Now you just need that e-commerce website to get your products online and you’re laughing.
But where do you start?
With so many options out there these days you’ll find yourself spoilt for choice, which isn’t always a bad thing.
However, you need to assess which of these platforms will meet your needs, which is why we’re here to help.
This article outlines the best e-commerce websites for your business in 2021.
Shopify:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve most likely heard of Shopify.
It’s one of the most popular e-commerce platforms out there, and for good reason.
Shopify is solely dedicated to e-commerce, so you won’t find people heading here to build a website unless they’re all about selling online.
The platform comes with heaps of built-in templates to get you started and offers lots of automated features such as abandoned cart emails.
Beware though, if you want your Shopify store to blend with your existing site design, you will most likely need to create a custom template that requires coding. This isn’t a concern if you’re starting your site from scratch of course.
Shopify offers a range of pricing plans starting at $29 a month, making it accessible for small business owners.
WooCommerce:
Already got a WordPress site? Then WooCommerce is for you.
It could be argued that e-commerce shops work better when built from scratch, i.e. you start your entire website, including the shop, from the bottom up.
But what if you’ve already got a website you love and simply want to add a shop to it?
Enter WooCommerce, one of the most popular options for sites run on WordPress.
The plugin integrates perfectly into your existing site, getting rid of the need for custom coding and other headaches trying to match your shop to your website design.
Best of all, WooCommerce is free for standard features on a WordPress site and, if you need more bells and whistles, it’s just $29 for additional extensions.
Squarespace:
So, you want an e-commerce shop that not only functions flawlessly but looks beautiful too?
Squarespace plans start at just $12 per month and are recommended for those of you who care about quality design and have a little bit of skill behind you too.
It offers stunning templates that come optimized for mobile which is a big plus.
However, be aware that their website builder isn’t the easiest to get to grips with, so it may take you a little more time if you’re not familiar with it.
If you’re a photographer, artist, or someone who simply places a lot of value on high-quality design with stunning images, then Squarespace should definitely be on your shortlist.
Wix:
If you’re after an e-commerce store, but also want a great looking website that serves other functions, such as hosting a blog, then Wix is a great option.
Keep in mind though that you won’t end up with a fully customizable site like you would if you paid a web developer to build the whole thing for you.
Many e-commerce platforms only offer a homepage, a contact page, and, at a push, an about page.
However, if you’re looking for a site where your shop is only part of the package, Wix has lots of templates and add-ons to let you do just that.
Their plans are free for 14 days then come in at $28 a month for a basic business plan.
BigCommerce :
As the name suggests, this platform is geared up for larger e-commerce stores that are already established and selling in large quantities.
BigCommerce has great integration offers and allows you to accept payments from Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, and Amazon among others, as well as letting you accept bank transfer or card payments.
Another brilliant perk is that BigCommerce makes it easy to list your products on other platforms like eBay, Amazon, and Facebook so customers aren’t limited to buying just from your site.
Of course, with a bigger platform comes more associated costs. If you’re happy with one of BigCommerce’s 12 free templates, then great; otherwise, you’ll be forking out between $150 and $300 for one in their theme marketplace.
BigCommerce starts at a surprisingly affordable $29.95 per month for their standard tier.
Weebly :
One of the biggest perks of Weebly is the fact you can get going for free, making it a great option if you’re just starting out.
The free plan lets you embed third party code, has an automatic tax calculator plus a ‘quick shop’ function to give customers a more streamlined journey.
Even their performance plan will only set you back $26 a month, though be aware this is billed annually.
Where Weebly falls down though is when it comes to big businesses who need more customisable options and multichannel features.
You won’t be able to edit your checkout page and it’s lacking some analytics tools which larger e-commerce stores may need.
The bottom line on e-commerce stores:
There are a good variety of e-commerce platforms on the market for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Hopefully this has outlined your options dependent on budget, business size and whether you already have an existing site.
However, it’s worth pointing out here that nothing compares to hiring a website developer to handle all this for you.
It may cost you more, but it’ll save you in time and headaches!
If you want to cut the middleman and have your e-commerce shop built for you, please get in touch.
Just email info@bybodigital.com
