In the modern world, eCommerce has become a popular way to sell products and services online. It has also become easier for people to start their eCommerce businesses, thanks to the availability of various online stores. One such platform is Shopify. Let’s start knowing the reasons you should choose Shopify for eCommerce Business.
Table of Contents
In this blog, we will discuss why you should choose Shopify for your eCommerce business.
What Is Shopify eCommerce Business
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows individuals and businesses to create their online stores to sell products and services. It provides all the necessary features and tools to set up an online store, manage inventory, process orders, and accept payments.
Shopify is a fully hosted solution, which means that all the technical aspects of running an online store, such as hosting, security, software updates, and maintenance are handled by Shopify, allowing merchants to focus on their business.
Shopify also provides a wide range of features to help merchants sell more, including the ability to sell across multiple channels, such as social media and marketplaces, and to offer discounts, gift cards, and loyalty programs.
Related: How to Get Products from Shopify Store to Display on Other Non-Shopify Stores?
Why Choose Shopify for eCommerce Business?
In my opinion, if you have a limited budget and don’t want to mess around the hosting and security concerns, don’t want to spend time and money on hosting services, simply go with Shopify without a second thought.
Here’re some of the reasons you should choose Shopify for eCommerce business rather than any one else:
1. User-friendly Interface
Shopify is a user-friendly platform that makes it easy for beginners to set up their online stores without any technical skills. The platform offers a simple and intuitive interface, making it easy to manage your store. Even if you have never created an online store before, you will find Shopify easy to use.
2. Wide Range of Themes and Templates
Shopify offers a wide range of themes and templates that you can use to create a unique and attractive storefront for your eCommerce business. These templates are customizable, which means you can make changes to the design and layout of your store to match your brand.
3. Mobile Responsive
In today’s world, more people are using their mobile devices to access the internet. Therefore, it is essential to have a mobile-responsive website. Shopify is mobile-responsive, which means that your online store will look great on any device, including smartphones and tablets.
4. Security
Security is essential when it comes to eCommerce. Shopify is a secure platform that provides SSL encryption for all its websites. This means that your customers’ information is secure when they make purchases from your online store.
5. Payment Gateway Integration
Shopify integrates with over 100 payment gateways, making it easy for you to accept payments from customers around the world. This includes popular payment options such as PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
6. Marketing and SEO
Shopify provides a range of marketing and SEO tools to help you promote your online store. You can create discount codes, run email marketing campaigns, and optimize your website for search engines to improve your online visibility.
7. Customer Support
Shopify provides excellent customer support, which is available 24/7 via live chat, email, or phone. This means that you can get help whenever you need it, no matter where you are in the world.
8. Scalability
As your eCommerce business grows, you will need a platform that can handle the increased traffic and sales. Shopify is a scalable platform that can grow with your business. This means that you don’t have to worry about outgrowing the platform as your business expands.
Also read: How to Enable Shopify Buy Now Payment Buttons?
How Can I Sell with Shopify?
Selling with Shopify is an easy and straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to sell with Shopify:
1. Sign Up for a Shopify Account
The first step is to sign up for a Shopify account. You can sign up for a free trial on the Shopify website. During the trial period, you can explore the platform and set up your online store.
2. Choose a Plan
After signing up, you need to choose a plan that best suits your business needs. Shopify offers three main plans – Basic, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. Each plan comes with different features and pricing, so you can choose the one that fits your budget and requirements.
3. Choose a Domain Name
Your domain name is the web address where your customers can find your online store. You can choose a domain name during the signup process, or you can buy one later. If you already have a domain name, you can connect it to your Shopify store.
4. Customize Your Store
Once you have chosen a plan and a domain name, it’s time to customize your online store. Shopify offers a range of customizable themes that you can use to create a unique and attractive storefront. You can also add your logo, products, and other details to your store.
5. Add Products
After customizing your store, it’s time to add your products. You can add products one by one or upload them in bulk. You can also add product descriptions, images, and prices. Moreover, you can also categorize your products to make it easy for customers to find what they are looking for.
6. Set Up Payment and Shipping Options
Shopify integrates with over 100 payment gateways, making it easy for you to accept payments from customers around the world. You can choose the payment gateway that best suits your business needs. You can also set up shipping options for your products, including the shipping rates and delivery times.
7. Launch Your Store
Once you have set up your online store, added your products, and set up your payment and shipping options, it’s time to launch your store. You can make your store live by clicking the ‘Launch Website’ button in your Shopify dashboard.
8. Promote Your Store
After launching your store, you need to promote it to attract customers. Shopify provides a range of marketing and SEO tools to help you promote your online store. You can create discount codes, run email marketing campaigns, and optimize your website for search engines to improve your online visibility.
