they are vastly different. Amazon works as a marketplace, whereas Shopify is specifically an eCommerce platform. On Amazon, you’ll be able to sell your products shoulder to shoulder with your competitors. Shopify on the other hand is your toolbox for building your website. Shopify will help you organize and market your business. Furthermore, with Shopify’s unique themes, you’ll be able to design your website according to your target audience and niche. Your design and theme will help you promote your brand.
Amazon on the other hand will feature your products when a customer is searching for a product you’re selling. All the other suppliers will be featured right along with your products. Amazon also has a bucket load of fees when it comes to selling products on their marketplace. Lastly, let us not forget that you can sell on Amazon through your Shopify eCommerce store. One does not nullify the other.
Photo Credit to Pexels
How Individuals Can Benefit from Shopify
Shopify has a myriad number of themes that can be adapted to all types of eCommerce businesses. It’s quick and easy to set up. There are free and premium options, and you can launch your website, in some cases, in a matter of hours. We know how anxious one can get to finally see their idea in action. We’re all eager to get our sales up and out there as soon as possible. That is exactly what makes this possibility so wonderful.
All the software and hosting are already provided for by Shopify, so you won’t need to fuss over those complicated details. They also take care of software updates, so you can focus on sales and marketing. Your pages will load quickly while your clientele is shopping.
Furthermore, Shopify has top-notch security, so you won’t have to worry about sensitive information leaking while a customer is putting in their credit card details. You’ll be provided with 24/7 customer support, so no question will go unanswered. There are various apps that you can choose from that will help you stay organized throughout the sales journey from A-Z.
Your online store will be mobile-friendly and ready to use by everyone and anyone. It doesn’t end there. Unlike many other platforms, through Shopify, you’ll always be able to customize and rework your site when desired. As we mentioned earlier, if someone shops around on your site and abandons their cart, Shopify will send them a reminder. This feature impacts sales more than you would know. Lastly, you’ll be supplied with all the SEO marketing tools and tips needed to boost sales and increase visibility online. Need we say more?
Is Shopify a Good eCommerce site?
Do we really need to answer that? Yes, of course, it’s a fantastic and efficient eCommerce site. Shopify is truly one of the best eCommerce platforms on the market today. We feel very confident in Shopify’s vast knowledge and abundance of, if not hundreds, of features and themes.
Shopify has truly stood the test of time. Some of your favorite shops are even run by Shopify and you may not have even realized it! That’s because the themes and features run so high and wide, it makes it possible to build a truly unique website. Updates are always welcome and possible on Shopify. Plus, if you just have a look at the numbers, it won’t be hard for you to put your faith in this platform. With Shopify, you can sell your products not just on your website but across your social media, like Instagram and Facebook. You’ll also be able to sell across several marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.
Shopify will help you grow your business, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been around for years. This platform is great for small businesses, ambitious sellers, beginners, and those looking to scale up. Did we mention they have over 1,200 apps? Now you don’t want to get too excited about that, as they do tend to add up on some of those themes. However, some of them really are irresistible and take your store up a few notches.
As far as payments go, they do offer extended payment options. Shopify also offers its own payment method called Shopify Gateway.
Have you started to get a real feel for why there is such hype around Shopify? It’s almost synonymous with eCommerce website builders.
Takeaway:
Has our admiration for Shopify come through with this article?
While there are several options out there for all types of businesses, we believe no other website builder has as much to offer as Shopify. It’s truly made with all types of thinkers, businesses, and buyers in mind. Thousands of vendors are satisfied with Shopify, and it’s for good reason. The free themes are fantastic for starting off, and many of them have premium themes. That means you can simply upgrade when your budget allows. Therefore, you won’t need to start all over again. Who wants to start all over when their business is really picking up? In all likelihood you probably wouldn’t have the time like you may have now.
If you’re concerned about starting up your eCommerce business, reach out to us! We’re here to answer any questions you may have. We are experts in the field after all! Our team at Ataria has all the answers to any business-related questions. We dare you to try us!
Other related articles you might like to read:
- 10 BEST SHOPIFY BUILDER THEMES FOR EVERY SITE 2022
- WHAT IS ECOMMERCE MARKETING AND HOW DOES ONE DEVELOP A SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY?
- WHAT IS SEO AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Resources:
- BuiltWith.com, (2022) https://trends.builtwith.com/websitelist/ShopWired
- Ferreira, (January 2022) https://www.shopify.com/blog/what-is-dropshipping
- Khanna, (May 2022) https://recentlyheard.com/2022/05/18/know-about-interesting-shopify-features-for-the-ultimate-online-store/
- Baymard, (2022) https://baymard.com/lists/cart-abandonment-rate
- Nguyen, (2022) https://litextension.com/blog/shopify-vs-amazon-comparison/