It’s undeniable that eCommerce has experienced tremendous growth over the years, becoming a pivotal industry for businesses worldwide. With the increasing desire to establish online ventures, selecting the right eCommerce platform holds significant importance. For those grappling with the decision between Shopify and Storenvy, this article aims to provide clarity and guidance to aid in making the best choice for your online store.
Shopify and Storenvy Overview
What is Shopify?
Shopify is an online platform that helps people create and manage their own online stores. It provides tools and features to set up a store, add products, process payments, and manage inventory. Shopify is popular for its user-friendly interface and scalability, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Read more: How to Uninstall A Shopify App
What is Storenvy?
Storenvy is an online platform where people can create their own stores to sell things. It started in 2009 and is known for its community feel, allowing sellers to set up shop within a larger marketplace.
Their interface is similar to a social media platform. It provides tools for managing products, orders, and payments, and encourages interaction between buyers and sellers. On Storenvy, shoppers can interact (like), add products to their cart, and contact sellers through direct messages. It’s popular among independent sellers and creatives looking to sell their products online.
Compare Shopify and Storenvy
| Comparison |
Shopify |
Storenvy |
| Platform type |
Webstores |
Marketplaces |
| Design |
10 free + 60 premium templates |
2 free + 20 premium themes |
| Code requirements |
Customization in Liquid language |
No coding required |
| Feature |
Comprehensive web store management |
Basic commerce features |
| Domain URL |
Customizable domain selection |
Unique domain provided |
| Shipping |
Advanced |
Basic |
| Analytics |
Detailed statistics with powerful tools |
Integrated Google Analytics |
| Free plan |
14-day trial with published store |
Limitless plan available |
| Pricing |
Starting at $29/month |
Starting at $15/month |
| Additional fees |
Transaction fees |
Commission fees |
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Shopify and Storenvy in the table below:
1. Shopify
Pros
- Simple setup and management
- Offers beautifully-designed templates
- Comprehensive features
Cons
- Requires knowledge of Liquid for backend customization
- Extra fees for third-party payment gateways
- Basic plan lacks store reports
2. Storenvy
Pros
- Access to a large social marketplace
- Fully independent store
- Cost-effective
- No coding knowledge required for easy use.
Cons
- High fees for marketplace visibility
- Limited functionality compared to Shopify
- Marketplace not as extensive as Etsy and eBay
|
Pros |
Cons |
| Shopify |
Simple setup and management |
Requires knowledge of Liquid for backend customization |
| Offers beautifully-designed templates |
Extra fees for third-party payment gateways |
| Comprehensive features |
Basic plan lacks store reports |
| Storenvy |
Access to a large social marketplace |
High fees for marketplace visibility |
| Fully independent store |
Limited functionality compared to Shopify |
| Cost-effective |
Marketplace not as extensive as Etsy and eBay |
5 key differences between Shopify and Storenvy
1. User-Friendliness
Shopify
- Requires no web design or coding skills
- Orders can be managed easily through an automatable fulfillment dashboard
- Responsive interface across desktop and mobile devices
Storenvy
- No design or technical knowledge needed
- Central dashboard for managing various aspects of the store
- Initial setup may be more complex and time-consuming compared to Shopify
Summary
While both platforms offer ease of use, Shopify excels with its simplicity and efficiency, particularly in order management and responsiveness. Storenvy, while also user-friendly, may require a bit more time and effort during the initial setup phase.
2. Design Flexibility
Shopify
- Offers a wide selection of well-designed templates.
- The collection includes 10 free and over 60 premium templates.
- Templates are user-friendly for individuals with no coding background.
- Easy customization of colors, images, and visual elements.
- Backend modifications may require collaboration with a developer due to Liquid templating code.
- Premium templates come with a high price tag of $180 each.
Storenvy
- Provides a website builder with HTML and CSS editing capabilities.
- The collection includes 2 free and over 20 premium templates.
- Appeals to users with coding experience, allowing for extensive customizations.
- Non-technical users have limited control but can still personalize colors, text, banners, images, and layout components.
- Offers a range of themes, some with an additional charge of around $30 each.
- Themes provide unique and attractive options for those investing in their store’s appearance.
Summary
- Shopify: Ideal for non-coders prioritizing user-friendliness and pre-designed templates.
- Storenvy: Suitable for users with coding knowledge seeking complete control over design.
3 . Compatibility with Analytics
Shopify
- Offers an overview dashboard with valuable business insights through analytics.
- Provides statistics such as sales figures, top-performing products, landing page performance, referrers, and returning customer rates.
- Empowers users to create custom reports tailored to their specific needs.
- Advanced Shopify and Shopify Plus plans include pre-defined reports, enhancing analytics capabilities.
Storenvy
- Lacks built-in analytic tools, which is a limitation.
- Permits integration with third-party analytics tools like Google Analytics.
- Provides basic insights such as sales counts, unique visitors, page view counts, top referring URLs, and top search engine terms.
Summary
Shopify’s integrated analytics offer comprehensive and robust features, surpassing the basic insights provided by Storenvy’s integrated analytics.
4. Help and Support
Shopify
- Exceptional support is available 24/7 via email, phone, and live chat for all plans.
- Quality support praised by customers, with multilingual email support.
- Vast community of thousands of online shop owners, providing active user support.
- Access to help through dedicated Facebook groups or forums.
Storenvy
- Limited customer service with technical support only available through email or contact form.
- Lack of phone or live-chat assistance.
- Response time can take up to twenty-four hours.
- No premium support available on higher plans.
- User communities are less active compared to Shopify’s.
Summary
Shopify’s comprehensive support channels, including email, phone, and live chat, along with an active user community, provide quicker and more reliable assistance compared to Storenvy’s limited support options.
5. Pricing and Additional fees
Shopify
Storenvy
- Storenvy provides a forever-free plan along with three other options:
- Hobbyist: Free, with up to 1000 listings.
- Plus: $14.99/month, offering additional features like discounts.
- Pro: $29.99/month, including automation tools.
- Plus and Pro plans are priced at $14.99/month and $29.99/month respectively, offering additional features.
- Does not charge additional fees for products sold through your store.
- Applies a 15% charge on the final sale price, including shipping fees, for products sold via a listing on their marketplace.
Summary
With Storenvy’s budget-friendly pricing options and no additional fees for products sold through your store, Storenvy offers better value for money compared to Shopify’s varying monthly costs and additional payment gateway fees.
Conclusion
Deciding between Shopify and Storenvy depends on what you need for your business. Shopify is great for scalability and support, while Storenvy offers budget-friendly options and a community-focused approach. Consider your priorities and goals to choose the platform that suits your business best.
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