Shopify is better for businesses that want to build their own brand and have more control over their online store, while Amazon Marketplace is better for businesses that want to reach a large audience quickly and easily.
| Attribute | Shopify | Amazon Marketplace |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing and Fees | Basic ($39/month), Grow ($105/month), Advanced ($399/month), Shopify Plus (starting at $2,300/month), Starter plan ($5/month). Annual billing saves up to 25%. | Individual plan at $0.99 per item sold (for <40 items/month), Professional plan at $39.99 per month (for high-volume sellers). |
| Transaction Fees | Depends on the plan and payment provider. Using Shopify Payments can avoid third-party transaction fees. Third-party fees range from 0.5% to 2%. Shopify Payments fees: Basic (2.9% + 30 USD), Shopify (2.6% + 30 USD), Advanced (2.4% + 30 USD). | Referral fees ranging from 8% to 15% (up to 45% for some categories) of the total sales price, with a minimum of $0.30 per item. |
| Customization Options | Allows store customization through themes and a drag-and-drop builder. Users can add, move, and remove elements such as images, text boxes, and product listings. | Amazon Custom allows buyers to personalize products with text, images, or configurable elements. |
| App Ecosystem | Extensive app ecosystem with over 6,000 apps for marketing, SEO, inventory management, and analytics. | Integrates with ERP systems (Sage, Xero, QuickBooks), CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot), and shipping solutions; tools like Webgility integrate NetSuite. |
| Payment Gateway Options | Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, Worldpay, Klarna, Square, Ayden, Authorize.net, and Amazon Pay. | Amazon Pay with fees of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction for domestic US payments. |
| Shipping Options and Integrations | Provides tools for real-time shipping rates and label printing, integrates with various shipping providers, and offers multi-currency support and multi-language options. | Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM); integrates with shipping platforms for automated label printing and tracking. |
| Marketing Tools and SEO Features | Offers SEO (keyword research tools, SEO analytics, on-page SEO optimization plugins) and marketing tools (email marketing, social media integration, automation tools). | Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Amazon Demand Side Platform (DSP); tools for optimizing product listings and tracking keyword rankings. |
| Customer Support Quality and Availability | Offers 24/7 customer support. | Emphasizes responsiveness with 24/7 local language support via Customer Service by Amazon (CSBA). |
| Scalability for Growing Businesses | Designed for scalability, with Shopify Plus available for large enterprises. | Designed to be scalable, leveraging FBA for logistics outsourcing. |
| Ease of Use | Known for its intuitive interface and drag-and-drop functionality, suitable for beginners without coding knowledge. | Seller Central platform for managing inventory, pricing, and marketing; Amazon Seller app for simplified management. |
| Inventory Management Features | Offers centralized inventory control, accurate inventory tracking, support for product variants, and low stock alerts. | Real-time inventory tracking, demand forecasting, automated restocking, and low-stock alerts; supports external inventory management software. |
| Reporting and Analytics | Provides reporting and analytics tools to track sales and customer behavior and integrates with Google Analytics. | Tools to track sales, manage inventory, and gain customer insights, including business reports, brand analytics, advertising reports, and inventory reports. |