In the fast-paced world of online retail, having the right tools at your disposal can make all the difference. With countless options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the best ones for your business. This article narrows down the top 10 ecommerce tools that can help you streamline your operations, improve customer experience, and boost your sales. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade your current setup, these tools are designed to make your online store not just run, but thrive.
Key Takeaways
- Ecommerce tools are essential for streamlining operations and enhancing customer experience.
- Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce are among the top choices for ecommerce platforms.
- Magento and PrestaShop offer robust solutions for more advanced users.
- Tools like Wix eCommerce and Squarespace Commerce are great for beginners due to their ease of use.
- Selecting the right mix of tools can significantly boost your online store’s performance.
1. Shopify
Shopify is a powerful all-in-one tool that helps businesses establish a strong online presence. It’s accessible enough to make it easy for beginners to set up or move their business online. Shopify empowers budding entrepreneurs and established brands by providing a comprehensive commerce platform that supports growth at every stage.
Features
- Professional online storefront
- Payment solutions
- POS application for retail sales
- Inventory & order management
- Shopify Fulfillment Network
- Shopify Balance for faster payments
- Shopify Lending for secure business financing
- Shopify Flow for business automation
- Developer-friendly APIs
Ratings
| Feature | Rating |
|---|---|
| Features | 4.2 |
| Ease of Use | 4.5 |
| Support | 4.4 |
Why Shopify is Great for Small Businesses
Shopify is so well-known that you will have tons of training, tutorials, and community support. This makes it an excellent choice for small to mid-size businesses on standard plans and enterprise companies on Shopify Plus.
Shopify offers an easy-to-use interface with a range of customizable templates, making it great for businesses of all sizes, including small ones.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a leading ecommerce platform for individuals and businesses looking to create their own online store. Unlike Shopify, WooCommerce isn’t a standalone platform, but a WordPress ecommerce plugin. It’s one of the best and most popular tools for ecommerce available in the market.
Features & Pricing
WooCommerce offers a customizable, open-source eCommerce platform that runs on WordPress. It provides themes, payment options, shipping options, and more. Their customizable platform allows you to tailor your online store to your specific needs.
Pros and Cons
- Pros:
- Highly customizable
- Free to use
- Large community support
- Cons:
- Inexperienced WordPress users may suffer with setup
- No centralized support
- Some external extensions are clunky, may not work
Ratings
- Features: 4.8
- Ease of Use: 4.2
- Support: 3.9
WooCommerce carves a unique niche in the market. It’s a free plugin designed to work with WordPress websites. So, if you’ve already made a website, such as a blog, on WordPress and want to start selling merchandise on it, WooCommerce might be a good option.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a large-scale ecommerce platform that helps provide software services to retailers. It’s an open software as a service (SaaS) platform, best for building enterprise commerce websites. BigCommerce will help build online stores, optimize your store for SEO, provide marketing services and more for small to enterprise-sized businesses.
Features & Pricing
BigCommerce offers a variety of pricing plans to suit different business needs:
- Standard – $29/month
- Plus – $79/month
- Pro – $299/month
- Enterprise – Contact BigCommerce sales for custom pricing
Pros and Cons
BigCommerce pros:
- The SMB version of a very popular enterprise eCommerce solution
- Features like shipping and taxes are aimed at getting already established businesses online quickly
BigCommerce cons:
- Might be overkill for small retailers just starting out
- Limited content editor
- No multi-lingual store options
Ratings
| Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Features | 3.8 |
| Ease of Use | 4.2 |
| Support | 4.2 |
BigCommerce is a feature-rich platform provider that lets you build and design your online store and gives you a smarter way to scale your business.
4. Magento
Magento is a powerful solution with extensive ecommerce features. It is often the choice for enterprise-level businesses that prioritize a detailed, customer-centric approach. Magento is best for large businesses and is trusted by well-known clients like Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, Monin, Krispy Kreme, and Helly Hansen.
