SHOPLINE tutorial: account opening steps, fees, and comparison with Shopify

With the numerous all-in-one eCommerce platforms available in the market, individuals can effortlessly establish their own online store regardless of design or development skills. One standout among these is the extensive eCommerce platform SHOPLINE, boasting over 500,000 users. 

Not sure if SHOPLINE is for you? This article offers a comprehensive guide on setting up a store on SHOPLINE, detailing pricing, supported payment methods, and SHOPLINE Payments. It also presents a comparative analysis with Shopify to help you choose the platform that best suits your needs.

What is SHOPLINE?

Founded in Hong Kong in 2013, SHOPLINE serves as a platform dedicated to aiding the creation of online stores and offering operational solutions. It presents a user-friendly, feature-rich backend system ideal for eCommerce or brick-and-mortar retailers seeking to expand their business online. Even individuals with limited experience in website building, coding, or online marketing can effortlessly set up and manage their online stores through SHOPLINE. Users also have the option to customize their stores with unique domain names.

Opening an account with SHOPLINE: A step-by-step guide

Wondering if SHOPLINE is the right fit for you? The platform offers a 14-day free trial – you can register and explore whether it suits your online store before making a commitment. Opening an account with SHOPLINE is straightforward, simply follow the tutorial below to set up your online store.

1. Create a eCommerce site

2. Customise your unique storefront: Users can choose the design and layout of their store from templates, customising the appearance and style of their online store

3. Setup logistics and delivery options

4. Setup payment methods

5. Upload products and assign categories

Pricing of SHOPLINE

SHOPLINE offers 4 distinct price plans, including Basic, Pro, Social Pro, and All-in-one OMO. With monthly fees starting from HK$499, users can choose the plan that suits best of their operational needs. In addition to the monthly fees, users are also required to pay a monthly 0.5% system traffic maintenance fee.

Among the 4 options, the two premium plans offer social media integration for your online store, along with a smart Social Commerce system. The top-tier All-in-one OMO plan includes a Point of Sale (POS) system and other advanced modules, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and enhanced customer management. It also offers Automation & Retargeting, allowing for automatic back in stock notification – a perfect fit for users managing both online and physical stores.

SHOPLINE vs Shopify

SHOPLINE and Shopify stand as two significant pillars in the e-commerce landscape, each providing a user-friendly platform for seamless online store design. Analyzing cost-effectiveness, Shopify emerges as a more economical choice compared to SHOPLINE. However, in terms of logistics services, SHOPLINE offers a more comprehensive suite, encompassing the majority of courier companies in the market. Both platforms have free trials available – SHOPLINE offers a trial period of up to 14 days, while that for Shopify is 3 days.

SHOPLINE’s systems and supported payment options

SHOPLINE offers a range of payment options to Hong Kong users, including SHOPLINE Payments, credit cards, bank transfers and more. All four plans support the transaction options and systems as listed below. Additional application is necessary for integrating the payment gateway - Stripe into your online store.

• SHOPLINE Payments (the official payment gateway)

• Visa, Master, Union Pay

• AlipayHK

• WeChat Pay

• FPS

• Apple Pay

• Google Pay

• PayMe for Business

• Octopus Hong Kong

• Paypal

• AsiaPay

• Bank transfers

Processing fee and refunds for SHOPLINE Payments

SHOPLINE Payments, the official payment gateway by SHOPLINE, allows businesses to swiftly accept online payments like Visa and Mastercard with just 15 minutes of applying for an account.

For each transaction, SHOPLINE Payments applies a processing fee of 2.99% of the total credit card transaction amount plus HK$2.35. In a similar manner, AlipayHK imposes a 1.5% processing fee for all transactions, whether in foreign currency or HKD.

In terms of refunds, SHOPLINE Payments offers both full and partial refunds. Customers can be credited back within 2-4 weeks for credit card payments, while Alipay refunds typically take about 14 business days to process.

The benefits of integrating Airwallex with SHOPLINE

Setting up an online store is made more convenient with an all-in-one payment and currency exchange platform. Registering with Airwallex provides access to a global account, covering services such as fast international transfers, expense management, and online payment acceptance. Your store can accept payments in over 180 currencies globally, allowing customers to pay in their preferred currency while avoiding currency conversion and transaction fees.

Airwallex supports global remittance in 150+ countries and 60+ currencies, with transfers completed as fast as one business day, enabling quick payments to suppliers worldwide. Enjoy competitive rates and cost savings compared to traditional banks, with no account opening or monthly fees, and no minimum deposit or transaction amount requirements. Sign up for free today.

*Information as of 12 March 2024. Please refer to SHOPLINE's official website for more details.