Here’s some good news for dropshipping companies! As per Statista, the global dropshipping market size is expected to increase continuously in the coming years and reach $476.10 billion by 2026, with a CAGR of 27.82%.

So, what is dropshipping and how does it work? Dropshipping is a quick, easy, economical, and low-risk way to start selling online. It is a simple business model in which you can fulfill customer orders without warehousing products or worrying about inventory management and shipping costs.

Sounds interesting? Read on to learn how to do dropshipping and what are the pros and cons of it. We will also share some dropshipping product ideas and help you understand if this online business is right for you.

What is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is an ecommerce retail business model in which the store does not keep an inventory of the products it sells. Instead, the store has a partnership with one or more suppliers who take care of order packaging and shipment. Hence, the seller here is a retail partner responsible for fulfilling orders.

When the store receives an order, it forwards the details to a supplier, who then ships the product/s to the customer.

For example:

• You have an online dropshipping store where you promote or sell different products.
• A customer visits your online store and places an order.
• You confirm their order and pass on the order details to the concerned supplier.
• The supplier then packs the products and ships them directly to your customer.

This way, you need not worry about maintaining an inventory of products or packaging and shipping the orders.

What is a Dropshipper?

A dropshipper is an online intermediary or middleman that facilitates transactions between suppliers and customers. Hence, a dropshipper helps fulfill customer orders without handling the products.

For instance, if you are a dropshipper, you need not stock and ship the products to customers. Whenever you receive a new order, you redirect the same to the correct supplier. However, as a dropshipper, you must deal with suppliers, take care of product returns, and provide timely customer service.

Now that you have a fair idea about dropshipping and dropshippers, let’s dive deep into the subject and understand how to do dropshipping, how does dropshipping work, and the pros and cons of this online business model.

How Does Dropshipping Work?

A dropshipping business model mainly works with the help of third-party suppliers. Hence, when you are starting this business, look for one or more suppliers selling the products listed on your website.

A reliable supplier database, like AliExpress and Worldwide Brand, can help you find suppliers in your region.

While the process or sequence of dropshipping depends on your arrangement, most businesses follow the following steps:

1. You (dropshipper) start an online business and add products to your ecommerce store.
2. A customer visits your online store, orders a product, and makes the payment.
3. You share the order details with the supplier.
4. Supplier processes the order and ships the product to the customer.
5. Customer receives the product.

Here’s an example: A customer visits your online dropshipping store, places an order, and makes the payment. The retail price of the product is $350.

You forward the order details to the supplier and pay them the wholesale price which is $250. This way, you earn a profit of $100.

The supplier packs the product and ships it directly to the customer. The customer receives the product and the order the complete.

Is Dropshipping Worth it in 2023?

Yes, dropshipping is worth it in 2023, especially if you are looking to start a low-cost online store. Dropshipping registered a CAGR of 23.7% in 2021. From $159.08 billion in 2021, the dropshipping market is expected to reach $196.79 billion in 2022 and $243.42 billion in 2023.

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the world and many consumers started shopping online. The pandemic restricted physical interactions and led to the closure of many brick-and-mortar stores. This led to a notable surge in dropshipping businesses around the globe.

The ease of starting a dropshipping business and good profit margins have contributed to its growing popularity. Increasing smartphone penetration and the global ecommerce surge are also helping dropshippers earn good profits.

The following table shows how retail ecommerce revenue is expected to increase in the United States in the years to come.

On this chart, we can see that the retail ecommerce revenue increased from $516.5 billion in 2019 to $644.4 billion in 2020, recording a growth of 24.8%. In 2018 and 2019, the revenue was 10.2% and 10.3% respectively.

Hence, the chart clearly indicates how the pandemic changed the shopping patterns of consumers in the United States. Thanks to the convenience of online shopping and the availability of products at discounted rates, many people who shifted from offline to online shopping during the pandemic continued to shop online even when the pandemic-related restrictions began to ease.

The retail ecommerce revenue in the United States is expected to grow at a steady pace in the coming years as well, making dropshipping a good option for those looking to invest in an online store.

Key Players

Dropshipping has three key players:

1. Seller or retailer: The business starts with the seller or dropshipper. You are the one who will start the online store, list products on your website, set the price, and take orders from customers. Although you will outsource the manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping to a third party, you are the seller of record (SoR) to the end customer.
2. Supplier or wholesaler: A supplier or wholesaler will maintain a ready stock of products in their warehouse. They do not sell products directly to the end customers but execute orders from online retailers or dropshippers.
3. Customer: Customers play a pivotal role in this online business. When a customer visits a dropshipping store and places an order, both dropshippers and suppliers stand to gain.

Pros of Dropshipping

Here’s a look at the pros of running a dropshipping business:

1. Less startup capital: You can start an ecommerce store and become a dropshipper or online retailer with minimal investment. A dropshipping business does not require you to stock products in a warehouse or pay for product packaging and shipping. 
   
   The initial capital you need is to pay for a domain and the ecommerce platform you choose for your business. Some popular ecommerce platforms to consider include Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Square Online, and Adobe Commerce. 
2. Easier to manage: In a dropshipping business model, you don’t have to purchase products to fulfill customer orders. When you receive an order, you forward the same to the seller or supplier and make the payment. The supplier takes over from there and ships the order directly to your customer. This saves you from the hassles of:
   • Renting and managing a warehouse
   • Packing products and shipping them to customers
   • Stocktaking or maintaining a physical inventory count
   • Handling inbound shipments
   • Ordering products and replenishing stock
3. Low overhead costs: As a dropshipper, you don’t have to store the products in a warehouse or ship them to customers. This helps lower the overhead costs. You can even choose to run a home-based dropshipping business by investing in a laptop and internet connection and meeting small operating expenses.
4. Management flexibility: You can run a dropshipping business from anywhere, provided you have a smartphone or laptop with an internet connection.
   
   You can also add new products at any time, decide the retail price, approach new suppliers, and change the business strategy; the possibilities are endless.
5. Flexible work hours: As the owner of an ecommerce store, you can work from anywhere and at any time. For example, if you have a day job, you can work on your dropship business for a couple of hours at night. 
6. Easier to expand: If you want to expand your business, you can approach suppliers and list new products on your website without worrying about the increased workload. A major part of the additional work will be handled by the suppliers.

Cons of Dropshipping

Although dropshipping is an attractive business model for those wanting to start a business with minimum capital, it has its downsides as well. The following are the limitations of running a dropshipping store.

1. High competition: A dropshipping company is easy to start and the overhead costs are on the lower side. Hence, many people and businesses set up their stores online and sell products at competitive prices.
   
   Since most customers compare products and their prices on different online platforms, the chances of losing orders to sellers offering better prices are high.
   
   As a dropshipper, you may not have an exclusive deal with your suppliers. This means your competitors with years of experience and better resources can sell the same products at lower prices. When a customer is getting the same product cheaper, why would they buy from your store?
   
   For example, the retail price of a product on your online store is $50 and another seller is offering the same product for $47. Most buyers will choose to buy from the other store to save $3. This can hurt your potential profit margin.
2. Low profit: When running a dropship business, you need not maintain and manage an inventory of products. This reduces your work and overhead costs. However, the returns are also on the lower side.
   
   A major part of the money you make from selling products goes to the supplier. There can be times when the low-profit margins may not be enough to cover the expenses incurred on managing sales orders, website maintenance, and the cost of marketing or advertising the products. 
   
   To stay afloat, you may have to work harder and look for ways to increase your customer base to boost sales. Reaching out to prospective customers, addressing the grievances of existing customers promptly, marketing your products, and offering attractive discounts from time to time can help.
3. Zero control over the supply chain: If you run a standard ecommerce business, you must maintain a stock of the products listed on your website. In case a customer complains about the quality of a particular product or late delivery, you can look into the matter and sort it out.
   
   With a dropship business, you are at the mercy of the supplier. If a customer is not happy with the product quality or return policy, you convey the same to the supplier and wait for them to address the problems. In the meantime, you reassure the customer that you are looking into the issue which is out of your control.
4. No control over order fulfillment timeline: In a dropship business, the third-party suppliers handle the order fulfillment process and you have no control over the same. However, if an order gets delayed due to supplier problems, you will be answerable to the customer.
5. Communication delays: A dropshipper is a middleman between the customer and the supplier. Hence, communication delays are natural. With three different parties involved, a late response from one can slow down the entire communication process.
6. Difficult to customize products or build a brand: When you are running a dropshipping business, you have little or no control over the product design or brand name.
   
   Moreover, the manufacturers and sellers you are dealing with are likely selling their products to other dropshippers and stores as well. With similar products available in the market, it can be difficult for you to differentiate your offering.

Is Dropshipping Right for You?

Are you wondering if dropshipping is right for you?

Here are a few important things to consider before starting a dropship business.

1. Startup capital: If you are looking to start a business with limited capital, dropshipping is a good option.
   
   In dropshipping, you need not manufacture products, maintain an inventory, or rent a storage facility to stock the products. 
   
   To be a successful dropshipper, you just need reliable suppliers who can offer timely services. The overhead costs are on the minimal side. 
2. Target profit margin: Do you have a target profit margin in mind? A dropshipping business may not yield high profits unless you deal in exclusive products and build a brand reputation.
   
   A dropshipping business is easy to start but highly competitive. Hence, to gain new customers and keep the old ones, you must offer products at low or competitive prices. This reduces your profit margin.
   
   However, if you are dealing with products that are unique and customizable, you can do well in this business. Choosing a niche with low competition and high demand is key to earning good profits. Some examples are eco-friendly products, organic food, pet care products, and home office equipment.
3. Dropshipping niche: If you have a lucrative niche in mind, you can run a successful dropshipping store.
   
   Unless you are selling exclusive or private-label goods, you will have to face high competition in the market. When the same products are available from other dropshippers or sellers, it can be difficult to build customer loyalty.
   
   Hence, before starting dropshipping, find a rewarding dropshipping niche that will differentiate your store from the competition. 
   
   When looking for a dropshipping niche, you need to find one that will attract more customers and audiences. Running a business with exclusive products but few customers is no good. 
   
   For example, if you are running a regular fast-food joint, the competition will be quite high. However, if you are offering vegan food and different cuisines in your eatery, there will be less competition. Add special delicacies for kids on the menu and the competition will be even less.
   
   To find a lucrative niche, you can shortlist some product ideas and test them to determine their popularity. Once you find one, you can start your dropshipping business.
4. Building a brand: Are you keen to build a good brand impression? Well, this can be difficult in a dropship business.
   
   In dropshipping, you have zero or minimal control over product quality, packaging, and delivery. If the supplier does not pay attention to these important factors, you will end up losing some valuable customers.
   
   Moreover, there will be little or no scope for product customization. These limitations can make it difficult for you to build a popular brand.
5. Product quality: If you want control over product quality, dropshipping may not be the right business option for you. 
   
   The quality of the products you sell plays an important role in building brand loyalty and running a lucrative business. In dropshipping, you may not have any control over product quality.
   
   While you can test product quality at the beginning of your dropshipping relationship, it can be difficult to keep a check when selling on an ongoing basis. In case the quality deteriorates in the future, your business will suffer.
6. Inventory and supply issues: As a dropshipper, you may not have any control over the supply chain. Production and dispatch delays at the supplier’s end can leave the customers unhappy. 
   
   For a successful dropshipping business, you must source products from multiple suppliers to avoid running low on inventory. In case a product runs out-of-stock with one, you can check with other suppliers and place the order. However, keep in mind that working with multiple suppliers will also increase your workload and complicate the process.
7. Return and replacement issues: These are part and parcel of an ecommerce business. However, when you are running a retail business by maintaining an inventory of products, returns and replacements are quite simple. 
   
   In a dropshipping business model, return and replacement processes are more complex than you think. Here’s an example:
   
   Suppose a customer receives a broken product and wants to return the same. In this case:
   
   • Who will bear the return shipping charges?
   • Will the supplier agree to replace the product free of cost?
   • If the product is out-of-stock, will the supplier provide a refund?
   
   These are some important questions to ask a supplier before signing a contract with them. These questions will also give you a clear picture of the potential expenses you might have to bear in the future.

How Do I Start a Dropshipping Business?

Starting a dropshipping business involves the following steps:

1. Choose a lucrative dropshipping niche.
2. Identify competitors through competitor analysis.
3. Look for reputable dropshipping suppliers.
4. Build your dropshipping store online.
5. Market your business.
6. Provide customer support whenever required.

In addition to these, you must also focus on understanding your target audience and look for ways to improve your offering.

How to Start a Dropshipping Business: Step by Step

The following are some important questions to consider when starting a dropship business.

Register your Business Entity to Dropship

You must register your business once you start making sales consistently. This will create a brand identity and help you expand your business.

The absence of a brand name and official corporate registration can leave the suppliers and customers skeptical about your business. Registration will make your business appear authentic and professional, thereby increasing sales and profit margins.

Suppliers prefer dealing with incorporated businesses to avoid getting into legal issues later.

Brainstorm Dropshipping Product Ideas

For dropshipping product ideas, you must look for niches that have high search volume and low competition. The following are some examples:

• Apparel: Knitted clothes, loose denim, sports tracksuits, yoga leggings, beanies
• Baby products: Baby monitor, baby carrier, alarm clock, teething toys, LED bath toys, small bassinet
• Beauty products: Hair growth oil, scalp massager, face roller, anti-dandruff shampoo, anti-aging cream, makeup products for women, men’s grooming products
• Gaming accessories: Headsets, chairs, keyboards, mouse, stereo speakers
• Home security devices: Security camera, smoke alarm, intruder alarm
• Tools: Repair tool kit, digital micrometer
• Kitchen products: Air fryer, rice cooker, smoothie blender, electric kettle
• Other products: Tripods, laser acupuncture pen, organic tea, oral irrigators, portable air compressor

Determine Your Budget to invest to start dropshipping

It is difficult to predict the exact amount you must invest to start a dropshipping store. However, the startup capital is on the minimal side as you don’t have to invest in manufacturing, storing, or shipping the products.

Basically, you need to invest a nominal amount for the following:

• Setting up a dropshipping store online
• Sampling products or checking the quality of products you plan to sell
• Marketing your business via online advertising

To start dropshipping with minimum investment, you can choose an ecommerce platform like Shopify or BigCommerce.

Here’s an example:

The image shows that if you choose Shopify for dropshipping, you can start a business with a startup capital of just $140.

However, make sure you choose reliable suppliers selling quality products and offering timely services. Poor product quality, bad packaging, or late shipments can be big turn-offs for customers.

Choose the best dropshipping suppliers

Considering that suppliers play the most important role in a dropshipping business, you must choose them wisely.

Here’s what you must do to find the best dropshipping suppliers:

• Make a list of the products you plan to sell on your ecommerce website and look for suppliers accordingly.
• Shortlist suppliers and test their products to ensure they are as advertised.
• Check if their packaging and shipping policies meet your criteria.
• Ask them some important questions, like:
  • How long does it take to dispatch an order?
  • What is their return policy?
  • Will they accept returns of damaged products and provide a refund?
  • Will they replace damaged products free of cost?
  • Will they insure orders?

Make sure you clarify everything before signing a supplier contract to avoid hassles later.

FAQs

Ready to Start a Dropshipping Business?

Now that you know the answer to the question of What is Droppshipping, you may be thinking about starting a dropshipping business of your own.

Although competitive, dropshipping can be a profitable business model with proper planning and management. It is also quite hassle-free; just build a website, look for suppliers and advertise your products.

When you receive orders, forward the same to the concerned supplier and they will take care of the rest. The absence of manufacturing, warehousing, packaging, and shipping the products makes things quite easy for dropshippers.

However, do not expect to flourish overnight with a dropship business model. Focus on marketing the products and building your brand and you will see results soon enough.

This is a low-risk business that you can start with a nominal investment and earn a decent profit margin. So, if you are keen to venture into the online retail market and make extra money, dropshipping is worth trying.

The other day, I looked up the term on Google Trends and I was surprised to see the sudden surge in popularity. I mean, sure, ecommerce has been around since the 1990s.

But if you are to go by the search trends, ecommerce is really having its moment now.

It seems like everywhere you look, people are shopping online for everything from clothes to groceries to furniture. And it's not just big retailers that are benefiting from this trend – small businesses are getting in on the action too.

For those who want to hop on the ecommerce bandwagon, this is a perfect read. I’ll answer the question, “What is ecommerce?” And I’ll discuss the different ecommerce business models and what it takes to run a successful online store.

What is Ecommerce?

Ecommerce stands for electronic commerce or even internet commerce. It is the process of buying and selling goods and services online.

To execute these online transactions, the money and data are all transferred via the web. This can be done through various platforms, including websites, mobile apps, and social media.

History of Ecommerce

Ecommerce has come a long way since its humble beginnings. What started as an out-of-the-box idea has turned into a massive industry that touches nearly every aspect of our lives.

Here’s a brief history of ecommerce and the key turning points in its growth.

The Idea For Ecommerce is Born

Ecommerce has come a long way since it was first created in 1979 by Michael Aldrich.

During his experiments, he linked his computer and television via a telephone line. This gave birth to the idea that it was possible to shop without actually having to visit a store physically.

While the idea was fresh, computers were not very accessible at that time. In the 1980s and 1990s, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs popularized the use of computers in households.

Amazon Paves the Way

In 1994, Jeff Bezos created Amazon, which is now the largest online retailer in the world.

The company started as an online bookstore and has since expanded to become a major retailer, selling everything from books and electronics to clothing and home goods.

Amazon is now one of the world's largest ecommerce companies, with a market value of over $1 trillion.

Bezos has been credited with changing the way we shop and consume media. He has also been a major driving force behind the growth of ecommerce and cloud computing.

PayPal Simplified Online Payments

When PayPal first arrived on the scene in 1998, it changed the way that people thought about ecommerce. Suddenly, it was easier than ever before to buy and sell items online.

PayPal made the process of sending and receiving payments much simpler and more efficient. This helped to spur the growth of ecommerce and made it easier for businesses to reach a global market. Today, PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods available online.

Ecommerce Platforms Arrived

In the early days of ecommerce, building an online store was a daunting task. You needed to be a web development expert even to get started. This made ecommerce accessible only to large businesses with deep pockets.

However, that all changed in the early 2000s with the advent of platforms like Shopify and WordPress. These platforms made it easy for anyone to build an online store, without needing any coding knowledge.

This democratization of ecommerce allowed small businesses and entrepreneurs to get started with selling online. And it’s why we’ve seen a boom in ecommerce in recent years.

Ecommerce Statistics: What is the Future of Ecommerce?

Now that you know the history of ecommerce, it's time to learn about its present and future. Ecommerce is constantly evolving and growing.

Here is a quick overview of what you can expect from the ecommerce industry in the near future:

• The global ecommerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 14.7% between 2020 and 2027.
• Ecommerce sales are projected to grow to 8.1 trillion US dollars by 2026.

• By 2025, the online apparel industry is projected to be worth 1.2 trillion US dollars.
• For each visit, online shoppers spend an average of 2.6 US dollars across all verticals.
• With estimated sales of over 780 billion US dollars, Alibaba is the largest ecommerce platform in terms of sales.
• Globally, Amazon.com is the most popular shopping website. In 2022, the website received over 3 billion visitors every month.

• By 2025, it is estimated that over 53% of online shoppers will use digital and mobile wallets for global ecommerce payments.

As you can see, ecommerce is here to stay. And it's only going to become more and more popular as time goes on.

Regardless of the niche you want to enter, you can be sure to face stiff competition. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to make sure you are keeping up with the latest ecommerce trends.

Pros of Ecommerce

There are many advantages of ecommerce, which is why it’s become so popular in recent years.

Here are all the pros of ecommerce businesses:

• Shoppers can shop from the comfort of their own homes: No more battling crowds at the mall or fighting for a parking spot. You can do your shopping in your PJs if you want!
• Ecommerce offers a huge selection: You’re not limited to the items that are available in your local store. When you shop online, you can access products from all over the world.
• Shoppers can save money with ecommerce: Online retailers do not have high overhead costs like physical stores, so they can offer lower prices. You can also take advantage of online deals and coupons to save even more.
• Ecommerce is convenient: With today’s busy lifestyles, it’s often difficult to find time to go shopping. Ecommerce makes it easy to shop anytime, anywhere.
• Ecommerce makes it easier to compare deals. While shopping online, you can check similar products on multiple websites and compare their prices. This way, you can ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible.
• Shoppers can check reviews from other users. Before you make a purchase, you can check what other users are saying about the product or service.

So there you have it— these are a few of the many reasons to love ecommerce.

Cons of Ecommerce

There are many disadvantages of ecommerce, which is why some people are still wary of buying things online.

Here are all the cons of ecommerce businesses:

• Shoppers may have security concerns. When you purchase items online, you are putting your personal and financial information at risk. This information could be intercepted by cybercriminals and used to commit identity theft or fraud.
• Online shoppers run the risk of falling victim to scams. There are many unscrupulous individuals who create fake websites or online stores in order to steal people's money.
• Shoppers have to pay extra shipping costs. When you buy something online, you often have to pay for shipping and handling. This can add up, especially if you make a lot of purchases.

Before you enter the field, these are the few potential downsides of ecommerce that you should be aware of.

What Are the 4 Different Types of Ecommerce Business Models?

There are a variety of ecommerce models out there, and it's important to know the difference between them if you're looking to enter the field.

