What is Shopify?
If you have an eCommerce business or are thinking about starting one, you’ve probably heard the name Shopify. As one of the world’s most popular eCommerce platforms, Shopify gives its users the capability to sell products or services online through a buy button or personalised website.
Shopify went live in 2006 and it’s estimated that the cloud-based platform has supported over $543 billion in sales since its creation. Nearly 4 million sites worldwide have been built using Shopify and the platform currently hosts around 11% of all eCommerce websites. Impressive statistics! But why is Shopify so popular?
Shopify offers an all-in-one solution to businesses that want to sell products or services online. There are 5 subscription plans available, each with differing capabilities, which makes the platform suitable for a variety of business needs.
Potential users can sign up to a 14-day free trial, during which time they can build an online store and test out Shopify’s capabilities to see if the service is suitable for their business. Shopify is also secure, reliable and customisable, and that’s exactly why we’re Shopify Partners here at Create8.
How does Shopify work?
Shopify gives its users the flexibility to run a store from just about anywhere with an internet connection, helping businesses to reach a wider audience and convert more customers.
Shopify is really easy to use, so the majority of people are able to set up a functional website without the help of a web developer – although it won’t be the prettiest without some help from an expert!
Users sign up for a free trial and answer the relevant questions. They choose a theme or add custom elements to their site, attach a domain name, add products or services and set up Shopify payments from the Shopify dashboard. Users can even add Shopify apps from the Shopify App Store to extend the website’s functionality.
Once the site is built and a Shopify subscription plan purchased, the eCommerce website goes live and the business can start selling.
What are Shopify apps?
Shopify apps function like plug-ins and there are thousands available in the Shopify App Store. They can be integrated with existing Shopify sites to improve customer experience or adjust functionality. Some Shopify apps are completely free and some have startup or monthly costs associated with them.
Shopify really outdoes its competition when it comes to the Shopify App Store, which may explain why the eCommerce platform is growing ever more popular. From chatbots and loyalty schemes to email marketing and image optimisation, there’s a Shopify app for almost any need. And they’ve all been created with customer conversion rates in mind.
It can be pretty daunting deciding which Shopify apps your business needs. Check out our thoughts on the Top 5 Shopify Apps to Increase Sales and if you’re still stuck, get in touch with us today to discuss how we can help you to reach a wider audience and increase conversion rates on your Shopify website.
Which Shopify plan should I choose?
The Shopify plan you choose will be based on a number of factors including the size of your business and how much customisation your website requires. We’ve outlined the available Shopify subscription plans below so you can see what will work best for your business.
Shopify Starter Plan: Costing just £5 a month, Shopify Starter is designed to help businesses sell products or services on social media via a shared link. It includes Shopify’s esteemed checkout system for a fast and secure purchasing experience and is recommended for brands who are testing out an eCommerce business plan. Shopify transaction fees work out at 5% per purchase for this plan.
Shopify Basic Plan: Shopify Basic costs £19 a month and is the best choice for smaller businesses with a low volume of sales. Users choose a Shopify theme and can access essential editing tools to help them personalise their store. Shopify transaction fees work out at 2% + 25p per purchase for this plan, which also includes access to Shopify-generated business reports and 24/7 advice and support.
Shopify Plan: This plan is the Shopify standard. It better facilitates business growth and also allows for more website customisation. Costing £49 a month (with transaction fees at 1.7% + 25p per purchase), the Shopify plan includes everything in the Shopify Basic plan as well as 5 staff accounts and 5 physical inventory locations. This is a great choice for medium-sized and established businesses.
Shopify Advanced Plan: This plan costs £259 a month (with transaction fees at 1.5% + 25p per purchase) and allows for up to 15 staff accounts and 8 physical inventory locations. Shopify Advanced subscribers have access to more detailed business reports and can also receive help from Shopify regarding duties and import taxes. This makes the plan best suited for larger, thriving businesses or businesses who are looking to sell abroad.
