VTEX vs. Shopify Plus

In the United States, e-commerce is booming. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, online sales in the country reached $861.1 billion in 2022, an increase of 14.2% from the previous year.

In the face of this growth, businesses are looking for e-commerce platforms that allow them to tap into the potential of this sales channel. Shopify Plus is an enterprise-level e-commerce platform that offers a wide range of features and benefits that make it an ideal choice.

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is Shopify's enterprise-level B2C/B2B e-commerce solution, designed for large businesses and growing brands. It offers advanced features and exceptional customization, making it easy to manage large-scale operations efficiently. With features like automation, increased customization, and ongoing support, it is the perfect choice for businesses looking for a flexible solution for their large-scale e-commerce needs.

Standing out for its ability to handle massive demand for traffic and concurrent transactions, Shopify Plus is ideal for those looking to stand out in the competitive e-commerce landscape. In addition, its ability to integrate custom solutions ensures the presentation of products with the highest quality

What is VTEX?

VTEX is positioned as another cloud-based e-commerce platform that is gaining popularity in Latin America and Europe. It stands out for a range of features that include real-time inventory management and integrated logistics. Flexibility and scalability are key features of VTEX, allowing efficient management of high volumes of orders.

One of VTEX's strengths is its omnichannel approach to shopping experiences. This means that consumers have the ability to interact and shop through a variety of channels, such as websites, mobile apps, and physical stores. The platform is geared towards helping businesses optimize and expand their e-commerce operations, providing tools and features designed to fit the diverse business needs in terms of size and industry.

Before the differences... What do they have in common?

Both VTEX and Shopify Plus offer a wide range of features and capabilities for e-commerce. However, there are some differences in the specific features that the two platforms offer:

• Both platforms are cloud-based solutions, meaning that the systems run directly on the companies' servers. This means that you will be saving yourself a big problem, such as hosting.
• They also receive constant updates in terms of features and security, so you will always be providing potential customers with complete and secure shopping experiences.
• Both platforms have a base of features that will be sufficient for a large part of businesses, however both rely on their App Stores to complement features and characteristics of each online store. As we will see later, Shopify has a significant advantage due to its age, and its community of developers and agencies.

Key Differences: Shopify Plus vs. VTEX

• Ease of use and interface: Shopify has gained a reputation for its intuitive interface, making it easy to set up for businesses with limited technical resources or knowledge. On the other hand, VTEX may be considered more suitable for larger businesses with more extensive technical teams. Whether for experienced or beginner administrators, management is more efficient on the Shopify Plus platform.
• Scalability: For businesses that aspire to expand, Shopify Plus's notable scalability stands out as a significant differentiator. This platform not only provides the essential tools but also the support needed to drive business success and establish a solid foundation for growth. In contrast, to achieve successful scaling with VTEX and ensure that the online store is keeping pace with the increase in sales, a dedicated team exclusively to the platform is required.
• Apps: An additional value of choosing Shopify Plus for your online store lies in its vast ecosystem of applications, offering a wide range of add-ons and extensions through the Shopify App Store. This abundance of options allows businesses to significantly improve their digital presence. Although VTEX also has a marketplace of applications, it does not reach the same magnitude as Shopify Plus, which means that the benefits in terms of functionality are obtained more fully through the Shopify Plus platform.
• Community: Shopify Plus surpasses VTEX by offering not only extensive support resources, but also a variety of tools. From the internal Shopify Plus project team, detailed documentation and tutorials, to an active user community and discussion forums, the platform stands out for providing comprehensive support to meet the needs of users at all stages.
• Integrations through APIs: Shopify Plus offers simple integration with third-party systems through its open API, allowing for extensive customization that encourages true creativity and strengthens brand recognition. This flexibility not only facilitates the incorporation of external tools, but also enhances the ability to adapt and expand brand awareness in the digital environment.
• Costs of store development and functionalities: Although Shopify Plus provides a variety of highly functional free templates, its template development system and programming language enable the creation of fully customized store projects, tailored to the unique aesthetic of your business and brand. In contrast, VTEX, being a relatively new platform and having a specific programming language, implies high development costs for projects. This can represent an additional challenge in terms of investment and flexibility compared to the accessibility and versatility offered by Shopify Plus in this regard.
  
• Compatible platforms: Shopify Plus has taken a step forward by developing dedicated applications for Android and iOS, providing store administrators with the ability to manage their business continuously and from anywhere. Unfortunately, this convenience is not available in VTEX, where access to administration is only possible through the web, limiting flexibility and mobility for those seeking more agile and versatile management.
• Platform costs: Shopify Plus is distinguished by its transparency and clarity in terms of costs. Business owners and administrators have full knowledge of how much they will have to pay Shopify for the use of the Shopify Plus platform. In contrast, in VTEX, prices and service charges are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the annual billing of each business. This structure can result in costly surprises, especially considering the necessary maintenance and development services, which could reach $4,500 USD per month or more. The predictability and transparency of Shopify Plus costs offer a significant advantage compared to the financial uncertainty that a business could face in VTEX.
• Customer service and online support: Shopify Plus stands out by offering customers a dedicated team to address both business, technical, and marketing aspects. On the contrary, according to reviews, VTEX seems to perform notably worse in this regard, especially in terms of response times. The comprehensive support of Shopify Plus provides a solid and efficient backup compared to the less favorable perception of assistance in VTEX, according to reported experiences.

Shopify Plus Bonus track

Shopify Plus is an all-in-one platform that offers many beneficial features for your retail (B2C) or wholesale (B2B) business:

• Sales: Shopify Plus's multichannel commerce capabilities allow you to sell your products on your own website, social media, marketplaces, and other channels. This can help you reach a wider audience and increase sales.
• Management: Shopify Plus's automated workflows can help you save time and improve efficiency. For example, you can automate tasks such as order fulfillment, customer support, and marketing campaigns.
• Marketing: Shopify Audiences can help you target your marketing efforts more effectively. By using data about your customers and website visitors, Shopify Audiences can help you identify the people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.
• Integrations: Shopify Plus's wide range of integrations can help you extend the functionality of your store. For example, you can integrate your store with third-party tools for shipping, payments, marketing, and more.

Overall, Shopify Plus is a powerful platform that can help you grow your e-commerce business. It offers a wide range of features and capabilities that can help you improve your sales, management, marketing, and integrations.

Conclusion

Although both Shopify and VTEX offer solid options for enterprise e-commerce, our preference as e-commerce experts and Shopify partners always falls on Shopify Plus.

The combination of flexibility and scalability offered by Shopify Plus provides businesses with such broad freedom and options for their e-commerce projects that it allows them to achieve truly extraordinary results.

Are you ready to start your Shopify Plus project and grow your business?

Whether you need to migrate from VTEX or another platform to Shopify Plus, or launch your business directly to success, we are here ready to accompany you and achieve your goals. We can offer you comprehensive advice and carry out a totally exclusive and personalized project for your business.