WhatsApp
Online shopping has an enormous market today. Almost all businesses are working towards building a strong digital presence today. The ultimate goal? Selling their products online. Naturally, this means that eCommerce platforms have also expanded massively. Presently, anyone who wants to build an eCommerce store, comes across several top-notch platforms like Shopify, Shopline, WooCommerce, Magento, and many more. However, in this blog, our focus will only be on the first two.
Choosing an eCommerce platform basically is equivalent to choosing the backbone of your store. This isn't an easy decision. Shopify and Shopline are two names that constantly pop up in this arena. Both platforms claim that they make selling your products online smarter, more convenient, and of course, more profitable.
Before we delve into the topic, there's one thing that we have to clarify. Shopify is a global powerhouse. Shopline, on the contrary, focuses on a different area as they position themselves as a regional challenger. In particular, Shopline focuses on the Asian markets. So, now that you're trying to enter the eCommerce sector, let's focus on what each platform does well and where they come short. So, let's get down to business!
Shopify: A Global Standard
A game-changer in the eCommerce industry, Shopify first came out back in 2006. Ever since, it's grown into becoming the most recognized eCommerce platform in the world. Today, Shopify is available in almost 175 countries. Businesses as small as newly launched start-ups and as big as billion-dollar brands like Gymshark and Kylie Cosmetics, everyone uses Shopify to power their digital stores.
If we must point out one particular factor that allows Shopify to rule the eCommerce market, it's the accessibility and depth that they offer. On the surface, Shopify is incredibly beginner-friendly. Even if you don't have any technical knowledge, it won't take you longer than a few hours to set up a Shopify store. But underneath, this platform is strong enough to handle huge inventories, enterprise-level traffic, complex integrations, and more. This dichotomy has made Shopify the most sought after name in eCommerce app development.
The growth of Shopify can be attributed to the fact that they've invested heavily in their ecosystem. Today, you can access thousands of add-on apps and APIs. Plus, there's an expansive marketplace of expert developers offering Shopify development services. So, no matter what feature you want to include in your online store, it's most likely to be within your reach with Shopify.
Shopline: The Goliath in the Asian Markets
Shopline is actually younger compared to Shopify, with the platform being launched in 2013. When Shopline first introduced themselves, they had one major focus - making eCommerce simple for Asian businesses. They've continued to walk that path ever since. Especially in the markets of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, Shopline knows no equal. It practically is the Asian answer to Shopify.
So, what makes Shopline stand out in a market that already has access to Shopify? They did the unthinkable by completely tailoring their services to the Asian markets. If you're a seller who only wants to sell in the Asian markets, Shopline presents a huge advantage to you. Plus, they also pride themselves on being a plug-and-play platform.
However, the same thing that Shopline presents as its USP also becomes its biggest drawback. It's no surprise that Shopline cannot match Shopify’s scale. Their ecosystem is much smaller. They offer only a limited number of apps and third-party integrations.
Comparing the Features: Shopify vs Shopline Development
Store Setup & Onboarding
If you want to set up your eCommerce store quickly and get down to business, Shopify is perfect for it. With multiple free themes, a clean dashboard, and step-by-step guides, Shopify allows even beginners to start their stores on their platform. Plus, Shopify comes with a setup wizard. This unique feature will walk you through the products, payment methods, and shipping options in minutes. In short, if you invest around an hour, your Shopify store will be ready for selling online.
As far as simplicity is concerned, Shopline also brings tough competition to Shopify. However, the customisation options here are quite limited. For beginners, Shopline is perfect. For advanced users, however, it may feel a little boxed in.
Themes & Customization
Customization is Shopify’s forte. On this platform, you receive well over 100 professionally designed themes. You can also customize these themes using Liquid. If you didn’t know, Liquid is the templating language used by Shopify.
Shopline offers good themes as well. However, you can't really customize their themes much. You most probably have to stick with out-of-the-box designs because there's not much flexibility beyond minor edits.
App Ecosystem
Shopify also comes with an extensive app ecosystem, with over 8000 apps in the marketplace. You can find all sorts of add-ons in the Shopify marketplace, from AI chatbots to advanced analytics tools. With Shopify, you can extend your store in any direction according to your choice.
Shopline has a smaller app store. The number of integrations available on this platform are limited. The core features cover basic add-ons but you won't find the same variety.
Sales Channels
Shopify integrates with social channels like Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and eBay. If you want to sell across different platforms, Shopify allows you to do just that.
Shopline also offers different regional integrations. However, with this platform, the scope becomes narrower. So, for marketplaces in Asia, Shopline offers a top-notch experience. But the moment you want to reach for global spread, Shopline can't meet that demand.
Payment Gateways
Shopify comes with its own payment provider, Shopify Payments. On top of that, this platform supports over 100 payment providers worldwide.
For local payment gateways like Alipay and WeChat Pay, Shopline does a brilliant job. But it doesn't have the same global payment depth.
Comparing the Pricing: Shopify vs Shopline Development
Shopify Pricing
The basic Shopify plan is billed at ~$39/month. However, there are more expensive options. The mid-tier plan costs ~$105/month and the advanced plan goes as high as ~$399/month.
Shopline, on the other hand, is much more affordable. The basic plan starts from ~$19/month. The mid-tier plan is priced at ~$49/month and the advanced plan is only ~$99/month.
At first glance, Shopline is of course more budget-friendly than Shopify. It offers basic eCommerce functions for a fraction of Shopify’s costs.
Shopify vs Shopline: Which Platform Should You Choose?
The equation is simple. Choose Shopify if:
- You plan to expand your store globally.
- You want your store to be able to integrate a wide variety of add-ons. Even the store designs should have choices.
- You need advanced features. This is especially important for marketing or generating analytics reports
- You'd like access to expert Shopify development services to build custom features for your eCommerce store.
On the other hand, Shopline works the best for you if:
- You only want to enter the Asian markets.
- You want a simple, low-cost eCommerce platform to start your store.
- You don't need advanced analytics or customisation options.
- You prefer a beginner-friendly interface, a platform that lets you start your store as quickly as possible.
Ending Note
While Shopify will be our pick at least for now, it's important to note that both platforms serve their purposes. If you run a smaller business with regional ambition, using Shopline is the best choice for you. One big reason behind this is the simple fact that Shopline is much more affordable. However, if you're in the long game, Shopify is the safer bet. If your store grows, Shopify is the platform that matches that growth. It offers that foundation. You can even integrate the latest AI models into your Shopify store to make it faster and smarter.
To conclude, Shopline and Shopify are two very different versions of what eCommerce is like. The former keeps things simple and affordable. The latter brings a wider potential. All you need is the right team when you go for eCommerce development services. Remember, your store does much more than simply selling products. It sets your brand identity. Therefore, make your pick wisely.
