Why Use Shopify?- All the Pros and Cons You Need to Know

Shopify is a great option for individuals who already have an eCommerce business and those who want to start one. Even though Shopify is a fantastic alternative, you should weigh its advantages and disadvantages to determine whether it is the best platform for your online store. There are many online shop creation tools now accessible, and deciding which one is best for your company can be tough. Shopify is undoubtedly the most well-known eCommerce platform on the market right now, but is it the best fit for you?

What Exactly is Shopify?

Shopify development allows you to set up your online store. It offers a variety of 'themes' that may be adjusted to match your specific branding needs and the ability to sell both physical and digital products. Shopify is a platform that allows beginners to create their internet store without knowing how to code. On the other hand, developers will like the platform's full access to CSS, HTML, and Liquid (Shopify's templating language).

What is the Procedure for Using Shopify?

Shopify is a' hosted service.' This means that it runs on its servers, and you don't have to acquire web hosting or install software somewhere to utilize it.

You don't own a copy of the product; instead, you pay a monthly price to use it, and you may manage your store from anywhere as long as you have access to a web browser and the internet. The major elements you'll need to establish and sell an online store, like layouts, a payment processor, a blog, and even email marketing tools, are all included right out of the box with Shopify. However, you may further customize your store by installing apps or writing custom code.

Shopify's Advantages and Disadvantages:

Pros:

Numerous Payment Options:

Nothing is more frustrating for an eCommerce store than losing a consumer due to limited payment alternatives. Shopify eliminates this restriction by allowing credit card payments and integrating with over 70 payment providers.

Management is Simple:

Managing a standard eCommerce website necessitates technological expertise, which most store owners lack. By providing a unified interface via which you can manage content, product items, graphic modifications, and your blog, Shopify eliminates the need for any technical knowledge. People purchase a Shopify store because it automates the technical aspects of the process and makes it appear simple.

Advantages of Marketing:

Shopify has built-in SEO capabilities as well as Google Analytics integration. It also provides Google AdWords and Facebook advertising credit to help store owners advertise their stores and connect with customers. Start an online Shopify store, and you'll have access to a variety of tools to help you sell more.

Benefits that Aren't Listed Elsewhere:

One of Shopify's major features is the option to sell gift cards to your customers! This is a unique concept in eCommerce; thus, it's encouraging to see Shopify supply it. On their "Shopify" and "Advanced Shopify" account tiers.

Shopify also provides staff accounts as a benefit. You can assign different degrees of permission to your team members to ensure that your critical data remains safe behind locked doors. Depending on your account tier, you can have 2 to 15 accounts.

Simplicity:

One of the most frequently expressed compliments about this platform is how simple it is. Finally, you want to concentrate on running your business; you can't afford to squander time dealing with shop technical issues.

However, if you aren't as tech-savvy as others, it's a terrific platform. Drag-and-drop boxes are available to assist you in creating and customizing your storefront. After a short time using Shopify, you'll notice its primary goal is to provide an easy-to-use platform.

Several Themes:

Another crucial aspect of your online store's design is its appeal to the eye. The more organized and clean a store seems, the better the benefits for your bottom line. This is another area where Shopify shines. They offer a variety of streamlined visual bundles known as "themes." There are free themes available to get you started and paid themes.

There are so many distinct themes that they use to organize the various possibilities available in the market. Art, food, furniture, and jewelry, to name a few, each has its sector. You can browse the categories or use the search bar to find what you're looking for.

Cons:

Shopify may be the frontrunner for the best eCommerce store builder title, but it still falls short in a few areas. Let's look at several places where Shopify could improve and become more appealing to people looking to open an eCommerce store. 

New Blogging Software is Now Available:

If you're used to working with the WordPress platform, you'll not enjoy working with a new blogging system. Shopify includes a built-in blogging system, but it has its learning curve. As a result, be prepared to devote some time to become accustomed to it.

Limited Features:

Shopify's simplicity can also be attributed to its limited feature set. Recommended items, email to a friend, and contact forms are all included in advanced eCommerce platforms. However, these are not key aspects of Shopify's eCommerce software. Online shops must rely on their App store for marketing features (some of which are paid).

Problems with Account Cancellation:

If you decide to leave your Shopify store, all your data and information will be lost. You will receive a CSV export of product details but nothing else. Because this is an irrevocable move, you must consider your eCommerce objectives from the start. Even though competitors such as BigCommerce and Volusion operate similarly, this is still a significant disadvantage. Investing in a custom eCommerce platform, on the other hand, can help you overcome this limitation. If you want your website to have unique features and appearance, hiring a Shopify eCommerce development team to construct a brand like Shopify is an option worth exploring. 

The Platform that is Completely Hosted:

Shopify is a completely self-hosted platform. What exactly does that imply? It also means you won't have to pay further fees for server maintenance or hosting. Because Shopify isn't relying on a host to establish its fees and standards, it also means independence.

Price:

Let's get one thing straight: Shopify is not a free platform. There is a monthly fee for this service. Some themes require payment. In their App Store, there are feeds for using various apps. Furthermore, there is a transaction cost when selling online unless you use Shopify Payments.

Limitations on Customization:

The platform is highly adaptable, although it does have some restrictions. Because of how the coding is set up, some features can't be accessed. Some of Shopify's competitors provide more customization at the cost of spending long hours on their platform coding in detail.

More Advanced Plans vs. Those That are More Basic:

The greatest features of Shopify are only available on the more advanced plans; as a result, if you want to use features like third-party shipping rates or an advanced report generator, you'll have to pay extra.

For example, you won't be able to view sales reports, retail sales reports, profit reports, customers reports, or custom reports if you're on the Basic plan. Instead, you would have to pay $79 per month for the Shopify plan or $299 per month for the Advanced program. However, unless you have the advanced technique, you won't be able to use the custom reports option. These are basic capabilities that each eCommerce site owner should have access to. Hence Shopify's approach is quite limited.

Conclusion

Shopify enables you to easily build an online store without the hassle of managing servers or incurring development expenditures associated with self-hosted systems. The admin interface is simple and accessible, thanks to the logical organisation of all the functionality. Still, one must consider its pros and cons before using the Shopify platform.