17 years of helping Indian businesses
choose better software
About Shopify
Shopify is a commerce platform that allows anyone to easily sell online, at a retail location, and everywhere in between.
Shopify is an excellent solution for both beginners and professionals. They offer a 14-day free trial and it is user friendly.
Each time I close this software, I'll have to re-login typing my email and password and it freezes sometimes, I'll have to logout and login again to see my sales stats.
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Filter reviews (6,442)
Shopify At A Glance
Comments: Overall its a very significant and user friendly e-commerce platform, in spite of its cost and other limitations.
Pros:
I like Shopify as it allows easy setting up of an online store . There is great customer support through out the entire experience. It is very user friendly and straight forward there is however some technicalities when stocking or finding products for the shop .That's my personal view anyway . once the step by step procedure is correctly followed ,the store can be launched in no time. The features available with Shopify are inclusive of payment processing ,inventory management , how you ship , as well as tools for marketing. They also provide on going customer support.
Cons:
I find Shopify to be very costly especially as a beginner , as there is a monthly subscription fee even before you sell an item . This in particular as led me to temporarily close my Shopify store ,as it has proven to be quite difficult to sell my first item.
Alternatives Considered:
Easy to use
Comments: Like, would use again for e-commerce. Trusted website.
Pros:
Easy to set up web based shop, not a graphic designer and I could.
Cons:
Monthly fee was higher than I wanted it to be.
Shopify is Nice
Comments: Using Shopify has been a game-changer for me. Setting up my online store was straightforward, and their customer support is always there when I need help. Plus, the platform’s features have really boosted my sales. It’s been a fantastic experience overall
Pros:
It is easy to use and can be managed by beginners
Cons:
Shopify is a robust e-commerce platform, but it has some drawbacks. Users often mention the additional transaction fees if you don't use Shopify Payments, limited free themes, and customization constraints. Many advanced features require third-party apps, which can increase costs and complicate the setup. Additionally, while user-friendly, some find the initial learning curve steep. Have you used Shopify before, or are you considering it for your business?
Alternatives Considered:
Don't think, just DO. Be on Shopify.
Comments: I have implemented several sites onto Shopify with no issues. It's the best platform for businesses large and small.
Pros:
General userability is fantastic. ANYONE can be taught how to run a Shopify store! Drag and drop features are wonderful for homepage updates. Creating and editing products is wonderful.
Cons:
Out of the box subscription platform needs a lot of work.
Alternatives Considered:
Great customer service
Comments: Overall, Shopify is intuitive when setting up and has great customer service
Pros:
Shopify is a name that customers are very familiar with, they trust, and know how to use.
Cons:
Shopify can be overwhelming since it has so many available functions and apps.
Shop, integrate, Sell
Pros:
Shopify has the most integration the easiest setup and a beautiful app.
Cons:
It has wonder trial period, but it gets pricey quick
Alternatives Considered:
Well-rounded Ecommerce Platform
Comments: Overall, Shopify is a solid, affordable ecommerce tool for small and large businesses. Sometimse it can take some research or another app, but I've always been able to accomplish what I've wanted to accomplish using Shopify.
Pros:
Numerous features for large and small businesses, good educational resources for troubleshooting problems
Cons:
Many features require the use of a paid app, and their backend navigation is not always the easiest to use.
Great for e-Commerce but requires some technical skills to customize
Comments: Shopify is a mixed experience for me. I love the idea of it, but for the average person, it's not user-friendly when it comes to design. There are a lot of little tweaks that need to happen and it's hard to know how or where to tweak! Otherwise, I think it's a solid platform for e-commerce.
Pros:
I like that it's main focus is e-commerce and it has a lot of options available to customize it.
Cons:
Customizing it can be difficult. It doesn't behave like other website builders and can be finicky when I want to tweak something. It seems like in order to do exactly what I want to do, I have to buy a bunch of add-on apps. This makes the cost add up.
Alternatives Considered:
A powerful and user-friendly solution with a price tag to match
Comments: Apart from the price, it was everything I expected and more.
Pros:
The level of control, ease of setting up an online store with inventory tracking, online payments, parcel shipping integration and intuitive management panel.
Cons:
It is pricy, especially for a small starting store with virtually no sales yet. The option to "park" the website for a period of time when things are slow is helpful, however, it is a considerable expense for a starting business.
Great for all user levels
Comments: Overall, it's been a good experience and clients that have used Shopify for their websites seem to be happy. If we can minimize the login issues, that would make it even better.
