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Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform for Your Business

Presented by Richard James McGirrCo-founder - GreyLoud Software Development

What is an eCommerce platform?It is a software technology solution that allows you to build storefronts

(a storefront is any customer or business facing proposition relating to the selling of products and services)

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eCommerce Platforms

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eCommerce

● helps to deliver goods;● provides information and helps to make EFT payment;● uses different digital media;● conducts commercial transactions;● implements pre-sale and after-sale support.

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What is important in choosing eCommerce platform?

● Development and license budget;● Comprehensive technical support;● Technical resources available for development and

administration.● Size of business, # of products.● Specialized functionality;

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Solutions for advanced technical skills

● Magento ● Brightpearl● Hybris● Yahoo Small Business Ecommerce● X-Cart

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Solutions for low technical skills

● WooCommerce● BigCommerce● Shopify● 1ShoppingCart● Wix● 3DCart

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Solutions for small-sized and mid-sized stores

● Etsy● 3DCart● Shopify● Volusion● Magento● Bigcommerce● X-Cart

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Solutions for low budget

● WooCommerce (free)● Magento (open source version- free)● X-Cart (very basic version)● 1ShoppingCart ($10/month)● Volusion ($15/month)

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WooCommerce

Features:

● Mobile friendly● Vast Customization Options● Easy Analytics● Big amount of WooCommerce Extensions● Open Source + Extendable

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Benefits:

● Geo-location support● Secure, audited code● Easy Customization● Huge Flexibility● Free and paid extension

marketplace● Modern and clean interface

Disadvantages:

● Updating the plugin can make changes to the front-end

● Adding many advanced WooCommerce extensions can get expensive

● Lack of Features● WordPress is a relatively

insecure platform

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Shopify

Features:

● Unlimited bandwidth with all plans● Easily integrate with shipping carriers● Mobile app for both accepting payments and managing your store● Point-of-sale system ● Huge number of apps

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Benefits:

● Easy to use● Great value for money● Focus on design (great looking

stores)● Huge collection of great

resources for starting and running an online business

● Easy to edit templates

Disadvantages:

● Transaction fees for Basic and Professional plans (2%)

● Need to enter in a credit card number to launch your trial store.

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BigCommerce

Features:

● Integration with Paypal and a wide range of payment gateways● Full content management (CMS) functionality● Good search engine optimisation (SEO) options● Integration with Alibaba.com● Mobile e-Commerce

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Benefits:

● Provides a 10% discount if you pay upfront for a year's service

● A powerful toolkit to drive traffic and increase sales

● Industry Standard (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

Disadvantages:

● Offers only 3 pricing plans● Availability of Add-ons● No affiliate program is

integrated into the shopping car

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VolusionFeatures:

● Integrated live chat● Ecommerce analytics● Shopping feeds● Design custom add-ons● Professional services (store design, SEO, etc)

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Benefits:

● Easy to use● Cheap: Smallest plan starts at

$15 a month● Many built-in features and apps● Provides additional marketing

and business services from industry experts

● No transaction fees

Disadvantages:

● Limited bandwidth● API access and other features

only available with Gold plan($135.00/month)

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PinnacleCartFeatures:

● Integration with Intuit QuickBooks out of the box● Instant sales with QR Codes (omnichannel applications)● Advanced Analytics● Advanced Product Management● Product Syndication (eBay, Amazon, Yahoo, Google Product Search,

PriceGrabber, NexTag, etc.)● powerful SEO tools (sitemap, meta tags and keywords, etc.)

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Benefits:

● Extend functionality with Facebook and mobile stores/Log in with Facebook

● Easy to use design features● Extensive features and

customization● Off the shelf product

syndication

Disadvantages:

● Limited storage and bandwidth

● It doesn’t have a built-in point-of-sale system

● Many features = more complicated

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Magento Community

Features:

● SEO● Mobile commerce● Product management● One account for 2 and more online stores● Thousands of design themes

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Benefits:

● Able to host on your own server● The top open-source e-

commerce software● Large number of payment

gateways● International commerce and

multiple languages● Can scale to Magento Enterprise

when ready with ease

Disadvantages:

● Heavily layered and overly complicated coding style

● The technical documentation is very limited

● Runs fairly slow

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1ShoppingCart

Features:

● Advanced website customization using HTML/CSS/Javascript● SEO friendly product category and page URLs● Email marketing● Integration with Quick Books● API Access to products, orders and clients● Simple Analytics

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Benefits:

● Support over 50 payment gateways

● Mobile store included● No programming skills

required

Disadvantages:

● Expensive Customer Support ($34/month, $379/year)

● 1shoppingcart is slow

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Wix

Features:

● 100s of Designer-Made Templates● Intuitive Website Builder● Drag n’ Drop Website Editor● Text and Image Editor & Free Fonts● Email Marketing● Tutorials and walkthroughs● SEO

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Benefits:

● Easy to customize● No coding● Very low coast to start

compared to other platforms

Disadvantages:

● Templates can’t be changed● No access to the source code

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X-Cart Cloud

Features:

● SEO & Statistics● Open source, OOP, PHP 5.3.x+● Integration with Drupal 7.x● Multicurrency, multilingual● Integration with eBay● Includes a CMS editor and a WYSIWYG catalog

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Benefits:

● Auction available● All types of goods● Product comparison● Option to include customer

reviews and ratings

Disadvantages:

● Paid technical support ($149/month or $99/one single accident)

● Licensing fees for system● Not for beginners

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3DCart

Features:

● Mobile front-end and a mobile back-end offer● SEO ($149.99/month)● The option to sell re-branded stores● CRM features like Mailing List Manager

● Inventory control, including batch editing and low stock alerts

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Benefits:

● 3dcart is integrated over 100 external payment solutions

● No transaction fees● Unlimited storage space● Payment gateways● 24x7 Phone, Email and Chat

Support

Disadvantages:

● The shopping cart does not have POS integration

● Limited bandwidth

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