Which Platform Will Help You Grow Your Online Business? Shopify vs. eBay

 E-commerce is continually expanding on an annual basis. E-commerce generated 14.1% of all global retail revenue in 2009. By 2023, it's predicted that this amount will account for 22% of all retail sales.

Although you've probably heard of Shopify and eBay as a customer, it can be challenging for a business owner to select a better platform. Before choosing between these two platforms, you must educate yourself thoroughly on both.

Now we’re going to give you an in-depth comparison between Shopify vs eBay, covering their benefits and drawbacks, outstanding features, and many other aspects.
Let's delve into the specifics more!

What is Shopify?

One of the top e-commerce platforms to use to create your online store is Shopify. 2019 saw more than a million store owners using Shopify globally. The platform provides users with a huge selection of lovely templates, fantastic SEO features, and flexibility. Furthermore, you don't need any technical expertise or knowledge because it is so simple to use.

Shopify wants to make it simple for you to build an online store where you can sell, ship, and manage your goods.

Pros

• Supported web hosting for your store
• Easy customization of products and websites
• 24/7 client assistance
• various currencies are used
• Save for abandoned carts
• Shopify payments come with no transaction costs.
• EU automatic VAT rates

Cons

• small reporting
• Only higher-tier pricing plans support real-time shipping rates.
• Free minimal themes
• Integrations may be expensive.

How does Shopify work?

Shopify provides the framework and fundamental platform, enabling users—from aspiring business owners to SMEs—to set up an online store. The platform is designed to make the process of selling goods online more straightforward. It handles a significant amount of the administrative work in one location, including:

• investing in your domain
• Branding
• creation of product pages
• preserving customer data
• processing transactions
• executing orders

A user-friendly backend dashboard will let you manage your Shopify website. You can manage your current orders, communicate with clients, control payments, create and modify product pages, and check analytics.

You'll receive reports on current events, immediate actions, consumer behavior, and the performance of your company. Analytics can be a fantastic tool for understanding the impact you're having on customers and the larger market.

You won't have to worry about finding a hosting solution because Shopify will host your store.

What is eBay

The most popular website for buying and selling goods globally, from both personal and business accounts, is eBay. eBay was initially used to sell used goods, but it has since expanded to sell new goods, liquidations, and even handmade goods.

Customers can buy a variety of items from sellers on eBay by placing a bid in an auction or selecting the Buy It Now button. Although you can set up an eBay store, its branding and customization options are much more constrained than those of Shopify.

But according to research, there were 476 million app downloads and more than 180,000 million eBay users worldwide in 2019. That indicates that thousands of people are interested in buying your products in this very busy playground.

Pros

• To build a store, you don't need any technical expertise.
• No additional charges for private listings
• sales on a global scale
• thanks to PowerSeller status, access to healthcare solutions
• Paid with PayPal
Cons

• Syncing manual inventories
• Logistics for fulfillment and shipping are not integrated
• limited custom options and enhancement tools

How does eBay work?

How does eBay work?

Sellers can list their products for sale on eBay with pictures, descriptions, prices, and shipping details. A certain number of free listings are given to sellers each month. After that, they must pay a fee for each additional eBay listing. The final value fee on each successful sale transaction is reduced for eBay users.

Customers can easily navigate the online retail website that offers a wide range of goods and services thanks to eBay. Customers can search for the desired product or service by logging in to the business' website or mobile app. As a result, they can compare prices from various sellers and select the best offer.

Shopify vs eBay: Which One Outweighs The Other?

Shopify vs eBay: Which One Outweighs The Other?

Shopify vs eBay: Ease of Use Comparison

Easy of Use of Shopify

You can set up shop and create an online retail store in a matter of minutes without needing to be an expert in Shopify. This is how using Shopify is simple:

• You are given a functional online store structure by the platform. As a result, you can modify the existing components rather than constructing a store piece by piece.
• You have a choice of ready-made templates.
• The templates' responsive design allows for easy customization to fit any screen size.
• Your online payments are taken care of. You are not required to handle private credit card data.
• A Shopify module allows you to process your product catalog.

Usefulness of eBay

You are not required to have any prior technical expertise or experience using an e-commerce dashboard. eBay is incredibly easy to use. There are some business tools that are easy to use, intuitive, and crammed with documentation, like File Exchange and Selling Manager Pro.

Shopify vs eBay: Design Templates Comparison

Shopify vs eBay: Design Templates Comparison

Templates for Shopify

Shopify offers about 100 contemporary and upscale designs. You'll discover something that fits both your personal style and the character of your online store. Additionally, every template is flawlessly mobile-, tablet-, and desktop-optimized.

You don't need to give much thought to the kinds of goods being sold within that demo theme when choosing your design. Using the design theme you choose, you can sell anything. Check out the example below. Although it has a modern, minimalistic design, it serves a variety of functions.

