If you’re an eCommerce store owner still running your business on Turbify (formerly Yahoo Small Business), you might be feeling the pain from a platform that’s struggling to keep up with its peers. While Turbify was once a very solid and reliable choice for small businesses, its limitations are becoming more apparent as more modern eCommerce platforms evolve. If you find yourself looking for a better solution before the busy 2025 holiday season approaches, it’s time to consider Shopify—a robust, flexible, and future-proof platform that’s transforming the way online stores operate.
At Your Store Wizards, we’ve helped Turbify merchants make the switch to Shopify, and we’re here with our top 10 reasons why this migration could be the game-changer your business needs. Let’s take a look at some of Turbify’s pain points and how Shopify solves them.
1. Outdated Themes That Limit Your Brand
Turbify’s design options are very limited with only a handful of themes that are basic, rigid, and often fail to reflect modern aesthetics or branding needs. Customizing them is a struggle, leaving your store looking dated and unprofessional. Shopify, on the other hand, offers thousands of sleek, mobile-responsive themes—both free and premium—that can be customized to match your brand perfectly, with no advanced coding required.
2. RTML Programming: A Double-Edged Sword
Turbify relies on RTML (Real-Time Markup Language), a proprietary programming language to powers its stores. Pros: It offers a TON of flexibility for those who master it. Cons: It’s outdated, complex, and finding developers skilled in RTML is like searching for a needle in the proverbial (yet, literal) haystack. This makes customization slow and expensive. Shopify uses Liquid, a widely supported language, backed by a large developer community, making updates and customizations far easier and more cost-effective.
3. Lack of Modern Features
We hate to admit it, but if we’re being honest, Turbify’s feature set is stuck in the past. It lacks advanced tools like multi-channel selling, robust analytics, or seamless third-party app integrations that today’s eCommerce businesses need to grow. Shopify is packed with cutting-edge features like abandoned cart recovery, built-in SEO tools, and an app store with over 8,000 options to extend your store’s functionality.
4. Scalability Issues That Stifle Growth
Turbify works fine for small stores, but as your business grows, it struggles to scale. Shopify is built to scale effortlessly, handling everything from a handful of products to thousands, with no compromise on performance—perfect for businesses eyeing big growth.
5. Clunky Interface and Poor User Experience
Navigating Turbify’s backend feels like stepping into a time capsule. The interface is outdated and unintuitive, making daily tasks more cumbersome than they need to be. Shopify’s clean, user-friendly dashboard simplifies store management, saving you time and frustration whether you’re adding products, checking orders, or tweaking designs.
6. Limited Mobile Optimization
With more customers shopping on their phones, mobile responsiveness is non-negotiable. Turbify’s themes often require extra work to look decent on mobile devices, and even then, the results can be subpar. Every Shopify theme is mobile-ready out of the box, ensuring your store looks great and functions flawlessly on any device.
7. Basic SEO and Marketing Tools
Turbify’s SEO and marketing capabilities are bare-bones, making it hard to drive traffic and boost sales. Shopify offers powerful built-in SEO tools, detailed analytics, and integrations with marketing platforms like Google Ads and Facebook, giving you the edge to grow your audience and revenue.
8. Ownership Uncertainty and Platform Stability
Turbify’s history of ownership changes—from Yahoo to Verizon to Infinite Computer Solutions—raises questions about its long-term future. Merchants worry about investing in a platform that might not stick around. Shopify, a global leader in eCommerce, provides stability and a clear roadmap, so you can build your business with confidence.
9. Lack of App Ecosystem
Turbify’s closed system offers little room for expansion through third-party apps. Need a specific feature? You’re stuck coding it yourself or hiring an RTML expert. Shopify’s expansive app ecosystem lets you add functionality—like loyalty programs, reviews, or shipping tools—with just a few clicks, no custom coding needed.
10. Slow Performance and Customer Support Woes
Turbify users often report sluggish load times and unreliable customer support, both of which hurt sales and morale. Shopify delivers fast, reliable performance backed by 24/7 support, ensuring your store stays online and help is always a call or chat away.
Ready to Make the Switch? Try Shopify for Free with Your Store Wizards
Convinced that Shopify is the right move for your eCommerce business? At Your Store Wizards, we’re making it easier than ever to explore the platform. We’ll set you up with a free Shopify store to play around with and get to know—no strings attached. You won’t pay a dime until you’re ready to take it live. It’s the perfect way to test Shopify’s features, experiment with designs, and see how it can transform your business, all risk-free.
When you’re ready to migrate, we’ve got you covered with our full migration services. With over 25 years of experience working on and migrating Turbify stores, we handle everything:
- Data Migration: We’ll seamlessly transfer your products, categories, pages, and as much customer/order data as possible using our proprietary tools.
- Complete Store Design: Choose a custom design crafted to your brand’s unique vision or pick from Shopify’s many stunning themes—we’ll make it yours.
- Full Programming: Our Shopify experts will handle all the technical setup, ensuring your store runs smoothly and meets your specific needs.
Don’t let Turbify’s limitations hold you back any longer. Contact us today to claim your free Shopify store and start your journey to a more powerful, scalable, and modern eCommerce platform.
Scott Sanfilippo began his eCommerce journey in 1994 by co-founding one of the Internet’s first online retailers, TheFerretStore.com, which was acquired by PetCo in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded the eCommerce design and marketing firm Solid Cactus, which was acquired by web.com in 2009. Today, Scott is the General Manager of Your Store Wizards and lives in Delray Beach, FL. Scott can be contacted at scott@yourstorewizards.com.