Key Features
- Headless commerce
- Multi-brand solution
- Integrated B2B functionality
- Powerful user experience
- Comprehensive management of catalogs, orders, and inventory
Pros
- Scalability
- Versatile built-in functionality
- SEO-friendly
- Large community support
Cons
- High cost
- Time-intensive development
- Complex customization
Pricing
Pricing for Magento is available upon request, reflecting its tailored approach to meet the needs of large enterprises.
For businesses looking to grow their client base and boost profitability, Magento offers a robust platform with extensive features and support.
Clients
Magento is trusted by major brands such as Coca-Cola, T-Mobile, Monin, Krispy Kreme, and Helly Hansen.
5. Wix eCommerce
Wix eCommerce is a versatile platform packed with essential eCommerce features. These include built-in tools for inventory management, multichannel sales, marketing, eCommerce UX, eCommerce merchandising, and dropshipping—plus AI-powered tools for product descriptions, images, and product recommendations. Wix also supports 80+ payment gateways, in addition to its own native solution. If you’re looking to expand beyond Wix’s toolset, you can search its expansive App Market for a vetted list of solutions.
Wix is cheaper than most other tools and is beginner-friendly. Its drag-and-drop website builder interface makes it easy for small business owners to design functional eCommerce stores themselves, without any coding experience.
This tool comes with over 800 customizable templates that enable you to tailor your online store to your specific needs. It also enables retailers to advance their website’s functionality by integrating with other third-party tools and marketing apps.
Wix is a top-tier site builder with solid eCommerce integration, making it one of the best options if you also want to build a full website.
6. Squarespace Commerce
Key Features
Squarespace Commerce is a versatile tool that allows you to create mobile-optimized websites with ease. It offers a free custom domain, advanced website analytics for higher-tier plans, and access to customizable templates. The platform also includes an integrated commenting system, custom CSS, and a drag-and-drop editor.
Channels
- Online sales channels like Facebook and Instagram
- Mailchimp integration for email marketing
- In-person sales channels with the Squarespace POS
Pricing
All prices listed below are billed annually:
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Personal | $16/month |
| Business | $23/month |
| Commerce (Basic) | $27/month |
| Commerce (Advanced) | $49/month |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Lets you create mobile-optimized websites
- Free custom domain
- Advanced website analytics
- Customizable templates
- Integrated commenting system
- Custom CSS
- Drag-and-drop editor
Cons:
- Lack of options for checkout
- Shipping rate settings can be complicated
- Restricted features on lower tier plans
Squarespace Commerce is best for retail stores, online ordering for restaurants, and enabling in-person pickup. It is a versatile tool that lends itself well to selling not only physical products but also digital content.
7. Ecwid
Ecwid is an excellent choice for e-commerce startups looking to avoid early-stage pitfalls. While Ecwid is a great free eCommerce website builder, it doesn’t skimp on the features with the paid plans. It integrates with social channels like Facebook and Instagram, allowing you to sell directly to your followers. You can also list your products on Amazon or eBay and even take payments in person. Ecwid automatically calculates tax, offers discounts, and tracks your inventory.
Integration Options
When you sign up, Ecwid gives you the option to integrate your store with your existing website. It supports most platforms like WordPress, Weebly, and Drupal. Alternatively, you can set up your own store with a company.site domain name, which you can change to a custom domain by upgrading to the Venture plan.
Pricing
Ecwid offers a free plan that lets you start selling your first 5 physical products. Affordable upgrade tiers start at $19/month as you grow or need extra features. There are no additional transaction fees on top of what your payment gateway charges.
Recent Changes
Ecwid was bought two years ago by Canadian payment gateway and point-of-sale provider, Lightspeed. So far, the only real change is that Lightspeed retail hardware is promoted as a point-of-sale option—provided you sign up for the $99/month Unlimited plan.
If you set up a free store on Ecwid, you don’t have to worry about moving to a new platform if things take off.
8. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a robust, open-source ecommerce solution that offers a high level of customization for online stores. Ideal for businesses looking for flexibility and control, PrestaShop provides a wide range of features to help you build and manage your online store effectively.
