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Starting an online business can be a daunting task. In order to be successful in an online business, a lot of elements have to work simultaneously. One of the first things you need to take care of is picking the right eCommerce platform that is even easy for you to use and understand.
eCommerce platform is the base of every online business. You need to understand all the features of your selected eCommerce platform very well to be successful in selling online.
eCommerce platforms let you do much more than listing products online. They allow you to customize your store website in any way you want. So you can be creative in how you want to display and present your products.
Fortunately, you can get started selling online with basic computer knowledge. The eCommerce platforms available today make it ridiculously easy to launch an online store.
There are several “easy” eCommerce platforms you can choose from.
1. Wix
Wix is a website builder that allows you to build beautiful websites. Wix is first a website builder, and then an eCommerce platform. However, the ease of using Wix is the reason why it is the number one in this list.
What makes Wix ridiculously easy is its drag and drop feature. You can easily drag and drop text, images, contact forms, buttons, and more.
You can create a professional online store with Wix. Wix provides you with over 500 professional online store templates to help you get started.
You can customize your online store’s design and upload products to your store catalog. You can also choose your payment provider and accept payments in more than 40 currencies. Wix also lets you collect sales tax and set your shipping regions and rates.
Pricing
In order to use Wix’s eCommerce platform, you would have to sign up for Wix’s “eCommerce” plan. With this plan you can get access to the online store functionality. This plan costs $17/month if you sign up for 12 months.
You can also sign up for the “VIP” plan for $25/month for 12 months. This plan includes the online store functionality as well as some additional features such as VIP support and priority response.
2. Shopify
Shopify is without a doubt the king of eCommerce platforms. Shopify is solely focused on eCommerce. With Shopify, you can design and customize your store the way you want to using themes and apps.
Some of the most popular companies including Tesla Motors and Bulletproof have built their online stores using Shopify.
With Shopify, you can create your online store and list products. You can choose from a number of different payment providers. Shopify also provides top-notch customer support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
You can use apps such as Printful to start a print-on-demand business or Spocket and Oberlo to start a dropshipping business on Shopify.
Pricing
You can launch your online store with Shopify’s “Basic Shopify” plan. This plan has a monthly price of $29. With this plan, you get access to almost all the features you need as a small business.
There are other higher-priced plans as well for big and growing businesses. Keep in mind that you have to pay a transaction fee with any of the plans you choose.
3. Volusion
Volusion makes it really easy to open up an online store. Its drag-and-drop functionality, along with its responsive themes, allow you to customize your store to your liking.
Volusion offers powerful eCommerce features such as inventory management, unlimited product variations, loyalty programs, native order management system and various payment options.
Volusion also includes built-in SEO options to help you rank better with the search engines. You can also integrate your products from Volusion with online marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.
Volusion’s 24/7 customer support is excellent and is second to none.
Pricing
Volusion’s “Personal” plan should suffice your online business goals if you are just starting out. This plan costs $29/month and you can save 10% if you pay annually.
Higher-end plans come with additional features but also charge more. What’s great about all of Volusion’s plans is that Volusion doesn’t charge a transaction fee under any of the plans.
4. SquareSpace
SquareSpace originally started out as a website builder. Their goal was to enable users to design visually appealing websites. However, SquareSpace now is one of the best eCommerce platforms out there.
The first and foremost goal of SquareSpace still is to enable users to create premium-looking websites. Users don’t even have to struggle to create such beautiful websites, as they can use SquareSpace’s drag-and-drop functionality.
You get access to various tools you need to be successful in your online business venture such as inventory management, shipping calculator, coupons and various payment options.
SquareSpace provides in-built analytics. You can use this feature to know where people are coming from and what they are looking for in your store. They also provide great customer support.
Pricing
In order to use SquareSpace for your eCommerce needs, you would have to choose the “Business” plan that costs $18/month. Under this plan, you would have to pay 3% in transaction fees.
Other costlier plans include more features and do not include a transaction fee.
5. SiteBuilder
SiteBuilder, as the name may suggest, is first a website builder. You do have the option to add the eCommerce functionality to your website with SiteBuilder’s “eCommerce” plan.
It is very easy to create a website with SiteBuilder. You get access to hundreds of templates and you can further customize them using the drag-and-drop functionality.
SiteBuilder provides all the tools you need to be successful in your eCommerce business. They provide blogging tools, analytics tools, SEO support and unlimited bandwidth and storage space.
You also get access to priority support with the eCommerce plan. This means that you do not have to wait around and you can jump right in front of the support line. Keep in mind though that customer support is only available 7 AM– 5 PM (MST).
Pricing
The eCommerce option is only available with the highest-priced plan, the “eCommerce” plan. This plan costs $18 per month, but you can buy it for $7.20 per month for the first two years.
Which eCommerce Platform Should You Actually Choose?
As you can see, there are many options to choose from. Selecting the right eCommerce platform is essential for your online business.
It eventually comes down to factors such as features, customization posibliities, costs, ease of use, device adaptability and customer support. Take these factors into consideration and see what platform suits you the best.
No matter what platform you choose, what really matters is your dedication and your commitment to your online business venture.
Before you proceed with any of the eCommerce platforms mentioned above, make sure to read through this post to learn more about what you really need to be successful in selling on eCommerce platforms.
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