Online eCommerce platforms are becoming a trendy business model as an alternative or enhancement to brick and mortar shopfronts.

But which one should you go for?

There are so many out there on the market. Don’t worry. We’re going to give you the lowdown on three of the most popular eCommerce platforms. This quick review will give you a good idea of which type will be best for your business, to finally get up and running online.

WooCommerce

User Group

Businesses with a WordPress platform benefit most from this plugin. If you have everything up and running on a website, all you have to do is install WooCommerce, and that’s it. But if you don’t, you will have to create a new site from scratch and have your own hosting.

How Easy is It?

The main plugin is very straightforward. You can customize everything from your dashboard. However, the complexity starts ramping up if you are unfamiliar with WordPress sites. But, if you do have a WordPress site, this plugin is user friendly and provides some beneficial features for your store.

Features

• Use payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe
• Options for different modes of delivery – digital is possible
• A vast array of addons for useful features to enhance the customer and business experience
• An extensive report of sales, inventory levels, and store performance
• Global tax rates available
• Marketing campaigns built-in – coupons, usage limits, and sale prices

Best Bits

• Customers can leave reviews and ratings of the product
• There are no investment or start-up costs needed. All you require is a website that is up and running.
• Great reports to keep track of a multitude of elements in your online store.
• Accessed from your WordPress dashboard

Not So Good Bits

• You need to pay for your hosting – which isn’t a problem if your website is already functional.
• You need to work out the set up on your own, including API keys and payment gateways that can be slightly time-consuming and difficult if you don’t know what you are doing.

Price

Free plugin for WordPress

Wix

User Group

For people who don’t have a website (or you have a Wix site already) and you can build one on your own, this component can be easily integrated on the Wix platform.

How Easy Is It?

All you have to do is sign up and choose a template for your website. Wix directs you through all the options and is targeted to the non-technical user. It would have to be one of the most straightforward setups for a website and online store. Perfect for the beginner.

Features

• Huge selection of templates to choose from
• Drag and drop builder –pick what you want and put it into the area you want it
• Mobile optimization – the way of the future
• Inbuilt global shipping and tax management
• Galleries for showcasing every product
• Secure shopping cart
• Easy order tracking
• Hosting included

Best Bits

• No matter what type of store, you will find a template to fit your website.
• It offers free hosting, and you design the store to how you want it to look through a drag and drop builder.
• Wix also provides video tutorials to make sure you know how to use the platform.

Not So Good Bits

• You can only have two product attributes. These are size and color.
• Everything, and we mean everything, is customizable, so if you are a beginner with NO EXPERIENCE in website building, it can be a bit overwhelming – although it is easy.

Price

Shopify

User Group

This platform is an excellent alternative for new and advanced businesses who don’t want to set up their own website. Beginners are guided step by step to create a very user-friendly store. At the same time, advanced users can take advantage of the array of options and settings to super-charge their store.

How Easy Is It?

This platform is the ultimate in launching an online store for beginners. All you need to do is create an account, select a theme from the hundreds available, customize the design, add your products, and it’s launch time. Technically, the store is operational in hours.

Features

• Massive range of professional themes
• The stores are mobile friendly – essential now that everyone is buying from their smartphone
• You can integrate your own domain name
• There’s a blogging platform to keep your customers informed
• Optimized SEO and marketing features for social media, product reviews, discounts, and email marketing.
• Unlimited bandwidth

Best Bits

• Shopify has free hosting. That means you don’t have to do anything to get your account set up. Just start creating your products immediately.
• Comes ready made with SEO optimization and social links.
• User-friendly and intuitive interface
• 24/7 support

Not So Good Bits

• It only has three default product attributes – size, color, and material.

Price

That’s our brief overview of the three major players in the eCommerce platforms. Our choice is Shopify or WooCommerce for versatility and user-friendly interfaces.

We love making SEO optimized and responsive eCommerce stores to generate leads and nurture your customers through semi-automated marketing to turn online shoppers into repetitive buyers.

Book a discovery call today to find out how easily and quickly we can turn your eCommerce vision into a reality.