Earlier this month, we launched a brief survey to gather feedback from our users. The first question focused on the platforms artists are currently using to sell their work. While we’ve conducted similar surveys in the past, one notable change was the increase in the percentage of artists who have switched to Squarespace over Shopify.
This made me reflect on why Squarespace seems to be gaining traction, despite Shopify being a more widely recognized platform. I also started thinking about how these platforms compare from an artist’s perspective when choosing a website platform to launch their online store. While there are other excellent options like Wix and WooCommerce, Etsy, Shopify, and Squarespace continue to dominate among our users.
Why Shopify and Squarespace Stand Out
Both Shopify and Squarespace have become go-to platforms for creatives because they offer all-in-one solutions, including hosting, domain registration, and templates. You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started, although depending on your comfort level with technology, “no advanced technical skills required” can sometimes feel like a stretch. That said, for most people, platforms like these are a more efficient choice than building a site from scratch.
Shopify: Built for E-Commerce Success
When it comes to building a thriving business, Shopify is a top contender. As an e-commerce powerhouse, it’s designed specifically for selling products online, and it’s particularly strong when it comes to scaling your business.
Shopify provides essential tools for managing sales, including inventory tracking, shipping calculators, tax settings, and even abandoned cart recovery. For artists using print-on-demand services like FinerWorks, Shopify’s integration is especially valuable, automating the production and shipping of prints, saving both time and effort.
One of the things I appreciate most about Shopify is how well it accommodates growth. As your business expands, you can easily add apps, analytics, and other advanced tools, allowing you to scale without outgrowing the platform. The 24/7 customer support is another plus, offering assistance for everything from technical issues to feature questions.
That said, there are a few drawbacks to consider. Shopify can get expensive, especially with additional apps, or when avoiding transaction fees by not using Shopify Payments. The costs can add up quickly, and it’s easy to feel nickel-and-dimed by third-party plugins. Additionally, while Shopify is user-friendly, more advanced customizations may require learning its Liquid coding language or hiring a developer.
Squarespace: Art-Centric and Intuitive
Squarespace is an excellent option if you want your website to double as a portfolio. Known for its clean, visually appealing templates, Squarespace makes it easy to showcase artwork in a professional and attractive way, which can help improve conversions by offering a distraction-free and possibly more mobile-friendly experience.
From a user experience standpoint, Squarespace is often seen as more intuitive. The setup process is straightforward, and the built-in tools make it easy for beginners to get started. It’s also generally more affordable than Shopify, which can be an attractive option for artists just starting out who don’t want to invest too heavily upfront.
Squarespace also includes built-in SEO, email campaigns, and social media integrations, making it easier to promote your work without needing to rely on additional tools. However, some argue that Squarespace is better suited for smaller operations and may not scale as well as Shopify. While this might be true for businesses with large product catalogs, it’s less of an issue for many artists, whose focus is typically on their own artwork rather than managing extensive inventories.
While Squarespace’s third-party integrations might seem limited compared to Shopify, its integration with print-on-demand services like FinerWorks is often perceived as easier to use and less prone to errors, making it an attractive option for many artists.
Print-on-Demand Integrations: A Closer Look
Both Shopify and Squarespace support print-on-demand services like FinerWorks, allowing you to dropship your prints directly to customers under your brand. Shopify’s third-party integration system is more advanced and designed for a variety of product types, which can make it ideal for larger businesses or those with complex fulfillment needs. However, the complexity of managing multiple integrations and data transmissions behind the scenes can sometimes lead to errors or inconsistencies.
On the other hand, Squarespace’s integration with FinerWorks is more streamlined, and many users report fewer issues in handling the entire fulfillment process. For artists, this simplicity can be a big advantage, especially if you prefer a more straightforward approach to managing your orders.
Which Platform Is Right for You?
You might think I have a strong preference for Squarespace, and yes, I do. However, we also have a live Shopify site that functions very well with its FinerWorks integration, and many of our customers successfully use Shopify as well. Ultimately, the best platform for you depends on your unique needs and goals.
I recommend taking advantage of free trials for both platforms. Experimenting with each will give you a better idea of which one aligns best with your vision for your online store.
One Last Bit for Etsy Sellers to Consider
If you don’t have a website but are selling on Etsy then you should build one soon. Etsy, while an excellent platform for bringing buyers and sellers together, frequently makes controversial decisions that can negatively affect the seller or their shop. Also, you are more restricted since you are selling on THEIR platform and not on YOUR website. Selling on your site, while initially may take longer to build momentum, is a more reliable long-term solution to consider, whether it be hosted by Shopify, Squarespace, or one of the other major platforms.
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I would never recommend Squarespace. They offer zero technical support. They do not offer a phone number to call, do not respond to email, and their tech support website doesn’t even allow you to log in. Also, if you try to use their chat support you will get a message that their agents are all busy, and they never connect to you. If you actually want to have support for your site, as eventually you might, I would stay way clear of Squarespace.
Thank you for your comment … with no technical support that would mean that you would have to hire a tech person to fix things every time you have an issue 🤦🏼♀️ … what about doing a WordPress platform with a Shopify cart ?
You could but if you have WordPress, I would checkout the WooCommerce option (its a WordPress plugin) and possibly use that are your shopping cart. We will be releasing an integration plugin for WooCommerce soon as well.
Thank you for this comparison. I appreciate learning how it looks from your perspective. Great article!
I understand that if you have a Squarespace platform that you can do a plug in with a Shopify shopping cart . Wouldn’t this provide the best of both worlds ?
If that is the case then you could take advantage of both to some extent. I am not sure if the cost is worth it or not but if you find something like that and it works for you then by all means take advantage of it.
From experience, if you use both Squarespace and Shipstation, this integration [with Finerworks] works very well, and once set up, is rather easy to manage. Shipstation is great for the nitty gritty of shipping (thereby foregoing Shopify’s platform), while Squarespace is an elegant interface for users and even backend. Keep in mind though, that all of them require some commitment and energy to get set up.
We have tried this for special products and it’s a bit of a…nightmare. The button glitched for several hours during our launch, causing a cascade effect of emails, confusion, and lost sales. Would not recommend it for a long term solution.
We liked the look and wanted to make it work, but it frankly doesn’t work well for commerce compared to Shopify.
Squarespace is also very limiting with how you decide to sell a product, how you can see your sales, how you can manage and edit inventory, communicate with a set of customers that bought a specific product, edit an order’s quantity or address, directly email said customer from the platform without copying and pasting email address to your workspace, it goes on and on.
Squarespace is not suited for e-commerce.