The last two decades witnessed the evolution of e-commerce. Starting from online shopping to fast delivery, e-commerce moves with the speed of light. Customer expectations, meanwhile, are growing even faster. For sure, e-commerce reaches more clients than a brick-mortar shopping mall and sales increase. Yet, some exceed expectations and become leaders. Let’s look at the most successful ones and discuss the reasons behind their success.
Why does e-commerce win the competition against brick-and-mortar shops?
While there are still supporters of the traditional shopping experience where the person can come, see and touch things, e-commerce is winning their hearts slowly but steadily. Here are some reasons why:
- Convenience: E-commerce stores are open 24/7, and customers can shop from anywhere at any time. It is a significant advantage for those who have intense schedules or live in rural areas where access to brick-and-mortar stores is limited.
- Lower costs: E-commerce stores have lower overhead costs than brick-and-mortar stores because they do not have to pay for rent, utilities, and other expenses associated with operating a physical store. As a result, e-commerce stores can often offer lower prices and better deals to customers.
- Larger product selection: E-commerce stores are not limited by physical space, so they can offer a larger product selection than brick-and-mortar stores. This is particularly advantageous for niche products or hard-to-find items.
- Personalized shopping experience: E-commerce stores can use customer data to personalize the shopping experience and offer product recommendations based on previous purchases or browsing history.
- Easy to compare prices: E-commerce stores make it easy to compare prices and products across different retailers, which can help customers find the best deals and save money.
Shopify
Since its founding in 2004, Shopify has grown to become one of the top e-commerce platforms worldwide. Shopify, which has over 1 million active users, provides a number of capabilities, such as order management, payment processing, and inventory tracking. Shopify is renowned for its intuitive user interface and a large selection of third-party apps.
Magento
Magento was founded in 2008 and quickly became a popular choice for businesses that required a more robust e-commerce solution. Magento offers a range of features, including multi-store support, advanced SEO tools, and a powerful product catalog. Magento is also known for its flexibility and scalability, making it a popular choice for large and enterprise-level businesses.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular e-commerce solution that is built on WordPress. With over 4 million active installations, WooCommerce offers a range of features including payment processing, inventory management, and shipping options. WooCommerce is known for its flexibility and its extensive library of third-party plugins.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is an e-commerce platform that proposes a range of features, including payment processing, order management, and marketing tools. BigCommerce is known for its user-friendly interface and its extensive library of third-party apps.
Volusion
Volusion is an e-commerce solution that offers a range of features, including payment processing, inventory management, and shipping options. Volusion is known for its user-friendly interface and its extensive library of third-party apps.
OpenCart
OpenCart is an open-source e-commerce platform that offers a range of features, including payment processing, order management, and marketing tools. OpenCart is known for its flexibility and its extensive library of third-party plugins.
osCommerce
osCommerce is an open-source e-commerce platform that was first released in 2000. With over 7,000 add-ons, osCommerce is known for its flexibility and its extensive library of third-party plugins.
PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an e-commerce platform that was founded in 2007. With over 300,000 active installations, PrestaShop offers a range of features, including payment processing, order management, and inventory tracking. PrestaShop is known for its user-friendly interface and its extensive library of third-party apps.
Zen Cart
Zen Cart is another successful e-commerce platform. It was first released in 2003. With over 1,500 add-ons, Zen Cart is known for its flexibility and its extensive library of third-party plugins.
X-Cart
X-Cart is an e-commerce platform that was founded in 2001. With over 30,000 active installations, X-Cart offers a range of features, including payment processing, order management, and marketing tools. X-Cart is known for its user-friendly interface and its extensive library of third-party apps.
Final Thoughts
These e-commerce options each come with a unique combination of benefits and drawbacks. The user-friendly interface of Shopify, for instance, is well-known, but it may be pricey for companies with huge product inventories. While Magento is renowned for its scalability and versatility, setting it up and keeping it up involves a certain level of technical know-how.
E-commerce solutions give businesses the ability to increase their online presence and attract more clients, which is one of its key benefits. E-commerce platforms also provide a number of features that can aid companies in boosting sales and retaining customers.
