INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The best e-commerce platforms in 2018The rise of the web has allowed countless businesses to reach a wider market
Not only that, it has given rise to countless new online-only businesses, fueled by the exponential rise of mobile connections.It's not
surprising, then, that one analyst claims that the SMB e-commerce platform market will break the billion dollar barrier.There's no doubt
In order to sell your products or services online, your website has to be appropriately equipped.Building an online store from scratch is a
mammoth task, and fortunately, an unnecessary one
standard functionality such as the ability to showcase products in an online catalog, take payments online, manage customers and provide
with after-sales.Others will provide more sophisticated functionality, such as online marketing features, the ability to manage or integrate
with in-store systems and the provision of APIs.Which e-commerce software is best for your business depends entirely on your specific
If you're an online-only outfit, then POS integration won't be necessary, but you may get a lot of business from overseas, in which case
right now, before moving on to consider other options you might want to explore in terms of creating your own e-commerce solution.The best
e-commerce platform packages1
ShopifyGiant of the e-commerce worldEasy to useLoads of featuresPowerful analyticsShopify is perhaps the most well known e-commerce platform
e-commerce platform available and so built their own
Shopify, it's possible to get one of its online stores up-and-running within minutes
Users can choose from a wide range of templates, or they can design the look and feel of their store themselves
It accepts a comprehensive range of credit cards, has Level 1 PCI compliance and 256-bit SSL encryption for security, and it offers 24/7
support via phone, instant messaging or email.The platform provides a full CMS with which users can manage the functionality and layout of
Users can manage their store on-the-go using Shopify's mobile apps, and the platform itself is fully responsive, meaning the store will be
optimized for visitors regardless of whether they access it from a desktop computer or a mobile device.Shopify also offers users unlimited
hosting for their stores, in-depth analytics of how visitors are using the store, and functionality for marketing such as SEO optimization,
a discount and coupon engine, gift cards and email marketing tools.2
BigcommerceE-commerce expertise with a fully-fledged CMSFlexible product managementGreat supportAccess to web design expertiseBigcommerce
was established in 2009 and promises to "support your business, not just your store." In addition to offering support via phone, instant
chat and email, it also offers articles and videos to help with e-commerce, and access to a team of e-commerce experts who can provide
advice and guidance about online selling
Their experts are qualified in both Google Analytics and Adwords.Like Shopify, Bigcommerce provides a variety of templates and themes to
help stores look their best and get up-and-running quickly
Alternatively, users can design their own store or use Bigcommerce designers to do so
The platform incorporates a full-featured CMS that allows users to run an entire website, rather than just a store.Users can benefit from
detailed and flexible product management, optimized search engine rankings, along with a variety of integrated marketing tools and analytics
Payments can be accepted via 40+ pre-integrated gateways and shipping details can be customized as per the business's requirements
The platform offers automated order processing, flexible tax rules depending on where orders are made and shipped, and support for multiple
VolusionVeteran provider with a custom design serviceWide range of site management toolsPlentiful help resourcesFree 14-day trialVolusion
has been around for almost two decades, having been set up in Texas over in the US in 1999
The company touts its platform as being an "all-in-one e-commerce solution", and offers a free 14-day trial (no credit card required).As
with other e-commerce platforms, users are offered a variety of templates from which to choose, and can also customize templates if they so
Should a more complex design be required, Volusion offers a custom design service that can incorporate branding and a firm's social media
presence.The platform provides the site and product management tools you'd expect, marketing functionality for SEO, social media, and
affiliate outlets, along with emails and order management functionality for fast order processing, accepting payments, tax calculations and
POS integration.In addition to its platform and associated services, Volusion offers apps from its partners, support for users and a
knowledge-base for help with e-commerce
Users can draw upon blog posts, guides and webinars.4
CoreCommerceService which focuses on SMBsAll features offered across every planSecure hosting with 99.9% uptime guaranteePrides itself on
transparencyCoreCommerce was set up in 2001 and focuses on providing e-commerce services to small and medium-sized businesses
The company places an emphasis on simplicity and transparency, promising that its platform is easy-to-use and that customers will not fall
foul of any hidden charges.Perhaps CoreCommerce's most unique aspect is that all of its features are offered to all customers regardless of
Price plans are determined by the number of products, the number of email addresses, the amount of bandwidth and the amount of storage
