eCommerce Roundup
Episode #10 of the course Guide to choosing an eCommerce platform by Adam Bastock
Phew! You’ve made it through this non-stop ride of eCommerce platforms.
Hopefully by now you’ve gained an understanding of what each platform can offer your business, and you may have even made a decision on where to go next.
In this final email, I want to do a quick recap of each platform and what it offers in just a few words, with links to find out more information.
1. WordPress/WooCommerce – Free to use, potential headaches, full control
2. Shopify – Easy to use, safe and stable, potentially costly
3. Magento – Powerful, expensive, enterprise
4. Prestashop – Free but time-intensive, professional, flexible
5. SquareSpace – Visually impressive, limited, easy to launch
6. OpenCart – Large product range, low cost, technical
7. eBay – Connect to existing store, MVP, low barrier to entry
8. Etsy – Handmade, personal, audience with purchase intent
Useful Sites/Further Reading:
• Themeforest – Excellent resource for buying digital assets like themes for a wide range of platforms
• Baymard Institute – In-depth analysis and benchmarks on eCommerce stores and their usability
• Econsultancy – Quality resource for digital industry
Conclusion
If you are in doubt about which platform is right for you, I highly recommend getting started with a free platform to begin with, such as eBay (or perhaps WooCommerce if you have technical knowledge). This can often provide a period of “polishing” time for your business, generating feedback on your products before you invest too much cash into a store.
When you are ready to move on to starting your own site, Shopify provides the best all-around experience for relatively stress-free selling early on. While it is a paid solution, the ease of use means you can focus on the business side of your store instead of getting bogged down in technical issues.
By focusing on your product and your marketing, you have a much higher chance of a successful store. Once it’s built, you can look to move to a lower-cost solution to save on processing fees, safe in the knowledge that you’ve built a profitable business.
Perhaps the most important thing to bear in mind, though, is to view everything from your customers’ eyes, no matter what platform you use! It is all too easy to become consumed by the passion of managing the store and forget the real reason you’re here—to sell.
That’s it! Best of luck with your online business!
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