All eCommerce platforms have their advantages and disadvantages. When deciding on the best eCommerce platform for your needs you should think about eCommerce considerations such as your budget, whether your target audience are active on Facebook Shop or Instagram shopping, how many products you are selling, future needs, ease of use and support.
With a hosted solution you do not own the software, instead you pay a monthly fee to use it. You can get “locked in” to that particular eCommerce platform, and if your needs change it is not easy to export your website content elsewhere.
Hosted eCommerce
There are many stand-out hosted eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, Bigcommerce, Volusion.
BigCommerce is a versatile solution that may suit fast-growing, large volume sellers.
Shopify has a focus on usability and is a good option for larger stores selling a range of products.
With EKM you get a dedicated support manager from the start.
Ecwid may be a good option if you want to sell on an existing website, social media page, blog, online marketplace or mobile app.
Squarespace is good for sleek-looking designs.
Wix is extremely beginner friendly and has excellent eCommerce tools.
Weebly / Square provide affordable plans, drag and drop tools and focus on simplicity and small site appeal.
Read more about Self Hosted eCommerce Solutions
Self Hosted eCommerce
Magento, OpenCart, Prestashop and WooCommerce are leading self-hosted eCommerce solutions.
Self hosted may be a good option if you are willing and able to maintain the software side of your store, or pay a developer to do so.
Magento Open Source is free to download but will require hosting somewhere.
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin. There is a charge for some add-on functionality. It is useful for adding a shopping cart to an existing WordPress website.
Prestashop is a good option for selling globally. It is free to download but there is a charge for add-on functionality.
OpenCart benefits from an easy-to-use interface and plenty of templates.
Read more about Hosted eCommerce Solutions