Using Facebook Shops allows businesses to list their products on their Facebook Page, Instagram Stories, or profile.
In the future, Facebook Shops will create a platform for businesses to sell their products to customers via WhatsApp chat features and Instagram Direct, and tag products during live streams.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, several small businesses are struggling. And while some stores are closing down, more are looking for ways to bring their businesses online.
Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, on Tuesday announced Facebook Shops – a free platform created to make shopping seamless and help e-commerce stores scale their business. Moreover, it’s believed that it will reduce the pressure small businesses are facing during this time.
Small businesses take the larger percentage of the more than 8 million advertisers community on the company’s apps.
And Long-term, Shops, and other e-commerce products could help Facebook drive more ad sales, Zuckerberg said.
“Our business model here is ads, so rather than charge businesses for Shops, we know that if Shops are valuable for businesses they’re going to in general want to bid more for ads,” Zuckerberg said. “We’ll eventually make money that way.”
As explained by Facebook:
“Facebook Shops make it easy for businesses to set up a single online store for customers to access on both Facebook and Instagram. Creating a Facebook Shop is free and simple. Businesses can choose the products they want to feature from their catalog and then customize the look and feel of their shop with a cover image and accent colors that showcase their brand. This means any seller, no matter their size or budget, can bring their business online and connect with customers wherever and whenever it’s convenient for them.”
Facebook already lets business owners list products on the platform, Facebook Shops, on the other hand, will let them upload their catalogs so they can be accessible to users across other Facebook-linked apps.
And while it is true that Facebook Shops will make it easy for businesses to list their items on Facebook and Instagram, in most cases, consumers will be redirected to a company’s website to complete the purchase.
Introducing Facebook Shops
According to Zuckerberg, Facebook Shops will help small businesses build an online store that lets them sell their items directly across Facebook ‘s family apps, including Facebook and Instagram.
Also, Facebook noted that it’s working with partners like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Cafe24, and ChannelAdvisor to aide this process.
Only businesses eligible – those who are participating in Facebook’s Checkout – will be provided a link to a new ‘Shop Builder’ platform. With this Facebook tool, business owners can create “shop” and upload their products and items, or connect with their existing e-Commerce provider.
“Small businesses need a way to find new buyers,” said Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke on the live stream with Zuckerberg. “This is going to be an incredibly powerful new reality for everyone in the retail space to have these powerful tools natively on the Facebook platform.”
Facebook Shops will start to roll out on Tuesday and become more widely available over the coming months, the company said.
“We hope these tools can relieve some of the pressure small businesses are facing right now and help businesses of all sizes prepare for the future,” said the statement.
“Starting today, we will begin a phased rollout of shops to all businesses globally on Facebook and Instagram Shopping. We will start with eligible businesses that use Instagram Profile Shops and will expand access over the next few months. Eligible businesses will receive an email when their shop is ready to start customizing.”
Facebook and Inѕtаgrаm аrе already bіg ѕhорріng destinations, but Facebook Shорѕ іѕ bound tо open a floodgate of nеw орроrtunіtіеѕ fоr ѕmаll businesses!
Woocommerce Vs. Shopify: Which Is Better For E-Commerce
Are you thinking of launching an online store? During this phase, you are faced with some e-commerce platforms to choose from, and after you have filtered and made some selection, you are still left with the two big e-commerce giants which are Shopify and WooCommerce.
Building an online store has its ups and downs. You will have to make a good number of decisions that will affect the set-up of your online store. But it is far easier when you know the right steps to take. And more so when you know the right e-commerce platform to choose.
These two platforms have their merits, and this makes it an even tough decision. To enable you to make the best decision, you need to critically evaluate, compare and contrast both platforms so you can draw your conclusion based on your findings.
HOW EACH PLATFORM APPROACHES E-COMMERCE
WooCommerce and Shopify approach your store creation and management in different ways.
WooCommerce is a self-hosted platform that implies that you will have your store’s files on your server which gives you the opportunity to modify any feature as you want.
Shopify is hosted which means that the Shopify platform will be responsible for the hosting and management of the software. Although you are entitled to other flexible options, you can only make the changes permitted by Shopify.
