The Best Ecommerce Platform in 2024
TLDRThis video guide offers a comprehensive review of various e-commerce platforms, weighing their pros and cons to help viewers decide which one is best suited for creating an online store. Shopify is highlighted for its ease of setup and professional support, though it can be expensive. WooCommerce, a free platform, is the most popular choice, boasting a vast plugin library and full customization but may require technical expertise. Squarespace is praised for its beautiful templates but lacks e-commerce focus. Wix and GoDaddy are not recommended due to limited e-commerce features. Big Cartel is a free option for small stores but lacks scalability. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) is highly customizable but complex. Amazon and Walmart are presented as platforms with massive sales potential but come with competition and fees. The video concludes with a recommendation of Shopify for a professional business or WooCommerce for beginners, and provides a free Amazon FBA course for an alternative income stream.
Takeaways
- 💡 E-commerce is a rapidly growing market with significant room for growth, making it an ideal time to start an online store.
- 🛍️ Shopify is a popular choice for professional sellers, offering ease of setup, 24/7 support, and a wide range of themes and apps, but can be expensive.
- 🚫 WooCommerce, despite being free and highly customizable, may require technical knowledge for advanced features and lacks some basic features out of the box.
- 🎨 Squarespace is known for its beautiful templates and 24/7 customer support, but it lacks e-commerce specific features and customization options.
- 🏗️ Wix is easy to set up with a large app marketplace, but its e-commerce functionality is limited and not as robust as other platforms.
- 📈 BigCommerce and Magento (now Adobe Commerce) are highly customizable but complex, requiring professional development and not recommended for beginners.
- 📦 Big Cartel is a free platform suitable for small stores or artists but lacks features and scalability.
- 💰 Amazon offers a massive customer base and low marketing costs, but it's highly competitive, and sellers must navigate the platform's fees and competition.
- 📈 Walmart.com is growing fast and offers the potential for physical retail placement, but it's smaller than Amazon and has a different fee structure.
- 🛒 eBay and Etsy are established platforms with existing customer bases, but they charge fees on sales and have the potential for account termination.
- 💌 For beginners on a budget, WooCommerce is recommended for its affordability and ease of setup. For a more professional approach, Shopify is the preferred choice despite its higher cost.
Q & A
What is the estimated percentage of retail sales that e-commerce makes up currently?
-E-commerce currently makes up about 15% of all retail sales.
What is the projected percentage of Americans expected to purchase something online by the end of this year?
-It's expected that 65 percent of all Americans will purchase something online by the end of this year.
Why is Shopify popular among professional e-commerce sellers?
-Shopify is popular among professional e-commerce sellers because it's built from the ground up to support e-commerce, offers 24/7 support, and has a wide selection of themes and apps.
What is the starting cost for the most basic Shopify plan?
-The starting cost for the most basic Shopify plan is $29 per month.
What is the main drawback of Squarespace when it comes to e-commerce?
-The main drawback of Squarespace for e-commerce is that it was not originally built with e-commerce in mind, has limited plugins and apps, and may not support all the functionalities needed for an e-commerce store.
Why is Wix not recommended for e-commerce?
-Wix is not recommended for e-commerce because it was initially a website builder with added e-commerce functionality, which results in limited features and integrations for e-commerce store owners.
What is the main advantage of using Big Cartel for an online store?
-The main advantage of using Big Cartel is that it is a free platform suitable for small stores or artists, allowing up to five products to be listed without cost.
Why is Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento) not recommended for most users?
-Adobe Commerce is not recommended for most users because it is highly customizable but extremely complex, typically requiring a designer or developer to create the website, making it less accessible for beginners.
What is the biggest advantage of WooCommerce?
-The biggest advantage of WooCommerce is that it is free to use, has the largest library of plugins, is highly customizable, and is the most popular e-commerce platform.
What is the main benefit of selling products on Amazon?
-The main benefit of selling products on Amazon is the access to a large customer base and the reduced need for marketing spend due to Amazon's extensive marketing efforts.
What is the biggest challenge when selling on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy?
