eCommerce platforms for small businesses

eCommerce has become a strategic and key asset in business contexts in order to boost business, thanks to its ability to break down all kinds of geographical barriers and reach new markets.

Nowadays, even in a highly fickle and uncertain landscape, Italian consumers are increasingly showing a penchant for digital: in fact, the online shopping sector has registered a +21% increase over 2021 (data source: observatori.net).

Within this framework, even small and medium-sized businesses have been working to intercept new opportunities and increase, sometimes significantly, profits. Opening an eCommerce, therefore, is advantageous, and to do so, companies rely on platforms that can offer useful tools and resources for complete and, at the same time, convenient management of all procedures and operations.

Contrary to what one might think, the implementation of an online shop does not always presuppose a large economic outlay, as it is not the mere prerogative of large entities capable of supporting high costs.

Table of Contents:
eCommerce for small businesses
All-in-one platforms for creating a cost-effective eCommerce
Shopify
Square Online
Squarespace
Wix
CMS to create an economical eCommerce
WooCommerce
PrestaShop
eCommerce for small businesses
For small businesses, starting an online store might initially seem like a mountain to climb. However, there are tools on the market that address different needs, espousing even those projects that do not involve a large budget.

If this is the case for you, it might be useful to know that opening an eCommerce, in addition to not requiring a considerable expense, is not a task bound to the work of a programming expert. In fact, even those without a technical background in the field can take advantage of the ease of use of some software.

All-in-one platforms for creating an inexpensive eCommerce
While having a limited budget, one can set up first-rate online stores rather quickly and easily with all-in-one platforms. They are called all-in-one because, in addition to offering a number of features, they also include Hosting in the package: this means that you will not have the need to allocate part of the budget to a third-party service.

Let’s look, below, at the most popular platforms.

Shopify
Among the most widely used all-in-one platforms, due to its ease of use and built-in tools, is Shopify.

The generator, with its drag-and-drop feature, makes it easy to create an online store even in the absence of coding or programming know-how. Shopify, in fact, provides more than 70 themes, which can be customized without outside help.

It is a robust platform with tools and features for multichannel selling; therefore, it allows you to sell products directly from your eCommerce, as well as on social media, through external marketplaces or through tools such as click and collect. The latter refers to the service that allows customers to make a purchase of a product online and then arrange for it to be picked up in store.

Square Online
Cost-effective solution for stores with that do not provide many products is definitely Square Online. This platform can be used completely free of charge, but if you plan to have a custom domain you will have to turn to one of the paid plans.

Square Online also has a transaction fee extended to all plans.

Squarespace
An excellent alternative for small and growing online stores is Squarespace. This platform is designed to simplify website building, but it offers dedicated eCommerce plans that start at $26 per month.

Its strengths are mainly those related to SEO optimization and compatibility with external marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay.

Wix
Businesses that want to open a small online store and have risky technical expertise can find Wix a valuable ally. The platform offers an extremely simple drag-and-drop system, which also makes eCommerce customization easy to do.

Wix provides numerous tools, enabling order tracking, various online payment methods, multichannel selling, and creating ad hoc marketing campaigns for abandoned carts.

CMSs for creating cost-effective eCommerce
The platforms just considered also include, as highlighted, Hosting, which is the web space that will host the website. However, you also have the option to independently choose the desired service and install the preferred CMS. Below, we present the most popular solutions.

WooCommerce

27% of companies planning to develop an online store use the popular WordPress plugin, namely WooCommerce. It is a versatile solution supported by a community, the WordPress community, which is very large.

WooCommerce offers the ability to create a new online store in minutes, secure payments, configurable shipping options and more. In addition, depending on your needs, you can add features and extend the functionality of your e-shop by implementing the desired resources from the WooCommerce Marketplace.

Shellrent advances a solution designed to ensure maximum compatibility with WooCommerce: in fact, our plan is designed for optimal performance and maximum security, as well as providing the tools you need to grow your business.

Discover WooCommerce Hosting
PrestaShop
PrestaShop is the most widely used eCommerce platform in Europe. This is because it offers extensive customization of your online store and is packed with built-in features that allow the user to manage payment methods, product listing, shipping, buyers and suppliers.

Given the high traffic and substantial amount of products PrestaShop can support, we recommend opting for an Enterprise Hosting plan; however, if you think your online shop does not require large numbers, you could still choose a cheaper plan.