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Volusion vs Shopify

If you’re looking for a high quality e-commerce solution for your brand and business, then Volusion and Shopify are two top options to consider. Each option has specific strengths that it can bring to your online presence, so a direct comparison of each platform’s provided features is necessary to help you make the correct decision about which to use.

In the Volusion vs Shopify debate, here are the key points to think about.

E-Commerce Tools: Volusion vs Shopify

You can’t have a comprehensive e-commerce solution if your platform doesn’t get the basics right. You need to build upward from a firm foundation. Both Volusion and Shopify will allow you to process orders quickly and effectively, so the primary differences in this category come down to the transaction costs.

Volusion does not charge any transaction fees whenever a sale is made. What you will need to do is track how much bandwidth is being used for your e-commerce site on this platform as you are capped on what is offered. The Mini plan from Volusion offers just 1 GB of bandwidth, while the Premium plan offers 35 GB. If you run out of bandwidth, you would need to either wait for your caps to reset or be charged per every GB of overage that you have.

Shopify will take a transaction fee on every sale that is processed. There are different plans from which to choose, but the “Shopify Plan” tends to be the most popular. It charges a $0.10 transaction fee for every $10 sold. Based on the plan you’ve chosen, your transaction fee can be anywhere from 0.5-2% of each sale. In return, you receive unlimited bandwidth for your store.

Platform Apps: Volusion vs Shopify

When you want more than just the basics for your e-commerce platform, then apps are the way to go. By installing the tools that can help you to tweak your templates and functionality, it becomes possible to create an individualized visitor experience. Each platform offers an app store that is easy to access.

Volusion offers consumers access to 80+ apps in their marketplace. The categories that are available will cover all of the basic needs that every e-commerce platform faces, from marketing to accounting to customer support. Some of the apps are free, but several require a fee in order to be installed.

Shopify offers consumers access to over 1,500 apps at any given time. Some are free, but there are several that have been created by third-party designers. Fees for installing the apps, when they apply, can be quite variable.

Design: Volusion vs Shopify

When you’re designing an e-commerce solution, the optics of your final design matters. If your site does not look to be professionally created, then it cannot maximize the trust that can be generated with every visitor. A lack of trust will create a lack of credibility, which will make it difficult in the future to establish a strong brand and business.

Volusion offers access to nearly 400 different themes from which to choose. There is a broad range of industries available, though some industries only have a handful of applicable themes in their category. Some of the themes are responsive to mobile devices and several of them are free. Pricing for a premium theme on Volusion ranges from $50 to $895. About 1 in 4 premium themes on the platform are priced at the maximum amount.

Shopify offers users access to themes that are current, professional, and consistently updated. They are easy enough to navigate through from a visitor’s perspective, allowing users to avoid hitting the “back” command on their browser to find their way around. Most of the themes that are available are responsive to different browsers and mobile platforms. Fees for a theme range from being free to $180 or more.

Customer Support: Volusion vs Shopify

Having an e-commerce platform for your customers and prospects means you must be active 24/7. That’s a good thing because it means your doors are always open. It is also a bad thing because that means you also have a need for 24/7 customer support. If you’re a freelancer or SMB, that can be a tough task to handle. That’s why the built-in customer supports that are available with each platform are so critical to the success of a brand and business.

Volusion is one of the few e-commerce platforms that provides 24/7 support. It is available by email, live chat, or via phone, though chat is the preferred method that is on their site. You also have the option of creating your own ticket to manage your request through a secure online portal.

Shopify also offers a complete around-the-clock customer support experience. They can be reached 24/7 by email, through live chat, or by giving them a phone call. Forums are also available so that questions can be posted to fellow Shopify users so that helpful tips can be exchanged with relative ease.

Pricing: Volusion vs Shopify

An e-commerce solution isn’t going to be free if you want a comprehensive solution for your brand and business. When comparing platforms, it is necessary to make sure that you are being a good steward of your budget and finances. That’s why a direct comparison of the pricing must also be included as one of the key points to consider.

Volusion offers plans that begin at just $15 per month. There is also a small mid-range plan priced at $35 per month and a large mid-range plan that is $75 per month. The premium plan that is offered is $135 per month. Purchasing services 12 months in advance provides a 10% discount on the final cost. Credit card processing is available with a 2.15% transaction rate, a monthly minimum fee of $25, a $17.99 monthly gateway fee, and miscellaneous statement and PCI compliance fees.

Shopify offers plans that begin at $29 per month. There is also a mid-range plan that is available for $79 per month and an advanced plan that is $299 per month. If you choose to use Shopify Payments as your payment processor, the transaction fees mentioned in the first key point are waived. Credit card transaction fees carry an online $0.30 transaction fee plus 2.4-2.9% of the final price. In-person transactions that are swiped have a 2.2-2.7% transaction fee for credit card purchases.

Which E-Commerce Solution is Right for You?

Volusion is a low-cost solution for SMBs that are just getting started with an e-commerce platform. It is a solid option for entrepreneurs and individual freelancers who want to start their own internet presence.

Shopify may cost a little more, but it also provides a large-scale solution for brands and businesses. Its main advantage is the lack of bandwidth caps.

Which side do you prefer in the Volusion vs Shopify debate?

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