eCommerce Platforms

I set up my first online store in 1996, selling Atkins Vitamins, and assorted personal care products. Keep in mind that the first online stores went live in 1994, and Amazon.com was launched in ’95. Back then there weren’t any eCommerce platforms like there is today. We worked with a local developer who must have written most of the code on his own. We were selling products all over the world – it was an exciting experience. Although the eCommerce platforms have evolved considerably since then, at their core they are still very much the same.

- Tom Rogers

 

Needs vary, that’s why we offer a number of eCommerce Solutions

We will work with you to determine the best fit for your business. Here’s a quick overview:

WooCommerce

It’s a way of coding the website using media queries to figure out what the resolution is on the device being used to access the website. If it’s a tablet and there’s not enough room for the regular menu, it might hide the menu and replace it with a condensed version. Ditto if it’s a smartphone, in fact you can choose to hide content that might be too detailed for viewing on a small screen. More on Responsive Design…

WooCommerceAutomattic, the company that owns WordPress, recently bought WooThemes. Word is that they will keep WooCommerce as a stand alone company. But will also look to incorporate it into WordPress.com. In either case, we can expect great things from WooThemes as the integration sinks in.

Volusion

Volusion eCommerce software offers ample features, strong security and excellent customer service options. The software can manage your brick-and-mortar store and drop shipping orders as well as standard online store purchases. Overall, it’s one of the best eCommerce software services on the market.

They offer over 20 free responsive templates, a sitebuilder, and some premium templates which when I last checked go for $895.

VolusionPlans start at $35/month (100 products). Advanced plans range from $79 to $299/month (includes a personal account manager).

Software as a Service (SaaS) Systems

If your primary goal is to have an online store, then you might consider a SaaS based system.

These platforms provide their own hosting, and will update the software as needed, taking away that responsibility from you the user. Each offers different bells and whistles, often depending on outside developers to create plugins that integrate within their platform.