The eCommerce platforms you choose may have an impact on the success of your online store. It might make or break your business. You will need an efficient eCommerce platform to run your business, whether you are launching a brand-new online store or enhancing your current one.
It could take a lot of your time, effort, and a sound strategy to start your online store. However, a strong eCommerce platform may make it easier for you to create your online store and run your business.
You might be unsure which eCommerce platform will benefit your business the most. Before making up your mind, you may want to be familiar with the benefits and drawbacks of eCommerce platforms. If you are looking for a way to know the best eCommerce platforms for your online store, you have come to the right place.
For this reason, we will consider why you might need an eCommerce platform for your online store in this article and explain the top eCommerce platforms for you, along with information on their advantages and disadvantages.
Why You May Need to Use eCommerce Platforms
Using an eCommerce platform is the best method for starting an online store. An eCommerce platform enables small and medium-sized enterprises to create an online store on its system. Its goal is to develop a platform where businesses may offer their goods or services online, engage with consumers, and get feedback.
Ignoring the value of using an eCommerce platform for your business could be a costly marketing error. Compared to opening a physical store, which can be expensive and time-consuming, eCommerce platforms allow you to create an online store where you can immediately reach your target audience.
You might wonder if you need to use eCommerce platforms for my online store. To answer your question, it is worth noting that you might need an e-commerce platform to save time, money, and effort. Also, you might need to connect with a consumer base that your physical store might not be able to reach, increase your product sales, and have ongoing access to your target market.
Therefore, it should be no surprise that eCommerce platforms are crucial for online stores. If you’re wondering why you might need an eCommerce platform in the first place, whether you’re a start-up or an established business moving your operations online, check out the reasons listed below:
It May Save You Time and Lessen Your Efforts
Creating an account on an eCommerce platform doesn’t take much time. Just be sure to include your email address, credit card number, and information about your business.
You don’t have to spend much time on the design because the eCommerce platform manages it by letting you choose from several themes. As a result, it makes using your online business simple for both you and your target audience. You might look at eCommerce platforms that enable you to fully customize your online store; however if that is how you prefer to work.
It May Help You Reduce Your Cost
Opening an actual store is more costly than using eCommerce platforms. While opening a physical store costs money to rent property, buy goods to display, and pay for advertisement, opening an online store won’t cost as much.
You can market your online business and its products using a third-party platform, such as an eCommerce platform. This way, buyers will have the chance to select from a variety of options to purchase from your online store and will be able to check the availability of your products using eCommerce platforms.
You can also use the free templates and themes of eCommerce platforms without investing any time or effort if you refuse to use anything premium offers for your online store. Moreover, eCommerce platforms enable you to purchase hosting for your online store at a subsidized price, helping you further reduce costs.
It May Help You Go Global
Local clients may visit your physical store, but if you want to reach a wider audience, you must rely on the power of the internet and social media. You may be able to reach customers worldwide with your online store by using an eCommerce platform.
Additionally, you might have the opportunity to keep track of your customers’ purchasing activities and create product lists for them. To interact with clients, you might not normally contact through your physical store, you may develop blogs and discussion forums.
It May Help You Receive Feedback and Improve Your Business
Once you launch your online store using an eCommerce platform, your target audience can see your products or services. As a result, you will receive feedback from your customers, who will rate your goods and services and provide remarks about their quality and customer service.
Without spending a fortune, you might be able to improve your business by getting feedback from your target audience. As we discussed previously, eCommerce platforms aid in the advertising and social media marketing of your online store. These campaigns may help in the growth of your business while also making you aware of any improvements needed.
Most Popular eCommerce Platforms
Whether your business is small, medium-sized, or fresh, managing your online store may require much time and work. Because of this, many eCommerce platforms provide a user-friendly design and great quality for the creation of your online store.
Finding an eCommerce platform that will work for your type of goods and business plan can be challenging when you start an e-commerce business. For this reason, we have included the best eCommerce platforms for your online store in this article.
The majority of the eCommerce platforms we’ve featured here provide their clients with paid and free services. Check out our list below if you’re seeking the perfect eCommerce platform for your online store.
Which Option Should I Pick? Paid or Unpaid?
To create your online store quickly and affordably, you might need to use an eCommerce platform. Before you start, think about the advantages and disadvantages of using paid or free eCommerce platforms.
When running your online business, the majority of paid eCommerce platforms provide help and virtual support for any issues that may arise. They offer a wide range of free design options for your online store as well as a high level of online security.
While using a premium eCommerce platform may appeal to you because of these benefits, remember that you must pay monthly or annually to access their services. You may feel limited in your ability to alter the visual appearance of your online store because they have the most control over it.
However, free eCommerce platforms give you total control over your online store. You don’t feel obligated to use them for a long period because they provide you without any charge. You may switch to using another eCommerce platform if you believe it falls short of your expectations.