Here's a quick rundown of the four most popular ecommerce models:

1. B2B Ecommerce Model

B2B ecommerce is when businesses sell products or services to other businesses. This is a less common model, but it's still used in a variety of industries, from construction to healthcare. An example would be an office supply company selling products to a local business.

Note: If you’re interested in this model, you should check out my other blog post that lists the best B2B ecommerce platforms.

2. B2C Ecommerce Model

B2C ecommerce is the most familiar model to most people, as it involves businesses selling products or services directly to consumers.

This is the type of ecommerce that most people are used to, whether they're shopping for clothes on Amazon or booking a vacation on Expedia.

3. C2C Ecommerce Model

C2C ecommerce is when consumers sell products or services to other consumers. This is the least common model, but it's growing in popularity thanks to platforms like Airbnb and Etsy.

4. C2B Ecommerce Model

C2B ecommerce is when consumers sell products or services to businesses. An example of this would be a freelance writer selling an article to a website or selling their services on a platform like Upwork.

So, which model is right for your ecommerce business?

It really depends on a variety of factors, from the products you sell to the nature of your customer base. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which model makes the most sense for your company.

Best Ecommerce Platforms You Should Check Out

The ecommerce landscape is constantly evolving, and what worked well for your business last year might not be the best solution this year. To stay ahead of the curve, you need to be proactive, use the newest ecommerce tools, and keep up with the latest trends.

But with so many options out there, how do you know which ecommerce platform is right for your business?

To help you make the best decision for your business, we’ve listed the top ecommerce platforms here.

1. BigCommerce: Best For Growing Businesses

If you're looking for an ecommerce platform that can help take your business to the next level, BigCommerce is definitely worth considering.

Not only do they offer a host of powerful features, but they also have no transaction fees on leading payment gateways and amazing customer service. Plus, their platform is highly scalable and flexible, so you can easily adjust it as your business grows.

Note: For more information on this ecommerce platform, check out my review of BigCommerce.

2. Shopify: Best For First-Time Users

Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms on the market. It’s easy to use, has a lot of features, and is scalable as your business grows.

Shopify also has a huge ecosystem of plugins and themes so you can customize your store to match your brand. And if you need help with anything, there’s a large community of Shopify experts that can assist you.

Note: If you are interested in Shopify, you should check out my comparison post on Shopify vs. BigCommerce.

3. WooCommerce: Best for WordPress Websites

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that turns your WordPress website into an ecommerce store. It’s a great option if you’re already using WordPress for your website or blog.

It offers customization options to fit your specific business needs, and a good range of payment options to make transactions easy and convenient. Plus, the basic WooCommerce plugin is free!

Note: If you are interested in WooCommerce, you should check out my comparison posts on WooCommerce vs. Shopify and WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce.

Ecommerce Examples: Most Popular Ecommerce Sites

There are a variety of ecommerce sites out there, each offering something unique that speaks to a certain type of shopper. Whether you're looking for the latest fashion trends, the best deals on electronics, or just want a one-stop shop for all your home goods, there's an ecommerce site out there for you.

Here's a look at some of the most popular ecommerce sites and what makes them stand out.

1. Amazon

Amazon is one of the most well-known ecommerce sites on the internet. They offer a huge selection of items, from books to clothes to electronics, and just about everything in between. They also offer Prime shipping for fast and free delivery on many items.

2. eBay

eBay is another huge ecommerce site that offers a little bit of everything. You can find new and used items at a fraction of the retail price. They also have a huge community of users who are always willing to help answer questions or give advice.

3. Alibaba

Alibaba is a relative newcomer to the ecommerce scene, but they're already making waves. It is a great example of a B2B ecommerce site.

This website connects businesses from all over the world with each other, making it easy to find the products and services you need. Alibaba is a one-stop shop for businesses, and its ecommerce platform makes it easy to find what you're looking for.

4. Fiverr

Fiverr is a C2B ecommerce site that allows freelancers to offer services to potential customers. Businesses can browse the Fiverr website and choose from a variety of services offered by freelancers.

Once they find a service they like, they can purchase it directly from the freelancer through the Fiverr platform. Fiverr takes a percentage of the transaction as a commission.

If you want to learn more about such websites, you should check out my blog post on the most popular ecommerce companies.

What Makes an Ecommerce Store Successful?

Now you know some of the top ecommerce sites in the world. But what makes them successful? What is it about them that makes them tick?

For starters, it’s important to understand that every ecommerce store is different and what works for one might not work for another.

However, there are some general principles that all successful ecommerce stores have in common. Let’s break down the core components of a successful ecommerce store and understand how you can apply them to your own business.

Successful ecommerce stores have:

1. A Clear Purpose and Identity

Your purpose defines your store and sets it apart from the competition. It's what drives your customers to purchase from you instead of somewhere else. And your identity is how you communicate that purpose to the world.

To unlock your identity, you can ask yourself the following questions:

• What values does your brand stand for?
• What do you offer that your competitors don’t?
• What is your unique selling point?

Once you've identified what makes your store special, you need to communicate that to the world through your branding and marketing.

Your purpose and identity are what make your ecommerce store successful. Without them, you're just another store in a sea of sameness.

Take the time to find your niche and communicate your purpose and identity to the world, and you'll be on your way to ecommerce success.

2. A Strong Focus on Customer Service

In a brick-and-mortar store, customers can interact with sales staff and get immediate assistance if they have any questions or problems.

But when shopping online, customers are often left to fend for themselves. This is why it's so important for ecommerce stores to have a strong focus on customer service.

Customers should feel like they can reach out to you with any questions or concerns, and they should feel confident that you'll respond quickly and help them resolve any issues.

So how can you make sure that your ecommerce store has a strong focus on customer service?

Here are a few tips to help you build a more customer-centric ecommerce store:

Make it easy for customers to get in touch.

Make sure that your contact information is prominently displayed on your website and that it's easy for customers to find. You should also offer multiple channels for customer support, such as phone, email, live chat, and others.

Train your team members to be friendly and helpful.

Your team members are the face of your business, so it's important that they're friendly and helpful. Make sure to train them on how to handle customer service inquiries and give them the resources they need to resolve issues.

Respond to customer inquiries quickly.

No one likes to be kept waiting, so make sure to respond to customer inquiries as quickly as possible. Use automated systems to help you keep on top of things, but don't sacrifice quality for speed.

You could also add a FAQ page on your website so that customers can seek solutions to their questions easily.

Go above and beyond for your customers.

Remember that it's important to wow your customers and make them feel special. If you can do something extra for them, such as offer a discount or free shipping, they'll be more likely to remember your store when they need to make a purchase.

Get feedback from your customers.

Make sure to get feedback from your customers on a regular basis. This will help you identify areas where you can improve your customer service. You can use surveys, polls, and even social media to collect feedback.

By following these tips, you can make sure that your ecommerce store has a strong focus on customer service. This will help you attract and retain customers, and it will ultimately lead to more sales.

3. A Well-Designed Website

Think about it this way: would you rather do business with a company whose website is professional and easy to use or one whose website is difficult to navigate and looks like it was made in the early 2000s?

The answer is probably obvious. In order to be successful, your ecommerce store needs a well-designed website that is up-to-date with the latest trends.

But what exactly does that mean?

For starters, your website needs to be visually appealing and easy to navigate. If potential customers can't figure out how to find what they're looking for, they're not going to stick around for long.

If you have multiple products, make sure they are properly organized into categories on your homepage. Take inspiration from ASOS’ well-designed product categories:

In addition, your website needs to be optimized for search engines. This means using the right keywords and phrases so that people can easily find your site when they're searching online.

Most ecommerce platforms have special ecommerce SEO features. Make sure you check them out before you finalize a platform for your ecommerce site.

Finally, your website needs to be mobile-friendly. More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to shop online, so you need to make sure that your site looks good and is easy to use on these devices.

If you can tick all of these boxes, then you're well on your way to having a successful ecommerce store.

4. Personalized Messaging

Think about it: when you go to a store and the salesperson knows your name, it makes you feel special. And when you feel special, you're more likely to buy something.

The same principle applies to ecommerce stores. When you have personalized messaging, it makes your customers feel like you really know them. And when they feel like you know them, they're more likely to buy from you.

To create personalized messages, you need to gather data about your customers. This can include information such as their name, location, and purchase history.

Once you have this data, you can create messages that are relevant to each customer.

For example, if a customer lives in a cold climate, you could send them messages about winter clothing and accessories. Or if a customer abandoned their cart, you can send them a gentle reminder.

Here’s an example:

Personalized messages can be sent through various channels, such as email, social media, and push notifications.

By following these guidelines, you can set your ecommerce store up for success. Keep in mind that there is no magic formula for success – it takes hard work, dedication, and a bit of luck.

FAQs

What is Ecommerce? Ecommerce is the Way Forward!

And that's a wrap! We hope this post helped clear up any confusion about ecommerce. In short, ecommerce is simply buying and selling products or services online. No matter the size of the business, ecommerce has many benefits, including increased reach, convenience, and efficiency.

Whether you're a small business owner looking to start selling online, or a seasoned pro, there's no doubt that ecommerce is the way of the future. Thank you for reading!

I hope you have more clarity on what is ecommerce and why it’s important. If you still have any questions, please feel free to mention them in the comments section.

I've compiled all of my findings in this helpful guide so that you can make an informed decision about which inventory management platform is right for your ecommerce business.

So, keep reading to learn more.

What is Ecommerce Inventory Management Software?

Ecommerce inventory management software solutions help ecommerce businesses keep track of their inventory and manage their stock levels across locations. By using this type of software, businesses can optimize their stock levels to ensure that they have the right products in the right places at the right times.

Most ecommerce inventory management solutions also offer features related to order management, warehouse management, and shipping. This makes it easier to keep track of your inventory levels, orders, and shipments in one place and makes online selling more efficient.

They can also help you save money by ensuring that you don't overstock or understock your products.

Ecommerce inventory management software solutions can be used by ecommerce businesses of all sizes, from small online stores to large enterprises. However, ecommerce businesses that have complex inventory management needs such as The Home Depot and Target may require a more robust solution, such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.

What Are the Benefits of Using Ecommerce Inventory Management Software?

As an ecommerce business owner, you know that having accurate inventory data is critical to your success. Not only do you need to know which products you have in stock, but you also need to know where those products are located and how many of each product you have on hand.

A reliable ecommerce inventory management software solution can help you track all of this information in one central location. This can save you a lot of time and frustration, as well as help you avoid potential stock-outs or overstocks.

Along with helping you keep track of your inventory levels, it can also automate many of the tasks associated with managing inventory, such as reordering stock and tracking sales data.

Here are some of the key benefits of using an inventory management system for your ecommerce business:

• Improved stock control: By using an inventory management system, you can keep track of your stock levels in real time. This can help you avoid overstocking or understocking your products, which can save you money.
• Increased efficiency: An inventory management system can help you automate many of the tasks associated with managing your inventory. This can free up your time so that you can focus on other aspects of your business.
• Improved customer service: By having up-to-date information about what products are in stock, you can avoid situations where customers are left disappointed because they can't purchase the items they want. This can help improve your customer satisfaction levels and loyalty.
• Reduced inventory costs: By automating tasks and having accurate data about your inventory levels, you can avoid wasting money on products that you don't need, and also reduce the need for physical inventory counts.
• Increased sales: Finally, ecommerce inventory management software can also help you increase your sales. By having accurate data about what products are in stock, you can make sure that your customers can always find the items they need when they need them. This can lead to more sales and a higher level of customer satisfaction.

If you are looking for a way to streamline your ecommerce operations, then this type of software is definitely worth considering.

What Are the Key Features of an Ecommerce Inventory Management Platform?

Not all ecommerce inventory management software solutions are created equal. Some offer a more comprehensive set of features than others.

When you're evaluating different software solutions, it's important to consider the features that are most important to your ecommerce business including:

• Stock management: The ability to track your stock levels in real time, set reorder points, and view historical data.
• Order management: The ability to track and manage customer orders, as well as create purchase orders for suppliers.
• Product categorization: The ability to organize your products into categories and subcategories for easy browsing.
• Product catalog: The ability to create and manage a product catalog, including product descriptions, images, and pricing information.
• Product attributes: The ability to add product attributes (such as size, color, or material) and filter products by those attributes.
• Barcoding and tagging: The ability to generate barcodes for products and scan them at the point of sale.
• Multi-channel integration: The ability to connect to multiple sales channels (such as your website, Amazon, eBay, and brick-and-mortar stores) and manage your inventory from one central platform.
• Inventory alerts: The ability to set up alerts for when stock levels are low or products are out of stock.
• Warehouse management: The ability to track inventory in multiple warehouses and locations, as well as manage warehouse staff and operations.
• Stock returns handling: The ability to track and manage stock returns from customers.
• Analytics and reporting: The ability to generate detailed reports on your inventory data, such as stock levels, sales data, and customer orders.

These are just some of the key features to look for in an ecommerce inventory management platform. The right software solution will offer all of these features and more, tailored to the specific needs of your business.

When Should You Invest in Ecommerce Inventory Management Software?

If you are managing a growing ecommerce business, chances are good that you will eventually need to invest in ecommerce inventory management software. 

The right software can save you time and money by streamlining your inventory processes and giving you better visibility into your stock levels.

Here are a few signs that it might be time to invest in ecommerce inventory management software:

• You are manually tracking inventory levels. If you are still keeping track of your inventory levels with pen and paper or a basic spreadsheet, it is definitely time to upgrade to dedicated inventory management software.

The right software will make it easy to track stock levels in real time, so you can always be sure that you have enough products on hand to meet customer demand.

• You are having difficulty managing stock levels across multiple channels. If you sell your products through multiple online and offline channels, it can be difficult to keep track of inventory levels across all of your sales channels.

Investing in an ecommerce inventory management software solution can help you stay on top of your stock levels, no matter how many sales channels you are using.

• You frequently run out of stock or overstock products. If you are constantly running into stock issues, the right inventory management software will help you better forecast future demand and avoid stockouts and excess inventory.
• You are not taking advantage of automated reordering. If you are still manually placing orders for new inventory, you are missing out on a major time-saving opportunity.
  
  The best inventory management software can automatically generate purchase orders when stock levels start to run low, so you can restock your shelves without lifting a finger.
• You don't have visibility into your inventory data. If you are not tracking key inventory metrics such as turnover rate and average days in stock, it is difficult to make informed decisions about your stock levels.
  
  This means it’s time for you to use inventory management software to track all of the important data points related to your inventory, so you can make better decisions about how to manage your stock.

If you're just starting out, you may not need a full-featured ecommerce inventory management system. A simple stock control solution may be all you need at that stage.

As your ecommerce business grows and your inventory needs become more complex, you may want to consider investing in a more robust software solution. This is particularly true if you have multiple warehouses or locations, or if you sell products that require special handling or storage.

How to Find the Right Inventory Management Software Solution for Your Ecommerce Business

The ecommerce industry is booming, and with that comes increased pressure on inventory management. Ecommerce businesses need to find the right inventory management software solution to keep up with customer demand and stay ahead of the competition.

There are a few things to consider when choosing an inventory management software solution for your ecommerce business including:

• The features you need
• Your budget
• The size of your ecommerce business
• The type of products you sell
• Ease of use

You should also check if the software you pick has a dedicated support team and knowledge base to help you with any questions or issues you may have.

Be sure to consider your business needs. If you have a complex inventory setup, you'll need a more robust inventory management software solution. If you only sell a few products, a simpler solution may be all you need.

To find the right ecommerce inventory management software solution for your business, you can start by checking out the list of solutions I’ve curated after hours of research. You can also ask other ecommerce and inventory management experts for recommendations.

Once you've narrowed down your options, you can request demos or free trials of the software to see which one is the best fit for your business.

Most of the best ecommerce inventory management software solutions will offer a free trial so you can test out the features before committing to a paid plan.

The Best Inventory Management Software Solutions for Your Ecommerce Business

Now that you know what to look for in an ecommerce inventory management software solution, it’s time to look at some of the best ones and see what they offer.

1. SkuVault – Inventory Management System with Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA)

SkuVault is a cloud-based inventory management software solutions that helps online retailers keep track of their products and orders. It offers features such as real-time inventory syncing, order and shipping management, product cataloging, and more.

SkuVault is easy to use and offers a free trial, making it a great option for those who are looking for an inventory management solution.

It allows you to sync your ecommerce sales channels, manage your inventory, and generate reports. You can use it to ensure that your customers receive the right products at the right times, thereby, helping you achieve high seller performance ratings.

eLuxury’s Founder, Paul Saunders, credits SkyVault for 100% streamlining their inventory management processes that helped them know exactly where something was.

Key Features

• Cloud-based data sharing that allows you to do business from anywhere in the world
• Real-time inventory syncing across marketplaces and channels
• Order routing and inventory location management
• Order and shipping management
• Product cataloging
• Supply chain management
• Product bundles
• Barcode scanning
• Cycle counting to minimize physical counts
• Quantity buffer options like “Low Quantity Cutoff,” “Push Constant Quantity,” or “Maximum Quantity” can help you give customers a sense of urgency
• Increased transparency for case packs and individual units in your inventory
• Advanced reporting features
• Amazon FBA inventory management system
• Oversell and stockout protection
• Built-in quality control

Pros

• Easy to use
• Affordable
• Faster fulfillment
• 83% fewer mis-ships
• 90% fewer out-of-stocks
• Improved marketplace rankings
• Integrations with your favorite ecommerce solutions such as Amazon, eBay, Magento, BigCommerce, Shopify, and more
• Dedicated customer service team

Cons

• The product catalog column width can’t be adjusted, making it difficult to read long strings of text

Pricing

• Growth plan: $329/month for up to 2 users and 2,000 orders
• Pro plan: $699/month for up to 4 users and 5.000 orders
• Enterprise plan: $1149/month for up to 6 users and 12,500 orders
• 3PL plan: $629/month, starting at 2 users and 5,000 orders
• You can schedule a demo call from SkuVault by filling out this simple form or by calling them at 800.641.4507.

2. inFlow Inventory – Best All-in-One Inventory Management Solution

inFlow Inventory is an all-in-one inventory management software solution that allows you to track everything related to your inventory in one place. Know what’s in stock, which orders are coming in, and what products you might need to order more.

And the best part?

You can keep track of your ecommerce inventory right from your smartphone and reorder items ahead of time.

inFlow Inventory is trusted by over 40,000 businesses and it comes with no additional setup fees, no contracts, and a money-back guarantee. You can also try its unlimited features free for 14 days.

Key Features

• Order fulfillment and inventory levels update right from your smartphone
• Real-time inventory management across multiple offices or warehouses
• Organize products using features like product names and SKUs, multi-level categories, product photos, units of measurement, dimensions and weight, serial numbers, etc.
• Barcode system
• Pick, pack, ship from one place
• A separate B2B portal
• Manufacturing costs and components tracking
• Reordering by purchase order, stock transfer, work order, recommended record points, one-click PO generation, etc.

Pros

• Faster inventory management with a barcode system
• Integrate with 95+ platforms useful for your ecommerce business
• No setup fees
• Money-back guarantee

Cons

• Pricing information not available publicly

Pricing

• A 14-day free trial with unlimited features
• Contact their sales team for pricing information.

3. Zoho Inventory – Best Free Inventory Management Software

Zoho Inventory is an integrated inventory management software solution designed to help businesses track inventory, manage orders, oversee warehouses, handle GST, and much more. And to top it all – you can sign up for it for free.

It’s a perfect solution for micro, small and medium-sized businesses to large corporations. And, it has received over 4.5-star ratings on major review websites such as Capterra, G2 Crowd, and Software Advice.

Key Features

• Inventory tracking – spare parts, expiry dates, batch tracking
• Order management
• Barcode scanning
• Multi-warehouse management
• Product grouping and bundling
• Serial and batch tracking
• Customer lifecycle management
• Vendor price lists, transactions, billing, back orders – all in one place
• SKU generator
• Reporting and analytics
• Reorder points and low stock alerts
• GST billing handling

Pros

• Live chat support
• Integrations with ecommerce solutions like Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, etc.
• Integrations with Zoho CRM and Zoho Books 

Cons

• Limited features in the free plan

Pricing

• Start with a free plan for up to 50 orders/month.
• Paid plans start from $26/month and you can try the paid versions free for 14 days.
  • Standard plan: $26/month
  • Professional plan: $72/month
  • Premium plan: $109/month
  • Elite plan: $218/month
  • Ultimate plan: $254/month

4. Brightpearl – Best Advanced Inventory Management Software

Brightpearl is a cloud-based inventory management software that helps businesses keep track of their products, orders, and customers in one place. It offers features such as real-time inventory syncing, order management, customer management, and more.

The best part about Brightpearl is that it is purely designed for ecommerce, multi-channel retail, and wholesale brands. This means you can rest assured to get real-time multi-channel inventory updates and accurate demand forecasting.

Brightpearl’s rule-based automation feature helps you save time and focus on creating growth-driven strategies.