Pros:
It was simple for a non web developer to learn and pickup. The design interface is really easy to use and there seemed to be a lot of options. It reminds me of WordPress but just ecommerce focused.
Cons:
A lot of options are a good things but also means it makes it hard to really feel like you know everything with the software. It did feel like we often had a lot of issues logging into our account, mainly from outage or down time from Shopify.
Alternatives Considered:
I use Shopify for all my Ecommerce Businesses
Comments: I built both shopify stores from scratch without prior knowledge and it took me about a full week to get the hang of things. I would make adjustments as I could to help convert customers. I still feel like it's the best place to only sell products but still a bit costly to make a really nice design. I now hire virtual assistants to make all the changes on the site and manage it but that can cost too so it's great there are API's to help grow the business, which all cost more money though, some are free (Reddit, pinterest). Overall, I will still use the software.
Pros:
Sleek designs, easy to use, easy to keep track of products and sales, great third party API integrations and marketing software, and simple to run. Many Virtual Assistants already know how to use this software which makes life very easy for me. The simpler, the better. I have several shopify stores and I aim to make passive income in this realm.
Cons:
Templates are limited, a lot of the development is backend yet I'm a visual person so I like to see everything as I'm doing it, and it can get a little overwhelming with all the integrations needed to turn a Shopify store into a massive profitable business. I feel like the best templates cost too much money and the ones we are offered look basic and not easily customizable. It could use a better blog feature section and a bit more visual aspects such as videos to help pitch or promote the business. Maybe even used for online courses with private logins would be great.
Alternatives Considered:
User-friendly platform that covers (almost) all your e-commerce needs
Comments: Shopify is still my first pick after almost a decade working with E-commerce, but with a much lesser margin than before. Squarespace and Wix offer, in my opinion, good alternatives if you don't want to put up with constantly wondering "Why isn't this function in place? Oh, I have to install an app and pay X$ every month". I would recommend Shopify for those who don't require a lot beyond the standard E-commerce solution and/or won't mind paying a bit for some pro templates and apps.
Pros:
Shopify is extremely user-friendly and easy to set up. It's intuitive even if you've never used an e-commerce platform before, and you're able to get by with no coding skills. The basic templates are plain, but professional and modern. Basically it covers everything you need to get started with an online business, the pricing model is fair, and there's a wealth of 3rd party plugins and templates if you require something beyond the standard functionalities.
Cons:
Though I've put the 3rd party marketplace as a benefit, I'm also left with the feeling that it comes with a hidden downside. Basic functions such as bundling and customer messages on an order (which, to give an example, Etsy offers) requires a 3rd party plugin with Shopify. After so many years in the industry, I'm baffled as to why this hasn't been implemented by default. The only reason I can think of is, why would they? Customers are forced to buy an app, which makes more money for Shopify. Another pet peeve example: You cannot use more than 1 discount code unless you install an app. Which means, you can't put 10% off the entire site, and offer customers an additional discount with a code.
Shopify for the win!
Comments: I love that shopify will scale with my business and that there are various pricing plans that give you different options and shipping discounts. It's easy to use and has other apps that work with it so I can easily generate line sheets and product catalogues.
Pros:
I love that shopify integrates seamlessly into my inventory program, social media accounts, email marketing platform, etc. They also work really well with google ads so you can add products to google shopping and run really effective retargeting ads. Their live view option is great and gives me an idea of where my customers are coming from. Their shipping discounts are also great!
Cons:
The only thing that really annoys me is that I can't pick which shipping option comes first. Because one of my shipping options is "local pickup" and is free, I'd rather that not be the default shipping option (a lot of out of town customers accidentally choose local pickup and then I have to contact them and it looks unprofessional). Apart from that, it's a great platform
Alternatives Considered:
Shopify is easy to launch and manage
Comments: My overall experience has been positive using Shopify as my shopping cart for my store. I felt the transition from Magento was pretty simple - although I did not do the migration that is an option, I ended up starting a brand new site.
Pros:
I currently use Shopify for my “side hustle” business - selling retro and vintage style dresses online - www.retrovintagedresses.com I previously used Magento for my shopping cart before switching over to Shopify. I like that it’s an easy platform to get set up on and deploy. Also, I love that you can easily create a catalog on business manager to sell products on Facebook and Instagram. Definitely easy to use.
Cons:
I don’t have any cons that I can think of with Shopify. I’ve been using it for over 2 years and have not had any major issues or set backs.
Why I chose Shopify (but also use other platforms, too)
Comments: I'm a fan - their customer service is excellent, and I've never had any issues with downtime or anything like that.
