As an alternative to WordPress, Shopify is another popular ecommerce solution which allows vendors to sell products, tickets, services or subscriptions. It’s built with growth in mind and it’s perfect for the types of companies with big inventories of products.
The benefits of using Shopify are:
- They deal with all the software maintenance and security – all you have to do is manage the products and pages
- They offer their own secure payment gateway, or you can use a third party like Stripe, Paypal, Worldpay etc (please note transaction fees apply).
- It’s totally scalable – perfect for those sites which are going to grow substantially
- They have loads of apps for different functionality and integrations with other software like eBay and Facebook
- They offer lots of POS hardware options like chip and pin machines, receipt printers and cashpoint ipad stands
So what are the downsides of using Shopify for your next ecommerce project?
There are only two real issues when using Shopify. Firstly, not all functionality is free, premium add-ons (or apps) are needed for anything but the basic e-commerce features – which can soon add up. And, for some people is that the site has to stay with Shopify so after the first 12 month, you’ll need to continue with the monthly subscription to keep the shop open. However, data can be exported out and often transferred to a different platform if you decide it’s not for you. If you’d prefer to be able to take more control, then consider our WordPress Ecommerce package.
With this package, you’ll get a responsive version of your website to allow it to be easily read and used on mobile devices. We’ll make sure your website has all the functionality you need, and it has the technical Search Engine Optimisation structure built in to make sure you are found on Google and to allow you to build on your SEO over time.
Additional options are slideshows (sliders), videos embeds, newsletter sign-ups, google maps, testimonials/reviews, search facilities, social share and social feeds, stock control, Facebook or/and eBay integration. Other options available, depending on needs (additional fees apply if premium apps required).