The rise of eCommerce businesses has transformed the retail sector. In 2019, almost 2 billion people bought a product or service online, with total eCommerce sales surpassing $3.53 trillion around the world. According to industry projections, this figure will only increase over the coming years. This means there’s never been a better time to take your business online.
If you’re preparing to launch an eCommerce business, one of the most important decisions to make is which platform you want to use. From the features to the pricing, there are all sorts of factors to consider when choosing your platform – but if the phrase ‘WooCommerce order management’ means nothing to you and you don’t know where to start, don’t worry!
In this article, we’ll guide you through the top three eCommerce platforms to help you decide which one is best for your business.
1. Shopify
With prices starting at just $9 a month, Shopify is a great choice for eCommerce businesses of all shapes and sizes. In fact, it’s widely considered to be one of the most popular eCommerce platforms available. In October 2019, Shopify announced that its platform supports around 600,000 different businesses in 175 countries.
Top 10 Backup Plugins for WordPressShopify’s popularity is partly down to the fact it offers an all-in-one solution, making it suitable for companies with little to no in-house technical support. Its platform includes an inventory management feature, a point-of-sale (POS) system, and analytics tools to analyze your performance.
Shopify is best for small businesses with limited budgets and no in-house support.
2. WooCommerce
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WooCommerce was first developed in 2013 as an extension for sites built on the WordPress content management system (CMS). According to statistics, WooCommerce currently powers 25% of eCommerce businesses on the internet and has been downloaded more than 74 million times.
When you download WooCommerce, you’ll gain access to a range of eCommerce tools. These include a detailed order management system that enables you to see information such as customer records and the number of products you’ve sold, as well as its own payment processor.
WooCommerce also offers a range of extensions that make it easy for users to integrate their eCommerce businesses with other platforms, for example, to sell stock on eBay or Amazon.
10 WordPress Christmas Plugins to Make Your Christmas JovialWooCommerce is best for businesses built on WordPress.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce was founded in 2009 and has since processed more than $25 billion in sales, supporting businesses in 120 different countries. One of the platform’s stand-out features is its range of SEO tools, with customizable page URLs, metadata, and titles. These make it easier for eCommerce businesses to create a user experience that’s tailored to their customers.
Tired of Using tedious WordPress Themes? Customize Your Theme with These Simple ToolsAnother key benefit of BigCommerce is that the platform is integrated with a range of payment options, including PayPal and Stripe. Unlike alternatives such as Shopify, users can choose third-party payment providers such as these without having to pay extra fees. However, its standard plan starts from $29.95 per month. This means you’ll need to balance the potential fees against the increased cost of the platform.
BigCommerce is best for: large established eCommerce brands with larger budgets.
Whatever you’re planning to sell, we hope this article has given you a clearer idea of which eCommerce platform is best for your business.
