Here at Fresh Digital, we build a lot of websites for a variety of clients. So we thought we would take the time to discuss the difference between Shopify and WordPress, and how it all works when setting up and building an E-Commerce website.
An E-Commerce website is a digital platform that allows online transactions through the form of a shop. They allow businesses and individuals to buy and sell products or services over the Internet. These websites serve as virtual marketplaces, where customers can browse through various offerings, compare prices, read product descriptions, and make purchases using secure online payment methods. E-commerce websites often provide a user-friendly interface, efficient search and navigation functionalities, and personalized shopping experiences.
They play a pivotal role in today’s digital economy, enabling businesses to expand their reach globally and providing consumers with the convenience of shopping from the comfort of their homes.
Shopify and WordPress rank among the most popular E-commerce platforms for constructing online shopping portals.
Shopify, in our opinion is best for people who have less ‘techy’ knowledge and are building the website in-house. There is less maintenance needed, and if you need support they have an open line 24/7. On the other hand, WordPress provides a scalable platform with no limitations and supports selling in bulk. As well as the fact you can add a variety of plugins to customise your website to match your business needs. The options are limitless.
Customisation and designing your site.
Shopify offers some great options for design and customisation. It offers over 70 themes that you can use, and each theme is built with specific templates and is coded to exact specifications. If you have some coding knowledge there is the option of adding some CSS and HTML to further customise your site. However, you don’t receive full access so editing can be limited.
WordPress is a powerful and flexible platform for web design and customisation, providing users with virtually unlimited design options. It also offers users the ability to create their website from scratch giving you full control over the entire design. If you prefer using a template or a theme to help guide you, WordPress has over 200 themes built in house and over 5,000 -approved themes. The themes can be used as a great starting point, they can be customised a lot more than Shopify’s themes generally can.
Like Shopify, WordPress also offers plugins to further customise your website. The range available on WordPress is much larger with over 59,000 free and paid plugins to choose from.
Of course, it is worth noting that the flexibility and customisability of WordPress can make the platform daunting. It can be hard knowing where to start, but if you truly want a unique website, it is worth looking into a website designer such as ourselves to help guide you into the perfect website for your company.
How easy are E-Commerce platforms to use?
Shopifys’ main goal for clients making websites, is allowing them to manage a store online even if you only have minimal web development experience. Shopify is good if you are just starting up your company as it allows a cheaper way to get your company on the market. SEO plays a large part in building a website, as it is used to drive potential customers towards your new website. Shopify offers basic SEO which is good if you already have a large customer base, but if you’re just starting out, we would always recommend speaking to an SEO guru for advice.
WordPress does offer a visual editor that allows users to create and edit simple pages. At Fresh Digital once we have created a website, we train all clients on how to make changes to their site. For example, how to add new products, blog posts or even change images on the site.
Shopify Support and Maintenance
Shopify customer support is strong and when you buy a plan it will come with a range of options. These options allow you to have access to live chats, emails and contact via phones.
Shopify offers general maintenance to the website to keep it functioning correctly.
However, plugins and add-ons do need updating and you will have to teach yourself through support chats how to do this especially to keep your website safe from spam or hackers.
WordPress Support and Maintenance
A lack of support isn’t a WordPress issue, it’s more about where to find the best support. As an open-source platform, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all support team that you can call, email or chat to like Shopify. Instead, often you’ll have to go to plugin-specific support teams, look on forums, YouTube or ask the community. Once you find the right place to ask for help, there definitely is not a lack of it. WordPress is one of the world’s most popular platforms for website building. As a result, of WordPress being so popular the amount of resources available in one simple Google search is astonishing.
So, which E-Commerce Platform is Best?
In the dynamic landscape of e-commerce platforms, the comparison between Shopify and WordPress reveals a compelling narrative. While Shopify undeniably offers a user-friendly entry point, particularly suited for modest budgets and smaller enterprises, the ultimate accolade goes to WordPress for its unrivalled adaptability and robust potential. As we weigh the scales, it’s clear that WordPress emerges as the victor, showcasing its prowess not only in design and customisation but also in marketing versatility.
With a vast library of plugins and a limitless scope for innovation, WordPress stands as the definitive choice for businesses aspiring to thrive and scale within the ever-evolving digital realm.
If you want to know more about how we can create an e-commerce website suited for you, get in touch today!
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