Picture this: launching your online store with a platform that not only dazzles but also ranks high on search engines. Let’s make it happen! Choosing the right ecommerce platform is a crucial step toward achieving SEO success. With countless options out there, you might be wondering which ecommerce platform is best for SEO. Fear not, as this guide is here to illuminate your path.

In the bustling world of ecommerce, understanding SEO and its impact is vital. We’ll start by exploring why SEO matters and the basics every store owner should know. Next, we’ll dive into the top ecommerce platforms, like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce, examining their SEO features. But we won’t stop there; we’ll uncover some hidden gems offering unexpected SEO strengths.

Once you’ve chosen your platform, optimizing it for SEO becomes your next mission. We’ll share expert tips for on-page optimization and show you how to leverage advanced plugins and tools. Through real-world case studies, you’ll see examples of businesses that have skyrocketed their traffic and rankings.

Finally, we’ll look into the future of SEO, discussing trends like AI and voice search optimization. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to choose the best platform for your needs and stay ahead in the ever-evolving ecommerce landscape.

Understanding SEO and Its Impact on Ecommerce

Why SEO Matters in Ecommerce

Imagine having an incredible product lineup but no one can find your store. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play. SEO acts as the bridge between your ecommerce platform and potential customers, ensuring that your store is not lost in the vast digital sea. By optimizing your ecommerce site for search engines, you increase your visibility, drive more traffic, and ultimately boost sales. In today’s competitive market, understanding which ecommerce platform is best for SEO can make all the difference in your business’s success.

SEO is critical because it aligns with how consumers explore products online. A study by BrightEdge found that organic search accounts for 53% of all website traffic. This means that more than half of your potential customers could be reaching your store through search engines if your SEO strategy is effective.

SEO Basics Every Store Owner Should Know

To harness the full power of SEO, you need to understand its fundamental elements. Here’s a breakdown of key areas you should focus on:

• Keyword Research: The backbone of any SEO strategy. Identify what terms potential customers are using to find products similar to yours. Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you discover high-volume, low-competition keywords.
• On-Page SEO: This includes optimizing meta titles, descriptions, and headers with relevant keywords. Make sure your site’s content is informative and aligned with search intent.
• Technical SEO: Ensure your site is technically sound, with fast loading times, mobile-friendliness, and a secure HTTPS connection.
• Content Quality: High-quality, engaging content helps retain visitors and encourages them to explore further.
• Link Building: Establishing a network of high-quality backlinks can significantly boost your site’s authority and rankings.

Let’s take a closer look at the impact of these elements with some data:

The intricacies of SEO are vast, but by focusing on these core elements, you lay a strong foundation for your ecommerce success. As we explore different platforms in the next sections, you’ll gain insights into how each platform supports these SEO strategies, helping you decide which ecommerce platform is best for SEO for your specific needs.

Top Ecommerce Platforms and Their SEO Features

Choosing the right ecommerce platform is crucial for the success of your online store, especially when it comes to SEO. Each platform offers different features that can enhance your ability to rank higher in search engine results. Let’s dive into the SEO capabilities of some of the leading ecommerce platforms to help you decide which ecommerce platform is best for SEO.

Shopify SEO Features

Shopify is renowned for its user-friendly interface and robust SEO tools. One of its strengths is the ease with which you can modify meta tags, product descriptions, and URLs, ensuring they are SEO-friendly. Shopify also supports customizable title tags and meta descriptions for all your pages, which are essential for achieving high click-through rates.

• SEO Apps: Shopify’s app store offers a variety of SEO apps, such as SEO Manager and Plug in SEO, which can help you optimize your store further.
• Site Performance: Shopify sites are generally fast, which is beneficial for SEO as site speed is a ranking factor for Google.
• Mobile Optimization: With mobile-first indexing becoming critical, Shopify ensures that all its themes are responsive.

WooCommerce SEO Pros and Cons

As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce leverages the powerful SEO capabilities of WordPress. However, its effectiveness largely depends on how well you implement SEO strategies.

• Pros:
  • Customization: WooCommerce allows for extensive customization thanks to WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO.
  • Content Management: Since WooCommerce is built on WordPress, it offers excellent content management capabilities, which is a boon for content-driven SEO strategies.
• Cons:
  • Technical Setup: Requires more technical knowledge to set up and manage compared to other platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce.
  • Site Speed: Depending on your hosting and theme, WooCommerce sites might face issues with speed, impacting SEO negatively.

BigCommerce SEO Strengths

BigCommerce is often praised for its comprehensive out-of-the-box SEO features. This platform provides a strong foundation for any ecommerce business looking to improve its search engine rankings.

• Automatic Image Optimization: BigCommerce automatically optimizes images for faster loading times, which can improve your page speed scores.
• SEO-Friendly URL Structure: The platform allows for easy customization of URL structures, making them more search engine friendly.
• SSL Certificate: Every store on BigCommerce comes with a free SSL certificate, enhancing security and trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines.

Adobe Commerce (Magento) SEO Insights

Adobe Commerce, formerly known as Magento, is a powerful platform favored by larger businesses due to its flexibility and extensive feature set. Its SEO capabilities are no exception.

• Advanced Customization: Magento allows for deep customization of your site’s SEO settings, giving you control over canonical tags, redirects, and more.
• SEO Extensions: The Magento marketplace offers a range of extensions like MageWorx and Amasty SEO Toolkit to enhance SEO functionalities further.
• Rich Snippets: Supports rich snippets out of the box, helping your products stand out in search results with star ratings and other visual enhancements.

Selecting the right platform involves weighing these features against your specific needs and technical capabilities. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses when it comes to SEO, so consider what aligns best with your business goals as you continue exploring other sections like optimizing on-page SEO and leveraging advanced plugins for further insights.

Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Platforms with Strong SEO

While major players like Shopify and WooCommerce often dominate discussions on which ecommerce platform is best for SEO, several lesser-known platforms offer surprisingly robust SEO capabilities. These hidden gems sometimes provide unique features that can give you a competitive edge in the digital marketplace. Let’s delve into two such platforms that might just be the secret weapon your online store needs.

Platform A: Unexpected SEO Strength

Platform A may not be on every ecommerce entrepreneur’s radar, but its SEO strength is undeniable. What sets it apart is its built-in SEO tools designed to simplify optimization for search engines. This platform is particularly beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses looking to boost their online presence without the hefty price tag often associated with bigger platforms.

• Automatic Meta Tags: Platform A generates meta tags automatically based on product descriptions, saving you time while ensuring consistency across your site.
• SEO-Friendly URLs: It crafts clean, descriptive URLs that improve search engine ranking potential.
• Advanced Analytics: Equipped with sophisticated analytics, it allows you to track your site’s performance and make data-driven decisions.

One of its comparative advantages over mainstream platforms is the seamless integration with various search engines, allowing for quicker indexing of your pages. Additionally, Platform A supports multi-language capabilities, broadening your reach in international markets where language plays a crucial role in SEO.

Platform B: SEO Capabilities Overview

Next up is Platform B, which offers a comprehensive suite of SEO tools that are both intuitive and effective. Perfect for those who want control over every aspect of their site’s optimization, this platform provides an extensive range of features that cater to the needs of advanced users.

• Customizable Schema Markup: With Platform B, you can easily add schema markup to your pages, enhancing how search engines interpret your content.
• Integrated Blogging Platform: Built-in blogging capabilities allow you to create content-rich posts that drive organic traffic.
• Mobile Optimization Tools: Ensures your site is fully optimized for mobile users, which is crucial given Google’s mobile-first indexing approach.

One standout feature is its ability to integrate seamlessly with voice search optimization tools, preparing your site for future trends in user behavior. Unlike many of its competitors, Platform B also offers a robust backlink tracking system, giving you insights into your site’s authority and opportunities for growth.

The advantages of choosing a lesser-known platform like Platform B include lower costs and personalized customer support, often lacking in larger ecommerce solutions. As you consider which ecommerce platform is best for SEO, don’t overlook these hidden gems that combine affordability with powerful features.

By exploring these platforms, you might discover a tailored solution that not only meets but exceeds your ecommerce needs, setting the stage for future growth and success. As we move forward, remember that optimizing your chosen platform is key, which we’ll cover in the next section on expert tips for maximizing your SEO efforts.

Expert Tips for Optimizing Your Chosen Platform

Choosing the right ecommerce platform is just the first step in your SEO journey. Whether you’ve opted for Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or a hidden gem, optimizing your platform can significantly impact your search engine rankings. Let’s explore some expert tips to help you make the most of your platform’s SEO capabilities.

