Should I switch to Shopify? Or should I use my Squarespace website to sell my products?
I get this question often.
There are tradeoffs for each choice, just like any tech platform and decision we make for our businesses. Let's break this down.
The Core Difference
Shopify is built for selling - period.
It's not built for being a full website builder with all the pages, but you CAN make it work.
How?
You can:
- work with a Shopify developer to custom code pages
- use a paid/upgraded theme for SOME extras
- use a pagebuilder ( the tradeoff there is extra cost and extra "weight" in the code of your website which may cost you website speed
You CAN have a blog on Shopify. Without custom code, you may have limited layout options, and it's not the most flexible. But it gets your posts on your site.
Squarespace is built for a well-designed website and blog that the mid-level tech-comfortable person can build.
They've added on modules for lots of things, including selling products.
This core difference is why my local boutique client keeps her website on Shopify.
Why Shopify Wins for E-commerce
I (and a bunch of other website professionals) keep coming back to Shopify because it solves the critical problems automatically.
- automatic sales tax calculation
- shipping
- inventory
- integration with Meta for FB and IG shopping
- integration with Pinterest for product pins
- email marketing included, with generous limits
Can you use other shopping carts?
Yes, there are many. Thrivecart, Samcart, Ecwid, and WooCommerce are just a few.
But Shopify has one of the most robust shopping platforms, combined with a "fairly" easy-to-use platform for building your site and managing your store.
It also has one of the strongest apps ecosystems, and you can use it (with an app extension) in just about any way.
And it has the automatic sales tax calculation part down, for standard product sellers anyway - and that's critical for where I live. I'll tell you more about that in a minute.
Squarespace and Sales Tax
Here's where things get interesting - Squarespace outsources their automatic sales tax calculation to TaxJar, and you have to be on the Commerce level subscription to access that integration for free. If you're on the Business level subscription, you have to have your own subscription to TaxJar and connect it to Squarespace.
Can you set up manual sales tax rates in Squarespace?
Yes. And for some businesses, if you only have to collect a single rate of sales tax (or none at all), then this option might be all you need.
Why do I harp on this?
Where I live in Wyoming, we have to calculate sales tax based on the location of the buyer.
That means I have to collect the correct sales tax for every county in the state. It's a pain, and some platforms don't account for this kind of granular tax rate breakdown.
Each state has its own rules, so that's why I say that if this is important in your state or for your business, sales tax can be a dealbreaker for Squarespace.
It's certainly why I prefer Shopify for any Wyoming small business that I help, depending on other factors.
My local boutique client finds the automatic sales tax calculation and collection a huge help in her business. All the various tax rates across the counties are automatically calculated and collected for every sale.
Shipping
Squarespace has shipping options that are pretty standard, and you can create profiles for various shipping options - but each product can only have one.
If you're comparing Squarespace and Shopify based on shipping, you'll need to know your specific shipping requirements in order to see if the differences would affect you.
Social Selling Differences
The last thing I want to mention is about Facebook and Instagram shopping.
Squarespace does allow you to connect your website product catalog to Facebook and Instagram, as long as you are on the Commerce level subscription.
However, when sales are made on those platforms, the item is not removed from your Squarespace inventory. Orders from Meta platforms don't show up in your Squarespace orders or analytics either.
Shopify allows you to sync with Meta platforms even with your Basic subscription. It also DOES sync your inventory automatically if an item sells from your Meta catalog.
And last, if you want to add your catalog to Pinterest - Shopify makes it easy to connect. Squarespace is harder.
So - which one should you choose?
It depends on your current situation. This comparison isn't a comprehensive list of features, it's just a few critical things I notice with my clients.
Here are some rules of thumb that may help you - but please make sure that you truly consider what YOU need for your situation before you make a decision.
Custom Squarespace site/large blog
If you have a custom-designed website on Squarespace with a lot of pages you want to keep, or a large blog
AND you want the more robust selling features of Shopify ->
1 - you might consider either working with a Shopify developer to custom-build your Shopify site for you
2 - OR keeping your Squarespace sign and adding a Shopify store on a sub-domain or a separate domain
Basic Squarespace site
If you have a basic Squarespace site, maybe a small blog, and any of the Shopify features are selling points (or the Squarespace tradeoffs are dealbreakers):
- you may want to move your site and blog to Shopify
You just like Squarespace
If the following fit you:
- you like the website customization of Squarespace
- you just want to sell a few products from your Squarespace site
- you don't need complex automated sales tax calculation or shipping options
- you don't need inventory sync for Facebook or Instagram sales
- you don't need catalog integration with Pinterest
and you like Squarespace better or it works better for your brain - then absolutely, stick with Squarespace.
There are people who choose Squarespace as their selling platform - or even switch from Shopify to Squarespace - and they appreciate the simplicity.
They don't need the extra features or they find ways to work around them.
If that's you, then by all means, use it if it works for you.
The right choice for you
The right choice for you depends on your goals and preferences. It depends on your business, your brain, and your budget.
It's worth considering what you need from a website and an online store so you can make the best choice for you.
Want to talk about your options?
I'm a Website Advisor, and I can help you talk through your specific website situation and determine a direction that fits you. I offer paid 1-hour consultations. You can read more about them here.
Ready to book a consultation session? Here's the direct booking link.
Want me to look at your site and offer my thoughts? Check out my website audits.
