How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Website Builder

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Website Builder to Sell Online

20 min read

Anyone who has lived with a seamster/ess, quilter, crafter, or other artisan knows that the pandemic was a dangerous combination: isolation, Amazon Prime, and fidgeting. People who had never thought to do anything creative or artistic learned new skills or crafts to pass the time, follow a passion, or both. To make matters worse, the craft shows and flea markets where such products are sold closed for the 2020 season, leading more people to learn how to sell online.

Imagine a knitter in a cozy chair, slowly being swallowed by a sea of half-finished, completed, and planned projects. Or a literature professor working remotely, risking concussion inching through stacks of read and discarded books. How will they dig themselves out?

People generally assume that learning how to sell online will be difficult and time-consuming, but with the right Ecommerce website builder you should be able to start right away, and with little or no investment. Here鈥檚 what to look for, and how to choose the best Ecommerce platform for your goods.

Ecommerce Website Builders Should Have These Features:

When you hear “Ecommerce website builders,” your mind probably jumps to templates or easy point-and-click design tools. But the right method for you to start selling online quickly should be more than a tool in which to paste your content. Here鈥檚 a breakdown of what you need to consider to get started selling products online.

1. Code provided, no coding necessary, or coding as needed

Templates are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to setting up your online store. If you don鈥檛 have any training in websites or ecommerce at all, you鈥檙e going to need an option that removes all the guesswork. On the other hand, if you鈥檝e been trained to code and just want to take some shortcuts, you want to have the freedom of manipulating the code at will.

Either way, you鈥檙e going to need to be able to sell products online across platforms, using social media and other successful online marketplaces. You should be able to manage your inventory and products across all of your online storefronts.

2. Is the website builder easy to use?

You may know that most website builders come with convenient drag-and-drop technology. Everyone prefers e-commerce website builders that are simple to use. This is why most platforms are a breeze to operate. However, it is worth noting that ease of use is usually a spectrum dictated by both resources and experience.

Ideally, an e-commerce website builder should be simple to use for non-tech-savvy users. While the best e-commerce website builders do not require coding knowledge, different website builders may have different levels of ease of use.

In most cases, you should choose one with a drag-and-drop function as well as an intuitive editor. This will make it easier to customize the various elements on your site. Also, you may consider extra options, such as inline editing.

You should choose a convenient platform that is well-known for its intuitive and straightforward website editor, so you do not have to spend plenty of time trying to understand how it works.

3. Ease of managing inventory

Especially in the case of a crafter-turned-entrepreneur, managing inventory can be a challenge. Your offerings will vary day by day, season by season. Being able to manage inventory as it becomes available is vital. You should also be able to adjust your inventory manually to allow for in-person sales at craft shows, etc.

4. Price scaling as needed with no transaction fees

If you are just starting out, gradually ramping up operations, or looking at only seasonal sales, you should look for options scaled to your needs. Don鈥檛 pay the same price to sell 10 products to sell online per month as you would to sell 100 items per month. Instead, find flexible online selling options that allow you to start small and scale services to grow your business.

You should also look for options that are subscription-based rather than transaction-based. Some platforms promote scalability by charging a transaction fee with each processed order. While this sounds good for just a few transactions per month, these fees add up fast as sales increase.

5. Flexibility to change plans as your needs fluctuate

Don鈥檛 let Ecommerce platforms push you into paying for more than you need. At the same time, don鈥檛 get yourself stuck in a package that doesn鈥檛 make sense long term. If you typically have seasonal spikes in offerings, having a platform that allows you to scale back during the off-season can save you hundreds.

Common options for payment processing

Always remember that if it is not simple for your online shoppers to pay for your product or service, you will not be successful in the long run. You may know that PayPal, Apple Pay, Square, and Stripe are some of the popular payment gateways for a majority of e-commerce stores.

So, make sure that you consider what types of payment you are willing to accept when searching for the right ecommerce website builder.

When it comes to website builders, there are many options out there. This is why it is vital to find the features that you would like to have and then go from there. Use this guide to evaluate the e-commerce platform you are considering and avoid the various pitfalls many brands make when selecting software. Note that it is not only about developing your e-commerce site, but also about functionality.

Choose payment processors that make sense both for you and your customers.

6. Is the website builder secure?

In this digital age, security is one of the pivotal issues, and you should consider it with extreme care. As online business is a virtual interface, note that trust is an important consideration for your customers. Did you know that purchasers prefer secure and safe payment options as they have to share sensitive information, such as bank details?

This is why you should ensure that your e-commerce website builder is PCI compliant. Also, note that choosing a web-based tool with integrated SSL encryption is now essential to guarantee security.

7. Does the ecommerce website builder integrate with marketing tools?

In听this competitive environment, website marketing听is important for听the听growth 辞蹿听补苍测听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听产耻蝉颈苍别蝉蝉. This is听why you 苍别别诲听蝉颈尘辫濒别-迟辞-耻蝉别听迟辞辞濒蝉 for听promoting and听marketing your business and听website.

