If you've ever wanted to start an online store, you've probably wondered what ecommerce website software would be most useful to consider. While there are many different options out there, some are more suited to specific types of ecommerce than others.
In this article, I'll look at the most helpful ecommerce website software so that you can make an informed decision about which is right for you.
Let's get right into it.
What Are The Best Software For Ecommerce Websites?
The following are the best e-commerce software to consider.
1. Shopify
Best Overall For Ecommerce Marketing
Whether your primary traffic source comes from the web or mobile, Shopify will give you an optimized platform for both. This is just one of the reasons why Shopify is often considered the best ecommerce website software on the market.
Free to use for an initial two-week period as you set up your store, Shopify offers a wide range of features and plugins to get your business up and running quickly. Once you're ready to start selling, three pricing plans are available.
With unique creation tools and a focus on customer experience, Shopify is ideal for businesses of all sizes. This means that from building a dropshipping website to powering large-scale retailers, Shopify has a solution to suit every business type.
In addition, there are also tools for power users, allowing them to do advanced things like adding custom code to their stores that can help them accomplish various tasks.
Customizable templates can also give your store a unique look, and you can use Shopify's built-in blogging platform to write articles that will help improve your store's SEO.
Key Features
Pricing
Shopify offers these pricing plans:
2. Ecwid
Best For Its Free Ecommerce Plan
Ecwid allows you to keep using their free plan for as long as possible, even once your store is making sales (unlike other platforms). The free plan doesn't have all of the paid ones' features, but it's a great way to get started without spending any money.
You can also integrate your various sales channels into one Ecwid account, which makes it easy to manage your inventory and orders from a single platform.
This means you can track and manage everything from one place, whether selling through your website, Amazon, or even in person.
You can also easily integrate with various marketing tools for email marketing, social networking, and others to help you drive traffic to your store.
A single dashboard is all you need to monitor your sales, customers, and inventory levels, making Ecwid one of the most user-friendly ecommerce website software options.
Key Features
Pricing
Ecwid offers these pricing plans:
3. Bluehost
Best For Secure Online Stores
Initially known for its web hosting, Bluehost is now one of the market's most popular ecommerce website software platforms.
With a secure online store backed by powerful tools to help you succeed, Bluehost makes creating an ecommerce website easy to start.
With WooCommerce and YITH pre-installed, you can start selling immediately without worrying about the technical side.
And if you need any help along the way, Bluehost's customer support is always there to lend a hand.
You can also take online bookings and reservations, so whether you run a restaurant, hotel, or other business that takes appointments, Bluehost can help you efficiently manage your store's critical elements.
Key Features
Pricing
Bluehost offers these pricing plans:
4. WooCommerce
Best For WordPress Integration
WooCommerce is a plugin that allows you to build an online store with what many consider to be the best CMS for online businesses, i.e., WordPress.
WooCommerce is easy to use yet still packed with features, and it's free to get started.
Being open-source, a massive community of developers and designers can help you customize your store exactly how you want it.
From offering subscriptions to selling digital products, there's no limit to what you can do with WooCommerce when building your online store.
The WooCommerce Mobile App is also an ideal way to manage your business on the go, keeping track of sales, customers, and inventory levels while you're away from your desk.
Key Features
While the plugin is free to install and use, you might want to enable extra features - these are then charged separately.
5. Volusion
Best For Guiding Prospects Through A Buyer's Journey
Volusion enables you to build your online store in the shortest time possible with its all-in-one platform.
With everything you need to get started, including a built-in shopping cart, payment processing, and hosting, Volusion makes it easy to start selling online without any hassle.
Without using any code, you can design a beautiful store optimized for conversions. Therefore, Volusion enables you to reach the right target audience and guide them through the buyer's journey with its powerful marketing tools.
Volusion also offers an API for those needing advanced functionality that lets you extend your store's capabilities even further.
Key Features
Pricing
Volusion offers these pricing plans:
6. Wix
Best For Ease Of Use
Whether you're starting a business selling online products from scratch or are ready to scale your existing ecommerce operation, Wix has a perfect plan.
With everything you need to get started, including an easy-to-use website builder and hosting, Wix makes it easy to create a professional online store without any hassle.
With more than 500 free online templates that can change the visual look of your store at any time, it's easy to find a style that matches your brand.
Then, with the additional modules that cater to tasks ranging from selling concert tickets to hotel and restaurant reservations and takeout orders, you can add any extra functionality you need.
Key Features
Pricing
Wix offers these plans:
7. BigCommerce
Best For B2B Sales
For those making B2B sales, BigCommerce is a great ecommerce solution.
With its focus on enterprise-level features, such as quotes and requests for proposals (RFPs), as well as advanced shipping and payment options, BigCommerce has everything you need to run a successful online business.
