Shopify vs Salesforce in 2024: The Ultimate Comparison
By Sam Nguyen
In a digital world buzzing with competition, the quest for the perfect e-commerce and CRM tool is paramount. This blog intricately juxtaposes Shopify and Salesforce, empowering you to decipher the ideal platform tailored to your unique business objectives.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify excels for SMBs desiring a simplified, yet powerful e-commerce solution, circumventing the need for complex technical acumen.
- Salesforce shines for those seeking a holistic CRM powerhouse, loaded with granular analytics and potent marketing automation, perfect for businesses operating intricate sales ecosystems.
Shopify vs Salesforce: The key difference
Shopify shines in its simplicity and focus. It is a meticulously crafted e-commerce platform, designed with the primary intent of empowering even the most novice users to establish a professional online storefront. Its unique selling point lies in its effortless usability combined with an extensive range of e-commerce capabilities, catering specifically to SMBs looking to make a splash in the digital marketplace.
Salesforce, on the other hand, is a comprehensive juggernaut of CRM solutions. With a strategic focus on enterprise-level organizations, it offers a holistic suite of tools encompassing sales, customer service, marketing, and more. Its unique strength lies in its depth, with powerful analytics and intricate automation options that allow complex businesses to streamline their operations and optimize their customer relationships.
Shopify vs Salesforce: Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons of Shopify
Pros
- Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- Cost-effective plans
- 24/7 support through multiple channels
- Transaction security
- High scalability
Cons
- Additional transaction fees without using Shopify Payments
Pros and Cons of Salesforce
Pros
- Robust and sophisticated CRM tool
- High customizability
- Integration with numerous other software
Cons
- Quite expensive pricing
- Complicated background for beginners or those without a technical background
- Lack of some essential built-in e-commerce features
Shopify vs Salesforce: Infographic
- Pricing table
- Table comparison
Shopify vs Salesforce: In-depth Comparison
Pricing
Shopify
Subscription fees
Shopify’s subscription fees vary across multiple plans, starting from $5 to $399 per month.
Transaction fees
Transaction fees differ based on the plan, ranging from 0.5% to 2%. With Shopify Payments, however, these fees are waived.
Additional fees
Additional costs can stem from premium themes and apps, which can vary extensively based on their functionalities.
Salesforce
Subscription fees
Salesforce’s subscription fees (included sales and service pricing) start at $25 to $325 per user per month (billed annually) with four main plans: Essentials, Professional, Enterprise and Unlimited. This also means that you have to multiply this price by the total number of users in your team, and maybe it’s more expensive than Shopify with the subscription fees.
Transaction fees
As Salesforce doesn’t directly handle transactions, it lacks transaction fees. With over 30 payment gateways integrated, the fees can range between $0.05-$0.30 per transaction. It’s cheaper than Shopify but does not completely control the quality of the transaction because it is not directly executed by the entity.
Additional fees
Additional expenses may arise from premium add-ons and integrations, along with data storage fees if your usage exceeds the provided quota.
Table comparison in terms of overall pricing
| Shopify | Salesforce | |
| Subscription fees | From $5 to $399 per month | From $25 to $325 per user per month (billed annually) |
| Transaction fees | From 0.5% to 2% per transaction | $0.05-$0.30 per transaction but not completely control the quality |
| Additional fees | Stem from premium themes and apps, based on their functionalities. | Arise from premium add-ons and integrations, along with data storage fees |
The Verdict
While Salesforce offers comprehensive CRM capabilities, the cost per user can quickly escalate, making Shopify a more cost-effective solution for small and medium businesses venturing into e-commerce.
Sales Features
Shipping And Fulfillment
Shopify’s inherent flexibility shines in its shipping and fulfillment features. Offering a range of options, from local delivery to global shipping, Shopify integrates with a myriad of carriers. Salesforce, while robust, leans more towards large businesses with complex logistics, integrating with top-notch third-party fulfillment services, thus necessitating a more intricate setup.
Inventory Management
Shopify’s inventory management is efficient and user-friendly, offering capabilities such as bulk imports and inventory tracking. Salesforce offers a more in-depth inventory management system, which, while extensive, may require a learning curve. It also integrates with top ERP systems, allowing seamless stock management.
Order Management
Shopify simplifies order management, enabling easy order creation, editing, and customer updates. Salesforce Commerce Cloud presents a more comprehensive but complex system, ideal for businesses managing large volumes of orders with detailed processing needs.
Payment Gateway
Shopify provides a wide array of payment gateways, including its own, Shopify Payments. Salesforce doesn’t host a native payment gateway but integrates smoothly with various third-party payment processors, providing flexibility but requiring more setup.
SEO & content marketing
Shopify supports SEO basics and integrates easily with blog platforms for content marketing. Salesforce, on the other hand, provides advanced SEO features, including URL aliasing and metadata management, which is paired with its powerful content management system.
Reporting and Analytics
Shopify offers an intuitive reporting module with essential e-commerce analytics.