Key Features

• Inventory control
• Multi-location and multi-channel inventory tracking
• Flexible cycle counts
• Bundles and assemblies
• Custom product fields on top of categories, brands, and types
• Multiple barcodes and price lists capability
• Integrated inventory planner that offers data-driven stock replenishment recommendations
• Order management
• Purchasing
• Inventory and overstock reporting
• Automatic stock replenishment emails to your suppliers or manufacturers
• Warehouse management
• Automated order fulfillment and dropshipping

Pros

• Integrations with Amazon, Shopify, Mailchimp, 3PL, PayPal, Stripe, QuickBooks, and more
• Plug-and-play integrations
• Open API
• Rule-based automation engine
• Easy to use
• Simple transparent pricing
• 24/7 unlimited support
• Unlimited users at no extra cost

Cons

• No free trial or freemium version
• Some users suggested that their reporting features could be enhanced.

Pricing

• Customized prices for retail and wholesale businesses. Request a quote from their team.

5. Shopify – Best Ecommerce Platform for Easy Shopping

Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms out there, and it offers a number of features that can help you with inventory management as well.

For starters, it lets you track your inventory levels so that you always know how much stock you have on hand. With Shopify, you can manage your products, inventory, orders, payments, and shipping – all in one place.

Shopify ensures that you get your products where they need to be. It’s easy to monitor and move your inventory across multiple locations.

And the best part?

You can manage your inventory on the go – right from your mobile device. Scan, transfer, ad keep exact counts of your inventory.

Key Features

• Inventory tracking across multiple locations and sales channels
• ABC analysis or grading system to identify products to stock, reorder, and eliminate
• Inventory transfers between locations
• Bulk inventory editor
• Order management and fulfillment
• Track lost, misplaced, or damaged inventory
• Real-time inventory updates, reports, and analysis 
• Data-driven decision making
• Shopify’s own 3PL, Shopify Fulfillment Network
• Inventory management apps to add inventory capabilities such as purchase ordering, demand forecasting, and low stock alerts 
• Adjustment reasons like “Damaged” or “Returned”

Pros

• Upgrade or downgrade your plan anytime
• Manage inventory on the go using the Shopify mobile app
• All-in-one ecommerce platform 

Cons

• Additional transaction cost for using third-party payment providers (anything except Shopify Payments)

Pricing

• Try free for 14 days
• Basic plan: $29/month up to 4 inventory locations
• Shopify plan: $79/month up to 5 inventory locations
• Advanced plan: $299/month up to 8 inventory locations
• Shopify Plus plan: $2000/month for high-volume businesses

You may also want to check out my comparison post of BigCommerce vs. Shopify, where I’ve covered more features of each of these ecommerce platforms.

6. Fishbowl – Best Inventory Management Software for QuickBooks and Xero

Fishbowl is the best warehouse and inventory management software solution for businesses already using QuickBooks, Xero, or other accounting solutions.

It helps you track your products, orders, and customers by offering real-time inventory syncing, order management, customer management, barcode labeling and scanning, and more.

You can easily integrate it with your favorite ecommerce platforms such as Amazon, Magento, eBay, Shopify, Salesforce, FedEx, and more. And get all the functionality of any ERP – enterprise resource planning.

Key Features

• Inventory tracking using serial numbers, expiration dates, and more
• Barcode scanning
• Work orders
• Order management
• Automated reorder points to avoid overstocking and shortages
• Multi-location inventory tracking
• Seamless integration with QuickBooks
• Manufacturing processes control
• Pick, pack, ship

Pros

• Integrations with 12+ ecommerce platforms including eBay, Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.
• EDI, CRM, and 3PL integrations

Cons

• Too expensive for most small and medium-sized businesses
• Limited customization options

Pricing

• Starts at $4395 (one-time, non-expiring access to the software)
• If you want to access to continuous updates to the software, you’ll need to renew it annually. Else also, you’ll still have access to your version of the platform.

Get a demo now to learn more about Fishbowl and how it can help you manage your inventory.

7. Cin7 – Best Software for Multi-Channel Inventory and Order Management

Cin7 allows you to get products to more customers in an efficient and faster manner than you would do otherwise. It's an all-in-one solution that connects your products, stock locations, orders, warehouses, sales channels, workflows, and more into an automated solution.

That’s why thousands of businesses trust Cin7 for their inventory and order management needs.

Cin7 has the power to take your business to new heights by giving you complete control over your stock, which will, in turn, help you optimize your inventory levels, reduce costs, and increase sales.

Key Features

• Barcode, batch, FIFO, and serial tracking
• Custom inventory management
• Automation workflows and bots
• Built-in retail POS
• Integrated warehouse management
• B2B ecommerce sales solution
• 3PL or EDI connections included

Pros

• 24/7 support
• Developer APIs
• Integrations with ecommerce platforms, accounting software, and other business solutions like Shopify Plus, Amazon, Xero, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, etc.
• Customer success manager with the higher-priced plans

Cons

• Some users said that their onboarding process could be improved.

Pricing

• Small Business plan: $399/month
• Business plan: $599/month
• Advanced plan: $999/month
• Enterprise plan: Contact their sales plan for pricing details.

Comparing the Top Ecommerce Inventory Management Software Tools

FAQs

Choose Your Ecommerce Inventory Management Software Now

Ecommerce businesses have a lot to keep track of. Not only do you have to worry about your product inventory, but you also have to keep track of your customer data, your sales data, and your shipping data.

And if you're selling on multiple channels, the task of managing your inventory can become even more complicated.

Fortunately, there are a number of different software solutions out there that can help you manage your ecommerce inventory. I've reviewed and compared some of the best ecommerce inventory management software solutions above.

I hope you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments section below.

Happy selling!

It’s a well-known fact that online shoppers rely on reviews when making purchasing decisions. Need a number? Trustpilot reports nine out of 10, or 89%, of consumers are reading them before buying. The vast majority will be the most heavily influenced by the number of positive ratings.

As a seller, good reviews will always earn you more sales, especially on Amazon. This insanely competitive marketplace is bursting with buyers and other sellers. So you need plenty of positive reviews to stand out, build brand credibility, and continue to drive conversions. 

But what does it actually take to get more positive reviews? And where do Amazon’s review rules come into play?

This post will teach you how to get positive reviews on Amazon fast and legally without putting your account at risk.

What is Amazon’s Review Policy?

The Amazon marketplace is home to more than 250 million product reviews. These reviews, both good and bad, contain a wealth of information that consumers specifically go to Amazon to see. 

Reviews are arguably the retailer’s biggest asset, which is why it’s willing to go to such great lengths to protect their authenticity.

Amazon’s review policies set the standard of what you can and can’t do in order to keep reviews as authentic as possible. Here’s a quick breakdown. 

Amazon sellers cannot:

1. Incentivize reviews. Not too long ago, you could offer your product at a lower price or even for free in exchange for a review. Amazon banned this practice in 2016. Today, no type of financial reward, discount, free product, or other compensation can be provided.

2. Review your product or a competitor’s. You may not post a review for something you sell or a competing product. This rule also applies to your friends, family members, and employees.
3. Cherry-pick for positive reviews. Specifically asking buyers for positive reviews isn’t allowed. Neither is encouraging buyers who are “happy” or “satisfied” to leave you a review on Amazon while directing those who aren’t somewhere else.
   
   A real-life (and non-compliant) review request found on a product insert
4. Ask a reviewer to change or remove a review. Buyers may elect to change or remove reviews on their own, but you can’t influence the decision by offering a refund or other compensation for doing so.

Got it? Good. Now here’s what Amazon sellers can do:

1. Send a product review request to buyers. While there are additional rules for communicating with buyers, Amazon does allow you to send one feedback and/or review request per order. Messages must be sent within 30 days of order completion, include the order ID, and be translated into the buyer’s preferred language. 

2. Enroll in Amazon Vine to get early reviews. The Vine program invites trusted Amazon reviewers to post unbiased ratings about new products with less than 30 reviews. It recently expanded to include Brand Registry sellers.
   
3. Use product inserts to ask for reviews. Inserting a card into your packaging or shipping box that neutrally asks for an unbiased review –complete with instructions– can help you reach customers who wouldn’t ordinarily think to leave a review or may not know how.

Amazon has a strong zero-tolerance policy toward customer review violations, so it’s important to monitor these policies for any changes.

How to Get Positive Reviews on Amazon in 5 Steps

Now that you know Amazon’s review rules, let’s look at how to get positive reviews on Amazon without breaking any of them.

Request Reviews from More Buyers

This is by far the best way to get more Amazon reviews. Yes, you can expect to receive some reviews organically, but your odds increase tenfold when you take the first step.

Amazon’s Seller Central platform allows you to individually contact Amazon buyers for reviews through templated Buyer-Seller messages or the Request a Review button. The second (and highly preferred) method sends out a combined seller feedback and product review request and is guaranteed to be compliant with Amazon policy.

If individually contacting buyers seems like a lot of work, you’re right – it is. But, it doesn’t have to be. Amazon also allows you to send feedback and review requests via third-party software applications or its Application Programmer Interface (API).

One of the most widely recognized tools in the industry is eComEngine’s FeedbackFive, which sends out automated Amazon review requests on your behalf. You can choose between custom-branded Buyer-Seller Messages or Amazon’s official Request a Review message.

To really scale your reviews, you’ll also want to reach out to your non-Amazon buyers and ask them to leave you a review back on the marketplace. This is where your email lists, social media groups, external ads, influencer relationships, and affiliate connections will all come in handy! 

Time Your Review Requests Just Right

You only have 30 days after the item is received to send an Amazon review request, so the timing is something you want to get right.

If you send the request too soon, the buyer may not be ready to write a review. But if you send the request too late, you could miss the boat entirely.

Here are some guidelines that typically yield the best results:

• Send review requests for small consumables within a few days of delivery.
• Send review requests for longer-lasting products that require additional setup or extra time for buyers to see their benefits 14-21 days after delivery.
• Send review requests for gift items purchased early in the holiday season at least a few weeks after delivery to allow for the gift to be opened.
• Send review requests for gift items purchased late in the holiday season right after the holiday (e.g. after it’s been opened and enjoyed). 

Each product you sell is unique, and each buyer is too. So, it makes sense to send different product review requests for different products at different times of the year. FeedbackFive also makes it quick and easy to send a unique request for each item that you sell.

Make Your Buyers Your Biggest Fans

Let’s stop and rewind for a moment. Even before you send that perfectly timed review request, you already want your customers to be big fans of you and your brand. 

It’s much easier to get positive ratings when you exceed someone’s expectations right from the start and continue to do so every step of the way thereafter.

What does this look like?

1. Selling a quality product. Only a product that’s truly worthy of receiving positive reviews will go on to obtain large quantities of them. Don’t cut corners with your product quality and test everything (parts, materials, and packaging) extensively before launching.
   
2. Providing excellent customer service. Communicate with your customers about their orders and continue to update your FAQs as needed. Make sure buyers can reach you if they need assistance and respond quickly. (If you can resolve the problem, ask for a review as soon as possible!)

3. Setting up pricing promotions. A good deal will make anyone happy! Plus, when this happens, buyers often feel more compelled to leave positive reviews as a thank you. Be sure to ramp up your review requests whenever you run a coupon or set up a promotion.
   
4. Finding ways to add extra value. It doesn’t have to be big – a small bonus item, a fun branded sticker, or even a simple handout with helpful product tips or unboxing instructions can instantly paint you in a more favorable light. 

These are also great ways to get more repeat customers.

Turn Negative Reviews Into an Asset

Negative reviews don’t always have to be bad. In many ways, they can actually be a good thing.

Let me explain. 

Say you launch a new product and many of the critical reviews mention a certain product feature. Maybe it’s a flimsy clasp or a faulty zipper.

Instead of bemoaning your bad luck, do something about it! By monitoring your Amazon reviews for key trends among buyers, you can keep a close eye on the performance of your products and make changes as necessary to prevent the same negative ratings in the future.

This could include:

• Editing your product listings: A common reason for poor reviews is misleading or incorrect information in your product listings. Correcting this can produce more satisfied buyers.
• Improving your existing products: Yes, it could cost you, but this is short-term pain for long-term gain.
• Changing suppliers: Negative reviews are helpful for keeping your suppliers accountable. If the problem persists, it may be time to make a change.

Negative reviews –especially those of your competitors– are also helpful for identifying new market opportunities. Buyers often leave product suggestions in their comments, so you could use them to your advantage and create a new (and highly profitable!) product line, kit, or bundle.

It’s important to address negative reviews right away. Amazon does not notify sellers when new customer reviews are published, so you’ll need to watch for them on your own.

Leveraging Amazon review monitoring software like FeedbackFive can be a more efficient way to stay on top of your reviews. The tool continuously monitors all of your products and notifies you when a negative review requires your attention.

Use Amazon’s Contact Customer Feature

Prior to December 2020, Amazon sellers were able to publicly comment on their product reviews. When this feature was suddenly retired, you no longer had a direct line of communication with your buyers, most notably those who left critical reviews. 

But how can you hope to resolve someone’s issue when you can’t properly communicate with them? Amazon introduced the Contact Customer feature in July 2021 as a new solution to that problem.

Available only to Brand Registry sellers, the Contact Customer link lets you send direct messages to buyers who have left critical (1-3 star) reviews with templated Buyer-Seller Messaging emails that offer a courtesy refund or additional customer support.

To use this feature, you must:

1. Navigate to the Customer Reviews page on the Brands dashboard.
2. Filter your reviews by star rating to see eligible 1-3 star reviews.
3. Click the Contact Customer link at the top of the critical review. 
4. Choose your contact reason. Amazon will generate the automated email on your behalf.

The email templates cannot be customized in any way. Negative reviews must also be linked to a verified purchase. 

While this new feature isn’t quite as effective as review commenting, it can help you improve the customer’s experience with your brand. Ideally, the customer will then go on to remove the review or, even better, change it to a positive one.

Does Amazon Remove Negative Reviews?

Speaking of negative reviews, here’s a question I get asked all the time: does Amazon remove negative reviews? Despite what you may read elsewhere (don’t believe all that click-bait!), Amazon will remove reviews for these reasons only:

• If the review conflicted with its Community Guidelines
• If the review was removed by the reviewer
• If multiple products were found to be incorrectly listed as the same product and require the reviews to be separated
• Unusual review behavior has been detected
• Only Amazon Verified Purchase reviews are being accepted at that time

If you suspect a review violation, you can ask Amazon to remove it through the “Report abuse” link on your product page. You can also email Amazon Seller Support at community-help@amazon.com.This can be a lot to keep up with on your own. Thankfully, you don’t have to. Selletek’s negative review removal service can flag questionable negative reviews that meet Amazon’s criteria for removal and file cases with Seller Support on your behalf.

The Perfect Strategy for More Positive Reviews

All of the methods mentioned here are meant to positively influence the types of reviews that your products receive without breaking Amazon protocol. You want how you ask, when you ask, and everything else you do up until that one moment in time to produce the best customer experience as possible. This is how to get positive reviews on Amazon.

It may take some trial and error to get it right, but the results will be worth it. And remember, there is plenty of help available to help streamline the process. 

What is a Dropshipping Business?

Dropshipping is a business model in which ecommerce entrepreneurs sell products without having to carry any inventory. When a store owner receives an order from a customer, they simply contact the supplier, who will then ship the product directly to the customer's door.

It is a great way to start an online business with very little up-front investment, and it's perfect for entrepreneurs who don't have the capital to invest in inventory.

Key Features of an Ecommerce Platform for Dropshipping

When choosing an ecommerce platform for dropshipping, there are certain features you should look for. These features will make it easier to manage your store, process orders, and promote your products.

Here are a few key features you should look for in an ecommerce platform if you're planning on dropshipping:

• Supplier integration: The platform should offer built-in integration with your supplier's inventory, so you can easily add products to your store without having to manually update your inventory.
• Order management: The platform should offer an easy way to manage orders from customers, including tracking information and automated order fulfillment.
• Shipping integration: The platform should offer built-in shipping integration, so you can easily calculate shipping rates and fulfill orders with just a few clicks.
• Payment processing: The platform should offer built-in payment processing, so you can accept credit cards and other payment methods without having to set up a third-party payment processor.
• Marketing tools: The platform should offer built-in marketing tools, so you can easily promote your store and products to potential customers.

Criteria for Selecting the Best Ecommerce Platform for Dropshipping

There are many factors to consider when choosing the best ecommerce platform for dropshipping. You'll need to consider the products you want to sell, the size of your business, and your budget.

Here are the key criteria to keep in mind when selecting an ecommerce platform for dropshipping:

• Product selection: The platform should offer a wide selection of products from suppliers that you can dropship.
• Store size: The platform should be able to accommodate the size of your store, whether you're just starting out or you already have an established business.
• Budget: The platform should be affordable, with plans that fit your budget.
• Ease of use: The platform should be easy to use, even if you're not a tech-savvy person.
• Customer support: The platform should offer excellent customer support if you need help.

Now that you know what to look for in an ecommerce platform for dropshipping, let's take a closer look at some of the best platforms available.

10 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Dropshipping

You have quite a few options when it comes to choosing an ecommerce platform for dropshipping. Some platforms are better suited for small businesses, while others are more suited for larger businesses.Here's a closer look at 10 of the best ecommerce platforms for dropshipping:

1. BigCommerce

It is hard to deny that BigCommerce is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms on the market. And for good reason!

BigCommerce offers a robust feature set, including built-in payment processing, shipping integration, and taxes. Plus, it has a wide range of themes and plugins to choose from, so you can easily customize your store to match your brand.

It also offers 24/7 support and a 90-day money-back guarantee, so you can be sure you're making the best decision for your dropshipping business. With its integration with Spocket, you’ll be able to set up and start your dropshipping store within a few hours.

If you're looking for a powerful ecommerce platform that offers all the features you need to start and grow your business, then BigCommerce is a great choice.

Key Features

• Easy-to-use page builder and editor (no coding knowledge required)
• Fully-customizable themes for all types of dropshipping businesses
• Frictionless checkout options
• Robust security
• Multi-storefront
• Seamless mobile optimization to make your online store mobile-ready
• 70+ native discounts and promotions to attract more sales
• SEO-friendly features to optimize URLs, metadata, and more
• Faceted search options
• Customer groups, price lists, and bulk pricing options for B2B and wholesale businesses
• Multi-currency and multi-lingual selling
• A comprehensive suite of tools from SEO to marketing to analytics

Pros

• Powerful integrations with dropshipping apps like Spocket Dropshipping, Printful, Inventory Source, AliExpress Dropshipping, and more
• 99.9% uptime
• Pre-built WordPress plugin so you can easily turn your WordPress website into a dropshipping ecommerce store
• Option to sell across marketplaces, social media, online-to-offline, etc.
• 24/7 tech support via phone, chat, and ticket with all plans

Cons

• Limits on annual sales of your ecommerce store
• May seem expensive for some dropshipping businesses

Pricing

• It offers a 15-day free trial.
• Standard plan: $29.95/month
• Plus plan: $79.95/month
• Pro plan: $299.95/month

Enterprise plan: You can request custom pricing from their sales team or by calling them at 1-866-991-0872.

2. Shopify

Shopify is the perfect platform for dropshipping businesses because it is easy to use and it has a wide range of features that make setting up and managing your store easier. It also helps you connect with suppliers from US/UK and Chinese markets.

Being one of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the market, Shopify also has a large community of users who can offer advice and support when you need it. Additionally, there are many Shopify themes and apps available that can help you improve your store’s design and functionality.

What’s more?

Shopify has a 14-day free trial so you can try it out before committing to a paid plan.However, Shopify comes with a drawback. It charges transaction fees, which may cost you a lot of money if you get a large number of orders. In that case, you may want to consider using its alternatives instead.

Key Features

• 70+ storefront themes
• Easy to start (no learning curve)
• Multiple sales channels supported
• Discount codes and gift cards to encourage shopping
• Social media marketing and social commerce
• Multi-lingual and multi-currency support
• Abandoned cart recovery functionality

Pros

• Beginner-friendly ecommerce platform
• It directly connects you to vendors who will stock and ship products for you through dropshipping apps like Spocket (US & EU Dropshipping), SuperSDS Amazon Dropshipping, etc.
• Niche-specific dropshipping apps such as Blingy for jewelry or Printful for custom-made printed products
• Integration with Oberlo app that provides insights into supplier ratings, wholesale prices, shipping methods, etc.
• 24/7 support team
• Lightning-fast website speed

Cons

• Limited SEO functionality
• Monthly fees plus transaction fees for every order completed by a payment method other than Shopify Payments

Pricing

• It offers a 14-day free trial.
• Basic plan: $29/month
• Shopify plan: $79/month
• Advanced plan: $299/month
• Shopify Plus plan: $2000/month

3. WooCommerce

If you're looking for the best ecommerce platform for dropshipping, WooCommerce could be the answer. It's free and it integrates seamlessly with WordPress, making it easy to set up and manage your store.

Plus, there are plenty of add-ons and extensions available to make WooCommerce even more powerful. Like, there is a plugin that can help you import AliExpress products with one click and another one for managing your suppliers.

Being an open-source platform, WooCommerce doesn’t have any rules about what you can sell and what not. On the other hand, platforms like Shopify restrict you from selling marijuana and hair extensions.

