With more than 1.1 million stores on their platform, Shopify is now the second largest e-commerce platform in the United States - surpassing eBay and Etsy. The company has seen a steady growth of 50% year over year since its inception, which has been attributed to increasing market share worldwide as well as an increase in business from small businesses that can't afford large capital investments for an online store. Along with this success, many entrepreneurs are flocking to Shopify Plus because it offers them more features than their other platforms like Amazon Web Services or Magento Commerce Cloud - such as unlimited bandwidth and storage space.
As the retail industry rapidly changes due to technological evolution, there are always new challenges facing businesses. One of the biggest challenges is scalability and automated processes.
Needless to say, business processes become severely compromised when the support system fails or at worst, crashes. To help companies overcome these obstacles in today's market, Shopify has invested in a larger servers and support at enterprise level.
With recent success stories like Peach Airlines and The Body Shop using their platform for business, as well as partnerships with major retailers such as Walmart Canada and Target US, it's no wonder that big brands are choosing this Canadian company for their online business.
The newest large brand, Netflix launched an online store for program-inspired apparel. The pop culture colossus launched an online store with apparel, objects and art inspired by a few of its most popular programs.
Here is a link to larger brands utilizing Shopify as their ecommerce platform.
WHAT IS SHOPIFY?
Shopify is a web application that gives you the opportunity to build and own your own online store.
WHY DO YOU NEED A SHOPPING CART?
AND, do you need a website as well?
These are some of the questions I get often.
You don't need a website if you have a shopping platform like Shopify. Shopify is your shopping cart and website, and even a blog!
What is the difference between a shopping platform and a shopping cart?
Shopping cart software is a piece of e-commerce software on a web server that allows visitors to an Internet site to select items for eventual purchase.
Wikipedia says: “The software allows online shopping customers to accumulate a list of items for purchase. At the point of sale, the software typically calculates a total for the order, including freight transport, postage as well as packaging and labeling. The software computes associated taxes as applicable.”
Shopify says: “A shopping platform, or more accurately, an e-commerce platform is a piece of online subscription software that allows you to build an online business. It gives you all the tools to create and manage your site, including products and day-to-day operations.
Shopify is a subscription to a software service that offers you to create a website and use their shopping cart solution to sell, ship, and manage your products. Using their service, you can get access to easy to use admin panel where you can add products, process orders, and enter store data.
Shopify is a complete commerce platform that lets you start, grow, and manage a business. Create and customize an online store. Sell in multiple places, including web, mobile, social media, online marketplaces, brick-and-mortar locations, and pop-up shops. Manage products, inventory, payments, and shipping.”
WHY SHOPIFY?
Shopify is a web application that gives you the opportunity to build and own your own online store.
The first thing about Shopify is its ease of use. Even if you are not tech-savvy, you can set up your Shopify store.
Shopify is your website, store, and blog. And if you register your domain with Shopify, you have your business emails as well.
Shopify connects you to several different marketplaces like Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, E-bay, Walmart, Pinterest, and Rakutten.
Shopify gives you the ability to directly integrate with other vendors to source dropship or POD (print-on-demand) products from China, Europe and the USA.
Payment options in Shopify is a built-in payment system, which makes it easy to set up your payment merchant account without fuss. It literally means, adding your information to Shopify admin and starting to receive payments. Also, you can accept multiple currencies in Shopify.
As an author...if you are on KDP, you only get paid in 90 Days. In Shopify, your payments hit your account in 3 Days.
It is good to be on Amason KDP, because they have millions of customers. But those customers are not yours.
If you had your own website and store, those customers belong to you.
Order processing and shipping is handled within your Shopify admin and you can create your shipping labels, invoices, tracking, etc. without any problems.
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Also in eCommerce Success Blog
What is the difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Products import and export?
By Veronica Jeans, Bestselling Author November 16, 2024
Shopify CSV vs Matrixify Excel: A Comprehensive Guide to Product Management
Managing product data in an e-commerce platform can be a complex task, especially when dealing with large inventories. This article compares two prominent methods for handling product data in Shopify: the native CSV system and the Matrixify Excel approach. We'll explore how these tools differ and why choosing the right one can significantly impact your workflow efficiency.
