Would you like to digitalize your business and have your own e-commerce site? To get your own online store, you'll certainly have to choose between the Shopify and PrestaShop platforms. To help you choose the one that best suits your needs, contact Soledis first. Headquartered in Vannes and with over 350 customers of all profiles (B2C, SME, B2B, pure player, etc.), our agency is an expert in e-commerce and digital strategy. We can therefore create your e-commerce site using the CMS best suited to your needs. Find out more below about the criteria you need to consider when making your choice.
Assess your initial needs
In order to choose the best platform for your specific needs and business volume, you need to take a number of parameters into account. These include the growth you're aiming for, the size of your online store, the sales you're currently generating, and the changes you're planning for the long term. Similarly, your project may involve the creation of a new site, or a partial or complete overhaul of an existing online store.
Evaluate your budget
One of the first criteria you need to take into account when choosing your future e-commerce platform is the budget you are willing/able to devote to it. Pricing is the first point of difference between PrestaShop and Shopify. In the case of the first platform, you're dealing with an open-source content management system (CMS), which you can use free of charge, even if hosting and a domain name are required (at a cost).
Shopify, on the other hand, is an "all-inclusive" solution that is not available free of charge, and requires you to take out a subscription. The cost will depend on the type of subscription you choose. You should be aware that transaction fees will be applied at rates that depend on the offer taken out.
Criteria for making the right choice
To choose the ideal online platform for your business, your decision will have to be based on several fundamental parameters. In addition to the question of budget, you'll need to consider the platform's ease of use, the number of modules and add-ons available to upgrade your site, the question of hosting, and guaranteed performance and security. Here too, the nature of your business and the volume of your transactions will determine the most appropriate platform.
Hosting: the differences between the two platforms
As mentioned above, Prestashop is a solution self-hosted, requiring installation of a CMS on a web hosting system and configure the site. Although relatively straightforward, this process can be daunting for many companies, but you'll have the opportunity to customize your e-commerce platform as you see fit.
Shopify, on the other hand, is a fully hosted platform and requires no technical skills whatsoever. You won't have to worry about hosting, either, as everything is included.
Ease of use: an essential criterion
If you've never created an online store before, Shopify will be much easier to implement. Thanks to an extremely simplified, drag-and-drop interface, you'll have no trouble managing your items, sales and inventory.
On the other hand, if you're not a beginner and you're capable of managing all aspects of your site, or if you'd like to take the customization of your e-commerce platform a step further, PrestaShop offers features that require minimal computer and office skills.
Features and available extensions/add-ons
In terms of extensions and modules, the two platforms offer essentially identical services. With Shopify, you'll be able to choose from thousands of possible extensions, some free, some not, such as live chat. For the other platform, there are also thousands of modules to choose from, not to mention over 2,000 different themes and templates ... enough to help you find the design you want for your site with ease! All in all, you'll find the same possibilities on both platforms for adding functionalities.
Performance and safety
Here are two criteria you absolutely must not overlook when designing your e-commerce platform. On Shopify, hosting is managed by the publisher of your site. In terms of performance, extensions will enable you to increase the loading speed of your online store. You can also add other applications to increase your site's level of protection.
For PrestaShop, it's up to you to manage your accommodation. You'll be able to exercise advanced control in this area. Depending on the web host you choose, you'll benefit from guaranteed site availability, unlimited bandwidth and increased speed.
Other criteria to consider
Ask yourself, what are the means of payment that you wish to offer on your online store. The methods available are quite similar on both platforms, and include PayPal, Visa and MasterCard or Amazon Pay. Of course, you can also add other payment solutions by installing add-ons, which are generally chargeable.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is all about getting your site to rank high on search engines. Both platforms offer the ability to optimize your site for natural referencing, with access to all the parameters in question, such as meta tags, meta description and URL slug.
WooCommerce: the WordPress e-commerce extension
Finally, don't forget that if you have a WordPress site, it's perfectly possible to turn it into an e-commerce store with the WooCommerce add-on. This extension is ideal for visit small-scale e-business projects or require a large volume of content (pages or blog posts).
WooCommerce offers all the functionalities required for an e-commerce site, making it a complete, high-performance tool for your online business: product creation and management, marketing tools, delivery and billing management, and even management of a range of payment methods.
The extension is free and has a catalog of free and paid plugins. Note that the creation of an advanced WooCommerce e-shop requires development skills, so it's advisable to call on the services of an experienced WooCommerce developer. e-commerce agency to accompany you.
Conclusion
As you've discovered, the choice of your e-commerce platform should be based on an analysis of several criteria. To make sure you have the best possible site for your business, contact Soledis for tailor-made advice from experts in the field.
