eCommerce sales are projected to reach $8 trillion by 2027, up from $5.7 trillion in 2023 worldwide. The growth is relentless. If you plan to start an eCommerce store, now is the time. While starting an online store is straightforward, the eCommerce platform you choose can make or break your business.
In this blog post, we’ll compare the best eCommerce platforms, their features, costs, and suitability for different business models. Let’s dive in.
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Important Features and Considerations for eCommerce Platform
Every online store has unique needs, and the eCommerce platform you select depends on what you require to meet your business goals.
For instance, a platform that supports multi-store management from the same backend can be crucial if you need to manage multiple stores. This allows you to share the same inventory across all online stores with individual pricing options, eliminating the need to control each shop separately.
Similarly, whether you are targeting a B2B or B2C audience, it’s essential to choose a platform that offers the respective native functionality.
Let’s examine the essential criteria to determine the best eCommerce platform for your business.
Basic functionality
When choosing an eCommerce platform, look for fundamental features like essential tools, integration, and customization. Seamless integration with payment gateways, shipping providers, and third-party applications is crucial for efficient operations.
At the same time, your platform must support various customization options to cater to your business needs.
Additionally, check for essential tools like inventory management, product catalog features, and customer relationship management (CRM). Robust basic functionality ensures that your store can handle everyday tasks effectively while offering flexibility to adapt and grow as your business evolves.
Pricing and plans
The next thing to consider is the various pricing structures of eCommerce platforms.
Generally, they offer tiered pricing, which can vary from affordable plans for small startups to premium packages for more extensive operations.
Additionally, consider transaction fees, as some platforms charge a percentage of each sale or a flat fee per transaction. Others might offer a fee-free experience if you use their in-house payment gateway.
It’s also important to factor in the cost of add-ons or plugins that enhance functionality. Select a plan that fits within your budget and aligns with your sales projections, ensuring it scales effectively as your business grows.
Read also: 13 eCommerce Analytics Tools for Pro-Level Business Tracking
Ease of use and support
When selecting a platform, look for one with an intuitive interface that allows you to manage your store easily.
However, consider your technical knowledge.
For instance, open-source eCommerce platforms offer flexibility for customization but may require hiring an agency or professional developer. In contrast, a self-hosted platform like Shopify eliminates the need to build from scratch, as the eCommerce solution provider manages everything from hosting to payment processing.
Additionally, evaluate the support provided by the platform. Are they responsive to technical issues? Do they regularly update and maintain their platform?
Comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and active forums are crucial for resolving issues and maximizing your platform’s potential.
Speed and performance
You may have aesthetically designed an amazing eCommerce website.
However, if visitors endure slow loading times while browsing your products, it will significantly impact their shopping experience.
The platform’s speed and reliability directly influence user experience and SEO rankings. Therefore, the platform must ensure fast loading times and minimal downtime. These factors are essential for retaining customers and upholding a professional image.
Scalability
Choosing an eCommerce platform that can grow alongside your business is crucial.
Evaluate its ability to manage increased traffic, larger product catalogs, and expanded functionality without sacrificing performance or necessitating a complete overhaul.
While you may start small with modest traffic, having a scalable plan is essential for future growth. An eCommerce business can quickly expand with the right strategy in place. Your platform should withstand seasonal peaks like Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales without crashing.
Find out the uptime reliability of your hosting solution to ensure consistent performance.
Read also: 16 Powerful Shopify Marketing Strategies To Stand Out in 2024
5 Best eCommerce Platforms to Consider
Here’s a quick overview of the comparison of the top eCommerce platforms.
| Best eCommerce Platform Overview | Best for |
| Shopify | Dropshipping and print-on-demand businesses. |
| Wix | Small businesses that need an eCommerce website builder with integrated eCommerce capabilities. |
| BigCommerce | Handling large-volume sales demand and businesses seeking advanced scalability and robust security. |
| Squarespace | Creative professionals and businesses looking for visually appealing, design-focused online stores. |
| WooCommerce | Converting your WordPress site into an online store. |
Let’s look at the five best eCommerce platforms to consider when building your website.
1. Shopify
Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, hosting over a million stores globally.
