Shopify vs Wix

2023. Wix’s new tool can create entire websites from prompts



Website builder Wix has introduced a new tool called the AI Site Generator. With this tool, Wix users can simply describe their intentions, and the AI will automatically generate a complete website for them. This includes a homepage, inner pages, as well as text and images. Additionally, the AI Site Generator incorporates business-specific sections, such as events and bookings, aiming to provide customers with tangible value as they build and expand their businesses. Wix has been actively exploring the possibilities of AI, and the AI Site Generator is a significant step forward in their AI experiments. Prior to this, they introduced the text creator powered by ChatGPT, enabling users to generate personalized content for specific sections of their websites. Moreover, the AI template text creator generates all the text required for a given site. Alongside these tools, Wix also offers an AI domain generator to help users brainstorm and find suitable web domain names. These AI-driven capabilities complement Wix's suite of AI image editing, fine-tuning, and creation tools.


2021. Wix launches a no-code app builder for $200 per month



Wix has introduced a new offering called Branded App by Wix, specifically designed for business owners who want to create native apps effortlessly, without the need for coding skills. While Wix is renowned for its drag-and-drop website builder, it now expands its user-friendly platform by enabling anyone to build their own app. The introduction of Branded App by Wix allows users to manage their online presence comprehensively, providing tools to develop and customize apps. Although it comes with a significant investment of $200 per month, users should also consider additional costs such as a yearly $99 fee for the App Store and a one-time $25 fee for Google Play. According to Wix, leveraging native mobile apps can significantly boost sales for businesses in the long run.


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.


2020. Wix launches a new company, Wix Answers, to unify customer support



Website-building platform Wix has introduced a new venture called Wix Answers, designed to offer high-level customer support and compete with companies such as Zendesk and Salesforce. Wix Answers was initially developed to fulfill the company's internal requirements and later transformed into a separate entity (still under Wix's ownership). This system grants users a comprehensive overview of their interactions with customer service, encompassing conversations across various channels like phone calls, chat, website tickets, and emails. Powered by AI, the platform assists support agents in responding promptly and provides recommendations to enhance team efficiency, including improved accessibility of customer support articles.


2018. Wix launched new suite of products for support, sales and marketing



Wix has introduced a comprehensive suite of management and marketing tools known as Ascend. With Ascend, you can effortlessly handle all your customer interactions in one centralized location. It empowers you to efficiently capture leads, nurture relationships, process payments, and more. Wix is also in the process of developing a workflow editor that will enable automatic responses across your website and other channels based on customer behavior. Ascend by Wix is available as a separate subscription, with pricing options ranging from $9 to $45 per month. While other website builders like Squarespace and Weebly (now owned by Square) have also incorporated marketing tools, Ascend sets itself apart with its ambitious expansion, offering a comprehensive range of 20 products covering chat, memberships, email marketing, and search engine optimization. Some of these products may already exist within Wix but are now consolidated under the Ascend umbrella.


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.


2018. Wix integrates with Instagram



The website building service Wix has introduced a new feature that enables users to seamlessly share their Instagram photos and videos on their websites. With the Instagram Feed App, you now have the ability to incorporate links to individual Instagram posts, allowing visitors to navigate directly to your site. You can select from a range of layouts to display your Instagram content, customize colors and fonts, and effortlessly include links to any photo or video within your feed. This feature provides an excellent opportunity to attract new followers and promote products from your Wix Stores collection, among other possibilities.


2017. Wix unveiled advanced code editor


Wix has expanded its capabilities beyond simple website creation with the introduction of the innovative Wix Code platform. This new platform empowers creators, developers, and designers to effortlessly build sophisticated web applications that are perfectly tailored to their business requirements. With Wix Code, coding becomes hassle-free and serverless, providing a seamless experience. You can effortlessly set up database collections, design content-rich websites, incorporate custom forms, utilize APIs to modify site behavior, and much more. All of these functionalities are integrated with the user-friendly Wix Editor, ensuring ease of use and offering stunning visual components. Additionally, any application or website you create using Wix Code is SEO compatible, ensuring maximum visibility and reach.


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.