E-commerce Platform for Online Stores
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform that enables businesses to create online stores, manage inventory, process payments, and sell across multiple channels. Founded in Canada, it powers millions of stores worldwide.
Patterns extracted from real user feedback — not raw reviews.
Shopify discontinued phone support in Spring 2025. Users must now convince an AI chatbot to speak to a human. Support described as 'unbelievably bad' even for merchants paying hundreds monthly. Small businesses have no recourse when locked out.
Some issues have persisted for years without resolution from Shopify. Tech support wait times are long. Unless on highest tier plan ($299+), merchants are effectively abandoned when problems arise.
Shopify charges 2.5-2.9% + 30¢ per transaction on credit cards. Additional 0.6-2% fee if using third-party payment gateways. Combined with monthly plans ($29-299), total costs add up quickly for high-volume stores.
Many basic functions outsourced to third-party apps that cost extra monthly. Premium apps needed to unlock features stores need. App costs stack up quickly - some merchants pay more in apps than base subscription.
Shopify no longer refunds transaction fees when orders are cancelled or refunded. This represents huge cost to vendors dealing with returns. Policy change hit merchants without warning.
Merchants report chargebacks being accepted with funds permanently withdrawn plus additional fees. Customers keep goods and money. Shopify blames banks, payment processors blame Shopify. No real appeal path for merchants.
Shopify not transparent about uptimes and outages. Platform has issues with basic data and calculations - conversion rates often off by significant amounts. Month-end inventory snapshots take up to 2 weeks to display.
Shopify has 4.4/5 on G2 but dismal 1.5/5 on Trustpilot with 86% 1-star reviews. The contrast suggests significant issues with actual merchant experiences vs curated review platforms.
Deeper checkout and backend customization limited unless on higher plans or using custom development. Advanced features like tax/customs calculations locked behind $299/month tier. B2B needs require extensive workarounds.
Inventory control experience needs improvement - described as very limited and clunky. Updates move features to different areas without notification. Users request emails when changes are made to interface.
Shopify conducts no due diligence on its merchants and has no accountability. Consumers report unvetted merchants, potential fraud, non-delivery, and incorrect items with no support when things go wrong.
Users report being less satisfied with social media connectivity. Platform lacks beginner guides in simple terms. AI improvements requested to make things easier. Social selling features need work.
Easy to set up - beginner friendly
Shopify is known for ease of use and quick setup. No coding required for basic stores. Beginners can launch stores within hours. Intuitive interface for non-technical users.
Huge app ecosystem for extended functionality
Thousands of apps available in Shopify App Store. Extend functionality for marketing, shipping, inventory, and more. While apps cost extra, they enable customization without coding.
Professional themes and design options
Wide selection of professional, mobile-responsive themes. Both free and premium options available. Themes designed specifically for e-commerce conversion.
Reliable hosting and uptime
Shopify handles all hosting, security, and updates. Generally reliable uptime for stores. No need to manage servers or worry about traffic spikes crashing site.
Shopify Payments streamlines transactions
Shopify Payments eliminates third-party gateway fees. Built-in payment processing is convenient. Competitive rates for merchants using their payment solution.
Multi-channel selling capabilities
Sell on website, social media, marketplaces, and in-person with Shopify POS. Unified inventory management across channels. Good for omnichannel retail strategies.
Users: Not specified
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Basic reports only, 2 staff accounts, limited checkout customization
Users: Not specified
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Still lacks advanced customization, checkout modifications limited
Users: Not specified
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Still requires apps for many features, expensive for small businesses
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Requires significant investment, complex for small operations
Beginners launching first store
Shopify's main strength is ease of use. Beginners can launch stores quickly without technical knowledge. Templates and guided setup help non-technical users get started.
Growing brands wanting simplicity
Shopify handles hosting, security, and updates. Good for brands focused on selling rather than tech management. Scales well if you accept the costs at higher volumes.
