Comparing E-Commerce Giants: Wix Vs Shopify

According to Statista, the global eCommerce market is set to reach $6,714 million, with an estimated 14 million users by 2029. With a market that is set to flourish and grow in the coming years, it is natural to see businesses from all industries moving towards ecommerce and selling online. This has paved the way for ecommerce platforms to capitalise and create an ecosystem for these businesses to grow. Out of these platforms, two standout as the giants in the industry, namely Wix and Shopify 

In this article, we will be discussing the battle between Wix vs Shopify, what each platform has to offer and how businesses can benefit from using these platforms to further their online growth. 

Wix vs Shopify: A Quick Comparision 

Before we can do a deep dive into the functionalities and benefits each platform can offer, let’s look at a quick comparison of the two platforms and how they match up against each other in terms of pricing, rating and templates. 

Wix vs Shopify: A Comprehensive Breakdown 

Now that we have seen what both Wix and Shopify offer based on different aspects that business owners look for. This will be broken down into the following categories: 

• Ease of Use 
• Selling Online 
• Business Promotion 
• Template Options 

While cost is a major factor for most business owners, the pricing of both of these platforms is relatively similar when it comes to upfront payment. The real costs arise when you are looking to hire individuals or Shopify store setup experts that will be managing these platforms and other overhead costs that go into running a platform. 

Ease of Use 

The first and foremost aspect that businesses look for when opting for an ecommerce platform is ease of use. This pertains to who can handle the platform and make changes as per requirement. This can either be someone in the company that has minimal training, or a best ecommerce developers. These factors impact the costs that businesses would need to incur. 

Wix: 

• Wix is renowned for its user-friendly drag-and-drop website builder, making it easy for beginners to create and customise their online stores. 

• The platform offers a wide range of pre-designed templates and intuitive editing tools, allowing users to quickly build professional-looking websites without any coding skills. 

• Wix provides step-by-step guidance throughout the website building process, making it simple to add products, customise layouts, and manage content. 

Shopify: 

• Shopify also offers a user-friendly interface with a straightforward setup process, although it may have a steeper learning curve compared to Wix for complete beginners. 

• While Shopify’s interface is intuitive, it’s tailored more towards e-commerce functionality, which may be advantageous for users solely focused on selling products online. 

• Shopify provides extensive documentation and support resources to help users navigate the platform and troubleshoot any issues. 

Verdict – Ease of Use: 
For beginners looking to quickly set up a website without prior experience, Wix’s drag-and-drop interface and guided setup process make it the more user-friendly option. However, for users specifically focused on e-commerce functionality, Shopify’s tailored interface may offer more comprehensive tools and features. 

Selling Online 

It is absolutely vital for businesses that are choosing a platform to analyse its ability to sell online. This pertains to the functionality the platform offers, the customisation options and integrations that drive online sales. 

Wix: 

• Wix offers built-in e-commerce functionality, allowing users to sell products directly from their websites. 

• The platform provides features such as customisable product galleries, secure payment options, and inventory management tools. 

• While Wix’s e-commerce capabilities are robust, they may not be as extensive or specialised as Shopify’s dedicated e-commerce platform. 

Shopify: 

• Shopify is designed specifically for online selling, offering a comprehensive suite of e-commerce tools and features. 

• The platform includes features such as customisable storefronts, secure checkout options, shipping and fulfilment integrations, and advanced analytics. 

• Shopify also offers a wide range of apps and integrations to extend the platform’s functionality and cater to specific business needs. 

Verdict – Selling Online: 
In terms of selling online, Shopify excels as a dedicated e-commerce platform with specialised features and integrations tailored for online businesses. While Wix offers e-commerce functionality, Shopify’s extensive toolkit and focus on online selling make it the preferred choice for businesses primarily focused on e-commerce. You might need the assistance of Shopify plus agencies to gain maximum output. 

Business Promotion 

Ecommerce platforms offer functionalities that are leveraged to promote your business. These can include tools for SEO, social media, email and other analytical tools that will help you improve your business and track performance. 

Wix: 

• Wix provides various built-in marketing tools and features to help businesses promote their websites and attract customers. 

• The platform includes SEO tools, social media integration, email marketing, and analytics to help businesses optimise their online presence and reach their target audience. 

• Wix’s App Market also offers additional marketing apps and integrations to further enhance promotional efforts. 

Shopify: 

• Shopify offers a range of marketing and promotional tools to help businesses drive traffic and sales. 

• The platform includes features such as discount codes, abandoned cart recovery, SEO optimisation, social media integration, and email marketing. 

• Shopify’s extensive app store also provides access to additional marketing apps and integrations to support various promotional strategies. 

Verdict – Business Promotion: 

Both Wix and Shopify offer robust marketing and promotional tools to help businesses attract customers and drive sales. However, Shopify’s specialised focus on e-commerce and comprehensive marketing features make it the preferred choice for businesses looking to maximise their online promotional efforts. 

Template Options 

Template options can be a deciding factor for certain businesses when it comes to picking a platform for your ecommerce venture. While this may not be the most important aspect, this is often seen as the tipping point and dictates whether the business owner will need a web and application developer. 

Wix: 

• Wix offers a vast selection of customisable templates for various industries and website types, including e-commerce stores. 

• The platform provides visually appealing and modern templates that are fully customisable to suit individual preferences and branding. 

• Wix’s drag-and-drop editor allows users to easily customise templates without any coding skills, providing flexibility in design options. 

Shopify: 

• Shopify also offers a wide range of professionally designed templates specifically tailored for online stores. 

• The platform provides themes with built-in e-commerce functionality, including product galleries, checkout pages, and mobile responsiveness. 

• While Shopify’s template selection may be more limited compared to Wix, the themes are highly optimised for e-commerce performance and offer advanced customisation options. 

Verdict – Template Options: 

Both Wix and Shopify offer a variety of professionally designed templates to create visually appealing websites. Wix’s extensive template library and flexible customisation options make it suitable for a wide range of businesses and website types. However, Shopify’s templates are specifically optimised for e-commerce functionality, making them the preferred choice for businesses focused on online selling. 

Wix vs Shopify: The Final Verdict 

While both platforms are head-to-head when it comes to performance and functionality in most regards, it all boils down to what your business needs. If you are just starting off with a minimum budget and want to create a visually appealing website for your limited product range, then Wix is easily the better option. 

On the other hand, if you are looking to have a more comprehensive online store and have the budget to hire resources and custom web development service providers to develop your online store, Shopify can be a great way to propel your business to new heights. It all boils down to requirements of the business