The top 10 best ecommerce platforms for small business in 2023
This article will discuss the best ecommerce platforms for small business owners in 2023.
Sure, there are the classics (Shopify, Squarespace, Wix), but there are also some hidden gems – lesser-known ecommerce platforms that may be better for your business.
We’ll discuss each platform’s pricing, customer support offerings, marketing features and more.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a robust knowledge of the best technologies to power your ecommerce site.
Let’s dive in.
Top ecommerce platforms for small businesses
Shopify
Shopify is the undeniable behemoth of online business platforms, serving over 1.7 million businesses.
Features
Shopify supports sales for physical and digital products, with buyers able to download digital products directly from a Shopify site immediately after purchase.
It offers unlimited product listings and unlimited bandwidth and storage. Shopify also has built-in tools for SEO and allows for blogging to increase customer engagement.
It allows you to manage your store using mobile apps and supports selling subscriptions via Shopify Payments, PayPal Express, or Authorize.net.
Shopify also integrates with over 6,000 apps to extend its functionality. This and the platform’s robust theme editor allow business owners to create a bespoke ecommerce website.
Or, stick with the library of pre-made templates and you’ll be ready to sell online in a few clicks.
Pricing
Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, after which you must purchase a paid plan.
The primary plans include Basic Shopify at $39/month, Shopify at $105/month and Advanced Shopify at $399/month (when billed monthly).
They also offer a Shopify Lite plan for $9 per month, which allows you to add Buy Buttons to an existing website created with another builder like Weebly, Wix, WordPress, or Squarespace.
Customer Support
Shopify provides 24/7 customer support via phone, email, live chat, social media, a community forum and an in-depth online Help Center.
Pros:
- Supports sales for both physical and digital products
- Unlimited product listings and unlimited bandwidth and storage
- Built-in tools for SEO and blogging to increase customer engagement
- Mobile apps for managing the store
- 24/7 customer support
Cons:
- Additional costs may be incurred through premium themes and app integrations
- Limited customization compared to self-hosted platforms like WordPress
- The platform is not optimal for blogging, lacking blog analytics or archive functionality and a blog-only search function
Squarespace
Squarespace, a leading website building and ecommerce platform, is widely acclaimed for its user-friendly interface and stylish design templates.
Its comprehensive range of built-in ecommerce, marketing and SEO tools has earned it an extensive and appreciative user base.
Features
Squarespace provides a platform for online stores to sell various products and offers multiple payment and shipping options.
The user-friendly platform makes creating and managing online stores straightforward, even for beginners.
It provides an array of beautiful, dedicated templates for online stores sorted into categories to make selection easier. The templates are modern-looking, mobile-friendly and designed to make a Squarespace storefront look appealing with minimal effort.
Squarespace offers a variety of tools to support online selling, including inventory management, shipping, tax calculation, SEO, marketing and analytics tools.
However, some of these features, such as a dedicated email marketing dashboard, may need to be accessed through extensions.
Pricing
Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial and its paid plans include Business, Basic Commerce and Advanced Commerce, all of which allow online selling. The prices range from $18 to $40 monthly if billed annually.
The Business plan costs $18/month and is suitable for someone not yet committed to selling online. It allows unlimited product listings but has a 3% transaction fee for each sale.
The Basic Commerce plan costs $26/month and is recommended for those serious about selling on Squarespace but just getting started. This plan eliminates transaction fees and offers additional features like advanced website analytics.
The Advanced Commerce plan costs $40/month and is suited for businesses taking off. It includes advanced ecommerce tools like shipping and discounts, with no transaction fees.
Customer Support
Squarespace offers a robust customer support system through multiple channels including email, live chat and social media, although live chat is unavailable 24/7.
It also provides a comprehensive online Help Center with information on the most common issues.
Pros:
- Easy online store creation and management
- Multiple payment and shipping options
- Built-in ecommerce, marketing and SEO tools
- Dedicated templates for online stores
Cons:
- Live Chat is not available 24/7
- Monthly rates may be considered expensive by some users.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a leading ecommerce platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. It has been recognized for its powerful built-in features and great scalability.
Features
BigCommerce supports selling physical and digital goods, with digital downloads automatically delivered to customers upon purchase. The platform also provides support for selling subscriptions.
It offers unlimited product listings, file storage and bandwidth. SEO and blogging tools are integrated within the platform, allowing business owners to get online sales immediately.
