One of the great things technology has brought to the business world is the ability to create online shops. E-commerce is now a booming industry in its own right and allows loads of entrepreneurs the chance to start a low-cost business.
If you’re reading this, then you’re probably in the midst of starting your very own e-commerce company. As such, you’re thinking about how you’ll put your store together. The first step in doing so is figuring out which platform to build your store on. Keeping that in mind, here’s a quick guide to the different options at your disposal:
Shopify
The chances are you’ve already heard of Shopify on your search for the perfect e-commerce software. This is one of the easiest to use platforms out there and comes with an incredible range of features. It’s perhaps most notable for how good the mobile version of your sites end up looking and performing. A lot of beginner’s start out on Shopify because it’s so easy to use and you can scale it when your business grows. The only downside is that, if you want to get more advanced with the customization, then it’s pretty hard for a beginner to do.
Great for: People that want e-commerce software that offers loads of plugins, add-ons, and a vast variety of web design themes at a low monthly cost.
Magento
The Magento platform is one of the most popular ones out there for small businesses. This is because it’s got loads of great features, isn’t too expensive to run, and helps design a website that’s SEO-friendly. There are currently two versions out there for you to choose from right now; Magento 1 & Magento 2. The second version is the most updated and comes with additional features. This is a great platform to use as you can integrate third-party software like BlueSnap to improve things like checkout speed and order processing. It’s probably not ideal if you’re a beginner as you may need to bring someone in to help with all the admin tasks.
Great for: People that want a flexible online store with the ability to integrate third-party solutions and scale their store comfortably.
WooCommerce
This e-commerce software is well-known in the industry for offering a completely free version for people to use. Granted, you won’t get the full features with this version, but it’s handy if you’re just starting out and want to try a piece of software and get used to the way it works. It also happens to be very easy for you to use, comes with plenty of features, and is SEO-friendly.
Great for: Pure beginners that want a cheap option with some very good features.
These are the three main e-commerce platforms out there that most small businesses use to run their sites. There are other, more expensive, options on the market too. However, all three of these are great for new businesses and offer a good starting point. Weigh up your choices, then go ahead and start developing your new online store!