Related: How to Fetch and List Collections and Products From Shopify to Your Own Store?
Cost to Choose Shopify for eCommerce Business
When considering starting an eCommerce business, it’s important to take into account the costs involved. Shopify offers a range of pricing plans to fit different business needs and budgets. Let’s take a closer look at the costs of choosing Shopify for your eCommerce business.
1. Shopify Pricing Plans
Shopify offers three main pricing plans: Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. Each plan comes with different features and pricing, so it’s important to choose the one that fits your business needs.
Basic Shopify
The Basic Shopify plan costs $29 per month and includes features such as unlimited products, 24/7 support, and a website and blog. However, it does not include advanced features such as gift cards, professional reports, or abandoned cart recovery.
Shopify
The Shopify plan costs $79 per month and includes all the features of the Basic Shopify plan plus gift cards, professional reports, and abandoned cart recovery.
Advanced Shopify
The Advanced Shopify plan costs $299 per month and includes all the features of the Shopify plan plus advanced features such as third-party calculated shipping rates and advanced report building.
In addition to these plans, Shopify also offers a Shopify Lite plan for $9 per month, which allows you to sell on Facebook, add products to any website, and accept credit card payments.
2. Transaction Fees
In addition to the monthly plan fees, Shopify charges transaction fees for each sale made through your online store. The transaction fees vary depending on the pricing plan you choose:
Basic Shopify Plan
2.9% + 30¢ per transaction
Shopify Plan
2.6% + 30¢ per transaction
Advanced Shopify Plan
2.4% + 30¢ per transaction
3. Additional Costs
While the pricing plans and transaction fees are the main costs associated with using Shopify, there may be additional costs to consider depending on your business needs. For example:
4. Apps
Shopify has a range of apps available in the Shopify App Store that can add additional functionality to your online store. Some apps are free, while others have a monthly fee.
5. Design
While Shopify offers customizable themes for your online store, you may choose to hire a designer to create a custom design for your website.
6. Marketing
While Shopify offers some marketing tools, you may choose to invest in additional marketing efforts such as advertising or social media marketing.
You can start your online business on Shopify with investment as small as $9/-
What do I need to accept payments on Shopify stores?
Just like any other online eCommerce platform, you need to setup a Payment processor to accept online payments. Shopify has its own payments systems which you can use to accept payments at very cheap transaction cost. Also, you can tie up with any 3rd Party Payment provider depending upon your country of business to accept payments.
Shopify has interface to easily configure the payment gateway of your choice on your store. It has specific payments module and a number of ready to use Gateways like – Paypal, Stripe, 2Checkout, etc.
You can check Shopify site for more details.
Related: Want to Implement a Contact Us Form in Shopify?
What Features Do Shopify Offer?
Shopify is a powerful eCommerce platform that provides a wide range of features to help businesses sell online. From designing and launching an online store to processing payments and managing inventory, Shopify has everything you need to run a successful eCommerce business.
Here are some of the key features that Shopify offers:
1. Online Store Builder
Shopify allows you to design and launch your own online store using customizable templates and drag-and-drop tools. You can create a mobile-responsive store that looks great on any device and customize the design to match your brand.
2. Payment Processing
Shopify provides a secure payment gateway that allows you to process payments from customers using major credit cards, PayPal, and other payment methods. You can also set up automatic tax calculations and shipping rates.
3. Inventory Management
Shopify helps you keep track of your inventory by allowing you to manage product listings, track stock levels, and receive notifications when inventory runs low. You can also set up automated inventory tracking and reorder reminders.
4. Order Management
Shopify allows you to manage orders from a centralized dashboard, including processing payments, printing packing slips and shipping labels, and sending out order confirmation emails. You can also view customer order histories and track orders in real-time.
5. Marketing Tools
Shopify provides a range of marketing tools to help you promote your online store and drive traffic. These include email marketing, social media integration, and search engine optimization (SEO) tools.
6. Analytics and Reporting
Shopify provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that allow you to track your store’s performance, including sales, traffic, and customer behavior. You can also set up custom reports to track specific metrics and get insights into your business.
7. App Integrations
Shopify offers a wide range of third-party apps and integrations that allow you to add additional features and functionality to your online store. These include inventory management, shipping, marketing, and more.
8. Customer Support
Shopify provides 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. They also offer an extensive knowledge base and community forum where you can get answers to common questions and connect with other Shopify users.
Related: How to Start Your Online Store in 60 Minutes With Shopify?
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shopify is an excellent platform for eCommerce businesses. It provides a user-friendly interface, a wide range of themes and templates, mobile responsiveness, security, payment gateway integration, marketing and SEO tools, customer support, and scalability.
If you are looking to start an eCommerce business, Shopify is a great choice.
