Choosing a platform for your ecommerce website is a big decision. Shopify is a go-to platform because of its array of features designed to enhance ecommerce processes, including customization, marketing features, payment options, and more.

Whether you’re a startup or an enterprise business branching out into ecommerce, Shopify is an excellent platform for your needs. Find out why over a million stores currently use Shopify.

1. Security

Shopify is self-hosted, so it offers reliable security and strict protocols to keep merchants and their customers safe from cyber crime. Users have no ability to alter the server configuration, so hackers and other bad actors are limited in their access and the damage they can do. Shopify is also Level 1 PCI compliant to ensure your business and customer data is protected.

2. User-Friendly Interface

Most users know that Shopify has a remarkably user-friendly interface, but that extends to the backend. It’s intuitive and simple, so even users with minimal technical expertise can adjust and configure settings without advanced skill sets. The platform also has a drag-and-drop wizard to adjust all the elements of the site quickly and easily, as well as a preview before launching the live version.

3. Hosting and Maintenance

Shopify is self-hosted, so you don’t need to work with another provider. The platform uses software-as-a-service and takes on all the maintenance and upgrades on your behalf. You also have a functional store with optimized web speed and load times, regular updates, and unlimited bandwidth.

4. Affordable Pricing

Shopify has tiered plans with different prices and features to adapt to your business needs. The basic plan starts at $29 per month, and you can move up from there as your business needs grow. All plans share fraud protection, unlimited products, and educational resources, but you get added features like more staff accounts and integrations with upgrades. Still, it’s not cost-prohibitive for a startup to get off the ground.

5. Multiple Store Themes

There are hundreds of themes and templates included in your Shopify plan, so you can create a storefront that reflects your brand. You can choose between free and paid templates that are customizable and responsive, no matter the device. For more customization, consider hiring a Shopify developer to tailor your store to your brand and help it stand out among your competition.

6. Shopify App Store

Shopify has a range of available plugins from the Shopify App Store. With thousands of possible apps using React.JS  that are free or subscription-based, you have virtually limitless options to integrate sales channels, streamline workflow, improve marketing strategy, and more.

7. Integrations

Everything is centralized and unified with Shopify. You can integrate sales channels like eBay, Instagram, Facebook, and Amazon, giving you more opportunities to make sales and provide a more convenient experience for your customers.

8. Inventory Management

Shopify is one of the easiest platforms to work with. You can quickly add products, upload photos, and fill in the details for your inventory. You can also import or export product information with CSV or Excel, syncing inventories across channels to streamline your sales and fulfillment.

9. Payment Options

For customer convenience, Shopify supports over 100 payment gateways, including popular options like Google Checkout, PayPal, and Stripe. It also has its own payment gateway, Shopify Payments, with no fees from third-party payment processors.

10. Fast and Straightforward Shipping

Shopify takes the guesswork out of shipping with precise shipping rate calculations based on carriers. You can dropship with Shopify as well and integrate fulfillment from Shipwire, Amazon, and Rakuten.

11. Built-In Analytics

Shopify Analytics provides in-depth insights into your business’s performance from the same centralized dashboard as your storefront. You can track sales, views, shipping, payments, site views, and more. Shopify integrates with Google Analytics as well to provide deeper insights into your overall performance.

12. Customer Support

With 24-hour customer support available on chat, phone, and email, you can always find help or answers to questions. Shopify has forums and tutorials in the Help Center to address common questions or concerns.

What Does Shopify Cost?

Shopify plans begin with the basic plan at $29 per month. From there, you can upgrade to more advanced plans that have tons of extra features. It’s easy to sign up, and if you want to cancel, Shopify has a quick and simple process.

There are fees associated with Shopify, however. The fees can range from 0.5% to 2.0% for payment gateways.

The Shopify plans are as follows:

• Basic ($29/month): This plan features unlimited products, support, and fraud protection. It doesn’t have features like reporting or abandoned cart recovery options.
• Shopify ($75/month): This plan will be ideal for many businesses and comes with professional support and resources, lower rates for credit card payments, and several staff accounts.
• Advanced ($299/month): This plan adds to the Shopify plan with third-party shipping integration, an advanced report builder, and the lowest credit card payment rate of the three.
• Shopify Plus: This plan is the enterprise solution, and it starts at $2,000 per month. This is just a starting point, however. You have to request a specific quote from Shopify to know your monthly fee. The price is worth it for large, growing businesses, however, and includes features like customization, international storefronts, and an array of learning resources.

As you move up through the plans, you get more features and functionality. The plans are designed to support businesses at different stages of growth, so you have options to select the best plan for your current needs and budget.

Best of all, Shopify has a 14-day free trial to give you an idea of how the plan and platform will work for your business before you commit.

Make the Move to Shopify

The Shopify ecommerce platform is an ideal solution for businesses looking for a successful ecommerce launch. Whether you’re a startup or you have a brick-and-mortar presence and you’re looking to expand to an online presence and international markets, Shopify takes the guesswork out of online shopping to set you up for success. 

 Author Bio: Sean Richards
Sean Richards is the VP of Strategy & Partnerships for Vincit. Richards provided business development, React-Native Consulting, digital marketing strategy and partnership development at several reputable companies and marketing agencies in both California and Arizona. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Design Management from Arizona State University.