Are you looking to sell products or services online? If you’re new to website building, it may be easiest to start with an ecommerce platform that gives you all the essential functionality out-of-the-box. However, it can be difficult to choose the right one for your needs.
Fortunately, it’s easier to find the right option for your business when you know what to look for. For example, if you sell subscriptions, you’ll need a platform that supports recurring orders. Or, if you have a unique brand identity, it’s important to find a highly customizable option.
In this post, we’ll help you find the best ecommerce platform for small business websites. Let’s get started!
The Best eCommerce Platform for Small Business Websites (5 Options)
Now, here are five options to help you find the best ecommerce platform for small business websites.
1. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the most popular ecommerce platform in the world, and is used as a WordPress plugin. It’s also open-source and completely free. Although, you can extend the platform using a range of free or paid add-ons.
For example, if you want to create a membership website, you can use Woo Subscriptions. You can even find Woo extensions for specific payment gateways. And, if you sell physical goods, you can install options to aid inventory, order management, and shipping.
What’s more, the fact that WooCommerce is open-source means that you’ll own all your data. And, with tons of high-resolution themes, it’s easy to customize your storefront to reflect your brand.
To get started with this eCommerce platform, you’ll need a quality web hosting provider, like HostDash:
A web host will provide you with the server space and resources you need to put your site online. And, when it comes to HostDash, the WordPress installation process will be handled foryou.
With HostDash, you’ll also get access to tons of useful features like a free SSL certificate, a free domain name, and free malware protection to keep your website secure. Plus, with 24/7 expert support and a 60-day money-back guarantee, it’s a great choice for beginners and new businesses.
Price
WooCommerce is a free eCommerce platform, but you’ll need to pay for web hosting to set up your website. If you want to use premium themes or extensions, this will cost extra.
2. OpenCart
If you’re looking for the best eCommerce platform for small business websites, OpenCart is another excellent option. And it’s particularly worthy of your attention if you’re looking for a super customizable solution that can scale as your business grows.
There are tons of unique modules, themes, and features, to help you quickly set up your online shop. For example, you’ll find a range of beautiful pre-designed templates, service integrations, payment providers, shipping methods, marketing tools, and more.
OpenCart comes with integrated comments, reviews, and ratings to help you increase trust with new customers. Plus, the Extension installer enables you to upload extra modules (similar to Woo extensions for WooCommerce) if you require more functionality.
Price
OpenCart is free to use and can be pre-installed for you on our OpenCart Hosting platform. But like with WooCommerce, you’ll have to pay for any premium extensions you want to use.
3. LiteCart
If you’re a beginner looking for the best ecommerce platform for small business websites, LiteCart makes a good choice. It’s easy to install, and provides a light, clean back end to keep your website running fast. In fact, according to Pingdom, LiteCart is faster than 99 percent of websites.
Better yet, with LiteCart, you can build a website that’s search engine friendly and offers a top-notch user experience (UX). For example, you can create an online catalog (that supports unlimited products) with advanced search filters. Plus, you can display different product options, currencies, and deliver a quick one-step checkout.
LiteCart is popular specifically with users that lack store building experience. You can access tons of support and advice using the community forums, Wiki pages, and knowledge base. And, similar to other platforms, you can install numerous add-ons to extend your store (including product comparison, quick favorites, and a chatbox).
Price
LiteCart is also a free ecommerce platform, but you’ll have to pay for some of the add-ons
4. Easy Digital Downloads
If you want to sell digital products like photographs, recipes, eBooks, guides, plugins, or PDFs, Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) may be the best option for you. Digital products also work great on membership websites if you’re looking to earn recurring revenue.
With this in mind, EDD supports subscription billing, content protection rules, and easy store management features. You’ll also get access to powerful reports to track the success of your items. And, with over 100 integrations, it’s easy to merge the platform into your existing workflows.
However, EDD is still plenty sufficient if you want to offer one-time purchases. It has guest checkout options, refund tracking, and supports Stripe and PayPal out-of-the-box. Plus, you can integrate your site with content delivery tools (like Amazon S3 or Dropbox) to keep your website light and fast.
Price
You can use the free EDD plugin, or upgrade to premium options from $99.50 a year. Plus, some of the add-ons may cost you more.
5. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a highly customizable ecommerce platform that lets you keep full ownership of your online store and all its data. Because of its flexibility, you can easily scale your site using hundreds of themes and add-ons.
Additionally, you’re able to create an online store that looks exactly the way you want with the ability to switch colors, typography, design, and images. Better yet, you can create and manage a catalog of thousands of items. And, you can even configure personalized delivery solutions.
The Classic PrestaShop plan comes with its own PrestaShop checkout (built with PayPal). What’s more, PrestaShop’s integrations enable you to run automated ads on Google networks, synchronize your catalog with Facebook and Instagram, and deliver customized content to targeted prospects.
Price
The Classic option is free to download, but hosted options start at $24 a month.
Conclusion
If you want to set up a small business website, an ecommerce platform can simplify the process. This way, you can access built-in security features, around-the-clock support, and integrated payment gateways. The good news is that there are plenty of platforms to choose from.
To recap, here are five contenders for the best ecommerce platform for small business websites:
- WooCommerce: The most popular option with built-in payment processing.
- OpenCart: Best for scaling businesses, or website owners that want lots of customization options.
- LiteCart: Great for beginners and store owners with a big catalog of items.
- Easy Digital Downloads: Best for selling digital products like eBooks, PDFs, and plugins.
- PrestaShop: A flexible solution with integrated SEO and marketing tools.
To create an ecommerce website, you’ll need a web hosting provider. At HostDash, we support unlimited traffic and storage. Plus, every package comes with a free SSL certificate, free malware protection, and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Get started today!
Image credit: PhotoMIX Company.
