Today, having an online presence for any business is not an option but a necessity. Unfortunately, most businesses think setting up a website or social media profile is enough, but that is not the case. Whether you are an online business or are looking to take your offline business digital, you need to choose a reliable eCommerce platform. Otherwise, you won’t be able to realize the many benefits of eCommerce.
With so many options, choosing the best eCommerce platform can be challenging. A WooCommerce development company will say that WooCommerce is the best eCommerce platform, and Shopify experts will side with Shopify, Whereas
Prestashop vs Magento is a different debate altogether. There's nothing to worry about, as after reading this article, you can confidently choose the best eCommerce platform for your business.
1. Cloud-Based?
If you Google “
eCommerce website development Toronto”, you will come across numerous websites. Regardless of which website you open, there is one term that you will see on every website, and that term is ‘cloud based’. All of us have heard this term countless times before, but very few understand it. When we say cloud, we mean accessing apps/data over the internet rather than your hard disc.
Your selected eCommerce platform needs to be cloud-based due to its benefits. The primary benefit is cost savings. You don't have to worry about investing in new hardware and software every time you expand your business. Your cloud-based platform will manage all this. You can add or remove resources as required. The platform is responsible for managing the service level agreements with the vendors. In other words, you enjoy the best hardware and
software without ever engaging with the vendor.
2. Flexibility
Ask any
Magento development company, and they will say that they prefer Magento because of its flexibility. Never opt for a platform that follows the 'one size fits all' strategy. Every eCommerce store is unique and something that eCommerce platforms must respect and support. It is not worth it if a platform forces you to design your store based on their requirements. You need a platform that lets you add new functionality and features without challenges.
3. Scalability
The third thing which you must consider is scalability. Depending on the situation, you might need to expand or scale down your business. In that case, you need a platform which allows you to scale up or down easily. For instance, does the platform support multiple languages or payment models? Does it allow you to add new product categories easily or is extensive coding required?
4. Search Engine Optimisation
After setting up your eCommerce platform, the next thing that you must focus on is search engine optimisation (SEO). Social media marketing and other types will only do so much for your store. Sooner or later, you must invest in SEO. If your store ranks on the 1st page of Google against your primary keywords, you will see an increase in website traffic, leads, and sales. Numerous eCommerce platforms claim their platform is geared towards SEO. We won't go into whether they are making false claims. Instead, we ask the business owners to read reviews and conduct their research regarding a platform's SEO-friendliness.
5. Business Model
The line between B2B and B2C is blurring quite rapidly. There are some platforms that are only suitable for only one business model. For example, most B2C store owners prefer
Shopify. We recommend that you choose a platform that is perfect for all business models. The reason is that even if you are focused on B2C right now, you may also decide to target B2B in the future.
6. Support
What’s the point of investing thousands of dollars in an eCommerce platform that doesn’t offer quality technical support? We acknowledge that every platform has its shortcomings. For example, even though Prestashop is one of the leading eCommerce platforms, it was recently hacked. A reliable eCommerce platform is supported by an extensive network of developers, trouble-shooters, and support providers. They help you every step of the way.
Conclusion
It concludes our article on choosing the best eCommerce platform for your business. We are confident that after going through the above points, you won't face any issues when finalizing your platform. If you have any queries or suggestions, let us know.
