Shopify vs AspDotNetStorefront

When starting a business online you have a lot of choices to make after the initial decisions of choosing a name, products to sell, profit margins, etc. For many businesses, choosing the ecommerce platform that they decide to operate on is one of the final steps taken, and is given little thought.

Realistically, business owners should do more research on what ecommerce platform they decide to use and how to manage the platform, because having the right platform can save your business capital and labor hours. There are so many ecommerce platforms to choose from, how does one go about knowing which one is best for their business? I will be discussing the most popular ecommerce platforms on the market, and telling you which one I recommend for your ecommerce business.

In this article I will be discussing the key differences and similarities between Shopify and AspDotNetStorefront ecommerce platforms. Shopify is a free to use initially and then charges a premium price for an increase in features. AspDotNetStorefront is an average costing paid subscription service or purchased package. I will dive much deeper into the pricing later, after discussing each platform’s major features, security, and customizability.

Features

Features are an incredibly important part of an ecommerce platform. In order to maximize revenue, a business needs to have and be able to utilize the provided features for their website properly, in order to drive new sales and engage returning customers.

One of the best features offered by Shopify is the ability to sell across multiple popular channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay. AspDotNetStorefront integrates Amazon, Google Shopping, Shopzilla, and PayPal as selling channels. Currently, AspDotNetStorefront does not integrate social media selling channels without downloading an additional application.

Both platforms have fantastic inventory management systems available for the site operator to use to manage the store.

There are a few large downfalls for Shopify that allows AspDotNetStorefront to shine. The first is that Shopify is one of the only platforms that enforces a transaction fee unless the site utilizes Shopify Payments, which, in many people’s opinions, is not a great payment system. The second is that Shopify does not have email hosting while AspDotNetStorefront does. If you do not know what email hosting is then the most basic way to explain it is that it is necessary for a growing or matured ecommerce website, because it allows you to reach past, present, and potential customers.

Customization

A well customized ecommerce website will stand out more to new visitors, hopefully engaging with them, and leading to new sales and returning customers.

Shopify allows for a large amount of customization in terms of the look and interaction within the website, however, the downside is that your website does not reformat the content on pages whenever the website’s theme is changed. AspDotNetStorefront also includes a large amount of customization without the issue of the website manager needing to completely reformat content when switching themes.

Security

A downfall for Shopify is that it is PCI compliant. PCI compliant means that the platform has not completed or passed the PCI test administered by the PCI Council, however, the platform operator(s) believe that the site meets the criteria to pass.

On the other hand, AspDotNetStorefront is PCI Certified. PCI Certification declares that the platform is secure against hackers and fraudulent online activity. The PCI Cerification that AspDotNetStorefront has ensures that your business and your customers will be protected from illegal online activity.

Pricing

The pricing options for Shopify are free for limited basic features, $29/month for all basic features, $79/month for growing business features, $299/month for advanced scaling features, and additional features and applications vary on price dramatically.

For AspDotNetStorefront the pricing structure is $180/month for full access, or a $5,500 one-time payment for the most up to date version with overhaul updates sometimes costing an additional fee.

Which is Best for You?

Now that all of the facts have been laid out, which platform is best for your ecommerce business? It’s actually fairly simple.

Given that Shopify offers a free and a low-cost option, it makes a great place to start for a new business. Shopify is simple to use initially for basic ecommerce practices and allows the user to gain an understanding of what goes into operating an ecommerce business.

When it comes time to grow a steady ecommerce business after the initial start-up period, add advanced website features, or create a second-generation or higher ecommerce website for a matured business, AspDotNetStorefront becomes the platform you need to be using; because Shopify becomes incredibly expensive and begins to hit its limits. The tools and features available on AspDotNetStorefront allow ecommerce site owners to gain a larger and more committed client base, along with providing advanced advertising tools to generate more sales.

Using AspDotNetStorefront is simple for the basic features of the platform; however, the more complex features can take months of patience, practice, and trial and error learning. That is why equaTEK, Inc. creates a relationship with businesses looking toward that next step in ecommerce. We make designing a business’s next generation of website simple and easy to manage, as we do most of it for you. Our experience allows us to build an ecommerce website that makes an immediate impact on your business, with the properly functioning features and tools, to help you grow your business right away. If you are looking to take the next step in your ecommerce business contact us today.