Shopify - why we should use it

E-commerce is growing rapidly - even in B2B

According to the Federal Association of E-Commerce and Mail Order Germany e.V., E-Commerce is the new normal. With a total turnover of 107 billion euros in 2021, every seventh euro spent by private households went into online trade. And E-Commerce is also on the rise in B2B. According to the Federal Statistical Office, sales amounted to 320 billion euros in 2021 -and the trend is rising. Sales in B2B are expected to grow by around 19 percent annually and would therefore already amount to 500 billion euros in 2024.

Shopify as a leading shop system in digital retail

These figures show how big E-Commerce is now and the importance of online shops. In digital business, there are a number of platforms that dominate the market, including, according to the Gartner Magic Quadrant, the Shopify shop solution. According to experts from Gartner, Shopify is one of the leaders in digital commerce and has become one of the most popular shop systems in recent years, particularly for start-ups and small and medium-sized companies.

Versatile features and easy setup with Shopify

The SaaS solution has a comparatively long history and offers customers a very extensive repertoire of options. In this article, we want to introduce you to Shopify and explain why it is the ideal solution for digital businesses in E-Commerce.

Shopify: easy to set up, easy to use

Setting up an online shop can be done quite easily using ready-made templates. Shopify also helps users with templates when searching for a suitable domain, branding or drawing up privacy statements or legal notices. A web shop is very easy to set up with Shopify. The desired components can be selected from various modules using drag & drop.

Flexible sales: own warehouse logistics or dropshipping

Another advantage of Shopify: Retailers can choose whether they want to sell their goods from their own warehouse or directly from the wholesaler via dropshipping. As far as articles and inventory management are concerned, Shopify offers the usual options to do this directly in Shopify. Alternatively, external systems can also be connected via an interface; such as our ERP systems.

Shopify apps & integrations: More features at the click of a button

Shopify itself offers a wide range of apps that can be integrated directly into the online platform. Similar to WordPress, there is a huge selection of free and paid apps. The range of apps ranges from POS solutions, payment services, marketing, administration or design. The requirements of e-commerce companies are thus comprehensively met. If special solutions or connections to specific software are required, Shopify offers appropriate interfaces.

Maintenance-free & scalable: Technical advantage for growing companies

Another advantage: Shopify requires little maintenance and automatically scales when needed. As far as updates, bug fixes or configuration are concerned, Shopify automatically does this happen by the manufacturer and does not have to be done manually by the user. This also applies to the big update with new features, which Shopify releases once a year. In addition, Shopify automatically “grows” with larger peaks, which is a great advantage, especially for small and medium-sized companies.

Shopify Community & Knowledge Resources

As mentioned, Shopify is relatively easy to administer and use. For some things, it's still good to be able to get advice from others or get help from a knowledge base. When it comes to knowledge transfer, Shopify relies on its large community in addition to its own help center.

Exchange, tutorials & partner networks

The Shopify Help Center is the first point of contact. If you don't find what you're looking for here, Shopify offers a discussion forum as a second point of contact, where the large community discusses various topics. Shopify also offers events to connect and exchange ideas. Interested people can also watch tutorials on the YouTube channel. There is also the Shopify Academy, podcasts, guides, and even face-to-face seminars.

For in-depth technical requirements, Shopify offers customers a partner network. These partners help with the implementation of special requirements or the technical setup.

Tailored connections through ruhrdot.

Similar to other online platforms, Shopify can also be adapted to individual needs through external connections. We at ruhrdot. have made several such connections for our customers in the past. In particular, this included ERP system connections in the areas of:

• Inventory synchronization
• Calculation and consideration of vouchers
• Integration of special order import or transfer logics, connection of external fulfillers
• Shopify POS
• Synchronize articles
• Individual needs

Shopify vs. Shopify Plus: Differences and Benefits

Shopify Plus is an extended version of Shopify specifically designed for larger businesses and growing E-Commerce brands. This solution offers powerful features that go beyond the basic Shopify features. The SaaS E-Commerce platform is hosted entirely in the cloud and enables companies to create and manage custom online stores to meet their unique needs. This includes additional customization options, robust integrations, advanced automation, API access, and support for large volumes of traffic. Even though Shopify Plus offers the same dashboard and features as Shopify, there are primarily differences in the range of functions. This includes:

• Unlimited bandwidth
• High scalability
• POS included in the price
• More customization options
• More robust integrations
• Wholesale functionality
• Multi-shop management

Conclusion: Shopify as an ideal solution for SMEs and start-ups

Because of its ease of use, quick setup, scalability, and numerous integrations, Shopify is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses and E-Commerce startups. With ready-made templates and built-in features, companies can quickly go online and manage their shop without extensive technical knowledge. The platform is scalable and can grow as the company grows, while a variety of integrations provide additional features and efficiency. As far as technical scaling or hosting is concerned, this is all included in Shopify and the customer doesn't have to worry about it himself.

Shopify has extensive support and resources, including training and an engaged community to help businesses run their businesses successfully. Last but not least, Shopify can be adapted to the individual needs of every company thanks to extensive customization options.

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