[comparison] choosing the right ecommerce platform
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Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform for Your Business
Presented by Richard James McGirrCo-founder - GreyLoud Software Development
What is an eCommerce platform?It is a software technology solution that allows you to build storefronts
(a storefront is any customer or business facing proposition relating to the selling of products and services)
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eCommerce Platforms
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eCommerce
● helps to deliver goods;● provides information and helps to make EFT payment;● uses different digital media;● conducts commercial transactions;● implements pre-sale and after-sale support.
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What is important in choosing eCommerce platform?
● Development and license budget;● Comprehensive technical support;● Technical resources available for development and
administration.● Size of business, # of products.● Specialized functionality;
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Solutions for advanced technical skills
● Magento ● Brightpearl● Hybris● Yahoo Small Business Ecommerce● X-Cart
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Solutions for low technical skills
● WooCommerce● BigCommerce● Shopify● 1ShoppingCart● Wix● 3DCart
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Solutions for small-sized and mid-sized stores
● Etsy● 3DCart● Shopify● Volusion● Magento● Bigcommerce● X-Cart
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Solutions for low budget
● WooCommerce (free)● Magento (open source version- free)● X-Cart (very basic version)● 1ShoppingCart ($10/month)● Volusion ($15/month)
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WooCommerce
Features:
● Mobile friendly● Vast Customization Options● Easy Analytics● Big amount of WooCommerce Extensions● Open Source + Extendable
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Benefits:
● Geo-location support● Secure, audited code● Easy Customization● Huge Flexibility● Free and paid extension
marketplace● Modern and clean interface
Disadvantages:
● Updating the plugin can make changes to the front-end
● Adding many advanced WooCommerce extensions can get expensive
● Lack of Features● WordPress is a relatively
insecure platform
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Shopify
Features:
● Unlimited bandwidth with all plans● Easily integrate with shipping carriers● Mobile app for both accepting payments and managing your store● Point-of-sale system ● Huge number of apps
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Benefits:
● Easy to use● Great value for money● Focus on design (great looking
stores)● Huge collection of great
resources for starting and running an online business
● Easy to edit templates
Disadvantages:
● Transaction fees for Basic and Professional plans (2%)
● Need to enter in a credit card number to launch your trial store.
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BigCommerce
Features:
● Integration with Paypal and a wide range of payment gateways● Full content management (CMS) functionality● Good search engine optimisation (SEO) options● Integration with Alibaba.com● Mobile e-Commerce
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Benefits:
● Provides a 10% discount if you pay upfront for a year's service
● A powerful toolkit to drive traffic and increase sales
● Industry Standard (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
Disadvantages:
● Offers only 3 pricing plans● Availability of Add-ons● No affiliate program is
integrated into the shopping car
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VolusionFeatures:
● Integrated live chat● Ecommerce analytics● Shopping feeds● Design custom add-ons● Professional services (store design, SEO, etc)
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Benefits:
● Easy to use● Cheap: Smallest plan starts at
$15 a month● Many built-in features and apps● Provides additional marketing
and business services from industry experts
● No transaction fees
Disadvantages:
● Limited bandwidth● API access and other features
only available with Gold plan($135.00/month)
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PinnacleCartFeatures:
● Integration with Intuit QuickBooks out of the box● Instant sales with QR Codes (omnichannel applications)● Advanced Analytics● Advanced Product Management● Product Syndication (eBay, Amazon, Yahoo, Google Product Search,
PriceGrabber, NexTag, etc.)● powerful SEO tools (sitemap, meta tags and keywords, etc.)
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Benefits:
● Extend functionality with Facebook and mobile stores/Log in with Facebook
● Easy to use design features● Extensive features and
customization● Off the shelf product
syndication
Disadvantages:
● Limited storage and bandwidth
● It doesn’t have a built-in point-of-sale system
● Many features = more complicated
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Magento Community
Features:
● SEO● Mobile commerce● Product management● One account for 2 and more online stores● Thousands of design themes
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Benefits:
● Able to host on your own server● The top open-source e-
commerce software● Large number of payment
gateways● International commerce and
multiple languages● Can scale to Magento Enterprise
when ready with ease
Disadvantages:
● Heavily layered and overly complicated coding style
● The technical documentation is very limited
● Runs fairly slow
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1ShoppingCart
Features:
● Advanced website customization using HTML/CSS/Javascript● SEO friendly product category and page URLs● Email marketing● Integration with Quick Books● API Access to products, orders and clients● Simple Analytics
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Benefits:
● Support over 50 payment gateways
● Mobile store included● No programming skills
required
Disadvantages:
● Expensive Customer Support ($34/month, $379/year)
● 1shoppingcart is slow
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Wix
Features:
● 100s of Designer-Made Templates● Intuitive Website Builder● Drag n’ Drop Website Editor● Text and Image Editor & Free Fonts● Email Marketing● Tutorials and walkthroughs● SEO
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Benefits:
● Easy to customize● No coding● Very low coast to start
compared to other platforms
Disadvantages:
● Templates can’t be changed● No access to the source code
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X-Cart Cloud
Features:
● SEO & Statistics● Open source, OOP, PHP 5.3.x+● Integration with Drupal 7.x● Multicurrency, multilingual● Integration with eBay● Includes a CMS editor and a WYSIWYG catalog
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Benefits:
● Auction available● All types of goods● Product comparison● Option to include customer
reviews and ratings
Disadvantages:
● Paid technical support ($149/month or $99/one single accident)
● Licensing fees for system● Not for beginners
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3DCart
Features:
● Mobile front-end and a mobile back-end offer● SEO ($149.99/month)● The option to sell re-branded stores● CRM features like Mailing List Manager
● Inventory control, including batch editing and low stock alerts
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Benefits:
● 3dcart is integrated over 100 external payment solutions
● No transaction fees● Unlimited storage space● Payment gateways● 24x7 Phone, Email and Chat
Support
Disadvantages:
● The shopping cart does not have POS integration
● Limited bandwidth
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