Shopify Plus Plan: Shopify Plus is designed for high volume merchants and big business. Prices start at £1,650 a month and are based on a custom quote depending on business need. Shopify Plus was specifically created for multi-million dollar enterprises; patrons include Lindt, Deliveroo and Tesla, to name just a few.
Theme, customised theme or bespoke website?
Once you’ve subscribed to a plan, it’s time to decide how your website is laid out. When designing a Shopify store, there are three options: use an existing Shopify theme, add custom elements to an existing Shopify theme or create a unique, bespoke website. Each option has both merits and shortcomings,
Using an existing Shopify theme ‘off the shelf’ is the cheapest option and allows eCommerce websites to launch quickly without the need for additional coding. The downside is that the website will be visually similar to other websites and it will lack personalised branding and functionality. This option is best for smaller or new businesses.
Adding your own custom elements to an existing Shopify theme is faster than building a bespoke website but slower than using a theme without customisation. This option allows users to personalise their site and code additional functionality requirements as desired. Customisation still involves some coding restrictions however, which means the website can only be altered so much, and usually only by a Shopify web developer. This option is recommended for established or growing eCommerce businesses with a strong brand presence.
Creating a bespoke website is the most expensive and time-consuming option but offers the most flexibility. Bespoke sites are completely unique, representing your brand and your brand only, and they also rank better on search engines due to better optimisation of aspects like website speed. This option requires extensive coding knowledge and a big budget, and those with bespoke websites have to stay in control of their own development updates. Bespoke websites are ideal for established stores looking to scale up or for businesses seeking a completely unique online presence.
The option you choose for your business will ultimately depend on your budget; if it’s within your means, we recommend you customise a Shopify theme or create a bespoke website that really celebrates your brand. And if you’re not clued up on coding, our Shopify web developers can sort the fiddly bits for you! https://www.create8.co.uk/shopify-web-design/
Who are Shopify’s competitors?
Shopify holds 11% of the market share for eCommerce websites, which means there are definitely competitors out there and they’re all doing things differently. Keep reading to find out some competitor pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision on whether Shopify is the right eCommerce platform for your business.
Squarespace: Website builder Squarespace is easier to use than Shopify and design outcomes tend to be more visually appealing. It is also cheaper than Shopify and has a larger number of customisable templates (themes). Sounds promising! The downside, however, is that Squarespace was not designed with eCommerce in mind and we don’t recommend it for serious eCommerce businesses. It has limited payment gateway support and doesn’t allow for multi-currency selling. There are also far fewer apps available for extending functionality.
Magento: Magneto allows for full store customisation and complete code control but it is cumbersome to set up and only suitable for enterprise-level businesses. It’s a great platform if you have developers on hand to help set up and maintain your site, but Shopify is cheaper and easier to use, even for the biggest businesses.
WooCommerce: WooCommerce is a free plug-in that can be easily added to existing WordPress websites. Users have complete control over their code which is ideal for developers or tech-savvy business owners but is inaccessible to those with limited technical skills. WooCommerce sites tend to rank better on search engines but the plug-in can be complicated to use to its fullest advantage and, unlike Shopify theme websites, requires complete management and maintenance from the user.
At Create8, we think Shopify does it best when it comes to eCommerce. It’s advanced, affordable and allows for full control over the structure and setup of your eCommerce website.
Why choose Create8 to develop your Shopify site?
We are Shopify Partners, which means our expert team of developers and creatives are well-versed in building and maintaining eCommerce websites using the Shopify platform.
We can do it all: theme builds, bespoke builds, app integration, theme customisation, Shopify marketing and Shopify migrations, so you can be assured that you’re in good hands if you choose Create8 for your Shopify project.
We have a host of case studies on our website. If you’re interested in seeing exactly what we’re capable of, head there now and browse our past projects: https://www.create8.co.uk/our-work/
Take a look at some more of our blogs for helpful tips, tricks and advice:
- Latest Shopify News
- Do Blogs Improve SEO Website Ranking?
- Top 10 Brands That Use Shopify Stores
The post What is Shopify all about? (2022) appeared first on Create8.
