While physical stores still generate a lot of revenue, more brick-and-mortar businesses are realizing the opportunities to expand their sales online.
By establishing an online store, you can expand your customer base beyond those close to your physical store, grow your revenue and make your products more accessible to those actively searching for them.
Creating your online store also means finding the right eCommerce platform, which can significantly impact your success.
With multiple platforms offering unique features and benefits, choosing the right eCommerce platform is the first big challenge for anyone hoping to gain an online foothold.
Let’s go through the options available and help you with the top eCommerce platforms for your business. In this article we’ll look at:
• Why Does Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform Matter?
• What Are the Best eCommerce Platforms? Here Are Our Top 5 Picks
• How To Choose the Right eCommerce Platform
Why Does Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform Matter?
Online eCommerce platforms allow businesses to create and manage an online store. While online success involves many factors – such as web design, search engine optimization (SEO) and online advertising platforms – your chosen platform can have a significant impact.
Choosing your platform is a strategic decision affecting your business’s online success. A good platform keeps your website running smoothly and provides easy access to users.
In contrast, a poorly chosen platform can lead to technical difficulties, increased costs and customer dissatisfaction. Some key benefits of picking the best eCommerce platform include:
• Operational Efficiency: A well-suited platform can optimize your eCommerce operations, making day-to-day management easier and more efficient. Some platforms offer features such as automation, customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning and other useful tools.
• Customer Experience: The right platform provides a seamless shopping experience, making it easier for users to browse your products and check out. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business.
• Scalability: As your eCommerce store sees more traffic, your platform should accommodate the higher traffic and sales volume without compromising performance.
• Cost-Effectiveness: If you want to minimize costs, you should choose a platform that offers flexible pricing plans, reduces the need for custom development and provides additional features that minimize your costs.
What Are the Best eCommerce Platforms? Here Are Our Top 5 Picks
The top online eCommerce platforms can vary depending on your product, business model and other factors.
Here are some of the most popular platforms to browse:
1. Shopify
Shopify is a leading eCommerce platform known for its ease of use and extensive features. It caters to businesses of all sizes and can accommodate business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) online stores.
Businesses will find that everything they need to manage orders, shipments and payments is already integrated into the platform, making it easier to set up a store without extensive technical skills.
Key Features:
• User-friendly Interface: Intuitive dashboard and drag-and-drop builder.
• Extensive App Store: Thousands of apps and plugins for customization.
• Scalable Plans: Options for businesses of various sizes and growth stages.
| • Ease of Use: No technical skills required to set up and manage. • Comprehensive Support: 24/7 customer support and extensive resources. • Secure and Reliable: Robust security measures and reliable uptime. | • Transaction Fees: Additional fees if not using Shopify Payments. • Limited Customization: Restrictions on design flexibility without custom coding. • Costly Add-ons: Many advanced features require paid apps. |
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a powerful and customizable eCommerce plugin for WordPress. It is ideal for businesses that prefer an open-source solution with complete control over their online store. Its features make it a popular choice among small and medium businesses.
Key Features:
• Customization: Highly customizable with themes and plugins.
• Flexibility: Supports various product types, including physical, digital and subscription-based.
• Community Support: Large community of developers and users for support and resources.
| • Cost-Effective: Free core plugin with affordable extensions. • SEO-Friendly: Leverages WordPress’s robust SEO capabilities. • Total Control: Complete ownership and control over your store. | • Complex Setup: Requires technical knowledge to set up and maintain. • Performance Issues: Can slow down if not optimized properly. • Maintenance: Ongoing updates and maintenance required. |
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a comprehensive eCommerce platform designed for fast-growing businesses. It offers advanced features and integrations to help companies to scale efficiently. Its features make it suitable for both B2C and B2B eCommerce platforms.
Key Features:
• Built-in SEO Tools: Advanced SEO features for better search engine rankings.
• Multi-Channel Selling: Integrates with various sales channels like Amazon and eBay.
• Customizable Checkout: Flexible and optimized checkout options.
| • Scalability: Suitable for growing businesses with high-volume sales. • No Transaction Fees: No additional fees on any pricing plan. • Comprehensive Features: Rich set of built-in features and tools. | • Learning Curve: Requires time to learn and utilize all features. • Design Limitations: Fewer free themes compared to competitors. • Cost: Higher monthly fees, especially for advanced plans. |
4. Magento
Magento, or Adobe Commerce, is a highly flexible and powerful open-source eCommerce platform. It is suitable for businesses that require a customizable solution with extensive features, making it a popular choice for those with complex requirements or businesses with the skills and resources to maximize its features.
