Magento or Woo Commerce? Understanding which eCommerce platform is the right choice for your business Image

As a business finding and understanding the right eCommerce platform for your business can often be a minefield. Most search engine searches will return any number of options for your business to choose from and with the options is an ever-growing list of pros and cons.

According to Forbes, COVID-19 has accelerated eCommerce Growth ‘4 to 6 years.’ In the current pandemic climate having a functioning eCommerce website has become one of the most in-demand services offered, and so understanding the right platform for your business is vital to continue operations.

When considering what your business’ options are there are four main considerations you should keep in mind:

  1. Platform

Depending on your business’ structure and eCommerce requirements there are different platform options for you to choose to develop your website on. Our recommended platforms are Magento and WooCommerce.

WooCommerce is an open-source eCommerce platform developed on the WordPress Content Management System (CMS). If you have an existing WordPress website and are considering adding a shop to this, WooCommerce is the perfect choice for your business. WooCommerce is also an ideal platform for your business if you offer both services and products as WordPress can handle the content pages while WooCommerce will deliver the full eCommerce functionality. Your business can sell both physical, digital, and subscription products on the WooCommerce Platform.

Due to the popularity of the WooCommerce platform, your business will have access to a large pool of WooCommerce developers and experts meaning you will never be stuck for any number of options of support.

Magento is another open-source eCommerce platform on the market and is one of the more popular platforms in the world. Created specifically for eCommerce use Magento has an expansive backend interface and an impressive features list. If your business is operating a large eCommerce business with thousands of products and a high volume of orders, Magento should be the first platform you consider.

Like with WooCommerce, due to the vast popularity of Magento, you will have access to many developers and experts for support.

  1. Design & User Experience

For any eCommerce website, intuitive navigation and ease of use are highly important ensuring your customer finds exactly what they want as quickly as possible and that they can make their purchase without complications. Customers should be able to find what they are looking for within 3 clicks otherwise you might just lose them to a competitor.

You do not want the design to be overcomplicated, after all your one goal is for customers to visit your website and make a purchase. A clean, simple design is always the best option for eCommerce. Once the customer is on your website clear call to action will direct your customer to take an action. Depending on your business you want to direct customers to your bestsellers, main product categories, or special offers. Quick and easy access is key to motivating customers.

With over 60% of website traffic originating from a mobile phone your design should also be mobile responsive to enable your new eCommerce website to be viewed correctly and easily across multiple platforms and operating systems.

  1. Security

Considering the security of your eCommerce website is critical to protect your business and your customers due to the amount of sensitive information, including personal details and credit card data, flowing through the platform daily.

All eCommerce platform should have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate installed. SSL Certificates are small data files that digitally bind a cryptographic key to an organization’s details. When installed on a web server, an SSL Certificate activates the padlock allowing for secure connections from a web server to a browser. SSL Certificates are typically used to secure credit card transactions, data transfer, and logins, and more recently are becoming the norm when securing browsing of social media sites.

Strict password credentials should always be used by site administrators to ensure hackers cannot obtain easy backend website access by simply guessing your password. Strict parameters should also be set for your customers when they set their account passwords. Using a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols will help ensure passwords are as complex as possible.

Other security considerations for eCommerce websites include installing security updates for your platform, choosing a secure host for your website, and ensuring you run regular backups.

  1. In-house Editing Capabilities

Nowadays most eCommerce platforms are developed within a (CMS) which will allow your business to internally update products, content, and imagery. When considering a platform this is important to remember as eCommerce shops tend to change weekly, if not daily.

eCommerce websites developed on both Magento and Woo Commerce platforms offer this functionality.

 

There are plenty of options when considering the right eCommerce platform for your business. By considering all the above points you will create an eCommerce website that will deliver a robust website capable of promoting all your business’ services and products in an easy to navigate format.

If your company requires a professional online presence please Contact Us to discuss how we can help you, on Dungannon 028 3754 9025 or Belfast 028 9002 5050.