According to Statista, retail ecommerce sales globally were U. S dollars 5.2 trillion in 2021 and are expected to reach U. S dollars 8.1 trillion by 2026. The numbers will only grow even further as more people connect to the internet and see the benefits of shopping online. Many of the most prominent websites today, including ecommerce websites, are built on WordPress, using an open-source plug-in called WooCommerce.
This article will discuss why WooCommerce for WordPress is better for small businesses that want to sell online, compared to Shopify, another popular but standalone ecommerce platform.
A little background on WooCommerce and Shopify
WooCommerce is an ecommerce plug-in for WordPress. In this case, you will need to buy separate ecommerce hosting. If you have a large operation, you can install WordPress, and by extension WooCommerce, on an in-house server. Otherwise, the option of a separate ecommerce hosting package is always available.
Shopify is a hosted ecommerce platform, so you don’t have to buy a separate hosting plan. It is straightforward to use and contains everything you might need to launch a decent ecommerce website. If you are willing to do without much customization on your ecommerce platform, then Shopify is a good option.
Why do we recommend WooCommerce for WordPress Over Shopify?
Don’t get us wrong. Shopify is also an excellent ecommerce platform and is as scalable as WordPress, but if you look at the larger picture, WooCommerce on WordPress wins.
If you are planning to install an ecommerce platform on your WordPress website, we recommend you go with WooCommerce
About WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an ecommerce plug-in for WordPress. You will need to buy WordPress hosting and an SSL certificate (you must purchase a domain name separately in each case). However, some web hosts are now offering unique WooCommerce hosting, which includes all of the above for a discounted price.
So, the cost of starting up is much lower if you go for WooCommerce than Shopify. Moreover, when it comes to add-on software and services, WordPress has a better (and often free) range on offer, including themes. And takes us to the next thing, where WooCommerce has the edge over Shopify – integrations, and add-ons.
About Shopify
Cost is an essential factor when choosing an ecommerce platform. For example, with Shopify, you have to pay to get started, and then if you want to install some add-on software or service, you have to pay for those too.
Shopify has several plans (Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify), each with a different payment bracket. Then you have to pay to set up a payment option. Shopify has its payment solution called Shopify Payments. You can also opt for third-party payment options. Another plan called Shopify Lite allows you to add Shopify buttons to your website, including those built on WordPress.
Integrations and add-ons
Third-party tools are a must if you want to get the most out of your ecommerce platform. This includes email marketing software, analytics tools, lead generation tools, and other outreach services. Both WooCommerce and Shopify have an extensive extension library, workable with third-party services.
Here’s a small list.
Email marketing software
- MailPoet – MailPoet is a WordPress plugin that helps you create beautiful newsletters and manage your subscribers. With MailPoet, you can easily create beautiful email newsletters, automatically send your latest blog posts to your subscribers, and manage your subscribers with ease.
- MailChimp – MailChimp is a tool that allows businesses to create and send newsletters, email campaigns, and other automated emails. It also provides a way to manage subscribers and track the results of your campaigns. MailChimp is one of the most popular email marketing platforms, and it offers a free plan for small businesses.
- AutomateWoo – AutomateWoo is a powerful plugin that allows you to automate your WooCommerce store. With AutomateWoo, you can create automatic emails, follow-up emails, and SMS messages. You can also create automatic coupon codes and discounts. AutomateWoo is a great plugin for stores of all sizes.
Analytics tools
- WooCommerce Analytics – WooCommerce Analytics is a powerful tool that helps you to track and analyze your WooCommerce store’s data. It provides you with insightful reports and visualizations of your store’s performance, so you can see where you’re doing well and identify areas for improvement. It is easy to set up and use, and it integrates seamlessly with your WooCommerce store. Plus, it’s free to use! So, if you’re looking for a way to get insights into your store’s performance, WooCommerce Analytics is a great option.
