Store systems: How to find the best e-commerce system

If you want to build an online store, choosing the right e-commerce system is crucial. There are many different e-commerce store systems on the market, which can make it difficult to find the best e-commerce system for your specific needs. In this article, we will give you valuable tips to consider when choosing an e-commerce platform to develop a successful online store.

What is an e-commerce system?

An e-commerce system is a software platform that allows you to sell products or services online. It is a complex software solution that provides various functions and tools to handle the entire e-commerce process or online commerce.

Usually, e-commerce store systems include the following main components that facilitate the sales process, improve the customer experience and provide a variety of tools to effectively manage the e-commerce business:

• Online store
• Order management
• Payment processing
• Shipping and logistics integration
• Customer and user management
• Marketing tools
• Analysis and reporting

It is important to note that not all e-commerce store systems have the same breadth and depth of features, tools and extensions. For example, if you want your customers to be able to choose between many different payment methods, you should take this into account when selecting a suitable e-commerce store system.

What types of e-commerce store systems are there?

Before you start looking for a suitable e-commerce store system, you should consider which type of e-commerce system is most suitable for you. This way, you can already rule out some providers in advance and focus your research on the platforms that are relevant to you.

There are different types of e-commerce store systems you can choose from. Here are the three most common variants:

Hosted e-commerce platforms

Hosted e-commerce store systems are user-friendly systems that allow you to create your online store on an existing platform. These platforms provide all the necessary tools and features to create an online store, They often offer user-friendly interfaces and drag-and-drop editors to allow for easy online store setup. Additionally, other services such as hosting, security and maintenance are usually included.

The advantage of hosted e-commerce platforms is that they allow businesses to set up a professional online store quickly and cost-effectively. Extensive technical knowledge is not mandatory, but the support of experienced e-commerce developers can speed up your project enormously.

Examples of hosted e-commerce platforms include Shopify, BigCommerce and Wix.

Open source e-commerce platforms

Open-source e-commerce store systems are software solutions whose source code is publicly available and can be edited and extended by the developer community. The source code can be downloaded, customized and hosted on your own server. Open source e-commerce store systems offer very high flexibility and control over almost all technical aspects of your online store – but require technical knowledge or the support of experienced e-commerce developers. In addition, it requires its own hosting and security efforts.

The most popular open-source e-commerce store systems include WooCommerce, Magento and PrestaShop, for example.

Self-developed e-commerce store systems

Self-developed e-commerce store systems are customized solutions developed internally by a company to have maximum freedom in the development and design in all aspects of their e-commerce store. Since this does not rely on existing structures of an open-source or hosted e-commerce platform, enormous resources have to be spent on infrastructure, web development, programming, databases, IT security, etc.

The advantages of a self-developed e-commerce store system are flexibility and adaptability. Companies have complete control over the system and can customize it to their specific needs and business processes. It also allows for a unique user experience and custom design that fits the company’s brand.

Successfully developing your own e-commerce system requires careful planning, expertise, and a team of professional e-commerce developers and IT experts with different skill sets.

Criteria for choosing the right e-commerce store system

Choosing the right e-commerce store system depends on several factors. Here are some important criteria to consider when planning your online store:

Personal requirements

Give some thought to your personal goals. Certain factors can be crucial in your search for a suitable e-commerce store system.

Ask yourself questions such as:

• How many products / services do you want to offer?
• In which countries / languages do you want to position yourself?
• Are you planning additional marketing on well-known online shopping portals and do you want interfaces with your store system?
• Which payment options do you want to provide?
• Which cost model do you prefer? (One-time purchase costs, subscription or license fees, pay-as-you-go, etc.).
• Do you want to hire e-commerce developers or develop it yourself?

Budget

Consider how much you are willing to invest in your e-commerce system. Costs can vary depending on the type of system and functionality. You may also want to consider the cost of hosting, plugins and know-how, such as external consulting or recruiting e-commerce developers.

Functionalities and expandability

Verify that the functionality the system provides meets your needs and that it can be easily expanded to meet changing customer requirements.

Ease of use

Make sure the system is easy to use and has an intuitive user interface. This will make it easier to manage your online store and improve the customer experience.

Scalability

Choose a store system that can easily scale to keep up with the growth of your online store.

IT security

The security of your online store is of utmost importance. Make sure the e-commerce system you choose offers robust IT security measures, such as firewalls and encryption, to protect sensitive data.

SEO-friendly store system

An SEO-friendly e-commerce system will help you improve search engine visibility and drive more organic traffic to your online store.

Technical know-how

If you don’t have the technical know-how required to build your own online store, lack the resources to hire e-commerce developers, or finding qualified IT professionals is becoming a challenge, it may make sense to choose a beginner-friendly storefront system.

Tech stack

If you are already working with certain technologies, such as a dedicated website or mobile app, it makes sense to take this into account when choosing your e-commerce system to ensure easy integration of website and online store.

Availability of e-commerce developers

Due to the increasing demand for qualified e-commerce developers, finding suitable experts can be difficult or come at a high cost. If your resources are limited or you do not want to be dependent on e-commerce developers, it is recommended to choose an e-commerce store system that is beginner-friendly and does not require technical expertise.

Mobile responsiveness of store systems

With more and more people accessing the internet via mobile devices, it is important that your e-commerce system is mobile-friendly and offers an optimized user experience on smartphones and tablets.

Conclusion: What is the best e-commerce store system?

From our point of view, the perfect system does not exist – at least not delivered ready-made. We don’t believe in standard solutions for innovative business models.” The “best e-commerce system” depends on your individual needs, requirements and goals. There are several e-commerce store systems on the market, each with their own strengths and features. It is recommended to choose a platform that offers a wide range of features, has a user-friendly interface, provides good technical support and is regularly updated. By doing so, you will create a solid base from which to continue building a successful online store, keeping up with the latest technological trends.

Ultimately, the best e-commerce system should be the one that best suits your unique needs and has the potential to create an unparalleled online shopping experience for your customers.