
As an online merchant looking to take their business online, selecting an ideal ecommerce platform will be one of the most crucial decisions that you will need to make for long-term and scalable growth.
E-commerce platforms, such as Developers.dev, allow online businesses to effectively manage marketing, sales channels and operations by centralizing operations while running the way that best fits them.
Ecommerce platforms allow online business to effectively control marketing, sales and operations management by connecting business tools such as accounting to powerful ecommerce features allowing for centralized operations while keeping operations as individual as desired.
It is easy to see why choosing the best platform for e-commerce has a wide range of implications.
- Helping your potential customers who are engaged with your ecommerce brand to get the products that they need.
- Ensure your employees are equipped with the tools they need to execute online sales and marketing strategies.
- The cost of installation and maintenance will also protect your bottom line.
Well dive into the details and look at some of the most popular options when choosing an E-commerce solution.
Important Ecommerce Platform Features

Each online storefront is different, and finding one to meet the challenges your business encounters each day will determine which platform is right for it.
Before signing any contracts with providers, be sure to inquire into their background.
Hosting Environment
Your hosting environment is an online host platform designed specifically to host an e-commerce website and includes features such as payment processing, security measures such as SSL certificates and shopping basket software.
Choose a host that meets all of your specific requirements based on factors like the size and budget of your site, web development skills required and number of products being sold - especially if this online store serves as your main source of revenue.
Developers.dev stands alone as an industry leader thanks to its 99.99% uptime and unlimited bandwidth capabilities, in addition to using Google Cloud Platform - an efficient global host offering fast performance.
Developers.dev Merchants can also take advantage of the following hosting options:
- Unlimited bandwidth is available
- Fast content delivery network
- Purchase new domain names
- Use an existing domain name
- Shared SSL Certificate included
- Buy or transfer SSL certificates
API Call Volumes Unlimited
API availability, efficiency, and presence are essential in making platforms and data orchestration run efficiently for businesses.
Businesses must also be capable of accommodating an unlimited or high volume of API calls at any given time - although every SaaS platform handles this differently and offers unique API call volume options.
Shopify sets strict limits on API calls per second while Developers.devs industry leading API services dont impose such limitations or charge extra based on how often your company calls our API services.
Website Builder That Is Easy To Use
Over 60% of designers dedicate 11-40 hours of effort towards developing websites before it is finally launched for use by visitors.
Experience in web development and design can seem like a daunting challenge for businesses with little prior web development knowledge, making selecting an Ecommerce Platform with a user-friendly Website Builder that supports nonproprietary languages a daunting task.
Developers.dev Page Builder makes an excellent platform choice as its intuitive tools enable fast change requests while simultaneously managing brand presence faster to launch websites more rapidly.
Security
Care must be taken when handling sensitive data like credit card numbers, customer addresses and payment information.
Payment acceptance requires compliance with PCI Compliance Standards or else you run the risk of fines, losing ability to accept payments and incurring other monetary losses related to fraud.
While certain platforms provide minimum levels of protection, which typically includes SSL certificates by default, proper protection may require third-party software and/or additional investments into internal infrastructure.
Developers.dev stores come equipped with PCI Level 1 compliance as standard, giving you peace of mind to focus on expanding your business instead of worrying about security concerns.
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Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Few studies indicate that 90% of new e-commerce businesses fail in their first 120 days due to subpar SEO; this shows the difficulty involved with driving search engine traffic is more complicated than expected.
Optimizing a website requires taking several factors into consideration, including page loading speed, relevant keywords and mobile friendliness.
Numerous ecommerce development platforms come equipped with SEO-specific tools that make life simpler for their merchants.
Developers.dev, for example, comes with several SEO tools.
- Optimized Links: Developers.dev gives product, category, and other pages automatically populated SEO-friendly URLs and gives merchants the option to modify their URL settings.
- Unique URLs: Each unique page has its URL, which helps to prevent duplication of content.
- Microdata: These "rich snippets", built into the product pages, improve your search results listings.
- 301 Redirects and URL Rewrites: If you decide to change the name of a product during the migration, Developers.dev redirects the old URL to the new one so that your customers can find the products easily.
