Shopify is the world’s most popular platform for launching ecommerce businesses.
In 2019, Shopify businesses produced over $1.5 billion in revenue worldwide. Additionally, throughout the same year, Shopify stores saw a 50% increase in online sales.
In comparison, the worldwide e-commerce market expanded by only 21% during the same time period. Given these figures, it’s clear to see why an increasing number of businesses are turning to Shopify to power their online stores.
However, once you’ve decided on Shopify as your ecommerce platform of choice, you’ll have to make a few more crucial considerations. Before you start your journey to ecommerce success, you’ll need to pick who will win a vital matchup: Shopify vs Shopify Plus.
Both alternatives have a lot to offer in terms of features. This implies that the best option will be determined by your individual requirements. We’ve highlighted the key differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus to help you make the right selection for your business.
You can choose between Shopify Lite, Basic Shopify, Shopify, Advanced Shopify, and Shopify Plus when you purchase the fundamental Shopify package. For the sake of this essay, the first four levels are categorised as Shopify. These packages include the essential components for a growing online business, such as an ecommerce website and a blog. Starting with Shopify Basic, they offer free SSL certificates, abandoned cart recovery, gift card capabilities, and the ability to have an infinite number of products, among other things.
The standalone enterprise-grade solution is Shopify Plus. It includes all of the features found in the previous plans, as well as a lot more. The comparison between Shopify and Shopify Plus will be based on these extra aspects. Your final decision will be based on the results of the analysis. The important differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus to consider are listed below without further ado.
1) Customizable Checkout
One of the first responses to the query “what is the difference between Shopify and Shopify plus?” is a customizable checkout. Shopify’s extremely functioning out-of-the-box nature is one of the reasons it has been so successful in the e-commerce business. For Shopify merchants who are just getting started, the fundamental Shopify package includes a ready-to-use checkout system. Furthermore, business owners have the option of customising components of the checkout’s aesthetic appearance.
Shopify Plus, on the other hand, is necessary for businesses who need more flexibility with their checkout process. This package gives you complete control over the checkout process. You can, for example, customise checkouts based on the contents of your shopping basket. A/B testing can also be used to increase conversions.
2) Scripts and Script Editor
For Shopify Plus members, the increased customization options don’t stop at the checkout. Merchants can now personalise clients’ shopping carts with the Scripts and Script Editor tool. This extremely handy feature allows you to give a consumer a discount based on certain criteria, such as the contents of their shopping basket. Customers might also be presented with distinct shipping and payment alternatives. Additionally, Shopify Plus merchants can use the Script Editor to create and edit scripts. The Script Editor includes templates to enable people with varying degrees of experience to get started. There’s also a debugger feature that lets you test your scripts once you’ve finished writing them. With the help of professional Shopify web development company, you can easily get your customized ecommerce store.
3) Enhanced Customer Support
Customers of Shopify already have access to a highly helpful customer support service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This amount of help will suffice for many firms, particularly smaller ones.
Some e-commerce stores, on the other hand, have more complex requirements that necessitate a higher level of support. In this aspect, Shopify Plus really shines, with merchants getting a dedicated Launch Manager. These agents are always available to help anytime it is required. This is true whether you’re starting from scratch or migrating from another platform to Shopify. The assistance ranges from providing recommendations for the finest third-party integrations to obtaining beneficial tools and locating compatible partners.
Customers who choose Shopify Plus will also have access to a Merchant Success Manager who will help them after their website goes live. This includes ongoing training and access to advice on various goods and industry advances 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
4) Unlimited Staff Accounts
When comparing the difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus, keep in mind that this functionality is more appealing to larger businesses. Depending on the merchant’s plan, Shopify grants access to the Shopify admin panel and Shopify POS to a varied number of employees. Shopify’s lower-tier subscriptions allow for up to 15 staff accounts and logins.
Shopify Plus, on the other hand, includes an unlimited number of employee accounts. This allows you to be more flexible with team roles while also increasing operational efficiency. You also have more control over the permissions that different members of your team have for their admin accounts.
5) Wholesale Sales Channel
The wholesale sales channel is another significant distinction between Shopify and Shopify Plus. This tool is only useful for specific types of enterprises, but for those who do, it is a huge help. Shopify Plus merchants have the option of creating a separate wholesale sales area on their website. Customers who require bulk purchases can use this password-protected area.
Merchants can provide exclusive wholesale prices to select wholesale consumers through the wholesale sales channel. Normal prices will still be displayed for all other consumers across the rest of the website. The wholesale sales channel will be especially valuable for store owners that have a combination of B2B and B2C models.
6) Store Automation
Merchants may use Shopify Plus’s strong capabilities to automate certain portions of their online stores. Shopify Flow is a template-based application that helps you automate practically every aspect of your business. Customer experience and management, inventory and order management, risk management, and more are all part of this. With Shopify Flow, you can build up a ticketing system, allowing employees to respond to consumer inquiries quickly. However, this one example only scratches the surface of what may be done with such a powerful instrument. Another useful tool is Launchpad, which allows you to schedule changes to inventory and website content. For example, if you have a future price change planned, Launchpad will update your website at the appropriate moment. This type of tool can help you free up more of your valuable time so you can focus on more important things.
7) Organisation Management
Shopify Plus also includes features that are particularly useful for larger businesses, such as the Organization Management admin tool. This tool helps multi-store retailers to manage their business on an organisational level. It saves you the trouble of having to make the identical modifications to each store separately.
The capability of Shopify Organization Management is remarkable. It can provide access to company-wide analytics, allowing for comparisons between different stores. Shopify Flow Management, which allows merchants to develop and change organization-wide workflows, is also available to them. Advanced user and store administration functions are also available.
Shopify vs Shopify Plus: Final Thoughts
That’s all there is to it. That’s the difference between Shopify and Shopify Plus. As can be seen, the decision between the two methods is based on your company’s specific circumstances. Most ecommerce shops can suffice with Shopify, but Shopify Plus adds a slew of new tools and perks. This features, among other things, configurable checkouts, improved customer service, unlimited staff accounts, the entire sales channel, and store automation.
However, before choosing between Shopify and Shopify Plus for your ecommerce site, the pricing must be considered. Hire a top-notch Shopify Plus Development company and get started today.
