Are there any draw backs to building an e-commerce store on Shopify compared to WordPress?

The biggest drawback of using Shopify for your ecommerce store over WordPress is that it’s easier to build up content on a WordPress website to get more targeted SEO traffic than on Shopify.

Shopify doesn’t offer much of a content management system. It’s primarily a product management system with ecommerce built in.

Michaelsecom Tweet about WordPress vs Shopify

Drawbacks of Shopify

The main drawbacks of using Shopify for your ecommerce store over WordPress are:

  • Limited content management environment for building on-page content to drive organic SEO traffic to your website.
  • Limited categories for products (Shopify uses collections).
  • Shopify has a higher monthly expense than typical WordPress website hosting options.
  • Shopify requires you to use their merchant Visa, MasterCard, and Amex system at their fix rates that depend on your package. You can’t use third-party competitor credit card merchant providers, so you will pay more as your business grows.
Plan featureBasic ShopifyAll the basics for starting a new businessShopifyEverything you need for a growing businessAdvanced ShopifyAdvanced features for scaling your business
Monthly priceUSD$29/monthUSD$79/monthUSD$299/month
FEATURES
Online StoreIncludes ecommerce website and blog.YesYesYes
Unlimited productsYesYesYes
Staff accountsStaff members with access to the Shopify admin and Shopify POS.2515
24/7 supportYesYesYes
Sales channelsSell on online marketplaces and social media. Channel availability varies by country.YesYesYes
LocationsAssign inventory to retail stores, warehouses, pop-ups, or wherever you store products.up to 4up to 5up to 8
Manual order creationYesYesYes
Discount codesYesYesYes
Free SSL certificateYesYesYes
Abandoned cart recoveryYesYesYes
Gift cardsYesYesYes
Professional reportsNo–YesYes
Advanced report builderNo–No–Yes
Third-party calculated shipping ratesShow calculated rates with your own account or third-party apps at checkout.No–No–Yes
SHOPIFY PAYMENTS
Fraud analysisYesYesYes
Online credit card rates2.9% + 30¢ USD2.6% + 30¢ USD2.4% + 30¢ USD
In-person credit card rates2.7% + 0¢ USD2.5% + 0¢ USD2.4% + 0¢ USD
Additional fees using all payment providers other than Shopify Payments2.0%1.0%0.5%
POINT OF SALE
Shopify POS LiteAccept in-person payments instantly at pop-ups, markets, fairs, and more.YesYesYes
Shopify POS ProStore management tools and omnichannel features essential for brick-and-mortar businesses.+plus$89 USD/moper month+plus$89 USD/moper month+plus$89 USD/moper month
Shopify Merchant Costs