THE ECOMMERCE WEBSITE AND WAYS TO DO IT

Maria Maisuradze • January 28, 2022

To build an online store you need to use the right platform, but which platform is right for you?

There are many options, all of which offer different approaches to building your store.

If you are an eCommerce novice, it isn’t easy to go through all the technical jargon to find the right platform — So we have done it for you.


#1. Hosted eCommerce Shopping Cart platform for personal and startup websites


The first benefit of utilizing this type of platform is that hosted eCommerce carts allow you to successfully build an online store without having any technical experience. This type of platform is ideal for business owners that are just starting their first store and want to test the water in a cheap risk averse way.

Other reasons to use hosted eCommerce builders include:

  • No technical administrative duties – hosting and security is managed by online store builders, meaning you’ll have more time to focus on your business.
  • It’s a turnkey solution – this means all shopping cart tools are pre-installed and are ready for use. No integration and very minimal configuration required.
  • Drag and drop website construction – hosted shopping carts “hide” the coding, allowing you to drag and drop images, upload products, and connect your website to payment processors.

For personal/small business websites, the following are great options:



Shopify – suitable for businesses of all sizes, Shopify is scalable and grows with your online store as your business expands. Besides providing 24/7 support, you also have over 100 mobile-ready themes and 1,500 functionality-extending apps available. If needed, there are experts you can hire to customize design and functions.


Wix – this drag and drop website builder gives you more creative control by allowing users to drop content anywhere on your website. It suits simpler store configurations that are selling no more than 20 products and have simpler requirements, such as accounting or marketing integration.

BigCommerce – not only does it come with 24/7 support, BigCommerce provides simple store construction, as well as social channel leverage and the option of adding advanced tools through their App Store.


Squarespace – their stunning templates are ideal for users looking to create image-rich websites. Aesthetics aside, Squarespace gives you control over product variants, inventory management, unlimited product uploads, sales configuration, and other tools needed for a comprehensive online store.

#2. Self-Hosted Open Source eCommerce platforms for small to medium businesses


Open source shopping carts are essentially standalone programs that require you to install them onto your own host, meaning that you also have to set up, configure and manage your own hosting service for your online store. After setting up the hosting service, you’ll need to install the shopping cart platform onto your hosting account. Once a shopping cart platform has been installed, you’ll then need to install a design template and code it to make specific changes. The main benefit of using self-hosted open source software is that it’s extremely flexible; you can configure functions and customize every single part of your online store.


Here are some Self-Hosted eCommerce platforms:

WooCommerce – this option is powered by WordPress, which allows you to build whatever type of website you want with stunning designs and powerful features. WooCommerce powers over 39% of all online stores and is the most customizable eCommerce platform on the market. The backend of WooCommerce is very user friendly, making order management a breeze.


Magento – this agile commerce platform used by 250,000 merchants globally is flexible and quickly adapts to ever-changing customer behavior. The Magento advantage: always staying ahead of shifting customer buying patterns. The backend can be a little tricky for store owners to get used to.


OpenCart – a free and scalable open-source eCommerce platform that offers numerous modules and themes to expand store functionality and dedicated support when needed.

New Paragraph

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN BRANDING PACKAGE AND WHAT IT IS COST?

By Maria Maisuradze • January 27, 2022
Before you can roll out on-brand designs, you need a robust brand identity package. But what does a branding package include? How much does a branding package cost? And where do you even begin with selecting the right design partner to help you develop your brand? If you haven’t been through the brand development process before it can be difficult to know what to expect.

ESSENTIAL FACEBOOK AD TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW

By Violeta Maisuradze • January 26, 2022
As Facebook continues to dominate the global market, Facebook Ads are undeniably the powerhouse of the advertising world.

HOW MUCH DOES A WEBSITE COST?

By Violeta Maisuradze • January 24, 2022
There are three ways to build a website:

EXAMPLES OF BAD WEBSITES - AVOID THIS 20 WORST WEBSITES

By Violeta Maisuradze • December 26, 2021
Are you looking for the best websites on the web? You’re in the wrong place!

LANDING PAGE VS PRODUCT PAGE. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

By Violeta Maisuradze • December 26, 2021
A landing page is a standalone page designed for a specific marketing campaign. Typically, it has only one focus—to guide the visitor to take a specific action with minimal distractions. This action can be anything from signing up for an email newsletter to accessing an online course, or buying a product. Landing pages still contain focused offers, but they don’t necessarily have to be for an ecommerce product. The best landing pages out there know how to be captivating and compelling. Here are beautifully designed landing page examples doing just that. An effective landing page grips the visitor’s attention through copy and visuals. It imparts all the pertinent information about the brand’s service or product to the visitor and tells them, “Hey, you need this, you need us.” In short, the best landing pages are persuasive and poignant. They are designed to beautifully communicate a brand’s value and call to action (CTA) while also increasing conversion rates and consumer engagement.

How to Increase Your Domain Authority

By Violeta Maisuradze • December 26, 2021
How to Increase Your Domain Authority

FREE STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY

By Violeta Maisuradze • November 23, 2021
Pictures are where it’s at if you’re looking to get your point across. Unfortunately, quality images can be elusive or come at a cost. As a small business owner, we thought your website, feeds, and blogs could benefit from this list of free stock photography sites.

GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING – WHO OWNS IT

By Violeta Maisuradze • November 23, 2021
Do you have a Google My Business Listing for your small business? It’s easy enough to find out with a quick Google search using your business name. If you see one, do you know who owns it? Moreover, can you access it? Your Google My Business Listing: Are You the Owner? Whether your business is large or small, maintaining this listing is one of the keys to your overall online success. If you do not have access to your own listing, or cannot remember who does, it’s time to do some digging. Why? Because if this business listing isn’t being properly maintained, your business’s online presence may be taking a hit.

UNDERSTANDING DOMAIN NAMES AND HOSTING

By Violeta Maisuradze • November 23, 2021
Understanding domain names and hosting can be one of the most confusing things for new small business owners. Especially for the non-techy. We get it. And, we’ve been there. Below is a high-level overview of these two items and how to understand them for your business.

THE PURPOSE OF A WEB SITE FOR A SMALL BUSINESS

By Violeta Maisuradze • November 18, 2021
Today I wanted to talk to you about the purpose of your website
More Posts