23 July 2024

5 Leading Global e-commerce Platforms You Should Know

If you ask business owners about the best solutions for selling products online, a few eCommerce platforms consistently rank at the top.

Examples of these popular platforms include Magento 2 and Wix eCommerce.

What’s their secret?

First of all, they offer unique features, global reach, and user-friendly interfaces that make them stand out. They help even those without technical knowledge to quickly set up their eCommerce store with the help of an intuitive website builder.

Besides, these platforms actually work — as in, they deliver tangible benefits.

According to Statista, global retail eCommerce sales reached an estimated 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. That’s a lot of cash for the taking if you’re bold enough to enter this competitive market.

But how to find the best platform for your business? This is the question we answer in this article.

Let’s explore the key features and limitations of the best eCommerce platforms in 2024 to help you make an informed choice.

Best eCommerce Platforms To Consider

Here are five leading global eCommerce platforms you should know.

Shopify
WooCommerce
Magento
BigCommerce
Wix Ecommerce

Shopify

Thanks to its user-friendly interface and extensive app ecosystem, Shopify has become the go-to solution for many entrepreneurs. And we can’t really advise against it.

In fact, if you’re looking to establish a foothold in the digital marketplace, Shopify might be your best option.

It offers comprehensive plans that cater to businesses of all sizes. Every plan includes unlimited storage, bandwidth, and the ability to list unlimited products.

Because of that, Shopify is an excellent choice for scaling as your business grows.

It’s also a good fit for businesses with extensive inventories. Its interface is designed to help these companies scale their operations smoothly and efficiently.

Since 2022, Shopify has delivered more than four dozen B2B features. It can help you put your B2B business on the right track without costing an arm and a leg.

However, Shopify isn’t suitable for everyone.

New or smaller businesses, which only have a few products to sell, might find Shopify’s robust platform overwhelming or unnecessarily complex. For such organizations, a simpler and more affordable solution might better suit their needs.

Pros and Cons

Shopify is a platform that excels in ease of use and scalability but may pose challenges with transaction fees and customization limitations.

It offers a user-friendly interface, allowing you to set up your store quickly.

On top of that, its extensive eCommerce features, including powerful SEO tools and multiple sales channels, make it a strong contender against competitors like BigCommerce.

That said, Shopify’s pricing structure includes transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, which can add up for high-volume stores.

Additionally, while Shopify provides many templates and apps, it doesn’t offer the level of customization that more flexible platforms like BigCommerce or Adobe Commerce (previously Magento) provide.

Here’s a quick comparison to encapsulate Shopify’s pros and cons:

ProsCons
+ Easy to use
+ Scalable for growing businesses
+ Excellent eCommerce features
+ Strong customer support
+ Multiple sales channels integration
– Transaction fees are high
– Limited customization options
– Reliance on third-party apps
– Costs can escalate with advanced functionalities
– Learning curve for advanced features

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an eCommerce plugin for WordPress, which powers 40% of the web.

This plugin is known for two qualities — its flexibility and customization options.

Since it’s free, WooCommerce is often regarded as a top-notch option for WordPress users venturing into the eCommerce world.

Medium-sized enterprises find WooCommerce especially beneficial. It’s designed to help businesses grow and scale easily.

Integration capabilities are one of WooCommerce’s standout features. It seamlessly connects with many third-party services, from payment gateways to marketing tools.

Cost-effectiveness also sets WooCommerce apart. The core plugin is free; additional features can be added with extra plugins or extensions. It offers businesses the opportunity to expand their store without huge upfront costs.

Pros and Cons

WooCommerce offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for building an online store. Yet, it also comes with specific challenges you need to consider.

For example, WooCommerce’s flexibility can be a double-edged sword. The need for frequent updates, potential security vulnerabilities, and the requirement for technical knowledge can pose significant challenges.

Let’s break down the pros and cons:

ProsCons
+ Highly customizable
+ Cost-effective
+ Scalable for enterprise eCommerce
+ Wide range of payment processing options
+ Seamless integration with WordPress
– Requires technical know-how
– Frequent updates needed
– Potential security vulnerabilities
– Can be resource-intensive
– May require additional plugins

Magento 2

Magento 2 has been the cornerstone of our business operations at FastWhiteCat for years. It’s a comprehensive platform that offers a range of features to support international shops.

One of its most significant advantages is that it operates with a multi-site structure that’s divided into three levels: website, store, and store view. This structure allows for flexible management and organization.

Out-of-the-box Magento 2 provides essential tools for product management, order handling, and customer grouping. Its multi-store inventory feature supports multiple warehouses, allowing for different stock levels for each store.

Furthermore, multiple currencies can be set up with a front-end currency switch linked to country and user group settings. Taxes are calculated based on postal codes, which simplifies the process.

Although most payment and shipping methods require additional modules, some predefined options are available. It allows for customization and adaptation to meet diverse business needs.

Magento 2 also lacks an admin panel for translations. As a result, you might need some development skills to manage this aspect effectively.

