Looking for a new Ecommerce Platform? We’ve Got a Guide for That.

Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
October 10, 2019
Sales

Looking for a new Ecommerce Platform? We’ve Got a Guide for That.

The ecommerce industry, the amount of transactions that happen online, is growing. In 2018, U.S. consumers spent over $5 billion in online purchases—a 15% increase from 2017. And the range of businesses and number of ecommerce products available to them is growing along with it. This can make it hard to figure out which platform will fit your business needs best, whether you’re a solopreneur just getting started setting up your online store, or a seasoned online business already bringing in millions in annual revenue.

We’ve created a Buyer’s Guide to Ecommerce Platforms as a free tool to help you evaluate different products and compare 7 comprehensive ecommerce solutions.

The guide also discusses a few key ecommerce trends that are shaping the ecommerce space. These include how the direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach to selling enables SMBs to keep costs low, the convergence of CMS and ecommerce platforms, and the rise and importance of advertising and selling on social.

According to our survey of 104 online sellers, 45% are now using one platform to fill both their ecommerce and CMS needs. Product catalogs are increasing in size and complexity, as are the marketing materials required to support them. And the need for tighter integration between content management and ecommerce capabilities has grown greater.

Social media is also playing an increasingly important part of businesses’ online selling strategy. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook are fertile ground for advertising, retargeting online shoppers, and generating sales. 62% said that at least 1 in 10 customers come from social media channels.

pie chart featuring 62% of ecommerce businesses said that at least 1 in 10 customers come from social media | trustradius.com

More market insights and in-depth profiles for 7 fully featured ecommerce platforms can be found in the free Buyer’s Guide to Ecommerce Platforms.  

What’s in the Guide? 

The guide features 7 comprehensive ecommerce platforms reviewed on TrustRadius. It provides buyers with an at-a-glance view of each product, including: 

  • user demographics (e.g. company size, industry),
  • highest and lowest rated features,
  • survey data from over 100 ecommerce software users, 
  • direct feedback from product reviews,
  • and best-fit-for scenarios based on reviewer feedback.

Curious to see which products made it into the guide? Here’s the list of ecommerce solutions featured in the guide: 

The buyer’s guide also includes a set of product comparison charts with product ratings, number of reviews, reviewer demographics, and feature ratings information.

Since the best ecommerce platform for a solopreneur, or small business may not be the right fit for larger businesses, we’ve included a range of products ideal for different company sizes in this guide. 

Download the guide to find more metrics to compare across products and see what other users think of the products you’re considering!

Where to find more resources for your Ecommerce research

 Looking for more resources to use in your product research? The Buyer’s Guide to Ecommerce Platforms  is a great place to find more information about specific products, compare products head-to-head, and learn about different capability requirements for B2B vs. B2C selling.

However, there are a lot of other resources available as well. (And our research shows the average buyer consults 5.2 different sources of information during their software purchase process!)

Reading through product reviews helps provide a more detailed view of the end-user experience with a specific product. Reviews can also help you find advice from ecommerce platform end-users who work in the same industry, or similar company size. You can find more products and product reviews at TrustRadius.com

Talking with vendors about their products and services can be another great source of information. And if you consult reviews first, you’ll be ready to read between the lines and ask the hard questions up front. 

Got a tip for your peers based on your own experience with ecommerce software, or want to write a review of solution you helped purchase? We’d love to hear from you.

About the Author

Elizabeth Sullivan-Hasson
Elizabeth is a Research Analyst at TrustRadius where she focuses on tracing the evolution of business software and finding new ways to synthesize and visualize reviewer data. Elizabeth has a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MSc in International Development from the London School of Economics. When she’s not in the office, Elizabeth enjoys exploring new cities, hiking, trying out new recipes, and diving into sci-fi novels.

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