If you’ve ever shopped online, you’re probably already familiar with ecommerce sites – and you’re far from alone. Shoppers around the world are now spending trillions online each year, which is good news if you’re thinking about starting your own ecommerce business – you and your potential customers are already familiar with online shopping.

So why is ecommerce so popular? The answer is simple: It’s convenient. You can buy a pair of jeans at two in the morning or order kibble for your dog from your desk at work. And you can do a quick search for promo codes, getting what you need at a discounted rate without ever driving to the store.

Online stores make it look easy. But behind all of that convenience is a hardworking ecommerce platform. These systems facilitate interactions between buyers and sellers and ensure transactions run smoothly and securely. Some platforms even help ecommerce business owners manage marketing campaigns. And with built-in analytics dashboards, entrepreneurs can see what products are trending and find out how much money they’re bringing in.

As you make a business plan for your new online store, you’ll need to determine which platform best meets your needs and budget. The following guide is here to help. Learn why using an ecommerce platform is important to the success of your operation and about some of the top services on the market.

Why should I use an ecommerce platform?

Ecommerce platforms don’t only streamline the customer experience – they make entrepreneurs’ lives easier and contribute to a business’s success. Here are a few key ways these platforms boost sales and take some of the administrative work off business owners’ plates

• Ecommerce sites help you reach more people: Traditional brick-and-mortar stores reach a local audience of shoppers, but online businesses can sell products to customers far and wide. This allows you, the store owner, to connect with buyers outside of your geographical area but within your target sector.

• Product searches begin online: Even a shopper wanting to check out a local boutique may start their search for more information online. If your store has an ecommerce page, you have a better chance of bringing in customers searching for a specific product online and those who start their search looking for something close to home but stumble across your site instead.

• Analytics provide hard-and-fast metrics: It’s one thing to feel like certain products are popular with customers or you’ve had a good month. It’s another thing to know. Ecommerce platforms aggregate data to help you make business decisions based on facts, not instincts.
• Manage your inventory easily: If your analytics show a spike in a particular product’s sales, it may be time to restock. You can take a quick spin around your virtual storeroom to see how inventory is doing and keep your distributor informed to make sure you can keep your hottest products stocked.

How to choose the best platform for your ecommerce website

When taking on new overhead fees for your business, you have to run a cost-benefit analysis. The ecommerce platform you choose should fit into your budget and make your operation run more smoothly. Here are a few factors to consider:

• Pricing: Popular ecommerce platforms offer a variety of pricing packages – they’re not one-size-fits-all. So as you consider costs, see which plans will offer the services you need at a price you can afford. If you have a small business, start with a basic ecommerce plan and work your way up as you add more products and features. Platforms also offer different payment methods: Some charge monthly, some yearly, and others just take a cut of your sales. Be sure you’re comfortable with the billing style before jumping in. Finally, check to see if the ecommerce platform you want to use charges transaction fees so you’re not surprised when your bill is bigger than expected.

• Ease of use: Ease of use is a key feature of most top ecommerce platforms, but it’s worth taking advantage of free trial offers so you can spend some time getting to know the tools yourself. What’s intuitive for one user might not be for another. Plus, every platform has different features, and some are more limited than others. While the simpler apps may be easy to use, they could actually complicate your life if they can’t keep up with what your ecommerce store is trying to do.

• Security features: Ecommerce platforms process personal and financial information like addresses and credit card data at checkout. Make sure the system you use offers encrypted payment gateways, authentication protocols, and SSL certificates to keep your customers’ information secure.

• Compatible integrations: Ensure the ecommerce platform you use integrates with any existing business tools you rely on. This includes your accounting software, external inventory system, marketing platforms and customer relationship management (CRM) tools.

The best ecommerce solutions on the market

Stick to well-known, trusted, proven ecommerce platforms, and you’ll create less work for yourself and rest easier at night knowing your transactions are secure and streamlined. Here are a few of the key store builders on the market:

Woocommerce

Woocommerce is an endlessly customizable open-source ecommerce platform that offers attractive free themes and makes it easy for you to sort products in logical ways. And they don’t put a limit on the number of products you can offer.

Shopify

Shopify is simple to use and offers a wide variety of plugins (compatible third-party apps) and aesthetically pleasing templates. You can also list unlimited products.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an all-in-one ecommerce software that includes web hosting, drag-and-drop design tools and inventory management. Plus, the company offers 24/7 customer support.

Sellfy

This platform is very user-friendly and will help you get your storefront up and running quickly.