From ease of use to offered themes and everything in between, we break down the good and the bad on the top 5 ecommerce platforms (in no specific order) so you can successfully start and run your own ecommerce store.
1. WooCommerce
Powering 39% of the world’s online stores (according to their website), it’s clear WooCommerce is liked and used by many in your same shoes, which is a good sign for you.
Pros
Free WordPress plugin
Easy to use if you’re familiar with WordPress
Able to use basically any WordPress theme you want (thousands to choose from)
Built-in payments via PayPal and Stripe, while also accepting checks, bank transfers and cash on delivery payments
Unlimited products and product categories
Hundreds of plugins available
No limitations to how you can monitor your store
You have total control over your data
Offers various plugins to help your site be better optimized for SEO
Cons
As an open source software it’s free, but you have to pay third-party sites to actually run your ecommerce store (pay for hosting, SSL certificate and domain).
The process of setting it up can take a few hours, depending on your web knowledge. You have to get a domain name, sign up for a hosting account, install WordPress and then install a WordPress theme before you can install the WooCommerce plugin.
File storage is limited by your web host
2. Shopify
Based on current popularity, Shopify is the clear winner amongst its ecommerce platform peers.
[Screenshot from ecommerce-platforms.com]
So what makes Shopify the “it” platform right now? And what are its imperfections that so many are able to overlook? Let’s take a look.
Pros
Easy to set up (seriously, you can be done in minutes)
Offers more than 100 high-quality, fashionably sleek themes
Cheap, straightforward pricing for new businesses ($29/month for the basic option)
Can try the platform for free for 14 days
Offers numerous free features, i.e. unlimited file storage, social media integration, unlimited number of products, daily backups, blog module, site stats, product reports and more
Can use it online and offline
Allows for various payment options, i.e. PayPal, Stripe, bank deposits and cash on delivery
Known for its superior customer care, 24/7 access to a customer adviser
Cons
Only about 20 of their store templates are free. The others can run as high as $180.
Advanced Shopify option costs $299/month
If you don’t use Shopify Payment, you get charged an additional transaction fee on each sale.
Shopify, not you, controls your ecommerce store and site’s data
Uses liquid markup language, meaning system customizations are possible, just for additional costs
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce merchants have a 28% annual growth rate, about 2 times the industry average (according to BigCommerce’s site), and works with big-name companies like Toyota and Camelbak. See why these businesses and others trust their company with BigCommerce.
Pros
No hosting, update or maintenance expenses
Not charged a transaction fee
Clear dashboard and direction to easily build your site in a few, short minutes
Offers unlimited products, bandwidth and staff accounts
Provides a comprehensive list of built-in features, i.e. coupons, newsletters, tax system, customized shipping, analytics and more
Very SEO-friendly
Pricing is similar to others, with their standard plan costing $29.95/month
Receive customer support through phone, email, live chat or the forum
Cons
Lack of free themes compared to other platforms
Recurring billing isn’t built right into the platform
Annual limit on sales volume with each plan
4. Magento
Around 300 stores currently use Magento, like Coca-Cola and Burger King. It’s a great platform for enterprise-level businesses, but also offers perks for new businesses wanting to grow.
Pros
Seamless user experience
Scalability
Open source platform, meaning there’s a lot you can customize
Offers thousands of apps and extensions, including a free social extension so you can sell on social media
No charge to download the software
No transaction fees
Allows for an unlimited number of products
Offers more than 100 free themes
100% SEO-friendly
Cons
Being an open source platform, it can make customization complex, so you might have to hire a good developer, unless you’re really tech-savvy
Self-hosted so you have to find and pay for a hosting provider and domain name
Doesn’t offer access to a 24/7 support person, but there are support forms you can check out
5. Volusion
Volusion is known to help out smaller startup ecommerce companies. Read on to see if it offers what you need to succeed.
Pros
Only costs $15/month for their mini plan
Can try it for free for 14 days
No transaction fees
Good marketing features
Intuitive interface
Simple frontend
Responsive design
Social media options so you can sell and share online
Can set up a customer loyalty program
Can integrate to sell on Amazon and eBay as well
Offers 24/7 support through different formats
Cons
Not too many awesome design options (28 free themes, 88 paid ones)
Really need coding knowledge if you’re going to change the design or layout of any of your site pages
Limited add-ons
Restricted bandwidth (1GB to 35GB based on plan) and has overage fees
Limited number of products on 3 of their 4 plans
Knowing what your shop’s goals are, what you need and what you can live without, and using our helpful pro-con list, you can decide which ecommerce platform is the best fit for your business.
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