Shopify vs Matrixify Comparison
Detailed Comparison between Shopify & Matrixify Product Management & Uploads
File Format and Basic Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Data Management Capabilities
1. Product Export Features
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
2. Image Handling
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Advanced Features
3. Metafields Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
4. Product Updates and Maintenance
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
5. Inventory Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
6. Template Management
Shopify CSV
Matrixify Excel
Special Features
Matrixify Exclusive Capabilities
1. HTML Code Optimization
2. Variant Management
3. Publishing Control
Best Practices and Recommendations
When to Use Shopify CSV
When to Use Matrixify Excel
While Shopify's native CSV system provides basic functionality for smaller stores, Matrixify Excel offers a more robust, flexible, and efficient solution for managing product data. The choice between the two largely depends on your store's size, complexity, and specific needs. For larger operations or those requiring detailed control over their product data, Matrixify Excel presents clear advantages in terms of functionality, efficiency, and scalability.
Remember that investing time in learning the more powerful tool can save significant time and reduce errors in the long run, especially as your store grows and your product management needs become more complex.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General Questions
What's the main difference between Shopify CSV and Matrixify Excel?
The main difference is that Shopify CSV is a basic file format with limited functionality, while Matrixify Excel offers advanced features like real-time tracking, multiple sheets, and partial updates. Matrixify also allows you to work with pure Excel files instead of CSV format.
Which option is better for my store?
It depends on your store size and needs:
Use Shopify CSV if:
Use Matrixify if:
File Size & Limitations
What are the file size limitations?
Shopify CSV: 15MB maximum
Matrixify: Can handle gigabytes of data (600,000+ products)
How many products can each handle?
Shopify CSV: small catalog
Matrixify: 600,000+ products in one import
Features & Functionality
Can I update specific fields without replacing entire products?
Shopify CSV: No, you must replace the entire product
Matrixify: Yes, you can update individual fields
How do multiple images work in each system?
Shopify CSV: Requires separate rows for each image
Matrixify: All images can be in one row, separated by semicolons
Can I manage metafields?
Shopify CSV: No metafield support
Matrixify: Full metafield support with column-based management
Import/Export Process
How do I track the progress of my import?
Shopify CSV: No tracking wait for email notification
Matrixify: Real-time progress bar with estimated completion time
Can I cancel an import once it's started?
Shopify CSV: No
Matrixify: Yes, at any time during the import
Data Management
What happens to product IDs during import?
Shopify CSV: Creates new IDs, breaking collection references
Matrixify: Maintains existing IDs and references
How are variants handled?
Shopify CSV: Each variant requires a separate row
Matrixify: Can generate variants from combinations using semicolon separation
Technical Questions
How does each handle HTML in descriptions?
Shopify CSV: Leaves escaped HTML code as is
Matrixify: Automatically fixes escaped HTML code to normal HTML
Can I manage inventory across multiple locations?
Shopify CSV: Limited location support
Matrixify: Full multi-location inventory management
Best Practices
What's the recommended way to update product prices?
Shopify CSV: Must upload full product data
Matrixify: Can update prices alone using a simple price column
How should I handle large product catalogs?
Shopify CSV: Split into multiple files under 15MB
Matrixify: Can handle in single file with filtering options
Troubleshooting
What if my import fails?
Shopify CSV: Check email for basic error message
Matrixify: Detailed error reporting with specific row/column information
How do I fix broken product references?
Shopify CSV: Manually rebuild collections and references
Matrixify: No action needed references are maintained
Integration & Compatibility
Do these work with all Shopify plans?
Both work with all Shopify plans, but Matrixify requires a separate subscription.
Can I use these with other e-commerce platforms?
Shopify CSV: Shopify-specific format
Matrixify: Designed for Shopify but Excel format is more universal
Support & Resources
Where can I find documentation?
Shopify CSV: Shopify Help Center
Matrixify: Comprehensive documentation with tutorials and examples
Is there technical support available?
Shopify CSV: General Shopify support
Matrixify: Dedicated support team with Excel/import expertise
Cost & Efficiency
Which option is more time-efficient?
Matrixify is generally more time-efficient due to:
Faster processing of large files
How do they compare in terms of cost?
Shopify CSV: Free with Shopify subscription
Matrixify: Requires separate subscription but offers more features and efficiency
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