- CDN (Content Delivery Network): Developers.dev CDN works behind the scenes in order to make sure your online store loads as quickly as possible for customers and search engines.
There are other features that you should look for in an e-commerce site:
- App store or app marketplace with a large number of pre-built integrations to the best service providers.
- Mobile optimized site, checkout, and full experience.
- Integration of marketing automation.
- Basic ecommerce features are built-in, such as promotions and discounts. Analytics, product catalog management, WYSIWYG editors etc.
- Payment options and multiple payment gateways.
- The bandwidth can be used for an unlimited number of products or a large amount.
What To Consider When Choosing Your Ecommerce Platform

You may be tempted to sign up for a plan that is particularly affordable and meets certain criteria. However, you should do your research before committing.
While you can change hosts at any time, it can be difficult for both you and your visitors to migrate your e-commerce website. Think about the following:
Budget
Even when shopping around for competitively priced hosting packages for your ecommerce business, cost should always be taken into consideration.
Experiences dont need to come at an exorbitant cost.
Your choice may not be as cost-effective as advertised; therefore, additional features or services might need to be found elsewhere if necessary.
In such an instance, consolidating fees across providers would likely prove more costly.
Before selecting an ecommerce hosting provider, set a budget that you are comfortable spending for each feature of their hosting service.
Compared the prices of multiple web hosts if selecting standalone hosting. When considering all-in one hosting options, frequently there will be packages which meet all the features necessary within your budget.
Web Design
Your stores web design should create an unforgettable customer experience and reflect its branding to encourage customer retention and encourage repeat purchases.
On many major ecommerce platforms, you have the choice between numerous themes; some can be selected free, while others may cost between $60-200 each.
Sometimes your ecommerce software simply does not provide all the features that are essential. Add-ons, extensions and plugins may all add extra costs - however.
Read More: How can you Build E-commerce Mobile Application in 2023?
Programming And Functionality
Custom features, backend programming and coding tend to be among the costliest parts of building an ecommerce store, yet are essential in running efficiently while remaining a viable competitor against similar sites.
Design estimates the backend programming costs can range anywhere between $2,000 and $75,000. Third-party integrations on the other hand could range anywhere between $500 to $20,000.
Security
Always put the protection of your data, and your customers data, first. Select a platform which will make you feel confident about the management of your data and payment processing.
The alternative could cost your business and cause loyal customers to leave.
Hosting Is Available On A Monthly Basis
Developers.dev platforms such as Developers.dev offer cloud hosting that you can add onto your monthly subscription, eliminating any hassle of finding or managing third-party hosts.
If you opt for self-hosting your ecommerce website or use WooCommerce which does not include hosting fees as part of its monthly subscription fee, your costs could range between $80-$730 depending on factors like traffic volume, features offered and automated backup solutions such as storage.
Maintenance
Youll need to maintain your site to ensure it runs smoothly.
If you cant pay in advance for a few years, then your domain name is an annual fee. Youll also have to pay for hosting, unless it is included in your subscription fees, and you will need to renew your SSL certificate annually.
Integrate It With Your Business Software
Migration of business software onto another platform can be extremely disconcerting and costly, so make sure the platform of choice integrates easily with current solutions and systems without incurring additional expenses.
Developers.dev provides access to thousands of partners that can assist in the transition process between your current software and Developers.dev.
Customization
Customization will play a pivotal role when selecting between open-source and SaaS platforms.
Open-source software gives the user full control of its source code, giving them complete freedom in customizing everything from product pages, themes and checkout experiences to product page appearances and checkout experience customization.
However, open source may not be suitable for everyone without sufficient coding expertise or funding for programming costs.
SaaS platforms may, however, be less customizable; users have limited freedom in customizing the site when the provider controls the source code.
There is, however, an effective compromise solution available.
Merchants can leverage all of the advantages offered by SaaS as well as open source by choosing open SaaS platforms like Developers.dev.
Headless capabilities provide the means for creating an exceptional user experience by offering API-driven experiences through CMS or DXP systems, devices, custom front ends or applications.