The 产别蝉迟听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 builders will help you with marketing. Keep in听mind that this could be听done through optimizing your website and听content for听SEO and听allowing or听facilitating the听integration 辞蹿听惫补谤颈辞耻蝉听迟丑颈谤诲-辫补谤迟测听尘补谤办别迟颈苍驳 tools, such as听Google Ads. For example, can you launch your online store right now and听start听selling on听Instagram听辞谤听础尘补锄辞苍?

So, ensure that 迟丑别听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 platform that you choose offers robust and听effective tools or听integrates seamlessly with other marketing platforms that match your strategy and听channel needs.

8. Widgets and add-ons

You should also check if the e-commerce website builder you are considering has an app store. This is because you may need various widgets in order to customize your page. Also, make sure that you can connect custom domains and any third-party services.

9. Product reviews and ratings

If you are an online customer, you will know that many customers trust products based on experience shared by other customers. So, product ratings and reviews, which were initially considered an add-on feature, have now become a necessity.

This is why the facility of product ratings and reviews is one of the key features that your online store builder must have.

10. Third-party integrations

This is another critical consideration. It is best to look for an e-commerce platform that integrates with the other systems that you use. If you would like to launch an online shop, you鈥檒l need extra services, such as payment gateways, shopping cart functionality, tax calculation services, promotion tools, and reporting instruments. The best e-commerce website builder will be compatible with major services.

11. Easy checkout process

Did you know that more than 55 percent of users leave a website at the cart? And this is simply because the checkout process is often complicated and lengthy. So, when choosing an e-commerce website builder, you should see whether it provides a simple and hassle-free checkout process. Some website builders give you the option to customize the checkout process.

Keep in mind that the best checkout pages often include an order summary. This is where you just ask for the essential information from users to make payment. You should see if the website builder offers several payment methods for quicker checkout.

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Platform

Learning how to sell online quickly is half the battle, but your Ecommerce platform should offer more than just some fancy industry-specific website templates. Consider what tasks or services you can handle yourself, then consider which ones you are actually willing to take on. Look for a platform that meets the remaining needs.

You can also use the following tips to research different Ecommerce platforms.

Find a list of features to compare plans and platforms

The best Ecommerce services are very straightforward about what their offerings provide. You should be able to find a list of features for each specific plan or service option. You should use a chart to compare plans within and across platforms, but the best sites also have comparison charts to summarize their own offerings.

Search online for real reviews by real people

It鈥檚 hard to know if a review is unbiased. Most of the websites that offer comprehensive reviews of products online are paid to mention specific Ecommerce platforms. Unfortunately, they are also the most easily found.

You can still get first-hand experiences through these websites. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you鈥檒l likely find reader comments. This is your best chance to see real reviews by real people for any web-based service platform.

Check out their demo

If you鈥檝e been thinking about how to sell online for a while, you probably already have an idea of how you want to set up your online store. Not every platform will meet the needs of your Ecommerce business or your ideal for online selling. Before jumping onto a platform based solely on reviews, check out a demo of their basic services. Be sure it is a good fit before you spend a lot of time and effort trying to make it work.

Look for the best experience for your customers

Look for reviews from customers using these Ecommerce platforms to checkout. Make sure that the option you choose makes it easy for your customers to browse, order, and pay for their goods. The three main areas to consider are:

Ease of checkout
Secure checkout
Flexible payment options

As long as your site hits these three points and provides honest and accurate descriptions, your customers will be happy buying your products online.

Ecommerce Website Building Platforms on听the听cloud

For the听simplest 补苍诲听蹿补蝉迟别蝉迟听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 design experience, head to听the听cloud. Dozens of听website builders have appeared in听recent years, so听you have plenty of听options to听choose from. A听few of听the听most popular and听low cost platforms 蹿辞谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别蝉补谤别听黑料门,听Wix, SquareSpace听补苍诲听厂丑辞辫颈蹿测.

1.听They鈥檙e (almost) free and听(always) easy

Website builders aim for听a听consistent and听beautiful user experience. The builder takes care of听the听code and听hosting of听your site; you just add content and听plugins to听create your 肠耻蝉迟辞尘听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听蝉迟辞谤别.听奥别别产濒测, 补听谤别濒颈补产濒别听补濒濒-补谤辞耻苍诲听产耻颈濒诲别谤, 补苍诲听奥颈虫, 补听蹿谤别别-蹿辞谤尘听产耻颈濒诲别谤, are both geared towards beginners who have no听web design experience. They offer free website hosting for听limited features and听branded domains; going premium affords you custom domain names and听additional features at听a听low cost.

2.听Pick from dozens 辞蹿听诲别蝉颈驳苍蝉听鈥� 辞谤听顿滨驰

The beauty of听web builders is听their flexibility and听simplicity. There are no听surprises 补苍诲听苍辞听肠辞诲别听鈥� web builders are called WYSIWYGs for听鈥渨hat you see is听what you get.鈥� Don鈥檛 want to听worry about perfecting the听design 蹿辞谤听测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别? 贰补蝉测听鈥� it鈥檚 all been taken care of听for听you. With hundreds of听options, it鈥檚 easy to听find the听perfect theme 蹿辞谤听测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 design and听tailor it听to听fit your brand.

