In the world of ecommerce website design, there are only two major players. These are Woocommerce and Shopify. However, even though these two platforms offer a very similar service, structurally these two eCommerce website designs couldn’t be more different.
Let’s have a closer look at the ins and outs of each platform to see just who exactly we should be backing in this ecommerce race.
Shopify
If you have not heard of Shopify, where have you been? The mega company has taken the web by storm in its provision of turn-key ecommerce solutions.
Shopify Pros
One of the reasons why Shopify is more popular than Woocommerce is because it is very easy to use. Within just a few hours you can have a fully-fledged ecommerce site (considering you have all your content ready for application). The average person, with minimal ecommerce web design knowledge, can create an appealing site quite easily.
One of the most popular aspects of Shopify is its ‘buy’ button, which can be integrated into various platforms including social media platforms.
On top of that Shopify has all the necessary tools and features to effectively run an ecommerce website such as taking inventory, and hosts a variety of payment solutions.
Shopify Cons
Shopify is definitely going to cost you more than a self-hosted store. There are monthly fees, credit card fees, add-on fees and platform transaction fees. If you are only selling a few items on your site, it is certainly not worth it in our opinion.
Let’s also remember that you are completely relying on the good people at Shopify to keep your online store running. There are no guarantees and it could technically all disappear in an instant. This is because Shopify is a centralized platform.
Shopify is a giant American corporation and it is slowly taking the top spot for the preferred ecommerce solution for DIYers. This creates a monopoly in the market, and we all know that monopolies are not exactly a good thing. Just look at what happened to MySpace. There is no better example of a centralised system failing and leaving their users just holding the ball.
Woocommerce
Woocommerce has truly made a name for itself since it was launched in September 2011. Unlike Shopify, Woocommerce provides a non-turnkey ecommerce solution. This means that in order to make use of Woocommerce you need to set up your own store with WordPress. Essentially, Woocommerce is a WordPress plugin.
Woocommerce Pros
The great thing about Woocommerce is that it is absolutely free. All you need to do is download the plugin and there you have it. There are certain WordPress themes that cost a small amount, but for the most part building a site with Woocommerce and all its tools doesn’t cost a thing.
Woocommerce is highly customisable. Anything you can dream for your online shop, Woocommerce can most likely provide. When using Woocommerce, you have control of the design, structure and overall feel of your site.
Since it has been around for several years, Woocommerce has built up a name for itself as being a safe and secure tool.
Most importantly, Woocommerce is open source. This means that you receive full code access, giving you complete ownership as well as the ability to control and change any aspect of your site.
Woocommerce Cons
Woocommerce is not very easy to setup for inexperienced users. It can be really tricky for those who have never designed an ecommerce website before and the support structure is not centralised.
Although WordPress and Woocommerce are free. Some of the WordPress templates themes and templates do cost money and if you have expensive taste you may find yourself having to pay more than you bargained for.
Verdict
The main reason why Shopify is becoming more popular than Woocommerce is because at first glance Shopify appears to be simpler to set up and more suited for ecommerce application. But beneath this pretty exterior are some deep-rooted problems. The major one being that the power is not in the hands of the people that use the platform, but rather all Shopify’s power is kept at the very top of the business model.
Woocommerce is, in many ways, Shopify’s opposite, in that it is open source and provides its customers with access codes as well as a free download.
While Woocommerce can take a bit of time to master, in the long run it is definitely the more beneficial of the two super platforms in our opinion.
Here at the Weblab, we exclusively use Woocommerce in the building of all our ecommerce website designs. We believe that Woocommerce is a safe and sustainable option. If you are interested in creating an eye-catching ecommerce website design, don’t hesitate in getting hold of one of our friendly team members today.