Shopify provides many benefits to business owners, but it’s fair to say that some may be put off by the cost.
Apart from the three types of plans that require monthly payments, Shopify also charges commissions for each transaction with credit cards accepted by the business. That’s a pretty big investment to make, especially for newer businesses who are just starting.
The eCommerce platform builder does offer you the chance to test the platform for free for 14 days, however, you cannot make any sales during this time.
Let’s look at what the free trial does offer you, and whether or not you should upgrade to a paid plan later on.
Signing up for Shopify
When you try Shopify for free for 14 days, you have the chance to set up your store from A-Z, from choosing Shopify Themes to adding product pages, creating content, and more.
By the end, your online store is technically ready for launch, the only thing it cannot do while on the free trial is process payments since the payment gateways have not been set up yet. Your free trial also begins when you first sign up, and not when you start working on your store, so be sure to take this step when you’re sure you want to test this service.
There are no strings attached to your free trial, which is why you can benefit from these 14 days with no credit card linked to your account. If your 14 days are over, then Shopify will not let you work on your store anymore without choosing a plan until you choose your plan.
But, you may also choose a paid plan while still within your free trial. If you finish setting up your store quickly, find it easy to work with, then you can just choose a Shopify plan that fits your needs and budget and head on to finish the job. You will not be charged any fees until your 14 days are up, and you can start selling online ASAP.
Should You Choose a Plan?
So let’s say you sign up for the free 14 days no credit card trial, start designing your store, but in the end, you’re still not sure if you should choose a Shopify plan or not.
Unfortunately, the free trial only lets you test Shopify from a technical standpoint, to see if you can manage your online store, but it doesn’t allow you to start testing it on consumers.
Let’s look at a few different pros and cons of Shopify that go beyond the platform’s usability:
Pros
Shopify is designed for eCommerce platforms, so pretty much any potential issue you may have with your online store already has a solution somewhere on Shopify.
It comes with a lot of benefits that are honestly hard to ignore:
- Integrated secure payment gateways;
- Shopify Payments, which allow you to accept credit cards;
- An extensive list of Shopify themes that can be customised;
- The Shopify app store, where you can find additional features or tools to help run your online business;
Integrated sales tax rates (United States only); - Easy ways to add products in your catalogue or modify them;
Great support team, etc. - Shopify lite, a $9/month plan for a ‘buy now’ button you can integrate on another site if you have products to sell but don’t want an online store.
Given all these possibilities, it’s easy to see why Shopify is so popular. However, it’s not all fun and games.
Cons
Shopify may not be for everyone, and there are a few downsides you should know about:
- It can be expensive. Apart from the actual monthly plans, you also have quite a few other fees that can quickly add up, such as transaction fees, app fees, or even that one-time payment for a fee. Opening a Shopify store is an investment, and it doesn’t come cheap;
- As opposed to WordPress, you are limited to the apps and functionalities that Shopify offers. If what you want doesn’t exist, you can either create an app or a better off using a different CMS.
Conclusion
Though you can quickly open an account, and get a free trial with no credit card required, Shopify doesn’t let you launch your store for free. But it still may be worth the effort to see if the platform can offer you the best eCommerce solution.
If you need some help with your shopify website development, book a free 30-minute meeting with Australian Internet Advertising now.
