Clover vs Shopify

June 26, 2023 | Author: Sandeep Sharma
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Clover
The world's first integrated mobile POS with EMV, NFC, and on-screen PIN entry. All Clover products are purpose-built for POS and feature sleek designs with brushed aluminum and white glass accents.
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Shopify
Simple, Beautiful, and Flexible End-to-End E-Commerce Solution. Simply choose a stylish ecommerce website design, easily customize your online store, add products, and you're pretty much ready to accept payments. Whether you already have products, are looking to sell digital goods or are interested in drop shipping — Shopify has a complete solution for you.
Clover and Shopify are both popular e-commerce platforms, but they have distinct differences that cater to different types of businesses. Here are some key differences between the two:

1. Hardware Integration: One of the notable differences is that Clover offers a complete point-of-sale (POS) solution that includes hardware like cash registers, card readers, and barcode scanners. It is particularly suitable for businesses with physical retail locations that require a comprehensive POS system. In contrast, Shopify is primarily an online e-commerce platform and does not offer integrated hardware solutions.

2. Scalability: Shopify is well-known for its scalability and flexibility, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes. It offers various plans and pricing options to cater to the needs of startups, small businesses, and large enterprises. Clover, while it can accommodate businesses of different sizes, is particularly popular among small to medium-sized businesses that require a POS system along with e-commerce functionality.

3. E-commerce Features: Shopify is built with a strong focus on e-commerce and provides a wide range of features for creating and managing online stores. It offers customizable themes, extensive payment gateway integrations, shipping solutions, and comprehensive inventory management tools. Clover, on the other hand, provides a combination of in-store POS features along with basic e-commerce capabilities, making it more suitable for businesses that primarily rely on physical retail operations.

4. App Marketplace: Shopify has a robust app marketplace that allows businesses to extend the functionality of their online stores through various third-party integrations. There are thousands of apps available to enhance marketing, customer support, analytics, and more. Clover also has an app marketplace but with a more limited selection of apps, primarily focused on enhancing the in-store POS experience.

See also: Top 10 Retail software
Clover vs Shopify in our news:

2021. Google partners with Shopify on online shopping expansion



Google has recently announced a strategic partnership with Shopify, enabling over 1.7 million merchants on the e-commerce platform to effectively reach consumers through various Google services, including Google Search. This integration empowers merchants to effortlessly sign up and have their products featured across Google's extensive network, encompassing over 1 billion daily "shopping journeys" on platforms such as Search, Maps, Images, Lens, and YouTube. The collaboration comes as a response to Amazon's heightened investment in its advertising business, posing a potential challenge to Google's core ads business. In light of these developments, Google has made a series of updates to Google Shopping, ensuring its competitiveness in the evolving e-commerce landscape.


2021. Shopify expands its payment option, Shop Pay, to its merchants on Facebook and Instagram



Shopify and Facebook have joined forces to extend the availability of their payment option, Shop Pay, to all Shopify merchants selling on both Facebook and Instagram. This marks the first time that Shop Pay will be accessible beyond Shopify's own platform, signifying a significant expansion of the e-commerce platform's payment technology. Initially, Shop Pay will be introduced to Shopify merchants using Instagram's checkout feature in the United States, followed by its rollout on Facebook in the subsequent weeks. Prior to this launch, Facebook's platform has been widely favored among Shopify merchants as a prominent sales and marketing channel.


2018. Shopify now allows to fulfill orders directly from your phone



The Shopify app for iOS and Android has introduced a new feature that enables users to purchase and print shipping labels directly from their mobile devices. With this functionality, you have the convenience of creating and printing labels instantly or saving them for future printing. Additionally, you can efficiently manage your entire shipping workflow from the convenience of your palm. The app provides full access to all the features available in Shopify Shipping, including access to discounted rates with supported carriers such as UPS, DHL Express, USPS, and Canada Post, all within the Shopify app itself. This update empowers you to handle your shipping needs seamlessly and efficiently while on the go.


2017. Shopify adds new shareable discount links



To enhance your holiday shopping experience, Shopify has introduced a convenient new feature that enables you to attract eager deal-seekers to your store. With Shareable Discount Links, you can direct customers to your homepage while automatically applying a discount code to their shopping carts. These links eliminate the hassle of searching for or entering a code, providing customers with an enticing invitation that can be shared via email, Facebook, or other social media platforms.