BigCommerce also has a mobile app that allows store management on the go. The platform also integrates with many apps and software, extending its functionality and adaptability.
Pricing
BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial and the pricing plans thereafter are as follows (billed annually):
- BigCommerce Standard at $29/month
- BigCommerce Plus at $79/month
- BigCommerce Pro at $299/month
An Enterprise plan with custom pricing offers advanced features for large businesses and high-volume sellers.
Customer Support
BigCommerce provides 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat and email.
They also have a comprehensive online help center with guides, tutorials and articles to help you troubleshoot and manage your store.
Pros:
- Powerful built-in features that reduce the need for external apps
- Great scalability, making it a good choice for growing businesses
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Integrated SEO and blogging tools
- 24/7 customer support
Cons:
- The platform can be complex for beginners
- Some features are only available on higher-tier plans
- There may be additional costs for premium themes and app integrations
Wix
Wix is a versatile website builder with several plans for creating online stores.
It’s known for its ease of use and the extensive customization options it provides through its drag-and-drop editor.
Its Editor X no-code website builder makes it a heavy contender in the ecommerce platform market.
Features
Wix offers an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, enabling the creation of a professional online store without coding.
Wix allows unlimited listing of physical and digital products and provides easy inventory management.
It supports various payment methods including credit cards, PayPal and offline payments.
Wix also integrates with platforms like Facebook and Instagram for multichannel sales. Its built-in SEO tools optimize your store’s search engine visibility.
The Wix App Market offers additional functionality, with apps for customer support and product promotion.
Pricing
Wix offers several ecommerce plans with varying features. The Business Basic plan costs $27/month, the Business Unlimited plan costs $32/month and the Business VIP plan costs $59/month.
All of these plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Each plan includes a free annual domain, an SSL certificate, unlimited bandwidth, 24/7 customer support and up to $600 in Google Ads vouchers.
Customer Support
Wix provides 24/7 customer support via a callback service and an extensive online Help Center.
They also offer priority support with the Business VIP plan. However, they don’t provide live chat support.
Pros:
- Easy to use and highly customizable
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Offers multiple payment options
- Built-in tools for SEO, marketing and analytics
- Large App Market for extending your store’s functionality
Cons:
- Does not support sales of subscriptions or memberships
- Does not provide live chat support
- Additional costs may be incurred through premium apps
- Limited advanced ecommerce features compared to specialized ecommerce platforms
- May be less suitable for very large stores due to its manual approach to site building
Square Online
Square Online is a versatile ecommerce solution that allows businesses to build a professional online store, manage inventory and process payments seamlessly.
It integrates smoothly with other Square products, making it an ideal choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive tool for online sales, in-person transactions and robust point-of-sale features.
Features
Square Online supports the sale of both physical and digital products with an intuitive system that simplifies listing and selling items online.
It also provides options for service-based businesses to offer and schedule appointments.
The platform does not limit the number of products you can list on your store and provides unlimited bandwidth.
It also includes built-in SEO tools and blogging capabilities to help increase visibility and engage customers.
Square Online has a mobile app enabling you to manage your store anytime, anywhere.
Moreover, the platform is known for its seamless integration with the Square POS system and other third-party applications, enhancing its functionality and versatility.
Pricing
Square Online offers four pricing options:
- Free: No monthly cost but with 2.9% + 30 cents transaction fees. This plan has several features such as up to 500MB of bandwidth and storage, managing multiple sites, SEO tools, marketing tools and more. However, it comes with limitations such as Square’s ads displayed on your website and usage of a Square subdomain.
- Plus, This plan costs $12 per month (billed annually) with 2.9% + 30 cents transaction fees. It includes all of the features of the Free plan but with unlimited bandwidth and storage and the option to set up your custom domain. You can also remove Square’s footer and ads from your site and access custom fonts and password-protected pages.
- Performance: This plan is $26 per month (billed annually) and has 2.9% + 30 cents transaction fees. It offers all the capabilities of the Professional plan with additional features such as abandoned cart recovery, customer product reviews, comprehensive shipping tools, discounts on UPS shipping rates, advanced reporting and the option to accept PayPal payments.
- Premium: This plan costs $72 per month (billed annually) and transaction fees of 2.6% + 30 cents.
Each of these plans comes with specific features and transaction fees depending on the level of service that you need.
Weebly
Weebly ecommerce is a powerful online store builder (backed by Square) that allows businesses of all sizes to create beautiful online stores easily.