If you’d like to create your eCommerce site in Magento but don’t know where to start, we can help! Our team at FastWhiteCat is ready to build an online shop that both you and we can be proud of.

Contact us today!

Pros and Cons

Magento’s extensive customization and integration capabilities make it an excellent choice for those seeking a top-tier eCommerce solution. However, its requirements for technical expertise and higher costs could be potential drawbacks.

Here’s a straightforward breakdown:

ProsCons
+ Highly customizable
+ Extensive integration capabilities
+ Scalable for business growth
+ Strong SEO functionality
+ Large community support
– Requires technical expertise
– High maintenance costs
– Longer setup time
– Performance can lag
– Expensive hosting

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a popular choice for online sellers. Its main advantage lies in its vast array of eCommerce features and tools. These features help sellers manage high-volume sales effectively, whether they operate in retail or wholesale.

Notably, every BigCommerce site is built specifically for eCommerce. This design means fewer steps are needed to set up an online store compared to platforms like WordPress or other general eCommerce website builders.

Another significant benefit of BigCommerce is its fee structure. The platform does not charge additional transaction fees. Users only need to pay the fees charged by their chosen payment gateway, which can lead to substantial cost savings for businesses.

However, BigCommerce does have some drawbacks.

For starters, it is not the most user-friendly website builder on the market. Ease of use is a primary reason people choose website builders, but BigCommerce’s interface is more complex.

When it comes to templates, BigCommerce offers both free and paid options. This setup is similar to that of its direct competitor, Shopify. Unfortunately, there are notable differences in pricing and variety.

While Shopify offers many premium templates for under $100, BigCommerce’s premium templates typically cost between $250 and $300. These templates also tend to be quite similar to each other and lean towards simple designs.

Pros and Cons

Without a doubt, BigCommerce is one of the most robust eCommerce platforms on the market. Still, it is not the perfect fit for every business.

Here’s a quick overview:

ProsCons
+ Extensive eCommerce functionality
+ No transaction fees
+ Scalable eCommerce platform
+ Multiple payment gateways supported
+ Built-in SEO tools
– Higher pricing than some competitors
– Steeper learning curve
– Limited free themes
– Fewer third-party apps than Shopify
– Basic plans lack advanced features

Wix eCommerce

As of this writing, Wix boasts over 250 million users globally. It’s a testament to the platform’s popularity as a website builder.

To sell products through the Wix platform, you need to integrate it with the Wix Stores app. This app adds necessary eCommerce functionalities to your site, providing features such as product pages, shopping carts, and payment gateways.

Despite this extra step, many users find Wix to be a versatile tool that meets both their website building and eCommerce needs.

Dubbed by many as “the best platform for small businesses,” Wix eCommerce offers great value for money. Their pricing is straightforward and quite reasonable.

The two smallest eCommerce plans offered by the platform are more affordable than the entry-level options from Shopify and BigCommerce.

Nevertheless, for those seeking a dedicated ecommerce platform from the start, other options might be more suitable.

Pros and Cons

Wix eCommerce offers a versatile platform with both strengths and weaknesses that can greatly impact your online business strategy.

As one of the prominent eCommerce platforms, Wix provides numerous features to help you sell online, enhance your customer experience, and take advantage of eCommerce analytics. Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of the pros and cons.

ProsCons
+ User-friendly interface
+ Extensive design flexibility
+ Variety of payment methods
+ Great for selling products internationally
+ Nice store templates
– Limited scalability
– High transaction fees on some plans
– Lack of advanced eCommerce features
– Long website load times
Leading Global eCommerce Platform

The Bottom Line

Finding the right eCommerce platform for your business requires careful consideration.

Identify your needs first. Think about what features are essential for your online store. With many eCommerce platforms available, knowing what you’re looking for is vital.

Consider your long-term goals as well. Do you plan to scale up your operations? If so, opt for a platform that can grow with you, like Shopify.

If you need help with getting your eCommerce business off the ground, contact us! We can help you set up an online store without spending hours on website setup.

Our expertise and knowledge make it easy to complete every project, regardless of its scale and complexity.

FAQ

1. What are the top 5 eCommerce platforms in 2024?

The top 5 eCommerce platforms in 2024 are Magento 2, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Wix.

2. How do I choose the best eCommerce platform for my business?

You should take into account various factors, such as your business needs, budget, scalability, ease of use, available features, and customer support.

3. What is an enterprise eCommerce platform?

An enterprise eCommerce platform is a robust and scalable solution designed to meet the specific needs of large businesses with high sales volume and complex requirements. Magento 2 is an example of such a solution.

4. Which eCommerce platform is best for small businesses?

Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix are popular choices for small businesses due to their affordability, ease of use, and scalability.

5. Can I sell internationally using an eCommerce platform?

Absolutely! Your chosen eCommerce platform should support multiple currencies, languages, and shipping options and comply with international regulations.

6. Do eCommerce platforms offer analytics tools?

Most eCommerce platforms come with built-in analytics tools. These tools allow you to track sales, website traffic, customer behavior, and other key metrics to help you make informed decisions for your online store.