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What's the Best eCommerce Platform for Your Business? A Definitive List

Boxes and packages outside green door
We have already shown you how to choose the best eCommerce platform for your business and how to automate your eCommerce business.
In this article, we'll break down the actual platforms, complete with their pros, cons, prices, and users, so that you won't have to go hunting for them.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Do your customers prefer free shipping to fast shipping?
Answers to questions such as this make it crucial that businesses know exactly what their eCommerce platform offers.
Furthermore, by 2040, 95% of all retail sales are expected to be facilitated by eCommerce. It's no wonder that so many businesses are jumping onto the online selling bandwagon.
We'll give you a good place to start. (Be sure to know the eCommerce website must-haves beforehand.)
Top eCommerce Platforms to Choose From
The best eCommerce platform for your business will depend on your unique business needs. We've handpicked a list of some of the most popular – and reputable – ones for you to choose from.
Whether you require a hosted eCommerce solution or a self-hosted one such as Magento, we've got you covered.
1. Wix: For Smaller Online Stores
Wix consistently ranks as one of the best eCommerce platforms all around, but it is especially suited for smaller stores. This is because it is very beginner-friendly. It gives users a straightforward method of creating an online store or website.
Notable features:
Over 500 free mobile-optimized themes
Over 90 languages for global audience
Unlimited physical products and accounts from the cheapest plan
$300 worth of online ad credit
Supports multi-channel sales through eBay, Instagram and Facebook
Supports both direct and drop shipping
Abandoned cart recovery
Instant purchase buttons
Customizable checkout page
Loyalty programs
Wishlists
Customer accounts
Add to cart from gallery
Discount codes
24/7 support through ticketing system
Challenges:
Subscription selling comes with higher tier plan
Live chat not included
Limited features in cheapest plan
Customers: DeviantArt, FinTechConsortium, University of Michigan
Pricing: Starts at $80/month, billed annually
2. Shopify: For Large Businesses With a Range of Products
The best eCommerce platform may not objectively exist, but Shopify comes close.
Like Wix, Shopify is considered one of the best (if not the best) eCommerce platforms today. It has over 1 million stores, $155B+ worth of sold items, and 2.1 million active users.
Shopify is easy to use, from managing your inventory to setting up product pages. The interface includes automatic image optimization and enables you to drag-and-drop products.
Notable features:
73 mobile-optimized themes
Unlimited products to add
Abandoned cart recovery
Custom discount codes
Additional discounts on shipping costs due to Shopify's agreements with UPS, USPS and DHL Express
Gift cards
Allows you to integrate your website with Google Analytics for basic data
Integrated marketing tools (availability depends on country)
24/7 customer support through live chat, phone and email for paying shop owners
Challenges:
Requires plugin app to process subscription services
Only 9 free themes
Creating custom reports requires Advanced Shopify plan
Cheapest plan includes only 2 accounts
2% commission outside Shopify payments
Customers: Penguin Books Store, Tesla
Pricing: Starts at $29/month
3. Magento (Self Hosted): For Large Businesses
Magento is an open-source platform that allows you a lot of freedom for rich content. You will have full control over functionality, look and feel.
However, if you do not have experience with Magento, you may need to hire an eCommerce web design company.
Magento was acquired by Adobe in 2018.
Notable features:
Mobile-optimized
Dedicated guides, walkthroughs and forums for questions related to the platform
Challenges:
You have to set up the payment gateways or get an extension
Requires extensive expertise
No drag-and-drop tools, simple input modules or default dashboards
No direct technical support with open-source version
Paid version is expensive
Customers: Ford, Burger King, Land Rover
Pricing: Magento Open Source is free to download, but you will need to pay for various costs such as web hosting and web developer costs. Cost for Magento Enterprise starts at $2,000/month
4. Big Cartel: For Independent Artists
Big Cartel is specifically designed for artists, craftspeople, and other makers. In that aspect, it is somewhat similar to Etsy. Small businesses and independent artists can benefit greatly from this platform.
Notable features:
No transaction fees
You can sell through Facebook and tag items on Instagram
Customizable templates
Email support available from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm EST
Mobile-responsive
Products are automatically reformatted to fit any new theme
User-friendly onboarding process
Relatively risk-free choice due to free plan
User-friendly knowledge base
Domain name registration
Marketing tools
Has a mobile app
Challenges:
Only five images per product
No image editor – requires code
No customer login option
No abandoned cart recovery
Themes can be restrictive and offer little creative freedom
Limited payment and integrations options
Pricing based on how many products you sell, so it will be more expensive as your business grows
Ease of use drops after onboarding
Requires apps and plugins to unlock several features, such as selling digital products, accessing drop shipping, and creating promotional pop-ups
You will need to know how to code or hire a web developer to make the most of the platform
Not (Payment Card Industry) PCI compliant, so you need to follow guidelines on accepting and processing customers' card payment details
Customers: Miss Patina Ltd, Spark Media, inc.
Pricing: Starts free
5. Squarespace: For Value For Money
Squarespace is a good all-in-one, easy to use platform, in which the server is managed for you.
It is also ideal for small business owners and individual entrepreneurs, especially if they want their website to be image focused. Hence, it's particularly good for portfolios and brochures.
Notable features:
Free domain for first year
100+ customizable and mobile-optimized templates
1,500+ web fonts
User-friendly
Video backgrounds feature
Upload as many physical products as you want
Customizable promotional banners and pop-ups
Abandoned cart recovery
Customizable discount rules
Custom API integration
One central location to set up product pages, track orders, manage inventory, and manage customer base
Simple drag-and-drop tool
Access to website analytics, conversion metrics, customer base overview
24/7 email support
Live chat support from Monday to Thursday
Squarespace claims that inquiries are answered within one hour
Challenges:
Subscription selling option requires Advanced Commerce plan
3% commission with cheapest plan
Automatic tax calculations limited to US
No multi-currency selling
Can't switch templates after selecting one
Poor support experience
Customers: Winona Ryder, Sadie Williams
Pricing: Starts at $12/month
6. BigCommerce: For Fast-Growing Businesses
If you're an enterprise-level company, BigCommerce is for you. It is tailored for people and businesses that are yet unfamiliar with eCommerce web design. Furthermore, it offers a fair amount of value for money.
Has more built-in features than its competitors. This makes it very scalable
No transaction fees
Comprehensive feature set even at the cheapest price
No limit to staff accounts
Third-party real-time shipping calculations accessible with any plan
Professional reporting
Drag-and-drop page builder
Blogging functionality
Product review functionality
International selling
Discount coupons and gift vouchers
Excellent SEO and multi-channel integrations
24/7 technical support through chat, email and phone
Challenges:
Lack of flexibility
No shipping discounts
Limits placed on yearly online sales. If you exceed these, you will have to upgrade your plan
Not easy to set up
Can't register domain name through BC. You will need to buy and register somewhere else and then port it over
Customers: Skullcandy, flydubai, Woolrich International
Pricing: Starts at $29.95/month
Conclusion
We hope this article has given you an insight into the best eCommerce platform for your business. Which one are you thinking of going for? Let us know in the comments!
If you need a professional for customized eCommerce site development, BluEnt is just a click away. We've been operating since 2003 and have a team of dedicated, experienced eCommerce web developers. Check out how we've helped other businesses like yours, so you know exactly what we can do.
Ready to grow your business with an eCommerce web designing company? Contact us now!
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