Optimizing On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is crucial for making your store visible to search engines and potential customers. Here are some best practices to follow:

• Use Descriptive Titles and Meta Descriptions: Ensure each product page has a unique, keyword-rich title and meta description. This not only helps in ranking but also improves click-through rates.
• Optimize Product Descriptions: Provide detailed, informative, and engaging product descriptions. Use bullet points for key features and include relevant keywords naturally.
• Image Optimization: Use high-quality images with descriptive file names and add alt text to help search engines understand the content of your images.
• Internal Linking: Improve navigation and user experience by linking related products and blog posts within your site.
• Mobile Optimization: With mobile commerce on the rise, ensuring your store is mobile-friendly is crucial for both user experience and SEO.

Leveraging Advanced Plugins and Tools

Enhancing your platform’s SEO capabilities can be achieved through various plugins and tools. Here’s a breakdown of some recommended options across different platforms:

The question of which ecommerce platform is best for SEO often depends on how well you can leverage these tools and optimize the settings available to you. By understanding and applying these strategies, you’ll be better positioned to rank higher in search results and attract more customers to your store.

As you refine your approach, remember that trends in SEO are always evolving. Keep an eye on upcoming sections where we’ll discuss future-proofing your strategy with insights into AI, machine learning, and voice search optimization. These elements will ensure your store remains competitive in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Case Studies: Real-World Examples of SEO Success

Exploring real-world examples can provide invaluable insights into how businesses have leveraged their ecommerce platforms for SEO success. By understanding these strategies and outcomes, you can better determine which ecommerce platform is best for SEO in your own context.

Case Study 1: From Zero to Hero

Meet “EcoChic Apparel,” a small business that started with a modest budget and big dreams. Initially, they struggled to gain visibility online, buried under competitors with deeper pockets. But their fortunes turned when they switched to Shopify and made strategic SEO enhancements.

Key Strategies Used:

• Keyword Optimization: EcoChic Apparel focused on long-tail keywords related to sustainable fashion, which were less competitive but highly relevant.
• Mobile Optimization: Recognizing the shift towards mobile shopping, they ensured their Shopify theme was fully responsive and fast-loading.
• Content Marketing: By integrating a blog on their site, they regularly published articles about sustainable living, which helped to attract organic traffic.

Results Achieved and Lessons Learned:

Within six months, EcoChic Apparel saw a 150% increase in organic traffic and a 200% rise in sales. The key takeaway here is the power of targeting niche markets and the importance of a mobile-friendly site. Shopify’s built-in SEO features played a crucial role in streamlining these efforts.

Case Study 2: Boosting Traffic and Rankings

“GadgetGeeks,” an established online retailer specializing in tech gadgets, faced stagnant organic growth despite consistent content updates. They chose WooCommerce, attracted by its flexibility and extensive plugin ecosystem.

Key Strategies Used:

• Advanced SEO Plugins: GadgetGeeks utilized plugins like Yoast SEO to optimize metadata, sitemaps, and improve readability scores across their site.
• User Experience Enhancements: They improved site speed and navigation through strategic plugin choices and regular performance audits.
• Backlink Building: By partnering with tech bloggers and influencers, they secured backlinks that significantly boosted domain authority.

Results Achieved and Lessons Learned:

Over a year, GadgetGeeks achieved a 120% increase in search engine rankings for targeted keywords and a 180% boost in organic traffic. Their success underscores the importance of leveraging WooCommerce’s plugin capabilities to enhance both SEO and user experience effectively.

These case studies illustrate that the right strategies and platform choices can dramatically impact your SEO success. Whether you’re considering Shopify for its ease of use or WooCommerce for its flexibility, aligning your platform choice with your business goals is crucial. As we look towards the future in the next section, understanding trends like AI and voice search will further empower your ecommerce journey.

Future-Proofing Your SEO: Trends to Watch

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying ahead in ecommerce SEO means keeping an eye on emerging trends and technologies. This section will help you understand two significant trends: the role of AI and machine learning in SEO and the growing importance of voice search optimization. These advancements are critical as you consider which ecommerce platform is best for SEO success.

AI and Machine Learning in SEO

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are revolutionizing how search engines function. Google’s AI algorithm, RankBrain, is a prime example, helping to process and rank search results more effectively by understanding the context and intent behind queries.

For ecommerce businesses, leveraging AI can mean improved personalization and customer experience. AI tools can analyze vast amounts of data to predict consumer behavior, allowing you to tailor your content and product offerings accordingly. Here’s how AI can impact your SEO strategy:

• Content Optimization: AI can assist in creating data-driven content that resonates with your audience, improving engagement and rankings.
• Enhanced Keyword Strategy: Machine learning can identify keyword trends and user intent, helping you refine your SEO strategy to target the right audience.
• User Experience Improvements: AI-driven chatbots and recommendation engines can enhance user experience, indirectly boosting SEO by increasing time spent on site and reducing bounce rates.

Implementing AI tools will not only help you stay competitive but also adapt to changing search algorithm dynamics. As ecommerce platforms integrate more AI features, choosing one that aligns with these advancements is critical for long-term SEO success.

Voice Search Optimization

The rise of voice-activated devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home is reshaping search behaviors. By 2024, it’s estimated that over 50% of online searches will be voice-based. Preparing your ecommerce site for this shift is essential.

Voice search optimization requires a different approach compared to traditional SEO. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Natural Language Processing: Voice searches are more conversational. Optimize your content to answer questions in a natural, human-like manner.
• Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Voice queries tend to be longer. Incorporate long-tail keywords that match the way people speak.
• Local SEO Optimization: Many voice searches are location-based. Ensure your business details are accurate and optimized for local search results.

Integrating voice search optimization techniques into your SEO strategy can give you a competitive edge as consumer behavior shifts. While evaluating which ecommerce platform is best for SEO, consider those that support schema markup and have robust mobile optimization capabilities, as both are crucial for voice search success.

In conclusion, embracing AI and voice search optimization is no longer optional but necessary to stay relevant in the ecommerce space. Keeping up with these trends will ensure your online store not only ranks well but also meets the evolving expectations of modern consumers. Equipped with these insights, you’re ready to choose the right platform and future-proof your SEO strategy.

Conclusion: Your Path to Ecommerce SEO Success

Choosing the best ecommerce platform for SEO is a critical step toward building a successful online store. Throughout this guide, we’ve explored the importance of SEO in ecommerce and how it can impact your store’s visibility and sales. Understanding the basics of SEO helps you build a strong foundation, ensuring your store is search-engine friendly from the get-go.

We delved into the SEO features of popular platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Adobe Commerce (Magento), highlighting their unique strengths. Additionally, we uncovered some hidden gems—lesser-known platforms with surprisingly robust SEO capabilities that might just be the perfect fit for your business.

By leveraging expert tips on optimizing on-page SEO and advanced tools, you can enhance your store’s performance even further. Real-world case studies have shown us that with the right approach, any ecommerce store can rise from zero to hero, significantly boosting traffic and rankings.

As we look to the future, staying informed about trends like AI, machine learning, and voice search optimization will help you maintain a competitive edge. Ready to dominate the ecommerce space with the right platform and SEO strategy? Let’s get started and make your store the next big success story!

Frequently Asked Questions

In today’s online world, B2B online shopping has turned into an important way for firms to connect with other firms, mak͏e sales easier, and boost income. Making a B2B online store is not just about putting up a website; it’s about building a strong platform that fits the special needs of b2b business. In this guide we will talk about the main parts of B2B online shop creation from getting the basics to picking the correct platform and making it better for long-term growth.

What is B2B Ecommerce?

B2B (Business-to-Business) online shopping means deals done on the web between firms. Different from B2C (Business-to-Consumer) online shopping, where companies sell straight to final buyers; B2B online shopping includes deals among businesses like sellers, makers, and suppliers.

The primary goal of a B2B ecommerce website is to facilitate bulk ordering, manage complex pricing structures, streamline operations, and provide a personalized experience for business clients. These websites often include features like volume-based pricing, bulk ordering, contract management, and integration with business management systems like ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning).

