The platform you build on shapes every decision that follows: how much you pay each month, how much control you have over design and data, what you can add later and how much technical work you take on. Shopify and WooCommerce are the two most common choices for independent stores, and they represent two different philosophies.
Hosted simplicity
Shopify is a hosted platform. Hosting, security updates, payment processing and core features are managed for you in exchange for a monthly fee and transaction charges. Setup is fast, themes are polished, and support is available. The trade-off is less flexibility at the edges: customization beyond what themes and apps allow can be difficult, and app subscriptions add up as the store grows.
Self-hosted control
WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress that you run on hosting you choose. You own the data, can modify anything, and pay no platform transaction fees beyond your payment processor. In return you are responsible for hosting quality, updates, backups and security. It suits people comfortable with WordPress or who need content and commerce tightly combined.
Deciding on requirements
List what the store must do in its first year: product types and variants, number of products, subscriptions or digital downloads, shipping complexity, markets and currencies, content needs, integrations with your existing tools, and your budget for time and money.
Action Step
Write your requirements list with at least ten items across products, payments, shipping, content, integrations and budget. Mark each as essential or nice to have. Check both platforms against the essentials and note which requirements would need a paid add-on or custom work on each.
This lesson is educational and reflects general practice. Results depend on your situation, market and effort; adapt what you learn to your own context.