{"id":13908,"date":"2020-12-09T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=13908"},"modified":"2023-01-16T18:05:52","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T18:05:52","slug":"the-top-ecommerce-platforms-to-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/the-top-ecommerce-platforms-to-use\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top eCommerce Platforms to Use in 2021 (and Beyond)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The US is expected to reach <\/span>$735 billion<\/span><\/a> in eCommerce sales by 2023. The rest of the world isn\u2019t far behind.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, if your business is not online yet, you\u2019re missing out on your slice of the pie.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re sitting on the fence about starting a new online venture, don\u2019t be. Now is a great time to get online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There is a range of top tier eCommerce website platforms that can be used to grow your online presence or give you eCommerce functionality for the first time. However, it can be tricky to find the perfect one to suit your business\u2019s needs. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve created a comprehensive guide to help you choose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the top eCommerce platforms to use in 2020 (and beyond).<\/span><\/p>\n

What is an eCommerce Platform?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An eCommerce platform is a software application that allows an eCommerce business to sell their physical products or – occasionally – services online through their very own website. You don\u2019t need to have an established business to enter the online world. In fact, your business may operate online entirely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re a brick-and-mortar store wishing to expand your reach, or a brand new business starting with online sales channels from scratch, your choice in eCommerce software can have a huge impact on your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ecommerce Features Comparison<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
WooCommerce<\/th>\nShopify<\/th>\nWix<\/th>\nBigCommerce<\/th>\nMagento<\/th>\nSquarespace<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Part of your existing WordPress site. Hosting separately.<\/td>\nHosting and domain space + add your own domain name.<\/td>\nHosting and domain space.<\/td>\nHosting and domain space + add your own domain name.<\/td>\nHosting and domain space + add your own domain name.<\/td>\nHosting and domain space + add your own domain name.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free, open-source eCommerce platform.<\/td>\nSubscription-based service.<\/td>\nSubscription-based service.<\/td>\nSubscription-based service.<\/td>\nFree, open-source service.<\/td>\nSubscription-based service.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Free extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\nLimited free extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\nLimited free extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\nLimited free extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\nLimited free extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\nNo third-party extensions and add-ons.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Customer management only with plugins.<\/td>\nBasic customer management.<\/td>\nBasic customer management.<\/td>\nBasic customer management through customer management groups.<\/td>\nBasic customer management.<\/td>\nFundamental customer management.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Thousands of free and paid themes.<\/td>\nHundreds of free themes, some paid.<\/td>\n500+ themes.<\/td>\nSome themes are available from the web.<\/td>\n100+ themes.<\/td>\n100+ themes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Top Ecommerce Platforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. WooCommerce.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

WordPress users might like the idea of installing an eCommerce plugin, rather than setting up a new site. That\u2019s where <\/span>WooCommerce<\/span><\/a> comes in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a free platform for WordPress users to transform their site into a fully functional eCommerce website. You just have to install it, add several products, and configure your settings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easy to use and navigate, more reasons why it\u2019s one of the most popular eCommerce platforms to use in 2020. You can also track your eCommerce store stats through the analytics tab, shown here:<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Image source<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Capterra Rating<\/b><\/p>\n

Good – 4.5<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recent review – \u201cI like how flexible WooCommerce is. You can do pretty much anything any e-commerce solution can do, often for free.\u201d <\/span>Steven D, Website Developer<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Strongest Feature<\/b><\/p>\n

Arguably the strongest feature of WooCommerce is that it’s customisable. Because it\u2019s open-source, there are a plethora of helpful modifications available. The best part? Many of these plugins are free!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pricing<\/b><\/p>\n

Though many aspects of WooCommerce are free, it does offer paid premium extensions and themes. These can range from <\/span>$40 to $1020<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Support<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the downsides of WooCommerce is that it doesn\u2019t go as far in terms of support as some of the other eCommerce platforms. There\u2019s no phone or email support. Instead, there are 24-hour live chat assistants and several community forums.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Usability<\/b><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re familiar with WordPress, WooCommerce is an excellent choice. But, even if you\u2019re not, it won\u2019t take long to get the hang of it. The user interface is clear and easy to use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only factor that makes it different from the likes of Shopify and Bigcommerce is that you\u2019ll need to find a host to install WordPress. From there, you can proceed with WooCommerce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s more, WooCommerce is compatible with a range of payment options, such as credit card, Stripe, Sagepay, and Paypal. You can also install supportive plugins such as Yoast for SEO pointers and Mailchimp for email marketing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pros<\/b><\/p>\n