Key Features of a B2B Ecommerce Website

When developing a B2B ecommerce website, certain features are essential to meet the needs of business customers and ensure smooth operations. These features include:

1. Custom Pricing and Discounts: B2B clients often require different pricing structures depending on factors like purchase volume, contract terms, or long-term relationships. Your website should support dynamic pricing models that cater to these needs.
2. Bulk Ordering: B2B clients typically place larger orders compared to B2C customers. The website should facilitate bulk ordering by offering easy-to-use bulk product listings, shopping cart functionalities, and streamlined checkout processes.
3. Advanced Search and Filtering: B2B websites often carry a large inventory. To improve user experience, advanced search and filtering options, including SKU-based searches and product categorization, are essential.
4. User Accounts and Roles: B2B ecommerce platforms often serve multiple users within the same company. Allowing different users to access accounts with specific roles (e.g., purchasers, finance approvers, etc.) is important for managing orders effectively.
5. Order Tracking and History: B2B clients often place repeat orders or require detailed order tracking. Providing a clear order history, tracking options, and downloadable invoices enhances customer satisfaction.
6. Integration with Business Systems: Integration with ERP, CRM, and accounting systems ensures seamless data exchange between your website and internal operations, helping manage orders, inventory, and customer relationships efficiently.

Steps to Develop a B2B Ecommerce Website

1. Define Your Business Goals and Target Audience

Before you start building a B2B ecommerce website, it’s important to define your business objectives. Are you aiming to expand your market, improve customer relationships, or streamline operations? Knowing your goals will help you shape the platform’s features and functionality.

Understanding your target audience is equally important. B2B customers have specific needs, such as tailored pricing, fast reordering, and integration with their procurement systems. Define your customer profiles to guide your website’s development.

2. Choose the Right Ecommerce Platform

Selecting the right platform is critical for B2B ecommerce success. There are several platforms tailored to B2B needs, such as:

• Magento: A highly customizable open-source platform that offers B2B-specific features like tiered pricing, bulk ordering, and seamless integration with ERPs.
• Shopify Plus: A robust, hosted solution that provides scalability and easy setup for B2B ecommerce.
• BigCommerce: Offers advanced B2B features such as customer groups, dynamic pricing, and multi-channel selling.

When choosing a platform, consider factors like scalability, ease of use, integration options, and cost.

3. Design with the User in Mind

A B2B ecommerce website should prioritize functionality, but user experience (UX) should not be overlooked. Create an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface that simplifies the purchasing process for business clients.

Key UX considerations include:

• Responsive Design: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as many business users make purchasing decisions on the go.
• Clear CTAs (Call-to-Actions): Make it easy for users to find important actions like adding to cart, requesting a quote, or contacting sales.
• Personalization: Tailor the website experience based on user roles, purchase history, and preferences to improve engagement and sales.

4. Implement B2B Ecommerce Features

Once the platform and design are in place, it’s time to implement key B2B features:

• Custom Pricing and Bulk Discounts: Set up pricing tiers based on customer groups, contracts, and order volumes.
• Quoting System: Allow users to request quotes for large or custom orders.
• Advanced Order Management: Enable users to track orders, manage shipments, and reorder items quickly.

5. Optimize for SEO and Performance

To drive traffic and sales, your B2B ecommerce site must be optimized for search engines. Here are a few SEO best practices:

• Keyword Research: Identify keywords relevant to your industry and target audience. Focus on long-tail keywords that reflect buyer intent, such as “wholesale industrial supplies” or “bulk office furniture.”
• Content Marketing: Create high-quality content like blogs, case studies, and product guides that address pain points in your industry and improve organic rankings.
• Site Speed: A fast-loading website improves both user experience and SEO rankings. Use optimization techniques like image compression, browser caching, and a content delivery network (CDN) to enhance site speed.

6. Test, Launch, and Optimize

Before going live, thoroughly test your B2B ecommerce website for any functionality, performance, or security issues. After launching, continue to monitor the website’s performance and gather feedback from users to identify areas for improvement.

Regular updates to the platform, such as adding new features, improving usability, and optimizing SEO, will help maintain long-term growth.

Conclusion

Building a successful B2B ecommerce website requires careful planning, from selecting the right platform to implementing features that cater to business clients. By focusing on scalability, customization, and a seamless user experience, businesses can create a powerful B2B ecommerce platform that enhances customer relationships and drives sales. Emphasizing SEO and ongoing optimization ensures that the platform continues to grow and succeed in the competitive digital landscape.

Whether you are new to B2B ecommerce or looking to upgrade your existing platform, following these steps will guide you toward building a website that meets the needs of today’s business buyers.

Although thinking about how to start an eCommerce business seems like a confusing idea, it doesn’t have to be so. 

According to Statista’s analysis, eCommerce Business stores have been on the rise since 2014. Along with a rise in the no. of eCommerce business stores, we also see a huge increase in revenue as well. 

eCommerce is one of the fastest-growing industries and anyone like you can make sustained profits. But, the condition is – you need the right knowledge and training. Today, I’m gonna give both. So, follow me amigos! 

How Much Does It Cost to Start An eCommerce Business?

Okay, open your notebooks or create an Excel sheet. It’s high time to assess the total amount of startup money you need. And yes, don’t forget the calculator! 

eCommerce Website Builders & Online Tools

Depending on your business needs, the costs vary across the spectrum. A basic eCommerce store will be priced around the range of $25 and go all the way up to $299 per month. 

But listen, you don’t need all these heavily priced plans for your new store. Start small but start strategically as this would allow you to scale smartly. 

Here are some approximate monthly costs of popular eCommerce website builder: 

WordPress: $25 to $45

Shopify: $29 to $299

Wix: $17 to $35

Now you may ask me if there’s a free way out. Well, there’s one, but you will need to build your eCommerce website from scratch and then pay for hosting. But, coding and designing a website from scratch takes a huge amount of time and effort. And… As you know, time is money. So you can skip that free way  

Licensing And Permits to Start an eCommerce Business

This depends on your state laws and fees. Some states may have prices as low as $30 and some might have ultra-high fees for licensing and getting permits. 

Although most beginners don’t face a lot of fees, it doesn’t mean you should neglect it from your budget. I would recommend you keeping $100 aside for licensing and permits. 

Never let these fees discourage you as these costs are always an initial investment. 

Domain Name And Hosting

When you build your eCommerce website using the popular eCommerce website builders, you get the domain name and hosting included in the package for your first year. However, in the subsequent years, you have to pay for the hosting and domain registration separately. 

The costs can range anywhere between $25 to $100, depending upon the type of features you require. 

Beginners don’t need to worry about the higher costs on the spectrum because the features with the basic plans are very useful and are priced reasonably.

Payment And Processing

Most eCommerce payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, and others will charge you with a transaction fee. Although I hate it too, still the simple logic here is that they need the fees to run their businesses, so it makes sense. 

With that being said, a general estimate would be around 2-3% of the total transaction. 

Here’s some info from Shopify: 

Marketing And Outreach

If you’re planning to be the all-in-one person (like me), your marketing and outreach will be absolutely free. But, I keep reminding myself that time is money, so you should outsource the graphics and editing. 

If I had to put a number on how much you should ideally invest in marketing and advertising your eCommerce store, it would be 5-8% of your annual revenue. For example, if I make $10,000 sales per year, I should invest around $500 to market and advertise my store.

Your expenditure depends on what you’re financially comfortable with. So, don’t find yourself compelled to invest several grands into your eCommerce business. If you don’t have adequate funds, you can always take the route of Dropshipping and experiment your way through while building funds. 

To learn more about how you can get started with Dropshipping, click here.

Now that we have a general idea about the costs related to starting your eCommerce store, let’s see how can we start an eCommerce store. 

Let’s follow a smart sequence. 

1. Let’s pick an eCommerce business model and do some product research. 

2. Once we end up doing the first step, we will craft a proper business plan, taking care of the permits and all that legal stuff. 

Don’t get overwhelmed by the steps. I’ve made the article as detailed as possible so that you don’t get confused. 

Step 1: Research On Various eCommerce Business Models

When it comes to eCommerce, there is a huge range of business models. However, it should not stop you from trying those. Let’s see the most popular and profitable business models applied in eCommerce: 

Service-based eCommerce 

Services basically involve selling your time or expertise rather than a physical product. And what qualifies for a service? Here’s a quick list: 

1. Professional services like SEO, copywriting, designing logos, accounting, photography, videography, animation, and any hobby. 
2. Art, dance, music, yoga, online workout, and other creative classes
3. Training, consulting, workshops and seminars

There are a lot of businesses that run on this model. For example, we have Coursera, MasterClass, EssayShark, MasterPaper, and much more. (Note that this article is not affiliated with any of these websites. These examples are for illustration purposes only.) 

Digital Product Sales

Whether it’s a music playlist, ebook sales, or anything that’s non-tangible and you want it, can be classified as a digital product. 

