Introduction to Best eCommerce platforms
Studies have already highlighted the impact of coronavirus on shopping habits. Consumers prefer giving priority to essential items, and they make more purchases online than ever before.
Put simply; the COVID19 pandemic has triggered a digital transformation even in parts of the world where people preferred to touch and buy at brick-and-mortar stores.
Even now, several countries around the world are witnessing ups and downs in coronavirus cases. Thus, buyers avoid visiting markets and prefer purchasing online with door-step delivery.
Existing retailers have acknowledged the change and realized that going digital with an online store is crucial for survival. To gain traction in the online selling business, firms must follow specific necessary steps.
Selecting a platform that can offer a superb customer experience, dedicating a separate budget for marketing, and running search engine optimization campaigns from time to time are the steps that make it in the top five.
If the e-commerce platform’s choice is right, the rest of the things ultimately start falling in place. Here’re the top five platforms and their features.
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- WooCommerce
- Magento 2
- PrestaShop
Shopify
Often introduced as one of the most appreciated and well-known eCommerce platforms, Shopify is known for its simplicity.
Individuals with a little bit of technical knowledge can set-up their online selling portal within minutes. There is a wide range of templates to choose from, and the CMS is user-friendly. It has 256-bit SSL encryption and is Level 1 PCI compliant.
Administrators can also handle the store while on the go with Shopify’s app. There’s 24/7 customer support available via email, instant messaging, and telephonic helpline.
Most importantly, the shop remains responsive to the user device and automatically optimizes to offer the best user experience.
No matter if buyers visit the store via a desktop browser or mobile browser. Admins get access to data about visitors and buying patterns witnessed daily.
Administrators can quickly set up a customizable storefront on Instagram and Facebook. Some tools allow admins to promptly adjust storefront (with coupon engines) to accept email marketing codes and gift cards with discounts.
Businesses can currently choose from Basic Shopify, Shopify, Advanced Shopify, Plus, and Lite, depending on the features they require.
Overall, the platform is considered as an ideal option for small businesses. They can quickly launch, run, and manage everything, even if the admin does not have coding knowledge.
Shopify works with several payment gateways that can be made available to buyers depending on their geographic location.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce made it in the headlines this year as it joined NASDAQ and became a public company. It is giving Shopify a tough time due to its full-fledged CMS that allows administrators to control all the aspects of the website, unlike Shopify.
The platform subscribers can seek assistance from an in-house team of eCommerce experts. Plus, there are great articles and explanatory videos to support users.
There are multiple themes, templates, and administrators can even design their store. It can be set up quickly. Users can benefit from analytics and marketing tools integrated into the platform. Product management tools are flexible and detailed; optimizing settings for search engine rankings is also easy.
Businesses can customize shipping options depending on the buyer’s location. Payment processing becomes easy with 40+ pre-integrated gateways and multiple currency options. It can also be integrated with Amazon and Instagram Stories.
The platform’s uptime is impressive, and so its list of prominent clients. Depending on the set of features required by the business, subscribers can opt for BigCommerce Enterprise, BigCommerce Plus, BigCommerce Standard, or BigCommerce Pro version.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce has earned a reputation as a free-to-download plug-in that can turn a WordPress website into an e-commerce portal.
The plug-in is easy to install but needs multiple third-party add-ons for stock control, inventory management, payment processing, and other features necessary for the eCommerce site.
There’re accounting and email marketing widgets that can be easily integrated into the platform. You can choose from more than five payment options, including Paypal, Sagepay, and Stripe.
Add-ons, themes, domains do have a small cost, but they make customization easy. Features can be adjusted as and when required. Thus, businesses can start selling online at a fraction of the cost compared to other platforms.
The end product is also suitable for handling high traffic volumes. And this makes WooCommerce one of the top options for firms.
The price factor depends on the hosting service and the number of plug-ins. Let an experienced eCommerce development solutions provider select add-ons for you.
Magento
Magento (2), owned by Adobe, does not need much of an introduction. The platform has plans and features suitable for both large and mid-size enterprises.
The platform’s new version has been loaded with unique characteristics. It goes without saying that the store can offer multiple shipping and payment options to consumers.
Users can opt for Magento Cloud Commerce, Open-source (free), and Magento Commerce. Its open-source version is suitable for companies that have an in-house team of IT professionals.
Administrators can use a single Magento admin panel to run multiple stores. There’s a multi-domain option as well.
Businesses can offer regional language and currency options to consumers in specific geographic regions. These features help it stay ahead of other platforms.
Several firms have also deployed PWA storefront for their Magento portal with Magento PWA Studio development tools.
PrestaShop
PrestaShop may not be as popular as Shopify or Magento in certain parts of the world. However, it is growing in popularity and adoption every month.
More than 3 00,000 eCommerce firms use the open-source freemium platform. It is perfect for medium and large firms.
Firms can choose from the PrestaShop and PrestaShop Ready version. There are hundreds of add-ons and widgets available in the PrestaShop Add-ons marketplace that makes customization easy.
The platform supports more than 60 languages. Developers continuously release bug fixes as soon as they are detected. You can also opt for country-specific tracking, shipping, and payment gateways.
No matter whichever platform you choose, ensure it offers widgets or add-ons for website designing, shopping cart and order management, inventory management, SEO and marketing tools, and customer support.
There are other transaction fees, add-on charges, and hosting costs applicable. Therefore, it is always better to discuss your project needs with an eCommerce web development company. Let professionals understand your product requirements and recommend the best platform.
