Let’s compare Shopify vs. WordPress as eCommerce websites for businesses that sell products and services online. Ideally, you need a solution that streamlines customer experiences both in the store and online.
For retail shopping, most customers now expect the ability to purchase both in-store and online. As restrictions continue to lift, in-person shopping will rebound. But some may still feel hesitant to shop in public. Others simply grew fond of shopping from the comfort of their keyboard.
So online shopping will continue to grow as well.
Let’s look at two of the most common eCommerce platforms: Shopify and WordPress with WooCommerce.
Shopify Website
This is a software solution developed specifically for building an online store. It allows you to design the store, display products, track inventory, calculate shipping and taxes, and process payments. A point of sale (POS) app and hardware allow store owners to sell in physical store locations as well. This integration can help you keep track of your inventory and which channel is performing the best.
Starting your store has low barriers for entry with a 14-day free trial. After your trial is over, you pay monthly subscription fees to keep your store active. However, as your store grows, your monthly costs will increase. This is something to keep in mind as you scale your store for growth.
You start by choosing a Shopify theme that dictates the style, layout, and functionality of your store. Shopify offers free themes and premium ones you must pay for. Then you customize your store and add products.
Editing your site is all done from a well organized dashboard. No coding is required.
To complete the setup, you need to choose a payment gateway. These differ in transaction fees charged, types of cards and forms of payment accepted, and levels of control over the shopping cart checkout process. The expenses charged by the payment gateway are besides Shopify’s own transaction fees for Shopify payments processed. And you must also register and pay for your domain, or website address separately.
WordPress Website
A WordPress site is a free, open source platform for content management. Initially created for blogs, it evolved to support other uses, including email marketing, media galleries, learning management systems and online stores. You own the property of the website. You can download it onto a zip file and take it with you.
While WordPress itself is free, you must pay for your domain name and a web hosting service that provides the server for your site to be installed. The layout and functionality of your site is determined by WordPress themes and WordPress plugins.
WordPress has a plugin archive with approximately 54,000 plugins available to download and use on your site to handle a variety of tasks to simplify and automate your business. For instance, WooCommerce is the popular choice of eCommerce plugins to turn a WordPress site into an online store. To process online sales and sales made at physical locations, the OliverPOS plugin simplifies inventory tracking.
You can purchase pre-built templates to drag and drop your content on your WordPress website. And there is no shortage of possibilities to customize. But to take advantage of all the flexibility, some knowledge of coding is recommended. Or you can hire website builders to help you.
Shopify vs. WordPress – What’s the major difference?
WordPress is a standalone software you install to publish content that you own on the web. Shopify is an online service paid by subscription to enable you to sell products online. The best solution for you depends on your goals.
Let’s look at the pros and cons when comparing Shopify vs. WordPress
Shopify Pros
Shopify Cons
WordPress Pros
WordPress Cons
How do you decide?
Customizing a website often means expensive or difficult. Shopify offers a variety of ways to make your online store unique, but they come at a cost. WordPress’ flexible platform has endless possibilities but requires a basic level of skill.
If you want something quick and relatively easy, Shopify may be the best option. But if you are looking for an eCommerce site that performs over your competitors, offers high levels of control and custom flexibility, and allows you to maintain ownership of your content, WordPress could be the answer.
We can help!
If the list of cons concerns you, consult with a WordPress professional to discuss them before you decide on the best option for your business. PressHero’s Unlimited Support membership could be the simple answer to take away all those fears and make it possible to take advantage of benefits like unique content, functionality, SEO, and user experience.
Make your online store enjoyable for customers to shop and they will choose your store over others. A slightly higher investment at the beginning allows your business to grow and achieve your goals. Permit your website to be a tool for efficiency and improvement, providing substantial savings in the long term.