Table Of Contents
- 1. What is an eCommerce platform?
- 2. Hosted vs self-hosted?
- 3 Platform options
- 3.1 Shopify
- 3.2 BigCommerce
- 4. What apps/plugins do you recommend
- 5.. Other platform considerations
- 6. Conclusion
Choosing an eCommerce platform in 2024 is hard. With a plethora of different platforms, pricing and integrations available, it can be hard for brands to choose the next step. We have outlined what we believe is the first steps required when searching for a new platform. Included below is the key areas to focus on, what to look for and considerations to when looking at extending or integrating third party apps or services.
What is an eCommerce platform?
An eCommerce platform is a web application that enables the commercial process of buying and selling goods/services through an online platform (application). TL;DR buy and sell goods to customers online.
Hosted vs self-hosted
eCommerce platforms come in two main types, self-hosted and hosted. Self-hosted platforms such as WooCommerce and Craft Commerce are setup and maintained by the owner of the server (Typically the business owner), while hosted solutions such as Shopify and BigCommerce are a Pay as you go model (SaaS), in which they maintain the platform (you pay and don’t have to worry about server updates, maintenance, security etc.). Both options have their own pros and cons. These days we ALWAYS suggest hosted solutions such as Shopify and BigCommerce because we believe that customers should be focusing on buying and selling, not worrying about managing a server.
Platform options
With a plethora of options out there it’s very confusing to find a platform that works for your business. Since we’ve been around the block several times, we now typically stick to the following two options.
Shopify
Depending on how you use your eCommerce platform will determine what you end up with. If you want to manage it all in one place, a platform like Shopify will work for most B2C clients. Shopify has a great product and track record that is featured packed and user friendly. It can accommodate brands from $0 to 100MM plus. There’s a reason that leading brands opt for this platform. It works. See here Shopify
Cons
For all its positives it has a few shortcomings. It has a limited featureset for B2B with transactions being managed in a hacky way (involves drafts etc.). It’s super clunky and requires an expensive third party app to manage. If you are using multiple platforms that integrate into your workflow, it’s not ideal. Payment options are also very limited and locked into the walled garden that is Shopify.
Pricing
Starting at $42 AUD per month heading up to enterprise level pricing (you will need to contact to get pricing). See pricing here
TL; DR
- Great for B2C clients – startups to enterprise.
- Great user experience and page builder!
- Generous pricing model and feature-set.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a darling in the world of eCommerce. It powers huge enterprise brands like Ted Baker, Skullcandy and local brands such as Oroton and St Johns ambulance. We are a bit biassed (being partners) but if you’re looking for a mid-enterprise level eCommerce platform that allows you to plug in what you want, it can do it. For B2B it’s perfect.
Think of BigCommerce as the engine of your operation. With an open API first approach you can do a lot with BigCommerce that you can’t do with other platforms. For example, rate limits are extremely generous (something you don’t get unless you’re on Shopify Plus with Shopify), the open API approach allows you to do a lot more than the completion and the option to choose your payment providers (big plus vs Shopify) is a huge win. See BigCommerce
Cons
While easy to use, it’s not as modern as Shopify in some ways. The backend dashboard approach is focused on stability from an enterprise perspective (think of systems that are a bit lacking in design but make up for it in functionality) than providing best-in-class user experience like Shopify. The flipside is that they are working on this, with an updated modern experience provided by a new page builder – this should change the game. They also approach pricing for their enterprise plans with payment cycles in set periods (this might change).
Pricing
Starting at $29 USD per month, heading right up to enterprise pricing (depends on contract). See BigCommerce pricing
TL;DR
- Great for B2B clients – if you want a dedicated B2B eCommerce platform it’s a great fit.
- If you are using many different systems and integrations (think, ERP, OMS etc.) it will work with you.
- You can choose your own payment gateway!
What apps/plugins do you recommend?
This is a tough one. Each business is unique in the apps required for their own operations, but in order to get you started, below is a recommended list.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a learning provider of email marketing solutions. It has a solid integration with BigCommerce and Shopify. See here Klaviyo
Stamped.io
Stamped.io is a review and loyalty program. Collect reviews from your customers and choose where and what you showcase. Clients can leave text, photo and video reviews (User generated content anyone?) Lots of options to change how they’re displayed and what can be filtered. See here Stamped.io
Okendo
Another loyalty and reviews program as above. Deep integration into Shopify and Klaviyo. Much like above but better suited towards Shopify. See here Okendo
Gorgias
Customer service on steroids. Gorgias is our goto when it comes to managing your customer service function, with deep integrations into Shopify and now BigCommerce it allows you to track the full lifecycle of your customers from start to finish, giving you a holistic overview across social media and through the platform. If you have more than 3 customer service members it’s a must have! See here Gorgias
Recharge
Subscription platform galore. With deep integrations into Shopify you can run your subscription business with ease. The platform makes it easy for your customers to manage their subscription. Schedule or pause their next delivery, add in discounts for first time customers or adjust pricing for your subscription products. Recommended for anyone looking to add in subscriptions. See here Recharge Payments
Triple Whale
eCommerce dashboard anyone? If you want to consolidate all your eCommerce KPIS in one place, Triplewhale is the app. Use prebuilt metrics such as, AOV, CAC or Conversion rate, or gain a clearer picture of how your marketing activities are tracking with a custom pixel that consolidates paid and platform attribution to give you a transparent picture of attribution – did this campaign work? If you don’t want to spend time on multiple spreadsheets and platforms (google analytics, google ads anyone?) Triple Whale is the app. See here Triple Whale
Other platform considerations
Growing brands often need more than one platform/service to manage their brand. If you are an omni-channel brand (multiple physical retail stores, different warehouses etc.) it can get complex to manage stock levels, pricing, product information, delivery schedules and finance. That’s where additional solutions reduce complexity and increase transparency.
Typical systems included:
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
- Order Management Systems (OMS)
- Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
- Product Information Management systems (PIM)
If you are looking at adding in additional layers of services for growth, it makes sense to check whether the eCommerce platform allows you to integrate into the system with a prebuilt solution or has the option to do so. If not, it can make things extremely difficult to future proof the brand, crippling growth. If you’re not sure reach out to the provider and see if there’s an existing solution or if there’s an option to integrate through an API or XML interface.
Conclusion
Choosing an eCommerce platform is hard. If you don’t put the work into choosing what will work for you now, and in the future, you can end up with a system that cripples growth and productivity. We’ve seen time and time again the effect of choosing the wrong system and or integrations.
If you need a partner to help guide you on what will work best for you now and in the future we can help. With over 15 years of experience in the eCommerce space; working with small businesses right up to enterprise clients, we have the experience and expertise to help you choose the right platform and integration; Streamlining and accelerating your growth. Click here to book in a time to discuss
