A Comparison of the 10 Best E-Commerce Platforms for Small Businesses
If you're looking to get your business off the ground, an e-commerce platform is a must. As of the writing of this substack, there are 7.74 billion people in the world, and 2.14 billion are online shoppers!
Choosing an e-commerce platform can be overwhelming for new small businesses, though. There are many different types of platforms, and each one has its pros and cons. In this Substack, I'll review some of the best-known options so you can decide which one works best for your small business needs.
What are the benefits of using an e-commerce platform for a small business?
The benefits of using an e-commerce platform for your small business are many. You can:
✅ Save money on development costs by using a ready-made solution specifically designed to work with your business model and has all the features you need.
✅ Focus on running your business instead of building and maintaining a website, which can be very time-consuming for small businesses.
✅ Get help from experts who can customize the platform to fit your needs and ensure it's running smoothly every day.
Also, here are just a few more reasons why you should launch an e-commerce site for your small business:
It's easier than ever before: The barrier to entry for starting a business has never been lower, which means there are more people than ever trying their hand at making money online with an e-commerce store or other digital platform.
You can reach more customers: More people are going online every day than ever—and they're spending more time doing so. Your e-commerce store gives you access to a much larger audience than a local brick-and-mortar space.
And, the competition doesn't have to be scary! It only takes one great product, service, or idea to make it big on the Internet—and it's easier than ever to get started with minimal overhead costs (or none at all).
Comparing the 10 best E-commerce platforms for small businesses
Shopify
Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms for small businesses. It has a simple drag-and-drop interface, which makes it easy to use and allows you to focus on building your store instead of learning how to use the platform.
Shopify also has many features that can help you grow your business, such as SEO tools and mobile-friendly websites (which can increase sales).
Shopify's reputation as a platform means thousands of third-party developers make apps specifically for Shopify, giving you access to extensions that boost your store's capabilities even more. And with dozens of templates, starting up couldn't be easier.
WooCommerce
A widely-utilized e-commerce platform for small businesses is WooCommerce. It is a free and open-source plugin for WordPress, which means you can install it on your site or any other blogging platform that runs on WordPress (like Blogger, Squarespace, and WIX).
You can also code WooCommerce manually or piece something together using templates and extensions ranging from free to premium options.
The first thing you should remember when choosing a template is that there are two types of themes: Frontend (visual) themes and backend (functional) themes. Frontend themes affect your website's appearance, while backend ones determine how it works behind the scenes.
Extensions are also available for almost every aspect of your store, including payment gateways, shipping modules, and order management tools.
However, their quality varies greatly, so shop around before making your selection.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a cloud-based e-commerce platform that allows you to sell online, on social media, in person, and on mobile devices. I would only recommend using BigCommerce when you’re ready to scale your business.
BigCommerce also offers features like:
Inventory management
Social integrations
Advanced shipping options
Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce is an e-commerce platform that has been around since 2007 and quickly became one of the most beloved e-commerce platforms in the world. It offers users a variety of features, including:
A built-in marketplace for selling physical and digital products.
A wide range of themes to choose from, which can be customized to fit your brand's aesthetic and style.
Advanced search engine optimization capabilities, including product attributes and taxonomies.
Adobe Commerce is an excellent choice if you have large ambitions for your small business.
On the other hand, I don’t suggest this platform if you’re just starting out and want something inexpensive or straightforward.
Why?
Well, the platform has a steep learning curve takes significant time and resources invested into learning how it works.
Wix
Wix is a cloud-based website builder that allows you to create a website quickly and easily. It's best for small businesses with limited technical knowledge or without the resources or time to create a custom website.
Wix does not support e-commerce, but it offers an impressive range of apps and services that can help you sell products online through other channels like Google Shopping, Facebook Messenger, Instagram Stories, and more.
If you want to add e-commerce later (and don't mind paying), they have an app called Wix Shops that lets you build your store on any Wix site in minutes.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a great option for small businesses that are just starting. Squarespace is easy to use, yet it still has many advanced features. A Squarespace website also comes with a built-in blog, so you can easily update your customers on new products or events.
You can choose from the Basic Commerce plan at $26/month or the Advanced Commerce Plan at $40/month for advanced features like unlimited web hosting space, SSL encryption, and support from the company's customer service representatives.
Weebly
Weebly is a drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to create a professional-looking website without coding skills. It's great for small businesses who want to create a simple and professional website but don't have many features or integrations with other apps.
You can use Weebly's built-in e-commerce platform or build your own using third-party providers like Shopify or Squarespace.
Weebly's design editor is easy to use, but it doesn't offer as much control over the design as other platforms (for example, you can't change fonts).
Moreover, the site builder has templates for all kinds of pages—like blogs and galleries—that are free if you sign up for Weebly's free plan; if not, they cost $8 per month per template category (or $20 per month for all templates).
Ecwid
Ecwid offers a free plan, which is perfect for testing the system before investing in any of the paid plans. The platform has an intuitive interface and is easy to get started with, making it simple for even beginners to manage their store.
Ecwid also integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal, so you can accept credit card payments immediately without having to do extra work on your end.
If you're looking for an e-commerce solution that's highly customizable but still easy enough for novices who aren't tech savvy, Ecwid might be the perfect choice for your small business.
3dcart
3DCart is a long-running e-commerce platform with users across the globe. It's a good choice for small businesses looking to start an online store quickly, but it also has advanced features that let you run your business more efficiently.
3dcart has been around since 1994, when its founders created the software to sell products at trade shows.
Over time, though, they added features like inventory management and customer accounts so you could use 3dcart as a standalone business platform—and today, it's used by over 50,000 merchants worldwide.
Volusion 🛍️
Volusion is an e-commerce platform that allows you to build an online store, manage your inventory, and add a shopping cart. It offers multiple payment options, including PayPal and Stripe.
In addition, Volusion's built-in products include:
Shopping cart
Catalog
Catalog grid view
Cart page
Product page
Product details page (for each product)
What features should small businesses look for with e-commerce platforms?
With so many e-commerce platforms available, it can be overwhelming to choose one. Don’t over complicate it.
Here are some things you should look for:
Ease of use
Customer experience
Customer service and support
Security
Payment processing
Inventory management
Also, keep in mind what features are most important for your small business.
Do you need customization options or mobile friendliness?
What about marketing and analytics?
Once you choose a platform, check out my in-depth guide on how to launch a profitable e-commerce store from scratch.
Key takeaway
Remember, 63% of retail shoppers now start their buying journey online. If you're a small business, using e-commerce platforms to sell your products and services can increase profits substantially. Additionally, as more and more small businesses launch successful e-commerce stores, it’s evident that the sky's the limit regarding the potential of online sales.