There is a huge selection of eCommerce programmes that you can use to help give your online shop a real boost. Certain platforms are quite niche, being made to help a specific target, while others are much more flexible. It is this flexibility that has made two programmes in particular the best in their field; these are Shopify and Magento.
So which of these platforms is right for you? There are pros or cons to using each system but how do they stack up against each other? Here’s a simple walk through.
Free Trials
Everybody likes trying before they buy, and when you’re looking at paying out regular monthly sums it becomes even more important! Shopify has a free 14 day trial that gives you access to everything available in paid accounts, letting you know exactly what you’ll be getting – Magento offer a similar service with a 30 day tester period. Once the free trial is finished you get several account options to suit your various needs; with Shopify you can choose between the Starter, Professional and Unlimited packages which range from £10 to £121 a month. Magento packages are: Get Going, Get Places, Going Beyond and Go Anywhere – these cost between £9.99 and £79.99 a month.
Differences in what’s included
There are many similarities in what is included in each of these eCommerce systems, however the big differences are Shopify’s 70+ payment gateways, allowing payments from most sources and increasing your potential market. There is also a built-in blog function that can drastically increase your website’s SEO ability, providing results you can measure with the platform’s in-built analytics. Shopify also allows for customer accounts, complete with a mobile commerce shopping cart and full SSL certification and a PCI compliant system. These features are not included in any Magento package, giving Shopify the edge when it comes to platform capabilities.
Design options
Both these systems have a great range of options when it comes to what can be done in terms of appearance. Each platform has hundreds of different themes available, allowing you to change the theme in the easiest possible way with minimum technical knowledge. For those of you who are more technologically advanced or wish to completely change the look of the site, then Shopify will be your better option as you can alter the HTML, CCS and Javascript while Magento only allows for changes to the CSS code.
Speedy transitions
When it comes to having a successful online shop, speed is key. Without a fast, flawless and brilliantly functional website, you may end up losing clients as they could get caught up in poor performance. Shopify offers a slick, speedy platform that is quick for navigation and all incorporated functions. If you choose the unlimited bandwidth package you can enjoy the fastest possible service anywhere in the world. While the speed of Magento ecommerce services is nothing to be scoffed at, it doesn’t quite contend with Shopify, especially as the bandwidth is not unlimited – however you will still receive a great service using it.
