【1 Minute Overview】Understanding What Shopify Is and Why It's the Top Choice
Shopify is a cloud-based platform that lets you launch and run a complete online store for a monthly fee — no server setup, no programming knowledge required. Everything from product registration and payment configuration to storefront design can be managed from a single admin dashboard. Founded in Canada in 2006, Shopify is now used by over 2.3 million stores across 175+ countries, making it the world's #1 e-commerce platform by market share.
This article answers the question "what exactly is Shopify?" while breaking down the differences between Shopify and other major services (BASE, ColorMe Shop, MakeShop, and more), plus the key benefits and drawbacks you need to know before starting — all in a clear, comparison-table format that takes 5 minutes to read. If you're evaluating platforms for a new store, read on to the end.
What Is Shopify, Really? The Basics in Three Points
If you had to describe Shopify in one phrase, it's "an all-in-one tool for running an online store." Stripped of jargon, three points capture it:
Pay a monthly fee and get everything an online store needs — product listings, payment processing, inventory management, shipping configuration — all in one place. No need to set up your own server or write a single line of code. Manage everything from a browser, whether on a desktop or a smartphone.
More specifically, Shopify falls into the category known as "ASP-type e-commerce platforms" (Application Service Providers). BASE, ColorMe Shop, and MakeShop are in the same category — but Shopify stands apart in cross-border e-commerce capability and sheer extensibility.
How Shopify Got Started
Shopify was created by founder Tobias Lütke after he tried to sell snowboarding gear online and found the existing tools of the time simply too frustrating to use. The platform was designed from day one with actual sellers in mind. That philosophy carries through to the present, and a merchant-first approach to feature design remains one of Shopify's defining traits.
Why Shopify Became the World's #1 Platform
If there's one reason Shopify has spread as far as it has, it's speed and scalability. It dramatically shortens the time from zero to a live store, and the flexibility to add functionality as the business grows means the platform can grow alongside you.
A Design That Works at Any Scale
From individual sellers of handmade goods to D2C brands generating billions in annual revenue, the same platform handles it all. It's built for the "start small, scale up" approach. In Japan, major companies including Kose Corporation, JINS (Jins Holdings Co., Ltd.), and fashion brand STRIPE CLUB have adopted Shopify. Matsuya Foods also runs its official online store on the platform — and the breadth of these case studies speaks to its credibility.
8,000+ Apps for Unlimited Feature Expansion
Shopify has its own app marketplace (the Shopify App Store) with over 8,000 apps available. Email marketing, inventory management, review collection, loyalty programs — virtually any functionality can be added like a plugin. The ability to pick only what you need and combine apps to match your business model and stage of growth is a major differentiator from services with fixed, locked-in feature sets.
Cross-Border E-Commerce Capability That Stands Apart
Shopify supports over 50 languages and 130+ currencies, significantly lowering the barriers to international selling. Multi-currency price display, multilingual checkout, and international tax and shipping configuration are all available within the standard feature set. Most domestic Japanese platforms require separate tools or manual workarounds for overseas sales — the gap between Shopify and those options is substantial.
[Diagram Overview] Shopify's Plans and Monthly Pricing
Shopify offers multiple plans to match different needs and business scales. Here's a summary of the main options.
Plan NameMonthly Fee (monthly billing)Monthly Fee (annual billing)Best ForBasic¥4,850¥3,650Just getting started / individual to small teamGrow~¥13,500~¥10,000Growth phase / multiple staff membersAdvanced¥58,500~¥43,800Monthly revenue ¥25M+ / full-scale operationsPlusFrom ~¥340,000/month (contact for pricing)—Large-scale e-commerce / enterprise
※ Prices are approximate as of 2025 and may change with exchange rates or plan revisions. Check the official Shopify site for current pricing.
Switching to annual billing gets you roughly a 25% discount off monthly prices — worth keeping in mind. In practice, many operators make that switch around the 3–6 month mark, once revenue has stabilized. All plans have no setup fee. Use the 3-day free trial to get a feel for the platform before choosing a plan.