Key Features

• Limitless WordPress themes supported
• Local suppliers dropshipping and fulfillment
• Shipment tracking and flat shipping rate setting
• Quick product search
• Free and paid plugins and extensions to add functionality to your dropshipping store
• Automated order tracking
• Powerful built-in SEO features
• Automated tax calculations
• Quick inventory import from suppliers
• Bulk import AliExpress products

Pros

• WooCommerce Dropshipping includes AliExpress integration and Amazon Affiliate support
• Supports WooCommerce plugins to add ecommerce functionality
• Supports dropshipping plugins like Spocket, Spreadr, DropshipMe, AliDropship, WooDropship, etc.
• Endless flexibility and scalability
• Free to download and install
• Large community to get support

Cons

• WooCommerce Dropshipping plugin is comparatively expensive so you should consider installing another third-party dropshipping plugin for your WooCommerce store

Pricing

• Free to use, open-source ecommerce platform
• Pay for required paid plugins and extensions
• Pay $79/annum for WooCommerce Dropshipping that comes with 1-year extension updates, 1-year support, and 30-day money-back guarantee

Check out my comparison guides to understand where WooCommerce stands against ecommerce platforms like BigCommerce and Shopify.

4. Magento (now Adobe Commerce)

Both Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce (now, Adobe Commerce) are great choices for dropshipping.

While Magento is a bit more complex and expensive than WooCommerce, it's also more flexible and scalable. However, it requires a great learning curve and might not be suitable for beginners.

You should only consider using it if you’re a programmer yourself or you are ready to hire a developer to work on your dropshipping store. If you are not ready to handle the technicality of using Magento, check out the best alternatives.

On the other hand, if you’re ready to pay for the Adobe Commerce Pro plan (Magento Commerce), you can enjoy the ease of use that platforms like BigCommerce and Shopify offer. You will get plenty of features and options out of the box, and tons of extensions that will let you add even more functionality to your dropshipping store.

Key Features

• Configurable products from AliExpress, Amazon, etc. via dropshipping extensions (including product variations, images, and reviews)
• Intuitive backend interface
• Configurable shipping prices
• Advanced SEO features
• Adobe Commerce dropshipping extensions like Magesore, Webkul, WebShopApps, etc.
• Built-in marketing features

Pros

• Easy to scale up your dropshipping store
• Dropshipping extensions like Magento 2 Dropship extension by Webkul and Dropshipping via Amasty
• Large community and contributors who can support you in times of need
• Open Source version doesn’t cost you anything, which means you can start your dropshipping store without any additional cost

Cons

• Open-source version requires some coding expertise to set up your online store and has an extensive learning curve
• License costs money

Pricing

• Magento Open Source is completely free to use.
• Magento Commerce (now Adobe Commerce) is a premium version. Contact its team for pricing details of the Adobe Commerce Pro plan.

5. Wix

Wix is a great choice for dropshipping, especially if you're just starting out. I found it to be simple and easy to use, and it doesn't require any prior coding experience or technical knowledge.

Plus, it's free to get started, which is a great option for budget-minded entrepreneurs like myself. It also offers a wide range of templates and designs to choose from, so you can find one that fits your unique brand and style.

Wix lets you connect with the Modalyst marketplace to find and source products and ship them directly to your customers. You can explore products by brand names, product categories, and trending items when sourcing products for your online store.

It also lets you customize product images and descriptions based on your brand and website aesthetics. However, I found that it wasn’t as powerful or flexible as Magento, and it doesn't offer as many features or options.

Key Features

• 500+ professional online store templates
• Offer up to 50000 products
• Source products from the Modalyst marketplace
• Set price markups based on suppliers’ prices
• Custom product images to meet your brand’s aesthetics
• Continually update your site as per suppliers’ pricing and inventory
• Automated order confirmation, shipping, and thank you emails
• Automated taxation
• Multiple sales channels – online, mobile, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon Shops
• Multi-lingual storefront
• Fully-customizable shopping cart
• End-to-end fulfillment

Pros

• Easy to use and simple to set up
• Free to get started
• Wide range of features and options
• No prior coding experience or technical knowledge required
• 24/7 support

Cons

• Limited storage capacity
• Limited customization options

Pricing

• Business Basic plan: $24/month
• Business Unlimited plan: $36/month
• Business VIP plan: $53/month

6. Shift4Shop

Formerly called 3dcart, Shift4Shop is a great choice for dropshipping if you're looking for a robust, feature-rich platform that's specifically designed for businesses of all sizes.

It offers a wide range of features and options, such as fraud detection and prevention, A/B testing, built-in SEO tools, and abandoned cart recovery. Plus, it's easy to use and comes with 24/7 customer support, so you can always get the help you need. 

However, it's not as popular as some of the other platforms on this list, so you might have trouble finding themes and plugins specifically designed for Shift4Shop.

Key Features

• Built-in CRM for customer relationship management
• Automated emails to suppliers about new orders
• Easy order management
• Update product information on your store from the marketplace

Pros

• Affordable pricing plans
• Built-in features for dropshipping services
• No additional transaction costs
• Integrates with multiple dropshipping plugins like AliExpress, Doba, Inventory Source, Printful, etc.

Cons

• Complex to use
• Quite expensive if you don’t qualify for its free plan
• Limited themes and templates

Pricing

• Offers a free plan but you need to qualify for it. Contact its team for more details about this plan.
• Basic plan: $29/month for up to 2 staff members
• Plus plan: $79/month for up to 5 staff users
• Pro plan: $299/month for up to 15 staff users
• End-to-End Ecommerce plan: $0 (a pro-level enterprise-grade plan)

7. Volusion

Volusion is a great ecommerce platform for dropshipping because it is easy to use and I found that it was super quick and easy to get started. It offers a wide range of features, including integrated payment processing, automatic order tracking, and a built-in marketplace.

It makes it easy to integrate multiple suppliers, which makes it a great platform for dropshipping businesses of all sizes. I just had to install the Fulfillment Services app from the Integrations menu to get started.

Using this fulfillment app, you can integrate your dropshipping store with AliExpress, Doba, Alibaba, and other dropshipping platforms.

Key Features

• Mobile-friendly themes
• Customizable layouts
• Logo and favicon uploads
• Product and category pages
• Advanced search functionality
• HTML/CSS editor access that makes it a developer-friendly ecommerce platform
• Homepage slideshow to highlight discounts and products
• Abandoned cart messaging
• ROI tracking
• Coupons and discounts

Pros

• 24/7 customer support
• Powerful integrations with Amazon, PayPal, etc.
• 99.9% uptime
• Cross-selling functionality

Cons

• 1.25% platform transaction fees
• Personal plan provides limited online support only.
• Product limits if you don’t upgrade to its Business plan that costs $299/month.

Pricing

• It offers a 14-day free trial.
• Personal plan: $35/month
• Professional plan: $79/month
• Business plan: $299/month
• Prime plan: Cost varies based on (gross merchandise value) GMV

8. Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the most affordable ecommerce platforms to start your dropshipping store. It easily integrates with and lets you source and sell products through Spocket or Printful.

While Spocket lets you dropship products from US/EU-based suppliers, Printful lets you supply custom-printed products such as t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and more.

That’s not a big deal if your target market is in the US, but if you’re looking to dropship to an international audience, then you might want a platform that gives you more control over shipping methods and taxes.

Squarespace is also a fully hosted platform, which means that you don’t have to worry about hosting fees or server maintenance. And, it has some of the best-looking themes and templates out of all the ecommerce platforms.

While Squarespace is a great platform to start a dropshipping business, there are a few downsides to using it. I found that it was not as customizable as other ecommerce platforms on this list, which might be a problem if you want to add custom functionality to your store.

Also, I found that Squarespace doesn’t have as many integrations as other dropshipping platforms, which means that you might have to use workarounds to connect your store to the apps and services you need.

Key Features

• Aesthetically-pleasing themes, designer fonts
• Sell subscriptions and digital content
• Simple payment and checkout options
• Email list building features
• Effortless order management
• Integrations with PayPal, Stripe, etc.
• Squarespace Video Studio app to help you grow your audience

Pros

• Easy for beginners to use
• Dropshipping apps available for easy integration
• Affordably priced
• Free unlimited hosting
• Top-of-the-line security
• 24/7 personalized support via email or live chat

Cons

• Limited customization options
• Limited dropshipping supplier options (just Spocket and Printful)

Pricing

• Personal plan: $23/month
• Business plan: $33/month
• Basic Commerce plan: $36/month
• Advanced Commerce plan: $65/month+

9. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is another good open-source ecommerce platform for your dropshipping business. It is known for its user-friendliness and customization options.

Though this ecommerce platform doesn’t require you to be a technical expert, I found that I still needed some coding knowledge to set up an online store. If you aren’t capable of it, it’s best to hire a developer or pick another platform on this list.

PrestaShop offers multiple built-in SEO and marketing tools to boost the performance of your dropshipping store, which will help you get more orders and revenue. You can choose from multiple one-click installation-friendly themes for your store.You will get many dropshipping modules from the PrestaShop modules store. Pick the ones that seem most reliable and you can start sourcing, organizing, and selling products online right away.

Key Features

• Import bulk products from the marketplace using Dropshipping PrestaShop Modules
• Import unlimited products
• Automatically update products on your store
• Send new order updates to suppliers
• Discounts
• Built-in SEO features
• Add-ons modules for added functionality
• Advanced statistics

Pros

• Open-source platform, which means that it is free to download and use (but you still need to pay for hosting, developer cost, and dropshipping extensions and plugins)
• Large community that can support you
• Simplified payments with PayPal, Stripe, Mailchimp, and 50+ payment gateways
• 22 PrestaShop Dropshipping modules such as Dropshipping Bigbuy, AliExpress Dropshipping, Amazon Dropshipping, Dropshipping BTSWholesaler, etc.

Cons

• Limited suppliers integration (most of them are from AliExpress)

Pricing

• Free to use
• Pay for hosting and dropshipping extensions and plugins

10. OpenCart

OpenCart is an ecommerce platform that’s perfect for dropshipping businesses. It’s easy to use, and it comes with all the features you need to run a successful online store. Plus, it’s free!

It offers multiple free and paid plugins and themes for dropshipping businesses, so you can find the perfect one for your needs. You also get 24/7 support from a team of experts via email and tickets, which will make it easy for you to get started with OpenCart.

Key Features

• 13000+ modules and themes
• Multi-store management
• Product variables addition options
• Bulk edit products and categories
• Built-in affiliate system
• Discount and coupons
• Administrative dashboard that lets you see everything in one place
• Multilingual support

Pros

• Open-source ecommerce platform
• Community support
• No monthly fees
• Dedicated technical support
• Integrates with dropshipping apps and extensions like Dropshipping/Dropshipper Management [Advanced], OpenCart Dropshipping App (AliExpress and Amazon), Opencart DHgate Dropship Management, etc.

Cons

• Spend money on essential add-ons

Pricing

• Free to use, no monthly fees

Comparison of the Best Ecommerce Platforms for Dropshipping

FAQs

Are You Ready to Find Your Ideal Dropshipping Platform?

Dropshipping is a great business model for entrepreneurs who are looking to start an online business with very little up-front investment. When choosing an ecommerce platform for dropshipping, it's important to consider the size of your business, the products you want to sell, and your budget.

In this post, I discussed the key features, pros, and cons of the top 10 ecommerce platforms for dropshipping. I hope this will help you narrow down your choices and find the best platform for your business.

If you're still not sure which platform is right for you, I recommend trying one or two platforms for free and see which one you like best. BigCommerce and Shopify both offer free trials, so you can test them out without risking any money.

What are you waiting for? Start dropshipping today!

Why is SEO So Important for Ecommerce Websites?

Almost any ecommerce business owner will tell you that generating traffic to their website is a top priority. After all, without visitors, there would be no sales or customers. One of the best ways to drive traffic to an ecommerce site is through search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO is the process of optimizing a website for Google search with the goal of earning higher web traffic levels and improving the visibility of the site. Investing in SEO offers many benefits for an ecommerce website, which include:

• Generating more organic traffic
• Better ROI, often more than what other marketing channels like paid advertising offer
• Increased brand awareness and credibility
• Building a long-term asset that continues to pay dividends even after the initial investment has been made

Given all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that ecommerce businesses are investing more in SEO than ever before. If you’re looking to get started with SEO for your ecommerce website, you should start by finding the right platform. 

Features to Consider in SEO Ecommerce Platforms

Not all ecommerce platforms are created equal when it comes to SEO, so it’s important to choose one that has the features you need to succeed. Some of the most essential features to look for include:

• A platform that is built with SEO in mind
• The ability to customize titles, metatags, and URLs
• Faster site speed, which means lower page load times (consider picking a self-hosted platform)
• Canonical website URLs
• Indexing control
• Customizable HTML
• A sitemap generator
• Integration with Google Analytics
• Product tagging and categorization
• Batch uploading
• Mobile optimization
• Built-in blogging and content marketing features
• Social sharing buttons

These are just a few of the features you should look for in an ecommerce platform to make sure it’s SEO-friendly. In addition, you should also consider the overall user experience of the platform as well as its price.

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Platform for Your SEO Needs

When it comes to ecommerce platforms, there are a lot of options out there. So, how do you know which one is best for your SEO needs?

Here are some things to keep in mind when making your decision:

• The platform’s ability to generate traffic: The platform you choose should be able to generate a lot of traffic to your site. Otherwise, what’s the point?
• The platform’s ability to convert traffic: Once you have visitors on your site, you need to be able to convert them into customers using high-converting pages. Make sure the platform you choose has features that will help you do this. For example, a platform that offers abandoned cart recovery or product recommendations is a good choice.
• The platform’s ability to scale: As your business grows, you’ll need a platform that can grow with you. Make sure the platform you choose has the features and flexibility you need to expand your business so that you don’t have to switch platforms down the road.
• The platform’s SEO features: This is, of course, one of the most important factors to consider. Make sure the platform you choose has all the SEO features you need to get your products seen by potential customers.
• The platform’s price: Don’t forget to consider the cost of the platform when making your decision. You should be able to find a platform that fits your budget.

So, those are some things to keep in mind when choosing an ecommerce platform for your SEO needs. Do your research and choose the platform that’s right for you.

List of the 9 Best Ecommerce Platforms for SEO

Now that you know what to look for in an ecommerce platform, it’s time to take a look at some of the best options out there. Here are my top picks:

1. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a platform that helps businesses create and manage their online stores. It offers a lot of features that make it a good choice for SEO, including abandoned cart recovery, product recommendations, and a blog.

It's considered the most-trusted B2B and B2C ecommerce solution by IDC, Forrester, and Gartner and it also has an app store that offers additional features, such as email marketing and social media tools.

The only downside is that its plans can be on the expensive side. But if you're serious about SEO, BigCommerce is definitely worth considering.

If you want to learn more about it, also check out my detailed review of this ecommerce platform here.

Key Features

• Page builder with visual editor
• Fully-customizable themes
• Open APIs, SDKs, and data
• 70+ native discounts and promotions
• Customizable, SEO-friendly URLs
• Faceted search
• Multi-storefront and cross-channel selling
• Social commerce
• Automated in-store sales tracking with POS systems
• Inventory management solutions
• Customer segmentation and bulk pricing options for B2B businesses
• Out-of-the-box metadata and robots.txt editing
• Automatic 301 redirects and URL rewrites
• Multi-currency and multilingual support
• Real-time reporting

Pros

• Offers the flexibility and scalability that your ecommerce site needs
• Essential back office integrations
• Robust security
• 99.9% uptime
• Seamless WordPress integration
• Blazing-fast site speed with Google Cloud platform infrastructure
• Scalable catalog
• No additional transaction fees, even with a third-party payment gateway
• 24/7 tech support via phone, chat, and ticket with all plans

Cons

• A bit more pricey than other ecommerce SEO platforms on this list
• Limits on annual sales

Pricing

• They offer a 15-day free trial
• Standard plan: $29.95/month
• Plus plan: $79.95/month
• Pro plan: $299.95/month

Enterprise plan: Contact their sales team or call 1-866-991-0872 for custom pricing

2. Shopify

Shopify is an excellent choice for ecommerce businesses of all sizes, but it's especially well-suited for those just getting started. That's because they offer an easy-to-use platform with lots of built-in SEO features that are helpful for SEO, such as an abandoned cart recovery system and the ability to add alt text to images.

Shopify has some limitations regarding advanced SEO features. For example, you may need the help of a developer to adjust your internal link structure. But their support team is always willing to help you troubleshoot any issues.

The biggest downside of Shopify is that its transaction fees can add up quickly so you may want to consider its alternatives. But if you're just starting out, the ease of use that Shopify brings is hard to beat.

Key Features

• 70+ storefront themes
• Built-in mobile commerce shopping cart
• A number of sales channels supported, including social media and online marketplaces
• Easy inventory management
• Manual order creation
• Discount codes
• Free SSL certificate
• Abandoned cart recovery emails
• Gift cards
• Customer segmentation options
• Automated email marketing workflows and templates
• Ecommerce automation features
• Multilingual and multi-currency support to run your business worldwide

Pros

• Ease of use
• Add an unlimited number of products even with its Basic plan
• Lots of built-in SEO features
• Perfect for novice businesses
• Top blogging features
• Fast speed
• Seamless Google Analytics integration

Cons

• Its transaction fees can add up quickly, which makes it expensive for heavy-traffic-and-sales stores.
• Doesn’t let you edit robots.txt file

Pricing

• Basic plan: $29/month
• Shopify plan: $79/month
• Advanced plan: $299/month
• Shopify Plus plan: $2000/month
• A 14-day free trial available

Also read where Shopify stands against BigCommerce in the race of the top ecommerce platforms in the market.

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is one of the most popular open-source ecommerce platforms on the internet and is used by millions of online stores. It is great for SEO because it is easy to use and has a lot of features that can help you improve your website's ranking in search engines.

It has a built-in sitemap feature that makes it easy for Google to index your products and it also allows you to customize your title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs to optimize your pages for specific keywords.

Another great thing about WooCommerce is that it is constantly being updated with new features and improvements that can help you further improve your website's SEO.

And the best part?

You can easily integrate it with your existing WordPress website using the WooCommerce plugin. So if you're looking to take your online store to the next level, then WooCommerce is a great choice.

Key Features

• Fully customizable with hundreds of free and paid plugins and extensions
• Configurable shipping options
• Automated tax calculations
• Endless product variations and product bundles options
• Subscription options for digital products
• Custom URLs
• Access to robots.txt file
• Multi-lingual and multi-currency support
• Marketing options using Google Shopping, Facebook promotions, and email marketing
• Built-in blogging feature
• Automatic sitemap generation
• Built-in support for Google Rich Snippets

Pros

• Open-source platform
• Flexible and secure payments using 140 region-specific gateways such as WooCommerce Payments, Stripe, PayPal, etc.
• Developer-friendly site builder that uses a REST API
• Advantages of seamless integration with WordPress
• No fee on transactions beyond that of the payment service provider
• Extensive documentation and open development community

Cons

• Requires a bit of technical knowledge
• Specific to WordPress websites
• You may end up spending a lot of money to add multiple plugins

Pricing

• Free to use, open-source ecommerce platform. However, you’ll need to pay for a domain name, WordPress hosting, and an SSL certificate.
• Free and paid plugins and extensions to add ecommerce functionality and SEO features to your online store

To improve your site’s SEO, you can easily install and use WordPress plugins like Yoast SEO. Using the Jetpack plugin can help you increase the speed of your WooCommerce store, which will further help improve its SEO results.

Considering whether you should choose WooCommerce or BigCommerce or Shopify?

Read these comparison posts I did to help you understand the key differences between these platforms: WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce and WooCommerce vs. Shopify.

4. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)

Formerly known as Magento, Adobe Commerce has been a heavy hitter in the ecommerce world for some time. It’s now part of Adobe Experience Cloud, which gives it access to other Adobe tools like Adobe Target and Adobe Analytics.

As an ecommerce platform, it offers a ton of features out of the box like product categorization and management, shopping cart functionality, order management, and more. It’s also a very popular choice for enterprise-level businesses due to its scalability and for developers, due to its flexibility.

Adobe Commerce is a great choice for businesses that are looking for an ecommerce platform that can help them optimize their store for search engines. That's because it lets you create custom URLs for your products, optimize your product pages with metatags and rich snippets, and even set up 301 redirects to manage any broken links.

If you're serious about SEO and don’t mind paying a bit more for it, then Adobe Commerce is a great pick for a self-hosted ecommerce platform.

The downside is that it can be quite technical and there's a learning curve. But if you're willing to put in the time, Adobe Commerce can definitely be worth considering.

Key Features

• Easy-to-use page builder and drag-and-drop tools
• Image optimization features
• Product recommendations
• Real-time inventory and order management
• Custom catalogs and price lists for B2B selling
• Performance monitoring tools and data analysis features
• Automatic data backup
• Scale your ecommerce store with AWS and Azure
• AI-powered live search for faster results
• Customer account management
• Automated visual reports to help you understand important data easily
• Cloud-based deployment for better efficiency
• Unified payment solution to let users pay via debit and credit cards, PayPal, and more

Pros

• Integrated search engine optimization (SEO) tools
• Faster support response time
• Increased customization available using extensions and third-party integrations
• Integrations with Adobe products like Creative Cloud, Analytics, etc.
• Seamless mobile optimization for app-like experiences
• Secured commerce data
• Multi-channel commerce
• Better developer experience and tooling
• Faster ecommerce platform, even for stores with heavy catalogs and high transaction volumes

Cons

• Requires technical knowledge to build an ecommerce site using Magento
• Not as user-friendly as many other ecommerce platforms on this list

Pricing

• Adobe Commerce Pro plan: Contact its team for pricing details.

