How many pages does your website have? (Count pages from your navigation menus, landing page to free offer forms, and all pages in your funnel such as a sales page for an offer)(Required)
- 5 or less
- 6 to 10 (most common)
- 11 to 15
- 16 to 20
- 21 to 30
- 31+
Do you need to process payments?(Required)
- No
- Yes - A simple payment form is sufficient (1 to 3 offers or name your price payment form)
- Yes - I need a comprehensive checkout for multiple products, services or courses and I have 5 or less offers
- Yes - I need a comprehensive checkout for multiple products, services or courses and I have 6 to 15 offers
- Yes - I need a comprehensive checkout for multiple products, services or courses and I have 16 to 30 offers
- Yes - I need a comprehensive checkout for multiple products, services or courses and I have 31 or more offers
Do you sell online trainings, courses, a membership or group programs with recordings?(A course is an online program where users log in to access one to ten lessons. A lesson is a recording or learning materials displayed on a single page within a course.)(Required)
- No
- Yes - 5 Courses or less
- Yes - 6 to 10 Courses
- Yes - 11 to 20 Courses
- Yes - 21 to 40 Courses
- Yes - 41 or more Courses
Do you have articles, podcast show notes, video pages or other blog posts on your website?(Required)
- No
- Yes - 1 to 10
- Yes - 11 to 30
- Yes - 31 to 100
- Yes - 100+
What is an eCommerce platform, and how do I know I’m choosing the right one?
Make an informed decision with this quick-guide to shopping for an eCommerce platform.
Without a better understanding of how you can actually elevate your productivity with an eCommerce store, you may feel as if you’re flying blind. Ideally, you need an eCommerce platform that works for you.
What is an eCommerce Platform?
An eCommerce platform is an online marketplace that allows trade between the customers and sellers.
As a seller, you can build an eCommerce store, add products, promote them and generate sales online.
For example, suppose you want to sell shoes online. An eCommerce platform enables you to enter into the online marketplace, build your store, and sell shoes made by your company.
From there, you can also add various payment methods, shipping options, and application program interfaces (also known as APIs…or what connects computers to the eCommerce program) to enhance the overall user experience.
4 types of business that need an eCommerce platform
1. Retail businesses:
Retail businesses with in-person operations will benefit greatly from connecting an eCommerce store to their existing web presence. This is a great way to expand business reach to a global audience, and to enter new markets with your unique product offerings.
2. Small-scale manufacturers:
When you are a small-scale manufacturer, it can be difficult to hit the right pain points in your immediate area.
3. IT service providers:
WooCommerce hosting is incredible for IT service providers without physical products to list in a store.
4. Content Creators:
Content creators are the bread and butter of any eCommerce platform.
eCommerce Platform Comparison
How do you know you’re getting the best eCommerce platform? As you’re shopping around to understand which eCommerce platform should I use, consider the following questions as you go:
Who has ownership of your eCommerce platform? What risks are you willing to accept?
When you select an eCommerce platform, be wary of the terms and conditions you agree to when signing up.
- High-risk industries to be wary of: regulated medicinal products (CBD, cannabis, pharmaceuticals, medical products, spiritual/personal development, religious or political digital marketing, tech support, cryptocurrency, or supplement products for health care.
Can users purchase products directly on your website?
You’ll really want to opt for a payment platform that keeps all transactions on your website.
Does this platform allow your business to grow? Will you be able to implement scaled sales strategies in the future?
Does your chosen eCommerce platform support convenient, recurring payment options?
Does your new eCommerce platform have a checkout system that integrates with the other systems you use?
What are the most important features for eCommerce platforms?
According to our most successful clients however – and the feedback they’ve given us about WordPress and WooCommerce – here are the top seven features we think every eCommerce store should have to get more online sales, regardless of what platform they use:
Seven features your eCommerce store should offer
- Customized check-out pages:
- Subscription offerings:
- Integration with email marketing:
- Affiliate management capabilities:
- Upsells and downsells:
- Scheduled sales:
- Analytics:
Awesome! Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with the different features of eCommerce platforms for businesses who operate online, it’s time to compare the two most popular eCommerce platforms out there today: WooCommerce and Shopify.