The best ecommerce platform in the UK

Setting up a brand-new business can be a daunting time – from finalising your ideal product to considering how to sell, ship and market it, there’s plenty to consider for first-time business owners.

One of the key tasks you’ll undoubtedly undertake is finding the best ecommerce platform to suit your business’s needs. And with so many available, finding the ideal shopping cart software can seem like a minefield.

But don’t worry, in this blog, we’ll take you through what ecommerce platforms actually are, what you should consider when choosing which to use, and ultimately, which of them we’d recommend.

Think of it as another tick you can add to your start-up to-do list.

What are ecommerce platforms?

Simply put, ecommerce platforms are software applications that facilitate the process of buying and selling online.

They allow you to set up your virtual shop, and perform vital tasks such as managing your inventory, processing payments and marketing your products.

The fantastic thing about a lot of ecommerce platforms is that everything you need is already integrated – meaning you can manage your content, payments, and website directly through the one that you choose.

What to consider when choosing your ideal ecommerce platform

For anyone launching a new business, there are so many ecommerce platforms on the market that the choice can seem overwhelming.

However, not all platforms are created equal.

The key is to consider what’s important to you and find one that you can trust to grow your business with.

There are 5 key areas that are essential to contemplate when making your choice.

• Budget – cost will always be one of the biggest factors in making the best decisions for your business. It’s vital to weigh the cost vs benefit when considering which ecommerce platform to choose.

 

• Usability – ensuring the platform is intuitive and easy-to-use – especially if you’re not technically-minded – is critical to creating a great website that attracts shoppers. Managing your shop and keeping it updated will be essential to the day-to-day running of your business, so make sure you can handle it with ease.

 

 

• Security – it’s very important to have robust security measures in place to protect both your own, and your customer’s data. Check the security measures of your ecommerce platform to determine if they’re up to job of protecting your business (and reputation) from cyber criminals.

 

• Integration – although your business may start small, it’s important to think about your long-term strategy. Ensuring that the software you choose is easy to integrate with your marketing tools, accounting software, shipping providers, or fulfilment centres saves you having to switch when you grow. For example, although you may ship your stock from home now, if your business expands and this becomes too much, you’ll need to partner with a fulfilment centre like us who can seamlessly integrate with many popular platforms.

 

• Support – customer support is invaluable when you’ve hit a snag and need to get your business back up and running (as they say, time is money). Knowing you can easily access online tutorials, or speak directly to someone that can help is integral to keeping your online shop running smoothly.

 

Easy to use ecommerce platforms

As a trusted fulfilment provider, we’re often asked by new entrepreneurs which ecommerce platform we’d recommend.

Although we’ve discussed a number of factors to consider, we want to emphasise the importance of personal choice – weighing the options and making the best decision for yourself and your business’s aims and goals.

Having said that, we have put together a list that highlights some of the best ecommerce platforms for new businesses in the UK today.

Shopify

There’s no denying that Shopify is the world’s leading ecommerce platform and takes the top slot for many of the reasons listed above. From handling every aspect of your business in one place, to easy shopfront design, and a multitude of payment provider options, this platform supports businesses of all sizes in achieving their ambitious goals.

What’s more, Shopify is usually a firm favourite with fulfilment centres like ours, as it’s incredibly easy to integrate with existing systems. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for but want something easy and reliable, we’d highly recommend opting for this platform.

Square Online

If you already have a physical store using Square for your payments, Square Online might be an excellent option to take your business into the virtual space.

One of the best-selling platforms for small businesses, Square Online allows you to build and design a responsive website, while the integrated payment system ensures that selling both online and in-store becomes seamless. Although it doesn’t have as many features as some of it’s rivals, it’s still an excellent option for getting your products out into the digital world.

Wix

Wix is another popular choice due to it’s ease and simplicity.

With AI support and a drag-and-drop website builder, you don’t need to be a web-developer to build a fully functioning online store that appeals to potential customers. With plenty of online tutorials and resources, Wix is a great option for those just starting out in the world of selling online.

WooCommerce

A slightly different model, WooCommerce is a free, open-source plugin for an existing WordPress website that allows it to become an online shop.

This option is ideal if you already have a WordPress-hosted site that you need to transform into an ecommerce business – negating the need to start from scratch. However, some features may need additional paid extensions or add-ons to the basic plug-in, so it’s important to factor in costs and usability before making any commitments.

Again, this may also be a more appealing option if you plan on working with a fulfilment centre, as we can easily integrate with Woo Commerce for seamless pick, pack and post services.

Bandcamp

As an alternative to the design-your-own platforms, Bandcamp is an online music store that we regularly work with as part of our Music Smart division. The idea of the site is to enable artists to sell directly to fans.

Bandcamp allows artists to create a customisable store on their platform that is part of a larger marketplace of music and merchandise that can be sold directly to their audience. When selling through this platform, a high proportion of the money is received by the seller, with revenue share and payment processing fees going to the site.

It’s a fantastic alternative to self-hosting for independent artists, allowing them to reach new fans in a simple and supportive environment.

 

While there are many other ecommerce platforms available, we’ve listed these due to their huge popularity and generally straightforward design.

While making the choice may not be easy, it’s still an exciting first step towards launching your new business – so well done for getting this far. If you are planning on scaling quickly and need to find a trusted fulfilment partner to boost your customer experience, don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a no-obligation chat on 0808 303 1395.

Good luck with your new ecommerce adventure!