Shopify
Shopify is a dedicated web platform that has been designed to helps you build your online ecommerce store to your taste. It provides different templates that customers can choose from which meets their business branding requirements.
Currently, Shopify powers over 600,000 online stores. One major benefit of using Shopify is that users without any design, technical or coding skills can create a store to their taste. Also, Shopify allows users to edit the HTML and CSS of their website, this means that users with coding skills can customize their stores better. Shopify also serves as a web host, which means you do not need to worry about buying web hosting service from other platforms.
Shopify facts
- It’s a paid tool – starting from $9 to $179 per month
- You need zero coding skills to use shopify
- It is an all-in-one ecommerce solution tool. With it you can build a well-functioning ecommerce store without the help of designers.
- You are free to sell what ever you wish on the platform
- You can use it both online and offline
- There are over 100 online ecommerce store designs and template to choose from
WordPress
WordPress is of two different versions:
- The hosted wordpress (wordpress.com)
- Self-hosted wordpress (wordpress.org)
Our focus here is the hosted wordpress (wordpress.com), which is similar to Shopify – a software as a service tool. On wordpress also, you pay a monthly fee to get access to a wide range of features that helps you build your online ecommerce store.
WordPress facts
- Coding skills are required. Although, this all depends on the customizations you want to perform.
- Unlike Shopify, you will need to sign up for a web host and also buy a domain name. also, you will need to pay a monthly $5 to get access.
- Thousands of themes, template, and designs are available to choose from (both free and paid)
- Although there is no direct support, but there is a very helpful support community.
Which is best for building an online store?
Shopify stands out for me because it serves everyone. You do not need any coding skills to build an awesome online store to sell your products. It also doesn’t take time to build one on Shopify, you can get started within minutes.
Asides the fact that you do not need coding skills to build your online store, you also do not need to get familiar with the various realities of running an ecommerce business; taxes, shipping, and inventories.
Shopify is also quite cheap, to get started, you only need $9 a month.