SaaS & Engineering

Shopify (India)

Cloud-based ecommerce platform — the dominant choice for Indian D2C brands launching in 2022-2026.

Shopify provides storefront + cart + checkout + payments + apps + admin in a single hosted platform. Indian brands typically use Shopify Standard (₹2,500/month) or Advanced (₹6,500/month).

Key advantages for India: pre-integrated Razorpay/Cashfree, support for COD, Indian shipping aggregators (Shiprocket, Pickrr), GSTIN field, multi-currency, and an active app marketplace for India-specific needs.

Limitations: high transaction fees on non-Shopify-Payments processors (2% on top of payment gateway), Shopify Payments not yet available for Indian merchants, app costs add up quickly.

India context

Indian D2C brands often start on Shopify, then migrate to WooCommerce or custom build at ₹5Cr+ ARR for cost reasons. Below that scale, Shopify's ease of management beats the unit-economic improvement of self-hosting.

Examples

  • A skincare D2C launches on Shopify Standard, scales to ₹3Cr ARR before considering migration.
  • A jewellery brand uses Shopify with Razorpay + Shiprocket integration, saves 100+ engineering hours.

FAQ

Is Shopify good for Indian D2C?

Yes for sub-₹5Cr ARR brands. Easy setup, GST-compliant invoices, pre-integrated payments. Above ₹5Cr, custom solutions become cost-effective.

What's the additional Shopify transaction fee?

2% on top of payment gateway fee for non-Shopify-Payments processors. Since Shopify Payments isn't yet in India, every Indian merchant pays this 2% additional.

Can I migrate from Shopify to WooCommerce?

Yes — most data (products, customers, orders) migrates via tools like Cart2Cart. Plan 4-8 weeks for full migration including theme + apps.

What about WhatsApp catalog vs Shopify?

WhatsApp catalog suits service businesses + early-stage D2C. Shopify is better for serious online retail with multiple variants, returns, payment options. Use both — Shopify as source of truth, sync to WhatsApp catalog.

Related concepts

WooCommerceRazorpayShiprocketecommercecheckout

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