If you want to customize your ecommerce store to the max by hiring a professional developer, Adobe Commerce can be your best choice. However, there are other Magento alternatives too, that can be worth trying out.

5. Squarespace

Squarespace is great for ecommerce because it has built-in features that make it easy to create and manage your online store. For example, you can add products easily, set up payment processing, and track your sales data.

You can not only use it to sell physical goods but also build a site for a restaurant or salon that wants to book appointments or sell a subscription-based service that needs to manage recurring payments.

Plus, if you want to get more traffic to your store, Squarespace has built-in tools to help with search engine optimization (SEO). For example, you can control how your site appears in the SERPs, automate generating sitemaps, add meta tags to each page, and more.

Whether you’re just getting started with ecommerce or you’re looking to take your business to the next level, this ecommerce platform for SEO is definitely worth considering.

If you're not sure where to start, Squarespace offers a number of templates specifically designed for creating beautiful online stores that will engage your customers.

Key Features

• Easy-to-customize website templates, color palettes, and more for every purpose
• Complete customization with CSS and JavaScript
• Appointment booking options
• Subscription options
• Set up on-brand email campaigns and use social tools
• Social media image monitoring
• Custom clean URLs
• Canonical tags
• Structured data and automatic markups
• SSL security
• Mobile-friendly ecommerce sites
• Automatically generated SEO‑friendly pages with static URLs for all products
• A dedicated SEO panel with a built-in search preview tool
• Flexible shipping options based on a flat rate, product weight based, and more
• Easy-to-use tax tools
• Basic and advanced website tracking metrics
• Squarespace extensions
• Commerce APIs
• Accept payments from Stripe, PayPal, credit cards
• Multi-currency support

Pros

• Free custom domain
• Fully-managed cloud hosting
• Great security
• Built-in SEO features such as default SEO titles and meta descriptions for every page, option to hide a page from search engines, automated sitemaps, etc.
• Direct integration with Google Search Console and Google My Business
• 24/7 support
• Google Ads credits

Cons

• No phone support

Pricing

• Personal plan: $23/month
• Business plan: $33/month
• Basic Commerce plan: $36/month
• Advanced Commerce plan: $65/month

6. Shift4Shop (formerly 3dcart)

Shift4Shop is the best ecommerce platform for SEO because it offers a number of features that are designed to help your store rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). It creates automatic sitemaps that help search engines index your site more quickly and easily and also offers built-in support for popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.

In addition, this ecommerce platform provides detailed analytics so that you can track your progress and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. 

Key Features

• Powerful and intuitive website builder
• Mobile-friendly and SEO-friendly templates
• Editable HTML and CSS files
• XML Sitemap builder
• Custom URLs and 301 redirection tools with 404 auto-detect
• Product and order management
• SEO-friendly features
• Social media marketing tools
• Fast and convenient payments
• PCI compliant hosted ecommerce platform
• Built-in marketing tools like daily discounts, group deals, etc.
• Cart abandonment recovery tools
• Customizable meta tags, page titles, and H1 headings
• PageSpeed optimized
• Google AMP for products
• SEO-friendly navigation with breadcrumb links
• Canonical website URLs
• Control of Robots.txt file
• Google Analytics integration
• Built-in blog
• Targeted email marketing system

Pros

• Unlimited products, users, and bandwidth
• AI-driven fraud protection
• Free migration of your current ecommerce website
• Real-time shipping and credit card processing capabilities
• Dedicated ecommerce support team and hands-on assistance
• Free SSL certificate
• Free domain name registration
• No additional transaction fees

Cons

• Many users found it too complicated or difficult to use.
• Quite expensive if you don’t qualify for its free plan

Pricing

• Basic plan: $29/month for up to 2 staff members
• Plus plan: $79/month for up to 5 staff users
• Pro plan: $299/month for up to 15 staff users
• End-to-End Ecommerce plan: $0 (a pro-level enterprise-grade plan)

If you don’t qualify for the free plan, this ecommerce platform can be quite expensive. Contact their team for more details.

7. OpenCart

OpenCart is another ecommerce platform that offers SEO-friendly features. If you're interested in building an SEO-optimized ecommerce store, its Bootstrap framework will give you a solid foundation to work with. Plus, its extensive documentation will help you get started quickly and easily.

What makes it the best ecommerce SEO platform is its ability to let you customize almost every aspect of your website. This includes the URL structure, title tags, meta descriptions, and more. Plus, with OpenCart's built-in SEO module, you can easily manage all your SEO settings from one central location.

If you're looking for an ecommerce platform that offers powerful SEO features and is easy to use, OpenCart is a great option.

Key Features

• Powerful store management capabilities
• 13000+ modules and themes
• Extensions for added functionality
• Integrations with popular payment gateways and shipping methods
• Admin dashboard with user management
• Multi-store management
• Product variables addition options
• Built-in affiliate system
• Update and bulk edit products, categories, and more
• Discount and coupons
• Easy backup and restoration features
• Multilingual support

Pros

• Open-source ecommerce platform for SEO
• Community support and dedicated support
• No monthly fees
• Fewer plugins than other self-hosted platforms

Cons

• May need to pay for some essential add-ons
• Canonical issues

Pricing

• No monthly fees

8. Volusion

Volusion is one of the oldest ecommerce platforms available today. Founded in 1999, Volusion has been around longer than most of its competitors. That experience shows in its feature set and overall stability.

It is also one of the user-friendliest ecommerce platforms for SEO. Its built-in features and flexible code make it easy to optimize your store for search engines. In addition, Volusion's customer support is excellent and they offer a free 14-day trial so you can try it before you buy.

If you're looking for an ecommerce platform that is easy to use and optimize for SEO, Volusion is a great option. Their long history in the industry and commitment to customer satisfaction makes them a platform you can trust.

Key Features

• Mobile responsive themes
• Powerful storefront builder and drag-and-drop editing tools
• Inventory and stock management
• Unlimited product options
• Built-in SEO management
• CRM system
• Social media integrations
• Abandoned cart reports
• SEO-managed category pages with sub-categories
• Advanced site search tools
• HTML and CSS editor
• Order replenishment
• Subscription-based products

Pros

• Seamless checkout experiences
• 24/7 customer support
• Powerful apps and integrations with Amazon, PayPal, and more
• Support from in-house ecommerce marketing and SEO experts
• 99.9% uptime
• Custom firewall settings

Cons

• 1.25% platform transaction fees

Pricing

• A 14-day free trial
• Personal plan: $35/month
• Professional plan: $79/month
• Business plan: $299/month
• Prime plan: Cost varies based on GMV (gross merchandise value)

9. Wix

Wix is one of the best ecommerce SEO platforms that lets you easily create a beautiful website that is optimized for search engines. With Wix, you can edit your website's title and meta tags. Its built-in keyword research tool can help you find the best keywords for your website.

In addition, Wix lets you create custom URLs for your website's pages and blog posts. This can help you improve your website's SEO.

Wix also offers a free plan that includes unlimited storage and bandwidth, and all the features you need to get started with SEO. You can upgrade to a paid plan if you need more advanced features and support.

Key Features

• 500+ free professional online store templates
• Built-in keyword research tool
• Custom URLs, titles, and meta descriptions
• Canonical tags
• Structured data markup
• Robots.txt file access
• Bulk 301 redirects
• Instant Google indexing
• Multi-channel sales
• Subscription model for recurring revenue
• Order management and fulfillment
• Inventory tracking and management
• SEO-optimized, multilingual storefront
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Tax automation tools

Pros

• Unlimited storage and bandwidth
• 24/7 support
• Automated Facebook and Instagram Ad campaigns
• Automatically created SEO patterns applied across product pages for better search engine rankings
• Limitless customization with APIs
• Top-grade hosting for free
• Secure online payments
• Free domain for one year
• Get an actionable SEO setup plan
• Google Search Console integration

Cons

• Limited storage with all plans

Pricing

• Business Basic plan: $24/month
• Business Unlimited plan: $36/month
• Business VIP plan: $53/month

Comparison of Best Ecommerce Platforms for SEO

The Key SEO Factors (Explained)

SEO is a complex and ever-changing field, but there are a few key factors that have remained constant over the years. Here are some of the most important SEO factors to keep in mind when optimizing your ecommerce site:

• Relevancy: Perhaps the most important factor in SEO is relevancy. Your content must be relevant to the keywords you are targeting. If you are selling shoes, your content must be about shoes. You can’t rank for a keyword if your content is not about that keyword.
• Keyword density: In addition to relevancy, your content must also include the target keywords at a reasonable density. This means that the keywords should appear often enough to be noticed by the search engines, but not so often that it appears spammy.
• Title tags and meta descriptions: The title tag and meta description are what appear in the search results, so it’s important to make sure they are keyword-rich and compelling.
• URL structure: Your URLs should be short, descriptive, and include the target keywords.
• Image optimization: Optimizing your images can help you rank higher in the search results. Make sure to include relevant keywords in the file names and alt text.

FAQs

Build Your Ecommerce Site on the Best Platform

Now that you know how important SEO is for ecommerce websites and the features to look for when choosing an ecommerce platform, it’s time to start building your site on the best platform for SEO. 

I hope this guide has given you enough information about the nine best ecommerce platforms for SEO to help make your decision easier. All of the platforms listed here are great choices that will give you the ability to rank highly in search engines and drive more traffic to your site.

If you’re still not sure which platform is right for you or if you have any other questions about SEO and ecommerce, feel free to leave a comment below or contact me directly. I’d be happy to help you out.

A multi-vendor marketplace is an online platform that allows multiple sellers to sell their products or services. Customers can browse and purchase from any of the sellers on the site. Multi-vendor marketplaces are similar to online shopping malls, but with a wider range of services and products available.

How Do Multi-Vendor Marketplaces Work?

Multi-vendor ecommerce platforms can be a clever way for businesses to expand their reach and increase their sales. But how do they work?
At its most basic, a multi-vendor ecommerce platform is simply an online marketplace where multiple sellers can list and sell their products. Buyers can browse the listings and purchase items from the sellers of their choice.

Typically, the platform itself handles all of the back-end logistics, such as processing payments, managing inventory, and handling customer service. This makes it much easier for businesses to set up and operate an online store without having to worry about all of the details.

What Are the Different Types of Multi-Vendor Marketplaces?

There are three main types of multi-vendor marketplaces: Product-based and niche-based. In either of the categories, the platforms can be B2B or B2C. Let’s explore both of them in this section.

Product-Based Multi-Vendor Marketplaces

Product-based multi-vendor marketplaces sell physical goods, such as clothes, electronics, or furniture. Service-based multi-vendor marketplaces sell services, such as home repairs, pet sitting, or car detailing.

Some of the most popular product-based multivendor marketplaces include Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba. These marketplaces have become incredibly popular due to the vast selection of products that they offer and the competitive prices that sellers can list their products for.

Niche-Based Multi-Vendor Marketplaces

Some multi-vendor marketplaces focus on a specific niche, such as vintage clothing or handmade goods. A niche marketplace is a platform that focuses on a specific niche, such as art, books, fashion, home décor, or electronics. Niche marketplaces offer buyers a curated selection of products from multiple sellers in one place.

An example of a niche marketplace would be Etsy. They have a wide range of collections of vintage or handmade items as well as craft supplies.

Service-based multivendor marketplaces are online platforms that allow businesses to offer their services to a wider audience. These marketplaces provide a convenient way for businesses to find new customers and build their brands.

Some of the most popular service-based multivendor marketplaces include Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.com. These marketplaces allow businesses to offer a wide range of services, including web design, SEO, social media marketing, and much more.

Why Multi-Vendor Ecommerce Marketplaces Are Popular

The internet has changed the way we shop. No longer are we limited to the stores in our immediate vicinity. We can now order anything we want from anywhere in the world and have it delivered right to our doorstep.

However, this newfound freedom comes with its own set of challenges. With so many choices available, it can be difficult to know where to start. And even when you find what you're looking for, there's no guarantee that it will be the best quality or the best price.

Competitive Prices

Another benefit of marketplaces is that they provide a level of competition that can drive down prices. With multiple businesses selling similar products, marketplaces often have lower prices than brick-and-mortar stores. 

This is because businesses are competing with each other to attract buyers, and they need to offer competitive prices to do so.

Diverse Selection of Products

One of the benefits of marketplaces is that they offer a diversity of products. Because there are multiple businesses selling on the platform, each with their own inventory, consumers can find a greater variety of products than they would at a single store. 

This is especially beneficial for businesses that sell niche or hard-to-find products.

Wider Reach

Another reason why multi-vendor marketplaces are becoming more popular is that they provide an opportunity for small businesses to reach a wider audience. In the past, these businesses may have only had a local customer base. 

But now, with a global marketplace at their fingertips, they can sell their products and services to anyone in the world.

More Convenient

Marketplaces also offer convenience for both businesses and consumers. For businesses, they provide a single platform to sell on, which saves them the time and expense of setting up their own website or online store. 

And for consumers, they offer a one-stop shop for all their shopping needs, which saves them the time and effort of visiting multiple websites. 

What does the future hold for multi-vendor marketplaces? Only time will tell. But one thing is for sure: they're here to stay.

Which Features Should You Look for in a Multi-Vendor Ecommerce Platform?

When it comes to setting up an online store, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important is choosing the right ecommerce tool, plugin, or platform. 

A good multi-vendor ecommerce platform will have all the features you need to build a successful online store.

Here are some of the features to look for in a multi-vendor ecommerce platform:

1. Multi-Vendor Control

If you're a vendor, you need to be choosy about which platform you use. Why? Because not all platforms are created equal when it comes to multi-vendor control.

What is multi-vendor control? It's the ability of a platform to give vendors the power to manage their own products, pricing, and inventory. Without this control, vendors are at the mercy of the platform owner. And that's not a good place to be.

It creates a level playing field for all sellers. When each seller has their own unique store within the marketplace, they are able to control their own stock, prices, and promotions. 

This not only makes it easier for customers to find what they're looking for, but also allows vendors to better compete with one another.

Ideally, a good multi-vendor platform will give you control over the following things:

• Individual inventory management
• Shipping
• Payment options
• Discounts
• Product change
• Automatic splitting of orders

2. Detailed Reporting Options

Vendors will require access to information and data regarding their sales and company. The data and graphs accessible through the backend will help vendors better understand sales patterns, allowing them to perform more effective marketing of their business. As a result, multi-vendor ecommerce platforms must have a strong reporting mechanism.

To all vendors and merchants operating within the platform, a multi-vendor ecommerce platform should be able to provide the following information:

• Information about top-rated and best-selling goods
• Data for making predictions such as the previous four orders, most popular search queries, and more.
• Instant tracking of abandoned carts

3. Security

When it comes to ecommerce, security is always a top concern. After all, you're dealing with sensitive customer information and transactions. That's why it's so important to make sure your platform has robust security features.

Customers will avoid purchasing from ecommerce vendors who do not provide a secure shopping experience, and sellers may be less inclined to offer their items on such a platform. As a result, you'll need to make sure that your multi-vendor ecommerce solution is safe and secure.

To improve the security of the store, you'll need to follow top security measures. This will not only protect your online store from fraudulent activities, but it will also help customers and merchants view the business as trustworthy. Here are some features that you should look out for on your multi-vendor ecommerce platform:

• Uses HTTPS
• Doesn’t store sensitive information
• Is PCI DSS compliant
• User-level information is secure
• Payment gateway is secure
• Two-factor authentication to confirm user identity

4. Multiple Payment Options

Multiple payment options are important in multi-vendor ecommerce platforms because they provide flexibility and convenience for both vendors and customers. 

By offering a variety of payment methods, vendors can attract more customers and make it easier for them to complete transactions. Customers appreciate the ability to choose a payment method that suits their needs, whether it’s credit or debit cards, e-wallets, or bank transfers.

Multi-vendor ecommerce platforms that offer multiple payment options also tend to be more secure, since they use multiple layers of security to protect customer information. This is especially important for businesses that deal with sensitive data, such as financial institutions or healthcare providers.

5. Multilingual Options

Multilingual options are important in multi-vendor ecommerce platforms for a number of reasons. First, they allow vendors from all over the world to sell their products to a global audience. This not only expands the potential customer base but also opens up new markets for vendors.

Second, multilingual options make it easier for customers to find and purchase products from the platform. Customers can search for products in their native language, which makes it more likely that they will find what they're looking for and make a purchase. 

Finally, multilingual options improve the overall user experience of the platform by making it more accessible and user-friendly for everyone.

6. Ease of Navigation

There are a few things more frustrating than trying to navigate a website that's confusing, cluttered, and just plain difficult to use. And when you're trying to purchase something online, that frustration can quickly turn into anger and resentment.

Easy navigation is one of the most important features of a successful multi-vendor ecommerce platform. Online shoppers are typically looking for a seamless and convenient shopping experience. If they can't find what they're looking for easily, they'll likely move on to another site.

A well-designed multi-vendor ecommerce platform will have a clear and intuitive navigation system that allows shoppers to find what they're looking for quickly and easily. This can be achieved through the use of menus, search bars, and filters.

7. Simple Checkout Process

There's nothing more frustrating than starting to shop online, only to be met with a long and complicated checkout process. A simple checkout process is important for any ecommerce platform, but it's especially crucial for multi-vendor ecommerce platforms.

That's because shoppers on these platforms are typically looking to buy from multiple sellers, and they don't want to have to go through a lengthy checkout process for each one.

A simple checkout process will make it easy for shoppers to buy from multiple vendors on your platform, without getting frustrated and giving up. This will ultimately lead to more sales and happier customers.

8. Order Tracking Facilities

There are plenty of reasons why order tracking options are important in Multi Vendor Ecommerce Platforms. For starters, it allows customers to keep tabs on their shipments and know exactly when they can expect their purchases to arrive. 

This is especially useful for buyers who are ordering items from multiple sellers; with order tracking, they can easily see which items have shipped and which ones are still in transit.

Additionally, order tracking provides valuable insights for sellers. By being able to see which orders have been shipped and which ones are still pending, sellers can better manage their inventory and fulfillment process. This way, they can avoid overselling products and frustrating customers with long wait times.

Overall, order tracking options are a win-win for both buyers and sellers. They offer a convenient way to stay updated on the status of shipments, and they can help sellers run their businesses more efficiently.

9. Banner Ads

Banner ads are a crucial part of any multi-vendor ecommerce platform. They help to promote the products and services offered by the vendors and make it easier for customers to find what they're looking for.

Without banner ads, customers would have a harder time navigating the site and finding the products they need. Banner ads also help to increase brand awareness and visibility, which can attract new customers to the platform.

Overall, banner ads are an essential part of any multi-vendor ecommerce platform and play a vital role in promoting the products and services offered by the vendors.

10 of the Best Multi-Vendor Marketplaces Out There

1. BigCommerce Multi-Vendor

BigCommerce is a popular name in the ecommerce solutions market, but it does not offer multi-vendor solutions out of the box. Instead, it allows third-party developers to build and sell multi-vendor extensions for its platform. 

In essence, the Webkul extension turns your standard BigCommerce store into Marketplace so that both the store operator and vendors can interact with your ecommerce business. 

You have backend access and control of items, sellers, and sellers' products as a shop admin. It also has a feature that allows you to hide seller's goods from the front end without administrator approval.

Key Features

• Ability to import and export products
• Synchronize categories and products from the BigCommerce store
• Sellers can view order status and change it
• Sellers can easily add custom fields to their products
• Can create any product’s SKU based on its selected options automatically

Pricing Plans

• Basic Plan: $10/month [Max 1000 products, Max Sellers: 10]
• Executive Plan: $30/month [Max 2000 products, Max Sellers: 50]

Pro Plan: $45/month [Unlimited products, Unlimited sellers]

2. ZielCommerce

ZielCommerce is a white label Enterprise-grade marketplace software that allows you to create and launch your own branded multi-vendor ecommerce platform. 

The platform is designed such that it can be used by small and large businesses. That's because it is built using NodeJS, a high-profile technology and in headless architecture. 

With this software solution, you can create a platform that works for both Android and iOS devices.

Key Features

• Admin can add, approve or reject sellers and credit transactions.
• Admin can assign taxes through the built-in tax module.
• Upload bulk products using XLS, XML, and CSV file formats.
• Provides banner advertisements on the home page. 
• Multiple payment gateways.

Pricing Plans

• One-time cost solution [Contact their sales team for exact pricing]

3. Dokan WooCommerce Plugin

Dokan is a popular WooCommerce multi-vendor plugin that's been carefully refined to ensure it works flawlessly for your online store. This plugin is powered by WordPress. Front-end and product dashboards are among the main features available. You also get the benefit of utilizing a vendor rating feedback system similar to eBay's.

Key Features

• Personalized dashboard that can be customized.
• Admins have complete control over vendor registration, product publishing, subscription renewal, and more.
• Ability to create subscription packs so you can charge for product limits, product uploads, and time.
• Special options to create a multi-lingual platform.
• Multiple payment gateways.

Pricing Plans

• Free Plan
• Starter Plan: $149/year
• Professional Plan: $249/year
• Business Plan: $499/year
• Enterprise Plan: $999/year

4. Laravel Multi Vendor Marketplace

This multi-vendor marketplace for Laravel enables you to turn your Bagisto shop into a multi-vendor marketplace with seller product collection and order handling separately. 

This plugin allows consumers to purchase items from various vendors using a single cart. Customers can also give feedback and ratings on vendor goods/services. The seller may handle inventory, shipment, the Seller Profile page, and much more. 

