The biggest debate about the most preferred eCommerce platform between Shopify and Etsy has been going around for a long time in this eCommerce era. When you start your eCommerce journey, the first thing that comes into mind is to select a suitable eCommerce platform.
Shopify helps businesses build their online store, meanwhile, Etsy helps merchants sell their homemade products. Up till now, Shopify has powered 3280925 websites, and Etsy has over 1.8 million sellers. These statistics show the significance of both platforms. As a new entrepreneur, it is difficult to determine which is suitable for the business.
This article will compare both Shopify and Etsy and highlight the crucial details that can make the selection process easier for you.
Usability
Shopify and Etsy both are easy to use and do not require heavy coding knowledge.
Shopify has all the fundamental features in-built, thus, you can design and customize your store as per your convenience, and if needed, you can have access to the provided manual. The manual includes tips on using the drag-and-drop builder, making the interface seamless. In short, Shopify is known as the most straightforward and spontaneous eCommerce platform amongst all.
On the other hand, Etsy offers more accessible solutions compared to Shopify. The user needs to sign up for the store, upload the product information, and start selling the products. However, while uploading products on Etsy, you need to provide thorough product details, but once it’s done, you can set up your store cost-efficiently and quickly.
Customization
When it comes to customization and designing, Shopify offers numerous options. Shopify offers more than 60 themes you can choose from. With the help of these themes, you can personalize, edit, and rearrange as per your store requirements.
Meanwhile, Etsy does not has this privilege. In the name of customization, it only allows the users to upload their logo. This is a significant drawback, as you cannot mark your brand and implement the personalization. In short, with Etsy, you cannot mark your online presence and make you stand out in the market.
ECommerce tools
Shopify has a vast app store with necessary eCommerce features that helps the business develop and promote their brand. Shopify offers features, such as
- Discount codes and gift cards
- Fraud analysis
- Third-party calculated shipping charges
- Abandon cart regaining feature
- Guest checkouts
- SEO tools
- Order management tools, etc.
On the other hand, Etsy offer
- Discounts on marketing materials
- Email alerts
- Advertising credits
- Buy and print discounted postage labels
- Social media sharing
Shopify wins this round, as the most important thing in an eCommerce business is to have thorough inventory management, and Etsy doesn’t provide it. With Etsy, you are responsible to manually check and manage your inventory, diverting your productivity from other important tasks.
Fees
At Shopify, you need to pay a monthly subscription fee along with the transaction fee for processing payments. Shopify has monthly packages, such as basic Shopify ($29/m), Shopify lite ($9/m), and Advanced Shopify ($299/m).
On the other hand, Etsy does not charge anything for setting up the seller’s account. However, you need to pay for the basic fees that come once you start selling your products, such as processing fees that is 3% of the total transaction plus $0.25 per each purchase, transaction fees (5% of total charge), and listing fees ($0.20 per item).
In a nutshell, both Shopify and Etsy can help you sell your products. However, both Shopify and Etsy have their pros and cons. Therefore, the seller needs to choose one as per their business requirements. As a new business owner, you may have a tight budget, therefore, you can start selling your products on Etsy and then after sometimes open your own Shopify store.
If you have made up your mind about Shopify store, hire certified Shopify developers from USA commerce and mark your presence on the competitive market. Contact us now to get the best guidance and kickstart your dream project.
