Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
What's the best approach to migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?
Members who have made the jump from WooCommerce to Shopify strongly recommend the move. The consensus is that **Shopify** is significantly easier to use and manage than WooCommerce. **Migration approach:** - **Build a new Shopify store from scratch** rather than attempting a direct migration — this is cleaner and allows you to set up properly - **Manually migrate key content** like SEO-related pages and product information - **Use off-the-shelf Shopify themes** that you can customise if you don't want to invest in custom coding — this accelerates launch - **Shopify's interface is very intuitive**, particularly if you're managing it yourself **Plan options:** - Members report being on various Shopify plans for small businesses, though specific plan recommendations aren't detailed in the discussion **Getting help:** Members have contacts who specialise in Shopify builds and can support the migration process — reach out via direct message if you'd like introductions. **Overall sentiment:** Multiple members described moving to Shopify as "the best thing we did." One member noted they went from Shopify to WooCommerce and then back to Shopify, reinforcing confidence in the platform.
What crowdfunding platforms are recommended for drinks businesses, and what should founders know before using them?
Members have direct experience with crowdfunding platforms for drinks businesses. **CrowdCube** was used by one member but they felt the platform did not add significant value to the campaign and would not recommend it for future rounds. The member noted they "brought more to the party than they did," suggesting the onus fell heavily on the founder to drive the campaign rather than receiving substantial platform support. Members recommend discussing crowdfunding strategy directly with founders who have completed campaigns, as their insights on platform selection and execution are valuable.
Should I use Shopify or Squarespace for my DTC e-commerce site, particularly for fulfillment and shipping integration?
Members strongly recommend **Shopify** over Squarespace for DTC e-commerce, especially if you plan to scale or integrate with fulfillment partners. - **Shopify** — described as the clear winner for fulfillment integration. Members report it works smoothly with shipping apps and third-party fulfillment providers, and is essential if you want a sustainable DTC business longer-term. - **Squarespace** — flagged as problematic for integration. Members operating fulfillment services for multiple brands report that Squarespace websites are "a nightmare" to integrate with shipping tools and apps, making it unsuitable if you need any fulfillment flexibility. If you're running your own fulfillment or working with a 3PL, Shopify's app ecosystem and native integrations will save significant time and headaches. Squarespace's limitations become a real constraint as your business grows.