required by the user (and higher-end plans also benefit from additional support).As with other e-commerce providers, CoreCommerce offers
functionality for store design, product management, order processing and marketing
Of its headline features, the platform offers unlimited product customization options, a built-in blogging engine, and secure hosting that
is provided by Rackspace and comes with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.5
3dcartAllows for an impressive degree of tailoring to your needsUser-friendlyPlenty of innovative featuresLots of additional services on
offerHaving been founded in 1997, 3dcart is the oldest of our featured providers here
It was set up with a view to incorporating as many of the most requested e-commerce features into one platform as possible.The company says
it has six core values by which it operates: ongoing innovation, good service, simple solutions, fostering trust, keeping employees and
customers happy, and stimulating prosperity amongst employees and customers.Some of the platform's innovative features include a module that
users can install to offer gift-wrapping, a purchase order system, the option of running a loyalty program and the ability to offer
Many of these features are very specific, meaning that stores can be highly tailored to the needs of each business.Stores can be designed
using one of the many templates offered by 3dcart, or users can design their own store
A quick edit bar means that making changes to the design of a store is simple
Product images are fore-fronted with 3dcart's auto-zoom feature and products can be sold via Facebook with its store integration
As with some other platforms, users can blog directly from 3dcart and tools are provided for setting up coupons, sending newsletters and
affiliate marketing.In addition to its platform, 3dcart offers a number of professional services
Users can request help with SEO, PPC, shopping feed management, social media, Facebook ads and conversion consulting
Help can also be provided to ensure that a user's store is set up to the highest standard
Services such as site cloning, setting up custom tracking, data migration and training are offered.In addition, 3dcart can provide SSL
Hosting is guaranteed at 99.9% uptime and 24/7 support is provided via phone, email or online chat
site for a business that is their primary means of income
It's not just about people selling unwanted goods - businesses have used the simplicity that eBay offers to set up lucrative operations
Even the larger brands such as Argos, Debenhams and House of Fraser are using eBay to sell online.With sophisticated tools now available you
can be up and running with your store in just a few hours
The eBay Seller Centre has all the information you need
Each store is managed via eBay's familiar user interface, and there are a number of eBay-provided tools to help manage, track and promote
your shop once it's established.Using eBay as the platform for your business could be ideal if your business wants to sell goods on a fixed
The complete integration of the PayPal e-payments system into eBay takes care of this essential component of your store.The key with eBay is
to look closely at the costs involved and also the transaction fees that PayPal charge before moving forward and setting up your own
store.How to create your own e-commerce solutionOf course if you want complete control over every aspect of your new online store, building
each page yourself will be the best course of action
Hiring someone to code your website is one option
If you decide to do this follow these steps:Ask the company for live examples of their work to look atWrite a detailed brief of the site you
The more detail the better to avoid confusionEnsure you understand the price you are being charged and how many revisions this price
includesAlways have a signed agreement or contract before work commencesAsk whether the designers will host your site and if you will be
able to make updates yourself or if all updates must go through the design agency at an additional costAsk for the copyright of your design
to be assigned to your company, as your website is an important part of your business' intellectual propertyPut into your contract, details
of how the agreement can be amicably dissolved if things go wrongYou also don't have to build your site completely from scratch
Buying a template can give you all the basic pages your site needs
You can then either modify them yourself using an application like Dreamweaver, or hire a coding expert to make the changes
Website templates are available from a number of vendors including Template Monster.If you already have a website and want to add e-commerce
functionality, this can be easily achieved with a number of applications including:Final adviceWhichever route you decide to take when
building your website always remember:You need to ensure your store can be easily updated and managed.Good professional web hosting is vital
to ensure your site is always available.Look for payment and shopping carts that are intuitive and efficient to use.Customer service is king
Businesses shouldn't just efficiently take customers' money, but should also properly support them.Make sure that your store is fully
your site uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) which is now the industry standard for online payments.Above every other consideration should be
your site's visitor experience
carefully and diligently to ensure you put a professional and efficient site live
Internet shopping continues to expand
Make sure your business doesn't miss out on a sales channel that shows no signs of slowing down.cc1a60d4d2d23545bb81e43deebbb22e.jpg#
