Our Picks for 6 Most Popular Ecommerce Platforms
Breaking into the world of ecommerce is no longer the uphill battle that it once was. Back in the day, you had to have a decent budget, a reliable IT worker who was experienced, inventory and merchandizing connections, a solid budget, a contract with a shipping carrier or related services provider and a long list of other elements in place.
But these days, much has changed. No longer do you need to worry about hiring a web designer or knowing the complex coding that’s necessary to design an attractive-looking online store. Nor will you have to fuss over what sales tax rate to charge, what shipping carrier to use, what software you will need to print shipping labels and invoices, how you will fulfill orders or even how you will manage the ecommerce returns that come in.
That’s because the following five ecommerce platforms we’re about to cover take care of all the heavy-lifting for you. You won’t require ninja web designer skills, nor will you have to have any sort of experience in ecommerce whatsoever. These platforms are so easy-to-use that just about anyone with passion, ambition and an idea can break into the ecommerce world and make their stake in the fastest growing industry in the world.
Shopify
A hosted solution, Shopify offers an easy to setup and use ecommerce platform that is responsive to the needs of its ever-growing user base. It offers secure payment gateways, hundreds of different premade templates that you can use and reliable customer support for newcomers.
What’s more, the Shopify App Store hosts countless integrations – some free of charge and others that are offered for a monthly fee – that can be integrated into the store for added functionality. The built-in SEO and social media features help users get their stores noticed faster. With customizable checkout options, it’s a fan favorite. Plans start at just $9 per month.
3dcart
3dcart is neck-in-neck with Shopify for its offerings. The features offered include many similar facets, too. You can build your own customized online store in just minutes, and you can customize the store as you see fit in just a few clicks of the mouse. They do not charge any transaction fees on sales, which means you can keep more of your money per transaction.
With around the clock technical support, you won’t ever be left scratching your head and wondering what you need to do next. The 3dcart App Store also hosts a wide array of integrations that can be added to your store for enhanced functionality, available as either complimentary add-ons or for a set monthly fee. Pricing starts at $9.99 per month.
WooCommerce
If you are looking to build an online store using a Word Press backend, WooCommerce is the most veritable choice that you can make. It’s used by as many people as the aforementioned two services, but it does require a designer’s touch to really make the most of your online store.
Unlike the other solutions that have been presented here, WooCommerce is software that you install to your website. Once installed, you can create as many new product listings as you see fit. With thousands of apps, called Woo Themes, that you can add to the shopping cart, the options are nearly limitless. No wonder 30% of ecommerce is powered by this solution. Pricing starts at $0 and increases as you add premium integrations and apps.
BigCommerce
Another hosted solution, BigCommerce is like a bigger, more integrated 3dcart or Shopify. New users can take advantage of unlimited bandwidth, dedicated hosting, unlimited storage and unlimited products, to name a few of the immediate perks. You can also utilize a number of built-in apps, and addable apps, like gift cards, reviews, social ratings and more free of charge.
The goal of BigCommerce is to help those who lack web designs kills get a gorgeous-looking online store up and running with minimal technical know-how. A growing list of integrations means that new features are being made available all of the time. Pricing starts at $29 per month.
Volusion
For more than 15 years, Volusion has been a mainstay staple in the ecommerce world. During this time, their customers have helped generate over $21 billion in online sales. One of the main attraction factors to this ecommerce platform is the fact that they do not charge any transaction fees on your sales, which means more money in your pocket after a hard day’s work.
Volusion features an easy-to-use ecommerce store designer that offers hundreds of templates to choose from, or you can wing it and create your very own design. With built-in social media and SEO features, you will have the marketing tools that you need to take your store to the next level, as well as a long list of apps that can add even more functionality. Add to this cadre unlimited support and resources, a fully hosted solution and built-in payment processing, and it’s hard to top this service, which starts at just $15/month with no hidden fees.
CS Cart
CS Cart is a very popular marketplace vendor tool that delivers a user-friendly experience with familiar drag and drop functionality and no coding required. It helps e-tailers create a cross-channel presence for their online store complete with more than 500 features and growing. With CS Cart, retailers are in full control of the customer experience, complete with reporting and tracking tools that help improve customer service.
This shopping cart comes with more than 1,000 add-ins and premade templates and 90-days of built-in, unlimited customer support. No wonder more than 35,000 online stores rely on it. And, naturally, why it rounds out our list of these top six ecommerce platforms.
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