Choosing the top ecommerce platforms will ensure the simplicity and convenience of establishing and managing an online store. Opting for the finest ecommerce platform will grant you access to all the necessary tools for quickly and effortlessly creating an appealing and fully operational online store, while also receiving expert assistance throughout the entire process.
Making a choice regarding ecommerce platforms and packages can be challenging and confusing due to the extensive options available in the market today. Nonetheless, creating an ecommerce store, even from the ground up, is now more convenient than ever. Therefore, if you are considering starting your initial online store or transitioning your physical shop to an online platform, this is an ideal moment to do so.
In order to assist you in selecting the optimal option for your business, we conduct evaluations and compile a collection of top-notch ecommerce platforms that fulfill all the fundamental requirements (including shopping cart software, payment gateways, and a user-friendly editor) and provide a wide range of themes, templates, and customization options to ensure your store stands out from the rest.
Top ecommerce platforms in 2023
1. Wix
In addition to its attractive templates and logos, Wix offers more than just an all-purpose site builder – it can function as a complete ecommerce platform, provided that you opt for one of Wix’s two highest-level packages.
Unlike most ecommerce platforms that opt for maximum complexity, Wix provides a more straightforward solution suitable for small businesses that do not require all the extravagant features of a full-fledged online superstore.
Furthermore, with the availability of a comprehensive range of site-building tools on Wix, establishing an e-commerce store is incredibly easy, and managing it is equally effortless, eliminating the need for coding expertise. As a result, anyone should be able to utilize this e-commerce platform without encountering significant challenges.
You will have a wide selection of over 800 design templates to choose from, ensuring you achieve the desired appearance and ambiance for your ecommerce site effortlessly. Nonetheless, there is a drawback associated with these themes as once you make a selection, you are unable to change it easily, requiring you to begin the entire process anew.
With Wix Payments, you have the flexibility to select from numerous payment providers worldwide, encompassing renowned credit card companies like Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and more, along with popular payment systems like PayPal and Stripe.
In summary, Wix is a great option if you are looking for a less complex and more beginner-friendly alternative to other comprehensive web store building solutions. Despite its simplicity, Wix offers a wide range of powerful e-commerce features including SEO tools, an extensive app store, support for various currencies, the capability to sell on e-marketplaces, built-in support, and many other features.
Bluehost and WooCommerce combined.
WooCommerce, instead of functioning independently as an ecommerce platform, is a complimentary plugin that can transform your existing WordPress site into a comprehensive online store. The fundamental WooCommerce plugin can be effortlessly installed via WordPress, and the best part is that it can be downloaded and utilized completely free of charge.
In order to maximize the potential of WooCommerce, it is necessary to install various third-party plugins that enhance functions including payment processing, inventory management, and stock control.
Bluehost offers a user-friendly solution for WooCommerce, unlike most open-source options that may not be as beginner-friendly. With Bluehost, you can benefit from a ready-made WooCommerce platform that comes pre-installed with all the necessary elements, including a shopping theme and essential plugins.
Not only does it encompass an online store equipped with the store-front theme, but it also offers a blog, Jetpack free, payment processing, email marketing, and discount codes. The “Premium” plan goes a step further by adding features such as online bookings and appointments, subscriptions, product customization, and management of local and country taxes.
Just as anticipated, web hosting is the foundation for everything, which implies that once you join Bluehost, you instantly have a complete e-commerce platform up and running. All that remains is for you to add your products and establish marketing strategies, and you’re all set.
In general, if you desire full control over your store, extensive customization options, a wide range of templates, themes, and third-party plugins, WooCommerce is an outstanding ecommerce solution. Opting for Bluehost’s specific package for WooCommerce will provide you with web hosting service and a more user-friendly beginning.
Shopify is suggested.
As we write, Shopify has become widely recognized as one of the most popular ecommerce platforms, having come a long way since it was founded in 2006. Remaining true to its claim, Shopify allows users to effortlessly create a visually appealing online store without the need for any technical or design expertise.
You can have your online store operational in just a few hours using Shopify. Users have the option to select from a diverse selection of templates or personally create the appearance and ambiance of their store.
Shopify provides extensive support for various credit cards, ensures Level 1 PCI DSS compliance and an SSL certificate, and offers customer support through telephone, live chat, and email, available 24/7.
Shopify platform offers a comprehensive content management system that enables users to efficiently handle the operations and design of their e-commerce store. This can be done conveniently through Shopify’s mobile applications, ensuring that the platform is seamlessly accessible to visitors using both desktops and smartphones.
By incorporating a live chat feature, you can engage in immediate conversations with your customers, while also benefiting from integrated support for 3D models and videos. Additionally, you have the opportunity to design personalized storefronts on Facebook and Instagram.
