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ItÌýcan beÌýchallenging toÌýdecide how toÌýstart your online business effectively. There are soÌýmany options forÌýonline platforms toÌýdisplay your products onÌýandÌýget you connected with customers. But all ecommerce platforms are not created equal. Some are more intuitive, orÌýcheaper than others. Some have more hands-on features orÌýmore robust support forÌýtroubleshooting. But noÌýmatter what you’re selling, there’s noÌýbetter time toÌýstart authentically cultivating your business online.

Ultimately, theÌýbest ecommerce platform may not look theÌýsame forÌýevery business. Top ecommerce platforms when you’re just starting out should offer free orÌýlow-cost options toÌýgrow your company rather than asking you toÌýsink all your money into aÌýsingle platform right away. Additionally, aÌýgreat ecommerce platform will have clear payment guidelines andÌýeasy-to-use navigation features toÌýhelp you get your sea legs.

Guide For Selecting AÌýGreat Ecommerce Website

There are many things toÌýlook out forÌýasÌýsigns ofÌýaÌýuseful ecommerce platform. First, they need toÌýbeÌýtransparent about their company’s strategies andÌýsite usage. IfÌýyou feel like you’re going toÌýexpose way more information than isÌýnecessary, especially ifÌýpayment isÌýinvolved, itÌýmight beÌýtime toÌýlook elsewhere! AÌýgood ecommerce website will beÌýdesigned professionally andÌýhave clear guidelines forÌýselling products andÌýcosts.

Additionally, you should analyze whether theÌýplatform provides low-cost orÌýfree services. Truthfully, some ecommerce platforms may ask forÌýsome form ofÌýpayment forÌýseveral ofÌýtheir services. For example, web andÌýhost domain names, plugins, andÌýadÌýcontrol often cost money andÌýpossible transaction fees onÌýsold products. New ecommerce sellers will also want toÌýnote how much experience theÌýplatforms require users toÌýhave before signing up. OfÌýcourse, theÌýbest ecommerce platform ultimately depends onÌýyour business’ growth strategies andÌýproduct distributions, but here are some great examples toÌýget you started.

ºÚÁÏÃÅ

ºÚÁÏÃÅ ¾±²õÌý²¹Ìýfantastic option forÌýboth new andÌýexperienced business owners alike. Their free plan provides plugins forÌýanÌýexisting site domain andÌýprovides new users with aÌýcompletely free starter website. The ease ofÌýuse forÌýanyÌýseller has made them aÌýpopular eCommerce platform, attracting nearly 1MÌýusers worldwide. You’ll beÌýable toÌýsell upÌýtoÌýfive products inÌýtwo different categories, asÌýwell asÌýset your taxes andÌýcreate discounts forÌýspecific items.

What’s great about ºÚÁÏÃÅ?

• Easy toÌýnavigateÌý— ºÚÁÏÃÅ has aÌýstraightforward online interface, which isÌýexcellent forÌýnovice sellers.
• Global accessibilityÌý— Available inÌý50Ìýlanguages, 80+ payment processing options.
• Fantastic free featuresÌý— The free plan still packs aÌýpunch, offering services forÌýcalculating taxes, content management, real-time tracking ofÌýtotal sales, andÌýmore.
• ±·´ÇÌý´Ú±ð±ð²õÌý— ºÚÁÏÃÅ themselves does not require anyÌýtransaction fees onÌýsold items.

What’s not soÌýgreat about ºÚÁÏÃÅ?

• NoÌýFree Plan For Bigger BusinessesÌý— Staff accounts andÌýpromo codes are only available with aÌýpremium plan.
• Lack ofÌýURL customizationÌý— ºÚÁÏÃÅ doesn’t allow forÌýspecific items toÌýhave customized links. Instead, itÌýjust adds product IDs toÌýURLs.

Big Cartel

¾±²õÌý²¹Ìýpopular ecommerce platform that isÌýgreat forÌýanyone trying toÌýsell artistic orÌýhandmade products. The website markets itself explicitly toÌýcreatives selling their passion projects. Their free plan features fantastic benefits, like noÌýtransaction fees, aÌýcustomizable URL (sort of, you’ll still need toÌýinclude “bigcartel.com” atÌýtheÌýend), andÌýaÌýdetailed walk-through describing how toÌýget your shop set up.