It’s recognized for its intuitive interface and a wide array of store designs.
Features
Weebly offers a comprehensive suite of features for establishing and operating an online store.
It supports the sale of both physical and digital goods, with no limit on the number of products you can offer.
Weebly also supports sales through other channels, enabling you to sell on marketplaces like Facebook and Pinterest.
Weebly offers various payment gateways, such as credit cards, Square and PayPal.
It provides built-in tools for SEO, email marketing and analytics to help enhance your store’s visibility and performance.
The Weebly App Center offers numerous apps that can expand the functionality of your store.
This includes live chat apps for customer service and email marketing tools for product promotion.
Pricing
Weebly offers several ecommerce plans. The Personal plan costs $10/month, the Professional plan costs $12/month and the Performance plan costs $26/month.
Each plan has a free domain for one year, an SSL certificate, unlimited storage and 24/7 customer support.
Customer Support
Weebly provides customer support via live chat and email; phone support is available for Pro plan users and above.
They also have a robust Help Center with numerous articles and tutorials.
Pros:
- Easy to use with a wide array of store designs
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Offers various payment options
- Built-in tools for SEO, email marketing and analytics
- Rich App Center for expanding your store’s functionality
Cons:
- Lacks advanced ecommerce features compared to specialized ecommerce solutions
- Additional costs may be incurred for some premium apps
- Not as customizable as some other ecommerce platforms
- Does not support sales of subscriptions or memberships directly (requires additional app)
- While customer service is responsive, it doesn’t offer 24/7 phone support for lower-tier plans
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a robust ecommerce plugin that allows businesses to create their own online store on the WordPress CMS.
WordPress is not a dedicated ecommerce platform, but WooCommerce builds upon the immense support and customizability of the WordPress framework, transforming it into a robust online store.
(It’s also the only open-source ecommerce platform on this list.)
It’s widely recognized for its flexibility and scalability, making it an ideal choice for small and large businesses.
Features
WooCommerce offers comprehensive features for developing and running a successful online store.
It supports the sale of physical, digital and even affiliate products, with no limit on the number of items you can sell.
It also allows for multichannel sales, enabling you to list products on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
WooCommerce supports various payment options, including major credit cards, PayPal, bank transfers and cash on delivery.
It provides built-in tools for SEO and analytics, plus it can be further optimized with additional plugins for marketing and other ecommerce functions (such as the Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress).
The official WooCommerce marketplace and the wider WordPress plugin ecosystem provide a wealth of extensions that can dramatically expand the functionality of your store, from live chat and email marketing tools to advanced shipping and inventory management solutions.
WordPress is still the gold standard CMS for content production and marketing, specifically blog articles (like the one you’re reading now).
If you want SEO or content to be part of your marketing strategy, consider the WordPress + WooCommerce stack.
Pricing
WooCommerce itself is a free plugin.
However, running a WooCommerce store will require a WordPress hosting account, which typically starts from around $3/month.
Moreover, some premium extensions and themes come at an additional cost.
Before jumping in headfirst with WooCommerce, thoroughly review the features and what extensions you’ll need.
Customer Support
Support for WooCommerce is primarily provided through online documentation and forums. For direct support, users may need to go through their WordPress hosting company or the developers of the specific plugins they are using.
Pros:
- Highly customizable and scalable
- Supports a wide variety of product types
- Extensive range of payment options
- Access to a large marketplace of extensions for added functionality
- Free to download and use
Cons:
- Requires WordPress and some technical knowledge to set up and manage
- May be costly to expand the basic features of “vanilla” WooCommerce
- Direct customer support is limited compared to other platforms
- Lacks some built-in marketing and SEO tools found in other ecommerce platforms
- May require frequent updates for WordPress, WooCommerce and other plugins, which can create maintenance overhead.
Ecwid
Ecwid is a versatile ecommerce platform that allows you to add a shopping cart to any existing website, blog, or social media platform.
It’s renowned for its simplicity and ability to integrate with various web environments seamlessly.
Features
Ecwid offers robust features for constructing and managing an online store. It supports the sale of physical and digital products without any limitations on the number of products you can offer.
Moreover, Ecwid supports multichannel sales, enabling you to sell on websites, mobile phones, social sites and in person.
Ecwid integrates with various payment gateways, including credit cards, PayPal, etc.
It comes with built-in tools for SEO and provides access to marketing and analytics features to boost your store’s visibility and performance.
