Which Website Builder Is Best For Your Business? (Part 3 of 3)
(Comparing 3 Popular Website Builders to Buying a Home)
As there are many web builders available, there are 10-times as many articles describing how they are different from each other. I’m not here to try to re-invent the wheel, just offer a different perspective on how to explain these differences in a way anyone could understand.
I focused on three popular choices today: WordPress, Wix and Shopify. All three of these options are credible, reliable platforms in their own right, depending on what you need them for. But how do you know what you need? For the past month, I have been distinguishing these popular web builders from each other by depicting them as newly built homes. I started with Part 1: The pros and cons of WordPress and then continued with Part 2: The pros and cons of Wix
For my third and final part of this study, I’ll focus on Shopify.
Shopify
Pros:
- Sites have a very modern look
- Sites are very fast
- Highly Secure
- 24/7 Customer support
- Good marketing options (SEO, Tags and Ad words)
- Very easy to set up your store
Cons:
- Monthly fees can get expensive as there are a percentage of sales that goes to Shopify. There are also transaction fees.
- Poor blogging capabilities
- You can export your site information only in the form of a spreadsheet
- Custom edits are difficult because Shopify uses a language called Liquid and not standard HTML and CSS
- Very Limited site themes
If you plan on opening a store within your house, the Shopify home is PERFECT for you! Your home will be built quickly and it will be very secure. Whenever there’s something wrong, you can always call the repairman and they’ll be ready at any given notice. An additional benefit is the Shopify home makes it very easy to promote your store. Unfortunately, there are even less looks available than the Wix home. You may find that your home looks exactly like everyone else’s in your neighborhood aside from the colors! Because your home doubles as a shop, there are fees that you must pay. Consider this like an HOA fee. Depending on your inventory, these costs can add up. Another drawback is the limited additions you can make to your home. And if you decide to, the contractors speak another language; so better have your Rosetta Stone handy! Like the Wix house, if you plan on moving just make sure you aren’t attached to any of your possessions!
I know this is a radically different way to compare web building platforms but it gives an innovative approach to a commonly asked question. While there are many other alternatives available, these are the platforms that I have the most experience with. I find as a web developer that WordPress is the best all around site builder given the magnitude of its community, themes and plugins available. However, for the inexperienced web builder, this platform has a high learning curve and will take time to master. The best option in this case would be Wix. While Wix has limited editing capabilities and plugins available, its drag and drop interface is intuitive and easy to use. These make it a perfect option for the DIY designer with time on their hands. Shopify is the perfect option if you plan on building your site yourself and wish to incorporate an ecommerce store. It is simple to use, fast, secure, but unfortunately has even less editing options available than Wix.
As you can see, these three platforms each come with their own benefits and drawbacks. I suggest trying each of them out to see which is best for you!
