Everything You Need to Know About Shopify CMS: The Pros, Cons, and Beginner-Friendliness

Are you a small or medium-sized business owner looking to establish an online presence?

Look no further than Shopify, an all-in-one e-commerce solution that allows businesses to set up an online store for a flat monthly fee. Shopify has been gaining popularity as an e-commerce platform over the years and for good reason.

While Shopify is primarily known for its e-commerce capabilities, it also boasts a robust Content Management System (CMS) that helps businesses easily manage their online operations.

But how does Shopify do as a CMS?

This blog will explore everything you need to know about Shopify CMS, including its advantages, limitations, and whether it’s good for beginners. Whether you’re new to e-commerce or looking to switch to a more user-friendly platform, this guide has got you covered. So, let’s dive in!

What is Shopify CMS?

Shopify CMS is a cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform that has taken the e-commerce world by storm. It allows businesses to easily set up and manage their online store without needing technical expertise. From the web to mobile devices and social media platforms, marketplaces, physical venues, and pop-up stores, Shopify can handle it all.

But how does it differ from traditional CMS platforms?

Let’s start with the basics – CMS stands for Content Management System, which is essentially software that allows users to create, manage, and publish digital content such as web pages, blog posts, and multimedia files.

On the other hand, Shopify CMS is primarily an e-commerce platform offering powerful content management capabilities. This cloud-based multi-channel commerce platform enables businesses to sell their products on their websites, social media platforms, marketplaces, physical venues, and pop-up stores. Shopify CMS operates as Software as a Service (SaaS), meaning that all your data and software are hosted on the cloud, eliminating the need to install any software on your computer.

One of the most significant benefits of using Shopify CMS is that it takes care of all the technical aspects of running an online store, including the server, payment gateways, updates, and security so that you can focus on your business.

Shopify CMS was founded in 2004 by Tobias Lütke, Daniel Weinand, and Scott Lake, who initially started it as an online snowboard equipment company named Snowdevil. Lütke, being an experienced programmer, was dissatisfied with the existing e-commerce platforms and decided to build his own using the Ruby on Rails web app framework. After two months of development, Lütke launched Snowdevil, which later evolved into Shopify.

Today, Shopify CMS is used by over 600,000 merchants in more than 175 countries, including big brands like Nestlé, Red Bull, Kylie Cosmetics, and Rebecca Minkoff. It offers a robust administrative area and a unique perspective on your business, allowing you to easily manage your products, inventory, shipping, and payments.

 

What is Content Management System?

In the world of web design, a content management system (CMS) is software that allows people to generate, manage, and alter content without the need for specialist technical knowledge.

In layman’s terms, a Content Management System (CMS) is a technology that makes it possible to create a website without having to start from scratch with any coding (or even know how to code at all).

A CMS often has the following features:

1. Users may quickly generate and format material with content creation
2. Content storage is the storing of content in a single location in a consistent manner
3. Workflows assign rights for content management depending on roles such as authors, editors, and administrators
4. Content is published, organized, and pushed live

Adopting CMS has the major advantage of allowing several users to log in and contribute, schedule or control published content. Users without programming experience may likewise rapidly and easily create and maintain their own web content with this tool.

There are several advantages to using a content management system (CMS) instead of relying solely on front-end developers for website updates.

Shopify CMS for your eCommerce

There are several benefits to using a content management system (CMS) for your company website (CMS). Even if you aren’t familiar with coding, you can use a solid CMS to keep your website up-to-date and organized. And sites with a large number of pages can benefit greatly from using them as well.

When it comes to managing your website, a content management system (CMS) is an essential tool for anybody who wants to publish, amend, or delete pages quickly and easily. Choosing the right content management system (CMS) is critical to a company’s online success. Choosing the finest CMS for your needs will help you maximize your time and resources while ensuring that your website is of the highest possible quality. This is even more critical for those who aim to open an internet business.

There are many things to learn about the platform you’ll be using in your online hubs. As a result, Shopify’s CMS is built on top of it. An online store can include a wide range of products, payment methods, and delivery choices. In order to further enhance the functionality of your store, you should consider adding applications to your existing setup.