Three Key Benefits of Shopify
Benefit 1: Build a Professional Store Without Writing a Single Line of Code
One of Shopify's greatest strengths is the ability to create a polished, well-designed online store with zero programming. With 100+ themes (design templates, free and paid), you select one, apply it, and get a professional-looking site. Register product images, descriptions, and prices, and you're ready to sell. For deeper customization, Shopify's HTML/CSS editing and its proprietary template language, Liquid, enable fine-grained adjustments. The platform is designed to let beginners get started without specialized knowledge — then go deeper when they're ready — which gives e-commerce newcomers genuine confidence.
Benefit 2: A Smooth Path to Cross-Border E-Commerce
As mentioned, Shopify includes multilingual and multi-currency support as standard. The "Shopify Markets" feature lets you configure currency, language, pricing, and domain settings on a per-country basis — all managed from a single admin dashboard for multiple international markets simultaneously. For businesses that want to keep overseas expansion as a future option, choosing Shopify from the outset is a rational decision that avoids the cost of switching platforms later. Being able to start with domestic sales and step into international markets when the timing is right is a genuine competitive advantage.
Benefit 3: Diverse Payment Options That Reduce Cart Abandonment
Shopify supports a wide range of domestic and international payment methods: credit cards, convenience store payment, PayPay, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, buy-now-pay-later, and more. Using Shopify's own payment system, Shopify Payments, brings the external transaction fee to 0% — an increasingly significant cost advantage as sales volume grows. Minimizing the "couldn't buy because my payment method wasn't available" scenario directly improves conversion rates.
Two Key Drawbacks of Shopify — Know These Before You Start
Drawback 1: Monthly Fees Are an Ongoing Fixed Cost
Unlike BASE, which offers a free plan to get started, every Shopify plan comes with a monthly fee. That fixed cost applies even in months with zero sales, which can be a financial and psychological burden in the early stages before revenue has stabilized. For individuals and small businesses especially, the "just try it for free" use case isn't well-served by Shopify. During the startup phase, it's important to evaluate the monthly cost against expected return on investment.
Drawback 2: Japan-Specific Features Require Extra Configuration
Because Shopify is a globally designed platform, fully supporting Japan-specific business customs — noshi (Japanese decorative gift ribbons), gift wrapping, cash on delivery (COD), detailed delivery date and time selection, and more — requires additional apps and configuration. Japanese-language support is available, but for complex settings and advanced customization, referencing English-language documentation is often necessary and takes time to get comfortable with. Compared to Japan-focused platforms like ColorMe Shop and MakeShop, Shopify's depth of Japanese-language content and completeness of Japan-specific features is more limited — something worth acknowledging before you start.
[Comparison Table] Shopify, BASE, ColorMe Shop, and MakeShop
A side-by-side comparison of the major platforms to help determine which fits your business best.
Comparison ItemShopifyBASEColorMe ShopMakeShopSetup FeeFreeFreeFrom FreeFreeMonthly FeeFrom ¥4,850 (monthly)Free plan availableFree plan availableFrom ¥11,000Sales FeesShopify Payments: 0%From 3%0% (paid plans)0% (paid plans)Cross-Border ECVery strong (130+ currencies)Possible (largely manual)International sales agency (requires review)Supported (additional setup required)Multilingual SupportBuilt-inLimitedLimitedLimitedCustomizabilityVery highLow–MediumMedium (HTML/CSS editing)MediumJapanese SupportAvailableComprehensiveComprehensiveComprehensiveBest Fit ForSmall to large scaleIndividuals to SMEsSMEsMid-size businesses
What this comparison shows: for businesses focused solely on domestic Japanese sales, BASE and ColorMe Shop can be more advantageous in terms of cost and support. Once annual revenue reaches a certain level — or overseas expansion enters the picture — Shopify's scalability and cross-border capability become a decisive advantage.
Real-World Cases: Companies That Have Grown With Shopify
Kose Corporation
Major cosmetics company Kose Corporation has leveraged Shopify to build its D2C (direct-to-consumer) sales operation, creating brand-aligned online stores for individual product lines and establishing a system for selling directly to both domestic and international customers.
JINS (Jins Holdings Co., Ltd.)
Major eyewear chain JINS also uses Shopify as part of its omnichannel strategy — connecting physical store and online operations to improve the overall customer experience.
