Shopify vs. Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Which One Should You Choose?

When you choose to sell goods or services online, an efficient e-commerce platform plays a crucial role to run your business operations. While there’s a lot of competition out there, it’s fair to say that there’s a lot of choice at different price ranges and solutions. This is where you should start looking for the right platform that fits your needs and budget. While there are a lot of options with similar names and pricing, the two platforms, Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Shopify, have shown themselves to be particularly popular among small-medium-sized businesses. Now, the question is, what is the difference between Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and which is right for your business? If you want to get an answer, then you have reached the right place.

In this blog, we have discussed some key points of these platforms that help you make the best possible decision.

What is the Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

Salesforce Commerce Cloud was previously known as Demandware. It is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that helps businesses grow their brand value, generate leads, converts more customers, and explore new business opportunities. It includes various capabilities, including order management, eCommerce, mobile-first POS, and predictive intelligence. The experience-management features of Salesforce Commerce Cloud assist in managing the products, promotions, pricing, and content. With this cloud-based commerce platform, you can grow your business as well as develop an outstanding buying experience for customers. It comes with various features that allow you to connect with your customers and track their customer journey.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud not only enables the efficient operation of online businesses, but it also includes a number of features that encourage businesses to create intelligent and seamless shopping experiences for customers across various channels such as mobile, web, and more. Apart from it, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is constantly updating and improving its functionality in order to keep up with the rapid advancements in the eCommerce industry.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is a subscription-based e-commerce platform that allows you to quickly develop and run your online store. It brings a long list of built-in features for eCommerce brands and businesses. Shopify is a suitable choice for small businesses or retailers. The platform is enriched with various features that allow you to do all your retail activities through one single app without any hassle. Also, Shopify is now moving up in the market with Shopify Plus to target high-volume merchants. It is a multi-tenant platform that eliminates the need for rack space, transaction fees, and bandwidth. Also, Shopify Plus allows retailers to sell their products on all major marketplaces and social media platforms. With its multi-channel features, you can improve your customers’ engagement, brand awareness and sales.

Comparison Between Shopify vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

Both Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Shopify have quite similar features such as product management, order management, shopping cart, marketing, and more, but they also have some key differences. To understand the difference between Shopify vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud, we have discussed some key points such as features, pricing, use, and integration. The key goal is to help you choose the best suitable fit for your business.

• Customization

In terms of customization, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is the best option. Also, it performs well when it comes to product attribution and catalog management. For example, if you want an eCommerce platform for a global market, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud offers you customization options to do everything as you want. You can customize it to create multiple storefronts to sell different brands, add international shipping fields, and more.

Shopify provides various template options that you can use according to your product by spending a few dollars. Furthermore, if you make any change to Shopify, it will be immediately reflected in the system. It means that if any minor mistake occurs, it will be immediately published on the system. But, in Salesforce Commerce Cloud, it imposes checks, double checks, and triple checks.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud also provides more feasible personalized marketing campaigns as compared to Shopify. With this, you can create campaigns to target people in specific locations or who prefer to spend a specific amount of money at a specific time period.

Shopify is better than Salesforce Commerce Cloud in terms of design templates. But Salesforce Commerce Cloud wins if you need customization and personalized marketing to provide a unique user experience.

• Integration

As compared to Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Shopify has a larger plugin market. But, these plugins are one of the reasons for the website’s slowdown. Despite this, it can be integrated with multiple business systems and applications such as QuickBooks, Zapier, MailChimp and many more.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a part of Salesforce Digital 360 that allows you to work on multiple tasks apart from selling. For example, with this, you can get engaged with your customers across different channels and improve checkout security by simplifying the payment process. You don’t need to write any code to add Commerce Cloud payment functionality to your website because of the Salesforce Commerce Cloud’s partnership with Stripe. The MuleSoft Accelerator for Salesforce Commerce Cloud allows you to easily integrate external systems such as SAP, Jira, and ServiceNow into Service and Commerce Clouds. The plugins will not impact the system performance because they are fully certified and passed all speed requirements.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud comes with trusted, certified third-party apps. On the other hand, Shopify contains more plugins, but they can impact website speed due to lack of stringent integration validation.

• Easy Usage

Shopify is easy to use. It provides a wide range of templates from which you can select one to use. You can easily add products to the platform without any need of writing a code. However, you don’t have any customization option on the platform. It means if you are using the Shopify template, then you will get design options that are also used by other stores.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is more flexible than Shopify when it comes to heavy customization and offers better options for product attribution and catalog management. For this, you will need the services of a Salesforce developer to customize the platform and get more out of its features. However, once the platform is developed, salespeople can easily use it.

With Shopify, you can open a shop without the need for an expert coder, whereas with Salesforce, you may be required to hire a developer to customize and maximize features.

