EXPLORING THE TOP ECOMMERCE PLATFORMS: WHICH ONE SUITS YOUR BUSINESS?
If you are an active business that solely relies on brick-and-mortar stores to do the selling, then you surely are missing out on a great opportunity: the online marketplace. But if you have an online existence but not the appropriate ecommerce platform to support it, you are just wasting your resources. You must choose wisely while picking software from the top ecommerce platforms .
There is no denying that businesses are increasingly setting up their web presence to capitalise on the benefits of online shopping. But not many succeed in achieving all that the digital world offers. If you want to level up your business , top ecommerce platforms must be on your radar.
In this blog, we will discuss different ecommerce platforms uk and find out which is best for what.
What is an ecommerce platform & why do you need it?
In simple words, an ecommerce platform is a software that is deployed by businesses to streamline the whole process of selling products to interested customers. It enables:
· Multichannel selling
· Digital marketing
· Reviews
· Payments
· Data collection
· Inventory management
· Order fulfilments
As mentioned earlier, an ecommerce platform, by improving your online appearance, broadens the prospects for your business and increases your revenues. It ensures that both front-end and back-end operations work smoothly and in tandem.
According to Forbes, around 24% of retail sales are expected to be online in nature by the year 2026. This statistic sheds light on the real potential of ecommerce as it will be increasingly adopted to support businesses and customers.
Ecommerce is emerging to be a primary growth driver in the marketplace because it:
· Increases visibility for a business
· Enables businesses to stay open 24/7
· Supports analytics generation for informed business decisions
· Boosts your sales
But the question remains: “Which one to pick from the top ecommerce platforms ?”
A quick ecommerce platforms comparison
Here are the biggest ecommerce platforms that are enabling millions of businesses worldwide. Specific details have been mentioned below to help you choose the best ecommerce platform for your business.
1. Wowcommerce
Wowcommerce certainly gets the highest spot when it comes to top ecommerce platforms , and much of the credit goes to the efficient customisation services they offer. Let the Wowcommerce team know your requirements and they will customise your store without disturbing your budget. That makes Wowcommerce stand out in the list, since other platforms either do not offer customization or charge highly for it.
Also, it’s known for crafting intuitive designs, robust admin panels, and highly scalable solutions that truly represent your business niche. You should get a Wowcommerce b2b ecommerce platform if the following factors are on top of your list:
· Full back-end support
· Multichannel selling
· Zero transaction fees
· Multiple payment options
· Built-in marketing tools
· Robust security system
· Easy order management
The costs of commerce solutions by Wowcommerce are also reasonable. Not to mention, the platforms can easily be integrated with third-party tools to generate accurate analytics, implement end-to-end marketing campaigns, and ace the Search Engine Optimisation game. All of this plays an instrumental role in skyrocketing your sales.
2. Shopify
Shopify is known for offering the best dedicated sales features that help businesses reach their maximum potential. Ecommerce platforms by Shopify prove to be the best among the top ecommerce platforms when it comes to dropshipping and omnichannel selling. The provider offers countless themes to choose from and sets up your store in no time.
You might want to consider getting a Shopify solution are looking for:
· Payment processing with low transaction fees
· In-person sales
· Unlimited online storage and bandwidth
· Built-in marketing tools
· Fast sites with reliable security
Shopify enables you to sell anywhere you want. By employing the marketing tools offered by the Shopify ecommerce platform, you can easily boost your conversion rates.
3. Bigcommerce
BigCommerce surely deserves a position when we talk about the top-notch ecommerce providers . But it is most appropriate for enterprise-level businesses as it offers the largest inventories to B2C setups. Its efficient product search system is still unrivalled, which makes it the first choice for big retail brands.
You should consider getting a BigCommerce solution if you have the following things in mind:
· Comprehensive business management features
· Zero transaction fee
· Diverse payment options
· Complete hosting
Although BigCommerce offers a large catalogue for templates and themes so users don’t have to do any coding, it allows them to tweak the HTML and CSS a bit to customise the site according to their unique needs.
4. Wix
You can also consider Wix if you are in search of the best online ecommerce platform for individual sellers. Wix solutions offers an easy layout with drag-and-drop options for the customers. Its ecommerce platforms are indeed engaging and present numerous customisable templates.
Wix should be on your list if you desire:
· Abandoned cart recovery
· Multi-channel integration
· Print-on-demand facility
· Orders tracking
There are a few shortcomings though. Wix lacks certain critical features such as low stock alerts. The site is also not transferrable and requires a paid plan if you try tracking and generating analytics. However, overall, Wix solutions are desirable because they are completely hosted, are easy to use, and provide a lot of support. These pros have helped Wix secure its spot among the top ecommerce platforms .
5. Woocommerce
Woocommerce has made it to our list top ecommerce platforms list since it is open source and offers extensive customisation. It is often compared with BigCommerce solutions but it is safe to say that the latter is better in terms of sales and reliability.
Woocommerce essentially works as an add-on plug-in on the WordPress site and is thus the best option for WordPress users who are trying to find ecommerce-oriented solutions in a content-driven environment.
The plus points about Woocommerce platforms are given below:
· Best for WordPress users
· Self-hosting
· High integration capabilities
· An active expert community
Conclusion
To sum up, the top ecommerce platforms cater to different needs and are thus suitable for different businesses. The key is to choose the one that can represent your niche, reflect your business objectives, and is flexible enough to be scaled when needed.
You can contact our team if you want to make an informed decision about picking the best ecommerce platform for your business. Wowcommerce is an ecommerce solution provider which specialises in creating tailor-made ecommerce solutions for B2B and B2C businesses.
FAQs
What to look for in top ecommerce platforms?
While choosing an ecommerce platform for your business, make sure it is highly customisable, mobile-friendly, user-friendly, and secure in terms of protecting confidential data and handling the payment information of your customers.
Is e-commerce profitable?
Yes. According to Forbes, retail purchases are expected to cross the 20.8% target this year. Such promising projections indicate that ecommerce can be quite rewarding for business owners.
Does e-commerce have a future?
Research says that ecommerce sales will increase to $6.38 trillion by the year 2024. All of this is made possible by the advancement and spread of technology in the present-day world. And this shows that ecommerce indeed has a bright future.
About the Author: Rupert Richard
With a seasoned pen and deep insights into the e-commerce realm, Rupert Richard seamlessly translates industry nuances into compelling content. Specialising in e-commerce strategies, he guides businesses toward success with a wealth of knowledge in online retail, technology, and market trends. Interested in seeing value-adding content about e-commerce? Click here to check the profound Twitter presence, where he regularly shares informative content.