Is Webflow the new Shopify? An exciting juxtaposition
Intro
In recent years, e-commerce has turned our entire consumer behavior upside down. Now even my grandparents order from Amazon and have the stuff delivered to their front door. It's also better, because if you're over 80, you shouldn't drive too often anymore. Shopify is the absolute top dog among e-commerce platforms and offers powerful tools that are also very easy to use. So it's no wonder that both established brands such as Snocks and smaller shops selling mussel necklaces rely on Shopify. Webflow, on the other hand, is more known as the modern WordPress, but now also covers e-commerce. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the difference between Webflow and Shopify when it comes to e-com and find out which system is best suited for which requirements.
Creating the shop design
Webflow and Shopify are very different when it comes to their design customization options. Webflow is the world's most advanced website builder and has virtually no design limits. Shopify, on the other hand, offers a wide range of ready-made templates and templates that are sometimes more and sometimes less adaptable.
If you want to create a truly individual shop design with Shopify, you can't avoid custom code. However, the same result could be developed much faster, more cost-effectively and without custom code in Webflow.
E-commerce functionality
Both platforms offer basic e-commerce features such as product listings, shopping cart, payment processing, and order management. However, Shopify is specifically geared towards e-commerce and therefore offers a wider range of features and extensions to meet the specific needs of online retailers. For example, it offers a wide range of payment gateways, analytics tools, integrated shipping options, and an extensive AppStore with third-party extensions.
In direct comparison, Webflow offers more basic features. No analytics, no statistics, not even automated invoicing. For me personally, this combination of missing features is the dealbreaker for Webflow as a serious Shopify competitor.
Of course, some features can be added with external tools and plugins. However, the overall usability of Shopify is significantly better from the perspective of a shop provider.
Pricing
Both Webflow and Shopify offer 3 different plans. Prices range from a cheap entry-level plan to more extensive plans for larger companies.
Depending on the plan, transaction fees, the number of possible products and employee accounts vary for both providers.
Webflow can take advantage of transaction fees, as no transaction fees are charged starting with the “Plus” e-commerce site plan. Shopify, on the other hand, always grabs a small share of your sales regardless of the plan.
Webflow is a bit cheaper in terms of price, although the price difference of a few euros per month will be more secondary for high-turnover shops. Especially since Shopify comes with extremely powerful e-commerce tools that justify the higher price.
Anyone who plays with the big boys with their store can request an Enterprise Plan from both providers whose pricing is subject to individual requirements. Webflow doesn't give a price here, Shopify starts at $2000/month.
SEO
Both Webflow and Shopify place great value on the search engine optimization (SEO) of their websites. Both platforms allow you to optimize meta tags, URL structure, and page descriptions. Shopify offers good integration of SEO tools and extensions to improve visibility and ranking on search engines. Webflow scores points with the option to integrate an additional blog. The bottom line is that the two platforms aren't taking much advantage of each other, although Webflow is a bit ahead of the pack.
Is Webflow the new Shopify?
Currently (still?) not. And if so, it will certainly take a while. Because even at Shopify, the development mills keep grinding. But for whom is something suitable now?
Webflow is better for those who want a high degree of customization and full control over the design, while Shopify offers the better all-in-one solution.
This is because Shopify is specifically designed for e-commerce and provides a wider range of features and extensions. With my humble opinion, I advise every company whose core business is to bring products to women or men and does not need an extravagant shop with fancy animations to use Shopify.
Anyone who opts for extravagance also opts for some workarounds and usability compromises with Webflow. But where there is shadow, there is also light. Because Webflow makes it possible to develop beautiful individual shops. With Shopify, however, things are much easier to do — but the design is more or less off the shelf.
Do you want extravagance for your shop? Then book one for yourself free consultation With me and we will see together whether Webflow is the right platform for your e-commerce company.
