Shopify Website Builder Review: Build, Scale, Succeed

At a Glance

Shopify, founded in 2006 in Ottawa, Canada, is a website builder that has evolved into a leading global eCommerce platform and payment processor, empowering millions of businesses across 175+ countries. Established by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake, Shopify's mission is to make commerce better for everyone, offering tools for creating online stores, managing payments, and customizing websites. Trusted by top brands like Allbirds and PepsiCo, Shopify's innovation and commitment to entrepreneurs have earned them numerous accolades, including recognition for app development, design, and customer experience. Their expansive ecosystem of third-party apps further cements their status as a key player in the eCommerce industry.

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Features

• Secure: Shopify ensures your store meets the level 1 Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), providing robust security for online transactions. This compliance helps protect your customers' credit card information and ensures that your business handles credit card payments securely
• Drag and drop editor: Shopify offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, allowing you to customize your store's layout and design without needing any coding skills. This feature makes it easy to create and modify pages by simply dragging elements where you want them, giving you control over your store's appearance
• Search and filtering: Shopify includes advanced search and filtering options to enhance the shopping experience. Customers can easily find products using various filters such as price, category, and popularity, which helps improve conversion rates by making it easier for customers to locate what they’re looking for
• AI tools: Shopify integrates AI features and tools, known as Shopify Magic, to optimize various aspects of your online store. These tools can help with tasks such as search engine optimization (SEO), product descriptions and recommendations, automating customer service through chatbots, and even analyzing customer behavior to suggest improvements
• Mobile ready: Shopify themes are mobile-responsive, ensuring that your store looks great and functions smoothly on any device—whether it's a desktop, tablet, or smartphone—regardless of your business type. This is crucial as more consumers are shopping on mobile devices
• Robust integrations: The Shopify app store supports a wide array of integrations with third-party tools and services, allowing you to extend your website's functionality. Whether you're looking to streamline your checkout process, integrate email and content marketing tools, manage payment gateways, or oversee inventory systems, Shopify's extensive app ecosystem has you covered
• Custom domain: You can purchase and manage your custom domain directly through Shopify, giving your store a professional appearance with a personalized web address. This integration simplifies the process of setting up your online presence and ensures your domain is linked seamlessly with your Shopify store

Plans & Pricing

Basic plan

The Basic plan, designed for small businesses, is available at $32 per month or $24 with an annual commitment. It comes with essential features such as collaborator accounts, unlimited web hosting, a custom domain name, and support for unlimited products. Additionally, the plan includes 24/7 support, Shopify POS Lite, limited access to custom apps, basic reports, support for up to 10 inventory locations, and two staff accounts. However, it’s important to note that a 2% fee is applied to all transactions when using payment gateways other than Shopify Payments.

Shopify plan

The Shopify plan costs $92 per month, with an annual option bringing it down to $69. This plan adds professional and custom reports, five staff accounts, and full access to custom apps. The transaction fees are also reduced to 1%, making it a solid choice for growing businesses.

Advanced plan

For $399 per month—or $299 with annual billing—the Advanced plan includes all Shopify plan features, enhanced by advanced reporting tools, third-party calculated shipping rates, and support for 15 staff accounts, meeting the needs of more complex operations.

Plus plan

Starting at $2,300 monthly, the Plus plan offers a comprehensive suite of features from the Advanced plan, with extras like unlimited staff accounts, advanced API access, and dedicated support. This makes them ideal for large-scale, high-volume businesses.

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Advantages

Mobile app availability

One of Shopify's standout features is their powerful mobile app, which provides comprehensive tools for managing your online business on the go. Available for both iOS and Android devices, the Shopify app allows you to create and customize your own online store, manage physical and digital products, process orders, and track inventory—all from your smartphone.

The app also includes marketing and customer engagement features, such as building and launching email marketing campaigns, promoting products on social media, and even accepting payments in person through Shopify's point-of-sale integration. Additionally, the app provides real-time insights into your store's performance, including online sales, conversion rates, and visitor statistics, making it easier to make informed decisions quickly.

24/7 support

Shopify offers round-the-clock customer support via live chat, email, and phone, ensuring you can get help whenever you need it. This 24/7 support is particularly valuable for businesses operating across different time zones or needing assistance outside regular business hours.

Abandoned checkout recovery

One of Shopify’s standout features is their abandoned cart recovery tool. This feature automatically sends reminders to customers who added items to their cart but didn’t complete the purchase, which helps recover potentially lost sales and increase your conversion rate.

Discount codes and gift cards

Shopify enables you to easily create and manage discount codes and gift cards, offering flexible promotional options for your store. These tools help drive sales, attract new customers, and reward loyal ones, providing you with powerful marketing capabilities​.

Free trial available

Shopify offers a free trial period, allowing you to explore their features and build a fully functional store before committing to a paid plan. This risk-free trial is a great opportunity for businesses to test the platform and ensure it meets their needs without incurring any extra costs.

