Also referred to as internet commerce or electronic commerce, eCommerce is the buying and selling goods and services through the internet and the transfer of data and funds to complete the sales. Usually, there are five types of eCommerce, including:
- Business to consumers (B2C)
- Business to business (B2B)
- Direct to consumers (D2C)
- Consumer to consumer (C2C)
- Consumer to business (C2B)
Whichever eCommerce you choose, you enjoy several benefits, including enhanced efficiency, reduced costs, and a broader reach of customers.
Why is the Demand for eCommerce Rising?
In 2021, e-commerce sales are anticipated to account for
18.1% of the total retail sales globally. These sales are projected to grow to 22% by 2023, thanks to the many benefits associated with e-commerce.
Ecommerce allows consumers to buy products and services from the comfort of their homes. This became the most convenient way to shop, particularly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world.
But as the fears of COVID-19 continue to fade away, individuals are still likely to continue shopping online, mainly because of its convenience.
Best website builders for eCommerce
Selecting the best platform for your business is a big decision requiring an in-depth analysis of several factors such as price, ease of use, and features. Below is a list of the best website builders you should consider for your site.
1.
Shopify
If you're looking for the most customizable eCommerce website builder, look no further than
Shopify. Its features, ease of use, and pricing make it the most popular website builder in the market. It has over 70 free and premium themes to help you create a professional website for your store. Shopify has even developed it's own programming language called Liquid. Liquid is a completely open source template coding language that allows you to add a range of customised design options for your Shopify store, helping you stand out from your competitors.
At as low as $29/month, Shopify provides you with a secure and reliable platform to sell our products or services. It lets you create mobile responsive websites, which allows for easy integration with other apps. What's more, Shopify offers you 24/7 customer support.
Although more expensive than other website builders, Shopify is definitely worth your time and money.
2.
Woocommerce
Woocommerce is a well-known, open-source e-commerce plugin that provides users with the best features to build a modern online shop using the WordPress platform. Besides being open-source,
Woocommerce offers its users a wide variety of benefits, including:
- Integration capabilities
- SEO friendliness
- Content marketing benefits
- Easy design options
- Security and reliability
However, this plugin is WordPress-specific, meaning that you can't use it on sites not hosted by WordPress.
3.
Squarespace
Squarespace is your ideal website builder if you're looking for the best value for money. This platform was designed specifically for creative, highly visual websites.
With as little as $18/month, Squarespace provides you with a bunch of beautiful templates that will definitely make your online store attractive. You can also sell subscriptions and memberships on the advanced eCommerce plan.
However, unlike Shopify or Wix, this platform is less generous regarding eCommerce features on its basic subscription.
4.
Wix eCommerce
Designed to offer its users an easy-to-use platform,
Wix is among the best website builders on the market. The platform lets you control your branding, making it possible to own your brand completely.
Wix is perfect for individuals looking to combine eCommerce functionalities and intuitive editing tools to develop a well-rounded online store. With it, you can create multilingual sites, meaning you can design several sites for different countries.
Too much creative freedom is the only drawback of Wix. This is because such freedom can ruin the design of your eCommerce site.
5.
Weebly
If you want an easy and simply eCommerce website,
Weebly can be a great to go-to e-commerce website builder. It's perfect for independent sellers, smaller businesses, and local operations.
Weebly makes it easy for you to add new products, push updates, remove out-of-stock goods, and track your inventory.
Its main disadvantages include limited blogging tools and features. You're forced to pay more to access the most quality features.
6.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is regarded as the most scalable and robust e-commerce website builder out there – and for a reason. The platform has several built-in sales tools that make it ideal for any business.
This website builder goes for $29.95/month but does not charge any transaction fees. It also allows for multicurrency and is mobile-friendly. What's more, BigCommerce has several generous allowances, including unlimited storage and bandwidth.
7.
Volusion
Volusion is a website builder that puts its focus on the backend features of your website. It provides you with some highly customised eCommerce sales features, including:
- A barcode generator
- Low stock alters
- Store management mobile application
Its cheapest plan starts from $29/month and includes one staff account and the freedom to sell up to 100 products.
An eCommerce Website Builder
Migrating to online stores is an inevitable part of a retail businesses first step towards scalability and growth. Luckily, several website builders can make it easier to get started, however offering your customers a fully customised eCommerce store that's designed by experts can be a great way to stand out from your competitors. in our expert opinion, Shopify emerges as the best choice for an eCommerce business among the seven discussed website builders, mainly because of its features, ease of use and customisation features. If you're interested in providing your customers with the best possible eCommerce experience for your store, look no further than DSIGNS. We have Some of Sydney's best expert Shopify Developers that will help you build your next eCommerce store!
