Customisation vs. Standardisation: Finding the Right Balance in Shopify Plus Design
When you sell online, your digital storefront is the very first impression your brand will make on your customers. It plays a crucial role in the success of your eCommerce venture. As your business grows, those impressions become all the more important. Customer expectations increase, and your ability to deliver a seamless, engaging, and personalised shopping experience becomes critical.
Users today need speed, convenience, and interactivity.
As a high-volume merchant, a time comes when you have to seek scalable, robust platforms to support your growth. That's where Shopify Plus emerges as a frontrunner, offering the power and flexibility needed to excel in a competitive market. Yet, amidst the platform's vast capabilities, there is a vital decision to be made: Do you go for customised or standardised Shopify Plus development?
Striking the right balance is not just about aesthetics; it's about creating an efficient, engaging, and sustainable online presence.
What is Shopify Plus, and why is it the go-to for high-volume eCommerce?
Shopify Plus is designed to meet the demands of large-scale eCommerce operations, offering unparalleled scalability, security, and customisation options. Unlike its basic counterpart, Shopify Plus allows merchants to push the boundaries of eCommerce with advanced features like higher API call limits, dedicated support, and access to Shopify's Script and Shopify’s Flow for customised logic and automation.
Aesthetically, Shopify Plus's design capabilities range from using off-the-shelf themes to fully customised storefronts, providing a flexible canvas where you can either adhere to standardised efficiency or venture into unique, tailored designs.
Shopify Plus design customisation vs standardisation
As with all business decisions, the right choice depends on your needs. While we can certainly consult with you to identify which design solution best meets your requirements, there are pros and cons to weigh up on both sides.
Why customise your Shopify Plus design?
The key benefit of eCommerce customisation is obvious: it's customised. What you want, you get (within the boundaries of Shopify Plus's capabilities). Let's expand on how that's beneficial:
Tailored user experiences
Through tailored layouts, custom product recommendations, and unique storytelling elements, merchants can resonate more deeply with their audience, catering to specific desires and needs.
Competitive advantage
Most eCommerce sites are standardised, meaning customers' experiences are similar no matter where they're shopping. Customisation allows you to stand out, offering memorable experiences, from bespoke product configurators to unique loyalty programs. These elements can significantly differentiate a brand, building loyalty among consumers.
Improved conversion rates
Custom elements like streamlined, branded checkout processes, interactive 3D product views, and personalised shopping experiences directly increase engagement and conversion rates. By removing friction and enhancing enjoyment, customisation turns browsing into buying.
Why standardise your Shopify Plus design?
Customisation sure sounds sexy, but all the custom bells and whistles are not always necessary to keep your brand competitive. Here's why you may want to go for a standardised Shopify Plus design:
Speed and efficiency
Shopify Plus's standard templates and features allow for a quicker go-to-market strategy. Having everything pre-made, ready to be selected and activated minimises developmental hurdles and allows your team to focus on other areas, such as marketing and product development.
Reliability and support
Standard solutions are backed by Shopify's comprehensive support system, ensuring that the features remain up-to-date and secure. This reliability extends to plugin and theme updates, safeguarding against vulnerabilities and ensuring compatibility.
Ease of use
With standardisation, the emphasis on user-friendliness is paramount. Shopify Plus's standardised designs are not only user-friendly for customers but also for those managing the site. These solutions are designed to be intuitive so merchants and their teams can manage their online presence with minimal technical expertise, reducing the need for ongoing developer support.
Finding the balance: To standardise or customise Shopify Plus
The toss-up between Shopify Plus design standardisation and customisation can be determined with a few assessments:
Assess your core needs and priorities: Analyse your business model, target audience, and operational workflows.
Perform a cost-benefit analysis: Evaluate the costs of customisation (initial development costs and ongoing maintenance and scalability). Do you make this back in customer satisfaction, retention, and conversion rates?
Consider your scalability and future growth plans: Custom solutions should not only serve current needs but also accommodate future expansion, including entry into new markets, scaling of product lines, and integration with emerging technologies.
By meticulously evaluating your business objectives and market demands, you should find a leaning toward one of these options. But, of course, leanings are not solid business strategies. For a more comprehensive assessment of your Shopify Plus design needs, contact the team at flux.agency today.
The quality of your digital storefront reflects the quality of your brand. Learn more about our Shopify Plus solutions here.