Compatible Sales And Advertising Channels
One effective approach for accomplishing this is deploying an omnichannel approach, which integrates online and offline channels in order to deliver a streamlined customer journey; social commerce may help.
Todays social media platforms provide much more than entertainment; they have evolved into hubs of online shopping as well.
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest each provide in-app shopping experiences for their users - providing retailers with ample opportunity to sell on multiple channels simultaneously.
Developers.dev allows businesses to integrate leading software such as Alibaba and Salesforce quickly and seamlessly, and offers integrations into major marketplaces including Google Shopping and eBay/Facebook/Amazon marketplaces.
Complexity Of Product Inventory
Have a variety of digital and physical products that make up your main product line. If your plans include expanding or growing your business rapidly, select a platform with few SKU restrictions.
Developers.dev was built for big catalogs - even Shopify/Shopify Plus only allows 100 SKUs per product while Developers.dev allows merchants to add up to 600!
Each company will have different needs; one company might require multiple SKUs while a Direct To Consumer company might only require 1 per SKU.
The Best Ecommerce Platforms To Consider

Its time to compare some of the most well-known ecommerce platforms after going over the essential components of one.
When evaluating platforms, remember that each has its own benefits and weaknesses. The best thing to do is select the platform that suits your needs and uses cases.
1. BigCommerce
BigCommerce offers a wide range of tools, from analytics to marketing, as well as a variety of design options. It also has seasoned industry professionals on hand to provide support.
BigCommerce is a top-notch open SaaS platform that caters to companies of all sizes. Small businesses will also benefit from the features it offers.
Bigcommerce is a SaaS-based platform that offers the same benefits as an open source platform. It can be tailored to meet your business needs whether you want more or less control of your platform.
Pros
- Inuitive, built-in features.
- Offers over 65 payment solutions and 600 app partners. Unlimited bandwidth, no transaction fees.
- Expert, 24/7 customer service.
Cons
- Platform lock-in with migration and export cost.
- App store with a small (but growing!) audience.
- A large product and inventory system can result in a flood of information.
Pricing
Bigcommerce provides four pricing options.
Enterprise: Custom pricing options dependent on the company.
2. Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Along with multi-store functionality, Adobe Commerce, formerly known as Magento, provides real-time inventory control, SEO features, and marketing automation tools.
Adobe Commerce is a powerful tool that relies heavily on designers, ecommerce app developers, and expensive support and maintenance.
It can be difficult to estimate your total cost of owning.
Pros
- Adobe Software pre-integrated.
- The marketplace offers thousands of extensions ranging in price from $0 up to $15,000.
- Supports Progressive Web Applications.
Cons
- Automatic feature and version upgrades are not available.
- The setup can be extremely expensive.
- Platform has a long history of security vulnerabilities and breaches.
Pricing
Adobe Commerce Cloud pricing starts at $40,000.
3. Commercetools
Commercetools, originally based in Germany, is a SaaS ecommerce platform with no head. It has now expanded to other countries.
The platform was created using the potent MACH architecture, which is based on microservices, prioritizes APIs, is cloud-native, and is headless.
Pros
- Offers services to B2B, D2C, and B2C.
- Developer tools are available to customize the application.
- Maintenance, scaling and adding features simplified.
Cons
- The email service must be developed and maintained by the merchant.
- Small ecosystem of partners
- Pre-built integrations make up less than half the total number of integrations.
Pricing
The pricing business model of commercetools is built individually.
4. Shopify
Shopify is a leader in the ecommerce market. In 2014, Shopify Plus was launched as a solution for enterprises.
Shopify is a SaaS platform that offers benefits such as PCI compliance, security and uptime statistics. The platform has a mobile-friendly design and customizable checkout.
It is also easy to use.
Pros
- Leader in the market, with significant experience and over one million stores worldwide.
- You can add more features and functionality to an online store by using over 4,100 apps.
- There are over 70 professional responsive themes available to help you design your website.
Cons
- Built for smaller catalogs with a cap of 100 SKUs.
- Lack of scalability with an integrated 3 option limit for each product.
- Limitation of customization on product and content pages.
Pricing
Shopify offers you three different pricing options.
- Basic Plan for Shopify: $39 a month.
- Shopify Plan: $105 per month.