-The biggest challenge when selling on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy is the fees associated with sales and the potential for the platform to remove your selling privileges at any time.
Which platforms are recommended for starting an e-commerce business, and why?
-Shopify and WooCommerce are recommended for starting an e-commerce business. Shopify is recommended for a more professional business due to its comprehensive features and support, despite the higher cost. WooCommerce is recommended for those on a budget or unsure about their business's success, as it is affordable, easy to set up, and has a large plugin library.
Outlines
🛒 Introduction to E-Commerce Platforms
This paragraph introduces the viewer to the topic of the video, which is about helping them choose the right e-commerce platform for their online store. It mentions that the video will cover the pros and cons of various platforms and offers special discounts at the end. It also provides statistics on e-commerce growth and the potential for new businesses to enter the market. Shopify is highlighted as a popular choice for professional sellers, with its ease of setup, 24/7 support, and a wide range of themes. However, it also has downsides, including potentially high costs and limited customization options.
🚀 Exploring Other E-Commerce Platforms
The second paragraph delves into other e-commerce platforms, including Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, Big Cartel, BigCommerce, Magento (now Adobe Commerce), and WooCommerce. Each platform is briefly evaluated based on its features, ease of use, customization, and suitability for different types of businesses. The paragraph also touches on the costs associated with each platform and the support they offer. WooCommerce is presented as a free and highly customizable option, while Amazon is introduced as a massive sales opportunity with its own set of advantages and challenges.
💰 Selling on Amazon and Other Marketplaces
The final paragraph focuses on selling on Amazon and other online marketplaces like Walmart.com, eBay, and Etsy. It discusses the benefits of leveraging these platforms' existing customer bases and the potential for significant sales, but also warns of the fees and risks associated with platform policies. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of owning a website, which provides more control and less risk of being removed by the platform. It concludes with a recommendation to use Shopify or WooCommerce for a professional e-commerce business and offers a free Amazon FBA course for those interested in that sales channel.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡eCommerce platform
💡Shopify
💡WooCommerce
💡Amazon FBA
💡BigCommerce
💡Etsy
💡Online sales growth
💡Customization
💡Technical support
💡Cost
💡Integration
Highlights
The video provides a comprehensive comparison of various eCommerce platforms, including their pros and cons.
E-commerce sales are growing rapidly, with over six trillion dollars spent online last year.
E-commerce makes up only 15% of all retail sales, indicating significant room for growth in the online market.
Shopify is popular among professional e-commerce sellers, offering 24/7 support and a wide selection of themes.
Shopify is the easiest e-commerce platform to set up, with the ability to create a store in just four minutes.
A free 14-day trial of Shopify is available, including a free SSL certificate for secure online payments.
Shopify's extensive app and plugin library allows for a high degree of customization without hiring a developer.
The main drawback of Shopify is its cost, starting at $29 per month for the basic plan and additional costs for apps and plugins.
WooCommerce is a free e-commerce platform with a large user base and extensive plugin library.
Squarespace is known for its beautiful website templates but lacks e-commerce specific features and plugins.
Wix is not recommended for e-commerce due to its limited features and integrations despite its ease of use and app marketplace.
Big Cartel is a free platform suitable for small stores and artists but lacks scalability and advanced features.
BigCommerce and Magento (now Adobe Commerce) are not recommended for small businesses due to their complexity and cost.
WooCommerce is highly customizable but may require technical knowledge or hiring a professional for advanced customization.
Amazon offers a significant opportunity for online sales with over $500 billion in sales last year and low marketing costs.
Selling on Amazon is straightforward, requiring only a product page and benefiting from Amazon's vast customer base.
Walmart.com is a rapidly growing platform with potential for in-store retail opportunities for successful sellers.
The video offers a free five-hour Amazon FBA course to help viewers start an Amazon-based e-commerce business.
While selling on platforms like Amazon and Walmart can be profitable, they come with fees and the risk of being removed from the platform.
For a professional e-commerce business, Shopify is recommended for its features and support, despite the higher cost.
WooCommerce is suggested for beginners or those on a budget, offering affordability and ease of setup.
Transcripts
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