INTRODUCTION
Gone are the days of small business merchants using spreadsheets to track inventory and shipping, or using non-existent order tracking. Today, small businesses are armed with a variety of powerful eCommerce software, but how do you know which is best for your small business?
Do you want your own eCommerce store but don’t have the money to pay a web designer to create one for you?
Let’s get started!
1. Shopify
Shopify is one of the biggest and most popular ecommerce platforms amongst businesses of all sizes. It is one of the best ecommerce website builders for small businesses.
This website builder has a user interface that is very easy to use. You don’t need to have IT or coding skills to create your store. Many businesses like Shopify because they can build an awesome, customizable store without having to learn to code or design.
Shopify caters to small businesses and large ecommerce businesses. If your small business grows and expands beyond a small business, you won’t have to worry about changing platforms. You can upgrade to plans that are more suited for larger businesses.
When it comes to the design, you have hundreds of themes for options. Shopify provides a variety of different types of themes to fit all kinds of business. You can pick the theme that fits best for your business’s aesthetic.
The best part is that all of these options include responsive design. Responsive design ensures that your website adapts to whatever device a user is using. Regardless of the design you implement into your website, you won’t need to worry about adjusting it for mobile users.
If you have any issues with creating your site, Shopify has 24/7 customer support to help you with your problems. You can reach out to them with questions, concerns, or for directions on how to manage features on your website.
As for the financial aspect of your website, there are no transaction fees if people purchase products from your site. Shopify also offers fraud analysis to keep consumers safe.
Overall, Shopify is a great option if you are looking for a website builder that is user-friendly and easy to develop. Optimizing your site for search engine optimization (SEO) is also easy when you have the help of a Shopify SEO expert.
2. BigCommerce
Another great ecommerce platform is BigCommerce. This platform is great for small and large businesses to create ecommerce websites.
BigCommerce offers an extensive set of ecommerce tools to help you build your website. You also have the opportunity to integrate social media into your site and sell your products through those channels.
BigCommerce makes it easy for you to branch out and sell your products through other mediums. You can use your BigCommerce site to build storefronts on other sites like Amazon and eBay. It’s a great way to help you expand your business’s reach while creating a consistent brand identity across platforms.
Like Shopify, BigCommerce offers 24/7 customer support for all your needs. You can turn to them to get expert help while you compose your site.
BigCommerce will also help you manage payments and shipping your items. It’s generally a flexible platform that makes it easy to create and monitor your site.
3. Selz
Selz is considered one of the cheapest ecommerce platforms that is still effective for driving valuable results. This website builder offers standard and pro plans. As a small business, the standard plan will offer you everything you require.
You have many themes to choose from when you design your site. With 24/7 customer support, you have access to set up sessions to help you get started with your site. Selz makes it easy for you to choose the theme that works best for your business and implement it into your site.
This platform is very easy to use. If you don’t have coding or design experience, Selz is a great option. They emphasize the use of user-friendly tools to make it easy for your business to build your website. In addition, there are numerous customization options to help you create a website that works for you.
The drag and drop website builder feature makes it easy for you to create product pages fast and easy. If you’re looking for a website builder that is affordable and easy to use, Selz is the answer.
4. Wix Ecommerce
If you have a small product selection, Wix Ecommerce is a great option for you. This platform enables small businesses with less than 50 unique products create beautifully designed websites. It’s simple and easy to create an effective website.
Wix Ecommerce is set up with a drag and drop theme. You can add and remove features as you see fit for your business. This makes it easy for you to create your customized storefront.
Like other website builders, Wix Ecommerce offers many eye-catching website themes. You don’t need to have major design skills to create your website on Wix Ecommerce.
Wix doesn’t require that you know code, either. With their program Wix Code, it’s easy for you to build your own website without knowing coding.
If you are a small business with small product selection, Wix Ecommerce is a great option to help you build your website.
5. Squarespace
Squarespace is an awesome option for small businesses that are looking for a sophisticated yet simple website builder. This website builder offers many store themes that businesses can use to build their website.
When you build your site on Squarespace, you’ll get access to their inventory management system. You can integrate this into your site to keep track of your inventory and know when you’re running low on certain products.
Squarespace allows you to control various aspects of your website. You can set coupon offers, shipping configurations, and manage your email lists. This makes it easy for you to have complete control over your website.
6. WooCommerce
If you have a blog for your business, you may use WordPress to host your blog. WordPress can also double-up as an ecommerce website for your small business. With the plugin WooCommerce, you make it easy to create a website that is functional for an ecommerce business.
WooCommerce allows you to create a fully customizable website for your business. It’s an open source ecommerce plugin that allows you to add ecommerce functionality to your website. This plugin is very popular among small businesses that are already using WordPress in some capacity.
Using WooCommerce allows you to add ecommerce functionalities. You make it easy for people to see your products and purchase them. It’s a very user-friendly plugin you can use to quickly develop a website.
When you invest in WooCommerce for WordPress, you have a huge community of developers that will help you create the best website for your business.
CONCLUSION
It is a great time to start a small business and sell products or services online. More and more people are choosing the so called ‘digital nomad’ lifestyle and starting a business online for many different reasons, one being that you can work from anywhere and still earn an income.
Do you know that opening a website today has become more affordable than just five years ago? With the rise of cloud-based software and the implementation of shopping cart plugins, setting up an online store is easier than ever. However, if you belong to an organization with a small budget or limited resources, then you will most likely look for eCommerce solutions that are easy to use and require low maintenance.