It’s not at all surprising to see the growth of e-commerce these days as the youth is heading online to shop even if they want to buy a small pen drive. Since e-commerce sector is thriving and with the multiple options of e-commerce platforms, it can make it quite difficult for some online retailers to choose the right online platform that could meet their needs.
The best part about this e-commerce is that you don’t need to be well-versed with HTML, graphics applications etc. since its setup is as easy as filling a form online.
Choose Your Weapon
While deciding how to set-up your own e-commerce site, there are some key things that fall into the following categories:
Shopping Cart– The most important aspect of your e-commerce presence is efficiently adding products and taking payments. So, it is essential to look for a shopping cart that is quick, fast, and efficient at the same time.
SSL Security– There is a large number of people who are buying online these days; however, it is your prime responsibility to keep your site SSL (Secure Socket Layer) secured.
Online or self-hosted– Either you can use different e-commerce applications, or could build your own site and host this on your own servers.
Website– A standalone website can give you a complete control over all the elements of your store.
A List of eCommerce Platforms
Shopify
Shopify is the most popular eCommerce platform available these days. It was set up in 2006 by founders Tobias Lutke, Scott Lake, and Daniel Weinard. According to the founders, the user doesn’t need to have the technical or graphical experience to create an online store.
The company claims that it is quite easy and simple procedure to set-up and running within minutes. The users can either choose from an array of templates, or they can design the look and feel of the site as per their wish or desire. The platform offers a full CMS through which the user can manage the functionality and layout of an online store. Using Shopify’s mobile app, the users can manage their store on-the-go, whereas the platform is fully responsive which means the store will be optimized for the visitors even if they access it from the desktop.
Big Commerce
It is formed in 2009 with the aim to “support your business, and just not your store”. Apart from offering support via phone, instant chat, and email, it also provides articles and videos to help users with e-commerce and access to a team of eCommerce experts who provides advice and guidance about online selling. It has a wide range of templates to help stores look their best and get up-and-running quickly.
CoreCommerce
It was set up in 2001 and focuses on providing e-commerce services to small and medium-sized businesses. The company places an emphasis on simplicity and transparency, promising that its platform is easy-to-use and that customers will not fall foul of any hidden charges.
As with other e-commerce providers, CoreCommerce offers functionality for store design, product management, order processing, and marketing. With its headline features, the platform offers unlimited product customization options, a built-in blogging engine, and secure hosting that is provided by Rackspace and comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.
Final Words
Setting up your own online store should be approached carefully and diligently to ensure you put a professional and efficient site live. Internet shopping continues to expand but makes sure your business doesn’t miss out on any sales channel that shows no signs of slowing down. If you find this post valuable, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below!