Shopify Templates

Additionally, once you've selected a template, you can freely make changes until you're satisfied. The customization interface for Shopify provides a number of options that are displayed one after another. To change every aspect of the template, scroll from top to bottom.

eBay Template Designs

There isn't much design flexibility offered by eBay. There is a standard format for stores and listings. Users can modify the storefront's logo, banner, descriptions, and photo. Additionally, you can create different categories and subcategories to change the navigation section on the left side of the store.

Sellers have control over the listing's title, initial description, and variation options like color, size, and model. More product details and images can be added in the central overview area.

Shopify vs eBay: Support Comparison

Support Shopify

Over time, Shopify's customer support has developed into a more polished operation.

The market offers 24-hour customer service hotlines in a few different regions of the world. By phone, email, or live chat, users can get in touch with support and communicate with them.

The company's customer service representatives are knowledgeable and practically experts in everything Shopify-related. In some instances, neither the customer nor the support staff may be able to resolve the problem. When this happens, they will suggest some alternative paths for you to take in order to find the answers you are craving.

Shopify also provides a useful knowledge base. You can look up answers to frequently asked questions or read advice from other clients. Additionally, you can post any queries or worries in the Shopify community on the web

PayPal Support

Depending on the plan you purchase, eBay offers a variety of support and help options. eBay Concierge is a feature of higher-lever subscription plans that gives users access to more support choices than the standard offering. Live chat and email are the main methods of support for the fundamental one.

With the Concierge plan, you can get in touch with the knowledgeable members of the support team, receive sales and marketing training, and receive assistance with shorter wait times. Additionally, you can get more help with bad reviews and listings that don't meet eBay requirements. Additionally, you have access to a wealth of documentation and training resources.

Shopify vs eBay: Shipping Comparison

Shipping on Shopify

To assist Shopify store owners, Shopify now offers its own shipping software. Every account comes with Shopify Shipping, which is free to use.

Shopify Shipping gives store owners the ability to track shipments, purchase and print shipping labels, and calculate real-time shipping rates. Despite being free for Shopify merchants on all pricing plans, keep in mind that only orders being delivered in the United States and Canada are eligible.

This shipping suite offers users discounted prices on various shipping services due to partnerships with USPS, UPS, DHL Express, and Canada Post. These reductions typically range from 20% to 50%, but they can reach 90%. You can integrate real-time shipping calculations into your order processing page and your customers' checkout thanks to these shipping carriers' rates. By charging precise shipping fees, you lower the chance of underestimating your shipping expenses.

Additionally, Shopify Shopping adds a number of features that can improve order fulfillment. From the admin panel, you can also manage orders and print numerous shipping labels. Additionally, you can use international shipping tools to create and print custom forms and give your customers shipment tracking information.

eBay Delivery

You can, first and foremost, ship your eBay items on your own. Although self-shipping may require more work, you can avoid paying extra money to dropshipping or third-party service providers. Furthermore, self-shipping may present more opportunities for branding, such as through the use of customized packing slips. These slips can be used for logos, announcements of sales, or private messages.

Additionally, you might think about working with an outside logistics partner. This service is chargeable, but it will take care of your shipment.

Additionally, eBay offers a Global Shipping Program to make selling internationally quick and easy. The program enables vendors to send goods to the Kentucky-based international shipping hub of eBay. Following that, eBay handles any customs-related paperwork and ships the goods to your customers anywhere in the world.

Shopify vs eBay: Pricing Comparison

Shopify Pricing

Shopify does provide a 14-day free trial and three different pricing packages:

• Basic Shopify: $29 per month includes everything you need to start a new online store.
• Shopify: All of the features of the Basic plan, plus additional staff accounts, better reports, gift cards, POS, and shipping options, are available for $79 per month.
• Advanced Shopify: With more staff accounts, advanced reports, POS, and shipping options, the Shopify plan costs $299 per month in addition to everything else.

Another choice for high-volume store owners is Shopify Plus. Additionally, Shopify Lite enables you to accept credit card payments, add items to a website, and sell through Facebook. You can also communicate with customers using the Messenger app. You will only pay $9 per month for this plan.

eBay Pricing

eBay offers five pricing options, including:

• Starter: $4.95 monthly (with annual subscription). This package is intended for new sellers who list up to 100 products per month in either an auction or fixed price format.
• Basic: $19.25 a month. This applies to vendors who either list high-value products to take advantage of lower final value fees or who list at least 250 products in a fixed price format.
• Premium:$59.95 monthly. This applies to vendors who list at least 1,000 fixed-price products each month.
• Anchor: Monthly cost of $299.95. This applies to vendors who list at least 10,000 fixed-price products each month.
• Enterprise: Monthly cost: $2999.95. This applies to vendors who list at least 100,000 fixed-price products each month.

eBay gives users a number of listings every month within the price packages, then requires a small fee for any extra listings.

Which option should you pick? eBay or Shopify? The best response will depend entirely on your business, products, and target market.

Thank you for reading