It is without a doubt that e-commerce has made the world a smaller place. E-commerce made purchasing products from wherever easy with just a few clicks of the mouse or tap of the fingers on a mobile app. This convenience is not only enjoyed by customers but by business owners, as well. Take for example the small entrepreneurs that do not have physical shops but are earning well online.
Are you also thinking of starting your own e-commerce website? If you are, then, you’re in luck! Setting up an online store is now easy with e-commerce platforms that are made simple even for the non-tech savvy. In fact, we are featuring two of these platforms in this review – EasyStore and Shopify.
EasyStore vs Shopify Comparison Chart
| Model | EasyStore | Shopify |
| Â |  |  |
| Price | Check Price at EasyStore.co | Check Price at Shopify.com |
| Payment Gateways | Over 40 payment gateways including Stripe and Paypal | Depends on customer location; customers can pay in local currency using preferred payment method |
| App Integrations | 100+ apps available for integration | 3,700+ apps on the Shopify app marketplace |
| Shipping Apps | 200+ shipping solutions through the Easyship Logistic app | Large selection of international and local courier companies (depending on customer location) |
| Sales Channels | Yes | Yes |
| Themes | 50+ | 100+ |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android | Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android |
| Training Materials | Blog articles | Live online, webinars, and articles |
| Customer Support | Live Chat (office hours only), Help Center, | 24/7 Live Chat, Help Center, Email, Community Forums |
| Headquarters | Malaysia | Canada |
Ease of Use
EasyStore and Shopify both have features making it possible for users to set up an online store quickly.
EasyStore and Shopify are two of the e-commerce website platforms that make setting up an e-commerce store easy even for those clueless about coding. Shopify was first in the game and was actually an online store itself before it started in 2006. EasyStore, on the other hand, only started in 2013.
EasyStore and Shopify both provide these features for their users:
- Preset and customizable store layout themes
- Apps and Sales Channels ready for integration
- Payment gateways
- Blog feature
- Site optimization
- SSL secured hosting
EasyStore promises its users of a 5-step quick online store set-up that can be done in just a day. More than 50 store layout themes are available in the site’s store builder that can also be customized. Moreover, 100+ plugins are available to cater to any online store’s requirement.
Meanwhile, Shopify’s online store builder is still as uncomplicated as it was when it first started. At the very core of the platform’s mission is to make e-commerce easy to shop owners regardless of computer or online expertise. Since it began much earlier than EasyStore, it has more themes, plug-ins, and tools available for users.
App Marketplace & Sales Channels
EasyStore and Shopify’s app marketplace has ready apps and sales channels ready for integration with a few clicks.
Apps and sales channels are essential for the growth of an e-commerce site as it expands an online store’s reach beyond its website. EasyStore and Shopify both have an app marketplace where their users can choose specific apps and sales channels that will benefit their business.
Currently, EasyStore has around a hundred apps while Shopify already has more than 3,000 apps available for integration. One more important thing to note is that EasyStore’s existing apps are mostly those relevant for businesses in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Shopify users, meanwhile, can hook up to more popular and international sites like eBay, Amazon, and Etsy.
This wide disparity is also evident when taking a closer look at each platform’s sales channels. Though Shopify only has 20 sales channels available for integration, the channels are big names in the e-commerce industry. EasyStore’s sales channels are even more limited and mostly just native apps or sales channels available only in Southeast Asia.
E-commerce Resources and Customer Support
With more years of experience, Shopify clearly has more e-commerce knowledge and customer support to offer.
EasyStore’s support over Live Chat is only available weekdays and on office hours only. Should a user need help beyond those hours, he/she has to search relevant answers in the Help Center. Meanwhile, Shopify has customer support available round the clock.
For maximum exposure online, both EasyStore and Shopify recommend their users to hire from their pool of experts. These experts will act as consultants that can help set up, grow, and provide reports of their store’s performance.
Plans & Pricing
EasyStore has cheaper plans but both platforms offer a 14-day trial period.
Both e-commerce platforms have 3 basic plans that are available on a monthly or annual payment basis. EasyStore plans are less costly than Shopify and even provide bigger discount schemes for annual and biennial payments. However, Shopify also has a Shopify Lite plan that is even cheaper than EasyStore’s Lite Plan. The shop should be hosted on a separate website or blog, though.
Both platforms do not charge a set up fee though Shopify adds additional transaction fees for payments made through external payment gateways. To avoid transaction fees, using Shopify Payments is recommended.
Verdict
Shopify is the pro when in it comes to e-commerce website building but EasyStore looks very promising.
Shopify is the obvious winner in this round especially because it has been around longer and has more tools and resources available for their users. As a huge e-commerce platform, Shopify can afford to provide 24/7 support and can also help their users gain more customers around the globe.
EasyStore‘s offers are still impressive considering its age in the industry. Entrepreneurs in Malaysia and nearby Asian countries may benefit more in hosting their shops in this platform as their apps and sales channels are popular in the region.
FAQs
No, but both platforms have a 14-day trial period.
EasyStore offers 30% and 50% discounts for annual and biennial plans respectively. Meanwhile, Shopify only offers 10% and 20% discounts for their annual and biennial plans.
Yes, you can cancel your EasyStore or Shopify anytime should you feel the need to do so. However, take note that EasyStore does not issue refunds.
No, you can only set up one store on one account. This is true for both EasyStore and Shopify.