International sellers
Multi-currency and international features available but duties/taxes calculation locked behind $299/mo Advanced plan. Consider whether Shopify Markets meets your needs before committing.
Marketing teams
Decent marketing integrations and sales channel options. However, many marketing features require paid apps. Email marketing, SMS, and advanced analytics often need third-party solutions.
Budget-conscious small businesses
Transaction fees, app costs, and monthly subscriptions add up quickly. WooCommerce offers free core software with lower total cost. Shopify's hidden costs make budgeting difficult.
Merchants needing strong support
Phone support discontinued in 2025. AI chatbot barriers to human help. Support described as 'unbelievably bad.' Unless on Plus plan, expect limited assistance when problems arise.
Businesses with high return rates
Shopify no longer refunds transaction fees on cancelled/refunded orders. High return businesses lose significant money on fees for orders that don't complete. Consider platforms with better refund policies.
Developers wanting full control
Checkout and backend customization limited unless on expensive plans. Closed-source platform. WooCommerce or headless solutions offer more flexibility for technical teams.
Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.
Signed up for $29/mo Basic plan expecting affordable e-commerce. After transaction fees (2.9% + 30¢ per sale) and 5 essential apps, actual monthly cost exceeded $250. Should have calculated true costs upfront.
Critical issue with store affecting sales. Tried to get help but phone support discontinued. Spent hours with AI chatbot before reaching human. Issue took days to resolve. Lost significant revenue during downtime.
Customer filed chargeback after receiving product. Shopify sided with customer, took funds plus $15 fee. Customer kept product and money. No real appeal process. Realized Shopify protects itself, not merchants.
High return rate business. Discovered Shopify keeps transaction fees on refunded/cancelled orders. Policy changed without clear notification. Lost thousands in fees on orders that didn't complete.
Business grew and needed features like duties calculation. These locked behind $299/mo Advanced plan. Gap between $79 Grow and $299 Advanced too large. Stuck paying for apps to fill gaps.
Needed customizations Shopify couldn't provide without expensive Plus plan. Migrated to WooCommerce. Lost Shopify app investments but gained full control. Wish had started with WooCommerce.
Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.
Since Spring 2025, phone support is gone. AI chatbot barriers delay reaching humans. Critical store issues may take days to resolve. Only Plus users ($2,300+/mo) get priority support.
Chargebacks often favor customers regardless of evidence. Merchants lose product, money, and pay $15 fee. Shopify offers no real appeal process. Structural problem with merchant protection.
Shopify doesn't refund transaction fees on cancelled/refunded orders. Businesses with returns like fashion lose significant money on fees for incomplete transactions. Consider platforms with better policies.
Essential features like duties/taxes calculation locked behind $299/mo Advanced plan. Gap between tiers forces either overpaying or using expensive app workarounds.
Checkout customization only available on Plus ($2,300+/mo). Backend modifications require developers. Shopify's closed platform limits what you can change without massive investment.
Using non-Shopify payment gateway adds 0.6-2% extra fee per transaction. International merchants without Shopify Payments access face significant extra costs.
WooCommerce
Most popular Shopify alternative with 39% market share. Gain: free core software, full ownership, unlimited customization. Trade-off: requires WordPress hosting, more technical.
BigCommerce
Enterprise-focused alternative with no transaction fees. Gain: built-in features reduce app dependency, phone support available. Trade-off: less beginner-friendly, fewer themes.
Wix
Easiest Shopify alternative for beginners. Gain: drag-drop builder, lower starting price, good templates. Trade-off: less scalable, limited for large catalogs.
Squarespace
Design-focused alternative for brand-conscious businesses. Gain: beautiful templates, integrated design tools. Trade-off: fewer e-commerce features, limited payment options.
Adobe Commerce
Enterprise alternative for large businesses (formerly Magento). Gain: unlimited customization, B2B features. Trade-off: expensive, requires development resources.
Shift4Shop
Free e-commerce platform for US merchants. Gain: no monthly fees if using their payment processing. Trade-off: US-only for free plan, less polished interface.
