Many people think starting an online business doesn’t involve much effort compared to brick and mortar stores. However, selling online and making profit is far from easy. From hiring a robust digital marketing team to building the eCommerce store, a heap of things must be done.
Also, if you’re planning to open your small online store; then there is no need to put in a lot of resources. How should you start then?
A simple website builder is a breakthrough secret for earning larger profits.
In this cut-throat competition, eCommerce is one of the most rapidly growing business models. Users who have little knowledge about online marketing and its benefits are ready to sail their boat.
Do you think the same way but don’t know how to make an online store for your business? Alright, this article is for you. Continue reading to get more valuable insights.
What are online store builders?
Online store builders are the easiest and fastest way to start selling online. These tools support shipping, payment, inventory, etc that you require for running an eCommerce site on a single platform.
Suppose, you have a physical bakery store and you want to move online. An eCommerce store would be conducive for you. On that note, an online store builder would do the job to make an enticing-looking online store.
Irrespective of starting a business or taking an existing store online, a store builder may make your life easier.
What are some of the top online store builders?
If you’re a novice, it may be overwhelming for you to build an online store. However, most of the platforms just handle basic things-
- Order processing
- Integration of payment gateway
- Shipping information processing
- Updating customer automatically
Based on your requirements, you can choose from the following platforms-
1. Shopify (Best for beginners)
Do you know that Shopify surpassed nearly one million merchants in October 2019? That has a reason too. Shopify is packed with useful features that are needed to get your eCommerce website up and running. Shopify has sophisticated tools including a Call-to-action (CTA) button on the website.
It’s beginner-friendly as it’s the better way to start and that too on a positive note. You can sell innumerable products without any particular limit. There are 100+ free and paid themes to choose from. You can customize everything as per the requirement.
What does Shopify offer its customers?
- Shopify allows the customers to sell directly on Amazon.
- As part of web hosting, Shopify includes SSL certificates so that you don’t need to deal with any hassles.
- Shopify has more than 70+ payment gateways. In turn, shoppers can pay with a credit card without any hassle.
- If you need any help, you can take the same from the Shopify community. It consists of proficient developers and experts who have in-depth knowledge about Shopify.
Cost of Shopify
- $29 for a basic plan.
- $79 for the Shopify plan.
- $299 for the advanced Shopify page.
2. Wix (Crafted for instantly setting up an eStore)
It’s one of the widely used website builders. Wix has made everything easier and enjoyable for its users. It’s a complete online business solution loaded with effective tools and features. You can use the templates to whip up your storefront. With the drag and drop system, you can add the logo for your store front, followed by tweaking the colors, and get to work right away adding pictures and products.
Wix also has lots of free templates, followed by web hosting and domain names included in their packages.
What does Wix offer to their customers?
- Impressive template collection
- User-friendly drag and drop builder
- Wix’s artificial intelligence will help the users to create all the necessary things, just after asking a few questions.
- Users don’t need to deal with core technical things.
Cost of Wix
- $27 per month for business basics
- $32 per month for business unlimited
- $59 per month for business VIP
3. Bigcommerce( Best for multi-channel selling)
Bigcommerce emerged in 2009 and it is a go-to online store for its users. It’s a versatile B2 B-specific feature including quote management, bulk pricing, customer groups, and customer price lists.
Bigcommerce allows its user for multichannel selling. Every package comes with the ability to sell on Instagram, Facebook, eBay, Google shopping, Pinterest, Amazon, etc. For business owners looking to have an upperhand at omni channel sales it’s best to go with Bigcommerce app development – something that’s crucial for growing their business.
What does Bigcommerce offer to its customers?
- Outstanding SEO features
- The entry-level plan has an outstanding list of features.
- Robust reporting tools
- Built-in blog section
- No transaction fees even using the third-party payment gateway.
Cost of Bigcommerce
- $29.95 for the standard plan
- $79.95 for the plus plan
- $299.95 for the pro plan
4. Squarespace
To create a professional-looking online store, Squarespace has all the resources you need. Since 2004, it’s provided one-stop quality website building services. People who are looking for sleek-looking websites can use Squarespace.
It’s a Saas platform that entails hosting with monthly payment options. Squarespace also has a content management system that is easier for using. You just need to pick up the pre-made templates. Once done, modify the same as you want it. It’s that simple.
What does Squarespace offer to its customers?
- Templates and modern themes
- Content downloading
- Drag and drop builder
- Video background feature
- Site annotations
- Users can design and launch their own eCommerce store quickly.
Cost of Squarespace
- $14 per month for personal use
- $23 for business usage
- $27 per month for basic commerce
- $49 per month for advanced commerce.
5. Volusion
With more than 180,000 plus users, Volusion is one of the magnificent eCommerce website builders. Since 1999, Volusion has been doing great, generating a huge billion dollars for its clients. Volusion has a trial version but doesn’t offer any free versions for the Saas product. Users who don’t have any prior technical knowledge can use Volusion without any glitches. Also, it can be used for heavy-tech lifting works.
What does Volusion offer to its customers?
- An easy-to-use reporting tool
- Lots of resources to take help from including how-to-blogs, informative articles, video tutorials, etc.
- Tons of templates to choose from.
- Excellent customer support
- No transaction fees
- Integrations and social sharing.
Cost of Volusion
- $35 per month for personal using
- $79 per month for professional using
- $299 per month for business use
Ways to choose the best online store builder for your business
Lots of different factors are there which influence choosing a successful store builder. Irrespective of whether you’re an aficionado or just a novice; eCommerce store builders have all the options. However, you need to consider a few things while choosing the best online store builder.
- Extensions and customization process– If you’re a store owner, then integration could make your life easier. However, you can also set the integrations with the CRM systems. In turn, you can track customer conversions. While choosing the online store builder, consider this option.
- Web design functionality– Customizing your store from existing templates and themes can give your store a unique look. During choosing a web store builder, check whether this facility is available or not.
- Custom web design– Is the chosen eCommerce web store’s functionality can be extended with plug-ins and add-ons? Is there something special that could make your content stand out from the crowd? While choosing the eCommerce store builder, check this option to fit your criteria.
- Checkout cart integration– In what way do you want to take payment from your clients? What shopping carts do you want to include with your website? What limitations do you need to abide by?
- Customer service– While building your store, you may need support to build your store. Ensure that there is smooth customer service who can guide you through if there is any problem. Also, accessing support means there is an email ticketing system; that gets back to you ASAP.
Wrapping it up
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for business owners when it comes to choosing the right eCommerce store builder. For building a successful web store, you need to evaluate the features of the separate eCommerce store builder platforms. Based on that, you can choose your one.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, then a web store builder professional can make your journey mellifluous. CodeClouds or Thriveweb can help you in this regard as they have top-drawer talents. Developers are working relentlessly to make your experience overwhelming with the eCommerce web store- no matter what is the size of your business.
