The following numbers have probably been repeated in the business sphere, but they are worth mentioning again:
Only 1/3rd of businesses survive 10 years.
Let that sink in.
This means if 10 businesses have been started right now, only three of those will live up to 10 years. Half of all businesses survive only five years and 2/3rds survive only two years.
So, what’s the main problem?
Businesses aren’t able to grow, whether it’s in terms of sales, no. of customers, collaborations, revenue, strategy, etc. Consequently, a business that does not grow ceases to exist.
Now, determining what’s not working is not always very straightforward. However, by paying attention to customers’ feedback and where customers are dropping off on their customer journey, you can gain valuable insight and make amends.
If with an e-commerce business, you have wondered how to grow a business online, then there is one crucial roadblock you might be overlooking. The e-commerce platform for your shop might be causing all the trouble. It might be repelling customers instead of attracting them. If you suspect or have found that this is the case, then it might be time to switch to one of the following 6 e-commerce platforms.
1. Shopify
Hands down, Shopify is the winner of the e-commerce platform crown. It is both feature-rich and flexible while allowing you to customize the design as you wish.
Have a variety of things to sell? Shopify allows you to sell everything from digital products to physical products and downloads as well as services. You can even do drop shipping if it is part of your business!
Other pros include:
- Super easy set-up (can do it over the weekend)
- Fastest load time
- Great design
- Multiple add-ons
There are a few cons as well. For example:
- Checkout is not customizable
- Weak SEO
- Apps can become costly
If you are okay with the above cons (which, truthfully, each platform will have depending on your unique needs), then Shopify’s got you on all ends!
Here are some stores that have been set up on Shopify:
Pricing: An affordable $29/month or $9/month. If you go for the latter plan, then you won’t have an online storefront but will be able to sell through social media and other channels. There is a separate option called ShopifyPlus for enterprises.
2. BigCommerce
Often mentioned in the same breath as Shopify, BigCommerce shares a lot of similarities with the winner e-commerce platform.
For once, it’s as easy to set up as Shopify. The dashboard is clean and intuitive which means you can set up your shop within minutes.
Here are other benefits that BigCommerce offers:
- Strong SEO performance
- Great for multi-channel selling
- Easy to migrate your store and import products
- Email marketing to encourage return visits
- Multiple payment options
- Multiple APIs which enhance flexibility and scalability
Drawbacks include:
- High volume stores pay more
- No 1-click selling
- Inconsistent loading performance
Example of BigCommerce stores:
Pricing: BigCommerce plans range between $29.95 and $249.95. Themes cost between $145 and $235. There is a separate option for enterprises.
3. Squarespace
When Squarespace began, it was primarily a website builder platform where people could come and build elegant websites. With the recent demand and shift in trends, however, Squarespace has transitioned to being a full-fledged e-commerce platform.
Here are its pros:
- An intuitive and user-friendly UI that’s perfect for first-time shop setters
- Elegant, beautiful, and polished templates that make your store look visually appealing
- Ideal for stores that require high-quality imagery
- Great customer service
- Mobile responsive design
The cons are:
- Somewhat restricted in features
- Limited payment options (only PayPal and ApplePay)
- Limited ability to customize website through code and markup
- Limited e-commerce integrations
Examples of Squarespace stores:
Examples of Squarespace Templates:
Pricing: $26/month
4. Volusion
Volusion has been around since 1999. Here are the main features that are offered on its platform:
- Great customer support
- Great 24/7 customer support
- Newsletters
- Recurring payments included
- Responsive themes that can be customized
The setup is also easy and intuitive and it is very easy to add new products. There are a couple of cons to watch out for:
- Slow load times
- No cross-selling/up-selling
- Many sites look outdated
- You have to pay for extra SSL
- No blogging capabilities which is a minus because of the stress on content marketing
Example of a Volusion Store:
Pricing: $29-$299 per month. Each plan comes with a specific bandwidth that is exhausted pretty quickly. After that, you have to pay $7/month. There are also transaction fees during payment processes. Premium themes cost $180 whereas SSL certificates cost between $145 and $995.
Now that we have covered the four top eCommerce platforms, let’s dig into how to choose one that’s right for your company.
5. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is different from the above-listed e-commerce platforms, as it is a WordPress plugin. It is suitable for specific businesses as it is a bit tricky to use. Generally, it is recommended for small businesses because you must have extensive coding knowledge to cater to the needs of a broader audience.
The X-factor that makes WooCommerce more preferable is its large range of analytic tools, which aid in measuring the sales precisely.
Other Pros include:
- It is an open-source platform, which means you can use it for free.
- Timely and free updates.
- Customizable with an array of themes.
- Modification of a website is possible as you can download extra plugins.
There are a few cons, as well. For example:
- Sufficient tools are not available, which means you can struggle while doing SEO.
- In-depth knowledge of WordPress is required to make use of WooCommerce efficiently.
Pricing: As we have already said, WooCommerce is free of cost. But you have to bear the cost with regards to a domain name and a hosting service. Such cost oscillates within a specific price range.
6. OpenCart
If you are starting an ecommerce business, you must want things to go smooth. You can secure this with OpenCart, an open-source ecommerce platform that is free to use. All you need to do is access the website for software installation.
The X-factor of OpenCart is its setup cost, which small businesses can easily pay without having any second thoughts.
Other pros include:
- Coding knowledge is not required as it is easy to install.
- Free to use.
- User-friendly interface.
- Fast setup process.
Cons:
- Additional plugins (paid) are required for better performance.
- Very few customization options are available.
Pricing: As we have already said, OpenCart is free to use. But you have to pay for add-ons that average around $20-100.
How to choose the right platform for your business?
Before deciding on the final platform, consider these factors:
- Pricing
- Ease of use
- Customer support
- Marketing
- Level of control you want over the development
- Commerce options
- Customization and features
If you are wondering how to grow a business online or how to start an eCommerce business, then the above-listed e-commerce platforms will help you in the same. You might not find the perfect platform, but you will find one that aligns with your goals and needs. It will aid your growth efforts by helping you to set up an online store.
Along with having an eCommerce platform, it is essential to focus on other aspects as well – most importantly how you plan on increasing customer satisfaction. There are many ways to do so, but the best and most popular way is to adopt a help desk software for small business.
What is a Help Desk Software for Business?
Help desk software for small business provides your users with a quick interface to log their complaints and issues.
ProProfs Help Desk, Zoho Desk, and JitBit Helpdesk are some of the most popular help desk software for small business. A good helpdesk system should be able to provide multi-channel support, easy and flexible ticket management, and advanced reporting and analytics support. Further, such systems suit the needs of small businesses as well as scale up the support as the business grows.
Starting an eCommerce Business? Choose the Right Tools!
From the inception of an online venture to well into its execution, a plethora of factors affect its success rate. Among these factors, choosing the right tools and software is arguably the most impactful factor, both in the short-term and long-term. However, choosing the right help desk software for small business depends highly on a comprehensive understanding of your business’s needs and future prospects. While choosing an eCommerce platform or a help desk software for business, you should mostly focus on how best each option matches your business’s needs.
We have talked about the top 6 e-commerce platforms in this write-up and listed their pros and cons, which you can use to improve your online business growth. Although each platform has its own share of advantages and disadvantages, but you can certainly narrow down on one for your business.
The most ideal way of deciding on that one e-commerce platform to grow your one business is to shortlist your precise business requirements. An pre-planned and well-outlines requirement ensures that the final decision will be goal-oriented and result-driven.
* This article was originally published here
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