3DCart Review vs Shopify Review
Updated February 2019
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Determining The Most Suitable eCommerce Application For Your eCommerce Business
Ease of Use
Adding products, categories and making shipping options clear is essential for any ecommerce business.
We look at how easy this overall on each platform.
We look at how easy this overall on each platform.
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Shopify: Shopify's "add a product" means business, serious business. For each product a user has exceptionally detailed data fields to populate, ranging from Title, description (which you can link text to other websites or pages), to SKUs, barcodes, inventory policy application and photo gallery. Shopify's standard fields offer everything you need to upload a product with every specific presented. |
3DCart: 3DCart dates back to 1997(!) and has adapted along the way to offer a full suite ecommerce platform. The functionality is very simple and easy to use - drag-and-drop with easy editing, making the platform accessible to the most technically challenged entrepreneur. When it comes to adding and promoting products, the support videos show you how easy it is. Design wise, there is a bunch of themes to pick from – it’s really user friendly and intuitive to use overall and perfect for a first time ecommerce entrepreneur. |
Winner: It's a Tie We believe both Shopify and 3DCart deliver a service equal when it comes to simplicity, with neither having an advantage. |
Support - that Crucial Resource You Always Need
Any business needs support, and ecommerce platforms give rise to their own set of special questions.
You'll need the best support you can get, even if you don't have the questions right away
You'll need the best support you can get, even if you don't have the questions right away
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Shopify: With 24/7 phone support and online authentication to save time, and a local Melbourne number to call, there is no ecommerce platform like it when it comes to helping customers. Shopify works 24/7 to answer your questions. Their ecommerce community is also very active meaning lots of tips are on hand. |
3DCart: The platform has hired 60+ support specialists, based in the USA, to work 24/7 helping clients with their Support needs. 3DCart is responsive when it comes to Support, and offers a range of online tutorials too assist. Ideal for Australian business hours, as it operates 24/7. |
Winner: Tie Shopify may have a local Australian number but 3DCart has fanatical support and great support reviews. |
Experts for Custom Requests
At some point in the life of your ecommerce business, you'll need an expert. Even if it's an hour of time, it can save your business significant time if you hire someone that knows Shopify. But how do you find someone who is familiar with the application, and can they be trusted? We look at the methods both platforms use to make hiring an expert seamless.
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Shopify: Shopify nails it with a number of approved platform experts listed on its own site located in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. With a number of partner reviews, making the transition into hiring a web developer and getting someone who knows how to deliver the good, literally, in Shopify is transparent. Experts even list their hourly charges and what scope of work they perform. |
3DCart: There is one Australian 3DCart designer and given the lack of reviews on all of the listings worldwide, this is a listing that doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence or give much value to decision making. It’s likely a Google search for “3DCart developers Sydney” etc will be equally useful. |
Winner: Shopify For the relatively higher quantity of providers available, the number of their reviews and transparency and making it too easy to find a Shopify Expert to help you. 3DCart is nowhere close (yet). |
Apps, Plugins and the Integrations Available
So, beyond the standard features of both ecommerce platforms, there will be a moment when you ask “oh, can I do….” and the answer is likely to be YES, but with an app. Apps are developed by external partners to ecommerce platform providers, and are either free or subscribed to for an ongoing monthly fee. These apps cover functionality and features in Marketing, Sales, Social Media, Shipping, Inventory, Customer Service, Accounting, Tools, Reporting and Sales Channels. With such a wide scope, we look at the number of apps and quality available on both platforms.
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Shopify: A lot of developers are flocking to Shopify as the platform dominates the ecommerce arena. As at September 2016, there were over 5,000 apps. With more being published everyday and introduced to the Shopify arena, there is a lot of choice. |
3DCart: There are around 150 3DCard apps offering functions in many business areas, but unlike Shopify there is no transparency as to their reviews. The selection is a lot better than other platforms, but it’s not Shopify. |
Winner: Shopify Without comparison. |
Basic Features and Benefits for a Beginner Plan
We start off looking at what you can get for under $40/month (the price point of entry level plans) and maximising the built-in features to build the best ecommerce experience for your customers.
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Shopify: At AU$29.95 on month-to-month terms, Shopify is affordable for the startup. It packs all the features of a comprehensive SaaS option, with a lot of free add-ons apps available to give you more ecommerce swag. |
3DCart: There are three 3DCart plans, with the “mini” plan coming in at US$19.99 per month. The plan offers unlimited orders, 0% Transaction Fees and a listing of up to 100 products. As with Shopify, multiple user access is capped at two users – not a big issue for a small startup, but something to keep in mind. What IS limiting is the 2GB of bandwidth per month – this could be easily used up in as little as 50 browsers. To get up to 25GB, you’ll need to shell out US$99.99 per month. |
Winner: Shopify Without question. We certainly don’t like the 2GB cap on 3DCart, nor do we like the 4,000 visitor quota with the “mini” plan. These specs make 3DCart a “buyer beware” Saas. |
Themes - Why Design is Everything in eCommerce
Themes are the pre-set design of your website, and the more there are available, the happier your ecommerce store will be – themes need to match logos and your products. We like choice in design, and in 2017, it’s a minimum requirement
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Shopify: There are a LOT of themes - some are free with the platform, others are paid, but the individuality is endless and you can quickly edit your theme to make it unique. By a LOT, we mean 500+. You’ll spend your initial setup time picking through some great options. |
3DCart: There’s not too many designs available, and what we saw looked a bit basic. A few themes cost US$199 and we don’t exactly love those. Nothing in this lineup compares to Shopify. |
Winner: Shopify No Comparison. |
Website Features Beyond Ecommerce (Blogs, Galleries etc)
If you’re a business that isn’t JUST in the business of ecommerce, then it's perhaps better to have a website tool that has all the features to make your business stand out. This applies to professionals selling items "on the side".
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Shopify: Shopify has page simple editing which is superior to SquareSpace and other ecommerce-driven platforms, but there are limitations and the design features aren't as beautifully intuitive as they could be. Shopify certaintly isn't the platform if you're 95% offline business and 5% ecommerce. |
3DCart: There’s not too many designs available, and what we saw looked a bit basic. A few themes cost US$199 and we don’t exactly love those. Nothing in this lineup compares to Shopify. |
Winner: Shopify Simple is always better. |
Per-Sale Charges
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Shopify: Shopify transaction fees comes standard with every Shopify account, and the fees are as followed:
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3DCart: 3DCart offers a range of Australian payment gateways, including eway. The fees are outlined below:
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Winner: Shopify It’s just better value for those |
