Nowadays, having an online store is much more than an option: it's an essential requirement for anyone who wants to sell products or services.

E-commerce has experienced steady growth in recent years, and all indications are that this trend will continue. However, choosing the right platform for your ecommerce can be complex, as there are several aspects to consider before making a decision.

But what are the most popular ecommerce platforms in the world? We are going to discover them and, by the way, we explain how to choose the one that best suits your business.

1. WooCommerce

If you already know WordPress, you've probably heard of WooCommerce as well. This free plugin transforms any WordPress site into a complete online store. It is flexible, accessible and has become the most used e-commerce platform in the world.

Advantages

• WordPress integration: Take advantage of all the advantages of one of the most popular CMS.
  
  
• Accessibility: Despite being free, it offers a lot of useful features.
  
  
• Flexibility: Allows forcustomize your store thoroughly with a wide variety of templates.
  
  
• Open Source: You can modify it according to the needs of your business.

Disadvantages

• Technical learning curve: It can be a bit difficult to use if you're not familiar with WordPress.
  
  
• Constant updates: Requires regular attention to plugin updates and backups.
  
  
• You need hosting: It does not come with a hosting service included, which generates an additional cost.

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2. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is a digital platform focused on ecommerce, unlike WooCommerce, which is a plugin. It is intuitive and has an attractive user interface.

Advantages

• Easy to use and set up: Its interface is simple, making it easy to manage your product catalog.
  
  
• International adaptability: It allows working with different currencies and tax systems, as well as several languages.
  
  
• Variety of templates: Offers a large selection of customizable themes.

Disadvantages

• Limited in size: It is more oriented to small stores, so it may not be enough for large online businesses.
  
  
• Limited functionality: It's not the platform with the most features available, and it's not open source.

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3. Magento

Magento is a powerful platform designed for large companies, with two versions available: one free and one paid. The payment option, although expensive, is responsible for the management and hosting of the store.

Advantages

• Scalability: It offers all the features you could want for your ecommerce.
  
  
• Efficient management: Ideal for managing large catalogs with thousands of products.
  
  
• Great for big businesses: Its ability to handle large volumes of products makes it perfect for large scale companies.

Disadvantages

• Requires technical expertise: Its use is not simple and requires advanced knowledge.
  
  
• Long implementation: Setting up and launching the store can take several weeks or even months.
  
  High costs: The paid version has a high price, which can be prohibitive for smaller stores.

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4. Wix Store

Wix Store is an extension of the well-known Wix website builder. It's a great option for small businesses that need to quickly establish an online presence.

Advantages

• Ease of use: Ideal for beginners, with its drag-and-drop interface that requires no technical knowledge.
  
  
• Wide variety of templates: Constantly updated, offering you new features.
  
  
• Affordable price: Perfect for entrepreneurs with a limited budget.

Disadvantages

• Limited in scalability: It's not designed for big businesses or to scale quickly.
  
  
• Fewer advanced features: Compared to other platforms, it lacks some advanced features.
  
  
• Limited SEO: If you're looking to do detailed SEO, Wix may not be the most flexible option.

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5. Shopify

Shopify is a very popular ecommerce platform, both for small and large companies, known for its ease of use and the multiple functionalities it offers, such as multichannel sales.

Advantages

• Own accommodation: You don't need to hire external hosting, as Shopify offers hosting.
  
  
• High charging speed: Essential to improve the SEO of your online store.
  
  
• Ease of use: You don't need to be an expert to manage your store and products.
  
  
• Multichannel sales: Sell on social networks and in physical stores through your POS system.

Disadvantages

• ^Cost Somewhat high: Paid plans are slightly more expensive than on other platforms.
  
  
• Less flexibility: Although it has many templates, advanced customization may require technical knowledge.
  
  

What factors to consider when choosing your ecommerce platform?

Knowing which are the main e-commerce platforms in the market, the next step will be to choose which one is best for you based on different factors, such as the following.

Do you really need an ecommerce?

In your case, you may only need a basic website without ecommerce functionality. However, if your business depends on selling physical products, you'll definitely need an online store.

Define your business model

It's important to know if you'll be selling B2B (business-to-business), B2C (business-to-consumer), or another type of model. This will influence your choice of platform.

Set your objectives and goals

If you already have a consolidated store and are looking to scale, you'll need platforms with more functionality and expandability. If you're just starting out, a platform with basic tools will suffice.

Consider your budget

The budget plays an important role. The greater the functionality and scalability, the higher the cost of the platform. If you're on a limited budget, take a good look at the free options or the more affordable versions.

Evaluate your technical knowledge

If you're not tech savvy, choose an intuitive, easy-to-use platform. If you have technical support, you can opt for more advanced options.

Ossom, the Shopify Plus Partners agency for your ecommerce

In Ossom, as a Shopify Plus agency, we are more than convinced of the enormous possibilities offered by Shopify compared to its few disadvantages.

Thus, we used this CMS to create the online stores of our customers, taking care of the entire process, from the initial consulting, the configuration of the template and to the final delivery of the website with all the desired functionalities.

Do you need an ecommerce and don't know which CMS to choose? Have you already decided but don't have technical knowledge or time to manage it?...

Get in touch with us using the button and we'll create your new online store from scratch, ready to sell your products to thousands of customers with just a few clicks.