It’s no secret that the eCommerce industry is rapidly growing, and holds huge opportunity for committed entrepreneurs. But in order to succeed, you’re going to have to find the best eCommerce platform for your small business. Top eCommerce solutions can help you drive traffic, stand out visually, generate marketing leads, and ultimately, boost sales.
There are many great platforms out there, but depending on your business, only one or two may truly suit your unique needs. Use this guide to review the different pros and cons of top eCommerce platforms and make the best decision.
How can you find the best eCommerce platform for your business? Depending on your goals, there are a few factors that you need to consider.
Based on your business, you may (or may not) need to put equal focus on each category. So, what are the best eCommerce platforms?
Before you choose the best eCommerce platform for your small business to sell online, make sure to have a concrete idea of the must-have features you’re looking for.
If you’re planning on growing your eCommerce site, you’ll want a scalable platform that makes adding products easy. If you aren’t tech-savvy, you’ll need web hosting that’s easy to use. When a distinctive, brand-centric layout is important for your business, look for platforms that allow a ton of customization.
Many of the platforms outlined below also offer free trials. If you’re unsure of what you’re looking for, consider taking advantage of this option before settling on a choice.
A favorite among some of the biggest enterprise retail brands, Magneto offers a wide range of top-notch features and customizable options. Working with the right developer, you can build almost anything you want on Magneto.
For online retailers looking to scale as they sell, Magento is capable of supporting unlimited products. Magneto also boasts tools for accounting, marketing automation, email campaigns, subscriptions, SEO, and more.
However, some of Magneto’s themes are on the pricier side and many of its features require developer skills. If you have a dedicated developer or development team and are willing to commit to the time and spend, then Magento may be the right fit for you. But if you’re looking for a hands-off solution, Magento may not fit the bill.
One of the best eCommerce platforms for small businesses, Shopify has all the must-have features laid out within an easy-to-use, intuitive interface. It excels at supporting inventory management, one-click selling, omnichannel sales, and more.
Shopify works wonders when it comes to integrating omnichannel selling partners, such as Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and more. However, its SEO capabilities don’t particularly stand out and many retailers have had difficulty customizing their URLs.
Overall, Shopify is a simple, user-friendly platform that offers some, but not all, of the capabilities you’d look for.
Wix is a leading eCommerce platform when it comes to free themes, drag and drop elements, easy setup, and a beginner-friendly interface. It incorporates omni-channel selling, abandoned cart recovery, dropshipping, and more. Wix also offers affordable price plans, which is a huge perk for entrepreneurs with new eCommerce stores.
Unfortunately, Wix isn’t the best when it comes to SEO. You’re also going to run into difficulty if you want a fully customizable template. Some users have also experienced security concerns.
Squarespace is a top eCommerce platform for small businesses because of its affordability, stellar designs, great functionality, and easy set up process. This platform offers drag and drop elements, inventory management, marketing tools, omnichannel selling, SEO, analytics, and more – for an affordable price range.
Squarespace even integrates with ShipStation and ShipBob and presents real-time shipping rate calculations. However, it doesn’t offer dropshipping capabilities or Amazon integration.
Weebly is budget-friendly, easy-to-use, and an overall great choice for beginners. There are a ton of free and low-cost design templates – albeit with limits on customization. Weebly also offers automated marketing tools, shipping tools, inventory management, and more.
Weebly provides excellent value for small businesses, but larger retailers or those looking to scale are likely to run into limitations. The platform also isn’t strong on SEO and doesn’t allow for omni-channel selling through Amazon, Facebook, or Etsy.
BigCommerce offers the ideal mix of simple features and more advanced elements – making it perfect for businesses looking to scale. The platform is incredibly flexible and offers a high-degree of customization. BigCommerce also excels at omni-channel selling, cart abandonment tools, SEO, and more.
The only downside is that BigCommerce becomes more expensive as your inventory and store grows. It also doesn’t offer one-click selling.
WooCommerce is an eCommerce solution from WordPress, one of the most popular content management systems for small businesses. WooCommerce excels at SEO and offers extensions for payment gateways, omnichannel selling, email marketing, one-click selling, and shipping.
If you don’t have a WordPress site, then it probably won’t make sense to consider WooCommerce. Some users have also reported problems with scalability.
While primarily functioning as a domain broker and hosting service, GoDaddy also offers an eCommerce platform that is simple, fast, and easy to use. Many small business owners, especially those who struggle with technology, opt for GoDaddy because it’s incredibly straightforward.
In exchange for its simplistic approach, GoDaddy isn’t feature-rich or customizable. If you’re planning on scaling your business, GoDaddy also wouldn’t be the best choice.
For a fast and easy web presence, though, it may be the right answer.
Previously known as 3dcart, Shift4Shop is now owned by payment company Shift4 Payments. Shift4Shop is hailed for its powerful payment processor capabilities and security features. It also includes several features, like SEO capabilities, marketing tools, inventory management, omnichannel selling, and more.
Shift4Shop does provide quality designs and themes. However, choices are limited and there isn’t a lot of opportunity for customization.
Choosing the best eCommerce platform for your small business is going to be costly – but it’s also an investment in your own success. The right platform will drive sales and bring in more revenue to make the switch worthwhile.
Rather than settling for the cheapest option, our Business Financing Advisors can help you get the funding you need to invest in your online store. We’ll help you compare line of credit offers and business loans from over 75 lenders.
You don’t want to settle for anything less than the best eCommerce platform for your small business. Get started by applying now!
National Business Capital helps entrepreneurs secure quick and fair financing to save time and cultivate sustainable growth.
Our stress-free online platform is designed for simplicity and speed, helping business owners go from application to approval in a matter of hours. And while we remain a leader in the Fintech industry, our clients agree it’s our personalized service and award-winning team that sets us apart.
From SBA loans to lines of credit, to equipment financing, and more, business owners can access all the different financing programs available to them in one place. Through our streamlined process, we have helped clients secure $2 billion in financing since 2007, and, more importantly, we’ve helped entrepreneurs save a tremendous amount of time and grow faster.
Joseph Camberato, CEO of National Business Capital, developed a passion for business at a young age. Joe started his company in 2007 in his spare bedroom and has grown to secure over $1 Billion dollars in financing for small business owners nationwide. National’s team has an amazing culture and has been name the #1 Top Workplace on Long Island 3 years in a row and counting. Joe is a trusted financial expert who’s published more than 2,000 articles in the last 3 years. His articles have generated over 5 million page views and has been featured on blogs such as Google News, Yahoo, CNBC, Forbes Magazine, etc. His passion has also inspired him to build the "GrowByJoe” YouTube channel where he shares his insights into small business trends and tips for growth. Joe also holds a seat on Forbes Finance Council and is an active member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), a global leadership community.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/growbyjoe/
