The internet has made it easier than ever to start and run a business. You can now sell products online without having to worry about inventory, shipping, or any of the other hassles that come with traditional brick-and-mortar businesses. But just because you can sell products online doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. There are a lot of different ways to sell products online, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Two of the most popular ways to sell products online are through Shopify and Amazon FBA (fulfillment by Amazon). In this article, we’re going to compare Shopify vs Amazon FBA to help you decide which is the best option for your business.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is a platform that allows you to create an online store. It’s a turnkey solution that takes care of everything from hosting to security to payments. You can use Shopify to sell physical or digital products, and it’s one of the easiest ways to get started selling online.
Pros of using Shopify
i. Shopify is easy to use
Why use Shopify to start a business online? Shopify is a very user-friendly platform. Even if you’ve never created a website before, you should be able to create a professional-looking store with Shopify. The platform is very intuitive, and there are plenty of resources (such as theme templates and online tutorials) to help you get started. With Shopify, you don’t need to worry about any of the technical aspects of running an online store.
ii. Shopify has a wide range of features
Shopify comes with a lot of features that will be useful for your business, such as sourcing tools, marketing tools, abandoned cart recovery, and support for multiple languages and currencies. And if you need even more features, there are plenty of apps that you can add to your Shopify store.
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iii. Shopify is scalable
As your business grows, Shopify will be able to grow with you. There are no limits on the number of products you can sell or the amount of traffic your store can get. And if you need more advanced features, you can always upgrade to a higher-priced plan.
iv. Shopify has a good customer support
If you ever run into any problems with your store, Shopify has a team of customer support representatives who are always willing to help. You can contact them by phone, email, or live chat, and they usually respond very quickly.
v. Shopify is affordable
Shopify plans start at just $29 per month, which is very reasonable for all the features you get. And if you need more advanced features, the next highest plan is only $79 per month.
Cons of using Shopify
i. Shopify has a learning curve
Even though Shopify is easy to use, there is still a bit of a learning curve. It will take some time to learn how to use all of the features and customize your store the way you want.
ii. Shopify stores can look “generic”
Because there are so many Shopify stores out there, they can start to look a bit “generic.” If you want your store to stand out, you’ll need to put in some extra effort to make it unique.
iii. You’ll need to pay for apps
If you want to add any extra features to your Shopify store, you’ll need to pay for apps. Some of the apps can be expensive, and they can quickly add up.
What is Amazon FBA?
Amazon FBA (fulfillment by Amazon) is a program that allows you to sell your products on Amazon.com. With Amazon FBA, you send your products to Amazon, and they take care of storage, shipping, and customer service for you.
Pros of using Amazon FBA
i. You’ll get exposure to Amazon’s huge customer base
One of the biggest advantages of using Amazon FBA is that you’ll get exposure to Amazon’s huge customer base. Amazon is the largest eCommerce platform in the world, so selling on Amazon will help you reach a lot more potential customers.
ii. Amazon FBA is convenient
Another advantage of Amazon FBA is that it’s very convenient. With Amazon FBA, you don’t have to worry about storage, shipping, or customer service. Amazon will take care of all of that for you. The only thing you need to worry about is creating and selling your products.
iii. Amazon FBA is scalable
Amazon FBA is also very scalable. If your business starts to grow, you can easily increase your inventory and start selling more products. For example, if you start out selling 10 products per day, but then your business grows and you start selling 100 products per day, Amazon will be able to handle that for you.
iv. You’ll get access to Amazon’s shipping rates
When you use Amazon FBA, you’ll get access to Amazon’s shipping rates. This can save you a lot of money on shipping, since Amazon has negotiated rates with UPS and FedEx.
v. You can use Prime shipping
If you use Amazon FBA, you’ll also be able to offer Prime shipping to your customers. This is a huge advantage, since Prime customers are more likely to buy from you.
Cons of using Amazon FBA
i. You’ll have to pay fees to Amazon
The biggest downside of Amazon FBA is that you’ll have to pay fees to Amazon. These fees can add up, and they can take a big chunk out of your profits. The good news is that you can use Amazon’s shipping rates to offset some of these fees.
ii. You’ll be competing with other sellers
Another downside of Amazon FBA is that you’ll be competing with other sellers who are also using the program. This can make it difficult to stand out and get your products noticed.
iii. Amazon can change the rules at any time
Another thing to keep in mind is that Amazon can change the rules at any time. For example, they could raise the fees, or change the way they promote products. This can be a big risk for your business, and it’s something you need to be aware of.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Which is better?
Both Shopify and Amazon FBA have their own set of pros and cons. In the end, it really depends on your needs and preferences as to which one is better for you. If you need a more advanced platform with more features, Shopify would be the better choice. However, if you’re looking for a simpler platform that is convenient and easy to use, Amazon FBA would be the better choice. The most important thing is to choose the platform that’s right for you and your business.