What is an eCommerce Platform?

Development

An eCommerce platform is an advanced software-based solution to help online retailers set up and manage their businesses. An eCommerce platform is the biggest growth driver in the online business market globally. It enables online retailers to sell their products and services online. People prefer using eCommerce platforms as it helps them to grow their business much faster and achieve revenue goals. eCommerce platforms such as Shopify are common among Dropshippers as it offers a fast and easy solution to get your products online. 

An eCommerce platform integrates all the business and commerce functionalities under one roof. Ecommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce are gaining huge popularity among online business owners. Statistics show that 1.75 million online retailers use Shopify and three million live websites use WooCommerce to empower their online stores.

Running an online business/store is a complex task that requires effective ways of managing stocks, building websites, and accepting customer payments. An eCommerce platform enables customer service reps to get a centralized order, a unified view of a customer across all channels, and an efficient inventory system to manage all the sales channels. It has all the features online retailers need to grow and operate their stores.

Importance of eCommerce Platforms

Ecommerce platforms offer impressive features to help online store owners manage all the processes without dealing with each part individually. Moreover, it is cheaper and more efficient than using plugins and creating software from scratch. Using an eCommerce platform prevents system failure, helps you troubleshoot technical issues, and has an effective purchasing process for your customers.

An eCommerce platform is ideal for giving your potential customers good purchasing options, boosting your revenue, and improving the sales process.

Types of an Ecommerce Platform

An eCommerce platform has four types which are;

1. PaaS (Platform as a Service)

PaaS is a distributed model used for B2B (Business to Business) development where an online retailer wants to connect their eCommerce store with different frameworks.

2. Hosted

A hosted eCommerce platform has month-to-month or yearly repeating subscription-based services.

3. Licensed

A licensed eCommerce platform requires a one-time permit for opening an online store with your selected host.

4. Open Source

An open-source eCommerce platform is the most widely used platform that enables retailers to coordinate their work to a greater extent.

Features of an eCommerce Platform

Different surveys show that more than 7.1 million online retailers are available worldwide, which is expected to grow in the coming years. Finding a tailored solution for your online business may seem daunting. An eCommerce platform offers a complete array of features to help online retailers quickly manage and grow their businesses.

1. User-Friendly Interface and Design Options

An eCommerce platform allows you to design a user-friendly interface for your customers. It enables you to create blog posts and product pages to attract new customers through content marketing. The platform also has several built-in design options you can use to give an interactive look to your eCommerce store.

2. Efficient Store Management System

An eCommerce platform offers efficient product management, return management, and order management system to operate your store with greater accuracy.

3. Optimized Customer View

An eCommerce platform provides an optimized view of all customer interactions and transactions across all channels. It also offers award-winning customer services and a personalized and consistent cross-channel experience.

4. Payment Processing Options

Payment processing is the most integral part of an online business. An eCommerce platform offers efficient payment processing options to support your eCommerce store.

5. Security

An eCommerce platform meets PCI security standards to protect your customers’ data. Moreover, eCommerce platforms are encrypted with SSL (secure socket layer) security to protect your online store from outside threats and vulnerabilities.

6. Promotion Opportunities

Some Ecommerce platforms, such as Shopify, support out-of-the-box promotional opportunities to promote your online store. You use these opportunities to get effective results from your marketing strategies.

7. Support

Ecommerce platforms provide exceptional support if you’re facing a technical issue operating your web store. You can use their guides, how-tos, and FAQs section to get the solution to your problem.

Best Ecommerce Platforms

To build a killer eCommerce store, you can find many eCommerce platforms in the online business market. They all have different features and services to support your web store. Some of the most famous eCommerce platforms include;

1. Shopify

Shopify has become one of the fastest-growing and most widely used eCommerce platforms due to its amazing features and interactive nature. Shopify offers;

• Nine free and 64 paid pre-made themes to give your web store an attractive look.
• Drag-and-drop editor to design an eCommerce website
• Many payment options include Google Pay, Mastercard, and Visa.
• 3D secure checkouts and PCI compliance to protect your customers’ data
• A 14-day free trial to understand the functionality of this eCommerce platform

In short, Shopify gives you all the perks you need to grow your online business and boost your revenue. Shopify pricing starts from $29 up to $2000+ for Shopify Plus. 

2. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is also an eCommerce platform that requires a basic knowledge of WordPress. It has the largest market share of all the eCommerce platforms. WooCommerce offers;

• A variety of extensions to fulfil the needs of your online business
• 23 customizable design themes
• Promotional email feature to build a strong customer relationship
• Paid ad-ons to increase the efficiency of your web store

WooCommerce is a unique eCommerce platform that consolidates data on your revenue and products to measure the performance of your web store.

3. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another effective eCommerce platform ideal for larger businesses and brands. It offers;

• Award-winning marketing solutions (email marketing, SEO, launch a blog)
• More than 55 payment solutions
• SSL encryption and PCI security to protect your data
• Effective inventory management tools
• Partnership with different payment and shipping providers
• Impressive customer support services
• Wide variety of pre-made themes to design an eCommerce website
• A 15-day free trial
• CSS and HTML editor for advanced customization

BigCommerce platform offers all the features a larger brand or business needs to attract potential buyers and grow faster.

Conclusion

An eCommerce platform is a software-based solution designed to help online retailers build an eCommerce website and operate a web store without hassle. The platform offers exclusive features such as promotional opportunities, pre-made themes, a user-friendly interface, and data protection to help retailers run their web stores smoothly.

To launch an online business/store, you must choose an eCommerce platform for better performance and faster growth.