Usually, when we are about to start setting up an online store, one of the most important factors for success is the appropriate choice of e-commerce platform. There are more and more options for creation, ranging from those for a few euros to more complex ones that can cost tens of thousands. The main problem is usually that at the beginning we don't even know what we need and how things should work.
If you are a complete beginner or already have some knowledge, we recommend that you read our guide on online stores, where almost everything you need to know about online stores is written on more than 200 pages. You can download the guide for free here.
The best first step is to look at online stores, especially competitive ones, and make a list of functionalities that our store would expect.
To make it easier to choose functionalities, we have prepared a quick assistant for the Magento platform to the online store, where you can view all the main functionalities and make a selection and offer from them. The online store assistant is available here.
The most important functionalities when choosing an online store
Target market of the online store
The market on which we will launch the online store is important, as it is good to have the store adapted for individual markets in case of launching on multiple markets. For example, with English or Slovenian, you will sell very little in Italy, as the market has its specifics, for which the online store needs to be adapted. Even if we decide to initially establish the store only for our market, we will need to think about expanding abroad for the growth of the company, as our market can be quite small. In this case of planned expansion, it is good to check what the possibilities are for expanding the online store. Not all e-commerce platforms allow this, or they only allow it if we create new stores with separate administration, etc.
Payment and delivery methods
As already mentioned, we have different markets, and it is important to have adapted delivery and payment methods for them. For example, cash on delivery prevails here, while elsewhere, cards, Paypal, and similar payment methods are used. You would probably incur quite large costs if you decided to sell items only by cash on delivery worldwide. Some platforms already have certain payment methods built-in, but for others, we need to find a module. In the best case, we can find a good module, buy it, and integrate it. In the worst case, it is necessary to develop the payment option for the platform additionally, which takes quite some costs and time for development and testing.
Integrations with ERP systems
Connection with an ERP system is important, as otherwise, we will not be able to have synchronized stock of items, and orders from the store will have to be manually rewritten and invoices issued. At the beginning, as long as the store is not extensive and there are not many orders, it is possible to manage these matters manually, but with a larger volume, this is impossible.
There are cloud ERP systems, such as Metakocka, which allow us quick integration with e-commerce systems. For example, for the Magento platform (1 or 2), settings are just arranged, and in a few minutes, the integration is already established without additional modules and costs for them.
Marketing tools
Without marketing, there will be no sales, so this part is especially important. Good systems have a lot of possibilities, such as notifications via emails on various events, detailed reporting on events to advertising channels, push notifications, countdown timers for promotions, and much more.
Flexibility of appearance customization
The name itself suggests that if we want a special design, it is good to define it in detail at the beginning and check whether such an appearance and consequently a change in functionality on the platform is possible. The biggest mistake is to start working on this only when the store is already established.
Choosing the right platform for an online store
Once we have a list of functionalities, we check which platforms allow us the desired ones. Since there are quite a few of them, we will briefly summarize which are the most common choices.
Multi-store systems
If we are not quite sure whether we have an item that will sell, a good option for testing the sale of items is through already established systems, such as Mimovrste and Bolha. There we can include our offer, and since the websites already have some traffic, we can quickly see if we get any orders/inquiries.
Cloud stores
For all those who would like to have their online store quickly and do not have special requirements for special functionalities, a cloud store (e.g., Shopify) is a suitable choice. In these systems, it is usually the case that the setup cost is not paid, but a monthly rental cost or a commission on transactions. The more functionalities we want, the higher the monthly cost. The advantage is certainly the quick setup and easy maintenance of the system. However, it should be noted that these systems are quite closed, so we are dependent on the options offered by the provider, so it is good to check whether all the options we need are available.
Open-source systems
Open-source systems (Magento, WordPress with WooCommerce, OpenCart, PrestaShop, etc.) are still the most popular, as they offer many customization options. Of course, each platform has its specifics and offers various already-made functionalities, so the choice is important once we have determined what we want.
Custom development of an e-commerce platform
The most customization and options are certainly offered by the development of a custom e-commerce platform, but it is also the most expensive option. The development of functionalities takes longer, as they are specially made according to your wishes, but this also means that development takes the most time. Care must be taken that the code made is well-documented and written according to standards that allow further upgrades. It can happen that if we are dependent on an individual, for example, they get sick and are no longer available to work on the store, and we have to find a replacement who does not know the system.
Still not sure what would be suitable for you? Contact us, and we will be happy to advise you on the appropriate choice. Completely free and without obligation.
