7 Reasons Why You Should Move on from Shopify
Small businesses looking to invest in eCommerce solutions are expecting gains in terms of their client base and sales. However, many eCommerce solutions today such as Shopify do not have the infrastructure to support a growing business. Here are seven reasons why that is:
1. Pay Monthly For Every Little Thing
Small businesses that use Shopify as their eCommerce platform quickly notice rising costs. This is a result of Shopify’s business model: Business Features not Included.
Add-ons and smart applications are a necessity, as they help not only ease the transaction process but also improve customer experience. Shopify is aware of this and is determined to make a quick buck on its applications and features. These costs, while minimal upfront, can quickly climb to unprecedented levels as businesses grow. Soon enough, self-hosted platforms begin to look attractive as they offer cheaper development packages.
2. Less Customizability
Shopify likes to emphasize the wide array of customizable options they offer to their users. But, they don’t like to emphasize the idea that most if not all customization will require a professional developer. This is solely due to the fact that their themes do not use coding languages many of us are accustom to. Shopify uses its very own PHP language, “Liquid,” which requires technical expertise to properly manipulate. This turns small customization jobs into expensive and time-consuming projects. The only way to avoid this issue is to use their original pre-built themes, which then limits customization.
3. Shopify - Not Forever
There is no doubt Shopify hosts many businesses. But, what is not clear is that Shopify makes it very difficult for their users to migrate out of their system. It is easier to retain customers than to obtain new ones, which is why Shopify does not make transitioning simple. Shopify provides very few pointers to the businesses they host when it comes to leaving their platform. If you don’t plan on using Shopify forever, consider other platforms that offer more flexibility.
4. Poor Content Management
Content marketing is the foundation of selling products. Without effective marketing, products can not draw attention from potential buyers. Unfortunately, Shopify begins and ends with the listing of products. Businesses who want to further promote their product through the use of other content, such as videos and blogs, can not effectively do so on the platform. Shopify does not allow the publishing of rich content. They encourage the use of their own blogging software, but it is inconvenient rather than intuitive. And, exporting blog posts is no less of an obstacle. Businesses looking to leverage content marketing will have a hard time with Shopify’s platform.
5. Control Your Data Yourself
Shopify’s flexibility issues, only continue when it comes to your private data. It is important to note, all fragments of data must channel through Shopify if businesses choose to use their services. This forces you to adhere to their strict policies and procedures. As a result, you have less control of your personal data.
Business growth can not be expected on such an inflexible platform. Consider moving to or choosing a self-hosted eCommerce platform that fits your data needs.
6. No Email Hosting
Professional email hosting is not offered or included in any of Shopify’s packages. If you want to use a domain name in your email handle, you will not be given that option with Shopify. Furthermore, Shopify does not allow access to a third-party email domain. The only resolution would be to purchase a custom domain (info@myshopname.com) directly from Shopify that will allow you to create a forwarding email. But, even this has its shortcomings. If you want to send or respond to an email using your custom email domain you will have to take an extra step and use a third-party email hosting service. You shouldn’t have to prioritize email management over your business.
7. Product Search and Filtering
The premise of any eCommerce platform is to help grow businesses through sales. Yet, Shopify’s rudimentary product search mechanism does not assist its users. In order to locate company products, what you search must follow specific criteria or your results will come up short. This makes finding products more complicated and convoluted, which takes a toll on the very businesses Shopify is supposed to help.
If your business has outgrown the one size fits all approach of Shopify please let us show you what Nox Enterprise Commerce can do for you. Here at Nox, we pride ourselves on always giving our clients an edge over the competition. In this ever-competitive eCommerce landscape, it is important to be able to stand out. If you are looking for a new platform or would like to chat with us to see how we can take your eCommerce business to the next level, don’t hesitate to contact us to set up a demo.