It offers self-hosted software with features to manage all aspects of your store, including website design, shipping, and payments. Its user-friendly interface is ideal for small entrepreneurs, allowing them to build and launch their online stores quickly.
One of Shopify’s key strengths is its extensive app ecosystem.
If a feature isn’t built into Shopify, you can easily find an extension, plugin, or app in the Shopify App Store, which houses thousands of third-party apps.
This flexibility enables store owners to tailor their stores to specific needs.
However, this platform may not be the most feasible for large enterprises. Adding apps for each functionality can quickly become expensive, potentially making it cost-prohibitive for businesses that need a wide range of features.
Shopify offers a three-day free trial, allowing you to build your eCommerce site and test its features before committing to a paid plan.
You can choose from over 100 themes to build your store, all of which are customizable and mobile-friendly. This ensures your store looks great and provides a seamless shopping experience across different devices.
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface helps small entrepreneurs quickly build their stores
- Connects with POS systems if you also have a physical store
- Wide range of themes and customizable options
- Extensive app ecosystem for added functionality
Cons
- Limited B2B features
- Can be expensive if you need to add many apps
Pricing
Shopify offers three pricing options:
- Shopify Lite: $9 per month
- Shopify Standard: $39 per month ($29 per month, paid annually)
- Shopify Plus: $105 per month ($79 per month, paid annually)
- Shopify Pro: $399 per month ($299 per month, paid annually)
Read also: 8 of the Best B2B eCommerce Platforms for 2024
2. Wix
Wix is an easy-to-use website builder that hosts web pages and registers domain names.
With over 500 customizable templates, you can create a professional-looking website without coding skills. The platform is designed to cater to small businesses and individuals who want a quick, hassle-free way to establish an online presence.
Wix also offers AI-powered tools to assist in building your website and marketing your eCommerce stores.
These tools provide personalized recommendations and automated processes, simplifying creating and managing your eCommerce site.
However, Wix’s Core plan might not be suitable for mid-sized businesses, as it only offers 50GB of storage. Upgrading to one of Wix’s premium plans is necessary to access a full-fledged eCommerce suite.
One of Wix’s standout features is connecting your brick-and-mortar shop with Wix Retail POS. This integration allows you to manage your inventory from one place, providing a seamless experience for both online and offline sales.
Pros
- Intuitive drag-and-drop website builder
- Wix dashboards connect all your marketplaces on one platform
- Hosted on their servers, ensuring greater speed and security
Cons
- Limitations with storage and other eCommerce solutions
- Limited dropshipping integrations
Pricing
Wix offers four pricing options:
- Light: $17 per month
- Core: $29 per month
- Business: $36 per month
- Business Elite: $159 per month
Read also: Top 7 Shopify Alternatives to Grow Your Online Business in 2024
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is one of the most powerful open-source eCommerce platforms, trusted by top brands like Ted Baker, Casio, and Hush Puppies.
This platform offers a comprehensive suite of out-of-the-box tools, including advanced SEO features, robust marketing capabilities, and multi-channel selling options.
For businesses with a web developer on their team, BigCommerce provides ultimate flexibility in in-store design.
It allows for extensive customization to meet specific business needs. This makes it an excellent choice for companies creating a unique and tailored online presence.
BigCommerce offers two dedicated plans: ‘BigCommerce Enterprise’ for large enterprises and ‘BigCommerce Essentials’ for small businesses. Despite its flexibility and power, it might not be the most feasible option for small businesses due to the cost. The platform can be expensive for those unable to utilize its extensive features fully.
However, for businesses that can leverage its full potential, BigCommerce excels in supporting high-volume sales. It is also renowned for its robust security features, ensuring that customer data and business operations are well-protected.
Pros
- Charges no transaction fees, helping you save on each sale
- Fully mobile responsive design for a seamless shopping experience across devices
- Native apps cater to various business needs
Cons
- Not affordable for solopreneurs or small businesses with low sales volumes
- Fewer templates compared to its competitors, which may limit design options.