What’s great about Big Cartel?

• Great forÌýbeginnersÌý— BigCartel isÌýdesigned with small business owners andÌýdoesn’t include anyÌýextraneous fees orÌýcomplicated web formatting.
• Effective free planÌý— You can have upÌýtoÌýfive products onÌýyour free plan, offer discounts andÌýpromos, andÌýchange your shop URL.
• Niche marketÌý— Not many eCommerce platforms brand themselves specifically forÌý“makers,” but it’s nice toÌýknow that Big Cartel has plenty ofÌýoptions toÌýgrow small creative businesses.

What’s not soÌýgreat about Big Cartel?

• Not Many ImagesÌý— The free plan doesn’t allow you toÌýadd multiple images per product.
• Complicated Customization OptionsÌý— IfÌýyou’re not familiar with HTML, you might have aÌýbit ofÌýtrouble changing theÌýtheme ofÌýyour website.

Wix

Another popular eCommerce platform toÌýsell your products isÌý. Wix features aÌýuser-friendly drag-and-drop system forÌýcustomization andÌýproduct management. Additionally, Wix’s website builder provides you with aÌýfree domain name (including “.wixsite.com”), images, andÌýapps. It’s anÌýexcellent option forÌýgetting your online business upÌýandÌýrunning, regardless ofÌýwhat you’re selling.

What’s great about Wix?

• Delightful Design andÌýMarketingÌý— Along with anÌýeasy-to-use platform, Wix makes website building fun with versatile tools andÌýanÌýAIÌýdesigner forÌýweb building.
• Lots ofÌýStorageÌý— The free plan comes with upÌýtoÌý500ÌýMBÌýofÌýbandwidth andÌýstorage consecutively.
• Great forÌýMobileÌý— Wix prioritizes quick andÌýeasy access toÌýyour site, both onÌýyour computer andÌýonÌýyour phone.

What’s not soÌýgreat about Wix?

• Temporary Payment BlissÌý— You’ll eventually need toÌýupgrade toÌýaÌýpaid plan toÌýaccept payment forÌýyour products.
• Limited CustomizationÌý— While Wix offers you aÌýfree URL, its tagline needs toÌýbeÌýattached toÌýtheÌýend ofÌýit. Additionally, you can’t change your website template.

Weebly

isÌýanother excellent eCommerce platform powering over 50Ìýmillion websites toÌýdate. Their free plan isÌýgreat forÌýnew sellers, particularly those located within theÌýUS. Additionally, they include aÌýblog-based component forÌýyour online store toÌýadd more information about your company. You’ll receive inventory management, tax calculations, coupons, andÌýgift cards inÌýtheÌýfree plan but can upgrade forÌýeven more options.

What’s great about weebly?

• Products GaloreÌý— You can add unlimited digital andÌýphysical products toÌýyour store onÌýtheÌýfree plan.
• Ease ofÌýUseÌý— Weebly isÌýfantastic forÌýbeginners, providing another drag-and-drop interface andÌýcustomizable designs.
• Blog About ItÌý— Knock out two birds with one stone andÌýstart upÌýaÌýcompany blog inÌýaddition toÌýyour website.

What’s not soÌýgreat about Weebly?

• ±«³§Ìý·¡³æ³¦±ô³Ü²õ¾±±¹±ðÌý— Unfortunately, Weebly doesn’t offer free plans toÌýusers outside ofÌýtheÌýUnited States.
• Transaction FeesÌý— Weebly charges aÌý3%Ìýtransaction fee inÌýaddition toÌýwhatever expenditures are required forÌýyour third-party payment platform.

