Having your eCommerce store is a great way to open up your business to the world. With an online store, you can reach customers interested in your products and services. You also have full control over everything in your online store.
Ecommerce website builders are incredibly popular for their simplicity and ease of use. You can create an online store with just a few clicks. No coding skills are required. They also offer various features, from basic shopping carts and payment integrations to advanced analytics and SEO tools.
However, it can be hard to decide which eCommerce website builder to use if you are starting. Building an eCommerce website from scratch can be quite challenging and time-consuming. There are many things to consider, such as what features to include on the homepage, how to design the checkout process and how to set up shipping options.
There are many different options available today, and it may be hard to know which one is right for you.
To help you decide, we will cover some of the best eCommerce website builders on the market. But before that, let’s have a look at some aspects.
What Types Of Businesses Benefit From An Online Store Builder?
eCommerce web builders are an excellent choice for many businesses and industries, but they’re especially well suited to new businesses.
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New Businesses
New businesses don’t have a lot of money to spend on a custom website, and they often don’t have the time or expertise to create one from scratch. eCommerce website builders offer an affordable and easy way to get your business online quickly.
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Hobbyist sites.
If you want a simple web presence without serious retail ambitions, an eCommerce website builder might be overkill. But if you’re selling things like photographs, crafts, or homemade products, an eCommerce website builder can help you get started easily and inexpensively.
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Established businesses
Established businesses don’t have time to spend months designing a custom-made website from scratch — instead, they want something that looks professional and works well with their existing branding. An eCommerce website builder makes this possible without requiring extensive technical knowledge or design skills.
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Private-labeled products business
If you have a private-labeled product business, then an online store builder will help you with most of the tasks related to running your business, such as inventory management and sales tracking. The best thing about these tools is that they are easy to use and offer plenty of features that can be customized according to your needs.
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Dropshipping sites
If you run a dropshipping site where goods are delivered from third-party vendors, then an eCommerce platform will prove to be very useful in this case as well. It allows you to manage your customers’ orders efficiently and provides features like order tracking, fulfillment tracking, and payment processing which dropshipping sites need to run smoothly.
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Small businesses with limited resources.
Many small businesses have limited resources — not just in cash but also time, technical expertise, and marketing know-how — so it makes sense to look for tools that make it easier to manage their websites without requiring them to become web admins overnight.
Choosing The Best Website Builder — What To Look For?
There are so many ways to build a website with eCommerce that you can choose from. But how do you make sure that you pick the best one? There are some points you need to consider when making your decision.
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Focus on Functionality
The first thing you need to ensure is that your chosen website builder has all of the necessary features and functionalities. Every eCommerce business is unique, with different needs and requirements. So, you need to find out what features will work best for your business before committing yourself to a particular platform.
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Data ownership & portability
Data ownership and portability are two of the most important factors to consider when choosing a website builder. The best eCommerce platforms should provide you with full ownership of your data so that you can move it to another platform if needed. For example, if you have built a website with Shopify and decide later on that you want to move your business to another platform like Magento, they will be able to help you do that as well. This is very important because selling online is a constantly evolving field, and there is always room for improvement. It’s better not to get stuck with just one platform or vendor!
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Look at Compatibility
Another important thing to consider is compatibility. Different platforms use several different technologies, and they must be compatible with each other. For example, if your chosen platform uses a specific type of CMS (content management system), then it should be compatible with other applications using the same technology. This will ensure that everything works seamlessly together and save time when it comes to updating content or changing something later on down the line.
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User Interface
This is by far the most important aspect of any product — how easy is it to use? How intuitive is it? Can you get started right away, or do you have to spend time learning how things work? The easier your site builder is, the more likely you’ll stick with it and grow your business.
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Pricing
The best website builders have multiple pricing plans and options. You can choose a plan that best suits your needs and budget.