Ecwid’s App Market contains numerous apps that can enhance the functionality of your store, such as email marketing tools, advanced shipping solutions and customer support tools.
Pricing
Ecwid offers a free plan and three paid plans. Billed annually, the Venture plan costs $14.08/month, the Business plan is $29.08/month and the Unlimited plan is $82.50/month.
All paid plans come with a 14-day free trial.
Each paid plan offers progressively more advanced features, such as selling on marketplaces, access to additional payment gateways and priority support.
Customer Support
Ecwid offers email and live chat support for all paid plans and phone support is available for Business and Unlimited plans.
They also provide a comprehensive Help Center with numerous tutorials and articles.
Pros:
- Easy to use and integrates seamlessly with existing websites
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Offers a wide variety of payment options
- Built-in tools for SEO and marketing
- Extensive App Market for added functionality
Cons:
- Free plan is limited in features and support
- Does not support sales of subscription-based products on lower-tier plans
- May not be as customizable as some other ecommerce platforms
- While customer support is responsive, phone support is only available on higher-tier plans
- Additional costs may be incurred for premium apps
Etsy
Etsy is a global online marketplace specializing in handmade, vintage and craft supply items.
It’s well-known for its community of creative entrepreneurs and the unique, personalized items that can be found on the platform.
Features
Etsy offers a range of features for sellers to list and sell their products.
It supports selling various unique items, from handmade crafts and vintage goods to craft supplies.
Etsy also supports sales through its mobile apps, enabling sellers to reach customers on the go.
Etsy provides multiple payment options, including credit/debit cards, Etsy Gift Cards, Etsy Credits, some bank transfer services, PayPal, Google Wallet and Apple Pay.
It also offers SEO, marketing and analytics tools to help sellers improve their store’s visibility and performance.
Etsy’s integration with third-party apps allows sellers to enhance their store’s functionality by using print-on-demand services or implementing advanced shipping solutions.
Pricing
Etsy charges a listing fee of $0.20 per item, a 5% transaction fee on the sale price (including the shipping price you set) and a 3% + $0.25 payment processing fee.
Customer Support
Etsy offers customer support through email and its Help Center, which includes numerous articles and forums. However, they do not provide phone or live chat support.
Pros:
- Ideal platform for selling unique, handmade and vintage items
- Supports a variety of payment methods
- Tools for SEO, marketing and analytics
- Integration with third-party apps for added functionality
- Large, global customer base
Cons:
- Not suitable for generic, mass-produced items
- Listing and transaction fees can add up
- Does not offer phone or live chat support
- Lacks some customization features compared to other ecommerce solutions on this list
- Does not allow for multichannel sales beyond Etsy’s platform and mobile apps
Big Cartel
Big Cartel is an ecommerce platform tailored for artists and makers.
It’s best known for its simplicity and ease of setting up a store to sell artwork, music, clothing and other creative products.
Features
Big Cartel offers many features for building and managing an online store. It supports the sale of both physical and digital products and focuses primarily on smaller inventory sizes.
Additionally, Big Cartel’s mobile app lets you sell on other channels via a custom domain or in brick-and-mortar contexts.
Big Cartel integrates with various payment gateways such as Stripe and PayPal.
It also provides built-in tools for SEO, basic marketing and analytics to help enhance your store’s visibility and performance.
While Big Cartel doesn’t have a Shopify-caliber app market, it does provide many integrations and partnerships to help extend your store’s functionality.
Pricing
Big Cartel offers a free plan and three paid plans. The Platinum plan costs $9.99/month, the Diamond plan is $19.99/month and the Titanium plan is $29.99/month.
All paid plans come with a 14-day free trial.
Each paid plan offers more products to sell, with the Titanium plan allowing up to 500 products.
Customer Support
Big Cartel provides customer support via email and its Help Center, including numerous articles and guides. However, they do not provide phone or live chat support.
Pros:
- Easy to use and caters specifically to artists and makers
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Offers multiple payment options
- Built-in tools for basic SEO and marketing
- Free plan available for those just starting out
Cons:
- Lacks some advanced ecommerce features found in other platforms
- Does not have a dedicated app market for extending functionality
- Limited customer support options
- Restricted to smaller inventory sizes
- Not ideal for complex or very large stores
Shift4Shop
Shift4Shop (formerly known as 3dcart) is a comprehensive ecommerce platform that provides businesses with all the tools they need to build and manage an online store.