Salesforce stands out with its advanced, granular reporting and analytics features, enabling deep insights into customer behavior and business performance.
Automated Email Marketing
Shopify has a built-in email marketing tool, enabling basic automation. Salesforce also provides a comprehensive email marketing solution, part of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, offering advanced automation, personalization, and customer journey mapping.
Product Types Supported Gift cards + coupons
Shopify supports a variety of product types, including physical, digital, and service-based, along with gift cards and discount coupons, and also creates loyalty programs to turn first-time customers into forever customers. Salesforce supports an expansive range of product types, too, but it’s worth noting that at present, Salesforce does not natively support the sale of digital goods. This might limit businesses that deal extensively in digital products, such as software, e-books, or online courses.
Sales Features only Shopify has
- Shopify Payments: Exclusive to Shopify, this built-in payment gateway streammunes the payment process by removing the need for third-party integrations. Sellers benefit from streamlined transactions, potentially lower fees, and direct control over their payments, a feature not natively offered by Salesforce.
- Abandoned Cart Recovery: Shopify’s native abandoned cart recovery feature sends automated emails to potential customers who leave items in their cart, gently nudging them towards completing their purchase.
- Point of Sale (POS) System: Shopify’s integrated POS system is perfect for sellers operating both online and physical stores, ensuring seamless inventory management across all platforms. Salesforce doesn’t natively offer a similar POS solution, which puts Shopify a step ahead for omnichannel retailers.
- Shopify Lite: A unique Shopify feature, Shopify Lite allows sellers to sell products via social media channels and embed products on any website with a buy button. This makes it an optimal choice for sellers seeking a simplified, budget-friendly e-commerce solution.
- Free Themes: Shopify provides a variety of free, professional-looking themes for sellers to quickly set up their store.
- Support for Digital Goods: Shopify allows for the sale of digital products out-of-the-box, an edge for sellers dealing in digital goods such as e-books, online courses, or software. Salesforce currently lacks native support for digital goods, providing Shopify with an upper hand in this e-commerce sector.
The Verdict
Shopify brings ease and simplicity to the table, while Salesforce shines in providing comprehensive and advanced features. They’re 2 powerful platforms for each of their target audience, and Shopify makes it more ideal for smaller businesses or those new to e-commerce.
Apps and Integrations
Shopify
Boasting a vast marketplace of over 8,000 apps, Shopify stands out in its ability to integrate with a plethora of third-party applications, including Salesforce itself. This gives sellers unparalleled flexibility to customize their e-commerce platform as per their unique needs and switch seamlessly if required.
Salesforce
Salesforce provides integrations with a range of professional third-party apps, including Shopify. However, its AppExchange, though robust, doesn’t match the sheer quantity offered by Shopify. In addition, it requires a more complex setup, particularly for custom integrations.
The Verdict
Shopify, with its expansive, user-friendly app marketplace and flexibility, stands as the clear winner in this arena.
Ease of Use
Shopify
Known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, Shopify makes the process of setting up and managing an online store simple, even for non-tech-savvy users.
Salesforce
Salesforce, while incredibly powerful, has a steep learning curve. Its comprehensive suite of tools demands a certain level of technical understanding, making it less accessible for novices.
The Verdict
For ease of use, Shopify takes the lead. Its intuitive interface and simplicity make it an ideal choice for business owners of all tech levels.
Scalability
Shopify
Shopify is ready to grow with your business. With scalable plans, from Shopify Lite to Advanced Shopify, businesses can easily upgrade to accommodate increasing needs. Plus, its robust infrastructure ensures your store remains fast and responsive, no matter the volume of traffic or transactions.
Salesforce
Salesforce too offers scalability, but it leans towards large businesses or enterprises with its tiered pricing per user. Its complex feature set is designed to handle large-scale operations..
The Verdict
For scalability, Shopify impresses with tiered plans, robust infrastructure, and focus on both small and growing businesses making it a more cost-effective and manageable platform for scaling businesses. But if you own a large business, Salesforce is a good choice.
Help and Support
Shopify
Shopify provides 24/7 support through multiple channels: live chat, email, phone, and social media. There’s also a vast self-help resource center available, offering tutorials, guides, and forums to help troubleshoot issues independently.
Salesforce
Salesforce provides an extensive array of support options. However, the fastest response times and direct phone support are usually reserved for the more expensive plans. Basic support is available through a robust knowledge base, forums, and ticketing system.
The Verdict
Shopify outshines Salesforce in this category, offering around-the-clock, multi-channel support accessible to all users regardless of their subscription plan.
Security
Shopify
Shopify prioritizes security, providing Level 1 PCI DSS compliant hosting to ensure secure transactions. Furthermore, all Shopify stores come with a free SSL certificate, securing data transfer between your store and your customer.
Salesforce
Salesforce also provides high-end security features, including two-factor authentication, advanced encryption methods, and robust user permission controls. However, it’s worth noting that Salesforce does not directly handle transaction security as it does not host a native payment gateway.
