Key Considerations for Choosing the Right Ecommerce Platform (Part 2)

Questions to ask yourself when choosing an ecommerce platform

For a smoother decision-making process for finding the best ecommerce platform, you should ask yourself and your company the following questions:

What is your trade about?Detail which industry your company belongs to by the products or services you own. This is the basis for other decisions you make in the ecommerce development process.
Who are your customers and competitors?Understanding customer needs and competitor strategies can eliminate potential mistakes when launching a website.
What is your investment budget?Budget framing is crucial in choosing a website, as the right platform for you is instantly screened. Answering this question will help you control and track all your spending on each feature or extension.
What is your expected time frame for website implementation?Your time frame should also relate to your budget and platform, as not all websites have the same process when it comes to setting up your online store. Some may still have deep coding, while others already have built-in functionality.
Do you have a digital marketing agency or an in-house marketing team?If you have a digital marketing agency, they can help you choose the best platform for your SEO strategy.
What marketing strategies are you planning to use?Is your goal to have built-in marketing tools such as newsletters, daily deals, abandoned cart emails, social media marketing or rewards programs?
Which payment methods are easiest for you to use?Not all websites offer extensions to digital wallet solutions, but this is a factor that cannot be sacrificed. Make sure your desired payment method matches what's available on the platform.
What features does your business need to provide the best user experience?You want to provide a unique user experience that reflects your brand, so listing every design feature you need can help you customize your web design effectively.

Available eCommerce Platforms

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is one of the most popular choices in the e-commerce community because it caters to both large and small businesses. It is an open source platform built on WordPress that allows you to customize your website by installing extensions.

Implementation cost:WooCommerce is free to install and use, but requires payment for additional extensions. You can start a fully functional store with a domain name and hosting plan for about $135 per year. Larger sites can cost $1,000 per year.
Number of features:You can customize your website with the unlimited extensions they have. The platform is mobile-friendly and has free themes and catalog templates.
Customer Service Features:To provide fast customer support directly from your website, you can use WooCommerce Customer Support, a plugin that allows chat for guests and subscribed users.
Payment options:You can add payment extensions from various payment gateways including PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Amazon Pay. They also have plugins that allow you to accept credit cards, checks, cash on delivery, and bank transfers.
Safety:Since it's a self-hosted platform, the security of your e-commerce is largely up to you. However, if you want to have a wider security system, you can still add security plugins for WordPress and WooCommerce.
SEO Notes:WooCommerce is SEO friendly because it is coded using WordPress. WordPress allows you to change body content, meta descriptions, URLs, and other page elements required for SEO. You can also use a large number of SEO plugins available in WooCommerce.

Data Driven Analysis:The platform has its own built-in analytical tools, including reporting and data analysis. It has a customizable dashboard to monitor key site metrics.

Web Design Personalization:WooCommerce has free and premium themes. Not only can you download WordPress plugins on your website, but you can also download WordPress plugins in offsite theme stores.
Mobile friendliness:You can use plugins to optimize your WooCommerce site for mobile devices.

Shopify

Shopify is best for startups, hobbyists, and entry-level brands because it offers pricing in different editions to suit different business needs.

Implementation cost:Shopify has different pricing plans, each with specific plan features that you can try out for 14 days.
The basic Shopify plan costs $29 per month and includes an e-commerce website and blog, unlimited products, sales channels, and 24/7 support.
The Shopify plan costs $79 per month for growing companies selling online.
The Premium Shopify plan costs $299 per month for larger businesses that need advanced reporting.

Number of features:Shopify has customizable templates, themes, and integrations. With over 2,500 apps in use by Shopify, you can easily integrate your store with other online platforms.
Customer Service Features: The platform offers 24/7 customer support via online help center, email, live chat, and phone.
Payment Method:Shopify has a variety of payment options to choose from that can help you close deals with your customers in no time. From PayPal, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, cryptocurrencies to Shopify Payments, you can easily generate sales.
Safety. Shopify has SSL certificates that increase the security and trust of every store, but you can also use third-party tools to add security features. The platform's integrated encryption between browser and server is one of the key security features it offers.
SEO note: All Shopify sites are SEO friendly and allow for content optimization. The title tag with your company name is automatically generated. You can edit URLs for web pages, products, and blogs.
Data Driven Analysis:With Shopify Analytics, you can view site visitor insights, analyze site speed, and get inventory reports. Most analytics tools, including overview dashboards, financial reports, and product analytics, are available on any Shopify plan.
Web Design Personalization:You have complete control over the design and feel of your website. Because Shopify makes it easy for anyone to set up a website, you don't need technical expertise in web design.
Mobile friendliness:Shopify uses HTML 5 – allowing shoppers to access your store on any device.

Which ecommerce platform should I choose?

The biggest challenge in choosing an ecommerce platform is dealing with the limitations of each platform. Some platforms may offer cheap plans with limited functionality and may also require additional plugins and extension costs, while some platforms with full functionality may be costly to your business.

Make sure you weigh your priorities - maybe features or price, research each platform, and choose what suits your requirements.

Key Takeaways

An e-commerce platform should simplify your web development process to generate online traffic, centralize your business operations, and personalize your transactions.

But if the platform you choose doesn't allow you to work in an agile way, you'll miss out on sales and make futile investments. So be sure to keep these things in mind when choosing the right platform for you.

Identify and detail your ecommerce goals before deciding on a platform. If you know your customers, your flexible payment options, security needs, and marketing plans, then you're ready to launch your e-commerce site. Listing these details can guide you in choosing the right platform.
Look for a customizable platform to centralize your operations. You are your own business and having the same themes and features as other companies may reduce brand awareness. Choose a platform that doesn't limit personalization, making room for your business to expand.
Weigh the strengths and limitations of each available platform. Each ecommerce provider has its own strengths and weaknesses, so researching them and adjusting to their limitations will help you.

So, what's your process for choosing an ecommerce platform?