When it comes to selecting the right eCommerce platform for your business, two names often stand out: Shopify and VisualSoft are the two platforms that offer a range of features designed to help businesses grow online, but each comes with its strengths and weaknesses. Whether you're a large brand seeking a robust international setup or a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) looking for ease of use, understanding the key differences between these platforms is essential. At WIRO, we've guided multiple brands through platform transitions, helping them unlock growth potential. In this guide, we’ll break down VisualSoft and Shopify in terms of features, support, scalability, and customisation, enabling you to make an informed decision that aligns with your specific business needs.

VisualSoft vs Shopify: Features Compared

1. Ease of Use:

For any business, ease of use is crucial. Shopify is renowned for its user-friendly interface, Shopify makes it effortless for merchants to set up and manage their online stores. The platform provides a seamless onboarding experience, which is a breath of fresh air even for beginners. The intuitive drag-and-drop functionality allows merchants to easily add products, set up payment gateways, and customise their online store.  It’s especially advantageous for merchants looking for fast migration or seeking a platform that allows them to scale internationally without too many technical hurdles.

VisualSoft, too, is user-friendly but in contrast, VisualSoft requires more hands-on technical expertise. While it provides flexibility for customisation, many brands find the platform trickier to manage without dedicated technical support. Also, beginners may require a bit more time to grasp the full scope of VisualSoft.

2. Support:

One of the most significant differences between the two platforms lies in their support. Shopify boasts 24/7 customer support, ensuring that any issues are dealt with promptly—especially vital during peak seasons like Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM). For businesses that need quick fixes and constant uptime, Shopify's support system is a massive advantage.

In contrast, VisualSoft also provides a dedicated customer support but can be slower to respond. For businesses that require immediate attention, particularly during high-traffic periods, this can be a significant limitation.

3. Scalability:

Shopify has consistently proven itself as a platform that scales with your business. As a Shopify Plus Agency, we’ve helped brands expand from domestic operations to global markets, setting up international storefronts and automating processes to enhance efficiency.

VisualSoft, while powerful, tends to cater more to SME brands and may not be the best option if you're planning rapid international growth.

4. App Marketplace:

Shopify boasts a wide app marketplace with numerous apps for extending functionality. These apps cover various aspects of eCommerce, from marketing and sales to inventory and customer support.

VisualSoft also offers a range of add-ons to enhance your online store’s capabilities. While the selection is a lot smaller, it still provides essential apps and tools for eCommerce success.

5. Multichannel Selling:

Shopify supports multichannel selling efficiently by offering integrations with popular marketplaces and social media platforms, making it easier for businesses to reach a wider audience.

VisualSoft also provides multichannel selling options, though some channels might require additional development to integrate seamlessly.

6. Design & Customisation:

When it comes to customisation, VisualSoft allows a greater level of flexibility and customisation options but are more complex. If you’re a brand that needs tailored solutions, such as unique product categories or specialised checkout features, VisualSoft may appeal. However, this flexibility can come with drawbacks, particularly for smaller brands that lack the development resources to fully take advantage of the platform. But for users who are comfortable with coding, it’s a playground for design creativity.

Shopify on the other hand offers thousands of apps and customisable themes, suitable for various industries. Merchants can choose from free and paid options, customising their stores to reflect their brand identity. For example, when our UX design team gets their hands on our clients Duke + Dexter's – mini-cart. we did many customisations within the theme to increase Cart Upsells and Cart to conversion rate.

7. Mobile Responsiveness:

One of Shopify’s significant strengths is its mobile responsiveness. All themes available in theme store are mobile-responsive by default, assuring a seamless shopping experience for customers on a variety of devices.

VisualSoft also implements responsive design practices. However, when heavily customising your site, it’s crucial to ensure that your design remains mobile responsive.

8. SEO Optimisation:

SEO is integrated into Shopify’s core, providing powerful tools and settings to optimise your site for search engines. This is a significant advantage for businesses looking to thrive in the competitive online marketplace.

VisualSoft also excels in SEO, but as an optional add-on, not as native built-in SEO features on the platform, but through a named contact who undertakes SEO audits, roadmaps and reporting.

9. Data and Analytics:

Shopify provides in-depth analytics and reporting tools that allow you to track sales, customer behaviour, and more. This data-driven approach in Shopify empowers you to make informed decisions for your eCommerce business.

On other hand, VisualSoft also offers analytics features that help you gain insights into your business’s performance. These tools are valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of your strategies and making necessary adjustments.

10. Pricing:

VisualSoft offers a three-tier pricing structure: Build (£300/month), Grow (£500/month), and Scale (£900/month), each with increasing features and varying credit card rates. Additionally, it provides four platform options for managing online stores and marketing.

In comparison, Shopify has a lower starting cost with plans ranging from £19 (Basic) to £259 (Advanced), with Shopify Plus for enterprises starting at £2,000/month. While Shopify may be cheaper initially, VisualSoft offers more comprehensive tools at higher tiers.

Conclusion

Choosing between VisualSoft and Shopify depends on your business's needs, scale, and future goals. By carefully considering the aspects discussed in the above comparison, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your eCommerce goals and sets your business up for long-term success. If you're looking for flexibility and customisation but don’t mind the technical complexities, VisualSoft may suit you. However, if you’re after a scalable, easy-to-use platform with excellent support, Shopify often proves the superior choice.

Ready to make the switch? Whether you’re looking for help with a Shopify migration or need guidance on your next steps, get in touch with us.