Although WooCommerce is flexible, it’s not a beginner-friendly platform but Shopify is the direct opposite as it I an excellent choice for beginners who are new to e-commerce and the tech world. As you read along, this would become clearer to you.
THE EASE OF LAUNCHING A STORE ON BOTH PLATFORMS
WooCommerce
When you create a WooCommerce store, you have to take two definite steps.
Install WordPress and study the interface (that is if you are not familiar with it).
Then install and configure WooCommerce and learn the WooCommerce interface.
And before you get to the stage of being able to accept orders, you must have taken the following steps:
Set up other vital aspects such as payment gateways.
Shopify
With the Shopify platform, everything is done for you, from setting up your store and selling your products. It is a hassle-free experience even without any knowledge of tech-related stuff. All you will be required to do is the following:
Create your Shopify account
Sync an existing domain or create a new one.
Select your theme.
Hence, concerning how easy it is to set up a functional store that can accept orders and process payment properly. Shopify is the definite answer.
HOW MUCH CONTROL DO YOU HAVE OVER YOUR STORE’S FUNCTIONALITY
WooCommerce
wooCommerce provides you with a few unique ways to modify your store’s functionality.
Your Theme
Custom code
A lot of plugins (about 50,000) + WordPress plugins are designed specifically for WooCommerce.
Concerning product variations, WooCommerce offers the user with some flexibility options. There is no maximum limit on the total number of product variations that you can use.
Shopify
Still, on product variations, Shopify places a hard cap of 3 total options per product and 100 variants per product as well and irrespective of the Shopify plan that you choose.
You can customize your Shopify store with the following:
Apps – they are collected at the Shopify website and play a similar role kile the WordPress plugins.
Themes – The Shopify theme store as a myriad of both Shopify and third party themes.
Another limiting factor of the Shopify platform is that it allows you to add custom email to your store’s homepage only. The tools provided by both platforms are great but they are not without limitations, and Shopify has more of it.
THE PAYMENT METHODS PROVIDED BY EACH PLATFORM
Both platforms boast of several payment gateways. Unless you are looking for a particular payment gateway, you may not notice the difference.
WooCommerce
Due to the large plugins available on WooCommerce, there are tons of payment gateways on this platform such as:
PayPal
Strip
net
Square
WooCommerce also has the ‘big names’ of payment gateways on their lists such as Postgiro and Prezelewy24.
Shopify
Shopify has a payment gateway that requires no configuration on the part of the user. But if you would like a third party gateway, then you may choose from its list of the following:
net
PayPal
Stripe
However, Shopify charges a fee if you choose a third-party gateway and this is entirely different from the regular charges of the payment gateway itself. And this is worth giving a thought to.
HOW IS DATA CONTROLLED ON EACH PLATFORM?
WooCommerce allows you to have considerable control over your data on their platform because it is self-hosted. This means in WooCommerce, you own and control everything. And this includes complete access to your database and all the information therein.
Shopify
Shopify may give you some level of control over your data, but its actual manipulation and full control take place on Shopify servers. Although still restricted, Shopify gives you average access to your data better than other platforms.
WHAT ABOUT SITE MAINTENANCE?
WooCommerce
The high level of control it gives you over your data comes with a price which means that you are in total control of maintaining and securing your store. WooCommerce will not handle that for you.
Shopify
Shopify is responsible for maintaining and securing your store. So there is less for you to worry about.
HOW MUCH DOES EACH PLATFORM COSTS?
WooCommerce
The cost of setting up an e-commerce store on this platform varies and cannot be determined with certainty. However, the fixed costs are as follows:
Domain
Hosting
The fee your payment gateway charges you.
Other variable costs may include:
Premium plugins
Premium Theme
Shopify
The platform uses a transparent pricing system that is far easier to include on your budget. Shopify offers three different plans for users of the platform, and it starts at $29 per month billing alongside a free myshopify.com domain for those who would not mind using a subdomain at a start. Aside from the fee, it charges when you choose your payment gateway other than the Shopify gateway, there are no other hidden costs for you to be wary of. Generally, this excludes variable costs such as:
Premium theme (which is sometimes a one-off payment).
Apps (which is usually paid monthly excluding the free apps).
Note that you will incur more charges if you opt for an external gateway other than the Shopify gateway.
