Best Online Store Platforms 2022
There are many different B2B ecommerce platforms on the market today. But which one is the best for your business?
The Best B2B eCommerce Platforms cater to the specific needs and requirements of businesses operating in the business-to-business (B2B) realm. These platforms offer advanced features and functionalities that enable seamless online transactions, personalized pricing, and robust inventory management to support wholesale and bulk purchasing. What are your goals for your online store? What kinds of products or services do you plan to sell? How much traffic do you expect to generate?
Our 7 steps to launch your ecommerce website:
- Create a marketing strategy
- Find a domain name
- Choose a site builder
- Create content/product categories
- Add products
- Set up payment & shipping methods
- Test your site, set up site tools
When it comes to setting up an online store, there are a lot of factors to consider. What features do you need? How much will it cost? The good news is that there are a lot of great options available, and we’ve compared some of the best to help you make a decision. Platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce offer a wide range of features and are easy to use, even for non-tech-savvy users. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution, BigCommerce offers enterprise-level features at a mid-range price point. Whichever platform you choose, setting up your online store doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. With a little research, you can find the perfect solution for your eCommerce business.
How to launch your ecommerce website in 7 steps
A successful ecommerce website doesn’t just happen. It takes careful planning, implementation, and maintenance. However, if you take the time to set your ecommerce site up correctly from the beginning, you’ll be rewarded with a powerful online sales platform that will serve your business well for years to come. Here are seven essential steps for launching your ecommerce website.
Step 1: Choose your ecommerce platform
The first step in launching your ecommerce website is to choose the right platform (we’ve provided an overview of the common platforms below). There are a number of different ecommerce platforms to choose from, and the one you select will be based on your specific needs and budget. If you’re just starting out, you may want to choose a less expensive option such as PrestaShop, Shopify or WooCommerce. If you have a larger budget and more complex needs, you may want to consider a platform like Magento or BigCommerce.
Step 2: Select a domain name and web hosting
Once you’ve chosen your ecommerce platform, it’s time to select a domain name and web hosting. Your domain name is what customers will type into their browser to find your website, so it’s important to choose something that is easy to remember and spell. When it comes to web hosting, you’ll have several different options depending on the size and scale of your operation. Shared hosting is a good option for small businesses, while larger businesses may need dedicated or VPS hosting.
Step 3: Set up payment processing
In order for customers to purchase products from your ecommerce website, you need to set up payment processing. There are a number of different payment processors to choose from, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. You’ll need to decide which one is right for your business based on factors such as fees, security, and ease of use.
Step 4: Design your website
Once you have your domain name, web hosting, and payment processing set up, it’s time to start designing your website. If you’re not a designer yourself, now is the time to hire one— preferably someone with experience in designing ecommerce websites. In addition to creating a visually appealing site, your designer should also ensure that your website is easy to navigate and understand. customers should be able to find what they’re looking for quickly and easily without getting frustrated.
Step 5: Populate your site with products
After your website is designed, it’s time to add products. Start by adding high-quality photos of each product along with detailed descriptions. Be sure to include all essential information such as size, color options, materials used, etc. You should also create interesting and informative product descriptions that highlight the unique features of each item. Don’t forget about SEO! Be sure to include relevant keywords in both your product descriptions and photo captions so that customers can find your products when they search online.
Step 6: Test everything!
Get trusted colleagues to test everything or hire professional testers.
Once you have all of your products added to your site, it’s important to test everything before going live. This includes testing the functionality of all forms (contact form, newsletter sign-up form), links (internal links as well as external links), and buttons (order now button, add-to-cart button). You should also test the checkout process end-to-end so that you can identify any potential issues that need to be addressed prior to launch.
Step 7: Launch!
Get ready for lift off!
Once you’ve done all of the necessary testing and made any necessary changes or adjustments based on those tests, it’s finally time for launch! Make sure all of your social media channels are updated with links to your new website and send out an email blast letting everyone know that your ecommerce site is now live and open for business!
Market share of leading e-commerce software platforms and technologies worldwide *April 2021
Here is a list of the top 10 ecommerce platforms by market share:
Once you have a good understanding of your goals, you can start evaluating different B2B ecommerce platforms. Here are some of the most popular options:
1. Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is a popular B2B and B2C ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features and tools. It’s easy to use and provides a great user experience for both buyers and sellers.
Shopify Plus also offers a wide range of integrations, so you can connect your store with other business tools and services. And if you need any help, their team is always available to assist you.
2. Magento Commerce
Magento Commerce is another popular option for B2B ecommerce businesses. It’s a flexible platform that offers a wide range of features and customization options.
