Are you looking for a way to make your small business stand out among your online competitors?
A professional-looking online store can be a game-changer, and with the right ecommerce tools for your small business, you can reach more customers and increase your sales.
But which platform should you choose for your growing business? In this post, we'll discuss the most popular and powerful ecommerce platforms designed specifically for small businesses.
The 7 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
- Wix
- Weebly
- Square Online
- Big Commerce
1. Shopify
- price: Shopify Basic costs $29 per month.
- Free trial period: 3 days.
- Integrated sales channels: Online stores, face to face, social media, email, marketplaces, online search, B2B, etc.
- Mobile App: yes.
- Native POS: yes.
- G2 Rating ⭐: 4.4/5.
Shopify is the best ecommerce platform for small businesses. Its comprehensive website builder comes with tools for selling online, in person, on social media, and on marketplaces. With Shopify, you can design your store using over 100 professionally designed themes. No coding skills required.
Shop Pay offers affordable transaction fees, Shopify POS enables businesses to process in-person sales, and Shopify merchants also receive competitive shipping rates from carriers like USPS, UPS, and DHL Express.
When it comes to web hosting, Shopify's platform offers unlimited bandwidth and online storage, so your hosting prices won't increase as your small business grows.
Shopify comes with email marketing features, abandoned cart recovery, and search engine optimization tools. With Shopify's mobile app, you can manage your business from your phone, process orders, add products, see real-time sales, and more.
Missing functionality? Browse our library of over 8,000 third-party apps to extend the functionality of your website.
See what you can create with Shopify and get inspiration for your ecommerce store with examples of successful small businesses that have chosen Shopify.
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2. WooCommerce
- price: Free (does not include essential e-commerce features like hosting, domain registration, SSL, shipping services, or payment processing).
- Free trial period: Not applicable.
- Integrated sales channels: Online stores, in person, online search, marketplaces and social media.
- Mobile App: Yes (with limited functionality).
- Native POS: yes.
- G2 Rating ⭐: 4.4/5.
WooCommerce is an online sales platform for WordPress. What started as a platform for blogging websites has now evolved into a website builder for small businesses, with the option to add WooCommerce to sell online.
WooCommerce is open source, so it's highly customizable, provided you have the technical skills to design and code a website.
Like Shopify, there are third-party integrations to extend the platform's functionality, and while the WooCommerce plugin is a free business platform, you may need to pay for these additional integrations as your small business grows.
Shopify Buy Buttons allow you to monetize your WordPress blog without moving to a new platform. You can embed buttons, products, and checkouts into any type of website.
3. Squarespace
- price: The Commerce Basic plan costs $28 per month.
- Free trial period: Can be extended once for 14 days.
- Integrated Sales Channels: Online stores, in person, on social media, and marketplaces.
- Mobile App: yes.
- Native POS: Yes (Mobile App).
- G2 Rating ⭐: 4.4/5.
With a simple interface, Squarespace is another choice for small businesses. You can set up your online store using Squarespace's templates, drag-and-drop tools, and reliable features.
Squarespace originally started as a website builder and not necessarily an e-commerce platform, but has since added features to cater to merchants. Many Squarespace users sell services rather than products, but it can also be used for product-based businesses.
Features include schedule and calendar integration, email marketing, social media integration, embeddable maps to help locate your brick-and-mortar store, etc. Squarespace also offers recurring billing for subscription-based businesses.
4. Wix
- price: The Core plan costs $29 per month and has limited e-commerce features.
- Free trial period: There is no free trial.
- Integrated sales channels: Online stores, in person, on social media, marketplaces and branded apps.
- Mobile App: Yes (with limited functionality).
- Native POS: yes.
- G2 Rating ⭐: 4.2/5.
Wix has a small business website builder with ecommerce-specific features. Paid plans offer ecommerce features like order tracking, online payments, multichannel selling, and cart abandonment campaigns. A paid plan is required to access analytics tracking to monitor ecommerce key performance indicators.
When it comes to designing your storefront, there are over 500 templates to choose from. The drag-and-drop interface lets you customize the look and feel of your online store. Wix supports subscription-based billing and third-party dropshipping.
5. Weebly
- price: It's free with limited e-commerce capabilities.
- freetriallength: Not applicable.
- IntegratedsaleChannel: online store.
- cell phoneApps: yes.
- Native POS: no.
- G2evaluation ⭐: 4.2/5.
Weebly is operated by Square and integrates with other Square-owned tools, including a secure online shopping cart and inventory management.
