Tengiva vs Shopify: Which is best for your Textile Business?

If you're a textile supplier evaluating eCommerce platforms, you've likely considered Shopify. It's the dominant player in online retail. But here's the key question: Does a platform built for consumer retail truly serve the complexity of B2B textile commerce?

The answer depends entirely on how you sell and who you serve.

Quick Decision Framework

Choose Shopify if you're selling:

• Direct to consumers (B2C) in small quantities (under 5 meters)

• Limited stock or excess inventory to businesses (under 100 meters total)

• Finished products where buyers purchase ready-to-ship items in standard quantities

Choose Tengiva if you're selling:

• In-stock textiles with product lifetime volumes exceeding 1,000 meters

• Production orders requiring quotes, MOQ negotiation, and custom specifications

• Sample swatches alongside full orders. Serving designers and brands who need to test before committing

The Fundamental Difference: Transaction Complexity

The key insight: Shopify is excellent at what it does. It's just not built for how textiles actually move through the supply chain.

"We were looking for a solution to automate and add logistics technology to our internal sales process. What Tengiva offers brings it to reality, easing delivery through all our networks."

— Bengi, Covation Biomaterials, USA

Platform Comparison: What You Get

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DIY vs. Turn-key: What This Means for Your Business

Shopify's DIY Approach

Shopify gives you powerful tools, but you're responsible for execution:

Time investment: Weeks to months depending on catalog size and technical comfort level
Ongoing effort: Regular maintenance, app management, troubleshooting, individual sample handling

This works well if:

• You have in-house technical resources

• Your catalog is small and relatively simple

• You enjoy hands-on platform management

• You're selling primarily B2C or simple B2B transactions

Tengiva's Turn-key Approach

Tengiva handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on sales:

Time investment: 2 weeks from when we receive your samples
Ongoing effort: Minimal. Update prices or inventory when they change (like updating a spreadsheet). Everything else runs automatically.

This works well if:

• You want to focus on sales, not platform management

• You handle complex B2B transactions (swatches, stock, production orders)

• You value speed to market over hands-on customization

• Your catalog includes high-volume products requiring sophisticated workflow

"The added value compared to competitors is impressive. The process is complete, easy to use, and faithful to the needs and reality of the textile industry."

— Mellon, Kingwhale, Taiwan

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Cost Considerations: Total Investment

The Critical Difference:

With Shopify: You pay platform fees + transaction fees on every sale (comes out of your revenue)
With Tengiva: You receive 100% of your listed price. Buyers pay the processing fee (in-stock orders only)

Example: You price fabric at $10/meter

• Shopify: You receive ~$9.80-$9.95/meter (after transaction fees)

• Tengiva: You receive $10/meter (buyer pays processing fee separately)

ROI consideration: One-time investment that becomes free with active use. The more you use Tengiva, the less it costs.

Making Your Decision

Choose Shopify if:

• You're selling primarily to consumers or small businesses

• Your catalog is simple with standard, uniform transactions

• You have technical resources in-house

• You prefer hands-on platform control

• Your volumes are modest (under 100 meters total stock)

• You want to handle all sample fulfillment yourself

Choose Tengiva if:

• You serve fashion brands, designers, or manufacturers

• You handle complex B2B workflows (swatches, stock, production quotes)

• You want turn-key setup with minimal ongoing management

• Your product lifetime volumes exceed 1,000 meters

• You want to focus on sales, not platform administration

• You want centralized sample management without individual fulfillment

• You want to keep 100% of your listed prices (buyers pay processing fees)

Get started with Tengiva →

Both Proudly Canadian 🇨🇦

Here's something we share: Tengiva and Shopify are both Canadian companies building world-class commerce infrastructure.

Shopify has proven that Canadian technology companies can compete globally in eCommerce. They've built an exceptional platform that powers millions of businesses worldwide.

Tengiva brings that same Canadian innovation and reliability to the specialized world of B2B textile commerce. Building infrastructure specifically for the complexity of how textiles actually move through the supply chain.

Different tools, different purposes, same commitment to Canadian excellence in technology.

Next Steps

Ready to see how Tengiva handles your specific business needs?

Get started with Tengiva →

Still think Shopify might be better for your needs?
That's completely fine. We're here to help you make the right choice for your business, even if that means recommending a different platform. The most important thing is finding infrastructure that serves your clients well.

Go to Shopify →