Ecommerce has grown to a point where it is difficult to expect it slowing down any time in the future. Moreover, it would appear that brick and mortar stores are also going to be overtaken by dropshipping and other business models.
People have become too used to the internet and all its perks. Doing your shopping requires zero effort as you can purchase everything with just a few clicks of a button and get it delivered at your doorstep to boot.
If you are looking to start a business in ecommerce yourself, doing so now is as good a time as any. And the first thing you will need is selecting the right platform.
At the moment, it would seem that Shopify has the upper hand over every single competitor out there.
And it offers a wide array of perks, features, advantages and so on. You can find all that below.
Easy to Use
One of the biggest pros is the fact that you can set everything fast and launch your store in a matter of hours. Other Content Management Systems (CMS) are a fuss to deal with and you do not have to waste time on self-host platforms.
The admin interface is easy to use and you can figure out most of the things on your own. Of course, there is more than enough information on Shopify’s website as well as other sources online. But it will not take too long before you can start selling, provided that you have a product ready to launch.
Any Niche, Anywhere
It would be difficult to find an idea that you cannot sell on Shopify. For instance, this Profintindustry guide to Shopify Lite perfectly illustrates how one can take advantage of social media and shift the focus of their marketing there.
And Shopify boasts of having plenty of other similar plans, not to mention the fact that we ought to see more of them in the future as well.
Worry-Free Tech
Even if you have no experience with technology, launching a store on Shopify should not be a problem. Everything you need comes with a Shopify plan, and it does include hosting and software.
It eliminates quite a few problems, and at the same time, it is quite possible that the hosting you get with Shopify will probably be better than some other providers offer.
Updates are automatic, as expected. In other words, the platform accommodates the needs of a customer and allows merchants to focus on selling more than anything else.
Blog Integration
You should be aware of the fact that every business needs a blog. It brings many benefits, like showing another side of your business, making it easier to connect with the audience, and so on.
One cannot rely on social media for such things, even though it does great work as well. Moreover, let’s not forget the fact that customers are used to seeing blogs everywhere nowadays. If your store is missing it, things would look rather weird.
Security and Reliability
Sensitive customer information and all that is inevitable when you are running an e-commerce business. Thus, you need to ensure that all that data is in safe hands.
Shopify emphasizes security a lot and features quite a lot of means of ensuring that every single of their clients can feel safe in this regard.
24/7 Customer Support Availability
Whether you have experience or not, issues will arise. They are inevitable when managing such projects. And the best way to overcome them is by contacting customer support and letting them solve a problem on their end.
Having a team of dedicated professionals available to you all the time really boosts the trust and helps you rest assured that even if something does go wrong, you will have access to people who will be able to solve any issue.
Mobile Optimization
More and more people choose to do their shopping on smartphones and tablets. Convenience is a big thing, and you can do it pretty much everywhere, so long as you have an internet connection.
Shopify’s themes are optimized for mobile use so you will not have to worry about losing on a big chunk of potential customers because they are unable to use your store via their favorite device.
Customisation
You can go as crazy as you want as there are more than enough customization options available. Of course, remember to think about the users’ experience and do not go over the top.
SEO and Marketing Tools
Shopify has its own SEO and marketing tools, meaning that you can do a more efficient job trying to conquer your marketing and ending up in the top spot. It will take some time before you get the hang of how to use them efficiently, but once you do, there is no telling how much you can accomplish.
Payment Gateway
It would be rather difficult to name all the different payment methods available today. But Shopify does have its very own, powered by Stripe. Transaction fees and credit card fees are not that big of a headache.
[See related post: How To Use Social Media To Find Winnable Ecommerce Customers?]
[Images – Main Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels; Tablet: Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash; Happy guy: Rawpixel; other images from their respective websites and/or social platforms]
Kris Olin, MSc (Econ.) * Editor in Chief at Social Media Revolver * Web Designer * SEO Specialist * Author of the Facebook Advertising Guide. Follow Kris on Twitter and LinkedIn. See his photos at Flickr.