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Ecommerce - Best Online Store Builder for Beginners and Small Businesses
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Best Online Store Builders for Beginners and Small Business
Online retail sales worldwide stand at $2.3 trillion in 2017 and revenue in 2021 is projected to grow to $4.88 trillion (source). In 2019, eCommerce comprises more than 13% of all retail revenue worldwide.
The online retail business is huge.
You're missing out (a lot!) if your business hasn't expanded its reach online.
With the advent of online store builders, it has never been easier to create an online store, even if you are a newbie with no web development experience.
Search here for Best Ecommerce Platforms Website Builders 2023
There are a number of great ecommerce website builders out there that are geared towards beginners who just want a simple and functional online store. We've narrowed it down to the top five that are great for any newbie or small business owner on a budget.
At a Glance: Compare the Best Online Store Builders
1.Shopify
The one-stop solution for all business owners, Shopify is the solution for those who want to have an eCommerce store on their website. Shopify gives you access to their online store builder that allows you to build your site exactly how you want it.
Using pre-built Shopify templates, it's quite easy to create an eCommerce store. You can choose from over a hundred different templates. All professional looking templates are mobile friendly.
They even include a number of features like SEO, marketing resources, social media integration, secure shopping carts, and even support over 100 payment gateways. If you need additional features to extend your store, you can choose the right Shopify App Store plugin, both free and paid.
If your online store is based in the US or Canada, then you can use Shopify's checkout and shipping solution. Shopify checkout is fully integrated with your store. You do not have to pay any transaction fees. Or else you will charge up to 2% transaction fees for each sale.
Shopify Key Features
Scalability - Powerful online store builder for small and large businesses
Sell Everywhere - Integrate with Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and more
Integrated Storefront Design - 100+ Professional Ecommerce Website Templates (Free & Premium)
Shopify Point of Sale - Unify offline in-store and online sales
Shopify Location – Set up multiple locations to track inventory and fulfillment
Shopify Checkout - Accept Credit Card Payments Without Third Party Accounts
Shipping Support - Automatically calculate shipping rates and print USPS shipping labels
Shopify Business Name Generator - Choose Your Original Business Name With The Help Of An Automated Tool
Exchange Marketplace - Buy, Sell or Transfer Your Shopify Store Easily
Top apps and community support: Shopify is supported by a large community of independent developers; The Shopify App Store is packed with useful plugins
Whether you're a serious business owner or just a newbie, BigCommerce offers a ton of features that are super easy to use. However, the important thing to keep in mind is that your website can be a bit confusing for new visitors.
2- BigCommerce
Due to the depth of features that BigCommerce has, it can cater to a wide variety of users. They divided their product lines into two main segments: Enterprise and Essentials. Unless you're running a multi-million dollar company, you'll most likely want to check out the Essentials section.
BigCommerce Essentials offers users an all-in-one platform that helps you at every stage, from registration to your site operations. From free starter templates to help you with design to other extensive features like multi-channel sales, marketing tools, and more, BigCommerce Essentials has it all.
They also have very broad support, and this can be leveraged in more than one way. Aside from the usual support channels, you can also take advantage of their on-demand courses that will help teach you the basics of how to grow your site.
You can try them out with a 15-day free trial, no credit card required.
BigCommerce Key Features
Wide selection of themes – create a beautiful online store with an easy-to-customize theme
Sell Everywhere - Integrate with eBay, Amazon, Facebook, Square, Google Shopping and more
Shipping and tax support: automatic calculation of shipping rates and taxes
Comprehensive analytic tools: built-in store analytics and integration with Google Analytics; export sales data and product data in CSV or XML format
Dropshipping Capabilities: Different Applications Available for Dropshipping Business
Best SEO capabilities: Strong SEO features and support
No transaction fees on all plans - sell and earn more with BigCommerce
4. Weebly
Weebly offers a powerful platform for building a website, but it's still affordable for businesses just starting out. Next to Wix, Weebly is quite similar in terms of the features they offer.
Some of the great features they offer is the ability to allow your customer to search and filter for the products they want on your website.
But of course, the biggest advantage of Weebly is its price. And at $12 for their lowest eCommerce plan, it's definitely easier and less of a pain on your wallet to own an eCommerce website.
Key Features of Weebly Online Store
Affordable – The cheapest online store builder on the market, starting at just $12/month
Car Tax Calculator – Ability to set up tax rates for your customer locations
Payment support: accept payments through Square or third-party providers
Easy store management - inventory management tool with item badges and square gift cards
Good SEO support SEO tools to improve your site and the visibility of your products
5.Wix
Wix has over 154 million registered users in 190 countries and they continue to grow at a rapid rate. For businesses looking to start small in the world of eCommerce, Wix is a great website building solution as you can have a site up and running in minutes.
One of the best things about Wix is that they cater to those who don't have any knowledge of how to start a website. From providing templates to choosing fonts, they give you all the help you need to have a website.
While Wix is best known for a general website, they also have a solid eCommerce website builder tool that is quite powerful.
Key Features of Wix Stores
Easy to use editor - build your store with drag and drop tool
Wix Logo Maker: Design a Custom Logo to Match Your Brand
Business Name Generator - Choose an Original and Memorable Name for Your Business
Mobile Friendly – All websites and online stores are optimized for mobile users
Blogs Available – Add Blog Features to Your Ecommerce Site Easily
Online Store Templates: 500+ Customizable Templates in Wix Stores
Is An Ecommerce Store Builder Right For You?
Final considerations:
When choosing one for your business, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
However, even so, a great online store builder has to take care of the heavy burdens when creating an online store. This includes website creation, storefront setup, inventory calculation, shipping rate calculation, inventory management, sales reports, payment gateway integration, storefront design, etc.; So you can focus on growing your business.
With this in mind, you will be able to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Frequently asked questions about e-commerce website builders
Can I use my own domain with the online store builder?
Yes, you can with most online store builders. The five platforms we recommend in this article allow users to easily associate their own domain name.
Do I need to purchase a private SSL certificate for my online store?
Most online store builders come with a free shared SSL certificate, so no additional cost or work is required on your part. However, you can purchase and install your own SSL certificate for your store. Having an SSL certificate is essential not only to the security of your customers online, but also to your ranking in Google. Google clearly stated that HTTPS encryption is a rating signal in August 2014.
How many transaction fees do I have to pay an online store builder?
Not all online store builders charge transaction fees — BigCommerce, for example, doesn't charge for all of its plans. However, if it does, the fee will usually range from 0.5% to 3%, depending on which plan you are using.
Everything you need to sell online
Selling online with your own ecommerce website has never been easier, faster, or more scalable. Impress your customers with a beautiful store.