Webflow added e-commerce features to its platform to let designers build online stores without switching to dedicated e-commerce platforms like Shopify. The design freedom that makes Webflow appealing for marketing sites carries over to store design. Product pages, cart, and checkout can be customized to fit brand vision.
The trade-off is that Webflow e-commerce is not as feature-rich as dedicated e-commerce platforms. Shopify has spent over a decade building e-commerce capabilities. Webflow’s e-commerce features are more recent and less extensive.
This piece covers what Webflow e-commerce actually offers, when it fits, and how to build a store with it.
What Webflow E-commerce Is
The basics.
Integrated Feature
E-commerce is a paid add-on to Webflow site plans. You pay for the site plan plus e-commerce plan.
Not a separate platform. Built into your Webflow site.
Design Focus
Everything in Webflow, including e-commerce, prioritizes design freedom. Product pages, cart, checkout can all be visually customized.
Unlike Shopify’s more constrained checkout, Webflow gives more visual control.
Standard E-commerce Capabilities
Product management, cart, checkout, payment processing, order management. The essentials.
What It Is Not
Not a complete replacement for dedicated e-commerce platforms. Shopify has more features, more apps, more integrations. Webflow serves specific situations well.
E-commerce Plan Options
The pricing tiers.
Standard Plan
Around $29 per month on top of your site plan. Basic e-commerce for smaller stores.
Includes standard payment processing. Webflow charges a 2% transaction fee on top of Stripe or PayPal fees.
Limit of 500 products.
Plus Plan
Around $74 per month on top of your site plan. For growing stores.
No Webflow transaction fee. Higher product limit (5,000).
Additional features and staff accounts.
Advanced Plan
Around $212 per month on top. For larger stores.
Higher limits still. More advanced features.
When to Choose Each
Standard for new stores testing e-commerce. Plus when the transaction fee starts costing more than the plan upgrade. Advanced for serious volume.
The transaction fee on Standard adds up. Businesses doing more than $1,500 in monthly sales typically save by upgrading to Plus.
Setting Up Webflow E-commerce
Getting started.
Enable E-commerce
Under Site Settings, upgrade to include e-commerce. Choose your plan.
Connect Payment Processors
Configure Stripe and PayPal. These are the payment processors Webflow supports.
Provide the required business information and API keys.
Configure Store Settings
Store name, contact info, currency, tax settings. The basic store configuration.
Set Up Shipping
Configure shipping zones and rates. Similar to Shopify but with fewer options.
Configure Taxes
Set up tax calculation for jurisdictions where you have nexus.
Add Products
Start populating your catalog. Products can have variants, images, descriptions.
Product Management
Adding what you sell.
Adding Products
Under Products in the Webflow admin, add each product. Similar to other e-commerce platforms.
Product Fields
Title, description, price, SKU, images, variants, inventory tracking. Standard product fields.
Also custom fields you can add for specific needs.
Variants
Products with options (size, color) use variants. Each variant has its own SKU, price, and inventory.
Categories
Products can be organized into categories. Categories help customers browse.
Product Images
Multiple images per product. Variant-specific images for products with color options.
Inventory Tracking
Enable inventory tracking. Set quantities. Prevent overselling.
Product Pages
Where products display.
Default Product Template
Webflow creates a default product page template when e-commerce is enabled. Shows product info in a basic layout.
Customizing the Template
The design freedom applies here. Customize the product template to fit your brand.
Change layouts, add sections, customize the presentation.
Multiple Product Templates
For products that need different presentations, create multiple templates. Assign products to appropriate templates.
Adding Custom Elements
Reviews, related products, custom information sections. Add whatever fits your product presentation strategy.
Category Pages
For browsing.
Category Structure
Categories organize products. Similar to Shopify collections.
Category Templates
Templates display all products in a category. Grid layouts are common but any design works.
Filtering & Sorting
Basic filtering by category. More sophisticated filtering may require custom development or additional tools.
URL Structure
Category URLs follow patterns you configure. Set them thoughtfully for SEO.
Cart & Checkout
The customer journey to purchase.
Cart Design
The cart is customizable in Webflow. Design it to fit your store.
Different from Shopify’s more constrained cart experience.
Checkout Design
Checkout can also be customized. More design freedom than most platforms.
Payment Options
Stripe for credit cards. PayPal for PayPal payments. That is essentially it.
Fewer payment options than Shopify supports.
Checkout Flow
Standard e-commerce checkout. Contact info, shipping, payment. Complete purchase.
Guest Checkout
Supported. No requirement to create accounts.
Order Management
Handling sales.
Order Dashboard
View orders in the Webflow admin. Standard order information.
Order Statuses
Mark orders as processed, shipped, delivered. Standard status workflow.
Order Emails
Automatic emails for order confirmation, shipping notification, and other events.
Customizable but with more limitations than Shopify.
Refunds
Process refunds through the order management interface.
What Webflow E-commerce Does Well
The strengths.
Design Freedom
The biggest advantage. Total control over how the store looks. Product pages, cart, checkout all customizable.
Integrated With Site
The e-commerce is part of your Webflow site. Not a separate system. Content and commerce integrated naturally.
CMS Integration
Products and CMS collections can integrate. Product landing pages, related content, editorial merchandising.
Performance
Webflow’s fast infrastructure applies to e-commerce sites too. Fast loading.
Clean Code
The output is clean HTML/CSS/JavaScript. No plugin bloat.
What Webflow E-commerce Does Not Do Well
The limitations.
Limited Payment Options
Only Stripe and PayPal. No Apple Pay natively (though it works through Stripe). No Amazon Pay. No buy now pay later options built in.