Pros:
I have an online shop to support my podcast on Tudor history. I originally set up my shop thinking I'd sell some fun leggings using print on demand vendors. And it's grown into a bit of a behemoth. Which is great! Here's the thing - lots of creators use Redbubble and Spreadshirt and other places like that, which is fine, but the difference is that when you do that, they handle the entire sales process. This is fine if you don't want to know your customers, but if you're running an online business, then being able to capture that sales information, and get mailing list sign ups, is crucial . You can still use print on demand vendors, only this time you control the entire sales process. Everything is branded for your business. The tags in the leggings are branded for you. The mailing address is your company. It's all yours. Of course, the downside is that you also have to handle the customer service questions that would normally go to the Zazzle equivalent. But if you are really wanting to build a business around your customers, you want that touch point. And you get to keep all the profits. With all the apps, you can have a store that really expresses who you are, and lets you control the entire sales process.
Cons:
I'm not a fan of how much is only included in the more expensive options, and how much is only available through paid apps. Of course it's great to have the options at all, but it's very easy to start to run up high bills. At one point I was paying close to $100/mo for all my various apps! I also still use other marketplaces like Etsy because it's the distinction between selling at a church craft fair and setting up your own shop. At the church craft fair you're pretty much guaranteed some kind of traffic. With setting up on your own you have more control over the feel, and ownership of the shop, but it's up to you to go out and get all the traffic.
The EASIEST Ecom platform all around the globe
Comments:
No more struggling to create an eCom website. I started creating websites and promoting my products a little bit late than others, but I was speechless once I started with Shopify the ease of use they give you to kickstart your project is astonishing.
With Shopify you are limitless and you are always motivated to go further and further building your business and getting it to the next level.
Thank you for having great software that makes everything easy.
Pros:
Free themes: A friendly dashboard to complete your website in a blink of an eye Real cheap: With only $29 you can design, track your product, manage your clients, and so on... High secured platform: It gives you the power of creating your website and never ever worry about getting hacked or struggle with the server downtime. Unlimited plugins and APPS: Yes it's like having an iPhone and you want to download an app for it, the Shopify app store is limitless any kind of app and plugins is available, and easy to install. Customer service is available 24h/7 by email/Online Chat/ FAQ Community: Huge community and video explanatory contents. YOU NEVER STRUGGLE.
Cons:
Sometimes downloading a lot of APPs might make your website slow on loading, just need to be careful about what app you're integrating and just work with the MOST HAVE APPS.
Alternatives Considered:
Shopify Fit Our Needs Perfectly And Continues To Impress
Comments: Until the end of 2020 we had a legal forms business, selling paper and electronic forms both in a storefront retail setting and via our website. We had to close the retail space and substantially streamline and simplify our website as it had been custom-coded and was complicated and expensive to maintain. Shopify offered a turnkey solution at a fraction of what we'd been paying – pretty much a no-brainer.
Pros:
Setting up our company and its shop was very easy, as well as finding a visual theme that suited us and meshed well with our existing branding. There's a wealth of free themes, and countless additional paid ones, so it's hard to imagine anyone not finding what they need. Shopify's core functions are quite complete and comprehensive, but if you find there's something they don't do for you out of the box, chances are good that there's a third-party app that will answer the need, and usually for not very much additional expense.
Cons:
Importing existing products into the store was a pretty big project (although of course, not all new store creators have 200-300 products they need to start up with like we did), and editing and/or customizing those products can be time-consuming and sometimes awkward. There are times when I'd really like to multiple-select several products and modify the same attribute for all of them, but the system doesn't support this. I have a feeling they'll add support for this kind of thing somewhere down the line.
Alternatives Considered:
Shopify Review
Comments: As I would see it, Shopify is an astounding stage to develop with. They have the scale, elements, backing, and valuing to cover you whether you are a fresh out of the box new one-item shop - or then again to be the following Amazon. There's no upsell to the following arrangement level - everything is straightforward and clear.
Pros:
Speedy, Easy Set-Up. In the event that getting your business online rapidly and effectively is important for your objective, Shopify is perhaps the best stage to help. Client support. Mobile friendly Unimaginable Marketing and SEO Tools. Security and Reliability. Adaptability. Incorporation Options.
Cons:
The major con for Shopify is that the membership and exchange charges. Shopify plans start at $29 for essential plans and increment up to $299 for a few progressed plans. Different costs incorporate exchange charges related with selling on the web as well as membership expenses to utilize the applications you want.