What I like the most about these digital products is the quantity multiplication. Yes, you don’t have to invest a lot for product creation. A couple of clicks can make you a million copies in no time. 

Easy isn’t it? Well, think again. Selling these digital products requires extensive effort because people are not looking for the products you’re selling. You have to first make them aware of your product and yourself, only then you can get a sale. 

Physical Products

Physical products form a considerable portion of goods sold through eCommerce websites. You can sell anything from subscription boxes to pretty pendants fairly easily. Besides, if you’re a homemaker and are looking to earn the extra cash to support your family’s finances, you can also set up a cooking or baking business and take orders from customers online in your nearby location. 

Along with this, you can also sell handmade goods, paintings, and custom gift boxes. The possibilities are endless!

Here’s a store that sells bookmarks for a luxurious reading experience. 

Here’s a store that sells goodies and eatables! 

Did you get all the business models? That’s great if you did, let’s just move to the next section. 

Step 2: Research for Winning Niches On eCommerce

Choosing a product that you want to sell isn’t as difficult as it seems. First, lookout for trends and see what’s selling the most. But hey, don’t forget to strike the right balance between passion and profit. 

For example, if I l run an online toy store for kids, I will expect to make sales every day or every week at least. 

However, if I sell exclusive paintings in my store, I can’t expect people to make purchases every day. I can generate decent monthly revenue, selling 2-3 expensive and exotic paintings. This is the key concept that you should keep in mind before choosing your product. 

Let’s see other smart factors that would drive your decision-making. 

Solve People’s Problems

No, I am not asking you to start the next NGO. You can release products or services that solve people’s problems. For example, let’ say I would like to eat healthy food, but my job doesn’t provide me with enough time to make my own lunches. 

So what I can do is purchase a monthly subscription from a service that offers healthy meal boxes. And tada! My problem is solved. 

As long as there are problems or requirements that people need to solve or fulfill, any business can succeed, provided it knows how to solve the problem. 

Find Product Ideas in Reviews

During the pandemic, masks were easily customizable and came in all shapes and sizes, except for one. Can you guess the exception?

The reviews section on Amazon was filled with comments about how these masks are not at all useful for those who maintain long beards. 

This is how a smart seller leveraged the opportunity and provided people right with what they needed. 

The key takeaway is that you should keep an eye on comments and reviews to find products that people need. 

Although the products can be restricted to a particular niche, they would sell a lot because people are looking for something like that. 

Best Sellers

In any niche, best-selling items allow you to see what exactly customers demand. It’s easy to locate the best-selling items on most platforms. For example, Amazon has the ‘Best Sellers Rank’ and allows you to see which product performs best. 

eBay has a similar feature called ‘Trending,’ and in Etsy, it’s called Most wanted or Best Selling Item. 

Test it Before You Mess it

In the business world, the simple way to test a product is by making a prototype. Now, what is a prototype? Basically, it’s a simple water-down version of your original product and idea. 

For example, if you already have an idea but don’t want to invest heavily. You can test whether your idea will succeed by building a small landing page to promote your potential product and run a few ads or do some marketing to drive traffic to it.

This will give you a general idea about how your market will respond to your product. 

Step 3: Set up your eCommerce Business

This has to be the most exciting part of starting an eCommerce business. It brings in a range of decisions to make, like choosing what your store should look like, what should you name it, how should you connect with your audience, and much more. 

Have A Great Brand Name

There are 2 key points that you should consider for setting a name for your business: 

1. The name should reflect what you’re trying to sell. 
2. It should either make sense to the audience or it should be unique and memorable. 

Don’t get overfocused on creating a memorable name. Yes, a few brand names sound like honey to the ears but that shouldn’t stop you from naming your store on something you admire. 

Also, note that your website name is very likely to be your domain name. So, before you finalize a name, check the availability of your domain here.

Add in a name that you like in the form of a website. For example www.realisticbooks.com    

And it’s available! 

You can do the same with the name of your choice. 

Create A Logo 

Your business logo makes people feel connected with your brand. You don’t really need to spend a lot on getting your logo done professionally. Most market prices range from $15 to $50, depending on the level of expertise you require. 

Sometimes, the prices may go higher depending on which agency or graphic designer you hire. 

I personally prefer Looka because I don’t have to go through the hassle of designing the entire logo and can easily mix & match elements to make my logo. 

Looka

You can also check out: 

NameCheap’s Logo Maker

Hatchful by Shopify

Design Your Store

With so many eCommerce website builders, you can pick the one that suits your needs. Here’s a guide to picking which eCommerce website builder will be the best for you, depending upon your business needs. (Link the How to Build eCommerce Websites – Best Methods in 2021 article here) 

Prepare Promotional Content

Before you launch, try to build a social media presence that keeps your followers updated with your business’s purpose. 

You can use picture editors like Canva, Adobe Spark, Pablo, Snappa, and many more. Visuals attract potential customers. In that case, make sure to use them wisely and beautifully. 

Step 4: Apply for An EIN, Business Permit & Licenses

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

When you have completed the above steps, you can register for an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Every online business doesn’t need to have one. The key benefit of an EIN is that it allows you to separate your personal and professional finances. 

You can apply for an EIN for free with the IRS using online, mail, fax, or phone methods. Using the online method, you can easily receive the nine-digit EIN right from the comfort of your home. 

Obtaining Business Permits and License 

Now that you have a business permit, you can easily apply for business permits and licenses. The purpose behind obtaining permits and licenses is that you can operate legally within your state. 

Unless you’re filing a DBA to operate under a specific business name legally, you don’t actually need to register your business with the state to establish your eCommerce business as a sole proprietorship or general partnership. 

However, for the other business entity types, you will need to register with your state and receive a general operating license. 

Generally, most eCommerce businesses are home-based, they don’t require as many business licenses and permits as brick-and-mortar stores. To always be on the safer side, you should determine the specific requirements in your area. It’s pretty easy to find them using your state or local government website. The Internet saves you well from such troubles these days.

Even I had a similar question as yours when it comes to “Why on Earth should I register a business that I run in my own home?”

More than a few governments are corrupt across the globe. Anything might happen, so why give anyone a chance to say something? 

So here’s a small list of business licenses and permits that you may need depending upon your business:

• Trade and professional licenses for certain businesses
• Sales tax permits
• Signage permits
• Health, safety, and environmental permits

Step 5: Preparing to Launch Your eCommerce Business

Yay! Now you’ve done around 75% percent of the work, just a little push is required to launch your business. 

Shipping

Your Shipping Rates

Are you going to make your customers carry the full shipping cost or will you offer free or flat-rate shipping to reduce the cost? How will you get orders to your local and international customers? 

If I were you, I would increase the price and give the free shipping. 

Product Weights

Please measure and update the weight of each product you sell. This saves you from the last-minute hassle of weighing everything. You may not know this but if you don’t pay attention to this, you may end up paying an extra $$. 

Choose Your Preferred Packaging

You can order free packaging from some carriers such as USPS, UPS, or DHL or invest in branded packaging. In short, do what suits your business. 

Note: Communicating shipping speeds (as in “Arrives at your doorstep in 4 days) at checkout to your customers can help provide clarity to your clients and does wonders to increase consumer confidence.

Deal with Returns

You might offer the best, sweetest, and the loveliest product in this big wide world. Somehow, an odd customer will pop up out of nowhere, asking for a return. This isn’t to discredit the most valid reasons like damaged products, wrong shipments, and more! 

So, you should be prepared to deal with returns. 

You can do this by: 

1. Offering exact cost pricing for returns
2. FREE returns
3. Flat-rate returns

We love receiving free returns as customers but things go south when it comes to giving free returns as business owners. Well, did I say that you should offer free returns just because people like so? 

Perhaps no. If you repeatedly offer free returns, some (a few like these always exist) buyers may try to use this incentive for unfair practices and return goods that are perfectly okay.  So, always create policies that are fair to both the buyers aswell as you.

Install An Analytics Tool

Analytics are not just for highly complex operations. You should make data your best friend as that would help you draw up a nice future plan. 

Most eCommerce stores will have their own set of analytics reporting built-in so that you can easily track a lot of key metrics. 

Step 6: Post Launch Process You Should Engage In

You’ve done all the hard work in the world now. Don’t slack off at this crucial moment. Just a little consistency and a little bit of advertising and brand engagement can go a long way. 

Promote Your Store on Social Media Platforms

Let’s dive straight into my top 3 tips that can put your brand out in the spotlight for sales: 

Tip 1: Consider offering a discount code to attract people to check your store out and make purchases.