Your data will not be stored on your own servers because a third-party company hosts Shopify. Instead, Shopify’s cloud storage will house all of your data. Put another way, you can access all of your transactions and data from anywhere at any time.

With the support of the staff and the Shopify app store, you can simply establish your dream business on Shopify’s CMS-based platform, which allows you to customize your store or even start from scratch. For manual locations, company owners may utilize the Shopify POS app.

Shopify is a wonderful option if you’re looking for a content management system. Taking a closer look over the features provided to customers may help cement their status as one of the top CMS options on the market.

Shopify has a market share of 10.03% among the first million websites, making it the third-largest e-commerce platform in 2018. Using Shopify’s CMS platform to develop eCommerce or online stores has benefitted numerous businesses because of its various advantages.

As a content management system (CMS), Shopify enables its users to create, manage, and edit web content. Even though it’s technically a content management system (CMS), it has a wide range of other capabilities that make it a powerful e-commerce tool. The most intriguing feature is the simplicity with which it may be edited and reworked.

Shopify’s easy-to-use features have facilitated speedier hypothesizing, testing, and iteration, all of which have contributed to higher sales of goods and services. No matter if you are a budding Entrepreneur or a medium-sized business owner, if you want to sell stuff online or wish to open your online store but don’t have the right skills or understanding of website design, Shopify CMS is the right solution for you.

Is Shopify Good for Beginners?

When it comes to content management systems, Shopify’s got it all. Shopify has several useful tools that can assist you in setting up an online business or migrating an existing one from another content management system (CMS). Shopify CMS allows customers to develop and manage their websites from start to finish.

In short, Shopify is an excellent platform for beginners looking to start an eCommerce business. Here are some features that make Shopify an excellent choice for novices:

1. Usability:

In terms of Usability, Shopify allows users to include a blog within the store, images, and photos of the products, as well as integration of multiple tools which help optimize and improve the experience of the website’s users.

2. Comfort:

One of the best features of Shopify is its convenience to use and the ease it provides in its development and maintenance. From payments to hosting and security updates, Shopify has made it all easy to use.

3. Security:

Another prominent feature of Shopify is that it has an abundance of security. The platform has a distinctive SSL (Secure Socker Layer) certificate, which is addressed as essential to do an online business transaction. Shopify has enabled encryption to prevent any theft of confidential information.

4. SEO:

SEO elements are included in all of Shopify’s plans, including the most basic ones to boost their search engine rankings and exposure, which in turn attracts more customers and viewers.

5. Web Hosting:

Using Shopify, when it comes to hosting, you won’t have to worry about it since it takes care of all the technical aspects. As a result, you’ll be able to manage your firm more efficiently.

6. Marketing Tools:

When it comes to offering a wide range of services, Shopify makes it possible for consumers to do so without having to learn any coding skills. Users may create unique gift cards, establish discount coupons, leverage social network integration, define product prices, and more.

7. Shopify’s Analytics:

With Shopify’s analytic tools, business owners may additionally monitor the success of their online store/website. Company owners may utilize Shopify’s analytic tools to improve inbound marketing to see how their consumers found them online and other relevant data.

8. Customization:

Due to its simple customization possibilities, you can quickly and easily launch an online store. As part of the design process, there are easy-to-follow directions and instructions to help.

9. Templates:

The platform offers a large selection of detailed and visually appealing options, some of which themes are free, while the others need purchase with no further expenses.

10. Integration:

As a result of Shopify’s connections with essential software tools like WooCommerce and MailChimp for business processes, Shopify adds an additional layer of ease for business owners that rely on other software tools to aid with business operations.

11. No Coding Knowledge Required:

Unlike other eCommerce platforms, Shopify CMS offers a drag-and-drop interface that eliminates the need to code. This interface makes it possible for anyone to build a beautiful eCommerce store without any technical skills.

