Okay, so you’ve got this stellar product, and you’re itching to show it off to the world. You’re likely convinced that launching an online store is your golden ticket. But the minute you toyed with the idea, Google Ads began throwing Ecwid and Shopify promos your way (creepy, right?).
So, what’s the game plan? Step one: Zero in on the right platform for your e-store. It might seem like a tug-of-war between these two giants as you weigh their pros and cons.
That’s where I come in. I’ve taken the plunge, explored both platforms and now, I’m here to share my nitty-gritty experience. Ecwid vs. Shopify – let’s unravel this problem together.
Introduction to Ecwid and Shopify
You might be thinking, “I’ve done my homework; why recap?” But for the sake of clarity (and for any newbies out there), let’s briefly touch upon what these platforms bring to the table.
Shopify, which made its debut in 2006, positions itself as a one-stop shop for those wanting to craft an online store from the ground up.
Meanwhile, since 2009, Ecwid found its groove by empowering users to integrate shopping features into their pre-existing websites seamlessly.
And there lies the crux of the matter, which I’ll dive into as we go. Stay tuned!
Setting Up Your E-commerce Store: Ecwid vs Shopify
Fasten your seatbelts; the Ecwid vs Shopify comparison starts here! In my quest for eCommerce wisdom, I bravely set up my inaugural stores on both Ecwid and Shopify. Alright, I didn’t do it simultaneously (I’m not that talented), but consecutively.
Full disclosure: I ventured into Ecwid first. The deciding factor? Their snazzy marketing campaign, I must admit.
So, what revelations awaited me? Both platforms boasted a lightning-fast store setup, and they weren’t fibbing. However, liken this to securing a storefront for a physical shop—it’s still vacant at this stage.
Both Shopify and Ecwid offer a straightforward registration. With Shopify, you’re greeted with a brief business questionnaire where you can specify your offerings, be they tangible products or services. Ecwid, on the other hand, probes if you have an existing website. A curveball from Ecwid: they also inquired if I’m a developer or a shop owner.
- Shopify: Renowned for its intuitive layout, Shopify is easy to use and makes store setup feel like child’s play. With structured guidance, even those wary of tech can have their store live in a jiffy.
- Ecwid: Banking on its plug-and-play model, Ecwid is a breeze for those desiring to inject eCommerce features into their current site.
The First Impression from the Inside: Shopify vs Ecwid
Stepping into Ecwid, I had this uncanny feeling of déjà vu. Then it hit me—it bore a striking resemblance to WordPress. And if I’m laying all my cards on the table, I’ve never been the biggest fan of WordPress. So, there’s that.
In stark contrast, Shopify emanated a distinct aura. Their user experience, to my liking, felt more polished and intuitive.
Design and Customization Comparison
That initial Shopify registration questionnaire? It isn’t just a formality. It cleverly determines which templates best match your business, and honestly, they hit the nail on the head. Delving deeper into customization, Shopify offers flexibility across all pages, ensuring each one looks pristine.
Ecwid paints a different picture. You’re presented with a solitary template. Don’t get me wrong, Ecwid also offers various themes, but on a paid version. It may be a concession for their free version, but here’s where I stumbled: image integration.
Picture this: you’ve chosen the perfect image, you slot it into its designated spot, and voilà – it’s oddly cropped with half a face missing. Frustratingly, there’s no built-in tool to adjust this, nor clear guidelines on optimal image dimensions. After a tad of frustration, I unearthed the mystery: the template demands a square image. Any deviation, like my vertical rectangles, results in an odd crop. So, a word to the wise: choose your images cautiously!
Despite the image hiccup, setting up the website’s aesthetic was relatively hitch-free. The platform boasts color customization, block additions, and a nifty feature allowing announcements to be displayed as a banner.
- Shopify: Boasting a rich array of themes, both free and premium, Shopify empowers you to design a store that echoes your brand’s essence. An added bonus? Their themes are optimized for mobile viewing.
- Ecwid: Design options may be fewer, but Ecwid doesn’t skimp on aesthetics. Its themes, though limited, are crafted to meld seamlessly with existing websites.
Managing Products and Inventory: Shopify and Ecwid
First, a quick primer on what “product management and inventory” entails:
- Listing your products.
- Monitoring stock levels.
- Reviewing orders.
- Tracking order fulfillment.
It’s quite the cycle, isn’t it? Let’s delve into how Ecwid and Shopify fare in this arena.
