Shopify wins for e-shops with 50+ products, high sales volume and multi-channel selling (POS, Instagram Shopping). WordPress (WooCommerce) wins for boutique brands with 5–50 products, custom design needs and a low monthly cost. In Mykonos, for jewellery/leather/local brands, it's usually WooCommerce. For volume retail, it's Shopify.
You've got a local Mykonos brand (jewellery, leather, gifts, swimwear, art) and you want to open an e-shop. Two platforms will spring to mind: WordPress (with the WooCommerce plugin) and Shopify. Which one fits your particular scenario?
Quick comparison
| WordPress + WooCommerce | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | €1,200–€2,500 | €800–€2,000 |
| Monthly (excl. ad spend) | €80–€180 | $29–$299 (Shopify) + plugins |
| Transaction fees | €0 (direct with Stripe/Viva) | 0%–2% if you don't use Shopify Payments |
| Custom design | Endless flexibility | Limited (theme-based) |
| POS integration | Tricky / 3rd party | Native Shopify POS |
| Greek language | 100% native | Caveat: tax setup is fiddly |
| Maintenance | Updates + backups required | Always up-to-date, handled by Shopify |
When to choose WordPress (WooCommerce)
- You have up to 100 products.
- You have very custom design needs — e.g. an editorial-style site with storytelling content.
- You're selling content/a blog alongside your products.
- You want full ownership of your data + the freedom to move hosting.
- You take payments through Greek payment gateways (Viva, Piraeus, Alpha).
- You don't have a physical shop with a POS.
When to choose Shopify
- You have 100+ products with variants (sizes, colours).
- You also sell in a physical shop + want POS sync.
- You want multi-channel: Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shop, TikTok Shop.
- You want to avoid tech maintenance — you don't care about flexibility, you care about stability.
- You sell internationally (multiple languages/currencies).
- You don't have your own developer/maintenance team.
The make-or-break bit for Mykonos: VAT & Greek couriers
In Greece, VAT requirements and connecting to couriers (ACS, ELTA, Speedex, Geniki Taxydromiki) are better handled in WooCommerce, because there are Greek-made plugins with proper support. Shopify has shipping integrations too, but there are fewer of them and they cost more.
Also worth flagging: Greek tax authority (myDATA) integration. WooCommerce has more mature plugins. Shopify requires custom development or a 3rd-party integrator, which costs.
Our take on 3 typical Mykonos brands
Boutique jewellery brand (10–30 hand-made pieces): WooCommerce. Custom editorial design, Greek couriers, low monthly cost.
Leather goods studio (50–100 SKUs + a physical shop in Chora): Shopify with POS. Sync physical + online inventory, Instagram Shopping.
Swimwear brand with seasonal collections (200+ SKUs with sizes): Shopify Plus if you're targeting international, WooCommerce if you're Greek-first.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from Shopify to WordPress later?+
Which is faster (page speed)?+
Multi-language for international markets?+
Which makes paying Greek VAT easier?+
Ready to launch your e-shop?
Tell us what you sell + how many products + whether you have a physical shop. We'll HONESTLY recommend which platform fits — and if we're not the right fit, we'll tell you who to look for.