Shopify vs. Salesforce Commerce Cloud – an Overview for eCommerce businesses

Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud are two of the leading e-commerce platforms in today’s market. Both platforms offer a plethora of features catering to different business needs. Let us give you a detailed comparison of these platforms based on various parameters.

Overview of the platforms

Let us give you a quick overview of the platforms:

Shopify

A popular SaaS e-commerce platform known for its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. It offers a range of themes and templates, making it easy for anyone to set up an online store without coding skills. With integrations to third-party applications and various pricing plans, it caters to businesses of all sizes. Founded in 2006, Shopify started as a solution to the founders’ own e-commerce problems. Today, it powers over a million businesses worldwide.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Formerly known as Demandware, it’s a cloud-based platform offering a unified commerce solution. It was acquired by Salesforce in 2016. It has since been a go-to solution.Tailored for businesses of all sizes, it’s especially suited for larger companies requiring a high level of control over their e-commerce operations. Adidas, the global sportswear giant, uses Salesforce Commerce Cloud. The platform’s ability to handle vast inventories and provide personalised shopping experiences has been crucial for Adidas.

Cost and Time Efficiency: Instead of relying on manual input, businesses can use AI to generate thousands of product descriptions in a fraction of the time, reducing overheads and human error.

Meet Shopify and Salesforce – the key features overview

Before we go deeper into the comparison let’s look at the points that make these platforms stand out in the crowd.

Shopify

The ecom platform is known for it’s simplicity and user-centred design. By now its more than a platform, it’s known by basically everybody in the eCom world and a favourite of many businesses and agency. Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand, leveraged Shopify to scale its business rapidly. The platform’s ease of use and scalability played a pivotal role in Gymshark’s growth story.

Key features that stand out are: 

User-Friendly Interface: With a drag-and-drop store builder, users can effortlessly set up their online store without any coding expertise.

Diverse Themes and Templates: A wide range of themes and templates are available, allowing businesses to design a store that aligns with their brand identity.

Integration Capabilities: Shopify seamlessly integrates with numerous third-party applications, including email marketing tools, subscriptions, accounting software, and social media platforms.

Pricing Flexibility: Shopify offers multiple pricing plans, starting from 28€ per month for the Basic plan, going up to 384€ per month for the Advanced Plan. Additionally, there’s a Shopify Plus Plan tailored for high-volume enterprise clients.

SEO and Marketing: Shopify provides built-in SEO features and various SEO apps to optimise online stores for search engines. This ensures better visibility and organic traffic.

Security: Ensuring the safety of customer data and financial transactions is paramount. Shopify offers robust security features to protect its users.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud, known for its success in enterprise eCommerce, provides a comprehensive commerce solution, suited for larger companies. 

Let’s look at some main points of the platform: 

Unified Commerce Solution: Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers features such as product management, order management, inventory management, and customer management.

Scalability: Especially designed for larger enterprises, it provides the ability to manage multiple storefronts across different countries, ensuring businesses can scale as they grow.

Integration with Salesforce Suite: The platform integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce products like Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Salesforce Service Cloud, and Salesforce Einstein.

Customised Pricing: Pricing is tailored based on the business’s size and required features. This platform is particularly suitable for larger companies that need a higher degree of control over their e-commerce operations.

SEO Optimisation: Like Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers various SEO features and integrates with popular SEO tools like Moz and BrightEdge.

Security: Salesforce Commerce Cloud ensures that all customer data and transactions are secure, providing peace of mind to its users.

Core features & benefits – direct comparison 

So now that we have our facts secured, there are some core points which are important to eCom businesses whilst choosing a platform. We will take a look at these points and the platforms solutions. 

While both platforms offer a plethora of features to help businesses establish their online stores, there are notable differences. Shopify’s drag-and-drop interface is notably user-friendly, especially catering to non-technical users. In contrast, Salesforce Commerce Cloud has limited design options and might necessitate some coding skills for thorough customization. When it comes to usability, Shopify is more intuitive, streamlining the process for non-technical individuals to establish and manage their store. However, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, with its enterprise-centric approach, could be a bit daunting for some. In the realm of pricing, Shopify has fixed plans, while Salesforce Commerce Cloud adopts a more tailored pricing strategy, often leaning towards the higher end and being ideal for larger enterprises. On the SEO front, both platforms are equipped with robust features, but Shopify takes a slight lead by offering an additional tool, the “Shopify SEO Analyser,” for superior optimisation.

A Closer Look

UX

Shopify: Known for its intuitive interface, Shopify is designed for both beginners and experts. Its dashboard is straightforward, making tasks like adding products or tracking orders a breeze.

Salesforce: While it offers a robust set of features, it’s more tailored for users with some technical background. However, the depth of customization it offers is unparalleled.

Integration and Extensions

Shopify: Boasts a vast App Store with over 2,400 apps. From marketing to inventory management, there’s an app for almost every need.

Salesforce: Offers seamless integration with other Salesforce products, making it a powerhouse for businesses already invested in the Salesforce ecosystem.

Customisation and Scalability

Shopify: With its Liquid templating language, businesses can customize their storefronts extensively. Shopify Plus, its enterprise solution, caters to high-volume merchants.

Salesforce: Known for its high scalability, it’s a favourite among large businesses with complex needs. Its ability to handle multiple storefronts across regions is a significant advantage.

Payment Gateways and Transaction Fees

Shopify: Supports over 100 payment gateways. However, using gateways other than Shopify Payments might incur additional transaction fees.

Salesforce: Offers a wide range of payment solutions, especially catering to the diverse needs of large enterprises.

Support and Community

Shopify: Offers 24/7 customer support. Its community is vast, with numerous forums, tutorials, and resources available.

Salesforce: Provides extensive support, especially for its premium clients. Its community, while more enterprise-focused, is rich with experts and resources.

Potential Drawbacks: 

Shopify

While it’s user-friendly, advanced customisations might require hiring experts. Some businesses also find its transaction fees (when not using Shopify Payments) a downside.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Its pricing can be on the higher side, and the platform might be overkill for smaller businesses. The learning curve is steeper compared to Shopify.

To sum up

The choice between Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud boils down to a business’s specific needs, technical expertise, and budget. While Shopify is excellent for businesses looking for ease of use and affordability, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is ideal for large enterprises needing deep customization and scalability.

Businesses should conduct a thorough analysis, considering both short-term and long-term goals, before settling on a platform. Whatever the choice, both platforms are equipped to drive e-commerce success in today’s digital age.

We at Flatline Agency, official Shopify Plus Partners, are here to help you take your business to the next step, including custom development, design, and marketing. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.