Experts’ Views on the Top E-commerce Platforms of 2020

If you’re thinking of starting an online business, then you need to make use of a good e-commerce platform. With the many options out there, you need to choose the best program for your needs.

You can get the best value for your money with the help of these expert-recommended e-commerce programs:

WooCommerce

This open-source e-commerce plug-in is perfect for small and large businesses operating through WordPress. It is one of the more popular platforms currently, with about 30% of online stores using this program.

Launched in 2011, it has gained recognition for its easy-to-use interface and various customization features.

Why Experts Love WooCommerce

• WooCommerce is free to download.
• You can select from a wide range of themes and plug-ins.
• You can customize your WooCommerce store to your liking.
• WooCommerce shops are SEO-optimized, so you stand to earn more organic traffic from Google and Bing searches.
• The interface is very responsive, and the platform extremely secure.

Though its premium themes can be quite costly, the option is up to you! If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you could always stick with its free themes.

Shopify

Shopify is the powerful business platform behind more than one million online stores.

Launched in 2006, it offers users a comprehensive array of e-commerce services, ranging from marketing and payments to shipping and customer engagement.

What makes Shopify a favorite, according to e-commerce expert Matthew Lepre, is its ease of use. You only need about 15 minutes to set up shop, and you’re good to go.

Why Experts Love Shopify

• You can integrate your store to a variety of channels, including Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram.
• It provides an intuitive and responsive website.
• Shopify stores run fast! Remember, a one-second delay could be bad for your business. After all, this could lead to a 7% decrease in possible conversions.
• Users can sell straight from the phone with the help of iOS and Android apps.
• It offers a dropshipping feature, which Matthew Lepre recommends as a low-risk option for new online sellers.
• Buyers can purchase easily with Shopify’s one-step or one-page checkout features.
• Shopify stores come with a free SSL certificate, which means your clients’ data are protected throughout the purchasing process.

While it does levy a transaction fee for every item sold, all of its good aspects trump this small price that you have to pay.

Big Commerce

Big Commerce, which is one of Shopify’s fiercest competitors, is a type of SaaS e-commerce platform. Founded in 2009, this Texas-based company offers everything you could ever want in a program without the expensive fees.

Compared to Shopify, there’s no need to pay a transaction fee for every product you sell through Big Commerce. This makes this platform a big hit amongst many reviews.

Why Experts Love Big Commerce

• You can upload an infinite number of products to your Big Commerce store. This feature is great compared to other platforms that put a cap on the items you can sell.
• The website design is very responsive.
• Big Commerce is SEO-optimized too, which means you get the chance to have more organic traffic and thus, more possible conversions.
• You can integrate your Big Commerce store easily with your Amazon, Facebook, or Instagram shop.
• There are a lot of payment methods available for your buyers.

Although it only has a limited number of themes available, Big Commerce offers the best value for your up-and-coming business.

Magento

Magento is a type of open-source e-commerce platform that uses PHP, a type of web development scripting language.

Founded in 2008, this platform has been downloaded for more than 2.5 million times. It is currently being used by 100,000 stores, which generated a collective revenue of about $155 billion.

Why Experts Love Magento

• Magento stores have a responsive yet secure interface.
• You can customize and scale this store as you further expand your online business.
• Magento comes in several languages and currencies, making it perfect for stores that wish to have a global reach.
• It can be integrated into other seller platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Facebook, or Instagram.
• Your buyers can purchase stuff easily with Magento’s one-step or one-page checkout options.

While Magento has everything you could want in an e-commerce platform, it can be quite expensive for small business owners. However, if you do have the resources, then you should opt for this comprehensive online business program.

YoKart

YoKart is an e-commerce platform launched in 2015 by FatBit technologies.

It charges a one-time payment, which means you’re free from paying transaction fees in the future. However, it also means that you have to pay a whopping $1,299 subscription fee initially.

Why Experts Love YoKart

• You can set up your YoKart store relatively easily.
• It has a stunning and responsive user interface.
• This program helps promote a multi-vendor marketplace.
• It comes in multiple languages and several currency options.
• Apart from receiving a free demo, you get 12 months of technical support for free.

Although it does not have free themes or add-ons like Shopify, it’s a responsive and easy-to-use platform for new e-commerce businesses.

PrestaShop

If you’re strapped for cash, you can always open your e-commerce business with the help of PrestaShop. After all, this open-source e-commerce platform is free of charge.

A former student project, this French venture currently has 300,000 shops under its belt.

Why Experts Love PrestaShop

• The program is quite easy to use.
• The PrestaShop interface is mobile-friendly, which is perfect since 79% of shoppers use mobile devices to purchase online.
• PrestaShop buyers can make a swift purchase via the one-page checkout.
• You can integrate your PrestaShop with your Amazon, Facebook, or Rakuten store.

While PrestaShop comes with ‘freemium’ features, it does not have a client support team to address your problems. You also need to have some web development skills to be able to use this platform well.

If you’re starting with an e-commerce business, know that any of these platforms will significantly help your cause. They’re fairly easy to use, at prices your budget can afford.

Since they can be well-incorporated to other selling platforms, they allow you to centralize and streamline your entire selling process as well.