Advantages of Shopify CMS

When considering a CMS for your business, weighing both the pros and cons is important. In the case of Shopify, there are several advantages that make it a strong choice:

1. Simplicity:

Shopify CMS’s major selling point is its simplicity. Shopify CMS is designed for the typical user rather than a team of highly-skilled programmers. It’s a great platform for not-so-tech-savvy users. Adding items, generating discounts, and processing orders are all quite straightforward processes. Shopify’s drag-and-and-drop editor makes web creation simple for everyone.

2. Wide range of Themes:

One of the major advantages of using Shopify CMS is the availability of built-in themes. The Shopify theme store provides access to over 70 free and premium templates that can be easily customized to match the brand identity of an eCommerce store. This saves merchants the cost and time of having to design a website from scratch. Moreover, Shopify allows complete control over the HTML and CSS of all themes, enabling merchants to tailor their websites as they see fit.

3. Security:

One of the most notable advantages of using Shopify CMS is its high-security level. As a fully hosted platform, Shopify CMS takes care of all security measures, including SSL certificates and PCI compliance, to ensure that customers’ sensitive information is safe and protected. This gives customers peace of mind when shopping on your site and helps build trust and credibility for your brand.

4. Reliability:

Another advantage of Shopify CMS is its reliability. With 99.98% uptime, Shopify CMS ensures that your website is always accessible and functional for your customers. This means you can focus on running your business without worrying about technical issues or website downtime.

5. Scalability:

As your business grows, your CMS needs will evolve too. Shopify CMS is designed to be scalable, meaning it can handle a small startup website just as well as a large enterprise-level site. The platform can handle thousands of products and integrate with various third-party apps and tools.

6. SEO optimization:

Shopify CMS has built-in SEO optimization features, such as customizable meta tags, clean URLs, and a sitemap.xml file generator. These features help to boost your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), making it easier for potential customers to find your site.

7. Social media integration:

Social media is an essential part of any marketing strategy, and Shopify CMS makes it easy to integrate your social media accounts with your website. The platform allows you to add social media sharing buttons, display your Instagram feed, and sell products directly through social media channels like Facebook and Instagram.

8. Leverage Shopify Hosting

Shopify CMS also provides secure hosting and unlimited bandwidth for all stores. This means that eCommerce stores with content-heavy sites don’t have to search for a third-party hosting provider to manage their content assets. Shopify’s hosting service ensures fast page load times and secure transactions, which is crucial for a positive user experience.

Limitations of Shopify CMS

For an eCommerce site, things aren’t always peachy keen. As a fully-hosted service, Shopify CMS is designed to make your life as simple as possible. In terms of disadvantages, Shopify is not a free platform. There are fees and expenses involved with the platform, but that is what makes it so user-friendly and simple to use:

1. Costly Add-ons:

Despite the fact that Shopify CMS has a wide range of capabilities, it lacks a number of advanced ones. Add-ons, or applications, are the only way to get these capabilities, but they’re not free. Only three applications might increase the monthly cost by more than thrice its current value.

2. Cost Fees:

The Shopify CMS platform is not free to use. Shopify CMS has kept its 0.5 to 2.0 percent fee even though most shopping carts have eliminated transaction fees (depending on your pricing plan). When you take payments using Shopify Payments, Shopify will waive these costs for you. Some of the themes aren’t free. There’s also a transaction charge if you don’t utilize Shopify Payments for your online business.

3. Limited Customization:

Some limits do exist, despite the platform’s ability to be customized. It’s impossible to get all the extra features due to how the code is put up. Other eCommerce platforms compete with Shopify CMS by offering greater customizability at the cost of more time spent on intricate code.

4. Built for Commerce, Not Content:

Shopify CMS was built with a primary focus on eCommerce, and it shows in the platform’s limitations regarding content management. While it does offer some basic content management features, it is not a robust content management system like WordPress. This can be problematic for businesses that need to manage large amounts of content in addition to their eCommerce store.

5. Not a Headless Content Platform:

Shopify CMS is not a headless content platform, meaning it doesn’t allow for separating the front-end and back-end of a website. This can limit a business’s ability to customize the front end of its website and create a unique user experience.

