Nowadays, it is very difficult to find a company that does not sell its products on the Internet. Little by little, small and large companies have been incorporating web pages or mobile applications into their marketing strategies to distribute their products and services.
Electronic commerce or ecommerce is a reality that continues to grow in Spain, and all over the world. It is growing incredibly, as every day thousands of businesses are added to the network that see the Internet as the perfect opportunity to develop their business projects. In addition to this, we must add that investing in an ecommerce business to carry out a project does not imply a very high capital.
If you choose the right platform, you will avoid problems with SEO, web usability, etc. The first step is to set the objectives of the shop, and then choose a platform or software according to these characteristics.
In this article we are going to define what ecommerce is and which are the best platforms on which to develop this strategy.
what is ecommerce?
We can define ecommerce as an online shop. Internet is the channel that serves as a means to carry out transactions and contact with consumers through a method of buying and selling.
Ecommerce can be applied not only through web platforms, but also through social networks and mobile applications. Social networks are a source of information of great impact, which allows you to approach the user in a direct way and thus get to know your target audience.
Online business has opened the door to a great number of possibilities. Developing your business strategy on online platforms offers the opportunity to reach a greater number of consumers, regardless of the geographical area in which they are located. In addition, it is a much more economical tool, as you do not need to rent a physical store and all that entails. It allows you to be more competitive.
Setting up an ecommerce is not difficult. You will need a website, sell personalised products and a reliable courier service. One of the greatest advantages of online commerce is the possibility of segmenting different audiences. A good segmentation of our target audience means the effectiveness of our communication and marketing actions, i.e. our advertising campaigns.
An ecommerce platform is the software system that allows you to offer a buying and selling service, where a catalogue of products, services, templates, payment methods and databases are displayed, which you can select according to your objectives.
Below, we are going to explain what we consider to be the best and most popular online shop platforms among entrepreneurs.
Ecommerce platforms
- Shopify
It is a platform that offers all the ecommerce and point of sale functions you need to start, manage and grow your business. No prior knowledge is required to use it, unlike other more complex platforms.
It has a wide variety of templates and themes, both free and paid. In addition, they are templates that can be customised to the company's taste. It has support available 24 hours a day.
It is not a free platform, but it offers different subscriptions according to the needs of each entrepreneur.
- Prestashop
It is one of the most widely used platforms for retail businesses. Its growth is increasing every day thanks to its usability and the ease of its open source code. It is quite easy to use if you need basic features.
It has a clear user interface, with different template options, although not all of them are free, as well as its support. It stands out for its intuitive management and the simplicity of its configuration, although in some cases it will be necessary to have knowledge of HTML to modify its functionalities.
- Magneto
This platform is used for all types of projects, although it is more common among large and medium-sized businesses with a view to growth. Its business model is based on the purchase of modules, as it has an infinite number of them. Previous knowledge is necessary for its use.
It has a wide variety of free templates, as well as free support service options depending on what you have contracted. It has the option of a paid model and a free model, although the paid model offers better functionalities.
One feature of this platform is that its visibility on mobile devices is very good, which is a plus for its customers.
- Virtuemart
It is a component of the Joomla content management system, so the two go hand in hand, it cannot be used without it. The installation of this platform is quite simple, as it uses the automatic module installation component. It is aimed at small and medium-sized businesses.
Its products and categories are more limited, so it can be used as a shop or as an online catalogue.
What stands out about this platform is that its combination with Joomla allows you to build virtual shops and add other functionalities such as corporate websites, chats, forums or contact forms.
- Wix
This platform is mainly aimed at small businesses. A good quality is that no previous knowledge is required to use it, and it has support included in all subscriptions.
It has a wide variety of free and high quality templates and themes, and the cost ranges from a free model to different payment options included in the platform.
- OsCommerce
OsCommerce is an online shop platform with several features for businesses, including the option to compare product prices, make a wish list, view user reviews of products, newsletter or a customisable design.
Customers have the option to check the status of their order, and there is also a mobile version of the platform.
The first step to develop an online shop is to establish your objectives and choose the platform where you are going to offer your products and services. This online shop platform is the one you are going to show to your customers, so it has to be perfect and it is a brand image. Choosing the right ecommerce platform is essential for your online business, so we hope this post has helped you to make a comparison of which one is the best for your business.
