Both Stan Store and Shopify provide ecommerce solutions for users with varying technical abilities, offering features such as product display, payment processing, and customer data management. Despite their similarities, the platforms target distinct customer demographics.
Stan Store utilizes a ‘link in bio’ layout, targeting influencers and individuals with significant social media followings. In contrast, Shopify caters to those interested in operating a conventional online store.
This breakdown will analyze the features, benefits, and downsides of each platform for you to determine the best one.
Stan Store vs Shopify
Stan Store caters to influencers and creators looking to promote products through their social media channels. Instead of setting up a complex online store with numerous products and pages, Stan Store simplifies the experience for social media followers. By clicking a link on your TikTok or Instagram profile, they can easily access a mobile-friendly page showcasing the products they desire.
Shopify caters to individuals interested in selling physical products, particularly those with a substantial inventory. It is a specialized ecommerce platform that allows users to build visually appealing online stores suitable for desktop and mobile browsing.
We will examine each platform more closely.
What is Stan Store?
Stan Store is an ecommerce platform designed for creators who depend on their social media following for sales. Rather than investing in a standalone website and SEO tactics, creators can simply direct their followers to their profile link to showcase and sell products.
Stan Store provides creators with a chance to connect to a complete store featuring a small product range, moving past the conventional “link in bio.”
Who Can Use Stan Store?
Stan Store can be utilized by anyone as their primary online presence, such as by including a link on a business card. However, the platform is primarily geared towards individuals who heavily depend on social media for their marketing strategies.
This service is tailored for individuals looking to sell digital products, book coaching calls, or monetize their audience. It is recommended for those with an established audience who are confident in their ability to generate consistent sales.
How Does Stan Store Work?
Selling With Stan Store
When signing up for a free trial at Stan Store, make sure to select a username for your store URL that aligns with your brand and is easy to remember. You can update it at any time, but picking a fitting name from the start is recommended for efficiency.
Upon account creation, users will be guided to the Stan Store dashboard where they can upload a profile picture, connect their social media accounts, and configure their payment settings. Payment options are supported through Stripe and PayPal.
After completing the setup of your accounting, you will be able to begin adding products:
- Navigate to My Store under the Dashboard tab.
- Select “Add Product” by clicking on it.
- Select the type of product (such as Coaching Call, Digital Product, or URL).
- Please provide the title and subtitle of the product. You can also include an image and button text if desired.
- Provide a description of the product.
- Select the price.
- Specify the information you’d like buyers to provide, such as email address or other contact details.
- Upload the product or share the link.
- Click Publish when you’re ready.
Your product is now live.
Stan Store suggests that creators should limit their product listings to 3-4 items at most. Having too many products could potentially lower sales as it might overwhelm followers with too many options to choose from.
The “link in bio” page serves as a basic landing page focused on converting visitors interested in a specific product, rather than a complete online store.
Platform Customization
Engagement Tools and Customer Management
Stan Store Customer Support
Users are encouraged to utilize the Stan Store knowledge base for assistance with most issues. However, it can be challenging to locate the appropriate contact information for reaching the support team, as the ‘Still need help?’ option at the bottom of the knowledge base icons is not a live link. This may lead to frustration when trying to find the correct email address for billing or general account inquiries.
The platform provides email support, but response times cannot be guaranteed. While most reviews of Stan Store praise the level of customer service offered by agents, some users with lower tier subscriptions have reported difficulties in contacting a human customer service agent and experiencing slow response times.
How Much Does Stan Store Cost?
Stan Store offers a premium service with no free tier, but there is a 14-day free trial available. After the trial period, you’ll need to decide between the Creator and Creator Pro memberships.
The Creator Membership is priced at $29 per month and includes:
- A store optimized for mobile users.
- Scheduling events.
- Simple analytics
- There are no limits to the number of courses.
- Single-click purchase option.
- Subscription services.
- A tool for creating mailing lists.
The Creator Pro tier is priced at $99/month and includes all features mentioned:
- Email marketing and sales processes
- Promotional codes
- Additional product recommendations
- We offer payment options through Afterpay and Klarna.
- Affiliate commissions
- More sophisticated analytics
The plans may appear pricey at first, but the range of features offered by Stan Store makes it a convenient all-in-one solution for ecommerce. By consolidating Mailchimp, Calendly, Kajabi, and other marketing tools into one subscription fee with Stan Store, you could potentially save money in the long run.
