How to determine which e-commerce platform is the most suitable for your online company? | Helpful Post
Your online store’s platform is as crucial as its revenue and customer loyalty goals. With so many possibilities, choosing the right eCommerce platform can be complicated.
Choosing the best-suited eCommerce platform is key when starting an online store, and your decision can affect your business.
In this guide, we will cover the following:
The different types of eCommerce platforms available?
What you should look for in an online store platform?
How to decide which eCommerce platform is right for your business?
By the end of this guide, you can identify which eCommerce platform is right for your business. Let’s get started!
- Identifying your eCommerce platform needs
- What type of products do you sell?
- How many products do you have?
- Do you need a platform that can scale your business?
- What is your budget?
- What kind of features do you need?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll better understand what to look for in an eCommerce platform.
For example, if you’re selling digital products, you need a platform that can handle file downloads. On the other hand, you need a platform with built-in shipping functionality if you’re selling physical products. And with a tight budget, you need to find a venue that doesn’t affect your budget.
Top eCommerce platforms and their features
Shopify: Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, with over 500,000 businesses using it worldwide. It’s easy to use and has a wide range of features, making it a good option for businesses of all sizes. Some of its key features include:
A customizable platform that allows you to create a unique look for your store
The ability to sell online, in-person, and through social media
A built-in blog so you can share your story and connect with customers
24/7 support from Shopify experts.
WooCommerce: This is a free plugin you can add to your WordPress website. It’s popular with small businesses as it’s easy to set up and use. Once installed, you can start selling products and take advantage of WooCommerce’s various features, such as:
- A choice of over 300 payment gateway options
- Intuitive order management
- Automatic tax calculations based on your location
- Unlimited products and categories
Magento: Magento is an open-source eCommerce platform that gives businesses complete control over their store. It’s suited for companies with huge inventory and works better as large-scale eCommerce operations.
Let’s Compare these most popular platforms:
All three platforms have pros and cons that you need to evaluate to choose which is the best fit for your business.
Shopify provides the most user-friendly eCommerce solution, with a simple layout and basic functionalities. However, it needs some of the more advanced functionality provided by Magento and WooCommerce. It is also the most costly platform.
WooCommerce is the eCommerce platform on WordPress. It’s free to use but doesn’t offer as many features as Shopify or Magento. Its pricing structure is just similar to Shopify.
Magento is a more complex platform than Shopify, offering a wide range of advanced features. However, it can be challenging for beginners, and its pricing structure is complicated.
Five things keep matter when choosing an eCommerce platform:
- Ease of use: The platform should be easy for you and your customers. It should be intuitive and user-friendly.
- Scalability: The platform should be able to scale as your business grows. It should handle increased traffic and sales volume without crashing or slowing down.
- Reliability: The platform should be reliable and always up and running. Your customers shouldn’t have to deal with downtime or error messages.
- Security: The platform should be secure, with features like SSL encryption to protect customer data.
- Support: The platform should come with excellent support if you face any problems using it.
Conclusion
Choosing a good eCommerce platform is essential in setting up an online store. When there are many options, it can take time to choose the right one. But if you carefully compare the features and prices of the platforms, you should find one that works well for your business
But if you are not enough to do all the necessary actions, you should hire eMarso’s expert consultancy eCommerce to assist you with all your eCommerce needs.