Small App Ecosystem
Very few third-party apps compared to Shopify. Missing functionality often has to be built or worked around.
Basic Reporting
Reports are functional but not sophisticated. Limited compared to Shopify’s analytics.
Limited Shipping Options
Basic shipping configuration. No carrier-calculated rates like Shopify offers.
Basic Inventory Management
Adequate for simple operations. Not designed for complex warehouse management.
No Multi-Location
Cannot manage inventory across multiple locations.
Limited Marketing Features
Fewer built-in marketing tools than Shopify. Discount codes exist but with limits.
Weak Mobile Admin
Managing Webflow e-commerce from mobile is limited compared to Shopify’s app.
When Webflow E-commerce Fits
Situations that suit the platform.
Design-Focused Stores
Where distinctive design matters most. Fashion brands, art sales, design services.
Small Product Catalogs
Dozens to a few hundred products. Not massive inventories.
Content-Commerce Integration
Sites where blog content, editorial, or CMS content integrates with product sales.
Simple Operations
Straightforward fulfillment. Not complex multi-warehouse or wholesale operations.
Designer-Built Stores
Designers who want to build stores themselves without switching to Shopify’s constraints.
Boutique Brands
Small brands where the site itself is part of the brand experience.
When Webflow E-commerce Does Not Fit
Situations that suit alternatives.
Serious E-commerce Focus
Businesses where e-commerce is the primary purpose. Shopify’s depth serves better.
Large Product Catalogs
Hundreds or thousands of products. Better handled by platforms designed for scale.
Complex Fulfillment
Multi-location inventory, complex shipping, sophisticated warehouse management. Shopify or dedicated systems fit better.
Marketing Sophistication
Advanced marketing needs beyond basic email and discount codes. Shopify’s app ecosystem provides more.
International Operations
Multi-currency, multi-language, international tax complexity. Shopify handles these better.
App Dependencies
Businesses needing specific functionality from apps. Shopify has significantly more.
Common Webflow E-commerce Mistakes
Users stumble in predictable ways.
Choosing Webflow When Shopify Fits Better
Design freedom is appealing but not sufficient reason if e-commerce depth matters more.
Underestimating the Learning Curve
Learning both Webflow and its e-commerce features takes time. Non-designers especially struggle.
Not Planning for Growth
Starting with Webflow when growth will require capabilities Webflow does not offer. Migration is disruptive.
Ignoring the Transaction Fee
The 2% fee on Standard plan adds up. Upgrade timing matters.
Limited Testing
Not thoroughly testing the customer experience before launch. Problems affect real customers.
Poor SEO Setup
Standard SEO applies to Webflow stores. Skipping it hurts organic traffic.
Not Setting Up Analytics
Analytics need to be configured. Missing data means missing insights.
Building a Successful Webflow Store
Practices that work.
Play to the Strengths
Distinctive design. Custom presentation. Editorial content combined with commerce. These are where Webflow shines.
Accept the Limitations
Do not fight Webflow to do what Shopify does better. Either accept the limits or use a different platform.
Solid Foundation Work
Set up products properly, shipping thoughtfully, taxes carefully. Foundation work affects everything else.
Invest in Photography
Great product photography matters even more when your store’s differentiation comes from design.
Content Strategy
Take advantage of CMS integration. Content that supports products drives sales.
Customer Service
Direct relationships with customers. Design-focused stores often build stronger brand loyalty. Support the relationship through service.
Migration Considerations
Moving in or out.
Migrating to Webflow
Products can be imported from other platforms. Design must be rebuilt. Customer data may or may not transfer depending on source.
Migrating Away From Webflow
Products and customers can be exported. Design does not transfer. Have to rebuild in the new platform.
Difficult but not impossible.
Planning for Long-Term
Choose Webflow because it fits your business, not because it seems trendy. Long-term commitment prevents migration pain.
Closing Thoughts on Selling Through Webflow
Webflow e-commerce serves specific situations well. Design-focused stores with modest operational needs can produce excellent results. The design freedom that makes Webflow appealing for marketing sites extends to stores.
For businesses where e-commerce is the primary purpose, Shopify usually fits better. The depth of features, ecosystem, and proven track record support serious e-commerce operations better than Webflow can currently.
For design-focused brands, portfolio stores, boutique brands, and creative businesses selling their work, Webflow can produce stores that Shopify cannot easily match design-wise. The trade-off is fewer e-commerce features.
For agencies building client stores, Webflow makes sense for design-focused clients. For clients whose priority is serious e-commerce operations, Shopify is usually the better recommendation.
For businesses currently on Webflow whose e-commerce needs are growing beyond what Webflow provides, migration to Shopify is possible but disruptive. Better to choose platform based on where the business is going, not just where it is now.
For businesses evaluating Webflow e-commerce for a new store, be honest about needs. If distinctive design matters more than sophisticated e-commerce, Webflow works. If sophisticated e-commerce matters more, Shopify probably fits better.
The costs are comparable between platforms. This is not the deciding factor. The deciding factor is fit between platform capabilities and business needs.
For Webflow stores that are running, focus on what the platform does well. Distinctive design. Editorial integration. Custom presentation. Play to strengths rather than fighting limitations.
The e-commerce features Webflow provides continue to develop. What is limited now may improve over time. But for current decisions, evaluate based on current capabilities, not future promises.
Webflow e-commerce is a legitimate option for the situations it serves well. It is not right for every store, but for the right stores, it provides tools that other platforms cannot match. Choose thoughtfully based on your specific business needs, and Webflow can be a productive foundation for a design-forward e-commerce business. Match the platform to the business, not the business to the platform. When the fit is right, the results can be excellent.