Tip 2: Put effort into the content that you post on your social media platforms. Don’t spam your social media followers with repetitive and low-quality promotional content. 

Tip 3: Every action you take online has the potential to drive traffic back to your store. Don’t forget to add your store URL to your personal online profiles, such as your Instagram stories, Twitter bio, or Facebook status update. 

Wanna Know How to Start an eCommerce Business? – Have These things in Mind!

1. A high bounce rate (visitors that come to your site and leave without buying) may mean that your page took too long to load, or maybe you had targeted the wrong audience.

2. Visitors don’t usually make purchases when they just don’t trust your store enough to buy or if you have targeted the wrong audience. 

3. Abandoned carts during checkout mean you probably need to reconsider your shipping. 

A Few More Things You Can Do to Enhance Your Sales & Get More Customers: 

1. Write and submit a guest post. Share your expertise about a topic and use the author bio box to describe & link your business.

2. Ask for product reviews using sites like TrustPilot or by adding a plugin in your own eCommerce store. 

3. Give your product to a blogger or influencers for free so that they can give a shoutout in return. 

Winning Tips on How to Start an eCommerce Business Successfully

So, let’s play a simple game. I’ll show you a few pictures related to my top tips, you guess the answer, and then I’ll reveal whether your answer is right. 

After all, why should starting an eCommerce business be boring and scary? We can always make the things we do a little bit more fun by adding our own sparkle! 

Tip 1: Hint – We Can Help You Create Brand Name

Yes, you’re right! It’s social media engagement. 

Millennials and Gen Z-ers spend most of their time tweeting, texting, and tagging. In all this social activity, you can easily slide in promotional content about your store and engage your followers. Also, make sure you increase your activity right before a festival because that is when people buy gifts for their friends and loved ones. 

Tip 2: Hint – I Am the Foundation of Any Online Business

The answer is – Building Trust.

You need to build trust between your brand and your customers to retain your business over time. People usually trust their intuition while buying something, so if your brand can generate trust (in terms of a credible-looking website and a good social presence), your sales will grow well. 

Final Tip: Here is Your Best Business Friend 

Yes! It’s data and analysis. 

Just like in any business, you must back your eCommerce store with facts and data. You need to know your customers, their demographics, what things they are buying from your store, and what things they are not. This will not only enhance your business skills but also make you capable of making decisions when the time calls for it. 

Ready to Start an eCommerce Business?

There’s a lot of planning, insight, and execution for starting your own eCommerce store. 

And that is the fun part about it! As long as you follow these tips, tricks, and insider insights listed, you can definitely set up your perfect eCommerce store. 

Your next big success might be just an eCommerce store away. Your eCommerce store can only become successful if you decide to make it a successful one. So, push your doubts aside, follow the steps and let’s get started!

When it comes to Magento vs Shopify comparison, things go nothing but complex. Read ahead so that you can equip yourself with some solid points. 

Without ingredients, you can’t make a recipe. Similarly, without knowing about these two, you can’t get to a conclusion. 

Today we’re gonna discuss both platform’s features, pricing, and what makes one different from the other. Sounds pleasing enough? Yes, it is.. So without any further ado, let’s get started. 

Magento vs Shopify – Which is More Powerful?

Shopify Overview 

When you’re looking for an eCommerce platform, it’s all rainbows and butterflies with Shopify as it’s pretty straightforward to use and it offers 24/7 customer service. 

They’re always ready to answer, even when you mess up with your store at 3 a.m. More importantly, it has a bunch of integrations that make it super powerful for eCommerce. 

Point of Sale 

Point of Sale simply means it’s an app or software that tracks your inventory when you’re gonna set up an in-person or a physical store. Besides, it can also be installed for a physical store that you currently own. 

Shopify POS syncs with Shopify to track your orders and inventory for all of your active sales channels, retail locations, and online stores. 

Easy Sales Analysis

You don’t have to hire a data analyst for your website’s performance analysis. With Shopify, it’s easy to analyze sales, traffic, purchase rates, and customer demographics. Not only this, if you integrate to advanced apps like Profiteer, HIT analytics, Xporter, etc, you will get more detailed reports. 

Supports Different Languages & Currencies 

The world is a global village. In that case, let your products fly far and wide with Shopify as it makes this possible by adding multi-currency and web interface translation options.

Magento Overview

Magento is definitely one of the intuitive and robust eCommerce platforms on the market. The fun fact is – most people don’t know that Magneto is an open-source platform with a solid community. Along with this, it offers a huge range of powerful tools for building, marketing, and managing your online store. 

Engage Your Audience

It comes with advanced customer engagement tools like Multi-tier pricing for quantity discounts and Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) to organize your selling activity.

Generate Sales By Strategizing

The platform can generate flexible coupons and modify to stores, customer groups, time period, products, and categories. 

Magento vs Shopify Comparison 

Benefits of Shopify

1. Quick and intuitive store setup that makes it easy to launch your eCommerce store

2. 24/7 customer support and technical assist 

3. A mobile responsive storefront includes a built-in mobile eCommerce shopping cart that increases your sales

4. No web hosting or server maintenance charges because Shopify takes care of it 

Did you know Shopify has an inbuilt payment gateway that charges 0% transaction fees?  

Benefits of Magento

1. Guest checkout enables visitors to purchase a product without the hassle of registration quickly

2. A friendly and seller-supportive open source community 

3. Magento permits shipping to multiple addresses in one order

4. Authorized payment gateways and  integration with Authorize.net 

5. Gives you the ability to alter the  price of the specific product depending upon the group of customers

Shopify Advantages Over Magento

Basic Setup 

When it comes to Magento, the learning curve is pretty steep compared to Shopify. You will have to interpret the jargon and use code to build the online store you want. At some point, you might feel the need for hiring a developer.

Whereas Shopify’s easy customization saves you time and peace of mind. So you can tune in to your favorite song, open your browser, and start customizing your store. 

Beginner’s Sales Tools

Magento’s overall extensions cost installation for sales can get a little bit more pricey and a lot harsher on your pocket. In addition, it relies on its marketplace to enable extra features for your store. 

Being an all-in-one seller, SEO expert, marketer, and designer can be a tiring task. Why don’t you let Shopify carry some tracking and analyzing sales while putting your energy into the business you do? 

It has features like Abandoned cart recovery, which pings your customers that they’ve left a great product in their carts without purchasing it. And speaking of carts, its Multi-channel selling (selling on Facebook, Insta, and more) makes your sales journey a lot easier. 

Web Hosting 

When it comes to web hosting, Magento expects you to be an expert which is time-consuming. With Magento,  you should arrange your own hosting, install, setup, and configure everything before you can actually start your store. 

With Shopify, you can go straight to the customization as it itself hosts your Shopify store.

Read more about Shopify plus vs regular Shopify packages here in order to get better comparison between Shopify packages and prgrams.

Magento Advantages Over Shopify

Advanced Customization

In Shopify, some elements can be modified. However, most features like the checkout process cannot be customized. 

Whereas Magento is versatile for advanced customization and provides integrations that allow for marketing automation systems, CRMs (Customer Relationship Management), and ERPs (Enterprise resource planning). Don’t let the lengthy terms confuse you because Magneto makes it easier for you. 

Open Source 

Shopify is not an open-source platform. It makes use of a proprietary coding language with limited developer support, and you’re pretty much on your own with the help center assistance. 

On the other hand, Magneto is more inclined towards giving assistance for customization and seems to have better developer support. In fact, Magento boasts having  “260,000 developers worldwide who are continually generating new innovations and functionality.”

B2B Friendly Builder

Shopify is usually made to attract visitors and customers (B2C business). They’re not much business-friendly for transactions and heavy operations.

Magento vs Shopify Pricing Comparison

How Much Does Shopify Cost?

There are 3 different plans for 3 different needs!

• Use Basic Shopify for getting started

• Standard Shopify for building a good customer base

• Advanced Shopify for businesses that have started achieving big volumes of orders. 

Additional Plans Offered By Shopify

Shopify Lite: It’s definitely worth investing in, especially when you run another blog or website. It allows you to pop that ‘Buy Now’ button for all of your products on different websites. Customers can quickly checkout in a few clicks and you can easily gain the extra eyes (a.k.a. visitors) for your fabulous store. 

Pricing: $9 per month

Shopify Plus: It’s not for most small businesses, and honestly, it’s not really required until you need highly complicated and advanced features for your Shopify store. 