With Shopify, product management is almost second nature. Its features, from product categorization to SEO optimization for product pages, are both functional and user-friendly. Not to mention the diverse pricing variations that further enhance the experience. The platform’s interface, sleek and stylish, transforms what might feel like a chore into a delightful creative exercise.
That said, I did hit a minor snag: locating the payment options (essential for a fully functional store) took a bit of searching. Other than that, Shopify was smooth sailing.
Ecwid, while powerful, presented a slightly steeper learning curve, especially for a newbie like me. While certain features (such as accommodating long product titles) felt clunky, Ecwid shines in its layout. The platform neatly arranges the entire product management cycle in a sidebar on your dashboard. No need for a scavenger hunt through hidden menus. Everything is at your fingertips, and you can find it with ease.
A noteworthy mention: both platforms boast product listing automation. While this could be a timesaver, I, unfortunately, couldn’t leverage it since I was starting from scratch without a pre-defined product list.
Considering the ease of product management and how your product pages are visually present on the Ecwid store versus the Shopify store, here are my two cents: If you’re not keen on wrestling with product image tweaks, lean towards Shopify. But if you fancy a tool that seamlessly adjusts your Ecwid store’s elements, SyncSpider might just be your silver bullet.
On the topic of integration tools, a word of advice from someone who’s been there, done that: product listing is no walk in the park. My 10-product listing experience? Quite the marathon.
Should you venture into larger scales, say, 100 products? Arm yourself with an integration tool unless you’re in the mood for a Herculean challenge.
- Shopify: Inventory management on Shopify sails smoothly, boasting features like bulk uploads, auto-updates for inventory, and diverse product variations.
- Ecwid: Holding its own, Ecwid offers straightforward product additions and ensures your store remains synced across various platforms.
Pricing and Costs: Choose the Best Platform for Your Business
Ah, the all-important question of budget. When it comes to cost, every penny and detail counts.
At first blush, Ecwid might seem like the clear frontrunner with its “free forever” plan. But let’s pause and delve a bit deeper. This free plan caps you at a mere 10 products. Moreover, the domain you get, laced with hyperlinks and ending in ‘company.com’, is quite a mouthful. If you’ve dreamed of gracing the top of Google’s search results, this convoluted domain might not be your best ally. To truly optimize visibility, you’d likely need to upgrade to an SEO-friendly domain on one of Ecwid’s paid plans: Venture, Business, or Unlimited. As you may guess, I went for the “free forever” Ecwid plan.
Shopify, in contrast, gives you a brief 3-day free trial. Post this, it’s decision time. You’ll need to pick a plan – Basic, Shopify, or Advanced. (I’ve chosen the Basic Shopify plan.) A silver lining? All plans offer a promotional 3 months at just $1. And let’s face it: if you haven’t made a sale in three months, chances are you might not.
Available Plans on Ecwid vs. Shopify
| Ecwid | Price |
| Free Forever | US$ 0.00/mo |
| Venture | US$ 14.08/mo |
| Business | US$ 29.08/mo |
| Unlimited | US$ 82.50/mo |
| Shopify | Price |
| Basic | US$ 32/mo |
| Shopify | US$ 92/mo |
| Advanced | US$ 399/mo |
Note: These prices were sourced on the 12th of October 2023.
But there’s a small sting in the tail. Once you commit to a plan, changing your domain isn’t free. Expect to fork out around $20 for the domain, which is conveniently deducted from your first full-price month.
I won’t delve into Shopify’s Lite version – it starts at a mere $5 a month- but its limitations (like the inability to change your domain) made it a no-go for me.
And here’s another wrinkle with Shopify payments: Once sales start pouring in, brace yourself for a 2% transaction fee, irrespective of your chosen payment method. This fee kicks in for starters and can be surprising if you’re unprepared.
Ecwid, playing it straight, doesn’t spring any additional charges, making it a clear winner in the pricing arena despite its free plan’s limitations.
- Shopify: Their pricing structure kicks off with a basic monthly charge, rising as you opt for more features. Don’t forget to account for transaction fees and potential costs for premium themes or apps.
- Ecwid: They entice with a basic free plan. However, their tiered paid plans come with varying features and product caps.
SEO and Marketing: Features that count for eCommerce business
Stepping into the SEO and marketing arena, I had quite a bit of introspection and commentary to offer.
Recall my earlier note about Ecwid’s not-so-SEO-friendly domain on its free tier. Well, aside from that hiccup, it offers a decent H-structure within product descriptions. However, a baffling moment with Ecwid arose when I tried – and failed – to locate the description page on my website. I kept clicking, hoping to preview it, but to no avail. Perhaps I opted for a one-page site? If so, it might explain the absence, but it leaves me pondering where all those carefully crafted descriptions (and accompanying SEO efforts) actually land.