Offering modern SaaS tools, such as abandoned cart recovery and automatic product recommendations, BigCommerce also makes it easy to drive more sales and increase conversion rates.
With flexibility for the tools you use and the ability to integrate with third-party applications and services, BigCommerce gives you the power to tailor your store precisely to your needs.
BigCommerce is also scalable, allowing for growth as your business expands.
Key Features
Pricing
You'll have to request the pricing to see what BigCommerce charges for its enterprise-level features.
8. Magento
Best For Scaling Ecommerce Operations
If you have a multi-channel commerce experience in mind, Magento should be your go-to platform.
Their technology is also scalable when your business expands, no matter if you're adding more products, more channels, or more countries.
You can also create easy-to-manage and update with Magento's user-friendly interface.
Gone are the days when you had to choose between selling or providing your audience with the right content; with Magento, you can have both.
Magento is also great for search engine optimization (SEO), so you can be sure your store will be easy to find online using the right keywords.
With various drag-and-drop tools, you can also create a custom-designed store that is unique to your brand.
Key Features
Pricing
Contact their sales team for pricing.
9. Squarespace
Best For Visual Ecommerce Design
Squarespace creates online stores that are clean, modern, and easy to navigate.
With beautiful templates and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, Squarespace makes it easy to create a professional-looking store, even if you don't have any design experience.
With top designers creating customized templates to help your store stand out, you can create a unique look that reflects your brand.
If you're unsure where to start, Squarespace offers a wide range of tutorials and support to help you get the most out of your store.
You can also showcase your products in the best possible light with Squarespace's powerful ecommerce tools, which include high-resolution product photos, built-in inventory management, and automatic tax calculations.
You can also sell services through your Squarespace store, which is perfect if you're a creative professional or freelancer specializing in graphic design, web development, or photography.
Key Features
Pricing
Squarespace's costs are as follows:
10. Zyro
Best For Social Media Integrations
Zyro allows you to reach more customers when setting up your ecommerce website.
You can do this by integrating your store with social media platforms, allowing you to show your products to a broader audience.
Whether your focus is to be able to manage your inventory or generate more sales, Zyro has the tools you need to succeed.
You can create either a basic online store (great for those just starting out) or an advanced store with features such as abandoned cart recovery, product filtering, a multilingual store, and Amazon selling.
Key Features
Pricing
Zyro offers these product features:
Key Features Of Ecommerce Website Support Tools
While the above list of ecommerce website software is not exhaustive, knowing how to start an online store typically comes down to knowing the available features and then using the most valuable ones to your advantage.
Such features will usually include:
While not all features might appeal to all businesses, the most helpful ecommerce website software will offer a wide range of features to choose from, allowing you to set up your site in a way that works best for your business.
Pricing Considerations When Choosing The Best Software For An Ecommerce Website
There are a lot of discussions regarding ecommerce website software and how much you should pay for it. Many say you get what you pay for, so the more expensive option is usually the best. However, this is not always the case. There are many factors to consider when making your decision.
The most crucial factor to consider comes back to the features on offer. If you are just starting out, you may not need all the bells and whistles that come with more expensive options. Also, you can always upgrade to a more robust platform as your business grows.
Looking at user reviews and expert opinions is generally the best way forward, as they will be able to offer unbiased insights into whether a particular platform is worth the price tag.
Most Useful Ecommerce Website Software - FAQ
There is a lot of specialized software for ecommerce website design. Some of the most popular and helpful software include Shopify, Wix, and Weebly. These platforms offer users everything they need to create a professional and successful online store, including templates, security features, payment processing, and more.
To build an ecommerce website, you will need a few tools. First, you will need a domain name and hosting. Then, you will need to choose a platform or software to build your site with. Once your platform is set up, you can start adding products, setting up payment integrations, and creating content.
Ecommerce website development software is used to create online stores. This software provides users with everything they need to build a professional and successful website, including templates, security features, payment processing, and more.
Development might involve adding new features to an existing platform or developing an entirely new platform from scratch. Traditionally, setting up such sites involved using programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Nowadays, ecommerce website development software often relies on drag-and-drop builders or other visual editors to build an online store easier for those without coding experience.
The right SEO practices can be critical for the success of an ecommerce website. Good SEO can help you rank higher in search results, drive traffic to your site, and increase sales. Optimizing your site for search engines can improve your visibility and attract more potential customers to your online store.
While doing SEO step by step might seem daunting, many tools and resources are available to help you. Shopify's platform, for example, is designed with SEO in mind and offers features like built-in blog posts to help you attract more visitors to your site.Conclusion
Right now, there is a lot of specialized software for ecommerce website design. These platforms offer users everything they need to create a professional and successful online store, including templates, security features, payment processing, and more.
Considering the type of ecommerce website development you'll be undertaking is the best way to determine what software is best for you. No matter your choice, ensure that the software is easy to use and offers all the features you need to build a successful online business.