Why Jamaican sellers are leaving Shopify
Shopify is a fine product built for the US market. The problem is that Jamaica isn't the US — and three things catch every local seller:
- Shopify Payments isn't available in Jamaica. So you must connect a third-party gateway, and Shopify charges an extra transaction fee of around 2% on every sale on top of that gateway's own fee. That fee grows with your sales, forever.
- The bill is in US dollars. Every month the JMD cost moves with the exchange rate — and you're paying for features you can't fully use here.
- It doesn't speak Jamaican. No Knutsford Express, no bank-transfer-with-proof checkout, no GCT the way we actually do it. You bolt on paid apps and still can't get Knutsford at any price.
The real 12-month cost, in JMD
Take a store doing J$500,000 a month in sales. Compare only the platform cost — the card-gateway fee is roughly the same wherever you sell, so we leave it out to keep it fair.
Side by side
| Shopify in Jamaica | Ezy Cart |
|---|---|
| US-dollar monthly bill + ~2% surcharge on every sale (no Shopify Payments here) | One flat J$9,500/month — 0% commission, no surcharge |
| Caribbean gateways only via third parties; bank transfer needs workarounds | Bank transfer, Scotia card, Fygaro, eZeePayments, cash on delivery — built in |
| No Knutsford Express at any price | Knutsford offices + parish delivery zones built in |
| GCT configured by hand; no zero-rated concept | GCT inclusive/exclusive, zero-rated products, tax on shipping |
| Email automation, reviews, etc. are extra paid apps | Abandoned-cart, email sequences and reviews included |
| Support in a US/EU time zone | The developer, in Jamaica, on WhatsApp |
When Shopify still makes sense
We'd rather be straight with you. Shopify is the better pick if you sell mainly to the US or overseas and price in USD, or if your business depends on a specific Shopify app or sales channel with no local equivalent. If that's you, stay — and we'll still happily help with marketing. For a store selling to Jamaican customers, in JMD, with local delivery and payments, Ezy Cart wins on cost and on fit.
Moving over is free and takes about a week
Ezy Web Pro migrates your products, images and customers, rebuilds your store on Ezy Cart, sets up your gateway and delivery zones, and points your existing domain across. You don't lose your catalogue and you don't lose your web address.
Get your Shopify-to-Ezy-Cart quote
Tell us your store and we'll map the switch — build from J$35,000, then J$9,500/month, no commission.
FAQ
Does Shopify work in Jamaica?
Shopify is available here, but Shopify Payments is not — so you use a third-party gateway and Shopify adds an extra ~2% transaction fee on every sale on top of the gateway's fee. There's also no native Knutsford or bank-transfer checkout.
Is Ezy Cart cheaper than Shopify in Jamaica?
For most Jamaican stores, yes once real costs are counted. Shopify's sticker looks low, but the 2% surcharge, paid apps for features Ezy Cart includes, and a US-dollar bill add up and grow with sales. Ezy Cart is one flat J$9,500/month, no commission.
Can I move my Shopify store to Ezy Cart?
Yes — Ezy Web Pro migrates your products, images and customers and rebuilds on Ezy Cart, usually within a week. Your domain stays yours.