Starting an Online Store: Possibilities and Considerations in 2024

Introduction

Starting an online store is a crucial step for any business looking to sell products or services online. However, it can be a challenging task. In this article, I will discuss the requirements needed to build a solid online store foundation, and then list the available ecommerce platforms as well as self-developed solutions, along with their pros and cons.

Requirements for a solid online store foundation

The following requirements are essential for ensuring a secure, scalable, and high-performing online store:

Security: Daily backups, SSL support, advanced security monitoring, daily malware scans, and threat detection.
Support: Highly available support and troubleshooting specialized for the specific platform.
Speed and Performance: Server-level caching, CDN integration, and performance monitoring.
High Scalability and Availability: Robust infrastructure with automatic provisioning and scaling for high-traffic stores.
Flexibility: Customizable options, including payment gateways, shipping options, and inventory management.

Available possibilities

Starting an online store can vary greatly depending on your technical and financial capabilities. Here are the best ecommerce platforms or self-developed solutions and their pros and cons to help you make an informed decision.

Ready-Made Ecommerce Platforms

1. Shopify

Overview: Shopify is one of the most widely known and used platforms for online stores. It offers a wide range of features, plugins, custom apps, themes, and extensions.

Pros:

Easy to set up and use, even for beginners.
Wide range of customizable templates.
Built-in SEO and marketing tools.
Supports over 100 payment gateways.
24/7 customer support.

Cons:

Monthly costs can be high, especially with additional app costs.
Limited free themes.
Transaction fees apply if using third-party payment gateways.

Pricing: Starts at $29/month for the Basic plan, with advanced plans available for larger businesses. Source: Shopify Pricing

2. WooCommerce

Overview: WooCommerce is a powerful, open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress, ideal for those who already have a WordPress site.

Pros:

Free to use, with a vast range of plugins and extensions.
Highly customizable with complete control over the website.
Excellent for SEO and content marketing.
Large community and extensive documentation.

Cons:

Requires self-hosting and more technical knowledge.
Costs can add up with various plugins and themes.
Limited customer support compared to fully hosted solutions.

Pricing: The core plugin is free, but additional costs for hosting, domain, and premium features. Source: WooCommerce Pricing

3. BigCommerce

Overview: BigCommerce is a comprehensive platform suitable for both small and large businesses, offering extensive built-in features.

Pros:

No transaction fees.
Supports multi-channel selling on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Instagram.
Robust reporting and analytics.
Scalable for large businesses with high-volume sales.

Cons:

Higher cost for advanced features.
Limited customization compared to some competitors.
Requires upgrading plans as sales increase.

Pricing: Starts at $29/month for the Standard plan, with more advanced options available. Source: BigCommerce Pricing

4. Squarespace

Overview: Squarespace is known for its beautiful, design-oriented templates and ease of use, making it ideal for creatives and small businesses.

Pros:

Stunning, professional templates.
No transaction fees.
All-in-one platform with hosting included.
Good for SEO and content management.

Cons:

Limited ecommerce features compared to dedicated platforms.
Less flexibility in customization.
Can be expensive with advanced features.

Pricing: Starts at $15/month for the Basic Commerce plan. Source: Squarespace Pricing

5. Wix

Overview: Wix offers a flexible, drag-and-drop website builder with ecommerce capabilities, making it great for beginners.

Pros:

Very user-friendly with no coding required.
Free plan available (though limited).
Good for small businesses and creatives.
Industry-specific features for different business types.

Cons:

Limited storage and bandwidth on lower-tier plans.
Separate dashboards for ecommerce and web design can be confusing.
Limited access to coding files.

Pricing: Starts with a free plan; paid plans start at $17/month for ecommerce features. Source: Wix Pricing

6. Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)

Overview: Adobe Commerce is a robust, open-source platform designed for developers and large businesses needing extensive customization.

Pros:

Highly customizable and scalable.
Comprehensive feature set for large product catalogs.
Strong community and extensive integrations.

Cons:

Requires significant technical knowledge and development resources.
Higher cost for hosting and professional support.
Not user-friendly for beginners.

Pricing: Individual pricing, need to get in contact. Source: Adobe Commerce Pricing

7. Shopware

Overview: Shopware is a flexible, open-source ecommerce platform designed for growth and scalability. It's popular in Europe and offers extensive customization options.

Pros:

Highly customizable and scalable.
Strong community and extensive documentation.
Flexible and modular architecture.
Excellent for SEO and content management.

Cons:

Requires technical knowledge for setup and customization.
Costs can add up with various plugins and themes.
Limited customer support compared to fully hosted solutions.

Pricing: Starts with a free Community Edition; paid plans start at 600 €/month for the Rise Edition; other editions (Evolve and Beyond) are individual and need specific assessment according to different needs. Source: Shopware Pricing

Mainly known for extensive support of B2B integrations, Shopware is a good choice for middle sized companies located in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). Ramiz Ibrahimovic from the company Webwirkung in Wil St. Gallen, Switzerland wrote an excellent article about Shopware and compared it to different other solutions, in German; Welche vorteile bringt Shopware 6 im 2024.

Self-Developed Solutions

Overview: Developing your own ecommerce platform offers maximum flexibility and control but requires a high level of technical knowledge and resources. This solution is ideal for businesses with specific requirements that cannot be met by ready-made platforms.

Pros:

Full control over the design and functionality of the store.
No dependency on third-party providers.
Ability to integrate custom business processes and specific requirements.
No ongoing license or transaction fees.

Cons:

High initial investment in development and infrastructure.
Requires an experienced development team or external developer resources.
Longer development time to market.
Ongoing maintenance and security updates are necessary.

Technologies and Tools:

Programming Languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby.
Frameworks: Django (Python), Ruby on Rails, Laravel (PHP), Express.js (Node.js).
Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB.
Hosting: AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, DigitalOcean, Heroku, Vercel, Netlify, and others.

Example of a Self-Developed Solution:

Frontend Development: Create the user interface using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Use frameworks like React.js (with libraries like Next.js) or Vue.js for a reactive user experience.
Backend Development: Develop the server logic using a framework like Django, Laravel, Express.js, or Ruby on Rails. Ensure all business logic, such as order processing and payment integration, is implemented.
Database: Choose a relational or NoSQL database based on your requirements. MySQL and PostgreSQL are common options for relational databases, while MongoDB is a popular NoSQL database.
Hosting: Deploy your application on a reliable hosting platform. AWS offers a wide range of services suitable for ecommerce applications, including EC2 for servers and RDS for databases.
Security: Implement security measures such as SSL certificates, regular security updates, and monitoring systems to protect your application from attacks.

Conclusion

Choosing the right ecommerce platform depends on your specific needs, technical expertise, and budget. Shopify and BigCommerce are excellent for those looking for ease of use and comprehensive features. WooCommerce is perfect for WordPress users who want flexibility and control. Squarespace and Wix cater to creatives and small businesses with their intuitive design interfaces, while Adobe Commerce is suited for large businesses requiring extensive customization. Self-developed solutions offer maximum flexibility and control but require significant technical resources and expertise.

Evaluate these options based on your business model, growth plans, and technical capabilities to find the best fit for your online store in 2024.

In subsequent articles, I will delve into more technical details on implementing an online store. I will use WooCommerce to demonstrate the flexibility offered by this WordPress add-on. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need further assistance.