Amazon FBA and Shopify are two of the best-known players in the eCommerce industry with massive customer bases, and choosing between Shopify and Amazon FBA can be a tough call!
Therefore, to help you, we have prepared this comprehensive comparison guide.
In this detailed Shopify vs Amazon comparison, we will compare both platforms in terms of various factors such as pricing, scalability, compatibility, and more to help you pick the ideal platform for your needs.
So, without wasting time, let us compare Amazon FBA and Shopify.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: In A Nutshell (2024)
If you are on the go, here is a quick summary of our comparison that will give you an overview of what both platforms have to offer.
| Factors | Shopify | Amazon |
| Platform Type | Website builder and host | Third-party marketplace |
| Pricing | Starts at $39 | Starts at $0.99 per sale |
| Device Compatibility | Shopify is compatible with all devices | Amazon is compatible with all devices |
| Customization Option | Offers many customization options with more control | No control over the design of the Amazon store |
| Transaction And Other Fees | No transaction fees for stores using Shopify Payments. However, if you choose external payment modes, you might have to pay some additional fees based on your selected plan. | All sellers on Amazon must pay a referral fee based on their product categories. |
| Marketing | Social media integration, gift cards, Google ads credit, and more | Amazon paid ads, Amazon DSP, and more |
| Order Fulfillment | Average order fulfillment | Advanced or streamlined order fulfillment |
| Customer Support | Email, 24/7 live chat, and phone | Contact the seller support team via the seller account |
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: What’s The Difference?
The primary difference between Amazon FBA and Shopify is that Amazon FBA is an online marketplace, and Shopify is an e-commerce platform.
With Shopify, you can easily build an online store where you will have the freedom to create & design the front end and sell whatever you want. You can also build an online brand from scratch with Shopify. However, you must learn how to drive traffic and market your brand.
Amazon FBA is an online marketplace that attracts more than 231 million unique monthly visitors in the US. By listing your products on Amazon, you can make them instantly visible to millions of users without knowing how to drive traffic.
However, you are only allowed to sell products on Amazon that adhere to their guidelines. Moreover, specific categories, like jewelry, fine art, music, and more, also require Amazon approval before selling.
Choose Shopify If:
- You want to create your own personalized online store.
- You want flexibility in creating your store.
- You want several payment options.
- You want customizable options.
Choose Amazon FBA if:
- You want higher traffic in your store.
- You want to begin your eCommerce journey quickly.
- You do not want to handle shipping and product inventory.
- If you don’t want to handle customer support,
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: User Interface
Let’s discuss the user interface of both platforms below!
Shopify User Interface:
Shopify has an intuitive and user-friendly interface. It allows people with minimal technical knowledge to create and manage their online store. The plus point is that it also has drag-and-drop functionality to make it easy to customize the design and layout of the store.
Amazon FBA User Interface
The user interface of Amazon FBA is also simple and easy to understand. If you want to list your products on Amazon, all you need to do is follow the set-up stage to register your store. After completing the registration process, you can upload your product details, like category, SKU, cost, shipping option, and more. Once done, you are all set to start selling.
The dashboard of this platform is easy to navigate, and anyone can use it without additional knowledge.
Verdict
There is a tie between both platforms in terms of user interface because the dashboards of both platforms are simple and easy to navigate.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Pricing
Now, let’s come to the crucial parameter. Let’s see how the pricing difference compares between Amazon FBA and Shopify!
Shopify Pricing
Shopify offers 3 days of free trial that anyone can get without needing a credit card. It also offers 3 premium plans:
- Basic: $39/month
- Shopify: $105/month
- Advanced: $399/month
All these plans give access to extraordinary premium features, like security, discount codes, credit card processing, and more. We also have an exclusive Shopify discount code that you can use to get a few bucks off on your purchase.
Amazon Pricing
The pricing of Amazon FBA is relatively cheaper than Shopify’s. It offers two premium plans:
- Individual: $0.99/per item sold
- Professional: $39.99/month
The individual plan has no monthly fee. But you have to pay 99 cents per item sold. You cannot advertise or take part in the Amazon brand registry. However, this plan is suitable for testing before choosing an expensive plan from Amazon.
Amazon also offers a professional plan that gives access to more advanced features, like inventory management, promotional ads, and more. All these features are essential for running a successful Amazon store.
Verdict
Amazon is a clear winner in terms of pricing, as it has affordable pricing plans as compared to Shopify.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Device Compatibility
As a seller, you need to ensure the platform you are choosing is compatible with multiple devices. Let’s check out below!
Shopify Device Compatibility
Anyone can use Shopify on any device, like a PC or Smartphone. Yes, you read it right! You can also set up and manage your online store on your smartphone. You need to visit the Google Play Store or App Store on your smartphone to start your eCommerce journey with Shopify.
Amazon Device Compatibility
Amazon FBA works with all devices, including PCs and smartphones.
