Published by Charlotte Davies
15.06.21
Now more than ever, it’s important that you have a reliable, robust and high performing ecommerce platform to run your business on. That’s why so many merchants are switching to Shopify over other platforms like WooCommerce.
Out-of-the-box Shopify comes with many benefits, including 24/7 support and security, unlimited customisation possibilities, and a carefully curated third-party app store, which gives entrepreneurs the freedom and flexibility to build and grow their business.
Here we deep dive into why so many merchants are migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify, what steps are involved in a migration, and share some examples of brands who have made the move and are already reaping the rewards.
A comparison of WooCommerce Vs Shopify
Ease of use
At first glance, WooCommerce appears to be an easier platform to use than Shopify because many people know WordPress. However, it’s an add-on to a platform that’s a native content management system (CMS). A CMS has different requirements than an ecommerce site, so while Shopify was built as a dedicated online store builder, WordPress’s came as an afterthought.
Also, WooCommerce requires many plugins and applications to build a functioning ecommerce site, so even for the most tech-savvy entrepreneur, WooCommerce can seem like an intimidating platform. In contrast, Shopify has been built with merchants’ success in mind. From day one, you have everything you need to build a high converting website. And unlike WooCommerce’s plugins, Shopify’s apps have been professionally developed and tested to ensure they can handle every business task imaginable, whilst remaining incredibly simple to integrate.
Security
Protecting yours and your customers’ data is paramount, and your business’s reputation depends on it.
However, WooCommerce isn’t PCI compliant like Shopify is, which means merchants have to keep updating their store to ensure their site is in line with PCI guidelines and protected against fraudsters and hackers.
24/7 customer support and service
When your business faces a problem, you want it resolved quickly. But for merchants on WooCommerce it’s difficult. This is because WooCommerce customer support isn’t readily available to troubleshoot issues or guide you to a solution. And if you’re wanting to add custom functionalities to your store, you’ll need to hire a ‘Woo Expert’, which can end up being incredibly costly.
However, with Shopify, you have access to 24/7 support and service, wherever and whenever you need it, day or night, via email, phone or live chat.
Site speed
For ecommerce success, site speed is essential. If your site is slow, your customers will bounce, which will result in lost sales for your business. With Shopify, this isn’t a problem. Its page load speed is 2.97 times faster than any other platform on the market, so you can spend less time worrying about speed and more on growing your business.
In contrast, WooCommerce can quickly become overloaded with all the plugins, scripts and code necessary for it to function properly. It’s also important to remember that WooCommerce itself is a WordPress plugin, so it slows down your site the moment you install it.
Integration with multiple channels
More and more customers are using different channels to shop, which means merchants have more ways to sell their products than ever before. However, to do this successfully, you need a system that can create a truly omnichannel experience and connect all these channels together in one central place.
Again, on Shopify this isn’t a problem because you can manage your business on one simple dashboard, so you can easily access data from online and offline channels, including all your brick-and-mortar point-of-sale needs, inventory tracking, customer purchases, and much more.
However, WooCommerce uses a series of disjointed systems and plugins to allow merchants to sell on their website, brick-and-mortar store, social media and other marketplaces. This makes it difficult for businesses to remain competitive and access all-important customer data.
Checkout process
One of the biggest barriers to purchase is the checkout process. Merchants want to make this as seamless as possible, removing any friction to make it as easy as possible for customers to hit the buy button.
On WooCommerce, it’s difficult to customise the checkout process to suit your customers’ needs. For example, integrating multiple payment options, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, can be tricky to configure because of the platform’s clunky back-end. On Shopify this isn’t a problem – it’s simple to integrate third-party payment integrations in just a few clicks. Not to mention, Shopify Checkout is optimised for conversions, speed and customer experience, making it one of the most powerful checkouts in the world.
How to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Migrating from WooCommerce to Shopify is a big decision for your business, and when you’re ready to make the switch, it’s important that the process is as smooth as possible.
So, here’s how you migrate your data from WooCommerce to Shopify in three steps:
Step 1: Export your store data from WooCommerce
Step 2: Import your store data to Shopify
Step 3: Review and update your imported data
At Velstar our Shopify Development team has years of experience when it comes to Shopify migrations, so we’ll do all the work for you.
Brands that have migrated from WooCommerce to Shopify
Here’s just a few of the brands that have made the switch:
1. Personalised Co
2. Wildling
3. T1TAN
4. Muscle Nation
5. HiSmile
6. Blue Vanilla
Final word
When comparing WooCommerce to Shopify side-by-side, it’s easy to see why so many merchants are migrating to Shopify. WooCommerce is a complex platform that requires a high level of knowledge to get the most out of it. Whereas, Shopify is simple to use, speedy, seamless, secure and scalable. So, if you’re looking for freedom to grow without having to worry about troubleshooting your technology, Shopify is the platform for you.
Get in touch with our team of Shopify experts today to give your business the platform it deserves. Let’s go!
