Foundr - Amazon vs Shopify

Hi

Have you ever thought about starting an ecommerce store?

That’s a little bit of a trick question — because I know it’s very likely you have.

See…most of the people on Foundr’s email list are here because they’ve watched one of our masterclasses on ecommerce or a related field.

And I can see why.

The idea of finding a product that sells like crazy every single day is very appealing.

Just finding ONE hot product can change the trajectory of your life forever.

We’ve helped 20,000+ entrepreneurs launch their own ecommerce brands. We have so many success stories that we’ve seen the power of ecommerce up close and personal.

That’s why we know that ecommerce works. Period.

So if you’re ready to start your store, the first question to ask is: should you build a brand website on your own with a platform like Shopify — or should you build on top of an existing platform like Amazon?

Today’s email is going to look at the pros and cons of both.

Shopify vs Amazon: which one is right for you?

First and foremost — we are a neutral party here. We think both platforms can be amazing for growing a profitable brand. 

In fact, Foundr offers programs on all elements of ecommerce, including Shopify, Amazon and everything you need to make them work inside the Foundr+ membership.

(I know, shameless plug.)

But today’s email isn’t really about selling you. It’s about helping you get clarity.

The truth is, there is no competition between these two methods of ecommerce. If you are going to sell a product online, you’re going to need both eventually. 

The question really comes down to which tool you should use first.

Think about it: all the brands you buy from have their own website AND a listing on Amazon. They are not in competition with each other. They go together.

What are some of the differences between Shopify and Amazon FBA (Fulfillment By Amazon)?

Shopify:

Building your own brand on Shopify means you’ll have to build your own website, fire up your own marketing and find your customers. You’ll have to handle the fulfillment to make sure customers are getting their product.

The upside: you have maximum flexibility and decision-making power over your brand. You’ll also reap the majority of the profit.

The downside: there are more decisions to make and more things can go wrong. 

Amazon:

Building your brand on Amazon allows you to immediately find a home in a huge marketplace where customers are already looking to buy. It’s like putting up a new storefront in a mall. The traffic is already there, you just have to get people to walk into your shop.

The upside: you are guaranteed to get your product in front of people who are already searching for what you have. Customers are abundant. And Amazon takes care of all the shipping.

The downside: you have to make your brand stand out amongst many others in a competitive market. You have less control over the brand experience and customer service.

*******

As you can see, there are benefits and drawbacks to both methods of starting your brand.

And if I’m being completely honest, we talk about Shopify a lot.

So I think it’s time we highlighted some of the incredible wins that are possible with Amazon — including the story of our expert instructor, Melissa Vong.

She started her career in entrepreneurship with no connections, no previous experience and no idea where to begin.

But she was able to go from that, to launching her first business - a botanical skin care company - and making her previous job’s annual salary in her first month and then $1M in her first year.

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing more about her story and how you can learn from her success.

Stay tuned!

Nathan Chan

CEO

P.S. Yes, selling on Amazon still works in 2023. Amazon is still growing at a lightning pace and entrepreneurs are making more money than ever.

Once something is tried and true, it’s extremely hard to kill. 

For example: I remember years ago when they said social media was going to “kill” email marketing…but here you are, reading this in an email. 

As long as people want to buy things, you’ll be able to sell things on Amazon.

P.P.S. If you're not interested in our exclusive access into Amazon FBA Sale promo, no worries at all. Click here to only receive relevant content from us.