Entering the digital age, many businesses have since started to shift their business online and began to operate an online store. Of course, not everyone is a tech geek or e-commerce expert, so they would probably need some help in setting up their online shopping preface and could use some guidance from the pros.
For the time being, we will try to compare three different e-commerce platforms under some criteria and outline the best platform for different types of user. The platforms are Shopify, Wix and WooCommerce. Take a look at the comparison table below:
Ease of Use
Especially for new users, the set-up procedures and guides of Shopify and Wix are simple and easy to follow. They arranged the set-up procedures into simple steps and you can easily build your e-commerce site quick and fast. Whereas for WooCommerce, you will have to do tons of set-up and possibly require some coding techniques as you try to build your website and form your domain name and so. The set-up is more complex and time-consuming, which would take weeks to complete.
Design
It is important for a site to be attractive-looking, clear and matches your company's image. Among the three platforms, Shopify offers the least choices in terms of design, and you would need to pay if you want to try out other features and themes. With WooCommerce, you can pick from 1,000 free themes for your site design in addition to the plug-ins you could add. As for Wix, it offers the most freedom in terms of creativity, as you can pick from hundreds of templates with different themes and more importantly, all could be further customised to truly fit your needs and imagination.
SEO Performance
One of the most important consideration in choosing the right platform is SEO performance. Both Shopify and Wix only offer a fundamental set-up in shaping your site's SEO and room for editing are limited. Whereas for WooCommerce, its connection with WordPress allows you to use a variety of plugins and other tools to help your website to excel in terms of SEO, and many of them can even be accessed freely.
Load Time
The load time of a website is pivotal in determining the traffic and it directly affects customer retention. According to Google, it is best to limit your site's loading speed within 1-3 seconds. The longer it takes to load, the higher the chance your potential customers will bounce. Among all three platforms, Shopify is the only platform that could load with that range, as quick as 1.3 seconds. As for Wix and WooCommerce, both exceeding the 3-second mark, at 3.2 and 3.4 seconds respectively.
To Sum Up
If you are a beginner and you have no technical background, Wix and Shopify will be your priorities. If you are looking for a platform that allows you to showcase your artistic side, Wix gives you the largest flexibility to implement your creativity to your website. If you want to develop a website that could provide a more advanced SEO setup and relevant tools then WooCommerce should be your go-to platform. If you want a website that loads the quickest, Shopify will be your best choice.
If you want to learn more and want a more in-depth analysis for these three platforms and more, you can check out https://www.ecommerceceo.com/ecommerce-platforms/ for a more detailed comparison.
Need help to choose your e-commerce platform or want more advice for your website? Tell us at info@4hk.com.hk !