On their online store, sellers may add items as two different product types: Simple and Configurable.

Key Features

• Separate dashboard management for vendors
• Admin can create landing pages 
• Admin can create product attributes, sellers can select category attributes
• Dedicated seller dashboard to check payouts, order details, income,, latest comments, and reviews
• Multi-lingual support

Pricing PlansOne-time Payment: $449

5. Mayosis WordPress Marketplace

If you want to sell lessons, music, templates, arts, ebooks, stock footage, themes, stock photography, plugins, or code snippets, then you should check out the Mayosis marketplace.

It is built on free Easy Digital Downloads and WordPress.

With Mayosis – Digital Marketplace Theme, you can create your unique marketplace within a few hours and sell your goods or services via it to a global audience. It is highly customized and designed such that you can sell a range of different products and services with it.

Even without prior coding knowledge, you can easily generate your web pages with the WPBakery Page Builder plugin.

Key Features

• Over 20 page building elements included in the program
• Multiple free extensions supported including MailChimp, PayPal Pro, and more
• Programmed to be responsive to all devices
• Sticky header functionality included
• Multilingual support

Pricing Plans

• Regular License: $67

Extended License: $1990

6. YITH WooCommerce Multi Vendor Extension

You can quickly set up and run any kind of marketplace using YITH WooCommerce Multi Vendor/Marketplace. Using their integrated dashboard, you can monitor vendors, earnings, and commissions easily. 

In their latest version, they have come up with a unique Staff Module feature that allows vendors to create profiles for their store personnel. Also, if vendors are on vacation, they can use the “Vendor Vacation” module to inform customers that they are closed temporarily.

What’s more, all the products in the YITH catalog are developed via the same shared framework. So, you can expect full compatibility among all the plugins.

Key Features

• Create custom form to register new vendors
• Approve/reject applications from new vendors on the dashboard
• Set usage rules for vendors via the Permission settings
• Multiple payment options
• Create dynamic messages via the Announcements feature

Pricing Plans

• Yearly Plan: $149.99/year

7. Magento 2 Marketplace Extension – LandofCoder

With this marketplace extension, you can take your Magento 2 online store to the next level. It allow unlimited vendors and suppliers to upload on the platform and sell and manage their products. 

Along with it, it also allows customers to buy products across multiple categories. What’s more, it has options so that customers can rate and review products and services from all sellers.

Key Features

• Ability to upload products in bulk
• Includes instant vendor messaging system
• Multiple payment gateways integrated
• Ability to approve sellers and vendors manually and automatically
• Support REST API, GraphQL- Core Marketplace

Pricing PlansOne-time fee: $299

8. Multiple Vendors Extension – Magenest

With this Magento 2 extension, you can keep track of each vendor's records as well as their list of goods with ease. Because it is apparent that the variety of goods appeals to customers, employing this plugin relieves you from having to deal with a large number of various items. 

Furthermore, marketplace owners have control over vendors and products, which is an important feature for your Magento 2 store.

Key Features

• Ability to set commission per vendor
• Vendors can send their questions to owners of each marketplace
• Vendor feedback and ratings
• Notification to marketplace owner if a customer refunds

Pricing Plans

• Rental System: $169
• Subscription and Recurring Payments: $299

Booking and Reservation: $249

9. Multi Vendor Marketplace Module – CMSMart

CS-Cart is a well-known ecommerce platform among businesses. Its multi-vendor bundle has all of the essential features you'll need to put up and manage a marketplace in just a few steps. 

When you buy a CS-Cart multi-vendor solution, you get most of the important features out of the box, including an independent vendor dashboard, commission management capabilities, user access control, and several monetization options.

Key Features

• Admins have the ability to update, change, and edit seller information
• Supports multiple product types including simple, virtual, configurable, and downloadable
• Two different types of commission settings: Fixed and Percentage
• Email notifications for the latest updates for sellers and vendors
• Sellers can link their stores to their social media profiles

Pricing Plans

• Magento Retail: $179 per month
• B2C Marketplace Solution: $379 per month
• B2B Premium Package: $576 per month

Enterprise Solutions: Please get in touch with their team.

10. Knowband Multi Vendor Module

The Knowband Multi-Vendor Marketplace module gives the store admin complete control over goods, payment alternatives, sellers, review & testimonials, and feedback. 

Using this module, owners get the option to charge a fixed percentage commission from the sellers. Alternatively, they can also create membership plans that are based on multiple pre-set conditions. It also offers compatibility with the PrestaShop mobile app. 

What’s more, this marketplace module is compatible with other top modules including apps from iOS and Android, booking and rentals system, return manager, and more. 

Key Features

• Separate seller dashboard to keep track of sales
• Separate registration form for sellers
• Email notifications to manage marketplace operations
• Options like Seller CSV Import/Export, Seller Discount/Coupon promotion, Customer Seller Ticket System, Admin Seller Ticket System etc.
• Sellers can check current earnings, earning history, or order wise earning
• Customers can post and view seller reviews
• Multiple payment and shipping options

Pricing Plans

• Please get in touch with their sales team for accurate pricing details.

FAQs

So, what makes the world’s top ecommerce companies stand out from the rest? What are the key factors that contribute to their success? And how can you make your ecommerce company successful?

In this blog post, we will take a look at the top ecommerce companies in the world and try to answer those questions. I’ll also help you analyze if there are any commonalities among them and share tips on how you can apply the same principles to your business.

So without further ado, let's get started.

Why Do Ecommerce Companies Matter?

Ecommerce is on the rise, with more and more people shopping online for everything from groceries to clothing.

One of the benefits of shopping online is that you can often find better deals than you would at brick-and-mortar stores. You can also save time by not having to travel to the store and stand in line.

However, there are some drawbacks to shopping online. For one, it can be difficult to return items if you're not satisfied with them. And two, you may end up spending more money than you would if you were to go to the store in person.

Still, for many people, the pros of online shopping outweigh the cons. And as the popularity of ecommerce continues to grow, we can expect to see even more people shopping online in the future.

The global online retail sales currently amount to 4.9 trillion US dollars and will continue to rise by another 50% by 2025 (see statistics below).

Wondering what has led to this rise in the popularity of ecommerce?

Here are the top reasons behind it:

All of these have made ecommerce companies a big deal and contributed to the overall increase in sales and revenue across markets.

If you want to take your business to the next level, it’s high time to open an online store. Try using any of these popular ecommerce platforms to get started.

The Different Types of Ecommerce Companies

Ecommerce companies come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small, others are large. Some operate exclusively online, while others have brick-and-mortar locations as well. And some focus on selling physical goods, while others sell digital products or services.

Let's take a look at the major types of ecommerce companies:

The Key Features of the Most Successful Ecommerce Companies

Before we move on to the list of the top ecommerce companies, it’s important to note the key features that make them successful. By understanding these qualities, you can learn from their examples and create a more successful ecommerce business of your own.

The most successful ecommerce companies have a few key things in common:

Third-Party Marketplace Functionality

One of the most important features of successful ecommerce companies is their ability to function as a third-party marketplace. This means that they allow other businesses to sell their products through their platform.

Not only does this create a more diverse selection of products for customers, but it also allows businesses to reach larger audiences. And, of course, it’s a great way to generate more revenue.

Some of the most successful ecommerce companies, like Amazon and eBay, were built primarily as third-party marketplaces. And they continue to be some of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the world.

If you want to create a successful ecommerce company, then you need to make sure that you have third-party marketplace functionality.

A Robust Fulfillment System

Another important feature of successful ecommerce companies is a robust fulfillment system. This is the process by which orders are received, processed, and shipped.

A fulfillment system needs to be efficient and reliable in order to avoid any delays or disruptions in the ordering and shipping process. It should also be able to scale as your business grows.

The fulfillment system is a critical part of the ecommerce experience, and it’s something that you need to get right if you want to be successful.

Membership Programs

Many successful ecommerce companies have membership programs that offer exclusive benefits to members. These programs often include free shipping, early access to new products, and special discounts.

Customers are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that offer these kinds of loyalty programs.

Mobile Functionality and Responsiveness

Mobile commerce is up and rising. By 2025, mobile sales will account for 10% of all US retail sales.

That’s why the most successful ecommerce companies have websites that are mobile-friendly and responsive. This ensures that customers can easily purchase products no matter what device they’re using.

Personalized Messaging and Offers

A personalized message goes a long way. When you make an offer, it should be tailored to the individual based on their previous interactions with your company. This could be anything from a first-time buyer discount to free shipping on their next order.

However, there is a fine line between personalization and misusing consumer data.

70% of consumers appreciate personalization but only when brands are using data that they’ve shared directly, and not purchased data from third-party cookies. A majority of consumers are concerned about how brands use their personal data.

This is why it’s so important to be transparent with your audience about how you use their data and to give them the option to opt-in/opt-out of certain features.

A Seamless Customer Journey

The customer journey is the path that a customer takes from initial awareness of a product or service to eventual purchase.

A seamless customer journey is one in which there are no barriers or friction points between the customer and the purchase. In other words, it’s a smooth and enjoyable experience from start to finish.

Here are a few tips on how to:

A Strong Brand

A strong brand is another common feature of top ecommerce companies.

When it comes to a brand, it is much more than a logo or a name. It’s the whole package of what a customer experiences when they interact with your company.

Building a strong brand means being consistent across all customer touchpoints, from the website to customer service to social media.

Also read: ZeBrand Review: Is it the brand-building platform you need?

An Excellent Customer Service Team

Another key ingredient for ecommerce success is an excellent customer service team. This team will be responsible for handling any and all customer inquiries, whether they’re about an order, a product, or something else entirely.

Your customer service team should be friendly, helpful, and responsive in order to create a positive customer experience, and help your business become one of the top ecommerce companies in the world.

Learn how to improve your customer service through my guide here.

The World’s Largest Ecommerce Markets

China is the world's largest ecommerce market, followed by the United States and the United Kingdom. Other large markets include Japan, South Korea, Germany, and France.

China has the world's largest population, and its ecommerce market is growing rapidly. It is estimated to be a $2,779 billion USD market and is expected to reach 1,223 million users by 2025.

The United States is the second-largest market with an estimated market size of $794.5 billion USD in 2020. Led by ecommerce giants such as Amazon and eBay, the US ecommerce market is expected to reach 291.2 million users by 2025.

The United Kingdom (U.K.) is another big ecommerce market with an estimated size of $180.3 billion USD in 2020. It is expected to have 62.1 million users by 2025. Some of the top ecommerce companies contributing to this market share are Amazon.co.uk, Tesco, and Argos.

Other notable markets include Japan (USD 144 billion), South Korea (USD 120 billion), and Germany (USD 101 billion) (refer to the above image by IMH).

What makes these markets the largest in the global ecommerce industry?

There are a few factors that contribute to the success of these markets. First, they have large populations. Second, they are growing rapidly. And third, they have a high disposable income.

This is why these markets are so attractive to ecommerce businesses. They offer a large potential customer base and the opportunity for high sales.

So, if you’re looking to start or grow an ecommerce business, these are the markets you should be targeting. Each one presents a unique opportunity for success.

What are the top ecommerce companies in these markets? Read on to find out.

The World’s Top Ecommerce Companies

Let's take a look at some of the world's top ecommerce companies based on several factors, including:

These companies are not listed in any particular order but they are all leaders in their respective markets.

1. Amazon

Amazon is the largest ecommerce company based on a 2021 ecommerce companies revenue report, as shown below:

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States, Amazon is the world's largest ecommerce company with a market cap of over $1 trillion USD. It is going to hit $2 trillion USD soon.

In 2020 alone, Amazon generated an estimated revenue of $386 billion USD and has a GMV value of $475 billion USD.

Amazon is also the most visited ecommerce site in the world with an average of almost 3.68 billion visitors per month in 2020.

Along with selling various products, Amazon also launched other services to increase its revenue. Amazon Web Services (AWS) – a cloud computing solution, Kindle – an ebook store, and Amazon Prime – a video and music streaming service, are some of these.

Live streaming service, Twitch, was also acquired by Amazon.

Amazon is not just one of the world's largest ecommerce marketplaces but it is also a big competitor in the Internet of Things (IoT) industry.

2. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

Headquartered in Hangzhou, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is a Chinese multinational conglomerate specializing in e-commerce, retail, Internet, and technology.

Founded in 1999 by Jack Ma, Alibaba is one of the world's largest online marketplaces, handling more than $109 billion USD (around 717.3 billion yuan) in annual sales for 2021.

Alibaba’s success is due in large part to its focus on the Chinese market. The company has a deep understanding of Chinese consumers and what they want.

The company is also a master at using data to its advantage. It uses big data and artificial intelligence to personalize the shopping experience for each of its customers.

The Alibaba Group operates several businesses, including:

• Taobao
• Tmall
• Taobao Deals
• Taocaicai
• Tmall Supermarket
• Tmall Global
• Freshippo
• Alibaba Health
• Sun Art
• 1688.com
• Lazada
• AliExpress
• Trendyol
• Daraz
• Alibaba.com

3. eBay

eBay is an American ecommerce company that was founded in 1995. It has a market cap of over $24.80 billion and it generated an estimated revenue of $10.2 billion revenue in 2020, a 5.1% increase year on year.

eBay’s GMV (gross merchandise value) also hit $100 billion in 2020 and it sees over 109 million active users each month on its website. Most of its users (60%) are from the United States and the United Kingdom.

eBay uses free shipping as a big incentive to attract buyers with 71% of items bought on this platform being shipped for free. And its ties with PayPal have also contributed to its success.

4. The Home Depot

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer. What sets this ecommerce marketplace apart from other retailers is its focus on customer service.

The company has a team of in-store experts who can help customers with everything from choosing the right products to completing DIY projects. It also offers free shipping on orders over $45 and has a convenient return policy.

These customer-friendly policies have helped The Home Depot become one of the most successful ecommerce companies in the world.

The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. By market value, it is the second-most influential company in the ecommerce industry with over $411.02 billion market value (right next to Amazon's $1649 billion).

In 2021, they also launched “Rent Online, Pick-Up In-Store (RPOIS),” a new service that allows customers to rent tools and equipment from the comfort of their homes.

The Home Depot is an excellent example of an ecommerce company that has found success by focusing on the needs of its customers.

5. JD.com Inc.

JD.com Inc. is one of China's leading ecommerce companies. It was founded in 2004 by Richard Liu Qiangdong, who is also its current CEO. The company has over 227 million active users and it shares 9% of the global ecommerce market.

Its annual revenue for 2021 was $149.32 billion, about a 30% YoY growth from 2020.

JD.com serves hundreds of millions of consumers in China by connecting them to many top-quality products and brands from all around the world.

The company invests in technologies such as smart logistics and supply chains, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence, which is one of its top competitive advantages.

Another thing that makes JD.com successful is its focus on customer satisfaction. The company always puts the customer first, and it shows in everything they do.

6. Walmart

Walmart is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount department stores, and superstores. The company was founded by Sam Walton in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas, and it now operates in over 10,500 stores in the world.

It is the world’s largest retailer that sells products from various categories.

In 2021, Walmart's global revenue hit $559 billion and its online sales boomed significantly by a whopping 97% during the COVID-19 pandemic (Q2 of 2020), making it second only to Amazon.

Walmart sells about 75 million different products, varying from groceries to apparel, home appliances, and electronics, making it one of the most diversified ecommerce platforms.

What makes Walmart so successful?

There are a few key reasons:

With over 11,000 stores in 27 countries, Walmart has a significant physical presence that gives it a competitive advantage over other online-only retailers.

Moreover, Walmart is known for its “everyday low prices” strategy, which it uses to attract customers and keep them coming back.

Another key to Walmart's success is their focus on customer service. The company consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction surveys.

7. Rakuten

Rakuten is Japan's largest ecommerce company that operates in 29 countries and offers a wide variety of products, including books, electronics, and apparel. Their website receives over 50 million monthly visitors.

In 2020, the Rakuten Group generated a revenue of 1.46 trillion Japanese yen, which is equivalent to $13.67 billion USD.

What sets Rakuten apart from other ecommerce companies is its focus on customer satisfaction and its strong relationships with merchants.

Rakuten is also known for its cash-back program, which gives customers a percentage of their purchase back in the form of Rakuten Points. You get rebates, cash backs, and coupons for every purchase you make from its online portal.

While Rakuten's loyalty program is one of the primary reasons for its success, the company also expanded its portfolio by offering communication, financial technology, and sports management-related services to generate greater revenue.

FAQs

1. What is the best company for ecommerce?
There is no one answer to this question as the best company for ecommerce depends on individual needs and preferences. However, some of the most popular and successful ecommerce companies include Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba.

Each of these companies has a different focus and offers a unique range of products and services, so it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs.

2. Who are the major players in the ecommerce industry?
There are many small and medium-sized businesses operating in the ecommerce industry. The major players include Amazon, eBay, Alibaba, and Rakuten.

3. Who is the king of ecommerce?
While there is no definitive answer, Amazon is often referred to as the “king of ecommerce.” This is because it is the largest and most successful ecommerce company in the world.

Amazon has a market capitalization of over $1 trillion and it generated an estimated revenue of $386 billion in 2020.

4. Is Alibaba bigger than Amazon?
No, Alibaba is not bigger than Amazon.

Often called the “Amazon of China,” Alibaba has a market cap of just $333 billion, which is far behind Amazon's market cap (over $1 trillion).

Are You Ready to Boost Your Ecommerce Sales?

If you’re looking to take your ecommerce business to the next level, it’s time to start thinking about how you can cater your services to meet consumers' needs.

After all, the most successful ecommerce companies in the world have one thing in common: they’re all customer-centric.

What does that mean for you?

You need to focus on creating a seamless experience, offering a wide range of products, and providing excellent customer service. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to becoming one of the top ecommerce companies in the world (just like the ones listed in this article).

Do you have questions about how to make your ecommerce business more successful and which trends to follow? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

What defines success on Amazon?

Sales and margins. Margins are something you can fully control—you know your sourcing costs and you set the pricing. But sales aren’t that straightforward.

In order to get more customers who are purchasing your product, you need to ensure a steady flow of visitors to your product listing. And that means you need traffic.

So the questions are:

Where does the traffic on Amazon come from?

How do make sure you are maximizing the performance of your listing to attract the highest number of visitors possible?

This post will answer these questions and help you build a product listing that’s set up for ultimate success.

Where Does Amazon Traffic Come From?

Amazon itself has billions of monthly visitors. In 2022 alone, it reported over 2 billion people browsing through its site every single month.

Image source: Statista

So the marketplace’s internal audience can be a great source of traffic for your listing.

Then, there’s external traffic—from showing up high on Google search results to the audience you bring from having referral links from other sites—you can leverage the global audience that’s located anywhere outside of Amazon.

This means that if you want to get the highest number of visitors possible, you have to tackle both Amazon’s internal visitors, as well as traffic from other platforms.

And this post will help you find out how to reach visitors across both landscapes.

How to Tackle Amazon’s Internal Traffic

Amazon is essentially a search engine where shoppers can find the best and most relevant product for their query.

So, just as any search engine, it has its own ranking algorithm called A9 that helps the marketplace rank listings in a particular order.

This means that if you want to get as much traffic as possible from Amazon, your listing has to have the highest rankings possible. Why? Because users typically click on the first few links on the very first page of search results.

Image source: Sellzone

While price and stock inventory is something you can take care of on your own, you need a smart keyword tool that will take care of your relevancy indicators. This way, you can embrace the three most important ranking factors on Amazon.

Optimize Your Listing for the Right Keywords

Now, the very first thing you should do to build a well-optimized product listing is to know what search terms you are targeting. Sellzone’s Keyword Wizard tool can help you find all the intel you need to pick the right terms.

Discover Your Target Keywords

The product you are selling will typically be the first thing you should explore as a keyword. But don’t simply use that particular word as your target term as you might be able to have more success with a similar search.

For instance, if you are selling a product for hair coloring, you might want to use “hair color” as your main keyword. But…

Image Source: Keyword Wizard tool

As you can see, the Keyword Wizard tool shows that “hair dye” actually has a higher search volume, and even lower competition, so that would be the best word to optimize your listing for.

In a similar manner, you can come up with a list of related keywords that you should also add throughout your listing’s content—to target more searches.

So your job is to look up all the surrounding terms around your main keyword and go smart about it. How? You should focus on the right metrics:

• Search volume (shows monthly searches for a given keyword): the higher it is, the better.
• Relevance (reflects how close that search is to the original keyword): the higher, the better.
• Competitors (indicates how many listings you are competing against if you choose to optimize for a given keyword): the lower, the better.

Use All the Space You Have to Place these Keywords

Your product listing is full of space where you can integrate your keywords. And you shouldn’t miss out on any of them:

• Product title is where adding your main keyword is an absolute must. Make sure to use your target term in the first few words, and keep your title as neat yet informative as possible.
  A good title example from Amazon
• Product description should also feature your main keywords, as well as a few other search terms as you have more space for keyword placement. But once again, keep your description neat and don’t overstuff it leading to a bad user experience as this is where conversions happen, so a user-first approach is always a must.
• Your bullets typically recite your product’s main features. But you can also be smart about your text here and place a few keywords here and there.
• One underrated placement spot is your Q&A section. When answering customers’ questions, make sure to add your keywords throughout your response.