Key Features
- Highly customizable with numerous modules and themes
- Supports multiple languages and currencies
- Advanced SEO tools
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting
- Mobile-friendly design
Pricing
PrestaShop is free to download and use, but you may incur costs for hosting, premium modules, and themes. Here’s a quick overview:
| Cost Component | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Hosting | $5 – $50/month |
| Premium Modules | $30 – $200/module |
| Premium Themes | $60 – $200/theme |
Usability
PrestaShop is designed for users with some technical knowledge. While it offers extensive customization options, it may require a learning curve for beginners.
PrestaShop is an excellent choice for businesses that need a customizable and scalable ecommerce platform without recurring subscription fees.
Support
PrestaShop offers a variety of support options, including community forums, documentation, and paid support plans. The community is active and can be a valuable resource for troubleshooting and advice.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- No recurring subscription fees
- Strong community support
Cons:
- Requires technical knowledge
- Costs can add up with premium modules and themes
- Limited built-in support options
9. Volusion
Volusion is a comprehensive ecommerce platform that offers a range of features to help you build and manage your online store. It’s a full-featured online store that supports multi-currency transactions, making it ideal for businesses looking to expand globally. The platform also includes robust inventory management and enterprise services.
Pros
- Integrates with most ecommerce websites
- Has a powerful analytics tool
- Its user interface is easy to navigate
- Has a free plan
Cons
- There is no way to control how reviews appear on social media
Usability
Slight learning curve
Tool level
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced
Pricing
- Free plan
- Growth: from $19/month
- Prime: from $59/month
- Powerhouse: from $199/month
- Enterprise: Custom
Volusion is an essential part of the entrepreneur’s toolkit: essential software for e-commerce businesses. Explore key software tools for success in e-commerce, from platforms to personalization and order fulfillment.
10. 3dcart
3dcart, now known as Shift4Shop, is an all-in-one ecommerce platform designed to cater to various business needs. It offers a robust free plan, but it may not work for everyone. The platform includes a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to build your online store.
Key Features
- Social media integration
- Inventory management tools
- Email marketing tools
- SSL certificate
- GDPR toolkit for European sales
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $49/month | 9-day Free Trial |
Usability
Shift4Shop is easy to use and suitable for advanced users. It provides a comprehensive set of tools to ensure your online store is fully functional.
With its extensive features, Shift4Shop is a strong contender in the ecommerce platform market, offering solutions for businesses of all sizes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the right ecommerce tools can significantly enhance the efficiency and success of your online store. From streamlining operations to boosting marketing efforts and improving customer service, these tools are essential for staying competitive in the fast-paced world of ecommerce. By carefully selecting the tools that best fit your business needs, you can create a seamless and effective ecommerce ecosystem that drives sales and fosters growth. Whether you opt for an all-in-one solution or a mix-and-match approach, the tools highlighted in this article provide a solid foundation for building and maintaining a thriving online store.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ecommerce tool?
Ecommerce tools are digital solutions that assist businesses in driving and processing online sales and managing various aspects of their online stores. These tools cover a broad spectrum, including website design, shopping cart functionality, payment processing, inventory management, customer service, marketing, and more.
Why should I use ecommerce tools?
Ecommerce tools can help businesses improve their online presence, increase their sales, and provide a better customer experience. They streamline operations, enhance marketing efforts, and ultimately drive more revenue for your business.
Can I use multiple ecommerce tools together?
Yes, many ecommerce tools are designed to integrate seamlessly with each other. This allows you to pick and choose tools that cover all your needs and work together in the backend to create an effective ecommerce solution for your online store.
Which is better: Shopify or WooCommerce?
Both Shopify and WooCommerce are excellent ecommerce platforms, but they serve different needs. Shopify is a hosted solution that is user-friendly and great for beginners, while WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress that offers more customization options and is ideal for those who already have a WordPress site.
How do I choose the right ecommerce tool for my business?
Choosing the right ecommerce tool depends on your specific business needs, budget, and technical expertise. Consider factors such as ease of use, scalability, features, and customer support when making your decision.
Are there free ecommerce tools available?
Yes, there are several free ecommerce tools available, such as WooCommerce and PrestaShop. However, keep in mind that while the software itself may be free, there could be additional costs for hosting, themes, and plugins.
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