Pricing:  $2000 per month 

How Much Does Magento Cost? 

Although Magneto is free to install, before you give me a big smile after reading the word FREE, let me pop that bubble and say that web hosting, extensions, and your domain is NOT FREE. 

If we calculate, it would cost anywhere between $10 to $100 per month to host your website on different domain providers. The variation in price exists because the services offered by multiple providers differ. 

Here are the monthly hosting packages offered by SiteGround, which is a well-known web hosting service and goes well with Magneto:  

• Startup: $6.99
• GrowBig: $9.99 
• GoGeek: $14.95 

There are costs associated with buying your own domain, which usually costs around $10-$20 per year. To buy a domain name, you can visit popular domain registrars such as Domain.com, Namecheap.com, and GoDaddy.com, to register your new domain.

Setting Up Shopify

Step 1: Register for Shopify

Step 2: Fill In the Details

After completing this step, wait for a few sections and that’s it. Now you will be able to access your brand new dashboard. 

Step 3: Add In Your Product Or Import Product 

If you’re selling your own products, you can manually add the products. If you’re a dropshipper, you have to import using Oberlo or Google Chrome extensions. 

Step 4: Customize How Your Store Looks! 

Step 5: Set Your Payment Methods

There are a wide range of payment options that you can set up with Shopify. Choose the one that fits well for you and your eCommerce business. 

Step 6: Set Shipping Rates

You can click on manage rates and set your rates accordingly. 

Congrats! You’re pretty much done with setting up the basics of your Shopify store. 

Setting Up Magento for eCommerce

To setup Magneto, you have to install it manually and such a process can be a little time-consuming. However, time-consumption is not an indicator of difficulty here, don’t worry it would be easy and I’ve simplified the steps for you: 

Step 1: Find a Web Server 

A web server is basically where you host your website on the internet. SiteGround is a great choice for setting up your Magento store because it offers free and automatic Magento installation. 

Step 2: Download Magento

Before you can install Magento on the server you just purchased, you need to download the Magento software onto your local computer. 

Let’s go to Magento’s download page. Here, you will see three different Magento installation options: Composer, Git, and Archive.

This tutorial will cover how you can set up the Archive version of Magento. Relatively, it’s easy to install and pretty beginner-friendly.  

Scroll down on the same Magento download page and you will find this ‘Archive’ section. Click on that download button. 

You don’t have an account and I know that too. So go ahead and create a new one. 

Fill in the details: 

After adding details, check your given email ID to see an email from Magento. Once you get it, click on ‘verify your email.’

After validating your email, you will be prompted to your dashboard :

Come back to the Magneto Download site and hit on the ‘download’ button again. 

This time, the file will be downloaded. 

Step 3: Create a Database

Magento installation needs a database on your web host. If you’re using SiteGround, follow these steps: 

1. Create a New MySQL Database: To do this, go to your hosting account’s control panel and find the database section. In the SiteGround control panel, you will find the database section under Site Tools > Site > MySQL. Now click the ‘Create Database’ button.

2. Create User Account: Once your database is ready, find the ‘Users’ tab. Click on ‘Create User.’ After this step, you will receive an automatically generated new username and password. 

3. Set User Permissions: For you to manage the database, the user permissions need to be set. First, click the ‘Add New Database’ button next to the new username. When the page opens, go ahead and choose the desired user privileges and click ‘Confirm.’

Step 4: Run Magento Installation

Once the database is created, run the Magento installation, go to the web browser and specify the URL of the Magento folder. After entering the URL, you will see something like this: 

After all of this, you will get a page like this where you need to click ‘start readiness check.’ 

If you’ve followed the previous steps right, you will see something like this. Yes, click on Next. 

Add Your Database Details Now. I hope you have saved it all, didn’t you? 

Take Care of the Magento Web Configuration

Add your Store Address, Magento Admin Address, Encryption Key type and any other thing that you see. And remember, under encryption Key, you can either use Magento generated-key or a custom one.

Now you can customize your store!

Add the details of your store, like its default time zone, default currency, and language. Don’t worry, you can change these values anytime. 

Create Admin Account

This page will allow you to create an Admin account to manage your store. Note down these credentials for your future reference because you will need them to access your Magento backend.

Install Magento

The favorite part after all the hard work! You’re ready for installation. Press that gorgeous ‘Install Now’ button to get ahead.

Yay, and we’re done! Now you will be able to access your dashboard. 

Here’s a quick summary of the Magento installation process: 

1. Get Your Server Ready: You can use SiteGround
2. Download Magento – Download the Magento software from its official website
3. Create a Database on Your Host
4. Unzip and Upload Magento – Upload the Magento files to your new database
5. Set Up Magento – Add in the details and customizations 
6. Install and Finish – Tada! 

Shopify Vs Magento – Who is the Winner? 

After analyzing the various features of the two eCommerce website builders, I’ve reached a conclusion for Shopify Vs Magento. Shopify is excellent for small businesses and beginners because of its intuitive, easy-to-set-up, and rich in-built features. 

Whereas Magento is targeted towards experienced eCommerce stores and established businesses, who have the budget and time to build an eCommerce store from pretty much scratch. Magento plays around with coding and designing, so if you’re ready to invest your time into setting up and going the DIY route, then Magento is your best bet. 

Both these features are amazing for businesses who have high aspirations and are looking to set up their perfect eCommerce store. Choose the platform that best suits your business needs and get started! 

With the rise in stay-at-home and work-from-home culture, there has been a great rise in the number of people who shop online. From buying groceries in one click to purchasing cutesy gifts for your loved ones, everything and anything can be bought online. 

According to KPMG, eCommerce stores have created a trillion global online shopping arena where millions of consumers no longer go shopping but literally are shopping — at every moment and everywhere.

This growth of eCommerce sales is also supported by facts and figures, which you can see right above. Now that eCommerce sales are growing rapidly, let’s see what are the best eCommerce platforms in the market that might help you in the long run. 

10 Best eCommerce Platforms in 2021 – Among the Good Ones! 

There might be hundreds of cake samples in a cake shop. However, you would order the cake that you think would taste well. The same applies to these best eCommerce platforms, except for the taste part haha. 

Let’s see the 10 best eCommerce platforms available in the market and what features make these platforms stand out. 

Shopify – One of the Best eCommerce Platforms for Scalability

Tobias Lütke and Scott Lake started Shopify selling snowboarding equipment online. Being dissatisfied with the options they had, they decided to establish Shopify in 2006. Currently, Tobias Lütke is its SEO and the headquarters is in Canada. 

Features of Shopify

1. Customize your Shopify store to match your product and brand image using templates, and customizable CSS & HTML.

2. Sell internationally on Shopify in multiple languages and currencies.

3. Easily analyze sales, traffic, purchase rates, and customer demographics via Shopify’s Sales Analytics.

4. Shopify comes with a 0 transaction fees platform called Shopify payments. 

5. Comes with a mobile app that allows you to track sales, inventory, and much more while you’re on the go.

6. Offers unlimited bandwidth and online storage so that your store can have the fastest browsing experience for your visitors. 

Pros of Shopify

1. Seamless integration of extensions
2. Customizable templates for stores
3. 70 payment gateways and custom domain name
4. Supports secure cart shopping along with discount codes and coupon generator 

Cons of Shopify

1. Comparatively, transaction charges are high 
2. Not easy to migrate your Shopify store to other platforms 

WooCommerce – Best User-Friendly Platform

WooCommerce is an eCommerce website builder plugin that was introduced in 2011. It’s a customizable and open-source plugin which works with WordPress. 

Features of WooCommerce

1. Embed products and enable checkout on any page for quicker sales with WooCommerce.

2. Set the right currency, language, and measurement units for your business.

3. Use WooCommerce to integrate eCommerce with WordPress for promotional content and a strong brand. 

4. Have unlimited products and admin profiles as WooCommerce is an open-source plugin. 

5. Built-in blogging features to engage your visitors so that you can turn them into customers. 

6. Add custom tags and categories to help customers find what they want. 

Pros of WooCommerce

1. Auto-detect the customer’s location to simplify shipping and make tax calculations simpler
2. Enable guest checkout for those customers who don’t want to register
3. Mobile app makes it easy to manage your store from anywhere 
4. Allow other team members to work on the store using admin logins 

Cons of WooCommerce

1. Plugin updates make it difficult for the store owner to keep the website up to date manually
2. Few integrations in WooCommerce are expensive and might exceed your budget

Wix- Best Drag and Drop Website Builder Platform

Wix is an Israeli based website building platform which was started in 2006. Currently, it’s led by Avishai Abrahami who offers a range of features like Wix Stores, Wix Bookings, Wix LogoMaker, and much more.