Magento can be used for businesses looking for B2C or B2B eCommerce platforms.
Key Features:
• Customization: High level of customization and flexibility.
• Scalability: Can handle large catalogs and high traffic volumes.
• Advanced Features: Robust features for marketing, SEO and product management.
| • Flexibility: Unlimited customization possibilities. • Scalable: Ideal for large businesses with complex needs. • Community: Strong community and extensive marketplace for extensions. | • Complexity: Requires significant technical expertise to manage. • Cost: High development and maintenance costs. • Performance: Can be resource-intensive, requiring robust hosting. |
5. Wix eCommerce
Wix eCommerce is a user-friendly platform that allows businesses to build an online store easily. It is particularly suited for small- to medium-sized businesses that want to simplify eCommerce website design and need a basic and affordable platform to build their eCommerce store.
Key Features:
• Drag-and-Drop Builder: Easy-to-use website builder with eCommerce capabilities.
• Design Flexibility: Wide range of customizable templates.
• Integrated Marketing Tools: Built-in tools for SEO, email marketing and social media.
| • Ease of Use: Simple setup with no coding required. • Affordable: Competitive pricing plans for small businesses. • Design Options: High-quality templates and design flexibility. | • Limited Scalability: Not ideal for large businesses with complex needs. • Transaction Fees: Additional fees for third-party payment gateways. • Limited Customization: Less flexible compared to open-source platforms. |
How To Choose the Right eCommerce Platform
Every business has unique needs, goals and reasons for venturing into eCommerce. That’s why the top eCommerce platforms for one business may not exactly be the right one for your business.
Several considerations are involved, which is why we recommend following this guide to help you choose the right eCommerce platform.
1. Understand Your Business Needs
Identify and prioritize your business goals, target audience and product range. Determine the essential features to align with your business model, such as multi-channel selling, inventory management or subscription services.
Understanding your unique needs will help you narrow down the platforms that best align with your objectives.
2. Consider Platform Features and Capabilities
Evaluate essential features such as user-friendliness, customization options, scalability and integration with other tools. Look for platforms that offer the flexibility to grow your business and provide the functionalities you need to operate efficiently.
Additionally, consider which features matter to you and your resources. For instance, small businesses with limited technical knowledge may be inclined to choose a platform with basic features to start an eCommerce website.
On the other hand, companies that want additional features and have the resources and skills to develop them may wish to use platforms that offer more control.
3. Browse Cost and Pricing Plans
Analyze the pricing structures, including setup fees, transaction fees and additional costs for add-ons or plugins. Ensure the platform fits your budget while offering the features and support you need.
You don’t necessarily need all the key features a platform has, so consider which ones matter most to your business. Consider the long-term costs, including potential upgrades as your business expands.
4. Ensure Security and Compliance
Ensure the platform meets security standards and compliance regulations to protect customer data and transactions. Look for SSL certificates, PCI compliance and data encryption features. If your store will be handling info like credit cards, these ensure your customers’ security by minimizing the risks of hacking or data breaches.
If your business is in a sector with additional data security requirements, consider whether your chosen platform can accommodate your needs. A secure platform builds customer trust and protects your business from potential breaches.
5. Customer Support and Community
Assess the quality and availability of customer support and the strength of the user community for troubleshooting and advice. Reliable customer support can save you time and frustration, while an active community can provide valuable insights and solutions to common issues.
Expand Your Business Growth With Thrive’s eCommerce Solutions
Online eCommerce platforms can make or break your online venture, so choosing the best eCommerce platforms is a critical decision that can shape the future of your online business.
By understanding your business needs, evaluating platform features, considering costs, ensuring security and assessing support options, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your goals.
At Thrive Internet Marketing Agency, we assist businesses who want to grow their reach through eCommerce ventures. After establishing yourself on the right platform, our award-winning services can help you reach your goals. Whether boosting search engine visibility or creating quality ads on online advertising platforms to reach relevant audiences, our team can help.
Get in touch with Thrive today to start your eCommerce marketing strategy.
