Picked a Square over a Shopify store and it cost me real money

I run a small vintage clothing shop in Ferndale and last month I had to choose between Square Online and Shopify for my website. I went with Square because I already used their card reader and thought it would be easier. Turns out their SEO tools are basically useless, I can't even edit my page titles properly. After 4 weeks I only got 3 orders while my buddy with a Shopify store had 20. Now I'm migrating everything over and it's a total headache. Has anyone else had trouble getting found on Google with Square?

3 comments

3 Comments

miles_burns28d ago

Oh man, I read something just last week about this exact problem. Apparently Square's platform is built more for in-person sales and their website stuff is kind of an afterthought. I saw a comparison that said Shopify has way better SEO controls because they actually let you customize meta descriptions and URL structures, while Square locks you into whatever it generates. It's a real shame because Square is great for the countertop reader but their online tools just don't hold up. The migration headache is a bummer but at least now you know for the future.

ellis.faith28d ago

Miles talkin like losing some meta descriptions is the same as losing your whole store in a fire. Is SEO really that big of a deal for most small shops though?

kelly.charlie28d ago

miles_burns is right about Square being an afterthought for online stuff. I learned this the hard way when I tried to set up a simple website for my hobby woodworking shop and my meta descriptions just showed up as gibberish. The whole thing made me feel like a grandpa trying to figure out a fancy new phone, honestly. But you know what, at least now I know to test the website tools before I commit to anything again. Square for the counter, Shopify for the screen, I guess.