The advent of digitalization and the sudden surge of the pandemic caused a major shift in client behavior, with a massive 2.64 billion users shopping online. As more and more client shop online, it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to have a strong digital presence to differentiate them from their competitors.
One key way to do this is by creating and optimizing an e-commerce website that attracts clientele and drives sales, especially if you are a budding business. This is where e-commerce platforms enter the picture. You can manage several aspects of your website, like marketing, sales, and operations, with one platform.
But with so many options to choose from, how can you be sure you’re selecting the right one? Read on to explore the best e-commerce platform for small business among the 8 top names listed below.
Shopify
- Facilitates online and in-person selling through a consolidated dashboard.
- Offers four subscription plans, with the basic plan starting at $29.
- One-stop shop for sales, inventory, payment, customer accounts, and more!
Pros
- Flexible integration with existing business sales channels.
- Provides a lite option for $9 per month with mobile point-of-sale functionality.
- Offers a 14-day free trial period to explore the interface.
Cons
- Comprises limited customization options.
- Offers add-ons but requires you to pay a separate monthly subscription fee.
- Does not possess the flexibility for bulk edits.
BigCommerce
- Possesses more than 60,000 active users
- Offers a combined analytics dashboard to track customer metrics and page visibility.
- An in-house payment gateway that saves the hassle of transaction fees.
Pros
- Enables content syndication to reach a wider user base.
- Supports mobile-friendly website creation with numerous themes.
- Simplifies cross-channel commerce on multiple online marketplaces.
Cons
- Plans start at a higher price point of $29.95 per month.
- Limits maximum annual online sales unless upgraded to a more expensive plan.
- Features a relatively complex interface, unsuitable for beginners.
Wix
- Considered one of the best e-commerce platforms for small businesses, 57% of Wix’s revenue is generated in North America.
- Comes with drag-and-drop tools that are easy to operate for beginners and experts alike.
- Provides complete creative freedom with over 500 themes to use for the website.
Pros
- Offers a free plan for users only needing a basic e-commerce platform for their businesses.
- Beginner-friendly user interface with seamless page connectivity.
- Leverages AI to accentuate overall user experience and provide data-driven suggestions.
Cons
- The Free plan lacks the option to track analytics and customer insights.
- Integration with existing business infrastructure is not straightforward.
- No option to change templates after the website goes live.
WooCommerce
- Open-source e-commerce platform built on a WordPress base.
- Out of the top 1 million websites, 22% use the WooCommerce platform.
- Offers a plug-in for easy tracking along multiple pages.
Pros
- Freeware that allows you to gain complete control over your data.
- Grants you access to a wide collection of WordPress themes to boost the visual appeal of your website.
- Robust security with complete support for search engine optimization techniques.
Cons
- Strictly limited WordPress themes. Comes with additional extensions and costs to operate at maximum capacity.
- Lack of customer support to address grievances.
Squarespace
- One of the top e-commerce platforms for small businesses that witnesses 30 million new visits
- Offer easy monthly and annual subscriptions with effortless cancellation options.
- Offers a 14-day preliminary trial to new users.
Pros
- Grants a special concession of 50% to students during their first year on the platform.
- Some of the most economical pricing plans in the market, starting at $16 and continuing to $49
- Inclusion of a complimentary SSL certification on every website built using Squarespace for robust security.
Cons
- Lacks advanced marketing tools to better analyze customer data and drive sales campaigns.
- No phone support to address and resolve queries.
- Difficulties with scalability beyond a certain point in the online catalog.
Ecwid
- Provides an e-commerce widget to track analytics from different websites.
- Localizes the entire website optimization process to your web browser; no application or additional software is needed.
- Includes ‘Instant Sites’ feature for companies to quickly create one-page marketing offerings.
Pros
- An extensive number of supported payment options make it easier for businesses to set up recurring payments.
- Eases cross-channel integration of your website with platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
- Free plan for users only looking to avail of the basic features of the platform.
Cons
- Individual subscription model to use the phone support functionality.
- Lack of language support.
- No SEO features are included in the free version of the platform.
Weebly
- A website builder powering up 40 million websites and witnessing an estimated 325 million unique visitors every month.
- Offers a 14-day free trial, and the paid plans start from $19.97 per month.
- Beginner-friendly interface with easy-to-use tools.
Pros
- Helps in providing high-speed websites with little to no lag.
- Extensive mobile functionality, allowing you to customize and alter website elements on the go.
- One of the best-in-class website editors that make for quick edits and publishing.
Cons
- Lack of support for cross-platforms.
- Does not offer strong SEO functions as compared to its competitors.
- Limited theme options, making it difficult to innovate and customize the websites.
Square Online
- Founded in 2009, Square Online democratized retail after a few months of inception.
- Offers 4 pricing plans, including a free model, depending on the needs of your business.
- Comprehensive guide to introduce you to the layout of the platform and the working of several tools.
Pros
- No limit on annual product sales on the free plan.
- The more expensive plans offer in-depth market analysis reports to promote business growth.
- Inclusion of inventory management to enable painless tracking through a single platform.
Cons
- Absence of 24/7 customer support.
- High-volume sellers operating on the free plan can rack up high transaction fees.
- Limited themes and customization options to use.
How can your Business Benefit from an E-Commerce Platform?
- Quicker buying process through a common website, making it effortless to track client interaction with the business.
- Provides the ability for the users to perform a product and price comparison.
- Streamlines the experience of the client, irrespective of the sales channel on which they interacted with your brand.
- Allows seamless order tracking and accentuates the overall client experience.
Summing Up
The best e-commerce sites for small businesses are constantly on the verge of innovating and enabling more features to boost your business. Be sure to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each platform and choose the one that best fits your specific needs in order to maximize your business’s growth potential.
Choose the best e-commerce platform for small businesses and witness an increase in sales projections that might put you on par with large enterprises!
