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Volusion vs. Shopify

Two platforms that help businesses with no coding experience build a digital storefront.

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Kimberly Ellis
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Volusion is an online website builder that was founded in 1999. Despite being one of the oldest players in the e-commerce industry, it keeps up with competitors with its integrated payment processing and shopping cart software. Shopify offers similar products but steals the show with multichannel selling.

How do Volusion and Shopify compare?

Which should I choose?

Choose Volusion if you only have an online store.

Choose Shopify if you have a brick-and-mortar store and want to start selling online.

Overview

A good option for small businesses looking for payment processing and shopping cart software.

A good option for small- to medium-sized businesses that want to sell in person, on a website and on social media.

Products

  • Payment processing
  • Website builder
  • Shopping cart software
  • Payment processing
  • Website builder
  • Inventory tracking
  • Shopping cart software
  • Shipping software

Monthly fees start at

$29/mo

$9/mo

Contract required?

No

No

Pros

  • 24/7 tech support. All of Volusion’s service tiers have around-the-clock email and live chat assistance. You’ll need to upgrade your plan if you want to get someone on the phone.
  • Free trial. Try Volusion for free for 14 days without giving your credit card information.
  • Business upgrades. Offer to purchase additional services known as “Quick Wins,” such as marketing, site design and website optimization, to grow your business. Some plans include credits that you can save and use towards upgrades.
  • 24/7 support. Shopify merchants can get help day or night by phone, email, live chat and Twitter.
  • Multiple sales channels. Sell in person with Shopify’s point-of-sale system, on your website and social media. Automatically sync inventory and track sales right from your dashboard.
  • App integrations. Extend your online store’s functionality by adding specialized features from the Shopify App Store’s rich collection of over 3,200 plugins.

Cons

  • Limited design options. Volusion has 14 free website themes and two paid designs, which fails to live up to competitors like Shift4Shop and BigCommerce that offer more than 100 website looks.
  • Limited processing choices. Volusion only supports three third-party payment methods: PayPal, Stripe and Apple Pay.
  • Only for online stores. Volusion’s software doesn’t support any point-of-sale (POS) systems for in-person purchases.
  • Few free website themes. Shopify has four free design options and eight premium themes. Although each theme has at least two different styles to choose from, customization is not Shopify’s strong suit.
  • Limited users. Most Shopify plans cap the number of staff accounts.
  • Account closure risk. Shopify may freeze or close high-risk merchant accounts.

Tools

  • App integrations. Connect your business with accounting, marketing, shipping apps and more through Volusion’s Marketplace of technology partners.
  • Customize product pages. Offers different pricing for custom product options and generate discount codes and coupons.
  • Built-in marketing tools. Grow your business using Volusion’s SEO and marketing campaign tools.
  • Customer management. View customer contact info, purchase histories and shopping habits.
  • Performance tracking. Dive into analytics and learn about your sales funnel, site visits and best-performing products.
  • Business name generator. Set up your domain name before someone else snags it.
  • Business marketing. Design and manage online marketing campaigns to reach your target customer.
  • Free stock photos. Improve your website’s visual look using Shopify’s high-resolution, royalty-free images.
  • Custom storefront tools. Add your Shopify store to games, apps or websites to create new opportunities to reach more customers.

BBB letter rating

A+

A+

Trustpilot rating" class="tooltip-format">

★★★★★

2.7/5

Based on 373 reviews

★★★★★

1.4/5

Based on 1,001 reviews

Reputation and customer reviews

  • Reviews are mixed.
  • Customers praise its experienced and pleasant tech support agents.
  • Customers complain about SSL-certificate fees and dated user interface.
  • Reviews are mostly negative.
  • Customers praise its functionality for small businesses with no coding experience.
  • Customers complain of account closures because their business operates in a high-risk industry.

Support

  • Phone. It is dvertised on its website and is intended for current Volusion clients only.
  • Live chat. New merchants can touch base with support with its 24-hour live chat on its website.
  • Phone. Merchants in North America can call 855-816-3857 to speak with a Shopify rep.
  • Email. Fill out a secure online form on Shopify’s website for a response within one business day.
  • Live chat. From Shopify’s website, open up a live chat window to connect with a Shopify rep.
  • Twitter. Tweet at Shopify for a direct response from the support team.

Bottom line

Both Volusion and Shopify are robust solutions for online merchants, especially if you don’t have any technical experience. Although Volusion has a substantial number of built-in tools and praise-worthy tech support, Shopify sets itself apart with its POS systems and an impressive library of plugins — making Shopify a more versatile tool for small- to medium-sized businesses. If you’re looking for an all-in-one provider, compare merchant service providers.

Frequently asked questions

Can you dropship with Volusion?

Yes. Volusion merchants can use online dropshipping aggregators, such as Doba and Kole Imports, or find manufacturers directly.

What’s the difference between Volusion V1 and V2?

Volusion V1 has greater functionality than V2 and is better for larger businesses. Volusion V2 has fewer customization options, so it’s easier to learn and set up — making it better suited for smaller companies.

Does Shopify help prevent fraud?

Yes. Shopify uses a host of fraud prevention strategies to help identify transactions that could be fraudulent.

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