The key to ecommerce success lies in choosing the right platform for managing your online sales. Assuming you already know your niche and target audience, your next step is selecting an ecommerce platform and building your website.
But there’s more to it than just picking a platform. Let’s delve into your options and make the process easier.
Why Sell Online?
The pandemic has made online shopping mainstream. In Q2 of 2021, the total value of retail trade ecommerce sales in the United States exceeded $220 billion, the highest quarterly revenue in history.
But ecommerce isn’t just a pandemic solution. Selling online offers numerous benefits, including:
- Diversifying retail venues
- Future-proofing your business
- Scaling quickly
- Going global
- Enhancing your marketing capabilities
- Personalizing the shopping experience
- Selling 24/7/365
As your competitors adopt ecommerce, you risk being left behind if you don’t. Late-comers will find themselves at an ever-growing disadvantage in the marketplace.
Three Types of Ecommerce Platforms
Before choosing a platform, understand the type you need: self-hosted or open-source, hosted, or marketplaces.
Self-hosted or Open-source
Self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce are available as downloadable software or plugins. You manage upgrades, security, and performance. This option offers the most control over your website and customer experience.
Hosted
Hosted platforms, or Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), are ecommerce websites hosted by the software company. Examples include BigCommerce and Shopify. They handle security, software upgrades, and performance, allowing you to focus on managing and marketing your store.
Marketplaces
Ecommerce marketplaces like Amazon and Facebook Marketplace allow you to sell products alongside other sellers. They have built-in audiences, saving you time and effort in marketing your site.
Best Online Selling Platforms for Your Ecommerce Business
Here’s a look at the top ecommerce solutions available today.
1. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a popular hosted platform powering stores like Ben & Jerry’s, Skullcandy, and Sony. It offers flexible design tools and integrates with Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Instagram/Facebook, and Google Shopping. Pricing starts at $29.95 per month.
2. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)
Adobe Commerce is an enterprise-level, self-hosted platform with extensive integrations and workflows. It’s suitable for handling traffic spikes and scaling to enterprise levels. Pricing starts at $1,988 per month.
3. PrestaShop
PrestaShop offers both self-hosted and cloud options. It’s free to download, but you’ll pay for hosting and add-ons. Notable clients include PayPal and Google.
Self-hosted Online Selling Platforms
4. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin powering over five million online stores. It offers a large community for support and personalization through extensions.
5. Easy Digital Downloads
Designed for selling digital products, Easy Digital Downloads is a free WordPress plugin. You can customize your site with free and paid extensions for features like recurring payments and affiliate programs.
Hosted Online Selling Platforms
6. Shopify
Shopify serves over one million merchants in 175 countries. It’s easy to launch and design your store, with pricing ranging from $29–$299 per month.
7. Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop offers a free premium ecommerce account if you use their payment processing plan. It serves over 200,000 customers, including The UPS Store and Hickory Farms.
8. Wix
Wix is a website builder with ecommerce functionality. It’s easy to set up with a visual editor, and pricing ranges from $10–$15 per month.
9. Squarespace
Squarespace offers a hosted website builder with ecommerce capabilities. It supports rich product descriptions and social media integration, with pricing starting at $26 per month.
10. Big Cartel
Big Cartel is ideal for creatives like painters and photographers. It’s free for up to five products, with pricing up to $19.99 per month for 500 products.
11. Weebly
Weebly offers a drag-and-drop website builder with ecommerce capabilities. Pricing plans range from $6–$29 per month.
12. Volusion
Volusion is a fully hosted solution powering over 180,000 stores. It offers responsive themes and a comprehensive site builder, with prices starting at $29 per month.
13. Zyro
Zyro is an affordable website builder plus ecommerce platform, with pricing ranging from $8.90 to $15.90 per month. It’s recommended for smaller stores due to scalability issues.
Ecommerce Marketplaces
14. Amazon
Amazon’s marketplace hosts over six million third-party sellers. Individual merchants pay 99 cents per item sold, while professional subscriptions cost $39.99 per month.
15. Etsy
Etsy is known for hand-crafted or vintage goods. It’s free to set up a shop, but charges include a listing fee, transaction fee, and payment processing fee.
16. Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace allows merchant selling through Commerce Manager, with a selling fee of 5% per shipment or a flat fee of 4 cents for sales under $8.
Conclusion
Choosing the right ecommerce platform is crucial for your online business. Consider your specific needs and the type of platform that suits your business model best. With the right choice, you’ll be well on your way to ecommerce success in 2024 and beyond.