Amazon has also launched an app named Amazon Seller App for Apple or Android users that anyone can find on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Verdict
When it comes to device compatibility, both platforms are winners.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Customization
For your store, we recommend going with a platform that offers plenty of customization options. Check out the customization capabilities of Amazon FBA and Shopify below!
Shopify Customization
As we mentioned earlier, Shopify is an eCommerce platform. It lets you customize your store as you want. It has uncountable customizable options and 100+ templates that let you create your own store with a unique design.
Shopify will also allow you to add your branding with the help of several branding tools, as per your needs In short, Shopify gives you complete control over your website’s or online store’s customization and branding.
Amazon Customization
Amazon is not a perfect option when it comes to customization. Amazon provides a pre-built store that is not customizable. Amazon also has limitations and restrictions in terms of branding.
Indeed, you can customize a little bit of your Amazon account, but it is not the same as branding your own website on Shopify. In short, Amazon will give you less control over customization than Shopify.
Verdict
Shopify is the winner when it comes to customization options because it has more customization options than Amazon.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Transaction Fees And Other Costs
When you are selling your products, transaction fees and additional costs associated with the platform a crucial parameters. So, let’s see which one beats the other and is the right option!
Shopify Transaction Fees And Other Costs
Shopify does not charge any transaction fees to its sellers who use the Shopify in-built payment gateway.
However, if you use third-party payment modes, you will be charged. The transaction fee for the basic plan is 2%, 1% for the Shopify plan, and 0.5% for the Advanced Shopify plan.
Amazon Transaction Fees And Other Costs
Amazon does not charge a transaction fee. However, it charges a referral fee for each product sold. Amazon’s referral fees vary depending on the product category. Most referral fees range from 8% to 15%. The complete list is available on Amazon’s official website.
Verdict
Shopify is the winner in terms of additional fees because Amazon referral fees are more expensive than Shopify transaction fees.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Scalability
Whether you are starting from scratch or have an already-built business, you need to opt for an option that has better scalability.
With that, let’s see Shopify and Amazon FBA’s scalability options.
Shopify Scalability
Shopify can cater to the needs of companies of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. It has scalable pricing plans that allow you to add features and resources as your business grows.
Furthermore, Shopify is capable of handling enormous amounts of traffic and transactions, which ensures that your e-commerce site remains responsive and functional even during peak times.
Amazon Scalability
Selling on Amazon makes scaling easier because they handle everything from marketing to logistics and customer service for you. In a nutshell, Amazon’s FBA business model is highly scalable, manageable, and profitable, making it a great option for sellers who want to avoid handling logistics and customer service themselves.
Verdict
Both platforms offer scalability in different ways, so determining which one is best in terms of scalability depends on your specific needs and goals.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Marketing
Marketing is yet another prominent factor for your online business. It is vital for the platform to have built-in marketing tools to support your business and ensure it reaches a maximum number of people.
Shopify Marketing
Marketing is an essential aspect of the eCommerce world. Shopify comes with countless marketing tools to help you attract customers. Shopify has basic SEO features for users to optimize content to ensure a higher SERP position. It also has features to edit tags, add alt tags, create an auto-XML sitemap, and more.
Furthermore, it includes an email marketing tool for more effective email marketing. This tool also has ready-made email templates and report generators. The tool lets you send 2500 emails without any cost.
Amazon Marketing
Amazon is a highly competitive eCommerce marketplace with millions of active users. It also comes with several marketing options to help you increase sales. Amazon ads are an attractive feature of Amazon that lets you advertise product offers and increase your brand visibility on product pages and search results.
Amazon DSP is another powerful tool that lets you purchase display, video, and audio ads on Amazon or outside of Amazon. Another amazing feature is Amazon, which lets you stream live videos that are interactive and shoppable.
Verdict
Shopify is the winner in terms of marketing options because it offers more marketing options than Amazon.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Order Fulfillment
Let’s analyze order fulfillment features in detail below.
Amazon Order Fulfillment
Amazon FBA is perfect for those who don’t want to manage inventory and product fulfillment. However, their individual selling accounts are limited to 10 cubic feet of storage, but their professional selling accounts are not. Additionally, some charges vary depending on the product’s weight, type, size, and shipping routes.
Shopify Order Fulfillment
Shopify also launched the Shopify Fulfillment Network. However, this isn’t as advanced as Amazon FBA.
But the good news is that there is an Amazon program that permits even non-Amazon sellers to use their fulfillment services. So, if you own a Shopify store, you can use this service instead of the Shopify Fulfillment Network.
Verdict
Regarding order fulfillment, Amazon is a clear winner, as it offers better inventory than Shopify.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Integrations
Shopify and Amazon FBA offer integrations and features that can boost the efficiency and scalability of your online business. Here, we have compared the integrations of both platforms:
Shopify Integrations
Shopify offers an extensive app store with over 6,000 third-party apps that you can easily integrate into your online store. These apps cover a variety of needs, including SEO, marketing, accounting, inventory management, and more.