With WooCommerce, all you have to pay are one-off payments while Shopify requires a monthly payment or subscription.
WHICH ONE IS BETTER FOR E-COMMERCE?
There is no definite answer to this question. And the scenario below may help you draw your conclusion.
Three ways WooCommerce is better than Shopify
Perhaps, the most significant reason to choose WooCommerce over Shopify is the high degree of flexibility and control. If your kind of products has minimal variations, then you might not need the flexibility feature so much. But if your products are complex in variations, pricing structure or checkout, the WooCommerce flexible system will work wonders for you.
Since Shopify is a hosted platform, some products may not do well with its configuration. And such products might be perfect for WooCommerce.
However, if you cherish the plugins and support that WooCommerce provides, then that might be a good reason to choose the platform.
Three ways Shopify is better than WooCommerce
If you are a beginner and you love the friendly interface of Shopify, that might be a good reason to go for it. Provided your products are not complicated in terms of variations, Shopify should be great for you.
If you hate to spend a lot of time maintaining your store that could be a valid reason to choose Shopify over WooCommerce. Shopify promotes simplicity and if you are a fan of that, then go for it.
Shopify provides an all in one solution that allows you to create your store, accepts orders and process them without ay hassle on your part. In summary, it is simplicity in all aspects.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
From the above comparison, you can see that each e-commerce platform has its unique advantages for specific situations. If ownership and flexibility mean a lot to you, then WooCmmerce is your go-to platform. But if you value simplicity more, Shopify is probably your best bet. In the end, it is your decision to make.
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Why WordPress is the best for your e-commerce website
If you have a business that sells products, it’s likely that you are wanting an e-commerce website. Nowadays people don’t just view products online, they want to purchase them online too as it is much easier and more convenient.
You can set up an e-commerce website in a few different ways, but WordPress is definitely the best alternative out there. WordPress is the most modern and best platform available to build from, as it is very flexible and versatile, even though it was originally built for blogging. The plugins available and the customizability of this platform are what set it above the rest, and the popularity of it just means it keeps growing and never falls short of new plugins with never-ending possibilities. The support for WordPress plugins is second to none and finding the right tools and support for building your e-commerce website won’t be so much of a challenge.
Here are some great features and tools available for customizing your e-commerce website and other resources that can help you.
The WordPress List Of Plugins Is Almost Endless.
WordPress in its basic form is a great platform to build a great website as it has many features built-in. For the times when you need a feature that the basic package doesn’t have, this is where the vast number of plugins come into play. You install these plugins to your website for additional features and functions.
For an e-commerce website, it is essential to use plugins. Some plugins will enable you to communicate with customers or manage your stock whilst others are fundamental for enabling you to construct and run an online store, it is also imperative to keep security in mind. The good news is the majority of popular e-commerce related plugins can provide a lot of these elements, so you don’t have to install multiple plugins for the functionality that you require.
There are plenty of e-commerce plugins so here are a few of the best ones to choose from.
WooCommerce is the most popular e-commerce plugin available. This software can sell anything from subscriptions and appointments to digital downloads and physical products, there is no limit to what it can do, it is also audited by Sucuri which is an industry-leading security company. It is powered by the trust of its many many customers and built specifically for WordPress which runs almost 27% of the web with desktop and mobile responsiveness.
Easy Digital Downloads is a WordPress plugin that is the best way to sell solely digital products, there are a lot of extensions that can increase functionality and customisation to mould it into your perfect digital store.
Shopify is a cloud-hosted platform that enables you to easily set up and start selling your products online. You can sell Shopify products on any website whether its WordPress based or not as it is externally hosted from your website. If your business grew you wouldn’t have to worry about changing to a more capable hosting server, as it is dealt with on their side. All technical aspects like security and speed are taken care of for you, all you have to do is sign up and log in to add your products.
WP eCommerce is the oldest e-commerce plugin for WordPress, it comes with a lot of features straight off of the bat but is known for bugs. It is regularly updated though which is great, and it integrates well with lots of payment systems, but people have been known to update to WooCommerce further down the line as it is less buggy and offers more features and extensions.
MemberPress is the best digital subscription plugin enabling you to sell pay per view content, memberships and much more. You can also integrate it with WooCommerce stores and many other extensions. A couple of downsides are that it only supports limited payment options, and yearly pricing plans are the only available options when buying this plugin. It is definitely the best option if you have a subscription-based store and can be easily extended with addons.
