Find your eCommerce platform

The length of time it takes to create an online store depends on a number of factors and can vary based on the size of the online shop, the tech used, the budget available, and the creator's IT skill level.

You can find a number of resources in the Digital Guide that will help speed up the process of starting an online store, offering both technical and theoretical advice on dealing with the different stages of creating your shop.

Creating an online store allows you to reach a new customer base and to therefore increase sales by tapping into a new market. An online store is always available and allows users to make purchases 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By freeing you from the boundaries of physical distance, an online shop gives you wider reach to prospective customers.

Generally speaking, creating an online store can significantly increase your business turnover and can even save you money by allowing you to identify and meet the specific needs of your customers. In this way, you'll have more relevance to your audience and can adapt more easily to their buying habits.

It can be difficult to distinguish the difference between the free, open-source online store platforms, and paid eCommerce solutions. If the outcome is the same, why are some systems free while others must be paid for? The explanation is simple: since not all online shops have the same needs, the difference in use between the two systems permit different things.

The service that an open-source online shop offers is generally intended for professional developers and those familiar with programming language. This is because they enable the utmost customisation possible and therefore respond extremely well to bespoke projects, particularly if there are specific needs in a particular area.

Paid online store platforms are a better idea for anyone starting out in online sales, whether that's to bring an online presence to their business's shop front or launching primarily as an online retailer. They provide everything you need to create an online store independently and with no understanding of IT necessary; anyone can take advantage of the opportunities that the web offers.

An eCommerce platform is a software technology solution that enables you to build an online store and run a business online. eCommerce software provides you with tools that facilitate inventory management, help you to calculate taxes, and make it easier to add or remove products in your store. eCommerce platforms can be very beneficial for those without technical backgrounds since the software takes care of a lot of the operation.

• Many design possibilities
• Top notch site security
• Easy to create pages and content
• Ability to grow as your store expands
• Expand capabilities with third party plugins
• Online support
• Multi-channel functionality

eCommerce software enables you to have everything you need to run your store in one place. If there are tasks that the platform cannot undertake, it's possible to link other integration's (e.g. X, Facebook) to the platform so you don't have to switch between different services all the time. Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for your business. The general rule of thumb is that the more flexible the software is, the less simplistic is will be.

It's difficult to know which eCommerce platform to choose when there are so many on offer. Six of the best eCommerce platforms are Magento, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, osCommerce, b2evolution, and the IONOS eCommerce Website Builder. Here's a brief eCommerce platform comparison explaining why our hosted eCommerce platforms are six of the best eCommerce platforms of 2021.

Magento is a flexible and scalable open-source platform, suitable for small and medium-sized businesses as well as enterprises. Its vast array of features and large support community speaks for its popularity.

WooCommerce is suitable for the same sized businesses as Magento and also boasts a large community on hand to help other users as well as to make improvements to the source code. Unique store designs are possible with this platform as well as the option to set up different accounts to give users different rights. Another simple to use, easy to install solution is PrestaShop. Its flexible nature and ability to work without the fastest internet connection are definite plus points, as well as the fact that multiple currencies and languages are integrated in order to be as appealing as possible to store owners and customers. osCommerce has a huge active community and support forum and with over 8,000 free integration's at your disposal, you can design your store to your exact liking. The open source solution is an especially good choice for those just starting out. B2evolution provides an eCommerce platform that is easy to get to grips with. Uploading and editing web content is simple and the platform also boasts top security, making transactions secure and keeping hackers at bay. It's also possible to run multiple blogs on one platform if you wish. A IONOS MyWebsite eCommerce package is simple to set up for users with little tech-experience, is affordable, and provides shop owners with lots of embeddable features, as well as great scalability if their online shop grows.

This eCommerce platform comparison can put things into perspective and help you decide on the best eCommerce platform for you and your store.