The Best E-Commerce Platforms
According to EMARKETER research, revenue from online shopping is projected to hit $7.9 trillion by 2027, an astounding figure you may be eager to claim your share of. But in order to do so, you’ll need to adopt an essential tool of the trade: an e-commerce platform. This digital asset will equip you to build and customize a virtual store, manage your inventory, accept secure payments, and even keep tabs on your customer base. Here are four top options to consider, any of which could help you achieve your true earning potential.
Square Online
Square’s ubiquitous white and square-shaped card reader was once all the rage at farmers markets and food trucks aplenty. And while tap to pay has somewhat diminished in demand, the company’s e-commerce platform, known as Square Online, remains a common implement of numerous online shops. More than just a payment tool, it furnishes you with all you need to create a robust and immersive virtual store; thanks to its simple, intuitive customization options and helpful video tutorials, you can go live within minutes of initiating your plan.
The basic version of Square Online, requiring no monthly fee, boasts ample tools for easing store setup and management, including integrations with social media for making cross-platform sales, compatibility with Square’s point-of-service system for processing and tracking live transactions, and SEO tools that can attract more website traffic. However, be aware that despite the “free” label, the company will still claim 2.9 percent plus 30¢ on every transaction. Then again, this means that you only pay if you sell—an appealing perk for upstart ventures.
You can also upgrade to Plus mode for an additional $29 a month to utilize all the prior elements plus more customer-friendly ones, the ability to customize your site to your brand, and the option to set up patron loyalty programs. And if you enroll in the Premium plan for $79 monthly, you’ll unlock a slightly lower transaction fee at 2.6 percent and even more perks, the most noteworthy being 24/7 customer support for peace of mind as you craft and captain your new enterprise.
Ecwid by Lightspeed
Named for a shortened version of “e-commerce widget,” this service may be ideal for those who already have a successful brick-and-mortar, pop-up, or social media-based business due to how it allows you to embed your virtual store on an existing website and various social media pages. Popular examples of such integrations include Squarespace websites and Instagram, each of which you can manage from Ecwid’s centralized inventory platform. Additionally, you can optimize it for a mobile layout to welcome smartphone shoppers into your store.
Many clients have particularly enjoyed Ecwid’s organization features, including task reminders and product categorization, that ease the inventory process and allow them to focus on other store-management responsibilities. You can even review customer-behavior analytics and craft email campaigns to help foster repeat business. Do you wish to do more with your platform? Look to the site’s in-house coding and design services, which can assist you in optimizing your third-party integrations.
Begin with the Starter plan for only $5 a month (no transaction fees to be found) to build a basic store, or opt for one of the three higher tiers for advanced features. The Unlimited plan earns especially high marks since it allows users to create a multipage website with infinite product slots, SEO features like a blog, and more.
Wix eCommerce
This product offers robust and versatile solutions for simplifying online-business leadership, enabling business owners to sell effortlessly across multiple channels. You can accept transactions in person with a point-of-sale system, on a branded online store, via a mobile app, and through direct integrations with social media sites as well as on other popular online marketplaces. What’s more, this system eases management of all your operations, from payment processing and order fulfillment to shipment of goods and analytics review.
In addition, Wix eCommerce utilizes AI to present highly relevant products to browsing customers, craft segmented email campaigns, create custom social-media marketing programs to increase conversion rates, and more. In fact, the platform is so advanced that it guarantees 99.99 percent uptime and high-performance stability, even during peak sales times. Just as cutting-edge is its unparalleled drag-and-drop design editor, which will allow you to build a personalized storefront without writing a single line of code.
Merchants can also expand their businesses beyond selling products—such as by booking service consultations, hosting events, and managing customer memberships—all within Wix eCommerce’s comprehensive environment. Getting started is as simple as creating a free account and building your online store; however, once you launch it and begin taking payments, you will need to switch to one of the four paid options. Try the Business tier for $39 monthly, for instance, and you can enjoy enlarged storage space, additional collaborator possibilities, and much more.
Zoho Commerce
Billed as “a beginner’s playground and an expert’s home turf,” this service provides a broad range of benefits for just about any online seller. Its comprehensive software is designed to simplify setup—its website asserts that you can go live in just five steps—and it welcomes customization to your heart’s content. The generous standard features, like straightforward order tracking and inventory management, can elevate just about any e-commerce business, but the platform is also well regarded for its smooth integration with other products. Consider those within Zoho’s suite as well as Mailchimp’s marketing tools.
Yet even if you choose not to expand into these full perks, you can still enjoy numerous benefits through Zoho Commerce. Some standouts to note are price lists you can generate for your customers, template-swap tools that ease shop redesign, and product specifications that showcase enticing details (e.g., 100 percent cotton) to buyers.
To begin, book a personalized demo and fourteen-day free trial, after which you can select the proper plan for your business’s size, number of employees, budget, necessary tools, and more. Larger-scale enterprises can even hire Zoho Commerce to build a custom operation. The platform takes no transaction fees and its membership fees are competitive across the board, making this one of the most cost-effective e-commerce services out there.
TAKE ACTION:
Determine the goals and budget for your digital store, then consider which of these products may provide the benefits you need.