With a variety of all-in-one eCommerce platforms on the market, anyone can easily launch their own online store regardless of design or skills. One among these is the extensive eCommerce platform SHOPLINE. 

Not sure if SHOPLINE is for you? This article offers a comprehensive guide on setting up a store with 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 customise 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? Follow the tutorial below to set up your online store.

1. Create an 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

SHOPLINE’s pricing plans

SHOPLINE offers 4 distinct pricing 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 eCommerce landscape, each providing a user-friendly platform for seamless online store design. Analysing 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.

Payment gateways: Shopline vs Shopify 

Both Shopline and Shopify offer a variety of payment gateway solutions, though they differ notably in transaction fees and logistics options available. 

SHOPLINE offers a range of payment options to Hong Kong users, making it easier for businesses to cater to customers from different countries and regions. On top of bank transfers, major credit cards and common payment international options like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal, Shopline supports local popular payment methods in Hong Kong, such as UnionPay, AlipayHK, Faster Payment System (FPS), PayMe for Business, WeChat Pay, Asia Pay and Octopus.  This selection appeals to both local and international customers, making it easier for customers to pay using their preferred payment methods.

In comparison, Shopify streamlines the payment process by offering Shopify Payments, eliminating the need to set up a third-party payment provider or merchant account and manually enter credentials. With Shopify Payments, you gain access to over 100 payment gateways worldwide, including popular options like PayPal, Stripe, and Amazon Pay. Shopify also supports multi-currency transactions, enhancing the global experience by displaying prices in your customers’ local currencies.

While both Shopline and Shopify offer robust payment gateway solutions, the choice between them depends on factors such as your target market, preferred payment methods, and transaction volumes.

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 your eCommerce platform

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 Checkout connecting with Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. 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.

With your funds collected, Airwallex also supports global transfers 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 fees, and no minimum deposit or transaction amount requirements. Sign up for free today.

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Information on SHOPLINE was retrieved as of Aug 2024. Information provided is for reference only. Please refer to the official website of SHOPLINE for the most up-to-date details

Disclaimer: The information was based on our own online research and we were not able to manually test each tool or provider. The information is provided for educational purposes only and a reader should consider the specific requirements of their business when evaluating providers. This research is reviewed every 6 months. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected].