Ecommerce Platform Vs. Website Builder? Which One is Better to Build an Online Store

Ecommerce Platform Vs. Website Builder? Which One is Better to Build an Online Store

The terms “Ecommerce Platform” and “Website Builder” are often used interchangeably that represent a set of tools to build an online store. When people wish to start their own online business, they are unable to decide whether to use an ecommerce platform or website builder for launching their online store.

Functionality ď‚´ What makes an ecommerce platform different from website builder is the functionality. The Best ecommerce software comes with extensive functionality that will enable you to create an attractive, professional online store. From inventory management to email marketing, ecommerce platforms come with a host of features to make it easy to manage your online business. You can track orders, generate sales reports, create discount codes on store and even implement abandoned cart saver functionality in various ecommerce platforms. ď‚´ On the other hand, a website builder comes with a basic set of tools. It has just a handful of features that allow you to create a basic website. No wonder, as compared to an ecommerce platform, you have to pay less for using a website builder.

Customization  It is a highly customizable that you can design your storefront the way you want. Most ecommerce platforms available today have a wide range of professional themes that you can customize as per your branding needs. Irrespective of the type of business you are in, or the products you sell, an ecommerce platform will allow you to create a store as per your needs.  When you aren’t selling too many products or don’t require too much customization, a website builder is a good option.

However, when you want to implement high level of sophistication and versatility in your online business, it is advised to use an ecommerce platform.

Payment Gateways ď‚´ Ecommerce platforms are designed to integrate with third party applications such as payment gateways. Their shopping cart is connected to several payment gateways. The most popular Ecommerce solutions provider offer access to over 100 payment gateways. ď‚´ Where's, most website builders support very limited number of payment gateways. Also, another drawback of these web-based tools is that they support only a handful of payment options.

This is particularly disappointing as it can drive customers away when they are unable to shop online with their favorite payment method.

Which One to Use? So which one is right to Build your online store? Whether it is customization, scalability or features, ecommerce platform wins hands down. As aforementioned, an ecommerce platform has a powerful set of features, hence ideal to launch and run your online business. Whereas website builders aren’t feature-rich, hence scaling your business can be a difficult task. So, you are essentially limiting your business growth by choosing a website builder.