When you are just starting out, making the right choice for creating a website can be a daunting task. There are lot of options available and it isn’t always clear which of them might be ideal for you.
This website aims to provide you a detailed comparison in terms of ease of use, customisability and cost to help you make an informed decision.
It’s important to carry out some research before choosing which is the most suitable eCommerce platform for your online business needs.
Whether you’re a startup, an established business that is looking to move platforms, or a physical shop looking to build an online presence, your needs will vary and therefore the platform you choose should be able to meet the particular needs of your business.
When choosing an eCommerce solution, one decision is whether to use a hosted or self-hosted solution.
With a self-hosted online store you have absolute control, but they require more time to set up and maintain.
With a fully hosted online store, such as Shopify or Bigcommerce, the eCommerce platform is responsible for storing your data for you. There will normally be a monthly fee which includes the hosting, an easy-to-use website builder, shopping cart and checkout functionality and technical support.
Subscribers to hosted eCommerce platforms tend to be “locked in” to that platform. They often struggle to export or migrate their website content to another platform, and lose their website when they change to a new platform or host.
Hosted eCommerce providers can charge a high monthly premium, which can be avoided if you can afford the higher upfront costs of self-hosted alternatives.
Which is the best eCommerce platform to choose?
Your choice will depend on a number of factors, such as pricing, flexibility, future needs, ease of use and support options. Read more about the pros and cons of some of the best hosted and self hosted online shop solutions – how to choose the best eCommerce platform for your online shop.
Which are the most used eCommerce platforms?
The most widely used eCommerce platforms worldwide as at 2021 are shown below
The most widely used eCommerce platforms in the UK as at 2021 are shown below
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