2017. Shopify Mobile adds Discounts, Product Collections, Live View, and More



During the Black Friday Cyber Monday event last year, a greater number of Shopify merchants accessed their accounts through mobile devices compared to desktop computers. This trend has prompted the developers to prioritize the inclusion of essential features required for your success during the #BFCMWin on your smartphones and tablets. Now, you have the capability to create, customize, and manage discounts directly from your mobile devices. Additionally, one of the noteworthy new additions is the availability of Product Collections, which significantly aids your customers in swiftly finding their desired items. With the Shopify app on mobile, you can effortlessly set up and modify Product Collections. Moreover, the Live View feature on mobile enables you to monitor your store's performance in real-time, proving to be particularly advantageous during high-traffic periods such as the BFCM weekend.


2017. Shopify integrates with UPS



UPS is now available as a fresh choice in Shopify Shipping, enabling Shopify merchants based in the United States to provide an exceptional delivery experience akin to that of large-scale retailers. By utilizing UPS in conjunction with Shopify Shipping, you can take advantage of competitive rates with discounts of up to 52% off the standard rates, perfectly timed for the holiday season. Regardless of the size of your business, you now have the ability to access UPS' shipping options with guaranteed delivery dates at rates that lead the industry. Additionally, UPS extends exclusive discounted rates to Shopify merchants, particularly for heavier packages. During the holiday period, Shopify will cover any peak surcharges on UPS Ground shipments.


2017. Shopify introduced real-time visitors monitoring



Shopify has introduced an exciting feature that empowers store owners to monitor the live activity taking place in their online stores. With Live View, you now have the ability to track the real-time performance of your store conveniently from your mobile device. This innovative feature allows you to stay updated on the number of current visitors on your site and their geographical locations. You can witness the conversion of visitors into customers and celebrate sales as they occur. Additionally, you can monitor key metrics such as daily total visits, orders, and sales. Stay informed about the progress of your purchase funnel as visitors add items to their carts, initiate the checkout process, and successfully complete purchases. Live View also enables you to observe the number of pages being viewed at any given moment.


2017. Shopify integrates with eBay



Shopify and eBay have joined forces to grant you access to eBay's vast customer base, comprising over 171 million buyers. This exciting new sales channel is now available for your use. Just like Shopify's existing partnerships with Amazon, Facebook, and other leading selling platforms, the new eBay sales channel seamlessly integrates with your Shopify store. If you are a U.S.-based merchant selling in USD, you can effortlessly list and sell your products on eBay while conveniently managing fulfillment and inventory processes through Shopify. Adding new products to your Shopify store allows for automatic syncing of product information to the eBay sales channel, creating eBay listings without the need for manual data entry. This streamlined approach not only saves you time but also enables you to effectively manage your entire product catalog for your online store, retail establishment, eBay listings, and all other sales channels, all from a single, centralized location.


2017. Shopify launches new Marketing Analytics



Shopify has introduced a new collection of Marketing Activity and Sales Attribution Reports designed to provide you with a comprehensive overview of the performance of your marketing endeavors. With these reports, you can easily and swiftly evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, identifying what is yielding positive results and what may require adjustment. Whether you employ tools such as Kit, Facebook, and Google, or utilize apps like MailChimp to attract new customers, these reports offer clear insights into the efficacy of your strategies. Armed with this knowledge, you can make informed decisions to optimize and enhance your future marketing campaigns, ensuring maximum impact and success.


2017. Shopify integrates with DHL Express



Shopify has partnered with DHL Express to provide online store owners with seamless access to the global market. Now, you have the opportunity to expand your business with international shipping solutions that cater to businesses of all sizes. When you opt for DHL Express to fulfill your orders, both you and your customers benefit. Your customers will enjoy the advantages of end-to-end shipment tracking, the assurance of a signature upon delivery, and prompt delivery within two to five business days. Additionally, you can easily schedule free DHL Express pickups through Shopify, regardless of the volume of packages. To begin utilizing DHL Express, ensure that your shop is configured to support international shipping by setting up appropriate shipping zones. Then, add DHL Express rates to these international shipping zones, generate DHL Express shipping labels for your international orders, and schedule a complimentary DHL Express pickup.

Author: Sandeep Sharma
Sandeep is a marketing expert with a wealth of knowledge in various domains: customer relationship management, social media management, advertising, search engine optimization, website building, Sandeep has established himself as a multifaceted professional. He honed his skills while working at Salesforce and Hubspot, where he gained invaluable insights into the industry. Now, as the proud owner of a small advertising consulting agency, Sandeep continues to provide innovative and effective strategies to businesses, helping them thrive in the competitive landscape of digital marketing. You can contact Sandeep via email sandeep@liventerprise.com