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Every year, more and more customers are opting for online shopping, and technology doesn’t stand still; new business models are constantly emerging to cater to the needs of the users. E-commerce is the key that opens up limitless opportunities for both businesses and consumers. It provides not only a wide choice of goods and services but also convenience and accessibility. It helps businesses to quickly adapt to changes in the market and capitalize on new opportunities. Sounds interesting? In this article, you will find all the necessary information about E-commerce platforms and how to choose the perfect one for you.

Types of Platforms for E-Commerce: CMS, SaaS, and Framework

The right choice of a platform for an online store is a key factor in its success. It is important to realize that platforms differ greatly from each other both in price and in the availability of various features, integration, and support. There are three most popular types of E-commerce platforms, and let’s take a closer look at them.

CMS (Content Management System). This software allows you to create, change, and add content to your website. It is an excellent choice for an online store since it is a standalone solution with ready-made functionality. The advantages are:

  • short set-up time
  • a huge selection of CMS platforms
  • the ability to change the design of a solution
  • a wide variety of specialists for popular CMS

SaaS (Software as a Service). This platform is a website builder that has a certain number of features. All you have to do is pay a fee, and you will get access to an account. However, keep in mind that this platform is not suitable for a large online store with a high workload. The advantages of such platforms include:

  • ready-made design
  • the ability to use a simple builder without help
  • the availability of technical support service

Framework. This is a set of solutions that is the basis for the program part of the site or online store. This is such a skeleton, and the development in this case is done from scratch, without the possibility of using ready-made modules or plug-ins. Despite the complexity of such platforms compared to CMS, they have several advantages, including:

  • flexibility in development 
  • data protection
  • the possibility of creating a unique product

Example of a Great CMS Platform

Many users opt for Magento, an open-source platform, based on PHP. Magento consulting services are very popular, as this platform is perfect for complex sites with high loads. There are many reasons to choose Magento, and below, we have presented the most popular ones.

  • User-friendly interface and a huge selection of plug-ins to automate additional tasks
  • SEO-optimization, which improves a site’s search ranking
  • Scalability to millions of items
  • Resilience to high loads during online sales
  • Seamless synchronization with third-party services
  • Compliance with online payment security standards and encryption of confidential data
  • Adaptability for common browsers and mobile devices

What to Consider When Choosing an E-Commerce Platform?

As you have already realized, entering the E-commerce market significantly increases the profitability of the business and guarantees its success. Choosing the ideal platform is a crucial process on which the future of the entire business depends. Since there are many platforms today, choosing the best one is not an easy task. There are many different factors to consider when choosing an E-commerce platform, for example, attracting and serving customers, security, costs, supporting growth, and others. We have prepared some tips to make the process of choosing the perfect E-commerce platform easier for you.

  • Decide on your business type and target audience. The most popular types are B2B, B2C, and B2B2C, but there are also others. You need to choose the most appropriate one for your business goals and needs. 
  • Check the plan’s prices and payment options. Prices should be sure to fit your budget. Also, analyze different platforms and compare the features you will get for the same price. It is also important that transactions are fast, easy, and secure. 
  • Give attention to user experience and usability through mobile devices. You need to give a user-friendly interface design that represents your brand. Also, your website should be usable on all screen sizes, so optimize it for use on mobile devices. 
  • Pay attention to platform security. This is a factor that you should always pay attention to. The security of payments and customer data should be at the highest level because that is what every customer counts on.

Conclusion 

E-commerce is a great way to fulfill your customers’ needs and reach new heights. Every business that wants to succeed should pay attention to E-commerce platforms and start working online as soon as possible because the prospects of this type of commerce are quite broad and promising.