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Development Technology Website

Shopify or WordPress WooCommerce?

The most common question most people looking to start an e-commerce site is: Which platform do I use? Shopify or WooCommerce?

Choosing the platform is the first and most daunting part of this process. On the flip side there are people currently on one platform and looking to make a switch to another. Skynet Solutions can assist you in either of these situations as well as advise on which platform to use for your business. In this write up I want to explore some reasons why Shopify might be your better bet over a WordPress WooCommerce website.

There are many variables to consider when starting this process. Many of which I might not shed light on, but I hope to touch on some of the more common instances. Shopify, to me, is like the Apple of e-commerce websites; everything is all there inside the walled garden. Unlike WordPress, creating a Shopify store is a fairly streamlined process that doesn’t require a checklist or reliance on previous web experience. Many of the tedious setup items associated with a WordPress WooCommerce website like, Analytics, Credit Card Processing, SSL, Hosting, Security and Design elements are presented to you in a much more simple selection process. You won’t need to hunt down how to do something or realize something should have been done in the beginning with Shopify. All of the standardized e-commerce web store items are available and more easily set up with a Shopify store.

The Shopify platform is designed to help raise you up with built in support and tools. This platform will grow with your business and allow for expansion all while keeping you within industry standards. Start your FREE, no credit card required, account today for 14 days.

Support

Shopify offers live chat support and help within its developer community for advice on how to improve your store. Plenty of people have documented their processes so that you can fully take charge for your next store upgrade.

Integrations

Shopify has many built in integrations that can easily be implemented in your store. Things like email marketing, abandoned cart marketing, Social media and custom applications are all readily available for setup. If you have a brick and mortar store with a POS system Shopify has you covered with their Point-of-sale integration option. With WordPress WooCommerce you will need to find, purchase/sign-up and setup individual providers for each of the items that I mentioned.

Mobile

Shopify works great with mobile in mind. All available designs are built to work out of the box with mobile applications. Now this is the same as WordPress WooCommerce. However, this story changes if you are looking to run your store via a mobile device. Shopify has much better mobile usability when it comes to administrator access.

Hosting and SSL

Hosting and annual SSL certificates are all taken care of under the Shopify umbrella when you sign up. One less stress and additional cost to be concerned with is annual SSL and Hosting renewals as Shopify has these items built into their packages.

Security

Google reCAPTCHA and other standard security measures are automatically included and setup with your Shopify store. Where as each and every one of these items will need to be sourced and setup with a WordPress WooCommerce website.

Choose Skynet Solutions as your Shopify Partner!

Skynet Solutions is a Shopify Partner that can help you setup a new Shopify store or help migrate you from an existing WordPress WooCommerce site. Contact us if you are needing to migrate an existing website or start your new Shopify account with a FREE 14 day trial (no credit card needed) by clicking the link above. Explore the available account options, see how things work and you could even start an initial store mock up.

I’ve reviewed most of the features that Shopify has and how those can help you create a great eCommerce web store. Going this route can be less complicated, more secure and great for mobile and social media. The Shopify process can potentially cost you more than a WordPress WooCommerce store but it might be worth it to you. I hope this helps you to determine your path and we look forward to helping with your journey!

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Development Digital Marketing News Website

Checkout Styling for WooCommerce and Elementor

As eCommerce experts, the team at Skynet Solutions is always working with small businesses to determine what needs they have they can’t be addressed by the current plugins available for WordPress. One of the most common issues we experienced is that eCommerce stores will often become frustrated with the inability to customize their cart and checkout pages with WooCommerce to make them reflect the rest of the website theme. Checkout Styling for WooCommerce and Elementor adds two new widgets to Elementor PRO to allow you to style your WooCommerce Cart and Checkout with the Elementor page builder.

