eCommerce Platforms - Top 7 for Small Business and Beyond
The right eCommerce platform can boost your business and your bottom line–but how do you decide which one is right for you?
While most businesses, large and small, care about user-friendliness, functionality, design, and affordability, every business is different when it comes to the features they require in an eCommerce platform.
Looking for the right commerce solution for your new or expanding business? You need to know what questions to ask to make an informed decision. That’s why we are weighing up the pros and cons of the world’s top eCommerce platforms to help find the best fit for you.
WHY USE AN ECOMMERCE PLATFORM?
If you’re looking to start an online store or expand your existing business, you need a way to manage your website, your sales, and your business operations.
An eCommerce platform is a software that allows you to customize your site and manage everything all in one place. Not only is it a platform to showcase your products and process transactions, but you can track sales, publish content, optimize for search engines, view analytics and much more.
With eCommerce platforms you can:
- Manage your products all in one place
- Run promotions and special offers
- Personalize your sales and services
- Manage your prices
- Gain insight into the customer experience
- Access analytics to inform your business or marketing strategy
The right eCommerce platform will allow you to take your business online and manage it your way. That’s why it’s important to choose an eCommerce solutionthat has the customization and features you need.
HOW TO CHOOSE AN ECOMMERCE PLATFORM
Choosing the right eCommerce platform for your business goes far beyond the type of platform or the hosting. In fact, there are several leading platform providers to choose from. That’s why it’s important to discuss the pros and cons of each before you make your decision.
Whether you already have a platform in mind or are just starting your search, there are a few questions to keep in mind.
Important Questions to Ask
Before selecting, it’s best to assess both the current structure and status of your business and your long-term goals. While one platform may serve you well now, you need to think in terms of scalability, agility, affordability, and longevity.
Below are some of the questions you should ask yourself or the platform provider before choosing an eCommerce platform.
- Have you outlined your immediate and long-term business goals?
- Is the platform adaptable enough to accommodate market changes or growth in your business?
- Does the platform allow you to manage multiple sites if you were to expand to additional sales channels?
- How does the platform allow you to manage a customer’s experience before, during, and after the sale?
- Does the platform provide you with tools and analytics that allow you to formulate a data-driven business strategy?
- Will the platform allow you to expand internationally?
- How will your platform integrate with your existing systems to ensure that the customer experience is not interrupted?
- Have you considered not only the licensing cost but also the cost of ownership, and the return on your investment?
While some of these questions may not seem to apply to your business now, they could in the future. Choosing the right platform from the get-go could help prevent setbacks, downtime, or added costs.
If you can’t find the answers to these questions on the platform’s website, reach out to their support or sales team directly. Their answers to these questions could make a difference in you choosing one platform over another.
WHICH ECOMMERCE PLATFORM IS THE BEST? – COMPARISONS
We have created a list of eCommerce platforms from the best providers on the market. With so many options available, choosing the right platform may seem like a daunting task, but it also means that you’re likely to find the perfect solution for your online store.
Considering the questions above, look through the costs and benefits of the various platforms to inform your decision.
THE TOP ECOMMERCE SITES IN THIS LIST ARE:
See the full list of eCommerce platform comparisons below.
Shopify
Shopify is one of the most well-known SaaS eCommerce platform providers and is utilized by hundreds of thousands of users. However, that doesn’t mean it will be the best solution for your business. For instance, the platform is most popular among starter sites and businesses with SKU counts under 100. If those don’t apply to you, you may be in need of a commerce solution that’s more robust.
Here are some of the benefits and drawbacks of using Shopify.
Pros
Shopify Development is considered user-friendly. After signing up with your email address, set up is quick and straightforward. You can create your site, launch products, add pricing, and start selling right away. The quick learning curve makes it a favorite of novice eCommerce practitioners. With features including title tags and meta descriptions for SEO, built-in mobile friendliness, and 24/7 support, there’s not much more that a non-experienced eCommerce business owner needs.
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