12 Pros and Cons of Shopify

Shopify is an online store-building tool that can help anyone with internet access begin to pursue their entrepreneurial spirit. It isn’t the only service that can help sellers, so here are the pros and cons of Shopify to consider.

What Are the Pros of Shopify?

1. It is incredibly easy to use.
You don’t have to be a coding genius in order to start using Shopify. Everything you need to create for your online store can be created with just a few clicks of the mouse. There are also extensive beginner guides that can help first-time internet users begin to setup their own store. It is a very thorough, yet simple process.

2. It has multiple high-quality store designs.
With nearly 200 themes from which to choose, Shopify users won’t have to worry as much about their store design looking the same as another store. Most of their designs are responsive, so they work well on mobile devices. You can also modify many of the themes or create your own design if you prefer.

3. It offers flexibility.
If you want to get started with a simple template, then you can do it. You can also add new functions to your store thanks to their app marketplace. If you do know something about coding, then you have full access to it and can add new functions via API.

4. It scales with you.
Shopify users can have their store be as large or as small as they need it to be. It is a platform which will grow as your store grows. Users can also choose to keep their stores smaller if they prefer to focus on their primary clients. Full control is always in your hands when you use Shopify.

5. It continues to update as times change.
You won’t have to worry about repeating your investment into an e-commerce solution when using Shopify. It is continually being updated so that best practices are always being followed. This is why it is one of the best e-commerce solutions that are available to individuals and small business owners right now.

6. You can test it for 14 days for free.
This allows you to know if it is right for you without having to make an initial investment.

7. There is a full inventory tracking system.
Shopify will keep track of all the items that you have in stock. You can use the settings within this platform to receive automatic inventory notifications. This includes offline inventory if you wish, with offline purchases allowed as well if you have an iPad.

8. Sales taxes are easy to set.
Shopify automatically sets all of the US tax rates automatically. It also allows for individual tax rates to be set. For nations with a VAT, you can place those charges right on your product page.

What Are the Cons of Shopify?

1. You don’t have full control over the platform.
If Shopify decides to shut down operations one day, then you may wind up losing your online presence. This is because you’re hosting your store through Shopify instead of your own external hosting agency. Although unlikely to happen, there isn’t the same 100% guarantee as if you ran a store from your own platform. You’ll keep your site, but you’ll lose your store data.

2. You do not have any email hosting.
Any email communications that take place through your Shopify site might come from an external resource. Domain hosting is not included either, but you can purchase a domain from the Shopify interface if you prefer.

3. You have to design your own multi-language store.
The stores that Shopify offer are designed to be a single-language interface only. You can create a multi-language store if needed, but you’ll need to go through the various templates and apps that Shopify offers to do so. There are no standard options to provide linguistic support in this manner.

4. It still requires a learning curve.
It is fairly easy to learn how to use Shopify, but there is still a learning process that must take place. Some users may decide that using this platform is too difficult for them and decide not to use it, especially in the beginning days when the learning process is at its most challenging.

The pros and cons of Shopify show that it is a fairly easy platform to use when creating an online store. Everything you need comes in one package. Carefully consider the potential negatives before beginning, take advantage of the free trial, and you’ll know if Shopify is right for you.