What is Shopify?
Who Can Use Shopify?
How Does Shopify Work?
Shopify provides a 14-day free trial and discounted pricing for the first month of their plans, giving you the opportunity to establish your store and build a customer base before the regular rates apply.
The store builder tools are user-friendly, allowing you to quickly set up your site if you’re satisfied with the default templates.
Selling With Shopify
To begin using Shopify, start with a free trial and access the Shopify Admin page. Your store will be set up with a default theme upon signing up. If you prefer, you can switch to another free theme option.
- Go to the Online Store and click on Themes.
- Navigate to the Free themes section and select Explore free themes.
- Select a theme to preview it, then click on Add if you wish to use it.
Shopify provides a range of premium themes that can be bought from the Theme Store.
After selecting the store’s appearance, you can then proceed to add your initial product.
- Select “Products” to access the listing page.
- Select “Add product” by clicking on it.
- Provide a title for the product and include a description, along with additional details such as weight or dimensions.
- Include the product price and shipping information.
- Select “Save Product”
Repeat this process for any other products you would like to add.
Platform Customization
The Shopify theme system utilizes a language named Liquid for customizing store appearance. Learning Liquid can be challenging due to its steep learning curve and limited familiarity compared to more widely used languages like HTML and CSS.
The variety of themes available, both free and premium, should be able to accommodate a wide range of needs. These themes also come with plenty of customization options, including colors, typography, border thickness, product card style, and more.
Engagement Tools and Customer Management
Shopify offers the ability to gather customer data for marketing, integrates analytics tools for traffic insights, provides localization features for multi-territory sales, and includes detailed analytics for metrics like conversion rate, sales totals, and average order value.
Shopify offers add-ons for loyalty and rewards programs, which adds versatility to the platform for customer engagement.
Shopify Customer Support
How Much Does Shopify Cost?
Shopify offers four membership tiers:
- Basic: $39 per month
- Shopify: $105 per month
- Advanced: $399 per month
- Plus: Bespoke pricing and a 3-year term
Each plan includes access to the store builder, a POS system, 24/7 support, and at least 10 inventory locations. Along with the subscription fee, sellers will incur a payment processing fee, which varies based on the payment method and membership level chosen.
Stan Store vs Shopify: Which is Better?
Advantages of Using Stan Store
- Drag-and-drop store builder
- Includes bookings, email marketing, and other features
- Provide sales directly through the link in your bio.
- Provide a smooth experience for your social media audience.
Disadvantages of Using Stan Store
- No free tier.
- Limited customization options
- Can’t be used to create a fully-fledged store
Advantages of Using Shopify
- An extensive online shopping platform.
- A widely recognized brand relied upon by numerous large retailers.
- Live chat support that responds quickly.
- It is possible to utilize this for selling physical products.
Disadvantages of Using Shopify
- The fees are considered to be on the higher side.
- Designed mainly for physical products rather than digital ones.
- There is a significant learning curve involved in customizing the store extensively.
Final Words
Stan Store and Shopify are both effective software platforms that serve the needs of online businesses in different ways that complement each other.
Shopify offers a comprehensive solution for entrepreneurs aiming to launch a new e-commerce store, with the necessary tools and features for business growth and expansion.
For creators seeking an easy-to-use solution, Stan Store is a suitable option that enables you to effortlessly integrate a “link in bio” style storefront onto any social media profile.
The decision ultimately rests on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you customize Shopify themes?
Shopify uses Liquid as its templating language for customizing themes. While it can be complex to design or alter themes due to the learning curve, it is possible if you are familiar with the language.
How many products can you add to a Stan Store?
Adding a moderate number of products is recommended for a Stan Store. Excessive scrolling may lead customers missing out on potential sales.
Can you sell digital subscriptions on Whop?
Whop offers support for both one-time purchases and recurring subscriptions. If you have digital products to sell, you can easily set up a Hub on Whop, add your online courses, software, digital downloads, or other products, and begin promoting them to your followers.
Which platform is better for artists and creators?
Stan Store is designed for digital artists and creators, offering specialized tools to showcase and sell their work.
Does Stan Store support secure downloads for digital products?
Yes, Stan Store offers tools for secure downloads, ensuring a safe and seamless experience for buyers of digital products.
Is Shopify only suitable for large enterprises?
Shopify serves businesses of all sizes, providing scalable solutions for both startups and established enterprises.
