Which Platforms Should You Use to Build Your E-commerce Website?

If you want to sell products online, you need a website.

The e-commerce industry is exploding as more consumers choose to shop online instead of visiting a physical store. Shopping online gives consumers the freedom to shop at all hours of the day, whether in their own home or on-the-go with a mobile device. Estimates show there will be 1.92 billion online shoppers this year. Online retailers raked in $504 billion in sales in 2018 alone, making e-commerce an exciting opportunity for your business.

The design and functionality of your website can make or break your chances of success in the e-commerce industry.

You need to use a website building platform that meets the needs of your business without inflating your budget. Learn about the best e-commerce website builders of 2019, so you can create an unforgettable online shopping experience.

Shopify

As one of the leading e-commerce website platforms, Shopify makes it easy for just about anyone to design and create their own online marketplace. You can use one of the platform’s many templates and pre-made designs to create a store in just a few hours without the help of a developer.

It’s a great choice for new store owners that are looking to get their operations off the ground as soon as possible.

Shopify is also a dedicated e-commerce platform, giving you a chance to be a part of one of the fastest-growing e-commerce communities on the web. They make it easy to add new products, upload images, and arrange your storefront. You can expect great customer service, fast check-outs, and shopping analytics to help you improve the shopping experience.

Squarespace

Easy-to-use and affordable for new store owners, Squarespace caters to a wide variety of website builders, but they have all the features you need to quickly piece together an online store. They have thousands of templates for you to choose from with a straightforward interface that makes it easy to map out the structure of your website. You can easily add new text, images, headers, videos, slideshows and new products to individual pages. They also make it easy to create a unique domain for your website, but it will cost a little extra.

Squarespace doesn’t have the best customer service, so you’ll need to largely explore on your own.

Magento

If you’re a larger e-commerce brand with hundreds or thousands of products to sell online, Magento might be the website builder for you. The platform offers more customization options without limiting you to pre-packaged templates, which is key if you want to stand out on the web.

However, you’ll need some coding experience or a developer to help you set up the site.

Make sure you have some room in the budget for web design and technical support if you stroll down the Magento path. The interface might throw you for a loop at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can create a unique online shopping experience that doesn’t look like a carbon copy of every other e-commerce store on the web.

BigCommerce

Just as the name implies, BigCommerce is another CMS that’s dedicated to online merchants. It’s easy-to-use, so you don’t have to worry about hiring a developer. Adding products and arranging your store doesn’t take a lot of technical know-how.

BigCommerce is also known for its impeccable customer support, making it a great choice for new store owners that aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of web design.

Yet, BigCommerce isn’t the best when it comes to mobile shopping. If you’re trying to sell to Millennials and Generation Z, you might need to look elsewhere.

These are just some of the best e-commerce website builders on the market today. Don’t forget to market your new store with stunning content, including product demos, blogs, videos and social media. Visit a content marketing summit to learn more about promoting your store on the web.