Pricing
BigCommerce offers four paid plans:
- Standard: $39 per month ($29 per month, paid annually)
- Plus: $105 per month ($79 per month, paid annually)
- Pro: $399 per month ($299 per month, paid annually)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Read also: BigCommerce vs Magento — Features, Pricing, and More
4. Squarespace
Squarespace is an intuitive drag-and-drop website builder that provides eCommerce solutions when upgrading to its higher-priced plans. It offers a wide range of free templates tailored to various industries and business needs, making it a great option for visually-focused businesses.
One of Squarespace’s standout features is its AI editor, which helps you build your store by simply writing a prompt. This platform is also excellent for businesses in the subscription industry, as you don’t need a third-party app to set up a subscription-based business.
Whether you’re selling courses or memberships, Squarespace can be an ideal choice, though you’ll need to subscribe to its highest-priced plan to access these features.
Squarespace offers a comprehensive eCommerce suite on its upgraded plans, including marketing, shipping, and payment solutions.
However, its lowest plan for online stores charges extra transaction fees. Squarespace seamlessly integrates with third-party apps like Xero, QuickBooks, and FreshBooks.
Squarespace’s ease of use, visually appealing templates, and strong eCommerce capabilities make it a solid choice for businesses prioritizing design and simplicity. However, businesses requiring advanced eCommerce features or faster loading speeds might need to look elsewhere.
Pros
- Affordable and robust eCommerce plans
- Free domain name and SSL certificate
- Basic plans include a POS solution
Cons
- No multichannel selling
- Slow page loading speeds
Pricing
Squarespace offers four paid plans:
- Personal: $25 per month ($16 per month, paid annually)
- Business: $36 per month ($23 per month, paid annually)
- Commerce Basic: $40 per month ($28 per month, paid annually)
- Commerce Advanced: $72 per month ($52 per month, paid annually)
5. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an excellent eCommerce solution for those looking to turn their WordPress site into an online store. You don’t have to start from scratch on a different platform — integrate WooCommerce plugin into your existing WordPress website and begin selling.
The only caveat is that you should use a theme that supports WooCommerce.
One of WooCommerce’s most appealing features is its free use. Hundreds of extensions are available at an extra cost, covering customizable themes, shipping, payment, security, and other features.
Both native WooCommerce and third-party extensions are available, providing a wide range of options to enhance your store.
You can integrate the WooCommerce payment extension at a standard rate of 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction online.
WooCommerce does not charge additional fees if you choose a different payment gateway, allowing you to add PayPal, Stripe, Square, or Authorize.net.
Pros
- Free to use and download
- Fully integrated with WordPress sites
- Access to a vast store of applications and extensions
Cons
- Requires WordPress site to incorporate the WooCommerce plugin
- Needs a developer for building and maintaining the store
Pricing
Visit the WooCommerce pricing page to get full details.
Read also: 8 Free eCommerce Website Builders For Every New E-Preneur
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing the best eCommerce platform, it all depends on your specific business needs. For instance, Shopify can be the best option for dropshipping and print-on-demand businesses due to its user-friendly interface and extensive app ecosystem.
Similarly, BigCommerce can be an excellent choice for already established small businesses looking to expand their functionalities and gain full control over their platform.
This eCommerce platform comparison guide should give you a While selecting an eCommerce solution, always look for a platform that offers a fully integrated ecosystem, including hosting, payment solutions, abandoned cart recovery, and other essential features.
The platform you choose will significantly impact your operations and growth, so take the time to evaluate each option thoroughly.
You can establish a successful and scalable online store by aligning the platform’s capabilities with your business goals.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the most budget-friendly eCommerce platform for startups?
Some of the best budget-friendly eCommerce platforms for startups are Shopify, Wix, BigCommerce, and others. However, the total costs come down to the number of plugins and extensions you need for your eCommerce store.
2. Which eCommerce platform offers the best customer support?
Shopify is known for its excellent customer support, offering 24/7 assistance through various channels, including live chat, phone, and email.
3. How do I choose between a hosted and self-hosted eCommerce solution?
Choose a hosted solution like Shopify if you prefer ease of use and managed services. Opt for a self-hosted solution like BigCommerce if you need more customization and control.
4. What are the key factors for scalability in an eCommerce platform?
Key factors include the platform’s ability to handle increased traffic, support for larger product catalogs, integration capabilities, and performance during peak sales periods.