It’s appreciated for its wide range of built-in features and scalable solutions suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Features
Shift4Shop offers robust features for building and managing an online store.
It supports selling physical and digital products without restrictions on the number of products you can list.
Shift4Shop also enables multichannel sales, allowing you to sell on platforms like Facebook, eBay and Amazon.
Shift4Shop integrates with over 160 payment providers, including major credit cards and digital currencies. It provides advanced SEO, marketing and analytics tools to improve your store’s visibility and performance.
The platform also boasts an App Store with numerous integrations that can extend the functionality of your store, from live chat and email marketing tools to advanced shipping and inventory management solutions.
Pricing
Shift4Shop offers a free End-to-End ecommerce plan sponsored by their payment platform, Shift4 Payments.
They also offer various priced plans depending on your business needs, ranging from $29/month to $229/month.
Customer Support
Shift4Shop provides 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat and email. They also offer a comprehensive online Knowledge Base with tutorials and articles.
Pros:
- Comprehensive and scalable ecommerce solution
- Supports sales of both physical and digital products
- Wide range of payment options
- Advanced built-in tools for SEO, marketing and analytics
- Large App Store for extending your store’s functionality
Cons:
- Free plan requires the use of Shift4 Payments
- May have a steeper learning curve compared to simpler platforms
- Some users report issues with the site’s speed and performance
- Additional costs may be incurred through premium apps
- Changing themes can be complex as it may affect existing customizations
Volusion
Volusion is an all-in-one ecommerce platform that provides businesses with the tools to build and operate an online store.
It’s known for its user-friendly interface and extensive built-in features.
Features
Volusion offers many features for creating and managing an online store. It supports the sale of physical products, digital goods and services.
Volusion also provides multichannel selling options, allowing you to sell on platforms like Facebook, Amazon and eBay.
Volusion integrates with various payment gateways, including major credit cards, PayPal and Stripe.
It offers built-in tools for SEO, marketing and analytics to help optimize your store’s visibility and performance.
The platform has an App Store that offers a selection of add-ons and integrations, allowing you to enhance your store’s functionality with features like live chat, email marketing and advanced shipping options.
Pricing
Volusion offers several pricing plans. Billed annually, the Personal plan starts at $31.50/month, the Professional plan is $71.50/month and the Business plan is $269.10/month.
Customer Support
Volusion provides customer support via phone, live chat and email. They also offer a knowledge base with tutorials, guides and a community forum.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface and easy-to-use tools
- Supports sales of physical products, digital goods and services
- Integration with multiple payment gateways
- Built-in tools for SEO, marketing and analytics
- App Store for expanding your store’s capabilities
Cons:
- Higher-tier plans can be expensive for small businesses
- Limited design customization options compared to some platforms
- Some users report occasional issues with site speed and performance
- Advanced features may require the use of third-party apps or custom development
- Additional costs may be incurred for premium apps and services
Key features to consider
Small business ecommerce is lean.
It’s all about cutting the fat; only paying for the things that you absolutely need to run your business and nothing else.
The best ecommerce platform for you will be the one that accommodates your goals and nothing more.
Here are some key features to look out for when evaluating ecommerce platforms.
Inventory management
An essential feature to look for in an ecommerce platform is a robust inventory management system that allows you to keep track of stock levels, manage product listings and handle multiple product categories.
Effective inventory management lets you optimize product offerings and avoid stockouts or overstocking issues.
Many of these platforms have very rudimentary inventory management features (like basic stock tracking). We highly advise looking into a dedicated inventory management software platform, especially as you start getting into selling on multiple channels.
Payment processing
Another crucial aspect of any ecommerce platform is its ability to process payments seamlessly.
The platform should support a variety of payment options, including credit cards, debit cards and popular digital wallets like PayPal.
Additionally, it should offer a secure payment gateway to protect your business and customers from fraud.
Marketing tools
A comprehensive suite of marketing tools is vital to drive traffic and boost sales.
Modern ecommerce platforms should offer built-in features for email marketing, social media integration and search engine optimization (SEO).
Look for a platform with analytics and reporting features to help you make data-driven decisions to improve your marketing efforts.
Customization
An ecommerce platform should have many customization capabilities to suit your business needs.
The platform should allow you to tweak the layout, colors, fonts and navigation to create a unique and engaging user experience.
You may also need functionality for specific plugins, extensions, or integrations to enhance the overall performance of your online store.