Thought I was signing up for an Integrated POS System and Website
Comments: Feels like Shopify sucks you in and is not transparent. When you realize what the system doesn’t do...they apologize and are very kind but not very helpful. There are a bunch of awkward apps you can buy to fix the problems but they don’t work very well. Wish someone would just make an easy functioning system that met business that sell inventory on line and in person.
Pros:
It is easy to get a website up and running. Adding products is easy.
Cons:
WHERE DO I BEGIN: -inventory records only go back three months...I was horrified to find out I lost 4 months of inventory records. -to print a receipt...you need to buy and download an app...it is awkward to use and takes a couple minutes for the receipt to upload before you can print it. -to have employees log in you need to download and app and pay monthly -you can not do a credit on someone’s account if they return something...You need to either return their money or give them a gift card it is awkward and difficult to use. -if you mark an order pending payment you cannot take payment on the POS system. -you cannot add any vender information that is not visible to your customers. -the duplicate feature when adding products doesn’t work properly....to hard to explain what should be duplicated and what shouldn’t but trust me it wasn’t created by someone that understands business
Simple and Easy E-commerce platform!
Comments: When we launched our web store back in 2016 we looking for something simple yet robust. After reviewing with several e-platform software we decided to try Shopify and haven't really looked back. I would recommend it to anyone looking to start up their own e-commerce site.
Pros:
Love the simplicity of it. Shopify made it was easy to create/build/manage our own web store. The monthly fees are reasonable and the transaction fees are low if you compare it to selling on Amazon. It gives us an alternative platform to sell with the potential for higher margins/profits. In terms of designing your website, Shopify's themes and tools allowed us to create a simple yet elegant web store. On the back end, it's fairly easy and straightforward to manage your store. Shopify also provides a lot of in-depth analytics to help you understand your customers and provide potential insights on how to improve sales. Shopify also integrates seamlessly with our Stitch inventory software which in turn syncs to our Shipstation for shipping (Shopify: front web store > Stitch: inventory software > Shipstation: shipping software). I think for anyone who has the desire to sell online, Shopify is definitely a solution for you.
Cons:
1. Managing discount codes can get tricky if you have recurring/subscription orders. Recurring/subscription orders requires a plug-in called Bold and it applies discount codes differently from the Shopify platform (one-time purchases). Meaning if you wanted to have the same discount code, with the same discount applied, and applicable to one-time orders and recurring/subscription order, then that discount codes need to be entered in both Shopify and Bold. The method/calculation to enter in discount codes in both Shopify & bold are different as well. There's just a bit of extra work here. Also, once a Bold discount code is created it cannot be edited once saved. Shopify discount codes are editable after it's created and saved. 2. Another thing about Bold plug-in is when you update an existing recurring/subscription customer's order you can't instantly push an order through. You must wait until it processed through its auto-order process which for us is close to midnight local time. It'll be great if you're on the phone with a customer to have the ability to say the updates are completed, everything looks good, and we've processed the order, and it will be shipped right away. Right now, the quickest you can get the order processed is basically the next day.
Alternatives Considered:
Great E-Commerce Software!
Comments: Overall, I recommend this software for anyone looking for an e-commerce software with a lot of great features and functionality for a reasonable price. I have had very few issues with this software over the years, and I am overall satisfied with how well it has worked on our website.
Pros:
We have been using this at my company for years and it has lots of features that make e-commerce very simple. This is how we facilitate and track sales on our website, and it’s always gone very smooth with this software.
Cons:
Customer service could be a bit quicker to respond.
JAM Shopify Review
Comments: Well, around the beginning of the pandemic, I noticed many stores at physical locations closing. People were panicking with uncertainty of where to look next for their clothing, their shoes, anything else they may need. I got into retail to give consumers the reliable option the next time stores regardless of the reason ever closed down again, the solution of coming to an online store, knowing it is always open for them. With the current Recession, this may happen once again, and in doing so, this solution becomes more reliable, with delivery not being a problem, and Shopify software running smoothly, it makes sense for such solution provided. On the flip side, currently Savepace LLC has an issue that Shopify software does not have an answer for at this time as there are no financing options available on the software. Even if there were, Shopify would still have no answer for about 6 months. Overall, from billing to the order management, the site speed to no visual issues, its been a wonderful pleasant experience, and I expect it to continue as I seek to upgrade the software in the near future.
