Top eCommerce Website & CMS Development Platforms for 2020
These days, a lot of eCommerce businesses are coming up. That’s because people feel more comfortable shopping from the comfort of their homes. They can get a lot of variety, without having to travel outside. Companies and new entrepreneurs investing in eCommerce development never had it so good. Every other person has a mobile phone, which means it’s easy to find customers. For sellers, it’s very easy to manage their operations from one single web panel. The technologies have evolved a lot, which means you don’t have to be an eCommerce developer to manage orders. You just need to think about what you want to sell, and there are specialists who’ll create your website. However, you’ll have to choose an apt platform, which will suit your budget and requirements.
The platform will make it easy for you to manage all sales and orders. It’s recommended that depending on your requirements, you choose whichever works out best for you. Then you can effortlessly find an eCommerce website development company to create your online store.
Following is a list of top eCommerce platforms, with their respective merits and demerits.
Shopify
Shopify is extremely popular among non-technical people due to its simplicity and ease of use. For basic features, you can do Shopify development yourself by using its CMS platform. For implementing advanced features, you’ll have to use the services of a Shopify developer. The downside is that it can be quite expensive for people in developing economies. It has a recurring monthly model, based on SaaS. This means extra cost, in addition to if you hire a Shopify website development company.
WooCommerce
The WooCommerce platform is ideal for enterprises with limited budget and resources. Since it’s built on the open-source WordPress platform, there are a lot of plugins and resources available. In case you are unsure of the market scenario and want to sell just a few products, then opt for WooCommerce development. There is a wide variety of themes to choose from, you can select yourself or ask WooCommerce developer to show. The cost is one-time, which means a cost-effective solution. It is commonplace to find a proprietary WooCommerce website development company in your geographical region. The downside is that it is a technical platform, you can’t develop the site yourself, and regular maintenance is needed.
3dcart
For those looking for a usable platform with attractive features,3Dcart is the answer. The company has been operational for many years, their tool is quite comprehensive. SME’s can do 3dcart development themselves, with the help of online tutorials. For implementing advanced features, they’ll need services of an experienced 3dcart developer. The downsides are that the platform lacks adequate support in the community. Plus, you may have to recruit an offshore 3dcart website development company in other geographical areas.
BigCommerce
Like Shopify, BigCommerce is another friendly tool for newbies. It comes with powerful functionalities to set your online shop instantly. First-time online sellers can carry out BigCommerce development on their own, with a quick learning curve. The platform has most of the things required for businesses to start selling on the net. Of course, for implementing advanced features, you’ll require tech know-how from experts. If you want, then you can pick a theme and outsource the remaining process to a BigCommerce website development company. The downside is that it can be quite expensive to find a BigCommerce developer at reasonable rates.
Volusion
Even though Volusion has been around for a long time, it’s gained rapid traction recently. There’s a limited community of friendly & supportive Volusion developers, who are always eager to assist others. For beginners, carrying out Volusion development is not difficult, owing to its dependable UX. One can get a good-looking online shopping website in a very short time. The downsides are that themes aren’t much compared to WooCommerce, and features are also less. To hire a Volusion website development company, you might have to outsource via freelance marketplaces like GoodFirms.
Magento
Hands down, the most powerful eCommerce tool is Magento. No other platform can match it, in terms of features. Some of the most powerful eCommerce websites are a result of Magento development. There are even full-fledged CRM and ERP solutions, all possible in this ecosystem. Enterprises looking for a large-scale solution must give the contract to a Magento website development company. The biggest downside is that it’s a very technical solution. Means, you’ll always need the help of a Magento developer to do rapid changes. Even changing page URL or layout of About page can be a chore, in the CMS. Hence, this platform is recommended for large scale players only.
Squarespace
The developers of Squarespace proudly state that it’s handcrafted in New York. The look & feel is quite polished. In fact, it can be called the Apple of eCommerce tools. Not just in terms of look & feel, also that while features are less, they’re easy for a layman. Anyone can do basic Squarespace development themselves; their mobile apps are also powerful for performing daily operations. SEO is automatic, so your site lands up in Google search automatically. Though you’ll require the technical expertise of a Squarespace developer to implement custom code changes to the site. The pricing includes the cost of the theme, so you pay for what you see on the website. A major limitation is that the number of themes is quite less. You can’t get a theme of your custom design created from a Squarespace website development company.
Prestashop
With thousands of themes and a tightly integrated community, Prestashop has seen rapid growth as of late. Based on an open-source platform, there has been a lot of Prestashop development in recent times. So, even if they don’t have the features you need now, chances are they’ll be added soon. The tool is quite easy to use for first-timers, even if not the easiest. Finding a Prestashop developer is easy, as you can post a request from their website. However, it might not be easy to find a Prestashop website development company in your local region.
Weebly
Rapidly gaining popularity in North America, Weebly is affordable and easy to use. You don’t need to be a software professional to carry out Weebly development. Many musicians, doctors, lawyers, etc. are already using the platform with comfort. If you still want, you can always hire a Weebly developer to fulfill your business requirements. The sad part is that the features are rather limited. Even if you avail services of a Weebly website development company, you might not get what you want. The creators feel that way their platform remains simple for most of their target audience.
Wix
Several hobbyists have created their first website using Wix. Especially school students and teenagers. Wix development has been fantastic as of late, which has made it a reputed tool for eCommerce as well. There are several basic level integrations and themes available for users. Finding a Wix developer is not an issue, you can get them easily. However, this platform is not recommended for serious players. You should contact a Wix website development company only if your requirements are fairly basic.
Joomla
At one time, Joomla was the most promising CMS in the market. It had its share of positives, which influenced the web community. In fact, it is still a solid platform. However, in recent years, Joomla development hasn’t seen many advancements as compared to others. The platform no doubt remains powerful, with the help of a professional Joomla developer you can customize it a lot. Maybe you already have a website made by a Joomla website development company and now want to sell online. Then go for it, or if you’re already comfortable with the platform.
Drupal
Drupal remains a popular choice in the U.K. The CMS is friendly, and there is scope for feature addition. Drupal development has been decent over the years, especially on the analytics part. Again, this is a technical platform that will require you to have a Drupal developer. Your eCommerce website can be quite powerful and full of useful features. Pricing wise, you can get developers at your rates, though not many from developing economies. If you have fancy to this then surely you can go ahead. Try going for an officially certified Drupal website development company, which means they’re competent. A downer is that the platform isn’t that easy to use for newbies, compared to 3DCart and Squarespace.
WordPress
The most popular CMS in the world is WordPress. No other platform comes remotely close. There are far too many features and integrations, more than anyone else. Also, there are several free and paid themes available for carrying out WordPress development as per your design choice. The CMS has all the necessary features that are required. If you already have a WordPress website, it’s easy to add payment gateway integration on it. Finding a WordPress developer is super easy, you can get locally or from online marketplaces. If your requirements are huge, then go for the services of an established WordPress website development company. Because it’s a technical platform, it’s not easy to maintain, and you may have to outsource the AMC part.
Conclusion
Every eCommerce website and CMS platform has its share of merits and demerits. When deciding on one, look for something that fits your budget and requirements. Also, see how much technical involvement you can do. Read features on the platform’s website and see if that’ll suffice for you to do business. As they say, well begun is half done, hence choose this aspect wisely. If you can work with a trusted web development company, then ask for a consultation on the same.
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