- WP Mail SMTP – WP Mail SMTP is a WordPress plugin that allows you to configure your WordPress site to send emails using an SMTP server. This can be useful if you want to send emails from your WordPress site using a third-party email service such as Gmail or Yahoo. WP Mail SMTP also includes a number of features to help you troubleshoot email delivery issues, such as the ability to log email activity and view email headers.
- Shopify Analytics – Shopify Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to track and analyze your Shopify store’s data. With Shopify Analytics, you can see how your store is performing, identify areas of improvement, and make informed decisions about your business. Shopify Analytics is easy to use and provides valuable insights that can help you grow your business.
- Google Analytics – Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that helps website owners understand how visitors interact with their site. The tool provides valuable insights that can be used to improve website performance and conversion rates. Google Analytics can be used to track a variety of metrics, including pageviews, unique visitors, time on site, and bounce rate. The tool is easy to use and can be configured to track nearly any website metric.
- MonsterInsights – MonsterInsights is a powerful WordPress plugin that provides insights and analytics for your website. It is used by over 2 million WordPress sites, including many of the top WordPress websites in the world. MonsterInsights makes it easy to see how your website is performing and where you can improve.
Lead generation tools
- SeedProd – SeedProd is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create beautiful coming soon and landing pages. With SeedProd, you can easily create a professional looking page in minutes without any coding or design skills. SeedProd comes with a drag and drop builder that makes it easy to customize your page without any technical knowledge. You can also use SeedProd to create an opt-in form to build your email list. SeedProd is the perfect tool for anyone who wants to create a professional looking page without any technical skills.
- OptinMonster – OptinMonster is a powerful tool that allows you to create highly effective opt-in forms to grow your email list. It comes with a wide range of features and options that make it easy to create and customize your forms, as well as track and analyze your results. OptinMonster is an essential tool for any online marketer or business owner who wants to grow their email list.
- WPForms – WPForms is an online form builder that allows you to create forms and surveys for your website. With WPForms, you can create forms to collect customer information, feedback, or even create a contact form. WPForms makes it easy to create and manage your forms, with a drag-and-drop form builder and a variety of templates to choose from. You can also use WPForms to create surveys, polls, and quizzes for your website.
- Justuno Pop Ups and CRO Tools –
- Justuno is a powerful suite of tools designed to help ecommerce businesses increase conversion rates and boost sales. Justuno’s pop ups and CRO tools are easy to use and highly effective, making them a popular choice for many online retailers. Justuno’s pop ups are highly customizable and can be used to target specific visitors with personalized messages. This helps to increase conversion rates by ensuring that only relevant messages are shown to potential customers. Justuno’s CRO tools are also very effective, helping to increase the chances of a sale by optimizing the user experience on your website.
- ViralSweep – ViralSweep is a powerful social media marketing tool that helps businesses grow their social media following and improve engagement. It allows businesses to create and run social media contests, sweepstakes, and giveaways. ViralSweep makes it easy to choose a winner, generate leads, and track results.
- Neowauk – NeoWauk is a tool that allows users to create and manage their own pop-up shops. With NeoWauk, users can create a custom shopfront, add products, set prices, and promote their shop to potential customers. NeoWauk makes it easy for users to get started with pop-up shops, and provides all the tools necessary to run a successful business.
Number-wise, WooCommerce has a more extensive collection of integrations and add-ons, mainly because it is more difficult to list them on the Shopify app. As a result, all major third-party service providers on WooCommerce have developed plug-ins for integration with WooCommerce. You can always engage a WordPress developer if you want a specific tool or plug-in. It is also a fact that WooCommerce is more customizable than Shopify.
Conclusion
The main disadvantage of using Shopify over WooCommerce for WordPress is the loss of control over features. Also, initially, starting a Shopify store costs more than a WooCommerce store. In short, WooCommerce is cost-effective and gives you more control over your store. If you are looking to start a WooCommerce website and would like help, feel free to contact us, and we can discuss how we can get you going.