Shopify vs Volusion: Which Platform Suits Your Online Store Needs?

If you’re on the hunt for an eCommerce platform, chances are you’ve stumbled upon Volusion and Shopify. At first glance, these platforms may seem comparable in terms of usability and cost. However, delve deeper, and you’ll uncover a myriad of distinctions. Shopify boasts an extensive array of features, integrations, and design possibilities, while Volusion takes pride in its affordability in payment processing. 

Our comprehensive comparison will dissect the nuances of both platforms, letting you make an informed decision for your store’s unique requirements. Whether you prioritize versatility, budget-friendliness, or a seamless user experience, we’ll help you choose the perfect digital platform for your business.

• What is Volusion?
• Strengths and Weaknesses of Volusion
• What is Shopify?
• Strengths and Weaknesses of Shopify
• Which Platform Wins?
• FAQ

Volusion

What is Volusion?

Volusion eCommerce website builder is designed for individuals and businesses to create and manage online stores. It’s a SaaS eCommerce platform providing customizable website templates, product catalog management, secure payment gateways, order processing, inventory management, and marketing tools like SEO optimization and social media integration. 

Despite filing for bankruptcy in 2020, Volusion continues to operate normally, offering its services to users.

Strengths of Volusion

Like other SaaS eCommerce platforms, Volusion prioritizes ease of use, enabling brands and small businesses to swiftly set up and manage sites with minimal technical developer support. Volusion offers: 

• User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies building and customizing stores with a drag-and-drop editor.
• Built-in Features: Includes inventory management, order processing, and payment integration for streamlined eCommerce.
• Design Templates: Provides diverse, customizable templates to match brand identity and aesthetic preferences.
• Marketing Tools: Equips merchants with SEO optimization, email marketing, and social media integration.
• Security: Prioritizes platform security with SSL certification and PCI compliance to safeguard customer data and transactions.
• Customer Support: Offers robust assistance via email and live chat, while phone support is available to customers on high tier plans.
• Mobile App: Allows convenient store management from mobile devices.
• Analytics Tools: Provides insights into customer behavior for informed decision-making.

Weaknesses of Volusion

Volusion faces several limitations in platform functionality, user experience, and marketing, which collectively pose obstacles for businesses operating on the platform.

Platform Functionality

Small Ecosystem and Customer Base: Although Volusion has about 30,000 online stores and has processed around 185 million orders since its start, compared to its competitors, this number is relatively low. As a result, users of Volusion might not benefit as much from network effects and available resources as users of competing platforms.

Lack of Niche Focus: Volusion doesn’t focus on specific business sectors like some competitors do, which might deter merchants looking for tailored features relevant to their industry.

Limited Features: Volusion lacks certain features, like selling digital products, limited platform integration with Amazon and eBay, and robust help and support options. These limits might make it harder for merchants to keep up with what customers want and meet evolving market demands.

Scaling Difficulty: Volusion has shown challenges in scalability, as it lacks robust expansion capabilities compared to other eCommerce platforms. This limitation could impede the growth trajectory of businesses experiencing increasing traffic and sales volumes.

User Experience

User-Friendliness: Volusion’s platform is not as user-friendly as its competitors, posing challenges in customizing websites and navigating the front end.

Customization Challenges: Customizing websites on Volusion can be cumbersome for users lacking technical knowledge, as editing and customizing the storefront may require a certain level of expertise.

Mobile Setup Challenges: Volusion provides a mobile setup that includes a built-in mobile site instead of a responsive version of the website, which may impact user experience and accessibility on mobile devices.

Marketing

SEO & Design Options: Volusion has been criticized for its limited SEO capabilities and design options, which may hinder the customization and search engine visibility of online stores.

Limited Blogging Functionality: The absence of comprehensive blogging features in Volusion restricts content marketing efforts and the ability to connect with customers through blog posts.

Shopify

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a leading SaaS eCommerce platform that provides a wide range of tools for creating, customizing, and managing online stores. It offers features for product sourcing, sales tracking, payment processing, shipping, customer accounts, marketing, and reporting. With user-friendly interfaces, customizable themes, and extensive support, Shopify helps people start and grow online businesses easily. Merchants can build modern stores and sell across various channels like social media, marketplaces, blogs, websites, and messaging platforms.

Strengths of Shopify

Shopify stands out as the preferred choice for merchants of all sizes with its great ecosystem, user-friendly interface, strong technical support, and cost-effective scalability.

Great Ecosystem

Wide Range of Features: Shopify offers more features, boasting a comprehensive suite of eCommerce tools, encompassing website building, inventory management, payment processing, and marketing solutions, all consolidated within a single platform. For example, merchants who use Shopify payments get reduced fees, unified reporting, and omnichannel support.

Integration Capabilities: The Shopify platform seamlessly integrates with hundreds of third-party applications from the Shopify app store, enhancing functionality and customization options. For instance, popular integrations for Shopify email marketing include Constant Contact and Mailchimp.

Easy to Use

User-Friendly Platform: Shopify’s intuitive interface makes it accessible for businesses of all sizes to create and manage online stores, attracting many small and medium-sized merchants. Whether using basic Shopify or advanced Shopify, the platform is easier to use than most SaaS platforms.

Strong Customer Support: Shopify provides 24/7 user assistance, including a dedicated phone support line, aiding Shopify users in navigating any issues they may encounter while using the platform.

Cost-Effective

Scalability: Shopify accommodates the needs of growing businesses by offering various price plans and add-ons to support increasing sales volumes and expanding operations. Large, high-growth enterprises can opt for Shopify Plus, offering dedicated account management, priority support, unlimited staff accounts, advanced customization, enterprise-level features, and scalable performance.

Choosing Between Volusion and Shopify: Is Shopify better than Volusion?

When comparing Volusion vs Shopify, Shopify is the clear winner. Shopify has an edge and excels in robustness and scalability, offering powerful APIs and headless commerce support for enhanced flexibility and customization. Its superior ecosystem provides a wide array of apps and integrations. Additionally, advanced admin tools and design themes offer intuitive management and customization options that surpass Volusion.

There are very few scenarios in which we recommend Volusion over Shopify. The only conceivable reason to opt for Volusion might be if you have a straightforward store with minimal SEO requirements and it already exists on the Volusion platform. In almost all other cases, we highly recommend Shopify for its superior features and capabilities.

While migrating to Shopify may pose some challenges, the benefits far outweigh the obstacles. InteractOne can help facilitate a seamless transition if you’re considering making the switch. Contact our experts today for a free proposal and unlock the full potential of your eCommerce store with Shopify.

FAQ

Q: Do I need technical skills to manage a Volusion or Shopify store?

Starting an online store with both Shopify and Volusion is possible, but Shopify seems easier for beginners who aren’t tech-savvy. Volusion could possibly need a bit more tech know-how to manage effectively.

Q: Does Volusion or Shopify have better customer support?

Shopify offers more comprehensive and readily available user assistance than Volusion. All Shopify plans have access to the same level of support, whereas Volusion limits the avenues for users to get assistance, which gives Shopify an edge over Volusion. 

Q: Can I move an existing website to Shopify?

Yes, you can smoothly move your current website to a Shopify store. Just back up your data, create an account, import your data, connect your domain, keep your web addresses, and recreate your website’s look. For help, reach out to the Shopify experts at InteractOne.

Q: What are the common challenges when migrating from Volusion to Shopify?

Moving from Volusion to Shopify can be tricky due to limited access to code, design flexibility, data transfer complexity, SEO changes, data backup and security, testing, costs, and the need for expert help. Handling these challenges early ensures a smooth move with minimal problems and data safety.