The benefits of using free eCommerce platforms include control and saving money, but there are also some drawbacks. When you create an online store using an eCommerce platform, you won’t have any assistance or technical support, which could cause confusion. Additionally, since a free eCommerce platform is less secure than a paid version, using it could raise concerns about its reliability.
Therefore, we advise using one of the paid eCommerce platforms if you’re looking for a user-friendly, supportive, and secure one. However, you may choose from one of the free eCommerce platforms if you prefer to spend no money and have complete control over your online store.
Top 6 Best eCommerce Platforms
Numerous eCommerce systems are available online. Finding the best one to help you create your online store could get confusing. That’s why we’ve prepared a list of the top free and paid eCommerce platforms in this article.
Now let’s explore the top 6 eCommerce platforms:
BigCommerce
BigCommerce, one of the most well-known eCommerce platforms available online, was launched in 2009. This platform is appropriate for small and large businesses, providing its users with paid and free design themes.
BigCommerce also provides features such as shipping, analytics, newsletters, and coupons. Because you could easily integrate it into mobile, it is also SEO-friendly. Although BigCommerce supports mobile devices and gives online stores a wide range of features, it doesn’t provide members with a wide number of free themes.
Note that BigCommerce is a paid eCommerce platform that you must subscribe to monthly to use. However, since they don’t charge you for any additional expenses, you may benefit from this.
WooCommerce
Another well-known eCommerce platform that you can use without charge is WooCommerce. Even though WooCommerce is free to use, you must first have WordPress and website hosting before signing up for it. You may access your online store through WordPress after activating your WooCommerce account.
Like other eCommerce platforms, WooCommerce provides a variety of free themes as well as premium themes that you may purchase. You won’t be able to contact support directly because you will be in control of your online store. You may, however, decide to seek assistance from outside sources.
WooCommerce uses the WordPress interface to provide features like shipping and payment. You won’t, however, receive features like statistics or newsletters. Data tracking is possible with Google Analytics.
Wix
Wix distinguishes itself from its competitors with its free offers to its users, including more than 500 free themes for its online store. If you want to reach a global audience, Wix as a paid eCommerce platform might be a great option.
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Wix offers features including online support and assistance, a free domain for the first year, payment options, shipping, and discounts, much like other paid eCommerce platforms. However, several features that could improve your online store come at an additional cost.
Once you sign up for Wix, you will find that you have the choice to purchase limited, basic, or VIP services. They are all chargeable. You can select the ideal plan based on your needs. Wix, unfortunately, does not offer a free trial period. So once you choose a plan and purchase it, you will need to pay for it instantly.
Shopify
Another well-known eCommerce platform, Shopify, requires payment to use its services for your online store. It offers services such as live chat, email, phone assistance, shipping options, analytics, mobile-friendly themes, various budget-friendly plans and payment options.
The fact that Shopify offers a 14-day free trial when you choose it is one of the benefits of using it. In this approach, you may choose a plan you like, test it out for free for your online store, and then make the final decision.
Note that even while the entry-level plan can appear affordable, advanced plans on Shopify cost far more per month than some other eCommerce platforms. Even while it’s simple to use and provides more advanced support as you use it, Shopify may feel more pricey to you if you choose a VIP subscription. Also, you can increase your sales with a successful Shopify SEO strategy.
Squarespace
Unlike other eCommerce platforms, Squarespace charges a reasonable fee to access its features, allowing you to use them to build your online store. It has options for payments, analytics, mobile-friendly themes, and customizable themes. It also enables an infinite number of products and accounts.
Similar to Shopify, Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial when you select a plan. Fortunately, this one has a more affordable plan compared to other eCommerce platforms. You can choose between a basic, business, or advanced subscription depending on your needs. You can also pay annually or monthly, depending on the plan.
OpenCart
Similar to WooCommerce, OpenCart is a free eCommerce platform. It provides features including free extensions, unlimited products, integrated shipping choices, payment options, and a support forum that WooCommerce lacks.
Mobile users will find this eCommerce platform to be user-friendly. You might see a view of the products viewed and purchased. In addition, you may also seek help using the free support forum and find answers to questions you have.
Therefore, OpenCart might be a better choice for you if you’re seeking a free eCommerce platform but also need online support.
Conclusion
To save time and money, attract a larger audience, and improve your business, it is preferable to use eCommerce platforms when creating an online store for your business. You’ve probably already realized why using eCommerce platforms is better for you if you’ve read it this far.
In conclusion, we covered the most well-liked eCommerce platforms in this post and provided you with a list of the top paid and free platforms to select from. Choosing an eCommerce platform with online help and support may be a better alternative for you if you have no programming or coding experience.
Also, you might use a paid eCommerce platform if you want your online store to have advanced features. However, keep in mind that any updates or needs for extra features may cost you more money.
We hope this article has given you a head start in selecting an eCommerce platform for your online store and building a successful online presence.
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