Why WordPress is the best for your e-commerce website
E-commerce Supported Themes For You To Consider.
Choosing a theme will be the biggest initial definitive factor for how your website will look and how the sidebars and menus will work. It is imperative that you choose a theme that is either designed for use with an e-commerce store or is at least designed with features in mind that you want to use for your store.
There are some great options for themes nowadays, you will want a theme with a responsive design for desktop and mobile devices that is user friendly and a lot of options to customize it to your needs.
I would suggest doing a lot of research on which theme to choose from, but for now here are a few to have a look at.
Flatsome is a great theme as it can offer users a very pleasant and easy shopping experience with its design capabilities and it is boasting over 76,500 sales. If your store is easily navigated, you are more likely to sell your product/service and grow your customer base. This theme is based on the WooCommerce plugin and it has a lot of options for customization and includes some optional plugins, one that adds a wish list for your users and another that infuses a live search across your site.
Shopkeeper is another fantastic choice of theme for your e-commerce store, with over 23,500 sales this theme is a great place to start building from. It has options for turning off the e-commerce function so you can just use it as a catalogue and enable it again when you are ready to sell again so it goes beyond the basic needs of your e-commerce store. This theme is updated and supported regularly and is fully responsive, it has many design features and customizability options to explore and it has a quick and easy set up enabling you to get things done.
The Retailer is a theme with many great extras, it comes with visual composer which is the most popular page builder plugin and it is free with this theme saving you some extra cash. It also has great mobile and desktop responsiveness, and the support is second to none. It is a great theme for setting up online products with variables like different shirt sizes for example or even digital downloads. The built-in payment methods are PayPal, credit/debit card, check and cash on delivery but you are not limited to only these and you can manage your store performance, track orders and stock with the built-in reports system.
WordPress support is everywhere.
WordPress powers nearly 27% of all websites online and absolutely dominates the CMS market (content management system) with a 76.4% market share, it is also older than Facebook and Twitter too as the original release date was May 27th, 2003, (Facebook Feb 4th, 2004, Twitter March 21st, 2006).
It took an estimated 112 person-years to build it based on almost half a million lines of code, and the support is still continuously growing.
If you are in need of support for some troubleshooting or just some advice on how to go about something there are plenty of options around for you to choose from.
The first option would be to visit the wordpress.org support page where they have different pages and forums with plenty of community and professional support.
There are also dedicated forums for reporting bugs and queries on particular plugins and themes.
A great option is to seek help from WordPress blogs like ours, get in touch on our phone number in our header and see what we can do to help you. We offer training services and bits of handy advice.
Existing WordPress Sites That Will Provide Inspiration.
So many websites are using WordPress as a platform for their e-commerce store, in-fact 39% of all online stores are WordPress based. Everyone wants their own unique store to stand out from the rest, but a great way to start is by looking at your competition and also other e-commerce stores to look at the different features and take some ideas.
A great website to take ideas from is The Craft Can Directory, they have a great online store and offer coupons and discount codes and the ability to subscribe for offers.
The New Zealand All Blacks rugby team have a great online store built with WooCommerce, they offer a lot of features that are worth checking out.
Another great e-commerce store is Ghostbed, they have a lot of cool payment options including Amazon Pay and Apple Pay.
Security
Security is the most important feature of any website and even more so with an e-commerce website where people’s personal information and financial details are used.
The good news is WordPress has so many people working on it to perfect it that the core software is incredibly secure, and it is in continuous development to keep it safe for the future.
It’s a good idea to keep your WordPress version up-to-date in order for these security improvements to reach your website, and to take other measures like using an SSL certificate that encrypts data between the web browser and web server.
It is imperative to keep all security measurements up to date to protect you and your customers.
Final word on Why WordPress is the best for your e-commerce website
Don’t just take my word for it, research WordPress and how it has helped many people with building their e-commerce store.
An e-commerce website is a vital step into putting your product and brand out there and if you want it done you might as well do it right with WordPress.
You can see from this information above that it is the best choice out of all the platforms out there but if you can think of another reason why WordPress is the best solution then we would love to hear about it!
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