-
Shopify advanced plan: $399 a month.
Shopify Plus starts at $2,000 a month, or varies depending on the volume of business.
5. Salesforce Commerce Cloud (Demandware)
A SaaS solution called Salesforce Commerce Cloud, formerly known as Demandware, enables companies to manage sales across digital and physical channels with a single integrated system.
This service offers a range of services that complement the ecommerce offer, but may require prior programming and web design expertise.
Pros
- Offerings for B2B, C2C and B2B2C business.
- Upgrades are seamless and automatic.
- AI-based technology is a sophisticated way to get in-depth and insightful data.
Cons
- Costly - an implementation could easily cost over $250k.
- If they opt for a third party over Salesforces Add-on Services, merchants will face additional costs and obstacles.
- Platform complexity can be a challenge for new users.
Pricing
Salesforce Commerce Cloud has pricing options for B2B and B2C commerce:
B2B commerce
- Starter: $4 price per order.
- Growth: $6 price per order.
- Plus: $8 price per order.
B2C Commerce
- Starter: 1% gross merchandise value.
- Growth: 2% gross merchandise value.
- Plus: 3% gross merchandise value.
B2B2C commerce
- 1% gross merchandise value.
6. PrestaShop
PrestaShop, a free open-source platform, offers paid add-ons. PrestaShop was written in PHP, a programming language that supports the MySQL database system.
Pros
- Install and use it for free
- Highly Customizable
- International capabilities
Cons
- Installing and managing patches, including security, is the responsibility of merchants.
- Support staff is not included in the initial package.
- The learning curve is steep, and more developer skills are required to succeed.
7. Shift4 Shop
Shift4 Shop, formerly known as 3dcart is a free online business platform. Customers can customize and use features, such as SEO tracking or website templates.
Shift4 Shop has been in business for over 20 years and is one of the most experienced companies on the market.
Pros
- Free online store creation and management.
- Pay from anywhere with our fast and easy system.
- Live chat, email, and phone support are all available 24/7.
Cons
- Only US customers can download the free version.
- Cannot process transactions with high risk.
- Amazon and eBay are just two of the paid-for integrations.
Pricing
Shift4 Shop offers a free online shopping platform.
8. Big Cartel
Big Cartel, founded in 2005, helps artists and makers sell their products. They offer customizable templates as well as domain name registration, marketing tools and marketing.
Pros
- Created for artists and creatives.
- Comparatively cheap compared to competitors.
- Simple to use, minimal setup or configuration required.
Cons
- It is not scalable as it was designed for small businesses and catalogs.
- Only 18 templates and themes are available.
- There is no 24/7 phone and live chat support.
Pricing
Big Cartel has three different pricing options based on the number of products you sell.
- Gold: Up to 5 free products.
- Platinum: $9.99 a month for up to 50 products.
- Diamond: $19.99 a month for up to 500 items.
9. Open Cart
OpenCart, an open-source system for managing online stores without more than 400,000 active websites in its database, is a free and open-source software.
It integrates with a MySQL database, HTML components, and many popular payment gateways.
OpenCart offers a platform that is free to use, but it also provides themes, plugins, and dedicated support.
Pros.
- Open Source and Free Platform
- Users can design their own store with the extensive customization features.
- OpenCart Marketplace has more than 13,000 modules, themes and other items to choose from.
Cons.
- Limited Support Plan.
- Updates to the platform version are done manually.
- Merchants can host their online store on their server or another server.
Pricing
OpenCart can be downloaded and installed for free. You will have to pay if you want to host your website or use additional support features.
10. Volusion
Volusion, founded in 1999 as an agency for web design, was one of the earliest SaaS-based ecommerce platforms to be launched in the early 2000s.
Volusion offers affordable pricing and built-in SEO tools to boost your ranking.
Pros
- A streamlined onboarding procedure is offered along with 24/7 customer service.
- Payment integration with third parties is possible.
- A straightforward, intuitive dashboard allows for fast implementation.
Cons
- SSL certificates cost extra.
- There are no options for filtering products or searching by facets.
- Only Element, a third party API, offers blogging capabilities.