Unlike Ecwid, Shopify feels like it’s sprinkled with some SEO magic. As you key in your product details and images, Shopify conjures up a product page that’s immediately viewable on both mobile and desktop. And let’s just say the layout is captivating. I’m thoroughly enchanted by Shopify’s presentation, and for my taste, Shopify wins this battle.
Oh, there’s one more point – A free version of Ecwid doesn’t offer a blog posts page, and without it you won’t be able to have effective SEO results, so again – go, go, Shopify!
A shared benefit between the platforms? Both facilitate easy integration with your social media accounts, ensuring an expansive reach. Just remember to have those accounts set up beforehand (a lesson I learned the harder way, so stay tuned for that review).
- Shopify: A powerhouse in the SEO realm, Shopify’s intrinsic tools ensure your store’s visibility. Augmenting this are integrations with platforms like Facebook Ads and Google Shopping, making marketing a breeze.
- Ecwid: While it may have initially trailed, recent updates have bolstered Ecwid’s SEO and marketing arsenal, ensuring your store doesn’t remain a well-kept secret.
Integrating with Existing Websites: Integration and Automation
Though I’m currently building my store on Shopify and don’t have a separate website, I’ve gleaned that it’s possible to weave together the strengths of both Shopify and Ecwid.
Since Ecwid gives the option to add it to any other website (they started with it as the primary function), it’s easy to integrate Ecwid into any website you want. On the other hand, Shopify doesn’t offer that kind of integration, but it has the option to use the Buy button on any site or channel you use.
Remember that if you need complex integration or if you want to migrate Ecwid to the Shopify store, you will need an integration tool such as SyncSpider.
Customer Support and Resources
Interestingly, a direct “contact support” button isn’t immediately evident on the dashboards of either Shopify or Ecwid. A bit of a surprise, really.
With Shopify, my initiation into their support realm was out of necessity. Post-trial, upon purchasing a plan, I found myself inadvertently switching to the ‘Lite’ plan instead of the ‘Basic’ one I had opted for. A quick search led me to their support portal. After a brief dance with a bot, I was chatting with a human representative. The hiccup was resolved swiftly, and I must tip my hat to the Shopify support team – patient, understanding, and refreshingly non-judgmental.
Ecwid’s approach felt a tad more educational. Each time I accessed my dashboard, I was greeted with a barrage of tutorial messages and how-to videos. So, Ecwid lets you explore the options through their suggested explainer videos. While these resources are undoubtedly valuable, should you seek live support, you’ll need to embark on a search that eventually lands you at the Ecwid Help Center. I didn’t have a pressing issue to address, so I haven’t personally interacted with their support team.
- Shopify: With round-the-clock support, an exhaustive library of online resources, and an engaged user community, Shopify ensures you’re well-supported at every turn.
- Ecwid: Their comprehensive help center is complemented by live chat and email support, ensuring help is always at hand.
Success Stories for both eCommerce platforms
While I’m still paving my path in the world of eCommerce, my aspirations are to one day be counted among the success stories of both platforms. Until that day arrives, let’s spotlight a few illustrious examples:
- Shopify: Giants like Gymshark and Allbirds can trace their roots back to Shopify. These brands, which started modestly, have now burgeoned into million-dollar businesses, attesting to the potential of the platform.
- Ecwid: The platform boasts a lineage of local artisans who, with time and perseverance, have morphed into global sensations. Many attribute their meteoric rise to the versatile functionalities offered by Ecwid.
Final Thought: Why not give both platforms a whirl? Double the platform double the potential for success!
Making the Decision
What will you choose? Ecwid or Shopify? The choice between Ecwid and Shopify is ultimately a reflection of your individual needs. If you’re embarking on a fresh journey and desire an all-encompassing platform, Shopify unquestionably stands out. Because of Shopify themes, Shopify is the better option for those who emphasize design. Conversely, if you’re looking to bolster an existing online presence with a storefront, Ecwid might just be your perfect fit.
My personal strategy? I’m casting a wide net and trying out both. Maybe the real question isn’t about pitting Ecwid vs. Shopify but rather experiencing each to discern which resonates more with you. And, of course, let’s not underestimate the ever-pivotal budget factor.
In the vast expanse of eCommerce, there’s a niche for everyone. Select the platform that syncs with your aspirations, and watch as your entrepreneurial dreams take flight!