Features of Wix

1. Wix comes with an optimized mobile view that can be altered for mobile audiences.

2. Drag & Drop website editor makes it easier for beginners to get started.

3. Versatile in-built Image Editor with Text Editor and Free Fonts.

4. Enables you to attract repeated visitors and engage them with newsletters and blog posts.

5. Interact with visitors via live chat and create loyalty programs using Wix Ascend feature.

6. Lead generation gets easier as you can add customizable forms to collect contact details or to ask for product or store feedback.

Pros of Wix

1. Mobile-optimized website can build smoother interfaces for a mobile audience that drive more revenue 
2. In-built contact forms save your time and can generate leads easily
3. Convert visitors to members, allowing them to create personal accounts using their own login credentials
4. Wix Ascend Feature makes it easy for you to connect with customers at a deeper level 

 Cons of Wix

1. eCommerce stores can’t be migrated and you will have to build another eCommerce store from scratch, in case you wanna migrate to other platforms 
2.  Templates can’t be changed once you use one for your store. 

BigCommerce – Best Enterprise-friendly Platform 

BigCommerce was started in 2009 and its headquarters is in Texas. Being an established company, it has many deep roots. For now, you can see many expensive plans on BigCommerce. But, those are worth it considering the features we get. 

Features of BigCommerce

1. Ability to distinguish customer groups and target the most profitable audiences for the business.

2. Preview the website design before you choose it for your store.

3. Simplify the checkout with one-page and retain your customers with shopping cart recovery.

4. Supports payment options like  PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, etc. Besides, it won’t penalize or restrict you from using other third-party payment options.

5. Sellers that sign up for BigCommerce’s Plus plan can create automatic discounts for customers tied to customer groups. There wouldn’t be any need for third-party extensions.

6. BigCommerce grants you the ability to create default URLs (products, categories, and webpages) to improvise your store’s search rankings.

Pros of BigCommerce

1. Brings one of the fastest web browsing experiences for visitors as it uses Google Cloud Platform for hosting
2. Bulk pricing and product editing options to organize store inventory
3. Customize the user experience and enable customer interaction with impeccable plugins 
4. Unlimited staff accounts on any plan

Cons of BigCommerce

1. Not very beginner-friendly because its  pricing is higher than usual market prices
2. SEO options are limited on BigCommerce and you might need to hire a professional for your store

Squarespace – Best Customer Engagement Platform 

Squarespace was launched in 2004 and its headquarters is in New York. The company was established by Anthony Casalena and this guy is still running it. 

Features of Squarespace

1. Adding a customized announcement bar to engage your audience and attract their attention towards what’s hot on your store.

2. Promotional pop ups to promote best-selling items or to convey a message to store visitors.

3. Abandoned cart recovery and advanced funnel analytics for Commerce plans.

4. Squarespace provides you with the unique ability to create Custom Redirects from your store or social media handles.

5. If you provide services on your eCommerce store, you can benefit from Squarespace’s podcasting support that uses Audioblocks and iTunes tagging.

6. Efficient drag and drop feature that makes the designing easier. 

Pros of Squarespace

1. Automatically post promotional content on social media right from your Squarespace dashboard
2. Incredible live chat customer service that is always ready to answer your queries
3. Intuitive website interface and a range of templates to choose from
4. Can add a bunch of widgets from Squarespace extensions marketplace 

Cons of Squarespace

1. Lacks the depth of navigation for larger inventories 
2. The website takes quite a long time to load on the mobile interface

Magento – A Design Oriented Platform for eCommerce 

Magento positions itself as an open-source eCommerce store. It was initially released in 2008 and was acquired by Adobe Inc. in 2018. The biggest feature of Magento is – it’s programmer and designer-friendly.

Features of Magento 

1. Advanced customer engagement tools like Multi-tier pricing for quantity discounts and Minimum Advertised Price (MAP) to organize your selling activity.

2. Ability to generate flexible coupons with the ability to modify stores, customer groups, time period, products, and categories.

3. Provides the ability to edit meta-information for products, categories, and content pages.

4. SSL security support for orders on front as well as back end.

5. Gifting options during checkout for customers.

6. Comprehensive features allow us to add unlimited addresses and wish lists with comments.

Pros of Magento

1. Set tax rates per location, product type, or customer group easily
2. Allows guest checkout and also permits shipping to multiple addresses in one order
3. Integration with multiple PayPal gateways and Authorize.net 
4. Contact Us form to generate more customers and create & edit orders from the admin panel

Cons of Magento

1. Customization is a little difficult because of Magento’s slow loading time
2. If you’re a startup, you might have to pay a little higher for technical experts to set your Magento store because it’s not as easy compared to other eCommerce website builders 

Shift4Shop – Best Customer Engagement Platform 

Shift4Shop was known as 3DCart before November 2020. To look back into Shift4shop’s history, we learn that it was founded back in 1997 and was headquartered in Florida. In today’s marketing era, it’s known for its point of sale retail stores. 

Features of Shift4Shop

1. It offers integration with Amazon, Quickbooks, eBay, and many more eCommerce giants.

2. Customers can have a safe checkout without worrying about any compromise on sensitive customer data.

3. Streamline your workflow using the Quick Edit Tab and make instant changes without navigating through your dashboard.

4. It makes dropshipping easy, allowing you to automatically email a supplier when you receive a new order.

5. In-built GDPR Toolkit makes your store GDPR compliant and good enough for customer privacy.

Pros of Shift4Shop

1. Built-in affiliate program allows your store to spend less time strategizing and more time doing
2. Display unlimited products and get unlimited bandwidth for certain paid packages 
3. Integrate all feedback and review systems at one-stop 
4. Visitor IP restriction to prevent fraudulent activity or to enable geolocation restrictions

Cons of Shift4Shop

1. The interface is not very intuitive and it has a steep learning curve for beginners
2. It’s not up-to-date with the customizable templates that are used for eCommerce websites in 2021 
3. Although the platform is free of any transaction cost, you have to pay for the transaction costs of the payment providers.

OpenCart- Best Payment Security eCommerce Platform

OpenCart was officially launched in 1999 and it’s an open-source platform, which is well known for its anti-fraud security mechanisms and ensures customer data security during checkout. 

Features of OpenCart

1. Despite being open-source, it has free dedicated community support and also has a paid service that guarantees fixes for any concern that may arise. 

2. Most add-ons on OpenCart are free of cost. Who doesn’t like freebies?

3. The interface is quite simple and intuitive for beginners.

4. OpenCart has a huge marketplace of themes, plugins, and gateways to enhance your storefront.

5. Offers backup, restores tools, and printable invoices so that your store data can always stay secured.

6. Easier store management with advanced user privileges and separate access for users.

Pros of OpenCart

1. Complete reports and metrics regarding business performance and visitor habits
2. A large number of themes to improvise store experience for shoppers
3. Supports most payment gateways and offers quick checkouts

Cons of OpenCart

1. Some add-ons might be incompatible with another, causing you some trouble while starting your eCommerce store 
2. Since it runs on an SQL database, it might get difficult to import your inventory list without going for the premium package

Ecwid – Best Seller-friendly Platform 

Ecwid was started in 2009 by Russian Entrepreneur Ruslan Fazlvey. The best part about Ecwid is its free forever plan which allows beginners to pay 0 fees until they need to buy advanced features. 

Features of Ecwid 

1. No need to abandon your existing site, whether it’s on WordPress, Wix, or anywhere, it can be added anywhere! 

2. The free forever package is an attractive deal for beginners who wish to test the waters before running a fully-fledged website.

3. 0 transaction fees saves you the extra costs whenever a customer purchases something. But please note, this fee is different from the one that payment providers charge. 

4. Sell your products on Facebook and Instagram in a few clicks to increase your sales.

5. Automatic language detection for your international customers.

6. Ecwid provides a POS functionality that allows users to accept online product payments in physical stores. 

Pros of Ecwid 

1. One-tap checkout with Apple Pay
2. Integrate Ecwid with any existing website without ever worrying about site migration 
3. Budget-friendly paid packages
4. Customer service is beginner-friendly and offers detailed answers to platform-related queries

Cons of Ecwid 

1. Customization can get a little expensive and the templates are limited 
2. Not easy to customize URLs of the products 

Volusion- Best Easy-to-Maintain Platform 

Volusion is an eCommerce solution that was first started in 1999. Its headquarters is in Texas and offers a range of products in the eCommerce industry like Shopping Cart Software, Search Engine Marketing, Custom Website Design, Credit Card Processing, etc. 

