We'll start this article off with the truth, Shopify is easy to use and easy to set up, incredibly so. This is especially true if you are simply manipulating a theme to match your own branding.
Is Shopify easy to use as a website, in addition to a store? This is where things start to get a little more complicated. Another truth, Shopify interior pages that you would use for your About Us section, for example, aren't as built out as templates you will find on other platforms.
Is Shopify Good?
The information above shouldn't dissuade you. Shopify is great for ecommerce and will be the tool you need to start selling your products online. If you need a more built out website with many pages that are more text based than product focused you may want to consider another platform or combining Shopify with another platform.
Let's start with the back end of Shopify and it's user-friendly functionalities. What you need to know is that the back-end is streamlined it is easy to navigate from products to theme customization and then back to shipping, payment and inventory options.
Setting up your first Shopify store
To get started with Shopify, we suggest a 14 day trial. This will allow you to play around with the platform and get a feel for how you will manage your products and site on a day to day basis. This will also give you access to the theme library where you can start browsing for a theme that will bring your online store to life.
When choosing a theme make sure you do your due diligence. Your research will tell you a lot about how that theme is going to function for you. Read reviews, watch the theme trailers and click out into the live demos.
Once you've chosen a theme it's all about customization through imagery and font. This is where you may want to engage an expert. There are rules to design, user experience and search engine optimization that your store needs to benefit from.
Then uploading your products, one of the most important aspects and Shopify has made this easy to by creating a fillable product center with all the options you will need.
Getting help with Shopify
Businesses and digital agencies love Shopify because it is easy and you can set up a store with virtually no outside help if you choose so. As mentioned above, there are benefits to help. For instance, if you aren't in love with every aspect of the theme you choose a Shopify developer can manipulate the functionality to better match your needs.
Interested in learning more about if is a Shopify good option for your new online store. Click below to view our most recent infographic, titled "How to choose the best ecommerce platform" that compares the most popular ecommerce platforms available. If you want more concrete advice request a free consultation with our ecommerce website development team here.
