The eCommerce industry is growing quickly, which is an encouraging thought for those looking to start a new business. Some, however, might be intimidated by the idea of creating an eCommerce platform as it might seem to be a difficult and complex process. The good news is that anyone can easily use an eCommerce platform without much experience in the web development industry.
When it comes to eCommerce platforms, there are many different options to choose from and once you start your search you will notice this immediately. If you are wondering which eCommerce platform is best, keep reading. Throughout this article, we will take a look at 6 amazing platforms that we at Talks Grow recommend .
Understanding eCommerce Platforms
Before we delve deeper into the best eCommerce platforms on the market, it is important to shed some light on these tools and see what they can do for you. An eCommerce platform is a virtual engine or a content management system (CMS) that you can use to build an online store. You can think of it as a one-stop shop for managing every task associated with the website such as displaying and selling products or services, processing payments, overseeing and fulfilling orders, etc.
There are three main types of eCommerce platforms: Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms, open-source platforms, and custom-built platforms. Each type comes with specific advantages and it’s best to choose the one that will fit your needs and preferences. For example, SaaS platforms such as Shopify provide a ready-to-use framework and are generally subscription-based tools. Open-source platforms such as Magento offer users more options in terms of customization but they require more technical expertise. Last but not least, custom-built eCommerce platforms are designed specifically for your business but they will be more expensive and take more time to develop.
Key Features to Look For
Here are some of the key features of eCommerce platforms:
For sellers:
- An eCommerce platform can function as a user-friendly website builder that enables you to design your online store. You can customize different layouts and use attractive visuals to make your online store stand out from the crowd.
- Another great feature of eCommerce platforms is product management as you can easily add, remove, edit, and organize your products or services on your website. Writing and editing product descriptions, prices, and other important details is a very easy task when you are using an eCommerce platform.
- Managing your orders is another process that is streamlined when using an eCommerce platform. Processing and fulfilling orders from purchase to delivery and making sure that all the products and services reach the clients has never been easier.
- All eCommerce platforms enable users to implement different payment processing methods. You will be able to safely accept various types of payments such as bank transfers, credit cards, or digital wallets.
- Once you set up your eCommerce website, you will want to have access to marketing tools and analytics and the good news is that eCommerce platforms offer these services. You will be able to monitor website traffic and user behaviour and put this information to good use.
- E-commerce platforms facilitate customer relationship management (CRM) and provide effective solutions for handling inquiries, customer support, and customer interactions.
For Customers
E-commerce platforms are extremely convenient for sellers, but also very user-friendly for customers who can easily navigate your website. Finding and comparing products, reading product descriptions, getting recommendations, verified reviews, efficient customer service, safe payment options, and account management are just a few great features that customers will enjoy.
Now that you are familiar with some of the key features of eCommerce platforms, let’s see which eCommerce platform is best for you!
Shopify: The Popular Choice
With more than 2 million users, Shopify is a SaaS eCommerce platform and a very popular choice when it comes to building eCommerce websites. A great advantage of using Shopify to build your online store is the fact that you won’t need any technical expertise. Building an online store using Shopify does not require coding knowledge, is a quick and easy process, and you can find plenty of online tutorials to get you started. Shopify provides user-friendly templates that you can customize based on your needs and preferences and it is a great solution for small and medium-sized businesses.
Pricing: The Basic Shopify Plan starts from $29 per month, the Shopify Plan from $79 per month, and the Advanced Shopify from $299 per month.
WooCommerce: WordPress Integration
WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce platform and another great option for small and medium-sized businesses as it provides seamless integration through WordPress. WooCommerce is highly customizable, provides a wide range of plugins, and enjoys great community support. If you are already a fan of the WordPress universe, using WooCommerce might be the perfect choice for you.
Pricing: WooCommerce is quite affordable as it is a free plugin, but the prices of certain themes, web hosting, and additional plugins will vary.
Magento: Flexibility and Scalability
Magento is an eCommerce platform with built-in PHP and a great option for medium to large-sized eCommerce businesses. Part of the Adobe family, Magento is a versatile, flexible, and highly customizable solution that offers great scalability. The main difference between Magento and the platforms mentioned above is the fact that utilizing this platform requires much more technical expertise and the overall costs will be higher. Supporting both B2B and B2C models, Magento is a great choice for large businesses and enterprises with growth potential.
Pricing: The pricing of Magento is not publicly available because it depends on customer requirements. But as a general idea, Magento is a more expensive option as it caters to larger businesses and those in need of a lot of custom options.
BigCommerce: Comprehensive Solution
BigCommerce is another example of a subscription SaaS eCommerce platform that allows users to build and manage an online store. As the name suggests, this platform is a great choice for medium and large-sized businesses and it can be too complex and costly for beginners and small businesses. Some of the most notable benefits of BigCommerce include its strong focus on multi-channel retail, no transaction fees, and great marketing and SEO tools.
Pricing: The BigCommerce Standard Plan starts at $29,95 per month, the BigCommerce Plus Plan starts at $79.95 per month, and the BigCommerce Pro plan starts at $299.95 per month.
Squarespace: Design and Simplicity
Squarespace eCommerce is another great solution for small to medium-sized businesses and creative online entrepreneurs. It is an all-in-one solution for website building that provides a wide range of features designed with a focus on online shopping. With many templates to choose from, advanced commerce features, and unlimited product listings, Squarespace allows you to create an attractive user-friendly website.
Pricing: The Squarespace pricing plants range from $16 to $72 per month.
Wix: User-Friendly and Affordable
Last but not least, Wix is another powerful solution that can simplify building and managing an online store. Primarily a website builder, Wix can be used to create eCommerce platforms by adding the Wix Stores app which adds eCommerce functionality to your site. Wix offers a wide range of management tools, great infrastructure, and multichannel integration. A good option if you already enjoy using Wix, or if you are looking for an intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Pricing: You can create an eCommerce website for free, but once you launch your store and start accepting payments from shoppers, you will have to purchase a paid plan that ranges between $27 per month and $159 per month.
Final Thoughts
Find a great eCommerce solution isn’t easy. There are many options as mentioned above, so we truly recommend trying out a few before settling on one. And if you already have an eCommerce site but struggling to get sales, you may need an eCommerce audit rather than the need to switch platforms.
