If you are considering opening up an online store, you may be overwhelmed by all the hosting websites that are available, leaving you to decide which one better suits your needs. Shopify and WooCommerce are both popular eCommerce platforms that both have their own pros and cons. In this blog, we will discuss the key differences of Shopify and WooCommerce, which will hopefully give you a better idea in terms of what will better suit your needs.
Finding the right eCommerce platform for your online store is extremely important, as it can impact your growth and success as a business. Continue reading to learn more about Shopify vs WooCommerce.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is essentially your one-stop-shop for all of your eCommerce needs, making it extremely easy to utilize features for your online store, including accepting payments and managing inventory on the platform. One of the greatest benefits about Shopify is that you don’t need to worry about the technicalities of your online store, which can be otherwise overwhelming. These technical factors include web hosting, caching, security, and more, which can be confusing at times. Shopify is more straightforward; however, is not an open-source platform so there are limitations in terms of configurations and such.
What is WooCommerce?
WooCommercce is a plugin that is built for WordPress and is open-source, meaning that you can create your online store using the content management system (CMS) using WordPress.
WordPress is widely known as one of the most powerful and popular platforms in the world. In fact, WordPress is responsible for a significant number of websites throughout the world. An interesting fact about WooCommerce is that it is even more popular than Shopify, which many assume it’s the other way around.
Because WooCommerce is open-source, you are able to completely customize every element of your online store and can easily implement additional custom extensions if you wish. In addition, you can use your WooCommerce website as a blog and business website as well. This is important when it comes to optimizing your website for search engine optimization (SEO) and is helpful for your search rankings.
What to Consider When Selecting an eCommerce Platform
First off, it is important to recognize that every online store has different needs and requires different features. With that being said, there are some extremely important factors that you need to consider when opening an online store. Here are some of the key factors that will help you better determine which platform is right for you:
- Your budget: What is your budget for creating an eCommerce store that is completely functional?
- User friendly: Your website should be user friendly, meaning that even a beginner can use it and navigate it seamlessly.
- Supports different payment methods: Next, consider a website that is able to accommodate a variety of payment methods, such as PayPal and other forms of payments.
- Third party tools and services: You’ll also want to be sure that your online website can accommodate third-party integrations, if necessary.
- Scalability: Your eCommerce website should be scalable as your business continues to grow.
It is important to recognize that these are very basic, yet extremely important factors that need to be considered when starting your online website. In addition, it is imperative that you consider other factors including the need for invoices, taxes, shipping, etc.
What Makes WooCommerce Different From Shopify?
Shopify’s platform is essentially a service, meaning that not only do they provide the software and web hosting, but they also handle security, maintenance, and other factors.
However, WooCommerce is a self-hosted platform, meaning that there needs to be a hosting account linked to your WooCommerce online store, as well as a domain name. In addition, because it is self-hosted, you will need to manage your online store yourself or you can hire a web design agency Los Angeles to manage your website for you.
In general, both WooCommerce and Shopify make it easy for anyone to sell products via an online store, as well as accept and receive payments, manage inventory, and more.
Depending on your needs and requirements, deciding which platform is right for you must be determined by a number of factors.
Which eCommerce Platform is More Versatile?
In general, WooCommerce tends to be more versatile because it has an extensive amount of extensions. Because WooCommerce is built on WordPress, your website can also be used as a business website, blog, and more. In addition, WooCommerce is compatible with many other third party platforms, such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, etc. Another great thing about WooCommerce is the fact that users are able to optimize the website for search engine optimization (SEO), using plugins such as Yoast SEO, and more. Beyond that, there are many other reasons as to why WooCommerce is significantly more flexible compared to Shopify.
If you are thinking about opening up your very own online store, it is always best to seek help from a team of professional web designers Los Angeles. If you’re looking for a team with years of experience creating and managing high quality online stores, our team is here to help every step of the way.
Contact Mad Mind Studios
If you are looking for a highly skilled web design agency Los Angeles, you can count on our team to provide you with exceptional service and results for your eCommerce store. With years of experience providing top-notch results for our clients, both big and small businesses, we are confident in our ability in delivering one-of-a-kind, functional, and captivating websites to suit your needs. Our team is committed to capturing the attention of your online audience through stunning web design that is essential in gaining leads, ultimately leading to higher sales. If you are ready to take your eCommerce store to the next level, feel free to contact our team at Mad Mind Studios to learn more about our web design services and how we can create the online store of your dreams.