Shopify provides an array of features including boundless hosting for their online stores, comprehensive insights on visitor behavior, and potent marketing resources like search engine optimization, promotional opportunities, a coupon generator, gift cards, and email marketing capabilities.
4. Squarespace
Squarespace, known for its strong emphasis on aesthetics, is a favored eCommerce platform among artisans and creatives. With its extensive collection of trendy and contemporary templates, it enables individuals to create visually stunning online stores.
Despite not having the most extensive integration library, Squarespace offers apps that can enhance functionality. Through these apps, your Squarespace website can integrate with various third-party platforms such as Printful, Aftership, and FreshBooks, among others.
Squarespace facilitates the selling of an extensive range of products, including memberships, video on demand, physical goods, and others.
With regards to SEO, Squarespace offers options to customize page URLs and meta descriptions, as well as integration with Google Analytics. Beyond that, Squarespace provides a roster of experts who specialize in optimizing your website for SEO and branding, paid advertisements, and additional support if required.
With Squarespace, you have the ability to incorporate custom fields into your checkout form. Moreover, the form field offers a range of options including time and date, radio buttons, dropdown menus, and many others.
If you are a creative individual, Squarespace’s eCommerce platform will assist you in effortlessly designing an attractive store. Similarly, if you offer services and depend on receiving payments for appointments, such as consultants, stylists, technicians, etc., Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling is tailored perfectly for your business needs.
5. Ecwid
You can expand your business and sell products and services in various locations with Ecwid’s versatile eCommerce platform. If you’re looking to establish a store across multiple channels, Ecwid is the ideal solution. It enables you to effortlessly manage all your sales channels, whether it be marketplaces such as eBay or your own website, through one robust platform.
By opting for Ecwid to build your website, you have the option to utilize their themes in order to design your online store. While their website builder may not be as advanced as others, it enables you to swiftly create your site without any coding requirements.
With Ecwid’s platform, you have access to a range of marketing tools that enable you to provide promotional pricing, discount coupons, and volume discounts without the need for extra plugins or apps. Additionally, you can effortlessly send email newsletters and create Google and Facebook ads. Ecwid automates taxes and allows you to display real-time shipping rates to your customers.
Ecwid offers various choices for shipping, delivery, and pickup of your products, just like any other platform. It seamlessly integrates with shipping providers to provide real-time shipping rates.
In addition to this, there are extensive customization choices for both pickups and local deliveries. It allows you to define specific areas where local delivery can take place, as well as establish self-pickup schedules. To further enhance convenience, customers can also request pick up dates and times by adding a calendar to their checkout page.
6. Square Online
Square Online is an eCommerce platform available online and created by Square, a payment processor. It is crucial to understand that Square has recently obtained Weebly in order to combine its platform with the highly effective website building tool. Hence, whether you have an account on Weebly or Square, you will be directed to the same interface, with varying levels of access determined by the plan you choose to buy from either Square or Weebly.
Although Square Online’s builder is easy to use, it offers fewer features, widgets, and customization options compared to the other eCommerce platforms on our list. While its app marketplace is not as extensive as WooCommerce or Shopify, you can still integrate with platforms such as OpenTable, LinkTree, and GoDaddy.
Square, a payment processor, leads in providing its customers with multiple payment options, making it convenient for vendors to offer choices such as buy now, pay later, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Cash App Pay through Square Online.
Square Online offers essential SEO features such as 301 redirects, search engine visibility, and standard meta title and description options for both products and pages.
7. PrestaShop
Prestashop, an open-source eCommerce platform, offers a range of tools, modules, and features that are commonly available as paid add-ons by its competitors, resembling both WordPress and WooCommerce.
Among others on our list, the level of customization and flexibility offered by Prestashop, being open-source, allows you to modify its code, create your own modules, and design templates. Besides WooCommerce, no other platform offers this extent of customization.
Although Prestashop’s page builder enables customization of a majority of your website’s pages and hooks, it lacks a visual builder feature. Consequently, you will not receive immediate feedback on any modifications made to your site. Nonetheless, you can enhance the platform’s functionality by installing a page builder addon.
Prestashop prioritizes enhancing the visibility of your store in search engines through SEO. It provides easy configuration and optimization options for robots.txt files, schema, and more to accomplish this goal.
If you choose Prestashop, you will have to manage your store’s hosting, security, backups, and general maintenance as it is an open-source platform. However, there is an alternative for those who do not wish to handle these tasks. Prestashop offers a hosted option that you can consider. Additionally, there is a directory of Prestashop Experts available in case you prefer hiring a professional to help you with your shop.