Shopify also supports various payment gateways, allowing merchants to accept payments from consumers worldwide. With Shopify, you can integrate multiple sales channels such as Amazon, Facebook, eBay, and Instagram. You can sell across all these channels from your Shopify store.
Amazon FBA Integrations
Amazon FBA integrates with multiple eCommerce platforms, including Shopify, allowing sellers to sync their inventory and fulfill orders from their own website and Amazon. You can integrate third-party inventory management tools into Amazon FBA to track your inventory and avoid overstocking and stockouts.
Amazon FBA itself is a fulfillment service, but it also integrates with other shipping solutions to help sellers manage their inbound shipments to Amazon’s warehouses. Sellers can also use third-party tools to integrate Amazon FBA with other marketplaces like Etsy, Walmart, and eBay.
Verdict
Both Shopify and Amazon offer many options to enhance and streamline your online business. You can use both platforms together to take orders simultaneously on your Shopify store and Amazon store.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Analytics
Amazon FBA and Shopify offer different approaches to analytics, providing valuable insights into an online business. Let’s compare their analytics features side-by-side.
Shopify Analytics
Shopify has a built-in analytics dashboard that shows sellers a comprehensive view of their store’s performance. The main dashboard shows key metrics such as orders, sales, and traffic to help sellers analyze their store’s performance. You can also generate detailed reports on customers, products, sales, and traffic.
To help you see the live activity on your Shopify store, you can use the Live View feature to see where the visitors are coming from and what they are doing on your website. Shopify also provides detailed data on customer behavior, including purchase history, returning customer rate, and average order value.
Amazon FBA Analytics
Sellers can access a suite of analytics tools directly on their Amazon Seller Central account that shows detailed information on their sales performance, customer satisfaction, and inventory management. You can see detailed reports on conversion rates, traffic, and sales. It shows inventory health, including inventory levels, storage fees, and sell-through rates.
If you use Amazon’s advertising services, then it shows analytics like impressions, conversion rates, and clicks of your ad campaigns. Amazon FBA sellers can also access reports that are related to their fulfillment performance, which shows late shipment rates, customer feedback, and defect rates.
Verdict
When comparing the analytics capabilities of Amazon FBA and Shopify, it’s important to understand how each platform operates. Shopify, being an eCommerce platform, gives you access to in-depth analytics of your online store, whereas Amazon, being a marketplace, shows you the basic analytics.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Customer Support
Lastly, we want to emphasize the customer support part. The better the customer support, the higher you will rely on the platform!
Shopify Customer Support
When it comes to customer support, Shopify is a clear winner. It has many customer support options to help customers at any time of the day. It has a 24/7 live chat, email, and phone number available on most of their plans. It also has many articles, tutorials, and guides covering everything you need to know about Shopify.
Amazon Customer Support
Amazon’s seller support is not mentioned on its official website. They encourage sellers to refer to their online resources like articles, community forums, help pages, and video tutorials to resolve their queries and concerns.
Verdict
Shopify is the clear winner of this section because it offers customer support options like live chat, phone, and more.
Shopify vs Amazon FBA: Pros And Cons
Now that we have almost reached the end of the article, let’s weigh the pros and cons, so you can make your decision wisely!
Shopify Pros
- User-friendly
- Highly customizable
- Powerful eCommerce tools
- Create a unique brand identity
- Multiple payment options
- Highly scalable
Shopify Cons
- Marketing cost: High marketing cost as you are fully responsible for building brand awareness and driving traffic.
- Expensive: The cheapest Shopify plan starts at $29/month.
Amazon Pros
- High traffic
- Hassle-free setup
- Trusted buyers
Amazon Cons
- High competition
- Limited payment option
- Product restrictions
More Shopify Comparison:
Final Verdict: Use Both Shopify and Amazon FBA To Sell Your Products
In this blog post, we have compared the two most popular platforms based on several factors. Now you know which platform is best for your needs.
If you are still confused, let us give you a quick recap.
Shopify is a platform that lets you create your own personalized online store. In contrast, Amazon lets you create an online store faster than Shopify but does not allow personalization.
Pick Shopify if:
- You need a customizable online store.
- You want to create a unique brand identity.
- You want multiple payment options.
Pick Amazon FBA if:
- You have a limited budget.
- You want a low barrier to entry.
- You want to avoid the challenges of inventory management.
That concludes the battle of Shopify vs Amazon FBA. Remember to choose a platform that meets your specific needs and budget.
FAQs
This is because Shopify has more eCommerce features than Amazon.
Shopify is an eCommerce platform, and Amazon FBA is an online marketplace.
Yes, Shopify is trying to compete with Amazon. Shopify is building its own fulfillment network to challenge Amazon.