• Strength

One of the key strengths of Shopify is that it comes with a long list of built-in features such as flexible tagging, digital pay support, market and social media integrations, address check, and wholesale features. All these features make sure that you and your team can enjoy the full benefits of Shopify’s capabilities with minimum training. These features are appropriate for B2C and retail activities. Apart from this, Shopify also offers advanced functionalities like loyalty programs and search functions. With this platform, you can access your customers’ and clients’ reviews to improve your business strategies.

On the other hand, Salesforce Commerce Cloud comes with various features that Shopify lacks in implementation. For example, order management allows you to track your online orders as well as those that are made in-store. Also, it comes with inventory allocation, which plays a vital role in the successful operation of omnichannel retailing and the implementation of effective sales strategies. It helps improve your team’s experience by offering features like

1. In-store Online Merchandising
2. Remote Inventory Checking
3. Point-of-Sale Integration
4. In-Store Online Promotion

• AI and Multi-Store Expansion

When it comes to international businesses, Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides the best solution. Shopify offers a single product catalog whereas Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides a more user-friendly multi-store design. Furthermore, the Salesforce solution offers a comprehensive omnichannel experience for companies that are willing to expand their operation across the border of their native nation.

Einstein Artificial Intelligence (AI) is another key factor to compare between Shopify and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. It is a robust personalization mechanism embedded in every app of the Salesforce Suite. Today, it is considered one of the most advanced technologies in the market. With this, you don’t need to hire any staff to analyze or prepare any data. You can easily customize your marketing, advertising and brand experience for each customer. On the other hand, Shopify needs a third-party plugin for it.

What Sets Commerce Cloud Apart?

Commerce Cloud stands out due to its comprehensive features and focus on customer success, driven by AI-powered capabilities and global scalability. Here’s what makes it unique:

1. Unified Customer Journey with Einstein 1 Platform
Commerce Cloud integrates commerce, sales, service, and marketing seamlessly using the Einstein 1 Platform. By leveraging AI and connected data, it delivers personalized experiences that drive loyalty and revenue. Businesses can unify their operations across all touchpoints, ensuring customers enjoy a consistent and engaging journey from start to finish. This connectivity strengthens relationships and fosters growth by making customer interactions smarter and more efficient.

2. Complete Out-of-the-Box Functionality
With Commerce Cloud, businesses experience enhanced performance at scale without needing additional integrations. It comes with built-in AI-powered merchandising, advanced search capabilities, and A/B testing tools. This ready-to-use functionality eliminates hidden costs, enabling companies to focus on growth. The platform ensures seamless operations while delivering exceptional value through its comprehensive, cost-effective features.

3. Globalization Capabilities 
Commerce Cloud empowers businesses to expand globally with ease. Using a centralized admin console, companies can manage multiple brands and sites, localize language and currency, and share catalogs, promotions, and business rules effortlessly. These features streamline international operations while offering a tailored shopping experience for customers worldwide, making global expansion a seamless process.

4. Enterprise-Grade Scale
As a trusted platform, Commerce Cloud delivers enterprise-level performance and security. With 100% uptime during high-demand periods like Cyber Week, it ensures reliability. Built-in features like GDPR tools, PCI and HIPAA compliance, and an embedded CDN provide businesses with peace of mind, enabling them to focus on growth while maintaining trust and security.

5. Innovative Features 
Commerce Cloud consistently innovates by adding over 100 features annually. Recent updates include generative AI tools, a composable storefront, and enhanced APIs. Integration with platforms like TikTok, WhatsApp, and Meta keeps businesses ahead of trends. This forward-thinking approach ensures that businesses stay competitive while meeting evolving market demands and customer expectations.

6. Developer Tools and Deployment Options 
Developers benefit from free resources like Trailhead and the Developer Center, where they can access guides, demos, and community support. Commerce Cloud offers flexible staging and deployment options across regions, ensuring smooth launches. This developer-friendly ecosystem allows businesses to maintain agility and innovation while easily managing regional and global projects.

7. Customer-Centric Support
Commerce Cloud places shared success at its core. Businesses receive targeted guidance and 24/7 expert support to optimize performance during critical seasons. From conversion optimization to technical coaching, the platform ensures businesses have the resources to thrive. This commitment to customer success builds trust and long-term relationships, making it a reliable partner for growth.

Which is better: Shopify or Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

When you need to choose between Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Shopify, you should first consider your long-term budget and plans. If your company comes under the category of small or medium businesses and you want a simple-to-use platform, then you should go with Shopify. On the other hand, if you operate multiple franchises or your business falls under the large enterprise category, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a better choice that comes with powerful marketing tools and customizable features.

Conclusion

Both Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Shopify Plus are compelling platforms, but you need to consider your business requirements before choosing one of them. If you want powerful marketing functionality and customizable features, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a worthwhile investment for you. Otherwise, you should go with the easy-to-use Shopify platform.

If you want to get more information about Salesforce Commerce Cloud services, then Ksolves experts can help you. We are one of the trusted Salesforce partners and are supported by a highly experienced team of Salesforce developers to provide the best services.

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