Top 3 Ecommerce Website Platforms for Small Businesses
If you’re starting an ecommerce business (or already have a brick-and-mortar business that you’re looking to expand online), choosing the right ecommerce platform can quickly become painfully confusing.
With such a wide range of platform options (and pricing) available, how can you be sure the ecommerce software you choose is right for your small business?
To save you some headaches, we’ve narrowed it down to our 3 favorite options below:
(in no particular order)
1.) Shopify
Shopify is the “granddaddy” of easy-to-use ecommerce platforms, offering a whole list of features that let you run and grow your business, all in one place.
Some of the best features include:
customizable online storefront
Simple payment processing
integrated hosting
inventory management
Comprehensive reporting and analysis
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
With monthly plans ranging from $29 – $299, the platform is reasonably priced, if a bit more expensive.
The disadvantages of the platform lie mainly in the payment processing fees, and an additional transaction fee applies if you choose to use a payment processor in addition to Shopify’s proprietary payment system.
Also, many of the extensions available on the app store come with a price tag, which can start to add up over time.
Overall, the Shopify platform has been designed with novice users in mind, allowing almost anyone with basic technical knowledge to run their own eCommerce site with ease.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
2.) WooCommerce
WooCommerce is developed to run specifically on WordPress, as a plugin, rather than a standalone platform. This allows you to turn almost any WordPress website into a fully functional eCommerce platform, and best of all, it’s free!
Features include:
Easy WordPress integration
Basic inventory management
Automatic tax calculation
sales reports
Access to the mobile application
Now, while the basic WooCommerce plugin itself is free to use on any WordPress site, keep in mind that it lacks much of the added functionality of more expensive rivals. If you want to add features like Stripe payment processing, less common shipping options, it will cost extra.
Overall, WooCommerce is a great option if you already have a WordPress website setup or are looking to build your new store on the platform and want a free and easy-to-use system.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
3.) large trade
BigCommerce is another heavy hitter in the e-commerce space, with major clients like Ford and Toyota in its portfolio.
As an ecommerce platform for small businesses, BigCommerce is a strong contender for the top spot, with a rich feature set and easy integrations with multiple sales channels.
Features include:
No transaction fees
Responsive Storefront Themes
Multi-channel integration (Sell through eBay, Google, Facebook, etc.)
Excellent technical support
On the downside, despite not charging transaction fees like most other platforms, BigCommerce places a “sales threshold” on each of its plans. This means that if your store exceeds the nominal revenue figure, you’ll be forced to upgrade your plan to accommodate. Although it is not an unreasonable model, it is something to take into account.
Overall, BigCommerce is a feature-rich platform that provides store owners with a powerful arsenal of tools at a price similar to other major players. Their unique “no transaction fee” model can be a cash flow saver for startups!
Rating: 4/5
The bottom line
With such a mind-boggling variety of ecommerce platform options on offer, it’s important to focus on your budget, target audience, and business goals when choosing the platform to build (or migrate) your ecommerce business to.
Keep it simple by listing your top requirements, then go through the top 3-5 options, starting with the big, trusted names. By narrowing down the options and staying focused on your needs (while ignoring the “bells and whistles”), you’ll have a much easier time finding the platform that’s right for you.
