It has never been easier to create an eCommerce shop and get started selling. In 2021 there are many eCommerce options available.
Many are feature-rich and affordable.
It is notoriously difficult for eCommerce websites to be moved from one platform to another. This means that you will likely remain committed to your chosen solution for many years.
To maximize your return on investment when selecting an eCommerce solution, it is important to think about not only what your business requires today, but also what your business will require tomorrow.
Ecommerce can be approached in two ways. One is a dedicated platform that does everything. The second plugin adds eCommerce functionality to an existing CMS.
Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
- Shopify: The Best App for Nearly Everyone
Shopify is an established, trusted, and well-respected ecommerce platform. It is a great system to get a business started and sell quickly.
Shopify protects developers access with pre-vetted templates and plugins. You can rest assured that your new store is free from hidden surprises, unlike other marketplaces.
Shopify is now saturated enough that it makes sense for large players to offer their own plugins. Credit services such as Klarna or shipping companies like netParcel are easily integrated.
Shopify was designed to allow one account to be linked with multiple stores. This makes the admin panel a bit complicated.
Once you get the system set up and are familiar with the locations of everything, it is a simple, efficient business management system.
When a client tells me that they want to sell online, my first thought is "Shopify." For 90% of clients, this is the right decision.
This concludes the roundup. But Shopify still has 10% to go.
An all-in-one platform is not for everyone. You can either migrate your existing website or lease a dedicated domain to host your store.
Shopify's platform offers a high level of security, which instills confidence in buyers. However, the cost of this security is a lack in flexibility in design.
There is also the notorious variant limit. Shopify allows you to have 100 variations of a product. Nearly every client encounters this wall at one point.
Let's take a T-shirt. Male and female cut are two variations. Now add short sleeves to make it four. Then add seven sizes, XXS through XXL.
That's 28 possible variants. If you have more than three colors, you'll be over the 100 limit. Although there are plugins to help you avoid this problem, they can be a mess and hinder the user experience for both your customer as well as your business.
While Shopify is a great option for new store owners, there are many other options.
- WooCommerce: The Best WordPress Product for Users
You can adapt a WordPress site that you already have to e-commerce by using a plugin.
WooCommerce is frequently referred to as "Best for WordPress User", which is a compliment that is not true of the fact that WooCommerce powers over 30% of all eCommerce sites.
If you like to be part of the crowd -- which it most likely does if you use WordPress -- then you are in the right place.
WordPress offers a huge range of plugins. There are many plugins that allow you to sell via WordPress sites. WooCommerce's main benefit is its compatibility testing.
Most plugins and themes have been thoroughly tested with it. Professional WordPress add-ons can tell you if your add-ons are compatible with WooCommerce. WooCommerce can help your business continue to benefit from WordPress' unparalleled ecosystem.
WooCommerce has a downside. You work in the same dashboard with the CMS that manages your content. This can quickly make it difficult to manage.
WooCommerce is also affected by growing inventories -- each product added will slow down things a bit -- it's ideal for small shops selling a few items to supplement their income.
- BigCommerce: Best for Growth
BigCommerce is an eCommerce platform that is similar to Shopify. However, Shopify caters to newer stores while BigCommerce targets established businesses with higher turnovers.
BigCommerce has the same advantages and disadvantages as Shopify. One of the major downsides to BigCommerce is that you don't have as much control over your front-end code.
You're trading short-term conveniences for long-term performance. No matter what platform you're using, templates, themes and plugins can take 18 months to catch up to best practices.
This leaves you behind your competitors.
BigCommerce solves this problem by offering a headless option, something Shopify doesn't offer. A headless eCommerce platform can be described as a dedicated API that you can use to create your store.
BigCommerce is able to be integrated on any technology stack, anywhere. Yes, WordPress can be integrated with BigCommerce.
You can also migrate your frontend easily without having to rebuild your backend.
BigCommerce also offers BigCommerce Essentials which is targeted at entry-level shops. Although it is a great way to get started, it is not BigCommerce's true strength.
BigCommerce is a solid and flexible choice if you have enough turnover to justify it.
- Magento is the best for burning budgets
Magento is a great option if you have a team of developers and a budget for your new store.
Magento stores can do just about anything. It excels at custom solutions.
Magento's enterprise-level solution is its main offering. For a quote, you will need to contact a sales representative -- you won't be able to afford it if you have to ask for the price.
Magento's track record and client list are enough to attract boards of directors who don't have the budget for 15-strong development staff.
Magento offers an open-source option that is free, so a Magento store does not have to be costly. If you don't invest heavily in custom solutions, you aren't leveraging the platform’s strengths.
Read Blog: Which Platform Is Best For eCommerce Web Development For My Project?
- Craft Commerce: Best for Custom Solutions
Craft Commerce is the best option if you are looking for a custom solution but don't have the funds for Magento.
Craft Commerce plugin is similar to WooCommerce for WordPress and transforms it into an online store.
Craft CMS does not have a theme option, unlike WordPress. Craft Commerce stores are custom-built using Twig, a simple templating tool.
This approach has the main advantage of being fast and inexpensive, without the code bloat associated with platforms like WordPress.
Your site is custom-coded and you can have full control over the frontend. This allows you to tweak UX and SEO.
Craft Commerce is more complicated than WordPress CMS. This is why you will need to hire a Craft developer. Once you have your Craft site set up, it is easy to manage and maintain.
- Stripe: Ideal for Outliers
Although Ecommerce solutions may have different strengths, they all market themselves as having unique customer journeys.
Customers search for items, add them to carts, view the carts, and checkout. They want to increase their market share like any other business. This means providing a solution that addresses the most popular business models.
Sometimes a project comes along that isn't in line with your business model. Maybe you are selling a product that is the unique price for each customer.
Maybe you sell by auction. You might not want to invoice the customer at all until a later date.
Direct integration with Stripe can allow you to achieve the highest level of customization, regardless of your reason.
Stripe is a powerful payment processor. It handles all financial transactions for many eCommerce platforms. Stripe is loved by developers.
It has an excellent API, is easy to use, and is very user-friendly.
This approach is not for everyone. This is a custom-built build. Except for the financial transaction, nothing is included.
Each aspect of your website will have to be created from scratch. This means that you may not see any return on your investment.
The Best eCommerce Solution for 2021
Three factors define the best eCommerce solution: the size of the store, the expected growth, and the level of customization and features you require.
Shopify is the best choice for small businesses because you can start selling within a few hours. WooCommerce is a great choice for businesses that have a presence but a lower turnover.
BigCommerce's headless option for larger stores is ideal for long-term growth. Craft Commerce is a strong performer, combining low costs and flexibility for businesses that need a customized approach.
