E-Commerce

E-Commerce Platforms Compared

What may seem unapproachable or unattainable a few years ago is now within the close reach of our hands. Yes! I am talking about the rise and popularity of e-commerce.

If you’re still finding it hard to trust the e-commerce sector, here is a statistic to back your doubts. 

According to a 2022 eMarketer survey, e-commerce is expected to surpass $ 5 trillion in global sales. Now, isn’t that amazing? Remarkably, it will grow its global sales to 7 billion dollars by 2025.

So, if you are an established merchant or an underdog thinking about venturing into the e-commerce sector, there are a few things to look into and learn before you move to an online business.

Please look into the best e-commerce platforms to support your business’s long-term growth.

But first, what is an e-commerce platform to begin with? An e-commerce platform is a software application. So, this software will help any business owner manage the company’s online activities, including the website, sales, and marketing.

Here are some features to help you determine how good the e-commerce platform you pick is:

• It helps your business’s customers find the products they’re looking for quickly.
• Rightly serving you with the service for the cost you paid for installation and software maintenance.
• Ensuring employees have everything needed to implement sales and marketing plans.
• Features such as shipping-inclusive software are a necessity for any online business.
• The software’s operation shouldn’t be too complicated for users. Ease of use is another feature to consider.
• A good customer management feature is a sure sign of good e-commerce software. Features such as a solid customer account, a wish list, and an order summary are a must.

Another important fact about e-commerce platforms is that all e-commerce software falls into two categories.

1. Self-hosted: When the e-commerce platform is self-hosted, it means that you are your own navigator. Although this type involves a little hassle, it also rightly ensures full control over your security, privacy, scalability, and overall management.
2. Cloud-based: When the e-commerce platform is cloud-based, it means the entire maintenance and management of your website is handled by the software provider. So here, you don’t have to worry about managing your business’s online flow, but you won’t have the same level of control and access as with self-hosted platforms.

The merchants decide how the company or business website is handled. Both of these categories come with their own pros and cons.

In this section of the article, we will delve into some of the most popular e-commerce platforms globally, as chosen by merchants.

1. Wix: a website builder that lets you build a basic website for free. However, to use their e-commerce website-building features, you will need to choose the paid plan. WIX stands firm with its motto, “One platform, infinite possibilities. The pricing for using WIX website-building features starts at $ 27. Facebook and Instagram are integrated social media channels for sales, but a third-party Ecwid app is required to make sales through them. The WIX platform lacks inventory management features that many product-based businesses need.
2. Shopify: With Shopify, you can build your website as a merchant from the comfort of your home. Shopify offers free trials for beginners to build an online website, with 100 themes to choose from. As your business grows, Shopify will expand your sales potential. Shopify offers the best inventory features any merchant needs for an online business. You can choose a 3-month paid plan for $1 per month. With more understanding and rapid business growth, the merchant can choose Shopify as a full-fledged platform to help expand the business at 29 dollars per month when paid annually. Shopify has integrated Facebook, Instagram, Walmart, Google, eBay, Amazon, and Marketplace as sales channels. 
3. BigCommerce: As its name suggests, it is typically built for enterprise-level companies with high-volume sales and large transaction volumes. This is also why many small business merchants do not opt for BigCommerce software: they find it lacks ease and flexibility. But BigCommerce is a fully hosted management platform for big businesses. Pricing starts at $ 29 per month when paid annually. The integrated sales channels are Amazon, Instagram, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, Facebook, and Google Shopping.
4. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is primarily a developer platform that supports custom designs. However, Adobe Commerce does not include the box tool, and it requires technical expertise to manage the site and get the most out of this e-commerce software platform. The pricing is custom pricing, and Amazon is their integrated sales channel.
5. Squarespace is a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider that offers built-in tools for content creators and entrepreneurs to showcase art visually. So, if you are a creative looking for a software platform, Squarespace can be very helpful and even boost your art sales by capturing viewers and followers. However, Squarespace has limited technical support and a very insignificant app marketplace.
6. OpenCart: A free, open-source e-commerce platform to create and manage many stores on a single dashboard, showcasing sales scales, customer summaries, etc. OpenCart is self-hosted and free, but it has limited marketing features. OpenCart has not yet integrated any sales channels.
7. WooCommerce: An open-source platform that is free for WordPress, the blogging platform. Basically, WooCommerce converts WordPress content into a complete store with product listings, carts, and checkouts for the products you wish to sell online. However, this e-commerce platform is limited to WordPress and requires merchants to handle many extensions.

As e-commerce evolves, are you ready to scale your online business, whether you’re an established merchant or someone waiting to launch a business venture? 

May your business grow as e-commerce becomes more popular and efficient.