Scalable

Shopify is designed to grow with your business. Shopify's scalable infrastructure can handle your needs, whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise. As your business expands, you can easily upgrade your plan and integrate additional features without switching platforms​.

Extensive third-party integrations

Shopify’s extensive third-party integrations are a significant advantage for businesses looking to enhance their store's functionality. With over 8,000 popular apps available in Shopify's App Store, businesses can seamlessly integrate various tools and services, including payment gateways, inventory management systems, marketing tools, and customer support platforms. This vast array of integrations allows business owners to customize their experience according to their specific needs, whether automating shipping processes, enhancing SEO, or adding advanced analytics.

$1 for the first month on all plans

Shopify’s promotion of offering the first month for just $1 on all plans is a significant advantage, particularly for new businesses or those transitioning to the platform. This offer allows users to fully explore Shopify’s features and build a functional online store at a minimal cost, reducing the initial financial burden. It’s an excellent opportunity for businesses to test the platform’s capabilities, including its robust eCommerce tools, without committing to a higher monthly fee. This promotion lowers the barrier to entry, making Shopify accessible to a broader range of users who may be budget-conscious or just starting their eCommerce journey.​

Disadvantages

Expensive higher-tier plans

One of Shopify's notable disadvantages is the cost associated with their higher-tier plans. As your business grows and you need access to more advanced features, such as detailed reporting and advanced shipping options, you'll find that the monthly cost can become quite steep. Higher-tier plans, such as Advanced or Plus, are significantly more expensive, making them a considerable investment.

No additional staff accounts on the basic plan

The Basic Shopify plan comes with a limitation that can be restrictive for growing businesses: it only includes two staff accounts. This can be a drawback if you have a team that needs access to the store's backend for managing orders, inventory, or customer support. You would need to upgrade to a higher plan to add more staff accounts, which adds to the overall cost. This limitation can be a significant inconvenience for businesses that require multiple users to manage different aspects of the store​.

Free trial limited to 3 days

Shopify offers a free trial, but it only lasts three days, which is relatively short compared to other platforms that provide longer trial periods. This limited time frame may not allow users to explore the platform's features, set up their store, and test its functionality thoroughly.

Limited free theme options

While the platform offers a wide range of paid themes, they only offer 13 free themes. This can be a drawback for businesses that want to create a visually appealing store without additional costs. Users may have to invest in a premium theme to achieve the desired look and functionality, which adds to the overall expense of setting up their store on Shopify​.

Customer Reviews

Most customer reviews for Shopify are negative, particularly on platforms like BBB and Trustpilot, where the company has garnered ratings of 1.06 and 1.5, respectively. However, they perform much better on G2, where they hold a rating of 4.4. This stark contrast highlights a significant divide in user experiences, with many customers expressing severe dissatisfaction while others seem to find value in the platform.

Positive reviews

Despite the low ratings on some platforms, some users praise Shopify for their ease of use, particularly for beginners. Many customers appreciate the straightforward interface, the vast array of plugins, and the ability to quickly set up an online store. For example, one user mentioned how the platform's user-friendly design and robust integrations helped them launch and manage multiple stores effortlessly. Another customer highlighted how the platform’s reporting tools and customization options allowed them to scale their business effectively. These positive experiences show that Shopify can be a powerful tool for those who know how to leverage their features.

Negative reviews

On the other hand, negative reviews dominate most platforms, with frequent complaints about poor customer service and issues with hidden fees. For instance, one customer reported losing $948 due to hidden charges and receiving no assistance from the company's support team. Another user shared a frustrating experience where their store was locked out due to technical issues, causing significant financial loss. Many customers also expressed concerns about Shopify's handling of fraudulent stores, claiming that the platform lacks adequate measures to protect buyers and sellers.

How Can I Contact Shopify?

Although they don't offer a dedicated email address, you can reach their help center at 800-267-6999 or use their website's AI chatbot by typing "contact support" to start a live chat. Their community forums are an excellent place to connect with other Shopify users and discuss a wide range of topics. To stay updated, follow them on their social media platforms: Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Conclusion

Founded in 2006 in Ottawa, Canada, Shopify has become a global leader in eCommerce, supporting millions of businesses across 175 countries. The company is known for their secure and user-friendly features like a drag-and-drop editor, advanced search and filtering, AI-driven tools, and mobile-ready themes. The company offers robust integrations with over 8,000 third-party apps, making them highly scalable for businesses of all sizes. Their pricing ranges from $32 to $2,300 per month, with each tier offering progressively more advanced features. However, the platform's drawbacks include expensive higher-tier plans, limited staff accounts on the Basic plan, a short free trial, and a limited selection of free Shopify themes.

Looking for the best website builder for your needs? Check out our list of top website builders to find the perfect fit, and use our comparison tool to weigh your options. Don’t miss our blog for expert tips and insights to help you make the most of your website!

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