Magento Commerce is also easy to use and provides a great user experience. And like Shopify Plus, it offers a wide range of integrations.
3. SAP Commerce Cloud
SAP Commerce Cloud is a robust B2B ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features and tools. It’s ideal for businesses that want to scale their operations quickly.
SAP Commerce Cloud is also easy to use and provides a great user experience. And like Shopify Plus and Magento Commerce, it offers a wide range of integrations.
4. BigCommerce Enterprise
BigCommerce Enterprise is another popular B2B ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features and tools. It’s easy to use and provides a great user experience.
BigCommerce Enterprise also offers a wide range of integrations, so you can connect your store with other business tools and services. And if you need any help, their team is always available to assist you.
5. Oracle Commerce Cloud
Oracle Commerce Cloud is a robust B2B ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features and tools. It’s ideal for businesses that want to scale their operations quickly.
Oracle Commerce Cloud is also easy to use and provides a great user experience. And like Shopify Plus, Magento Commerce, and SAP Commerce Cloud, it offers a wide range of integrations.
6. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress. It was designed for small to large-sized online merchants using WordPress. WooCommerce was launched on September 27, 2011. One of the main benefits of WooCommerce is that it is free to use. Plus, it is easy to set up and manage. Additionally, it has a large community of users who are willing to help out with any questions or issues you may have.
7. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is a popular ecommerce platform that is often over looked. It offers many benefits for online businesses as it includes as standard most of the extentions you’d pay for if you used Woocommerce. Perhaps the main benefit of using PrestaShop is its ease of use nce it has been set up. The platform is reasonably simple to set up and operate, making it a good choice for businesses with limited technical experience. Additionally, PrestaShop offers a wide range of features that can help businesses grow their online presence. These features include:
- A built-in search engine optimization tool that can help improve your site’s visibility online
- A wide range of payment options, including PayPal, credit card, and bank transfer
- A variety of shipping options, including flat rate shipping and real-time carrier rates
- A customizable checkout process that can be tailored to match your business’ unique needs
- Integration with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, making it easy to promote your products and drive traffic to your store
Overall, PrestaShop provides an easy-to-use platform with a wide range of features that can help businesses grow their online presence.
List of features every eCommerce store should have
When you’re setting up an ecommerce business, it’s important to choose a platform that comes with all the features you need to succeed. Here are the must-have features every ecommerce platform should include:
1. A customizable website. Your ecommerce platform should allow you to create a website that reflects your brand and provides a great user experience. Look for a platform with customizable templates, a drag-and-drop website builder, and easy integrations. Many providers sell ‘themes’ on internal Marketplaces to allow you to customize your store.
2. A built-in shopping cart. Your ecommerce platform should come with a shopping cart that’s integrated into your website. This will make it easy for customers to add items to their cart and checkout.
3. Payment processing. Your ecommerce platform should offer payment processing so you can accept credit cards and other forms of payment. Look for a platform that offers a secure payment gateway and fraud protection. Be aware some platforms charge extra for payments types such as Stripe or Cryptocurrencies which is something to be aware of.
4. Shipping and tax options. Your ecommerce platform should offer shipping options so you can get your products to your customers. Look for a platform that offers shipping integrations, shipping labels, and tracking. As well as calculating tax implications to geographical destinations.
5. Inventory management. Your ecommerce platform should offer inventory management so you can keep track of your products. Look for a platform that offers inventory tracking, product variants, and order management. WooCommerce has a separate plugin for inventory management which you would need to pay an annual fee.
6. Marketing tools. Your ecommerce platform should offer marketing tools to help you promote your business. Look for a platform that offers email marketing, social media integrations, and coupon codes. Many platforms charge these as extras so you’ll need to factor in a total cost of running the environment to your requirements.
7. Customer service tools. Your ecommerce platform should offer customer service tools to help you take care of your customers. Look for a platform that offers live chat, ticketing, and Knowledge Base software.
8. Analytics. Your ecommerce platform should offer analytics so you can track your website’s performance. Look for a platform that offers website traffic reports, conversion tracking, and sales reports.
9. Security. Your ecommerce platform should offer security to keep your website safe from hackers. Look for a platform that offers SSL certificates, malware scanning, and DDoS protection.
10. A mobile app. Your ecommerce platform should offer a mobile app so you can manage your business on the go. Look for a platform that offers an iOS or Android app.
No matter what kind of B2B ecommerce business you have, there’s a platform that’s perfect for you. Do your research and choose the one that best meets your needs.