Square Online

¾±²õÌý²¹Ìýfree-to-use ecommerce platform that charges transaction fees when your store makes aÌýsale. This model makes itÌývery easy toÌýget started, andÌýonly charges you when your company isÌýmaking money.Ìý Square Online has aÌývery user-friendly interface andÌýfairly advanced sales features forÌýaÌýfree platform. AsÌýfar asÌýfree plans go, Square Online isÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost comprehensive offerings available. However, itÌýisÌýonly “free” onÌýaÌýtechnicality, asÌýtheÌýtransaction fees are built into theÌýplatform’s business model.

Square Online has aÌýpaid plan available forÌý$29ÌýaÌýmonth, with custom plans also available upon request.

What’s Great About Square Online

• Unlimited Product ListingsÌý— Most free ecommerce plans limit theÌýamount ofÌýproduct listings your store can create. But Square Online allows unlimited product listings, which isÌýgreat ifÌýyou plan onÌýexpanding your inventory.

• Fast andÌýEasy SetupÌý— Setting upÌýyour store with Square Online isÌýincredibly quick andÌýeasy. The design templates are clean andÌýprofessional, andÌýcreating your product listings isÌýalso straightforward.

• Highly ScalableÌý— From unlimited product listing toÌýadvanced sales features, it’s very easy toÌýexpand your business with Square Online.

What’s Not SoÌýGreat About Square Online

• Transaction FeesÌý— Square Online isÌýfree toÌýget set up, but not totally free toÌýuse. Transaction fees can end upÌýcosting more than expected, which can take away from profits andÌýrapid expansion.

• Limited CustomizationÌý— While Square Online isÌýeasy toÌýuse, itÌýonly offers two basic layout templates. While you can customize other features (like color scheme, brand imaging, andÌýfonts), theÌýbasic structure ofÌýyour online store will beÌýfairly basic. This isÌýnot aÌýbig problem forÌýeveryone, but itÌýcan beÌýfrustrating ifÌýyou want toÌýcreate aÌýunique branded experience.

WooCommerce

isÌýtechnically aÌýplugin forÌýWordPress, but it’s still aÌýcomplete ecommerce platform forÌýWordPress users. WooCommerce isÌýhighly flexible andÌýuser-friendly, making itÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost popular plugins ofÌýanyÌýtype onÌýWordPress websites.

It’s anÌýopen-source, free-to-download plugin that has been installed onÌýover 6Ìýmillion WordPress sites worldwide. The platform’s extensive customization options make itÌýaÌýgood choice forÌýanyÌýbusiness.

What’s Great About WooCommerce?

• Great Flexibility andÌýCustomizationÌý— InÌýterms ofÌýdesign, business management tools, andÌýinventory accommodations, WooCommerce isÌýexcellent. Users can access many features andÌýdesign their websites exactly how they want.

• Large andÌýActive CommunityÌý— Having aÌýdedicated community means WooCommerce receives tons ofÌýsupport andÌýfrequent updates.

What’s Not SoÌýGreat About WooCommerce

• Exclusive toÌýWordPressÌý— IfÌýyour website isÌýhosted byÌýanyÌýplatform other than WordPress, you can’t use WooCommerce.

Added Features Behind PaywallÌý— While WooCommerce isÌýfree toÌýdownload, many added features andÌýextensions require fees toÌýaccess.

The Next Steps ToÌýStart Selling

While this isÌýnot anÌýexhaustive list ofÌýeCommerce platforms, these are all great options forÌýstarting your online business. You’ll most likely want toÌýcheck out aÌýfew different platforms andÌýmake your decision based onÌýinventory orÌýbusiness goals. However, many options support small sellers inÌýgetting their companies out inÌýtheÌýworld.

IfÌýyou’re looking forÌýaÌýfree, fully automated approach, weÌýsuggest ºÚÁÏÃÅ. IfÌýyou’re looking forÌýaÌýcomplex website, maybe check out Wix. IfÌýyou’re aÌýnew USÌýseller, check out Weebly. IfÌýyou’re anÌýartist aspiring toÌýmake aÌýliving off their work, finally, Big Cartel sounds like theÌýplatform forÌýyou. Whichever platform you end upÌýchoosing, make sure their company values andÌýpolicies line upÌýwith your own andÌýprovide you with theÌýmost functionality forÌýyour business.

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