Point Of Sale (POS) system

Setting up Shopify POS on an iPad takes about 10 minutes.

The interface syncs up with your online inventory, centralizing all data. However, the POS Lite plan feels limited. You don’t get detailed reports or staff permissions. POS Pro costs $89/month per location.

Inventory management

The inventory system tracks stock across multiple locations in real-time. I could monitor 10 locations on the Basic plan, which seems generous. The interface shows stock levels clearly with color-coded alerts.​

If I sold a product through POS, my online storefront would update instantly. However, advanced forecasting requires either the Stocky app or third-party solutions.​

Order processing and fulfilment

Processing felt snappy throughout my testing. Shopify’s dashboard displays orders chronologically with clear status indicators. I could fulfill orders, print shipping labels, and send tracking info without leaving the platform.​

Shopify’s pre-negotiated carrier rates claim it saves up to 77% on shipping. Label printing works smoothly with both desktop and mobile. But carrier-calculated rates at checkout cost extra on Basic.​

Shopify Payments

Setting up Shopify Payments took less than five minutes. It supports credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay.

I’d recommend sticking with Shopify Payments unless you have specific needs.​ Transaction fees are competitive: 2.9% + 30¢ on Basic. But using third-party processors adds 2% extra, which quickly eats profits.

Multi-location warehouse management

I set up three test warehouses and assigned inventory to each.

Shopify automatically routes orders to optimal locations based on proximity.​ Stock transfers between locations happen through a simple interface. However, automated transfer recommendations require third-party apps.

Tax and duty calculator

Shopify’s tax calculator now works across all plans, which is new for 2025. I tested international orders and found the duty calculations accurate. The system displays full costs at checkout, preventing surprise fees for customers.​

One caveat: Shopify charges a 0.5% transaction fee when duties are calculated. You’ll also need duty-prepaid labels from third parties to avoid double-charging customers.​

Shopify Email

Shopify Email integrates into your admin panel. I created my first campaign in 15 minutes using pre-built templates. The editor lets you drag product images straight from your catalog.​

You get 10,000 free emails monthly, which helps small businesses. Beyond that, it’s $1 per 1,000 emails sent. The segmentation options felt basic compared to Klaviyo, but adequate for simple campaigns.​ ​

Abandoned cart recovery

Abandoned cart emails work automatically once enabled.

I set mine to send 10 hours after checkout abandonment. The system includes the cart contents and a direct checkout link.​ Setup took less than five minutes. I also liked how Shopify checks for email consent before sending to avoid compliance issues.

The built-in SEO features cover fundamentals well. I could edit meta titles, descriptions, and URLs for each product. It also generates a sitemap automatically and submits it to Google.​

However, I noticed some limitations during testing. URL structures aren’t fully customizable, which bothered me. Duplicate content issues can occur with product variants.​ Blog functionality also feels basic. Advanced SEO work requires apps like Booster SEO or TinyIMG.​

Connecting Facebook and Instagram took about three minutes. I synced my product catalog and created shoppable posts directly from Shopify.

Orders from social platforms flow into the same dashboard as web orders.​ The integration supports TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube Shopping too. But what I missed was native social media scheduling.

Discount and coupon creation

Creating discounts felt straightforward throughout my testing. I set up percentage discounts, fixed amounts, free shipping, and buy-one-get-one offers. The interface also lets you set start/end dates and usage limits.​

You can also create unique codes for specific customers or campaigns. But advanced features like tiered discounts require apps. The native system handles basics well but won’t satisfy complex promotional strategies.​

Shopify Flow

Shopify Flow was a pleasant surprise for a native automation tool.

I created workflows that trigger based on inventory levels, customer tags, and order values. I set up a workflow that notified me via Slack when inventory dropped below 20 units. It then automatically drafted a purchase order and offered to email my supplier. However, mastering it requires time.

Analytics and reporting

The analytics dashboard provides a clear sales overview.

I could track revenue, traffic sources, and customer behavior at a glance. The real-time data updates helped me make quick decisions during testing.​ Basic reporting felt adequate, but advanced reports like customer cohorts and forecasting lock behind higher tiers.

Reviewer’s experience: Shopify support

Shopify offers 24/7 support via live chat across all plans. Phone support is reserved for Shopify Plus customers. Email responses typically take 2-4 days.​

I tested the live chat during my review. The initial wait time was about 14 minutes, despite a 5-minute estimate. Once connected, the agent was polite and helpful, though responses felt somewhat scripted. They resolved my basic question about inventory management but couldn’t address a more technical theme-related issue without escalation.​

That said, user opinion on support is decidedly mixed.

On Capterra, Shopify scores 4.5/5 from over 6,500 reviews, with many praising ease of use. G2 shows a similar 4.4/5 rating from nearly 4,500 business users. However, Trustpilot tells a different story with a 1.3/5 rating from over 4,000 reviews.

Common complaints include billing disputes, payment holds, and difficulty reaching knowledgeable support staff. Reddit users frequently mention that support quality has declined, with offshore teams providing inconsistent answers and reluctance to escalate issues.​