Pros:
I like how I am able to run my retail business with a ton of support behind it, there is so much software ranging from Shopify's own to others I integrate that making building, growing the business less stressful. I really, really, like Shopify's accounting software that leaves people stunned! It allows me to keep better track of sales, fees, costs, and also allows me to project where finances may be within the next few months. I really like how the software updates without asking me to, updating in the background as I continue focusing on doing what I need to do with my store. The pricing of the software has always been reasonable, never too expensive, and never cheap, and, is based on my need. I really like how popular the software has become too, and the positive impacts it has worldwide such as saving small business owners a ton of money, choice of upgrading when ready, letting me know ahead of time when announcements about the software, and, anything else that maybe extremely important. As for integration, it depends on the app I choose, because while it may be easy to integrate onto the software, certain apps can be difficult to remove from the software once it has been integrated fully.
Cons:
There is a passive-aggressive push for a Commerce plan to use on the software. Sure, for small businesses already on its mid approach that's appropriate as the developers should assist them as much as possible, but for many struggling business, the constant passive-aggressive push when logging onto the software can be a real pain, especially when focusing on order management. Regarding integration, certain apps require the software origination or for additional payments to process sort of like 3 months of back rent, even when it feels like its 3 months fronted rent before you can see that the integrated app has been removed. I advise Caution which apps users integrate overall. The design of it in the background could use a change. Its been three years. The software needs more style!! The security of it could use incorporation of VPN users, and currently the software does not have this.
Alternatives Considered:
The best for e-commerce
Comments: Impressive e-commerce facilities. The best choice to build an online store.
Pros:
Of the big 3 website builders (Shopify, Squarespace, Wix), Shopify is hands down the best for e-commerce. The other platforms simply don't have the same level of e-commerce support - from advanced shipping options to the wide range of discounts you can create for your online store. The extensive App Store also offers easy-to-install plugins to enhance your website's functionality. If you're serious about growing your online store, Shopify is the way to go.
Cons:
It has to be said that Shopify is not as pretty as Squarespace or Wix, both of which being more design-led platforms. Shopify 2.0 was a major upgrade, in that you can now add design blocks to every page. But unless you know how to do custom coding, the design features are still somewhat limited. The email campaign feature is buggy - Wix is much better for that, but then Wix isn't really suited to run an online store.
Shopify is a trap
Comments: Using Shopify can be summed up like this: an ongoing and demoralising feeling of I've been tricked and can't do my job without buying yet another plugin and going through the clunky hassle of setting it up. And knowing that without doing this the existing monthly fees get you very little.
Pros:
None. I fell for the promise that Shopify "is an all-in-one commerce platform" whereas, really, it's a clunky app store with a hefty monthly fee just for the platform (that has very little functionality), and extra monthly fees for the add-on apps you have to buy just to get anything done.
Cons:
Shopify is a scheme to get you to pay for the platform then sell you more plugins and features just to do basic things. As just one example, inventory reports for the previous month are unavailable until weeks into the next month, making timely stock on hand reports and EOFY stocktake impossible. At first this is confusing, but after a while you see the pattern: there's a bunch of plugins you can pay to get the job done. Essentially you are held ransom to access your own data. This same playbook is everywhere you look in Shopify, and after you've done all the hours and days of setting up the website, portals and pouring your inventory into its systems you'll find that they have every possible function you could desire - as long as you're willing to pay extra for it and are willing to do all these clunky integrations. And if you don't? Then you'll find Shopify not much use for anything.
If you want to have problems, choose this platform
Comments: catastrophic, I spent 3 months building a site that I will likely have to redo elsewhere!
Pros:
I really see none in English Or perhaps if you are going to learn coding since their so-called experts constantly leave you alone with problems.
Cons:
If you want a site with just three pages and no interesting features, it might be okay, but as soon as you add the slightest functionality, nothing works anymore. It's a very poorly functioning mess. I made the mistake of thinking, after seeing an advertisement, that I would leave WordPress for a Shopify site and not have to deal with technical aspects anymore, what a mistake! Since I've been with them, I've had nothing but troubles, which I have to solve on my own since their team of experts leaves you alone for days and days, sometimes weeks without helping. Again, I have a bug that causes my site not to be indexed by Google due to a redirection issue. I found the problem after days of searching and have been waiting for 7 days for their technical team to intervene for a beginner's issue that I would have resolved on my former platform in 2 minutes. It's shameful. Shopify lures you in by saying you won't have to manage anything, but once you're with them and encounter a problem, the response is that you need to pay extra to hire an expert for the slightest issue! Definitely do not choose this platform, or you will regret it!