The Verdict
While both platforms offer robust security measures, Shopify’s added transaction security gives it the upper hand for e-commerce businesses.
Themes and Designs
Shopify
Shopify offers over 112 professional themes, both free and paid, for users to choose from. These are easily customizable, even without any coding knowledge, giving sellers flexibility and control over their store’s aesthetic.
Salesforce
Salesforce allows custom theme design, giving brands a high level of flexibility. However, it does not offer ready-to-use themes. Any design setup or change requires developer input, which can be a challenge for small businesses or those lacking technical expertise.
The Verdict
In terms of themes and design, Shopify wins. Its ready-to-use, customizable themes provide an easy and efficient way for sellers to create visually appealing stores.
Shopify vs Salesforce: Table Comparison
| Criteria | Shopify | Salesforce | Winner |
| Pricing | More cost-effective plans suitable for small to medium businesses. | Can be expensive, suitable for larger businesses. | Depend on your preferences. |
| Sale Features | Robust set of sales features, with certain unique offerings. | Comprehensive sales tools, but lacks some e-commerce capabilities. | Shopify |
| Apps and Integrations | Extensive app store with various integrations, including Salesforce. | Powerful integrations but may require custom setup for certain apps. | Shopify |
| Ease of use | User-friendly interface, great for beginners. | More complex due to extensive capabilities, steep learning curve. | Shopify |
| Scalability | Highly scalable, can accommodate business growth seamlessly. | Scalable but might be overkill for small businesses. | Depend on your preferences. |
| Help and Support | 24/7 support via multiple channels. | Premium support incurs additional cost. | Shopify |
| Security | PCI DSS compliant, provides free SSL certificates. | Robust security but compliance options depend on the chosen package. | Shopify |
| Themes and Designs | Variety of aesthetic themes, some free and others paid. | More focused on data management, less on storefront aesthetics. | Shopify |
Overall Winner: Shopify
As we reflect on our comprehensive comparison of Shopify and Salesforce, it becomes evident that Shopify rises as the overall victor. This dynamic platform garners its strength from an array of user-focused features and strategic price points, making it an optimal choice for small to medium businesses venturing into the e-commerce realm.
While Salesforce has proven powerful, its complex interface and relatively higher cost can be a barrier for smaller businesses and those new to the e-commerce landscape. Shopify, on the other hand, prioritizes user accessibility, providing an intuitive interface, 24/7 multi-channel support, and a secure, built-in payment gateway, all of which solidify its stance as a user-friendly platform.
The flexibility of Shopify is another winning factor. With its expansive App marketplace, scalable plans, and a plethora of professional, customizable themes, Shopify accommodates the evolving needs of businesses. Additionally, Shopify’s focus on providing robust sales features, including unique offerings like Shopify Payments and abandoned cart recovery, cements its place as a leading e-commerce platform.
In conclusion, Shopify’s holistic approach to e-commerce, balancing power with simplicity, makes it the optimal choice for businesses seeking an accessible, versatile, and secure online sales platform. Whether you’re a small business owner stepping into e-commerce or an experienced digital marketer looking for a more streamlined experience, Shopify paves the path for a rewarding e-commerce journey.
Who should use Shopify? And who should use Salesforce?
Who should use Shopify?
Shopify is the best choice for:
- Small to Medium Business Owners
- Startups and Entrepreneurs
- Brick and Mortar Stores
- Bloggers and Influencers
- Dropshipping Businesses
And who should use Salesforce?
Salesforce is ideal for:
- Large Enterprises
- B2B Businesses
- Companies with Unique Sales Processes
- Businesses Requiring Advanced CRM
- Businesses with High Sales Volume
FAQs: Shopify vs Salesforce
Determining if Shopify is better than Salesforce depends on your specific needs. For small to medium-sized businesses seeking an intuitive, user-friendly, and cost-effective e-commerce platform, Shopify tends to be a superior choice. Salesforce, however, excels in advanced CRM capabilities and customizable features suitable for larger enterprises.
Shopify and Salesforce serve different primary purposes. Shopify is an all-in-one e-commerce platform designed to create online stores, manage products, and handle sales. Salesforce, on the other hand, is a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool geared towards managing customer interactions and enhancing sales strategies.
Yes, Salesforce can integrate with Shopify. This allows businesses to synchronize customer data, manage sales data, and streamline marketing efforts across both platforms. However, you may need a third-party app or custom integration to establish this connection.
Shopify accounted for about 28% of the e-commerce platform market, making it one of the leaders in the field. Salesforce, primarily a CRM tool, had around 19.8% of the CRM market.
Shopify vs Salesforce: Conclusion
In conclusion, the choice between Shopify and Salesforce hinges on your specific business requirements. Shopify shines for its simplicity, affordability, and robust e-commerce capabilities, making it the most ideal for small to medium-sized businesses and newcomers to the e-commerce landscape.
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