From Web Developer to Ecommerce Coach Why I Switched from WordPress to Shopify and Back Again
If you have read my blog before you already know that I have been a WordPress web developer for ten years straight. During the last five years I switched my focus into community management and ecommerce support.
Why did this happen? Because of the rise of artificial intelligence. The moment AI became part of our daily lives I realized there is no real future in traditional programming or manual web development. My vision became clear. Why spend years learning the language of machines when the machine itself can learn in hours and perform the same tasks automatically?
The Start of My Ecommerce Journey
When I began helping entrepreneurs and small business owners start their online stores I noticed one thing. Most of them were choosing Shopify to launch their ecommerce business and scale quickly. Shopify has done an impressive job making online store creation simple. It is fast to set up easy to manage and built for ecommerce.
However there is one challenge that many new Shopify users face.
The Real Cost Behind Shopify
While Shopify is user friendly and powerful it also comes with ongoing monthly expenses. You not only pay for the main Shopify subscription but also for the extra apps and widgets that help optimize your store for better sales.
These tools are great when your business is already generating consistent revenue but can feel frustrating when you are just starting out. Paying $50 to $100 monthly before you even make your first few sales can become discouraging.
Many beginners also forget to cancel app subscriptions or manage their Shopify plan efficiently. This often leads to unnecessary expenses that take focus away from growing the business.
The Smarter Alternative
So what can you do if you want to run an online store without paying high monthly fees?
The answer is simple. Build your store on WordPress instead.
Technically WordPress is not as straightforward as Shopify but once you learn the environment it can be very light flexible and cost effective. With tools like Elementor you can design professional ecommerce pages using a drag and drop interface. You can easily change text images and videos without touching a single line of code.
How to Get a Lifetime Free Website
Here is the smart way to approach it. Hire a professional to build your WordPress store and request a short training session or user manual so you can learn to upload products and make changes yourself later.
You will pay once for the setup and the result is a lifetime website with no monthly platform fees. The only ongoing cost will be hosting and your domain name.
A good hosting plan on Namecheap costs around $19 per month and a domain name around $12 per year. That is all you need to keep your business online.
My Free Shopify Trial and Elementor Discount
If you still want to explore Shopify I have a free Shopify code that gives you three months for only one dollar. You can register through the link below and enjoy the trial before deciding which platform fits your goals better.
I am also sharing an Elementor Builder discount code if you decide to go the WordPress route. Use these offers to test both systems and find out which one truly supports your ecommerce journey. Also I am Elementor developer myself, but I can only take limited number of websites per week.
Final Thoughts
Shopify is amazing for beginners who want a ready made solution while WordPress is perfect for those who prefer freedom and long term savings. Both can lead to success if you understand their strengths.
Whether you are an ecommerce business owner ecommerce coach or Shopify user the most important thing is to build a system that gives you control over your time and costs.