The cost of a website builder is usually based on the number of pages and features. The more pages you want, the more expensive it will be. However, it doesn’t mean that if you want fewer pages, you should go for a cheaper option. If you will use all the features available in your builder, then it’s better to invest in more expensive plans.
If your budget is limited, go for a basic plan with fewer features. But if you want to build an online store with lots of functionality like shopping cart functionality, product reviews, etc., then opt for an advanced plan which comes with more features at a higher price tag.
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Customer Support
Having access to customer support is crucial when building an eCommerce website with one of these programs because they can help you fix any problems you may encounter along the way. The best options will have extensive documentation and easy-to-follow tutorials so that even novice users can navigate them without any issues at all.
5 Best Website Builders For Online Store
The best eCommerce website builder for your business depends on several factors. For example, suppose you’re an experienced web developer and have the technical know-how to build and maintain your website. In that case, you may want to go with a self-hosted solution that doesn’t require you to be dependent on another service provider.
However, if you don’t have the time or skillset to build and maintain your site, then it might make sense for you to choose one of the many hosted eCommerce platforms available on the market today.
Below, we will take an in-depth look at some of the top retail website builders available today so you can find the right one for your business needs.
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Shopify
Shopify is the most popular eCommerce website builder on the market. It’s also one of the most expensive, but it offers a lot of functionality and all you need to get started with online sales.
It is built on top of the Ruby on Rails framework and uses some open source technologies, including MySQL and Apache Solr.
Shopify is a highly customizable platform that allows you to create your store easily. It has a wide range of themes to choose from, so you can easily customize them according to your needs.
Shopify also has an easy-to-use content management system that allows users to add new products and categories without programming skills.
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Wix
Wix is one of the most popular eCommerce website builders. It offers many features, including customizable templates, mobile-friendly designs, and powerful marketing tools.
With Wix, you can easily create an online store with just a few mouse clicks. The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to add products and customize your store’s design. You can also add images and text blocks to create custom pages for your shop — like About Us or Shipping Policy — without any technical knowledge!
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Weebly
Weebly is a platform that allows you to create a website without any technical knowledge. You can choose from hundreds of templates or upload your own. Weebly also offers a wide variety of apps, which gives you more control over the look and feel of your site.
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Bigcommerce
Bigcommerce is an eCommerce website builder. It allows you to build an online store with over 100 shopping cart integrations and 40 mobile apps. Bigcommerce also offers 24/7 support, webinars, and training programs for merchants. It also provides analytics tools for tracking sales performance.
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Squarespace
Squarespace is another platform for creating websites without any technical knowledge or coding skills. You can choose from hundreds of templates or design your own with their drag-and-drop editor. Squarespace also offers plenty of app integrations and payment processing options to help you customize your site even further. The company also offers 24/7 customer support via phone and email to get help whenever you need it (and they offer live chat too).
Final Words
The best eCommerce site builder for your business will depend on your specific needs as a business owner. Still, you can be sure that you’re better equipped to make an informed buying decision with the information provided above.
These website builders are changing how e-commerce functions. They have strategic plans in place to become a game-changer. In the end, though, it comes down to your personal preference. No one size does everything perfectly. You will have to weigh out your options for price, design, and level of technical know-how required to build a store on each platform when deciding on your best fit.
FAQ
What is an eCommerce website builder?
An eCommerce website builder is a tool or platform that allows businesses to create and customize their online stores without extensive coding or technical skills. It typically includes templates, design features, and functionality to help businesses establish and manage their online presence.
Why do businesses need an eCommerce website builder?
Businesses need an eCommerce website builder to streamline the process of creating and managing their online stores. These tools offer user-friendly interfaces, pre-built templates, and essential eCommerce features, enabling businesses to establish a professional and functional online presence to reach a wider audience.
Can businesses switch eCommerce website builders once their online store is established?
Yes, businesses can switch eCommerce website builders if needed. However, the complexity of the process depends on factors such as the size of the store, data migration requirements, and the compatibility of the new platform. Planning and thorough research are essential when considering a switch.