Optimize Your Images

Both Amazon and shoppers care about the visual quality of your listing. So, if you optimize your images right, you are killing two birds with one stone—you improve your rankings and conversions.

Having high-quality images is something that goes without saying. But here’s what that means exactly:

• Use a clean white background for your very first product image—this is a common best practice so you should absolutely follow it.
• For engagement purposes, you can add one or two lifestyle images that show the application of your product or simply place it in a nice environment, but don’t overuse this trick as that’s not what people have come to your listing for.
• Don’t use accessories you aren’t selling—this might confuse the visitors into thinking that that side product goes with your main product.
• Make sure your images are large enough (at least 500×100 pixels) to make use of the zoom feature.

Using the Best-Sellers’ Success Strategies

Of course, once you are done with all your basic optimization, you can start going a bit advanced.

And best-sellers listings are where you can gather a few ideas for further optimization.
No set rule gets you a BSR rank, yet Sellzone’s BSR study has shed some light on what makes or breaks it for the top-notch product listings.

Take a look at the infographic that summarizes all the key findings, or read the full study for more details.

Make Sure you Aren’t Breaking Any Amazon Rules

Amazon can be pretty strict—with all the guidelines and requirements concerning your product listing. So even your best optimization efforts can come to naught if Amazon decides to suspend your listing as it doesn’t meet its quality standards.

This is where you need a thorough listing audit that will highlight any potential problems.

Tools like Listing Quality Check will make sure your listing meets all Amazon’s requirements and style guides. But on top of a simple audit, you’ll also get a list of ideas and recommendations for finessing your listing’s quality.

Amazon Listing Quality Check tool

Refine Your Listing Elements for Top Performance

Now that you’ve made sure all your listing components are well-optimized, you should get to testing.

Split testing your listing is really the only way to find out how each element impacts your listing’s performance.

Unfortunately, Amazon has very limited testing capabilities—it only allows you to test three listing elements (title, primary image, and A+ content)—so it’s best to use an external tool that will give you more freedom and capabilities.

The Split Testing tool can be the best choice—it’s intuitive, it has all the performance stats of your split tests in one place, plus it lets you compare the performance of almost all listing elements (title, bullets, images, videos, descriptions, prices, and A+ content).

Sellzone’s Split Testing tool

So test each element at a time, give your test two weeks to collect the results, and publish the top-performing version to your listing.

This will help you maximize the efficiency of each listing component. Plus, an external tool lets you stop your test at any time in case you are seeing dramatic down to your alternative listing. So you shouldn’t be afraid to lose any profits while you are running your experiments.

How to Bring Traffic From Outside Amazon

All the steps should help you enhance your rankings within Amazon—to get as much traffic as you can from its internal audience.

But which platform has even more monthly users than the top ecommerce? Right, it’s Google. And there are a few ways to get organic traffic coming in from Google—to get people to visit your listing from organic search and through referral links.

These two strategies can bring you the largest external traffic shares without enticing you to spend on advertising or paid partnerships.

Let’s see what you can do to nail an organic Google search and get mentions with links on other sites.

Explore Whether You Should Invest in External Traffic Sources

If working on your Amazon rankings is an absolute must, turning to external traffic channels is something you should do on top. And this means that you should be certain that these efforts will bring an outcome.

A tool like Traffic Insights can help you assess various external traffic sources to see whether they are worthy of your attention and resources.

Sellzone’s Traffic Insights tool

As you can see from the graph, this hair dye product gets the majority of its traffic from Amazon. Yet referrals and Google organic are the second and third top traffic sources. This means that if it were a product you were competing against, you could also capitalize on the value of these channels to bring in more traffic to your listing.

If your competitors don’t have big traffic potential from external sources, you can disregard them completely. Yet the majority of products I’ve seen have a lot of incoming traffic from platforms that are outside of Amazon.

Target Traffic from Google Organic

As with everything Google, great SEO is the defining factor for getting high rankings on organic search.

Yet since you aren’t running your own site, you have limited SEO capabilities. Amazon itself, however, already provides you with high site authority and few technical errors, which means that you can focus on keywords and expect a great outcome.

Now, this is how you can optimize your listing for higher Google rankings.

Just as with Amazon, your very first job is to define the key search terms you have to optimize your listing for.

Sellzone’s Traffic Insights tool (Google organic report)

With a sneak-peek into competitors’ keyword strategies, you can unveil keywords with the highest potential—simply explore the list of keywords they rank for on Google and choose the most promising terms based on the following metrics:

• Search volume (how many people Google this word/phrase every month)
• Competitors (how many listings are competing for ranking for that keyword)
• Traffic (an estimate of how many visitors come to the product listing from Google organic).

To unwrap the hidden gems (if you’re using Traffic Insights), you can play around with filters to come up with a few keywords that have the top search volume and traffic counts, along with the lowest number of competitors.

And then, you have to repeat the cycle of integrating these keywords throughout your product listing.

Find the Best Partners for Link-Building

If you want to get referral traffic—in my example, it actually comes as the second most impactful traffic course after Amazon itself—you have to find websites that will link back to your product listing, as in link-building partners.

Instead of doing any manual search and missing out on a lot of opportunities, you can turn to the very same Traffic Insights tool that will lay out all the sites your competitors have backlinks from.

Sellzone’s Traffic Insights tool (Referrals report)

Above, you can see a lit of all the websites that have a referral link to the analyzed listing.

Of course, you can’t possibly reach out to all of these partners asking for a referral. Instead, use the following metrics to narrow down the scope:

• Check out their potential reach to see the maximum number of people who might visit your site through the backlink. The higher the number, the better.
• Choose sites with a higher Authority Score—backlinks from sites that have a high score will also help to up your Google organic rankings as Google considers the quality of your backlinks when defining your position in search results.
• The competition will help you see how many Amazon products get a backlink from a given site. In this case, a high count might indicate that this site is friendly to Amazon sellers so don’t disregard it because of high competition.

Once you have a list of sites you can realistically reach out to—just do it!

Ready to Build a Success-Proof Amazon Listing?

Now you should have everything you need to build a top-performing Amazon listing that gets a lot of traffic—both from within and from outside of Amazon.

In this post, I’ve been focusing on organic strategies only, because you can always leverage paid channels and opportunities to expand your reach and visibility even further. However, if you’re just starting out as an Amazon seller, it’s best to keep your resources and do first things first.

Once you have built the foundation for your success, you can start refining and enhancing it with other techniques.

And since that foundation requires you to have a set of tools that will arm you with the right data, I’m happy to let you know that you can grab an Exclusive “1 month for $1” Sellzone offer trial to help you get started with your Amazon success today!

To be an Amazon aggregator is to have your finger on the pulse of the ecommerce world. You are constantly monitoring industry trends and major players in the market.

In addition to this, you are also responsible for maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction by responding to queries and complaints in a timely and professional manner. This can be a demanding job, but it is also highly rewarding – both financially and in terms of job satisfaction.

If you’re looking for a challenge, then becoming an Amazon aggregator could be the perfect career move for you. There is no doubt that it is a demanding role, but if you are up for the challenge then you could be in for a very successful career.

What All Amazon Aggregators Should Know

Whether you’re looking to become an Amazon aggregator or have been in the business for a while, here are a few common trends you should be aware of. Not only will they affect your sales but also how smoothly you can run your business.

1. Talented Employees Are Few and Far Between.

We’ve heard from multiple aggregators that one of their biggest challenges is finding good talent. It makes sense: maintaining, troubleshooting, and optimizing an Amazon account is an art.

There aren’t many people who are highly skilled in this super-niche arena, and the ones who are either manage their own seller accounts or run their own agencies.

A major observation we’ve made is that aggregators are placing far too much responsibility in the hands of under-qualified employees.

Optimizing a brand’s listings, maintaining PPC, and dealing with seller performance when an ASIN gets blocked is too much to handle – even for a veteran of the Amazon industry. These tasks take enough time to create a full-time job for each one.

Individual sellers almost always outsource at least one of these aspects of operating a brand, especially when it comes to performance issues. Aggregators should be doing the same.

Operators in the aggregator space simply can’t learn a decade of experience so quickly. No amount of funding can substitute the skills required to continue growing the tremendously successful brands they’ve acquired while dodging the usual “Amazon issues” that come up on a regular basis: policy violations, days or weeks without sales due to blocked ASINs, competitor attacks and more.

2. Damage Control is Crucial.

When aggregators began to enter our arena, we couldn’t help but think to ourselves, “There is no way these guys realize that some of the brands they’re buying are going to get suspended. There is no way they realize how tumultuous this platform really is.”

Now, over a year later, we can’t help but notice that we were right. Many acquired brands have gotten suspended, many ASINs of top-selling brands are getting blocked on a daily basis, and many aggregators are struggling to find the right methods of handling these issues because they didn’t plan for them in the first place.

And really, who would? We get it – normally, a product in the “Pillows” category doesn’t get blocked for containing pesticides. But this is Amazon, and in this world, it happens every day. Welcome to the jungle.

Aggregators must shift some of their focus to both proactive and reactive measures when it comes to account health.

It’s not a glamorous topic, but more rigorous Amazon-specific due diligence and an immediate lifeline for suspended ASINs have to be implemented immediately. If aggregators fail to focus on account health, they will ultimately fail.

3. Amazon Brands Are NOT Your Average Assets.

Aggregators jumped into acquisitions of Amazon brands without realizing that these new assets wouldn’t be anything like the assets they acquired on Wall Street.
We’ve heard top-tier M&A professionals from some of the most notable Amazon aggregators discuss their “current assets” – it took us a few minutes to realize they were talking about the Amazon brands they've acquired so far.

Here’s the reason for the disconnect:

Amazon brands are not traditional assets. Amazon brands are nothing like other acquired assets most aggregators have been accustomed to in the past, for better or worse.

Aggregators weren’t at all wrong when they saw a goldmine in Amazon private label brands, and we’re not at all knocking the FBA roll-up strategy – it’s the future of the Amazon industry.

We admire their tenacity and aggressiveness when it comes to acquisitions, but we don’t agree with the fact that they have refused to acknowledge that these Amazon assets are simply a different animal.

Every single Amazon brand on the platform has its own nuances, its own quirks, and its own very particular methods that are required for continued success. This is the part that aggregators missed.

These Amazon brands are not assets that can be acquired and left alone to continue turning a profit. Every single ASIN under every single brand on the marketplace needs constant, daily attention.

Every operator needs to stay updated on policy changes, no matter how outlandish the next Amazon policy change may be. This is the trade-off every Amazon seller agrees to: “You are free to use our platform and make a killing – but you’ll do it under our terms.”

4. Aggregators Need Amazon-Specific Due Diligence.

Aggregators consider themselves due diligence experts. From a traditional perspective, this is most certainly true. Unfortunately, the traditional due diligence process simply doesn’t cut it in the jungle.

Traditional due diligence analyzes things like Corporate Records, Financial Statements, Employee Hierarchies and Bios, Real Estate, Legal Records, and Written Agreements.

Aggregators probably didn’t realize how few of these due diligence factors actually apply to Amazon brands.

They probably didn’t realize that the only Written Agreements many Amazon sellers have for their brands are a one-page trademark registration and the Amazon Business Agreement.

You know, the one that includes outrageous statements like, “We [Amazon] will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform any of our obligations under this Agreement.”

Aggregators probably didn’t think so many successful Amazon brands do not even use the real name or entity owner on the associated Amazon account.

They probably didn’t realize there would be so few employees and real estate properties to research – many top sellers still operate with just a few freelancers and a supplier who ships directly to Amazon.

Skeletons are hidden deep within Amazon seller accounts. When aggregators don’t know where to look for these skeletons – or the infinite forms these skeletons might show up in – it becomes very easy for sellers to hide crucial risk factors that would change the outcome of a potential acquisition.

The nuances of an Amazon business are vastly different from a traditional asset, and the due diligence process for an Amazon brand needs to be adjusted to cater to every single one of these nuances.

5. Sellers Are Watching Too.

Sellers have always been quite willing to share information and updates with one another. Despite the cutthroat “competitor wars” within specific categories, most Amazon sellers are not in constant competition with the next seller.

This is not the case with aggregators, who are constantly competing with one another in an increasingly small space.

It’s no small feat to navigate the ups and downs of the Amazon platform without communicating with other sellers facing the same problems. Amazon sellers talk.

The corners of the internet where the heaviest hitters of the Amazon platform talk openly are not always easy to find, but within these digital communities, there’s plenty of talk about aggregators.

Some sellers have zero interest in ever selling their brand at all – many sellers make hundreds of millions every year and simply aren’t willing to take a payout.

Others are sharing insights on which aggregators will offer the highest, fastest payout with a sloppy due diligence process that won’t catch all of the black hat reviews they’ve bought over the course of their selling career.

Some sellers are intrigued, and many sellers are still confused at this influx of outsiders into their traditionally outsider-free industry.

Regardless of the billions in funding aggregators have put together to buy out and roll up top Amazon brands [Marketplace Pulse], it’s the sellers who maintain the upper hand. At the end of the day, aggregators need brands to acquire, so they need to be mindful of keeping a positive reputation with Amazon sellers.

Conclusion

As the ecommerce world continues to grow, so does the need for reliable aggregation services. Amazon aggregation is a hot industry right now, and there are plenty of companies vying for a piece of the pie.

If you’re competing for the same, keep the pointers mentioned in this post in mind to get ahead. By following these tips, you can be well on your way to success in the Amazon aggregation business.

Do you have any questions about Amazon aggregation? Please feel free to mention them in the comments section.

But what if it doesn't fit your needs?

There are more than a few great alternatives to Magento that can help grow your online business. In this article, I'll show you the best alternative solutions for Magento and why you should consider using them for your ecommerce business.

I’ve also listed their key features and pros and cons so you don’t have much trouble choosing one that best fits your business needs.

Why You May Need to Look for Magento Alternatives

As someone who has been in the industry for over a decade, I know Magento is a great ecommerce solution. It offers so many great features and benefits that it's hard to find a reason not to use it.

But, there are some cases where Magento may not be the best fit for your ecommerce business. Maybe you're looking for a platform that is more lightweight and faster to load? Or, maybe you need more features than what Magento offers?

Let’s discuss some other reasons why you may need to consider using Magento alternatives.

Magento is Expensive

Magento Open Source is technically free but only if you don't want to make any changes to your website.

You will actually need to pay for all of the design and development to keep your website up and running. Additionally, you’ll have to bear expenses such as support costs, ecommerce security, hosting, and regular maintenance charges for your Magento website.

Magento Commerce costs will vary based on the average order value (AOV) and annual online revenue of your ecommerce store. This can start at $22,000 per year and go all the way up to $125,000 a year.

Other plans, like Magento Commerce Cloud (now part of Adobe Commerce Cloud), are even more expensive. Not every business can choose these solutions.

Magento Requires Programming Expertise

Developing and installing Magento websites requires knowledge of software development. While Magento offers unlimited customization options to create various applications, you will need high-level technical knowledge and programming expertise to make the most of it.

If you’re not skilled, you will probably need to hire an experienced web developer or even a team of professionals to get your site up and running.

Whereas, there are many great alternative solutions to Magento such as SaaS platforms like BigCommerce that let anybody create a professional-looking website fast.

Building a Magento Website Takes a Lot of Time

One of the biggest USPs (unique selling points) of Magento is its flexibility and extreme customization options. But making complex changes to a website's structure takes a lot of time.

Even a basic website could take anywhere from six weeks to a year to build. You'll also need professional developers to regularly monitor and update your website.

Magento is Insecure

One of the biggest complaints about Magento is its security vulnerabilities.

Magento is an open-source ecommerce platform and, therefore, hackers have access to all of its codes. They are well aware of the loopholes in the Magento code and often use them to target Magento stores.

Magento is Slow

This is one of the biggest reasons why you should consider using a Magento alternative. Magento stores are known for slow performance that can affect your ecommerce conversion rates and overall revenue.

Magento's ecommerce platform was initially designed to work on underpowered servers, leading to poor load times, low site speed, etc.

Even with an optimized Magento website, you may not be able to achieve the page load times that are required in today's competitive ecommerce market.

Top 5 Magento Alternatives

If you're not happy with Magento for any reason – too slow, need better security, more flexibility/features, or if it doesn’t fit your needs, don’t worry.

There are many great Magento alternatives that you can consider using in 2023. Let’s take a look at some of the best Magento alternatives.

1. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) ecommerce platform. It offers a wide range of features and is very fast and lightweight.

It’s also PCI compliant, which is important for any ecommerce store that accepts payments online. You get best-in-class security and DDoS protection with hosting on Google Cloud.

Additionally, BigCommerce has a great customer support team that can help you with any issue you may have.

Key Features

• Comprehensive order management feature that lets you manage all your orders in one place
• Multi-currency support, allowing online stores to better cater to international customers
• Highly customizable design options and themes so you can create a unique ecommerce store without having an expert web developer
• Badge management feature for award-winning ecommerce stores
• Abandoned cart recovery feature to recover any lost sales
• Built-in marketing tools

Pros

• Flexible pricing plans, including a free plan with unlimited products
• Customer support team available via phone and email to assist with any issue at all times

Cons

• Unlike Magento, BigCommerce doesn’t yet offer a native multi-store functionality. However, you can use its headless commerce configuration for this.

Pricing

• BigCommerce offers a free 15-day trial
• Standard plan: $29.95/month
• Plus plan: $79.95/month
• Pro plan: $229.95/month
• Enterprise plan: Contact them at 1-866-991-0872 for custom pricing

Why Choose BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a great alternative to Magento if you want an ecommerce platform that requires little or no programming expertise and offers a wide range of features.

Check out my detailed review of BigCommerce for more information.

2. Shopify

Shopify has also become a popular online shopping platform for ecommerce stores due to its ease-of-service functionality for online selling. It is a fully hosted ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features.

Both small and large business owners are trusting Shopify to build a mobile-responsive ecommerce website for their online stores. This ecommerce platform is also fully integrated with a wide range of third-party apps, including social media and accounting solutions.

However, one major drawback of using Shopify is that when you leave the Shopify app, all of the personal information in your account will be permanently removed.

Key Features

• Easy-to-use storefront designs
• Seamless content management system (CMS)
• Built-in SEO features to help you rank higher on search engine results pages
• Abandoned cart recovery feature to recover any lost sales
• Shopify Point of Sale (POS) lets you manage your ecommerce and retail stores together
• Social media integration for a more personalized customer experience

Pros

• User-friendly interface that is easy for anyone to use, even if you don’t have any prior experience in ecommerce
• 24/hour customer support through chat, phone, and email

Cons

• If you are not using Shopify Shipping, it can be quite expensive to provide real-time carrier quotes to your customers.
• Professional reporting functionality is only included in the higher-priced plans.
• Shopify charges a transaction fee if you use a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments.

Pricing

• Shopify offers a 14-day free trial for all plans.
• Basic Shopify plan: $29/month
• Shopify plan: $79/month
• Advanced Shopify plan: $299/month
• Shopify Plus plan for high-volume merchants and large businesses: Contact their sales team for a custom quote

Why Choose Shopify?

Shopify is an excellent Magento alternative if you want a fully-hosted ecommerce platform that does not require any technical skills. It offers more flexibility than Magento.

Also, check out my comparison post on BigCommerce vs. Shopify.

3. Big Cartel

Like Shopify, Big Cartel is a fully-hosted ecommerce platform. It is designed for small businesses and offers a wide range of features, including an easy-to-use interface, a wide range of templates, and social media integration.

Key Features

• Mobile-responsive design that lets you build a functional mobile ecommerce store
• Abandoned cart recovery feature to recover any lost sales
• 24/hour customer support through chat and email
• Wide range of templates to choose from that are highly customizable
• Facebook integration for a more personalized customer experience

Pros

• Built-in SEO features to help you rank higher on the search engine results pages
• A very easy-to-use interface that is perfect for small business owners who are not tech-savvy
• Allows you to sell online and in-person
• Very affordable and has a free forever plan

Cons

• Their basic plan only lets you display one image per product for up to 5 products only
• Not an ideal ecommerce platform for large businesses and online stores that need advanced ecommerce capabilities
• Limited payment options

Pricing

• Gold plan: Big Cartel offers a free forever plan for up to 5 products. No credit card needed
• Platinum plan: $9.99/month for up to 50 products
• Diamond plan: $19.99/month for up to 500 products

Why Choose Big Cartel?

Big Cartel is a great alternative to Magento if you want to sell limited products and are looking for an ecommerce platform that is easy to use. It is perfect for small businesses and creative artists and makers who want to start selling online without having to hire a developer.

Choose this ecommerce platform only if you have to sell only a few products at a time such as custom, handmade, or limited edition products. Big Cartel was made with artists in mind and it suits creative online stores the best.

However, if you have a high-revenue business or an extensive product catalog, BigCommerce is a better alternative to Magento Enterprise Edition.

4. Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is an enterprise ecommerce platform that offers a wide range of features, including advanced personalization, marketing automation, and order management features.

It is designed for larger businesses and requires some programming knowledge to use.

