It’s not an easy choice when it comes to selecting an e-commerce platform, especially if you want it to be cost-effective while also having outstanding assistance and the ability to be scalable for the future. As of 2021, there are numerous E-Commerce platforms available on the market, including Shopify, Magento, PrestaShop, WIX and WooCommerce – each of which have their pros and cons. Shopify, however, is in my opinion the absolut best platform to go for when starting from scratch, and here’s why.
1. Extremely Quick/Easy to Set Up and Utilize
Shopify makes it simple to set up an e-commerce store without the issues that comes with having your own servers or development expenses that come with self-hosted platforms like Magento. The admin interface is simple and user-friendly, and it’s quite easy to understand, meaning that even if you don’t have experience with operating an e-commerce platform, then you will most surely learn it quite quickly by using Shopify.
2. No Tech Worries Whatsoever – Focus on What Matters!
Some great news! To establish a basic Shopify store, you don’t need any technical expertise; Shopify does everything for you. Not only is this convenient, but it’s likely that Shopify’s hosting will be faster and more secure than what you could achieve on your own, as well as easily accommodating any spikes in traffic. The Shopify app updates are also handled by the platform. So you can concentrate on on building your brand and promoting your products / services without having to worry about technical difficulties.
3. Reliable and Secure Platform
If you run an E-Commerce business, you’ll be handling delicate consumer information such as credit card numbers and impatient customers. This implies your website must be quick, safe, and always accessible. One of the biggest benefits of using a hosted solution is the degree to which it is reliable. The hosting for your store will be handled by Shopify. It will maintain and upgrade your site and shopping cart to ensure that they are accessible at all times, and that pages load quickly.
Shopify includes a secure connection with SSL certificates, which can be used to encrypt all data and send it via a secure link. Shopify also takes care of PCI compliance for you (needed when dealing with credit cards).
4. Accurate Marketing Tracking
For many, this might not seem as an obvious variable when considering which E-Commerce platform to go with, but it is in fact a variable that is of utmost importance. Having accurate tracking when it comes to ones marketing activities across various platforms (e.g., Facebook advertising, PPC, etc.) is extremely important in order to navigate your business in the right direction, and Shopify does allow you to plug in most of your marketing platform seamlessly, ensuring that the tracking is properly in place from the beginning. When using more open source based platforms like Magento, or when building a store from scratch, there are much greater risks associated with getting the integrations done inadequately, resulting in your tracking being off, which ultimately results in you operating blindfolded. I am personally aware of two major E-Commerce brands, which purposefully switched to Shopify mainly due to the need for more accurate and reliable tracking.
5. Mobile Optimized From The Beginning
Today, mobile visits to websites are more common than desktop visits. It is critical, not optional, to have a mobile optimized website. Shopify understands this. All of Shopify’s themes are mobile responsive and the platform includes a free built-in mobile commerce shopping cart, ensuring that your store looks great on all devices and your consumers can shop without any hassles.
There are also free iPhone and Android applications that allow you to manage your store on the move if desired.
6. Customizable
There are +150 Shopify themes to pick from in the Shopify Theme Store (both free and paid), as well as hundreds more on sites like ThemeForest. Each theme is also fully modifiable, allowing you to create a stunning and distinctive online store that complements your company’s image.
7. App’s For Almost Everything
The app store for Shopify is a gold mine of capabilities that you may use to enhance your business. You can add customer feedback, loyalty programs, purchase wishlists, receive detailed statistics, print labels and packing slips, connect with accounting software, shipping systems, and social media sites, among other things. Over 1,500 apps are available, so whatever you want to accomplish is most likely already covered. Many of them are free, but over half of them are priced.
8. Various SEO & Marketing Tools Available
It’s great to have a well performing, good looking online store, but if no one visits you’ll be closing up your business soon. Shopify has some of the most advanced Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tools available, which will assist your website rank higher in search results and allow customers to find you organically. You’ll be able to use a variety of marketing and data tools to tell where your customers are coming from, allowing you to adjust your marketing accordingly.
The Shopify app store currently includes a number of marketing resources, including social media integration, product reviews, and email marketing. Shopify offers you the option to develop discount codes by default. Gift certificates are available at the next level up. Social media icons are included in all themes. If you’re concerned about the amount of time it takes to manage digital marketing, Shopify Kit is also available to assist. It serves as a virtual employee, suggesting and executing marketing activities based on your items, audience, and store performance.
For more information about SEO tools that you should consider to use, i suggest you go through the following article: ‘Best Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Tools For E-Commerce‘
9. Standard Abandoned Cart Recovery Flow
What if a customer adds something to their basket but then leaves without making a purchase? According to statistics, over two-thirds of potential clients will do this. Shopify offers an abandoned checkout cart recovery solution that automatically monitors and notifies these possible customers to encourage them to make a purchase; it’s an easy way to increase sales.
10. Various Payment gateways
Shopify has partnerships with numerous payment processors, but it also includes its own Stripe-powered system. If you choose this option, you will not be charged any transaction fees and will receive lower credit card processing costs. It also doesn’t need a merchant account to use. For more about payment options, please go to the following page: ‘The 6 Most Common Online Payment Options‘
11. Customer Support 24/7
Customers are another key advantage of using Shopify. Customer support at both Shopify and WordPress is fantastic. They’re accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and response time is quick, so your company is never alone. You can reach out to them by phone, email or online chat. There are also a number of community discussion boards, as well as extensive documentation in the Shopify Help Center and a host of professional Shopify University courses.
