If anything this trying period has taught businesses, it is that being accessible online is imperative. Are you ready to catch up with the times? You need an e-commerce platform.
An e-commerce platform is a software that enables you to set up, sell products, manage inventory and operate a business online. The good news is, setting up an online store is easier than ever. The bad news is, there are way too many options to build an e-commerce site
We are here to make things a little bit easier for you. Here are the top platforms to build e-commerce websites:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- BigCommerce
- Wix
- Squarespace
SHOPIFY
Started in 2004, Shopify (and Shopify Plus) is the leading e-commerce platform builder and solution provider in the market. Used by small and big businesses, Shopify is the reigning champion in terms of integration, ease of use and a solid option for beginners. The super intuitive interface and codeless building tools make it easy to launch your online store in 2-3 days. It is by far the best platform for dropshipping.
Features:
- 24/7 customer support and community forums
- Drag and drop builder
- Product reports, export reports, traffic reports and Google analytics
- Unlimited product listing
- More than 70 themes available for use
- Inventory tracking and real-time sales statistics
- Custom domains
There are three plans available: Basic Shopify, Shopify and Shopify Advanced. For multinational companies and huge enterprise-level businesses, Shopify Plus is more suitable. It is an upgraded version of the Shopify platform with more automation tools, customizations and many other features. Knowledge proprietary front-end knowledge language is required for customization in Shopify.
WOOCOMMERCE
WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin made for WordPress. If you already have a WordPress site, all you have to do is download WooCommerce like any other extension to convert it into an e-commerce site. It is best for small businesses that are working on a shoe-string budget. It has plenty of third-party themes to choose from and plugins to avail.
Features:
- 300+ extensions in WooCommerce Extensions Store
- Google Analytics integration
- Catalogue and inventory management
- Geo-location support
- Search Engine Optimization
- Coupons, discounts and product reviews
- Shipping options and calculator
Since WooCommerce is run via WordPress, you must have your domain, hosting and WordPress account already set up to use it. The combination of WooCommerce and WordPress makes the customization options and capabilities for your site virtually limitless.
With 80 million+ downloads, WooCommerce powers almost 30% of online stores globally making it one of the most used and most popular e-commerce solution providers.
BIGCOMMERCE
The biggest differentiator between BigCommere and other leading platforms like Shopify is that BigCommerce allows you to sell in multiple currencies. It also has more native features than any other top players in this field and it is considered one of the best options when you are looking to scale globally. Founded in 2009, BigCommerce has become the favourite for merchants and businesses that have complex catalogues.
Features:
- Flexible and scalable
- Strong SEO performance
- Supports both B2C and B2B
- Unlimited product listing and bandwidth
- Multi-currency and multi-channel selling
- Custom domains
- 12 free themes and 160+ paid themes
The pricing is divided into three tiers: BigCommerce Standard, Plus, Pro. The pricing structure is a bit different than other platforms – if your online store reaches a certain sales limit for a year, your current plan will automatically upgrade to a new plan.
For example: If you reach the 12-month sales milestone set by BigCommerce in your Standard plan, your store will be automatically upgraded to the Plus plan. There is also a custom Enterprise plan option for B2B merchants in case of bulk volume orders and transactions.
WIX
As far as cloud-based drag and drop website builders go, Wix is definitely one of the easiest tools to use. The extensive range of designs and super pocket-friendly plans make it one of the best options for small and bootstrapped businesses. While it is good enough to build a wholesome and fully functional e-commerce website, it is not very adaptable when complex product lines are involved.
Features:
- 500+ e-commerce templates
- Unlimited bandwidth for all plans
- Google Analytics integration and in-app analytics
- No transaction commissions
- Includes marketing automation
- Artificial Design Intelligence feature
- Third-party app and extension marketplace available
The extensive pricing plans of Wix include E-commerce, VIP, Business Basic, Business Unlimited, Business VIP and Enterprise. Although Wix is relatively new to the e-commerce builder market space, it is growing and adding more features at an amazing pace.
Wix is the best platform for building a business website and online store simultaneously. The biggest cherry on its pie is that it is extremely user friendly and convenient to use.
SQUARESPACE
With Squarespace what you see is what you get. With the minimal and beautiful themes coupled with its drag and drop website builder functionality, it is a strong contender for small and boot-strapped businesses with basic e-commerce needs. Squarespace even lets you download multiple templates for one website and switch it to your convenience.
Features:
- Abandoned cart auto-recovery
- Upselling and cross-selling
- Multiple payment methods
- Unlimited products
- Real-time tracking and shipping rates
- SEO tools
- Automatic discounts
Price plans with e-commerce capabilities: Business, Basic Commerce and Advanced Commerce. Free trial without the requirement of a credit card is available. It is best for small businesses that are just starting and are likely to change their sales strategy. Although it is a breeze to build your online store with Squarespace, there are not many add-ons available.
OTHER PLATFORMS THAT ALMOST MADE OUR LIST: Zyro, Webflow, Magento
In conclusion, when it comes to e-commerce website builders there is no ‘one-size-fits-all product. Choose the platform that would best suit based on your needs, budget, service, scale of business, manpower, knowledge of the tool etc. With the right digital marketing strategy for your e-commerce website, your business can stand apart and reach more audiences.