Key Features

• Abandoned cart recovery feature to recover any lost sales
• Integrated with a wide range of third-party apps, including social media and accounting solutions
• Fully customizable to meet the specific needs of your business
• Order management features that let you manage your entire ecommerce business from one platform
• The world’s #1 CRM (customer relationship management) solution to help you provide seamless post-purchase journeys
• Strong native merchandising features

Pros

• Very advanced personalization and marketing automation features that let you create a more personalized customer experience
• An agile, scalable, and secure platform that enables you to adapt quickly to consumer demands
• One of the few ecommerce platforms that are a good fit for both B2C and B2B ecommerce businesses

Cons

• Confusing user interface and hard-to-access features
• Not suitable for small businesses
• The need for training, experience, and time using Salesforce Commerce Cloud can make this a difficult switch to make.

Pricing

• Salesforce B2B Commerce editions: $4/order, $6/order, and $8/order
• Salesforce B2C Commerce editions: 1%, 2%, and 3% Gross Merchandise Value plans
• Salesforce B2B2C Commerce pricing: 1% Gross Merchandise Value

Why Choose Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

If you have a larger business with a budget and some programming knowledge, then Salesforce Commerce Cloud is an excellent Magento alternative.

It offers a wide range of features that let you create a more personalized customer experience and manage your entire ecommerce business from one platform.

5. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source Magento alternative that is designed for WordPress users. It is also compatible with a wide range of WordPress plugins and themes, including the official WooCommerce theme.

Key Features

• Very flexible design that lets you create a storefront as unique as your business with the help of hundreds of plugins and themes
• Easy to use, so you do not need any programming knowledge or technical skills to manage your online store
• Mobile-responsive to help you reach a wider audience

Pros

• Open-source to let anyone contribute or create themes and plugins, resulting in an ever-growing selection of free and premium themes
• Very easy to use
• It does not require any technical knowledge or special programming skills
• Online stores built with WooCommerce can leverage the WordPress blogging platform natively.

Cons

• The basic WooCommerce plugin is technically free but you will have to pay for add-ons, themes, web hosting, and other essential features and capabilities.

Pricing

• WooCommerce and WordPress are both open-source platforms, which means that they are completely free. However, you’ll need to pay for hosting, premium themes, add-on plugins, and more, depending on the functionality you want to ass to your ecommerce store.

Why Choose WooCommerce?

If you want to add ecommerce functionality to an existing WordPress site, WooCommerce is an excellent Magento alternative. It offers more flexibility than other ecommerce platforms and is more affordable than Magento alternatives like Salesforce Commerce Cloud.

You May Also Like:

• WooCommerce vs. Shopify
• Best WooCommerce plugins for your store

FAQs

1. Is Magento still relevant?

Yes, Magento is still relevant. Many businesses, including some of the largest ecommerce companies in the world, continue to use Magento.

2. Is Magento no longer free?

No, Magento Open Source is still free. It offers a wide range of features, including advanced personalization and marketing automation features, that let you create a more personalized customer experience and manage your entire ecommerce business from one platform.

However, you need to hire a team of Magento web developers if you want to use these features effectively.

Leveraging Magento Commerce and Magento Commerce Cloud (now known as “Adobe Commerce Cloud”) for advanced features also costs money.

3. Is Magento similar to Shopify?

Magento is similar to Shopify in that they both offer advanced features like marketing automation and personalization, but Magento requires some programming knowledge while Shopify is more user-friendly.

4. Why is Magento so expensive?

Magento is not expensive if you have a business that already hires Magento web developers to improve your site's performance and usability.

However, if you have a small business or are an individual without programming knowledge, then Magento is expensive. You will need to hire experienced Magento developers to build, maintain, and scale your Magento online store.

In that case, I recommend using easy-to-use Magento alternatives like BigCommerce and WooCommerce. These ecommerce platforms let you build fully-functional stores fast without any coding knowledge or technical expertise.

5. What are the advantages of using BigCommerce over Magento?

BigCommerce offers similar features to Magento such as advanced personalization and marketing automation tools for building a more personalized customer experience.

However, BigCommerce is more user-friendly and does not require any programming knowledge or special skills to use.

It also offers a wide selection of themes and plugins that you can use to improve your site's design and functionality without the need for expensive and time-consuming Magento development.

6. What are some alternatives to Magento?

Some of the best Magento alternatives are:

• BigCommerce
• Shopify
• Big Cartel
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud
• WooCommerce

Check out other useful ecommerce platforms and software solutions here.

Ready to Choose the Best Magento Alternative for Your Ecommerce Business?

Magento is a great ecommerce platform, but it is expensive to use for those without Magento development experience. Being an open-source ecommerce platform, it also brings security risks to the Magento store.

If you're not happy with using Magento due to security risks, cost, or Magento development concerns, then using an alternative to Magento may be a perfect solution.

Although BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or Shopify do not offer all the features that Magento does, they are all excellent Magento alternatives that can be customized to meet your online store needs.

Before making your final decision, you should try to understand what benefits and drawbacks each of these Magento alternative solutions have.

Do you need help building your ecommerce business website or increasing conversions? Feel free to reach out to our team of experts to create a user-centric, SEO-friendly, and mobile responsive online store.

So, it’s high time to take your business online to capture the attention of millennial B2B buyers and bring in more sales.

For this, you’ll need to choose a suitable platform that can back your B2B ecommerce site and help you run, manage, and scale your online store effectively.

In this article, I’ll help you evaluate which B2B ecommerce platforms that are most suitable for your business according to your budget and requirements. Keep reading!

[Also check out the best B2B marketing tools to grow your ecommerce business.]

What is a B2B Ecommerce Platform?

B2B stands for business to business and ecommerce is electronic commerce.

B2B ecommerce is the sale of goods between businesses through an online platform. 

Businesses are using ecommerce to branch out and find new customers. There are plenty of reasons businesses prefer to buy and sell online.

Buying online means orders are processed online, which removes a lot of people in the middle, saving time and money. It’s also easier to keep track of your orders online, instead of having to contact a company via phone or email about an order that hasn’t arrived yet.

Which Essential Features Should a B2B Ecommerce Platform Have?

While every B2B ecommerce platform has something unique to offer, there are a few features that most B2B ecommerce platforms have in common. 

These features are necessary to meet your B2B business needs and create a basic store.

Let’s take a look at the most essential features a B2B ecommerce platform should have.

User Access Restriction Options

B2B ecommerce businesses are more complex than B2C ecommerce businesses. Therefore, your ecommerce platform should allow you to restrict access to certain parts of the website on a user-to-user basis.

For example, if you sell to both B2B and B2C customers, your B2B ecommerce store should hide bulk pricing from B2C customers. Users should be able to access certain features only after they log in to their accounts.

This functionality will help you optimize your B2B shopping experience.

Custom Pricing, Order Placement, and Payment Options

Your B2B ecommerce platform should allow you to provide custom pricing, order placement, and payment options to your retail and wholesale customers.

You can also look for an option to customize shipping rates and quote for specific B2B buyers based on their loyalty, average order value, and long-term relationship.

As a B2B ecommerce business, the platform you pick should also facilitate bulk ordering for customers who demand a large number of products and often have a high order frequency. Make sure that your online store is ready to handle such orders smoothly.

Similarly, you may want to allow credit authorization to certain wholesale customers based on the total order value and their past purchase history.

User Experience Optimization Features

One thing that differentiates successful businesses from other businesses is the kind of user experience they deliver.

These days, B2B buyers expect to get B2C-like shopping experiences. You should find a platform that offers all the personalization options you need to gain complete control over your ecommerce site.

These features include:

• Online store design templates with an intuitive user interface
• Mobile responsive designs
• Easy-to-use, built-in tools for lead capture forms, reward programs, custom branding, etc.
• Built-in marketing tools and CRM integrations to attract and retain customers
• Timely response with dedicated support

Along with features, you should also look at the cost of different ecommerce platforms before making the final choice.

How to Choose the Best B2B Ecommerce Software

Choosing the right B2B ecommerce platform will largely depend on the features you need. These features might be industry-specific, whilst others are universal.

Some examples are:

• Physical products -These include physical items like books, cleaning supplies, or storage and handling equipment to name a few.
• Services – These include healthcare coverage, legal help, writing, and graphic design.
• Wholesale – This is the selling of large quantities of items to retailers.
• Digital products – These include games, music, movies, e-books, online courses, and software licenses.
• Subscription-based services – These are products and services that recur monthly or yearly. These products and services can be food, supplies, or even digital software.

There’s a large variety of different ecommerce shops that focus on B2B, and that is why you must get the right B2B ecommerce platform for your needs.

When choosing a platform, you need to know what your company will be selling. From there you need to make sure that the platform you choose supports what you’ll be doing.

This includes things like a checkout page, automatic invoicing, manual invoicing, private price list, and more.

What Are the Top 15 B2B Ecommerce Platforms for 2022?

Now that you know what to look for in a B2B ecommerce platform, let’s take a look at some of the best B2B ecommerce platforms for 2022.

I’ve put together the key features, pros, cons, and pricing details of each of them to help you evaluate and pick the right ecommerce platform for your B2B business.

1. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is the leading SaaS ecommerce platform designed to transform your B2B shopping experience. It offers several advanced features that make it a good choice for hybrid businesses that cater to both B2B and B2C customers at the same time.

Key Features

• Sleek site designs to accommodate large catalogs
• An option to provide different price lists and catalogs to different customer groups. This feature is great for hybrid businesses which serve both B2B and B2C customers.
• Customer segmentation features
• Built-in tools for instant quote generation, user permissions, and reordering
• Top-of-the-line DDoS security protection and PCI (Payment Card Industry) compliance
• Custom shipping rates and option to print shipping labels for B2B customers
• Multi-storefront options

Pros

• User-friendly storefronts
• No transaction fee
• Integrations with major order management system (OMS) and customer relationship management (CRM) solutions
• Flexible payment methods and credit authorization
• Great SEO features
• Automatically added volume discounts

Cons

• Limited discount options
• An annual threshold on online sales is implemented with each plan. Once your annual sales cross that amount, you’ll need to upgrade to a more expensive pricing plan.

Pricing Details

• Try BigCommerce free for 15 days and then pick a plan.
• Standard: $29.95/month (not suitable for B2B businesses)
• Plus: $79.95/month
• Pro: $299.95/month
• Enterprise: Contact their sales team for custom pricing.

Also check out:

• BigCommerce review
• BigCommerce alternatives

2. Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus is a version of Shopify that offers advanced selling capabilities to enterprises dealing in large volume orders. 

Its built-in functionality is good enough to set up a basic store but you can add more features to your B2B business website using other app integrations.

Key Features

• Custom group discounts and pricing options
• Custom storefront designs
• Unlimited extensibility, integrations, and customization through Shopify apps and partners
• Accelerated checkout process

Pros

• Seamless user experience
• Easy-to-use and less time-consuming solution
• Various useful built-in tools for B2B ecommerce businesses
• Supports more than 100 payment methods

Cons

• Limited backend customization
• Lack of multi-store support
• Charges additional transaction fee if you don’t use Shopify Payments

Pricing Details

• $2000/month for Shopify Plus plan (which is most suitable for B2B businesses)
• You can also try using the Shopify plan for $79/month or the Advanced Shopify plan for $299/month.

You may also like to read my comparison post of BigCommerce vs. Shopify.Be sure to check out these Shopify alternatives as well.

3. SAP Commerce Cloud

SAP Commerce Cloud is a comprehensive ecommerce platform for both B2B and B2C businesses. 

It offers features such as product bundles, multi-level versions, and much more to support any business model and help you easily scale your business.

Key Features

• Robust product content and catalog management
• Delivers hyper-personalized omnichannel experiences
• Intuitive self-service account management capabilities
• Credit management
• Price quote requests
• AI-powered merchandising
• Powerful search capabilities
• Multiple storefront support
• Robust order management

Pros

• One platform for any business model
• Support for highly complex scenarios
• Proven scalability and performance
• Flexible built-in promotion capabilities
• Effective analytics and reporting tools to help you optimize your store for greater conversions

Cons

• Technical skills required to use this B2B ecommerce platform

Pricing Details

• You need to contact their sales team for custom pricing.

4. Adobe Commerce

Adobe Commerce, formerly Magento, is one of the best open-source B2B ecommerce platforms, which allows high scalability and great customization options. 

This reliable, cloud-based ecommerce platform comes with built-in B2B functionality which can help you increase customer engagement.

Key Features

• User-friendly interface
• Custom catalogs and price lists for different customer groups
• Multi-channel selling capabilities
• Allows your sales reps to do quoting and negotiations
• Company accounts with multiple sub-users
• Company credit limit options
• Shared catalogs
• Selling across multiple channels

Pros

• Unified platform for both B2C and B2B ecommerce dealings
• Easily integrate with existing backend systems
• Robust business insights to optimize your site for conversions

Cons

• Adobe Commerce is not for everyone. If you’re not tech savvy and don’t have an in-house team of developers, you should not choose Adobe Commerce as your B2B ecommerce platform.

Pricing Details

• Adobe Commerce Pro: Contact their sales team for custom pricing.

5. Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce is another cloud-based ecommerce platform, which mitigates the risk of losing data and increases accessibility.

It’s an engaging platform that offers self-service buying on all devices including mobile.

The included guided content is also a welcome surprise with an in-depth guide to setting up your ecommerce shop.

Key Features

• Custom and branded storefront design
• Advanced ordering capabilities
• Multiple storefronts
• Account-based pricing
• Stock inventory management
• Seamless integration of third-party apps and data

Pros

• Seamless self-service buying experiences
• Advanced B2B features such as custom catalogs, contract pricing, and account hierarchies
• Powerful merchandising functionality
• Advanced SEO and marketing tools

Cons

• Smaller community support
• Limited customization as the website will be managed by Salesforce

Pricing Details

• Starts at $25 a month

6. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is an open-source B2B ecommerce platform that helps you build an online store with a high level of personalization. You can pick a suitable theme with a mobile-friendly interface and use built-in customer support tools to sell online.

This platform is more appropriate for small-scale B2B businesses as it offers limited scalability options.

Key Features

• Various customizable themes and add-ons
• Product bundles
• Minimum quantity purchase limit
• Inventory management and tracking
• Custom checkouts
• Access to marketing reports and analytics
• Global selling support

Pros

• Easy downloading and installation
• Minimum recurring cost

Cons

• Limited scalability
• Expensive add-on modules for advanced features

Pricing Details

• It is a completely free solution with no monthly fees and no commissions.

7. NetSuite SuiteCommerce

NetSuite SuiteCommerce is a B2B ecommerce software solution dedicated to empowering B2B sellers to enhance customer engagement and save time. 

This platform helps deliver B2B seamless experience for both suppliers and consumers.

Key Features

• Pre-built mobile-optimized storefront designs
• Allows buyers to request quotes and easily reorder items from past purchases
• Custom product catalog options for different customer groups
• Inventory and order management
• Streamlined billing solutions with negotiated pricing and credit limits
• Centralized repository of all customer data collected from various touchpoints
• Account hierarchies and permissions

Pros

• Account-based site restrictions
• High-level security and PCI compliance
• Helps you sell more with built-in business intelligence
• Repeat and bulk ordering options
• Numerous integrations with CRM (customer relationship management) and ERP (enterprise resource planning) solutions

Cons

• Complex solution
• Lacks automation abilities required by large enterprises

Pricing Details

• Contact their team for annual licensing fees and other cost details.

8. WooCommerce B2B

WooCommerce B2B is an open-source B2B ecommere plugin that can help you turn your WordPress website into a successful online shop. It provides you with all the functionality needed to run a wholesale ecommerce business.

Key Features

• Customer groups with specific rules
• Personalized price lists for each customer group
• Discounted prices by cart quantity
• Option to hide an entire product category from a specific customer group

Pros

• Hides prices from unregistered users
• Allows users to request quotes
• Converts your existing WordPress site into a functional B2B ecommerce store
• Constantly updated with new features

Cons

• You’ll need to use other WooCommerce plugins to add basic ecommerce functionality to your website.
• Some themes are not that compatible to use with the plugin.

Pricing Details

• Regular license: $69 (one-time payment)
• Extended license: $149 (one-time payment)

You may also like to read:

• WooCommerce plugins to make your store awesome
• WooCommerce vs. BigCommerce
• WooCommerce vs. Shopify

9. OroCommerce

OroCommerce is a comprehensive B2B ecommerce platform built for distributors, manufacturers, brands, and wholesalers. 

This is one digital commerce platform that only serves business-to-business buyers and can, therefore, help you improve vendor management, sales pipelines, and more.

They have an excellent video explaining how OroCommerce works.

Key Features

• Corporate account management
• Access controls and account roles
• Multiple price lists and shopping lists
• Personalized B2B product catalog management
• Inventory management
• Customer segmentation and promotions management
• Tax management

Pros

• A B2B-centric ecommerce platform
• Quick order form, order approval, and reordering options
• Allows you to keep your ecommerce and ERP system in sync

Cons

• Limited development availability and support

Pricing Details

• OroCommerce Community Edition: Free download
• OroCommerce Enterprise Edition: Contact their team for custom pricing.

10. Optimizely’s B2B Commerce Cloud

Optimizely’s B2B Commerce Cloud was built to help B2B businesses drive more sales with personalized experiences, data-driven recommendations, and built-in workflows.

Key Features

• Custom quotations
• Customer-specific pricing
• Brand management
• Product information management (PIM)
• Workflows and approvals for B2B
• Multi-site and multi-lingual management

Pros

• Easy integrations with third-party apps, ERP systems, and CRM solutions
• Fast loading speed
• Easy content customization

Cons

• Difficult to learn and use
• Lack of guidance and support

Pricing Details

• Contact their team for custom pricing.

11. OpenCart B2B Marketplace

OpenCart is an excellent platform for businesses who are just starting out and don’t have a large budget.

OpenCart is completely free and is open-source. There are no fees or any subscriptions to use it.

If you’re looking for a more custom tailored experience, especially for B2B ecommerce, OpenCart has a Multi Vendor Marketplace add-on at a cost.

OpenCart comes complete with customer groups, separate seller product collections. It can also receive quote requests, respond to product query, and much more.

Key Features

• Custom quotations
• Customer-specific pricing
• Receive quote requests
• Product query response
• Multi-site and multi-lingual management (multi-vendor extension)

Pros

• Great for startups and small ecommerce businesses
• Fast loading speed
• Easy content customization

Cons

• Some features are locked behind an extension
• Support isn’t great

Pricing Details

• Free but if you want the multi-vendor marketplace add-on costs $299

12. CS-Cart

CS-Cart promises that you can start your B2B ecommerce business within 3-months using their platform.

CS-Cart uses a modular architecture with clear code to make it easier and faster to develop.

CS-Cart works on desktops and mobile devices and has a large variety of courses for beginners to learn about B2B ecommerce platforms.

Key Features

• Great support and community
• Excellent support team
• Easy to set up with clear coding
• Works with most third party applications
• Multi-site and multi-lingual management

Pros

• Great community and support
• Free and easy to use
• Easy content customization

Cons

• Can be difficult for beginners, but the courses will help

Pricing Details

• Standard plan is $699 a year

13. PulseCommerce

PulseCommerce was designed with all ecommerce businesses in mind including B2C, B2B, and multi brand ecommerce websites.

PulseCommerce supports multiple languages and multi-brands. It comes with plenty of personalization options, advanced search capabilities and is SEO-friendly.

Key Features

• Automatic order processing
• Secure payment processing
• Backorder management
• Product information management (PIM)
• Workflows and approvals for B2B
• Multi-site and multi-lingual management

Pros

• Easy integrations with third-party apps, ERP systems, and CRM solutions
• SEO-friendly
• Easy to set up

Cons

• Not as customizable as other platforms

Pricing Details

• Prices aren’t provided on the site. You can schedule a demo and a quotation through the website

14. Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop’s dashboard looks clean and straightforward. But during my testing, I found that its navigational menu is a little difficult to get the hang of.

It does have a great introductory video which helps a bit, but the clunky layout may make it difficult, especially for beginners.

Shift4Shop is free if you are based in the US, but other businesses will need to pay to use Shift4Shop.

Key Features

• Offers over 100 different payment options
• Customizable shipping costs
• Zero transaction fees
• Product information management (PIM)
• Customizable product inventory page
• Multi-site and multi-lingual management

Pros

• An abundance of payment options for international customers
• Great customization
• Introductory video is great

Cons

• Difficult to learn the complicated set up
• Free plan is only for US-based websites

Pricing Details

• If you’re outside the US, then the starting price is $29 to $200 a month. There’s also an enterprise plan that costs upwards of $2000 a month

15. Pepperi

Pepperi is a B2B ecommerce platform that was designed from the get go to be just that.

Pepperi is very user-friendly and supports a large list of third-party applications.

It has a ton of customizable features that makes it another excellent B2B ecommrece platform for you to choose from.

Key Features

• Intuitive design
• You can customize profiles and designs for each buyer
• Worldwide ready with foreign language support, currencies and shipping methods to boast
• Trade promotions
• Back office integrations
• Excellent support

Pros

• Web and mobile support
• Great support team
• Beautiful e-catalogs

Cons

• Complicated integration and doesn’t support some plugins and applications

Pricing Details

• Contact their team for custom pricing.

Comparison of top 10 B2B Ecommerce Platforms

FAQs

Ready to Pick the Right B2B Ecommerce Platform for Your Business?

Now that you know what to look for in a B2B ecommerce platform and have read my detailed platform comparison guide, it’s time to pick one that you find most suitable for your business.

Do you have questions about growing your B2B ecommerce business? Feel free to discuss which ecommerce platforms to use, how to market your products, and much more with my team of experts.