Weebly's ecommerce platform for small businesses comes with a filterable product search tool, optimized mobile checkout, order management and processing, and flexible shipping options. Weebly has basic features but makes it easy for businesses to get started.
6. Square Online
- price: Free with limited e-commerce capabilities.
- freetriallength: Not applicable.
- IntegratedsaleChannel: Online stores, in person, online search, and social media.
- cell phoneApps: yes.
- Native POS: yes.
- G2evaluation ⭐: 4.3/5.
Square was originally launched as a point-of-sale device for retailers but has since expanded to include other business management tools, including Square Online, an online storefront with customized templates for small businesses like retailers and restaurants. Square Online offers built-in payment processing with competitive transaction fees.
7. BigCommerce
- price: The standard plan costs $29 per month.
- Free trial period: 15 days.
- Integrated sales channels: Online stores, in person, social media, marketplaces, comparison shopping engines.
- Mobile App: Yes (some features are Android only).
- Native POS: no.
- G2 Rating ⭐: 4.2/5.
BigCommerce is an e-commerce platform that caters to large businesses, corporations, and enterprises. Growing small and medium-sized businesses can also benefit from our international commerce capabilities and tools for multi-channel selling across social media and third-party marketplaces.
How to Choose an Ecommerce Platform for Your Small Business
Costs and Pricing
Budget is a key factor when choosing a small business platform. Consider the initial and ongoing costs, such as hosting fees, transaction fees, the cost of any additional services or plugins, and any development work required.
ease of use
An ecommerce platform should be intuitive and easy to navigate, especially for non-technical people: adding products, creating discounts, managing orders and inventory, and other important tasks should be a breeze.
Scalability
You need a platform that can grow with your business. Make sure it can accommodate the increase in traffic and sales as your business expands. Look for a platform that can be expanded with additional features as needed.
Customization Options
The best ecommerce platforms for small businesses allow you to create a site that reflects your brand, including a custom storefront, bespoke layouts, and the ability to add or remove elements on the page as needed.
safety
Security is crucial in e-commerce transactions, as you handle sensitive customer data such as credit card information, so make sure the platform you choose is PCI-DSS compliant and offers an SSL certificate.
Integration
You'll probably want to integrate your ecommerce platform with other software you use, such as email marketing services, accounting software, customer relationship management systems, etc. Make sure your platform supports these integrations.
Mobile Compatible
With the number of mobile shoppers on the rise, your ecommerce platform needs to provide a seamless experience across all devices, so make sure that you check if the platform offers mobile-optimized themes and templates.
Customer Support
Look for a platform that offers reliable, round-the-clock customer service, which is important if you run into any issues or have questions about using the platform.
Marketing Tools
Your e-commerce platform should support your marketing efforts. Look for one that offers features like social media integration, email marketing, abandoned cart recovery, customer reviews, and more.
Inventory control
Depending on the size and complexity of your catalog, you may need a platform with powerful inventory management features, including bulk import/export, stock alerts, and support for multiple product variants.
Payment Options
Your platform should support a range of payment options to cater to different customer preferences, including credit and debit cards, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, and more.
Compare ecommerce platforms for small businesses
See how Shopify compares to other small business tools.
Find the best ecommerce platform for your small business
Choosing the best ecommerce platform for your small business depends on your needs and goals. Whether you're focused on budget, features, or other priorities, there's an option out there that's right for you.
It's important to choose a platform that's easy to use and can grow with your business, so consider signing up for a free trial to test out a few options before making your final decision.
FAQs on the Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses
What is the best platform for small businesses to sell on?
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
- Wix
- Weebly
- square
Which is the best ecommerce platform for beginners?
Shopify is widely known as the best ecommerce platform for beginners. It offers an all-in-one package that includes tools for selling online, in-person, on social media, and on third-party marketplaces. Additionally, Shopify also offers features such as unlimited bandwidth, email marketing, abandoned cart recovery, and search engine optimization (SEO). These tools make it easy for new business owners to start and grow their online presence.
Which e-commerce sites do most small businesses use?
Most small businesses often use Shopify as their e-commerce platform due to its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and scalability.
What features should you look for in an e-commerce platform for small businesses?
When choosing an e-commerce platform for your small business, look out for the following features:
- ease of use: Choose a platform that is easy to set up and manage.
- Mobile Friendly: Many people shop on their phones, so your store needs to work well on mobile devices.
- Secure Payment: To protect your business and your customers, make sure the platform offers strong security for payment processing.
- SEO features: Tools that improve your website's search engine rankings are essential to attract more visitors.
- Inventory control: A good inventory management tool will help you track your stock levels and prevent issues like overselling or running out of stock.