Templates
A wide range of high-quality, professional templates is crucial for any ecommerce platform.
A visually appealing, mobile-responsive design improves the shopping experience and helps your storefront stand out.
Ensure the platform’s templates can be easily customized to align with your brand identity and target audience preferences.
Shipping options
Offering flexible and affordable shipping options is essential for attracting customers and driving more sales.
The ecommerce solution you choose should integrate with various shipping carriers, calculate shipping rates in real-time and provide shipping labels and tracking information.
Additionally, the platform should allow you to offer customers multiple shipping methods, such as standard, expedited, or international delivery.
Customer management
Lastly, a comprehensive customer management system is necessary for any successful ecommerce business.
The platform should offer features like customer segmentation, order history tracking and personalized marketing campaigns to understand better and engage your customers.
It should also provide features like a streamlined returns process and robust customer support options to address any issues or concerns arising during the shopping experience.
Cost and budget considerations
Just because something looks “free” (or cheap) doesn’t mean there won’t be many hidden costs.
Here are some things to look out for.
Transaction fees
Transaction fees are a significant part of running an online store. Most ecommerce platforms charge a percentage of each sale or a fixed amount per transaction.
For example, Square and Shopify charge 2.9% plus 30 cents per online transaction source.
Remember these fees when selecting a platform, as they can impact your overall profitability.
Free plan options
Some ecommerce platforms offer free plans with basic functionalities, allowing small businesses to save on upfront costs.
For instance, the WooCommerce plugin is a technically free business platform that can help you build an online store on a budget source.
However, free plans may limit features, storage, or scalability, so assess your long-term needs before opting for a free solution.
Domains
You must register a domain name when setting up an ecommerce store. Most popular ecommerce platforms on this list allow you to purchase a custom domain.
If not, purchase one from another domain registrar like NameCheap or GoDaddy.
Consider this expense in your budget calculations, as it’s necessary for building your online presence.
Web hosting
Web hosting is essential for keeping your site live and accessible.
Different hosting plans are available at varying prices, with WooCommerce, for example, estimating costs to be $120 per year.
This cost will depend on the ecommerce platform you choose and the hosting plan you select.
Integration and expansion
Marketplace integration
A crucial aspect for small businesses is integrating with online marketplaces smoothly. Platforms like Shopify enable sellers to connect with marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.
This allows businesses to increase their product visibility, enhance customer reach and boost sales. Integrating with popular marketplaces simplifies product listing management, order processing and inventory updates.
Point of sale systems
Point of Sale (POS) system integration is essential for businesses with both online and physical stores.
A well-integrated POS system ensures seamless syncing of inventory, sales data and customer information across all sales channels.
Platforms like Shopify and Square offer comprehensive POS solutions, making it easy for businesses to manage their sales data, inventory and customer information in one place.
Accounting and CRM integration
ecommerce platforms should also enable seamless integration with accounting and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.
This aids in streamlining financial management, accurately tracking expenses and improving customer relations.
Smart data synchronization between ecommerce platforms and accounting software like QuickBooks, Xero, or FreshBooks can save time and minimize errors.
Integration with CRM tools, such as Salesforce or HubSpot, can help businesses better manage customer data, enhance marketing efforts and track the customer journey more effectively.
Small businesses can streamline operations, improve sales and improve customer experience by incorporating these integrations and expansions into their ecommerce strategy.
Advanced functionality and customization
Plug-ins and extensions
One of the crucial aspects of choosing an ecommerce platform is the availability of plug-ins and extensions. These add-ons offer advanced functionality and customization options.
Platforms like Shopify boast a huge library of integrations and extensions, enabling you to tailor the platform to your needs.
Examples of popular plug-ins include Google Analytics integration for monitoring performance and Elementor, a widely-used page builder for WordPress.
Checkout customization and cart recovery
Customizing the checkout process is an essential feature of ecommerce platforms. Tailoring the checkout experience, including support for different currencies, can help reduce cart abandonment rates.
Additionally, the ideal ecommerce platform will provide tools for cart recovery, such as email follow-ups for abandoned carts.
Final thoughts
Choosing the best ecommerce platform for a small business in 2023 depends on your company’s specific needs and goals.
From the user-friendly interface of Wix to the limitless customizability of WordPress + WooCommerce, each platform offers unique strengths that can empower your online store.
So, assess your business needs, compare these top choices (trying out all available free trials) and select the best platform with your business model and growth strategy.
Good luck and happy selling!