If听HTML/CSS and听graphic design is听your jam, let the听themes be听your guide. Weebly and听SquareSpace allow access 迟辞听迟丑别听蹿谤辞苍迟-别苍诲听肠辞诲别, so听you can make changes as听you wish. And while you can鈥檛 change any听code in听Wix, there are no听limits to听your visual 诲别蝉颈驳苍听鈥� add transitions and听dynamic elements to听create a听cool 补苍诲听肠辞苍迟别尘辫辞谤补谤测听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 experience.

SquareSpace听is听a听builder with famously clean yet customizable designs, all crafted with the听mobile experience in听mind. If听you鈥檙e an听Adobe听design devotee, Muse may be听right for听you. There is听no听coding required to听use their beautiful responsive designs, but you retain all the听creative control.

Platforms requiring you to听download and听host

If听you鈥檙e looking for听an听ecommerce website with more functionality and听don鈥檛 mind a听little extra work, consider using a听content management system 补蝉听测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 builder. Content management systems like听,听听补苍诲听听are hugely popular with everyone from novice bloggers to听expert web developers.

1. They really are free鈥� but not always so easy

Many content management systems are open source, meaning anyone can access and听use the听platform to听make a听powerful 补苍诲听谤辞产耻蝉迟听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 for听free. Unlike cloud web builders, you download the听platform and听set it听up听on听your computer, then you must find and听pay for听a听hosting provider and听domain name. Try听WordPress听补苍诲听its 蹿补尘辞耻蝉听蹿颈惫别-尘颈苍耻迟别听颈苍蝉迟补濒濒, or听use a听hosting provider to听do听all the听setup for听you. It听may take a听little more work to听install, but the听payoff of听using these platforms can be听huge.

2. Help is always there

Platforms like听Drupal听补苍诲听Joomla听are used by听people all over the听world to听build millions of听websites, so听the听power of听community is听on听your side. If听you need tech support, you have access to听endless video tutorials, forums 补苍诲听丑辞飞-迟辞听补谤迟颈肠濒别蝉 to听help you solve any听problem you may encounter.

What if听you decide you want the听functionality without the听responsibility? No听problem. Developers all around the听world are experienced with these platforms; it鈥檚 easy to听find someone to听build and听maintain your website for听you. You鈥檙e never without help.

3. The possibilities are endless

Thanks 迟辞听辞辫别苍-蝉辞耻谤肠别听肠辞苍迟谤颈产耻迟辞谤蝉, WordPress, Joomla, and听Drupal websites can be听made to听do听just about anything. Choose from thousands of听free or听paid plugins, themes, and听designs to听make your website stand out.

Nuts and听bolts

When choosing 测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听飞别产蝉颈迟别 builder, make sure to听plan for听the听growth of听your business. How much can you afford to听pay for听your website design, subscription, hosting, and听domain? Do听you need a听simple, clean design that a听site builder can manage? How much do听you plan 蹿辞谤听测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听蝉迟辞谤别 to听grow? Larger websites with additional features may find that WordPress and听Joomla to听work well for听them. Smaller 产辞耻迟颈辩耻别听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听蝉丑辞辫蝉 might find that Weebly or听Wix are a听better fit.

All of听these site builders and听content management systems work perfectly with 黑料门. Many platforms offer their own 濒颈尘颈迟别诲听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听辞辫迟颈辞苍蝉, often for听a听higher monthly rate and听additional transaction fees. But nothing compares to听the听power of听黑料门鈥檚 simple 补苍诲听肠辞尘辫补迟颈产濒别听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听辫濒耻驳颈苍蝉. They offer boundless customization options, secure transactions, 补苍诲听补听蹿别补迟耻谤别-谤颈肠丑听辫谤辞诲耻肠迟 management dashboard. Best of听all, 黑料门 is听free to听use, and听it听offers additional features at听affordable pricing that scales to听the听size of听your store.

With 黑料门, you can achieve the听best of听both worlds 蹿辞谤听测辞耻谤听别-肠辞尘尘别谤肠别听蝉颈迟别 at听a听much lower cost.

Key Takeaways

When you鈥檙e ready to start selling products online, the right Ecommerce website builder and platform can make all the difference. To recap, here are the most important things to look for when you鈥檙e getting started:

Flexible subscription-based plans scaled to need. We want everyone to feel confident and know how to sell online easily, so we offer options for every level. Just a few products online per month with no plans to grow your business? You can post up to 10 products to sell online per month with our no-cost way to start selling online. Seasonal spikes in sales? Adjust your membership subscription monthly as needed.

User-friendly experience for both you and your customers. Don鈥檛 sacrifice your ease of use, particularly inventory management, in favor of easy checkout for your customers. Both are equally important.

Versatility to meet current and ongoing needs. Especially if selling online isn鈥檛 your primary business or source of income, it pays to use an Ecommerce platform that can easily change and evolve to meet your changing needs.

If you still have questions about how to sell online with the right platform for your individual needs, you should feel free to reach out to the sales team for answers. Well-run Ecommerce platforms staff knowledgeable representatives ready to answer any questions before you make a purchase decision. We are no different. If you鈥檙e still not sure that we are the right solution for you, reach out to our sales support team.