How Your Ecommerce Platform Influences the Experience
The various ecommerce platforms available differ on features, price, customization, performance and integration capabilities. And when it comes to shipping, their ability to interact with carriers and software differ too. The size and needs of your business and the level of design flexibility you desire will come into play when making this decision.
If you’re working with an agency, leverage their experience and knowledge to help ensure your goals will be met with your website and that you’ll have the ability to self-manage orders, inventory and shipping post-launch.
It’s worth noting that software integrations may increase your carrier options if a platform doesn’t integrate with a shipping carrier.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a fully customizable, open-source plugin available to WordPress websites for setting up your online store. WooCommerce offers countless plugin extensions to manage your product, cart, checkout display and shipping solutions. If you want to bypass software and simply print DHL and USPS labels from your WordPress backend, the extension WooCommerce Shipping can be configured.
- Carrier Integrations: USPS, UPS, FedEx, RoyalMail, Canada Post, Australia Post
- Software Integrations: Shipstation, Shippo, Stamps.com
BigCommerce
With BigCommerce, you have the option of using their ecommerce platform or integrating with your WordPress store with the plugin BigCommerce for WordPress. BigCommerce is stacked with a wide range of integrations for fulfillment and shipping, including solutions for label printing, dropshipping, tracking, and inventory and order management.
- Carrier Integrations: USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL Australia Post, Canada Post, Royal Mail, Zoom2u
- Software Integrations: ShipStation, Shippo, EasyShip, Stamps.com and more
Shopify
Shopify is built solely for ecommerce use and is packed with shipping integrations to support your online shopping experience. While this platform holds extensive integrations and boasts ease of configuration and use, it is limited in flexibility and customization. This paid platform includes hosting capabilities, large carrier discounts and allows you to manage your shipping costs on the same bill as your monthly subscription.
- Carrier Integrations: USPS, UPS, DHL, Canada Post, Sendle in Australia
- Software Integrations: ShipStation, Shippo, ShipHero, EasyShip, Wiio Dropshipping, ShipMonk and more
Squarespace
While Squarespace was once just a SaSS CMS (software as a service content management system – talk about jargon, whew!), it has stepped into the ecommerce space as a solid solution for template-based websites. Squarespace is known for its design templates and ease of use and is best fit for small to midsize businesses not looking for custom functionality or design. The platform allows for shipping rates and shipping zones to be configured directly from the dashboard but does not currently allow for product-specific shipping rules.
- Carrier Integrations: FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, Australia Post, Canada Post
- Software Integrations: ShipStation, Shippo, ShipBob, AfterShip, EasyShip and more
Magento
Magento is an open-source PHP platform best for medium to large online stores. It allows for unlimited products in your store, has streamlined checkout features and is easy to scale. Its pitfall is usability as it’s geared towards developers than everyday business owners.
- Carrier Integrations: USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL
- Software Integrations: Easyship, ShippingEasy, ShipStation, ShipWorks, and more