Small and Mid-Size Manufacturers Going Global
Small and mid-size manufacturers in food, crafts, and apparel are increasingly using Shopify's multi-currency and multilingual features to launch cross-border e-commerce. For example, sellers of traditional Japanese crafts — sake, lacquerware, ceramics — have built systems using Shopify's English-language checkout combined with PayPal to receive orders from overseas buyers. Shopify's native integration with international payment infrastructure is a key enabler for these smaller operators taking their first steps into cross-border selling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How is Shopify different from BASE or ColorMe Shop?
The biggest differences are cross-border e-commerce capability and extensibility. BASE and ColorMe Shop are optimized for domestic Japanese sales, with strong Japanese-language support and domestic payment integration as their strengths. Shopify, on the other hand, supports 175+ countries and 130+ currencies — making it a particularly strong choice for businesses with international sales in their future plans. Its app-based feature expansion also offers unmatched breadth, providing scalability that lets you stay on the same platform as your business grows. On cost, BASE's free plan option isn't available on Shopify, so for those prioritizing minimal startup costs, BASE often comes out ahead in the early stages.
Q2. Can a complete beginner really use Shopify effectively?
For basic store setup, product registration, and payment configuration, no programming knowledge is required. The admin interface is available in Japanese and is widely praised for its intuitive usability. That said, fine-grained theme customization and integrating custom apps does involve a learning curve. The best approach is to use the free trial to actually experience the platform and check whether it feels manageable. If support is a concern, engaging a certified Shopify Expert (partner agency) for initial setup is a realistic option.
Q3. For cross-border e-commerce, can Shopify handle everything on its own?
Shopify alone is sufficient to launch a multi-currency, multilingual store — but building a site that genuinely connects with local markets requires more than language translation. Content localized for local buying culture, search behavior, and design sensibilities is essential. Shopify provides the sales infrastructure; the marketing and local-language content that actually resonates with local users requires additional effort. Combining Shopify with a multilingual web marketing tool like Leap enables a more effective international sales setup.
Summary — Shopify Is Worth Considering as a Platform Built for Growth
Shopify significantly lowers the barrier to launching an online store from scratch. It enables professional stores without code, and its cross-border e-commerce capability is well ahead of domestic Japanese alternatives. The ongoing monthly fee and the extra configuration needed for Japan-specific customs are genuine drawbacks — but the cost-performance ratio tends to improve naturally as business scale increases.
For businesses focused purely on domestic sales, BASE and ColorMe Shop remain strong options. But for e-commerce managers and business owners who have "expand overseas someday" or "grow into a bigger business" on their longer-term roadmap, there is a rational case for choosing Shopify from the start.
Once the platform is decided, the next challenge is designing a site that actually connects with the target market. Rather than translation, building a website that genuinely resonates with local customers — localized for their culture, behavior, and expectations — is the key to driving cross-border e-commerce sales. Leap provides a SaaS platform specialized in multilingual web marketing, supporting small and mid-sized businesses on the path to international expansion.
From Leap
Leap provides a SaaS platform for small and mid-sized businesses pursuing overseas expansion and cross-border e-commerce — enabling the creation of locally optimized multilingual web pages. Rather than simply translating an existing Japanese site, we build pages from the ground up shaped by local culture, search behavior, and purchasing psychology, making web marketing genuinely effective in international markets.
We continuously publish practical resources on cross-border e-commerce and overseas business. Explore our related articles:
Overseas Business Blog Multilingual E-Commerce Website Building E-Commerce Operations Guide
References
Shopify Official Blog: "What Is Shopify?" (Japanese) liskul: "What Is Shopify?" (Japanese) tokyo-freelance.jp: "What Is Shopify?" (Japanese) Wise: "BASE vs. Shopify — Which Sells Better? Full Comparison with STORES and ColorMe Shop [2026 Edition]" (Japanese) ShoPi Lab: "Shopify, BASE, and ColorMe Shop Compared [2026 Edition]" (Japanese) and.d Co., Ltd.: "2024 Edition: 26 Shopify Implementation Case Studies" (Japanese) commerce-media: "Shopify's Plans and Sales Fees Explained" (Japanese) relation Co., Ltd.: "A Full Comparison of Shopify's Pricing Plans" (Japanese)