Pricing
Volusion provides four pricing options.
- Personal: $35 per month.
- Professional: $79 per month.
- Business: $229 per month.
- Prime: based on gross merchandise Value (GMV).
11. Squarespace
Squarespace, a SaaS company, is used primarily by entrepreneurs and creatives. Many of their templates feature art, music, or video products.
SquareSpace Commerce is a more advanced solution for those looking to sell digital or physical products. It offers features like professional templates, automatic emails, and integration with social media channels.
Pros
- Templates and design options are available in a wide variety.
- Live chat, email tickets and 24/7 customer service are available.
- Squarespace hosts the software and charges a monthly fee for hosting.
Cons
- Limited payment gateways.
- The App Store is a very small marketplace.
- Limited technical and customer support.
Pricing
Squarespace provides four pricing options.
- Personal: $14 per month.
- Business: $23 per month.
- Basic commerce: $27 a month.
- Advanced Commerce : $49 a month.
12. Weebly
Weebly, a website creator based in San Francisco, is an online tool that allows you to create your own websites.
Weeblys user-friendly setup and simple interface are designed for small businesses with little web development knowledge.
In 2018, Weebly, Inc., a competitor within the ecommerce industry, purchased Weebly.
Pros
- Hosting for all websites created on the platform.
- The drag and drop website creator makes the process easy and efficient.
- Features many built-in options, extensions and third party integrations.
Cons
- Square Online is required for all new Weebly accounts.
- The level of support you receive is dependent on how much you pay.
- Backup and restore system is poor.
Pricing
Weebly has four different pricing options.
- Free: $0 per month.
- Personal: $6 per month.
- Professional: $12 per month.
-
Performance: $26 per month.
13. WooCommerce
WooCommerce, an open-source WordPress plugin, is a customizable WordPress plug-in that allows merchants to turn their blogs and websites into online stores.
It has SEO features, multiple payment gateways, and multichannel options.
Pros
- Download and use the software for free.
- Fully integrated with WordPress.
- A growing store of applications and extensions.
Cons
- The store owner is responsible for PCI compliance.
- Coupons and discounts as well as single-Page Checkout, which allows for abandoned shopping cart recovery, require additional management and cost.
- It is dependent on the WordPress platform.
Pricing
Woocommerce can be used and installed for free. There are web hosting fees that can range from $3.95 to $5,000 per month.
14. Wix
Wix is an ecommerce and website building platform thats used by entrepreneurs and small businesses. Platform offers features such as omnichannel sales, abandoned cart recovery and dropshipping.
Pros
- It has a large app store with over 300 applications.
- Extensive, modern design templates.
- Wix hosts all of its websites on their servers. This allows for better speed and security.
Cons
- Limited Support System
- It is primarily a website builder and only a second-tier ecommerce platform, which leaves merchants with storage limits, API call limitations, and other restrictions.
- Does not support merchants who sell products in bulk/wholesale.
Pricing
Wix offers three different pricing options for business and ecommerce clients:
- Business VIP: $59 a month.
- Business Unlimited: $22 per month.
- Business Standard: $27 a month.
15. Square
Square is a payment platform for small- and medium sized businesses. It offers its users a hosted custom point-of-sale (POS) system.
Gift cards, coupons, real-time shipping estimates, and other services are all offered by Square.
Pros
- Squares financial ecosystem is already integrated into the product.
- Design options are flexible and diverse.
- Stores can be up and running in a short time with a fast implementation.
Cons
- Limited lower-priced accounts with limited features.
- Customization and design options are limited.
- Account stability problems can occur, and reportedly lead to funds being withheld.
Pricing
Square offers four different pricing options.
- Free: $0 per month.
- Professional: $12 per month.
- Performance: $26 per month.
- Premium: $72 per month.
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The Final Word
There is no universally suitable ecommerce platform; rather, select one suited to your company and your unique requirements.
There are various features you should look out for when choosing an ecommerce platform such as dropshipping capabilities, multiple payment methods or real-time stock management - each company may want something different when choosing their platform; therefore, which platform would best meet their individual needs will depend on individual circumstances.
Just take your time. Sit back, gather information, and evaluate every option carefully.