Following the installation of the plugin, the standard WooCommerce Cart and Checkout pages are extremely limited by design. This creates a cohesive look for businesses that use the plugin but doesn’t allow for the individuality needed to shine against other eCommerce competitors. Historically, the only way to change this was through the use of custom coding or leveraging a plugin that may not be compatible with your existing template or page builder of choice. To combine the best of both worlds, Checkout Styling for WooCommerce and Elementor unites the power and popularity of Elementor PRO with WooCommerce to provide expanded functionality and extra styling options for WooCommerce Cart and Checkout pages.

Unlike other plugins that may completely override your existing theme or template options to provide customization, Checkout Styling for WooCommerce and Elementor adds two new widget options to further improve your store design options. After installing the WordPress plugin, just remove the WooCommerce short code that is currently in use and add the designated CSWE widget through Elementor Pro to match the page you are editing. Once done, you will have new and extensive options to easily customize your WooCommerce Cart and Checkout page.

| ELEMENTOR PRO IS REQUIRED FOR THIS PLUGIN

What Features do the CSWE Widgets Add?

CSWE Cart

CSWE Cart is a custom-designed widget for Elementor Pro that allows an eCommerce store to customize their WooCommerce Cart page using existing Elementor functionality. The goal of this widget is to ensure anyone can personalize their WooCommerce cart page with Elementor PRO as long as they have a basic understanding of the existing functionality the page builder provides. Some of the features you can expect when using CSWE Cart include:

  • Custom Button Text for Coupons and Checkout Buttons
  • Header Text Modifications for Font, Color, Border and More
  • Comprehensive Button Styling Options
  • Responsive Options To Hide Forms Based on Device
  • Custom Background Options and Motion Effects

CSWE Checkout

CSWE Checkout was developed to allow for increased styling options on the WooCommerce Checkout Page that were previously unavailable. By integrating the widget with existing Elementor functionality, eCommerce stores can quickly and easily personalize their checkout page to make it unique. Some of the features that you can expect when using CSWE Checkout include:

  • Custom Field Headers for Billing and Shipping Details
  • Individual Control of What Fields are Required
  • Typography Control for Buttons, Headers and Labels
  • Comprehensive Button Styling Options
  • Responsive Options To Hide Forms Based on Device
  • Custom Background Options and Motion Effects

DOWNLOAD PLUGIN NOW

How Can Skynet Solutions Help?

Skynet Solutions is committed to providing the best web design services possible. If you are ready to expand your web presence, refresh your website design, start your eCommerce website or enhance your digital marketing, we are here to help. You can fill out our online contact form on our website or connect with us on FacebookTwitter and LinkedIn.

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Digital Marketing News Support Website

Why Are Website Backups Important?

There’s a good chance that you have invested a lot of time and money into your website. And, if something were to happen to it and you lost that data, you would likely be devastated. This is, unfortunately, a reality for many small business owners that haven’t invested in a proper way to create backups of their website and associated data. But why exactly are website backups and important and how can you ensure they are being done?

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Development Digital Marketing News

Reasons to Start an eCommerce Website

Any business that sells products at a physical location should be considering making the shift to an eCommerce website to supplement its existing sales plan. As one of the quickest ways to expand potential customer reach and increase overall revenue, there are many reasons that creating a dedicated online store makes sense for any business. In this article, we will look at four reasons that any business should consider when deciding to start an eCommerce website.

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Digital Marketing News Marketing Website

Is Your WordPress Website Up-to-Date?

For anyone keeping up with the tech news on the internet, it seems like there is always a new update to help get rid of security or vulnerability problems that are present with a previous version of WordPress or its associated plugins. While this may seem like a problem that would sway you from using this content management system for your website, the problems are generally found and corrected before they become an issue. But how important is it to keep your WordPress website up-to-date and how can an agency like Skynet Solutions help ensure you are protected?

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Digital Marketing News Marketing Website

What Is Web Hosting Uptime and Why Does It Matter?

When you are looking for a web hosting option, there’s a good chance that you will find most providers are touting their “uptimes”. While this is an important metric for anyone looking for web hosting, the numbers provided can be a little misleading and could steer you to partner with a host that doesn’t have your best interests in mind. In this article, we will look at what web hosting uptime is and why it matters when you are looking for a new partner to get your website online.