6. Not Built For Speed:

While Shopify CMS offers reliable hosting, the platform itself can be slow compared to other CMS options. This can have a negative impact on user experience and page load times, which can hurt SEO and conversion rates.

7. Limited Enterprise Features:

While Shopify is a great option for small and medium-sized businesses, it lacks some of the enterprise-level features that larger companies require. This includes advanced inventory management, complex pricing structures, and more.

8. Shopify Plugins Fall Short:

While Shopify CMS offers various plugins, they don’t always meet the needs of businesses looking for advanced features or customization options. This can be frustrating for businesses that need to add additional functionality to their eCommerce store.

It’s important for businesses to weigh the pros and cons of Shopify CMS and determine if it’s the right choice for their specific needs. While it may not be the best fit for every business, Shopify’s focus on eCommerce and its robust set of built-in features make it a strong contender for many businesses.

Examples of Companies Using Shopify CMS

Which One is Better- Shopify/ WordPress/ Magento?

While all the systems may help you start and build an online business, they have major distinctions

Feature	Shopify	WordPress	Magento
Ease of Use	Very easy to use	Moderately easy to use	Moderately difficult to use
eCommerce Focus	Yes, specifically designed	No, general-purpose	Yes, specifically designed
Market Share	66.8% of all websites (2023)	43.0 % of all websites (2023)	2.56% of all websites (2023)
Scalability	Very scalable	Moderately scalable	Very scalable
Security	Very secure	Moderately secure	Moderately secure
Themes and Plugins	9 free templates, 64 premium templates, and an extra third-party template market are available	Thousands of first-party and third-party templates are available	A lot of third-party templates are available
Business Features	Solid in-house and third-party tools are available	Flexible, a lot of third-party tools are available	Flexible, a lot of third-party tools are available
eCommerce	Admirable built-in tools for all types of users	Third-party plugins that are quite excellent and easily customizable	Third-party plugins that are quite excellent and easily customizable
Performance	Middling performance, but can be improved with proper optimization	Depends heavily on the hosting provider and optimization techniques	Relies heavily on the hosting provider and optimization techniques
Pricing	Starting at $29/month for the basic plan, with advanced plans ranging from $79-$299/month	Free, but requires paid hosting, which can range from $2.75 to $45/month depending on the hosting provider and plan	Free, but requires paid hosting, which can range from $5 to $400/month, depending on the hosting provider and plan. Additionally, enterprise-level pricing for Magento varies by business.

 

As you can see, Shopify is specifically designed for eCommerce, making it a great option for businesses looking to set up an online store. WordPress, on the other hand, is a general-purpose CMS platform that can be used for any type of website, including eCommerce. Magento is also specifically designed for ecommerce but geared toward enterprise-level businesses.

Overall, the choice of CMS platform depends on the needs and goals of the business. Shopify is a great option for businesses that want to focus on ecommerce, while WordPress and Magento are more general-purpose platforms that can be used for any type of website.

Shopify is a better option if you’re a complete novice. Many things don’t have to be dealt with while using Shopify CMS. Setting up a professional-looking internet store is much simpler; however, the features are limited, and the costs are high.

In spite of this, learning how to use WordPress is well worth your time and effort if you’re ready to put in the effort. WordPress allows you to develop a bespoke marketplace since it is more versatile.

Wrapping it up

In conclusion, Shopify CMS is a powerful tool for businesses looking to set up an online store. It offers a range of advantages, such as built-in themes, easy product management, and powerful eCommerce features. However, it also has some limitations, such as transaction fees and limited customization options.

But the question remains, is Shopify good for you? Well, it ultimately depends on your business needs and goals. Are you looking for an easy-to-use platform with no coding knowledge required? Do you need a scalable eCommerce solution that can grow with your business? Are you willing to pay transaction fees in exchange for the convenience of an all-in-one platform? These are important questions to consider before making a decision.

Shopify CMS has proven to be a great option for beginners and established businesses. With success stories like Gymshark, Allbirds, and Kylie Cosmetics, it’s clear that Shopify can help businesses achieve their goals and thrive in the competitive world of eCommerce.

So, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced business owner, try Shopify and see how it can take your online store to the next level!