Choose an E-commerce Platform
Are you a business looking for the best platform to sell online and scale your sales? There is a lot to consider when building a webshop, and the market can feel overwhelming. Here is our view of the market, what to pay attention to, and why we believe Shopify is the best choice in most cases.
What is an e-commerce platform?
If you have products you want to sell and you want to build a webshop, the next step is to find an e-commerce platform to build your online store. An e-commerce platform is the software from which you set up and manage everything related to your webshop. There are many different solutions with different offerings and setups. Some require significant technical knowledge and separate software solutions, while others are more complete packages that include everything from the website builder and the product catalog system to payment handling and order management.
The three different types of e-commerce platforms
There are three main types of e-commerce platforms to be aware of:
Open source
SaaS (software as a service)
Headless commerce
Open source, for larger businesses that need a fully tailored solution
Open source platforms let you control and customize everything exactly the way you want. This solution does, however, require a lot of technical knowledge. Open source e-commerce platforms are therefore a good choice for technology-heavy businesses with in-house DevOps teams, since they can easily be adapted to their needs. They may not be the best option for small and medium-sized businesses or for companies without a development team, as they are very expensive to develop and maintain.
SaaS (software as a service), the easiest and cheapest way to get started
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) e-commerce platforms offer the easiest and cheapest complete webshop solutions. SaaS solutions are usually subscription-based and include the full package to get started, store hosting, a web builder, and they are easy to use for non-technical users. They come with many templates that are easy to customize, but they are still limited if you want a fully tailored design.
Headless, the flexible middle ground
A headless e-commerce platform separates the store's front-end design layer from the back-end storage and management of product information. This allows brands to create a fully tailored user experience while delivering the same content to any device. This approach gives brands many potential benefits, including faster load times, cost savings and a fully customized design. Headless commerce is becoming an increasingly popular choice for many businesses, as it lets you use excellent Content Management Systems while customizing your website exactly the way you want. A headless setup also has many advantages when it comes to performance, where brands experience high website speed and an increased conversion rate.
Things you should consider before choosing an e-commerce platform
When you start an e-commerce business, choosing the right platform is one of the most important decisions you will make. Here are some key things you should consider when choosing an e-commerce platform:
Price: Most e-commerce platforms charge a monthly subscription fee and/or a transaction fee. Some are cheaper than others, but the cheapest one can end up costing more in developer time that could have been avoided on another platform.
Complexity: Do you need a fully tailored store with your own design and complex visual features, or can your needs be covered by one of the thousands of ready-made templates that already exist?
Payment options: It is important to make sure that the platform you choose supports the payment options you want to offer, such as PayPal, credit cards and Apple Pay.
Mobile optimization: Many e-commerce customers prefer to shop on their mobile devices, so it is important to make sure that the platform you choose is optimized for mobile.
SEO: You will want a platform that gives you the tools and flexibility to rank well in search engines and drive organic traffic to your store.