Features of Volusion

1. With an in-built Barcode Generator, you can create custom barcodes for your products.

2. Allow or deny certain traffic to your site with customizable firewall settings.

3. Expand your eCommerce store to Facebook, eBay, Amazon and customize your Facebook store right from your Volusion dashboard. 

4. Make your product descriptions detailed by adding subcategories and uploading product images for those subcategories.

5. It offers an in-built homepage slideshow to feature your top products and discounts.

6. Specify shipping types, offer special discounts, and set overall shipping rates.

Pros of Volusion

1. Simple and intuitive instructions to help eCommerce  beginners get started
2. Allows Subscription or Recurring Payments for regular customers
3. The page load time is less and has inbuilt functions to promote the visibility of your store
4. Deals of the day feature automatically update the products that are best-selling in your store

Cons of Volusion

1. The site search function is pretty unhelpful
2. Lack of themes and drag & drop feature makes it less customizable 

The Best eCommerce Platform in 2021 – Let’s Do the Rating! 

Which eCommerce Platform is the Best One for You? 

After assessing a host of eCommerce platforms, the best ones for building your eCommerce store have to be Shopify and WooCommerce. 

Shopify provides an ever ranging list of features with such analytics tools that enable you to make data-driven business decisions. 

On the other hand, WooCommerce is an incredible platform for those who want to do blogging on their store. As you know, when it comes to blogging, nothing can compete with WordPress. 

Anyway, these 2 are great but we shouldn’t underestimate others. What you should pick totally depends on your needs

Is Dsers good for dropshipping or not? Just like you, we were wondering the same
thing. We had bulk orders and it was getting tough to manage.

This app makes order management a lot easier and eliminates a lot of the challenges
faced by customers ordering from AliExpress.

Once you install it for your online store, you will get a fast, time-saving, efficient, and
most importantly, crash-free store for your customers.

Today we’re going to do an in-depth Dsers review. So let’s get started!

Register Dsers now for free.

Features of Dsers Shopify App

Dsers is an official dropshipping partner of Aliexpress, which imports products from Aliexpress to Dsers account and then to Shopify. 

From allowing multiple order placements, to adding product variants and suppliers, it
has many helpful features.

Let’s look at some of its key benefits.

Supplier Optimizer

It’s a tedious task to search for a perfect supplier. A lot of research, time, and effort are
required to pick a supplier that sells at a reasonable price and can keep up when
business is booming. If you use this Shopify app, you don’t have to go through all of that
effort. Dsers Supplier Optimizer feature can find a supplier for you in no time at all.

Variants Mapping

Adding multiple images, titles, and descriptions of the same product is no small task. To
reduce that workload, you can leverage Dsers variants mapping, which allows you to
add multiple variations of the same product. In a couple of clicks, you can do all of that
automatically.

Bundle Products

The Dsers Orders section makes it easy for you to create bundles of products from
different suppliers. This will save you time, and also save money on shipping costs as
all the suppliers products will go in the same shipment.

Auto Sync Tracking Number

Whether it’s PayPal, Card, Stripe or any other payment gateway, Dsers’ Auto Sync
feature automatically syncs the tracking number from the customer’s transactions.
Along with this, you can also expect an auto-update of the orders and perfect sync of
information between AliExpress and Shopify.

Stock Management

Whenever variants or product prices change, the Dsers app notifies you about it. The
automated feature of Stock Management will automatically modify the stock of the
product in Shopify whenever the product’s stock gets changed.

Shipping Setting

Dsers lets you pre-select your favorable method based on the shipping destination or
your customer’s favorite shipping method. Go to Settings > Shipping Panel to adjust
your favorable shipping method.

Automatic Pricing

Its automated pricing features help you get the exact insight into your profit-margin. This
advanced automatic pricing feature calculates the product’s cost, conversion rate, and
any other charges that may apply to selling the product.

So to earn the desired profit on a specific product, you can easily set up costs accordingly. 

Multi-Store Management

A user can manage multiple stores for different products as it creates a procurement process, store maintenance, and product data management with perfection. 

Mass Supply Program

Mass Supply Program connects users with manufacturers so that you can pick qualified suppliers and ensure getting reliable and safe supply services.

Affiliate

It allows the integration of an Admitad account with the AliExpress affiliate program that
could help you make some extra conversions. Admitad provides long-term partnership
and development opportunities for businesses and publishers.

How to Add A Product from Dsers to Your Shopify Store?

Now that we have discussed what it is capable of, let’s move to the next step and see
how easy it is to add a product from the Dsers app to your Shopify store.

Step 1: Downloading the App

Open the Shopify app and search for Dsers.

You will find Dsers Aliexpress Dropshipping Application on the 3rd position. Yes, you’re right, on the right side!

Click on “Add App.” 

Step 2: Import Product toDsers

The next step is to import products from Dsers to Shopify. Once you locate the product
in the Find Suppliers section, click on the Import button, which is at the bottom of the
product image.

Once you click on the import button, a pop-up will appear telling you whether it has
been imported or not. As you can see below, it has been imported successfully.

Step 3: Import Product to Shopify

Once the product is successfully imported to your import list, the next step is to send the
product to your Shopify store.

Go to the ‘Import List’ on the left hand menu and click the ‘Push to Shopify’ button to
add the product you imported to your Shopify store.

Once that is done, you will be redirected to a page where you can publish the products
and the tags, confirm by clicking another “Push to Shopify” button.

After adding products, you can check in your Shopify store.

Step 4: Viewing And Customizing Products On Your Shopify Store

Products > All Products to view the added products to your store.

Dsers allows you to provide a customized description of all the added products on the Shopify store.

How Much Does Dsers Cost?

It has many plans available and based on the service of each plan, charges are applicable. Here are the lists of all the latest plans:

Basic Plan

It’s a forever free plan, and it’s designed for beginners to get started. Here are a few
attractive features you can get from this Basic Plan:

• Supports Shopify & WooCommerce platforms
• Easy management of up to 3 stores
• Allows up to 3000 products per store and you can manage three stores with 1000 products each
• Unlimited orders
• Chrome extension
• Multi-language capability (English, Portuguese, and French)
• Easy Import 
• Automatic price rule 
• Inventory notification
• Bulk orders
• Pre-selection of shipping method
• Automated order status synchronization
• Automated tracking number synchronization
• Split product
• Hide product
• Basic mapping

Standard Plan

This plan is best for the growing business. Here are a few attractive features you can get from this Standard Plan: 

• Supports Shopify and WooCommerce platforms
• Can have up to 5 stores 
• Product limit of up to 7500
• Unlimited Orders
• Supplier Optimization 
• Chrome Extension
• Multi-language (English, French, and Portuguese)
• Easy Import 
• Automated Pricing Rule
• Inventory Notification
• Supports Bulk Orders
• Pre-selection of shipping method
• Automated order status synchronization
• Automated tracking number synchronization
• Split product
• Hide product
• Automated Inventory Update
• Advanced Mapping
• BOGO or Bundle Mapping
• Affiliate

Advanced Plan

This is the most recommended plan because it automates your business on a whole different level. However, you have to be an advanced dropshipper to go with this plan. Here are a few attractive features you can get from this Advanced Plan: 

• Shopify and WooCommerce integration per Dsers account
• Can have up to 10 stores
• Maximum of 20000 products per store
• Unlimited orders
• Dsers chrome extension
• Multiple languages
• Easy import
• Automated pricing rule
• Inventory notification
• Bulk orders
• Pre-selection of shipping method
• Automated order status sync
• Automated tracking number sync
• Split product
• Hide product
• Basic mapping
• Advanced mapping
• BOGO/bundle mapping
• Automatic inventory update
• Affiliate

Is Dsers Worth Trying?

With its exceptional features and ease of use, the Dsers app is definitely worth trying. It
can save a lot of time importing products to your Shopify store, and money by bundling
products from different suppliers. Dsers pricing plans are generous, each one comes
with a 14-day trial, and it works well.

If you are interested in trying this kind of solution then you should also read our article
about Dropified, which has similar functions. You can read that here:

On top of everything, I like the way you can scale it. So, don’t wait up, head over to your Shopify stores and download the app, and bank some money quickly!

If you are interested in trying this kind of solution then you should also read our article
about Dropified, which has similar functions. You can read that here:

Is dropified worth it?

Good Luck!