Any organization that is involved in
e-commerce has undoubtedly come across the term CMS. A content management
system (CMS) is a simple software symptom that allows users to manage their
website content without having technical expertise. The best CMS for e-commerce
is easy to use, requires little to no knowledge of coding, offers the utmost
flexibility and has the capability to store all files and documents required
for any business.
1. Magento
Magneto is a well-known and popular e-commerce platform that has been used by
countless organizations for more than 12 years. It is widely used by
organizations of all sizes, which means it has been tried, tested and proven to
be beneficial for all users.
One of the greatest benefits of Magneto is that its basic level is freeware.
Organizations that need more applications can purchase the enterprise level as
well. This is great for testing the service, especially for smaller businesses.
Certified Magento developers can tailor software to meet your specific e-commerce needs.
On the negative side, Magneto is not as user-friendly as some of the other best
ecommerce CMS solutions on this list. Users will need to have some technical
knowledge to take full advantage of all of the benefits. However, most
organizations that use Magneto find it is worthwhile to gain some technical
know-how in order to use this program.
Pros:
Free to try and use at a basic level
Can be installed on the organization's server for free or hosted for a price
More than 5,000 extensions offered
Built-in SEO
Cons:
Enterprise level is expensive
Requires some technical abilities
Not fully user-friendly
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is great for businesses that rely on social media for communication
and marketing. The program is made to integrate with the most popular social
media platforms, including Facebook.
Paypal is bundled with WooCommerce, which is a great benefit for new and
smaller organizations. Paypal enables customers to immediately and safely make
purchases as soon as the site is in place.
WooCommerce is widely used because it is made to work with WordPress. This
gives users full flexibility while setting up the website and CMS shops. Many
professional website designers use WordPress when creating sites for their
clients because it is easy for clients to learn if and when they choose to make
their own changes. WooCommerce functions in the same way, which is why many
consider it the best cms for ecommerce.
Pros:
Open source ecommerce CMS
Perfect for WordPress users
Free integrations with Google Analytics
Cons:
Requires knowledge of WordPress
Free to use, but extensions can be pricey
3. BigCommerce
Among the best CMS for ecommerce is BigCommerce. This CMS combines excellence
in marketing and shipping with round-the-clock customer service. A company that
chooses BigCommerce always has back-up if any problems arise.
BigCommerce provides integration with two of the internet's most popular
markets: Amazon and eBay. Companies can use other ecommerce content management
systems to work within Amazon and eBay, but few are built with those needs
directly in mind. BigCommerce integrates with the Facebook marketplace as well.
On the downside, BigCommerce doesn't have quite as many areas that can be
customized as some other ecommerce CMS solutions. This may be due to the fact
that the product is already so robust that it leaves little room for big
changes.
Pros:
BigCommerce is fully hosted
No transaction fees are incurred for organizations that choose higher tier
plans
Comes standard with management and marketing tools
Cons:
Not as user-friendly as some other ecommerce content management systems
Customization abilities are limited
4. Shopify
Most e-commerce leaders and shoppers have heard of Shopify. It is popular
because it is able to be customized to fit the needs of almost any e-commerce
provider. It is also easy to use, fast and does not require a third party
account.
Shopify is similar to BigCommerce in that it is fully hosted and integrative
with Amazon. The big difference between the two is that Shopify's customer
service is not readily available. However, most users find they don't need as
much help with this easy-to-use CMS.
Shopify is great for smaller businesses that offer sales directly online
without the aid of an additional website. There are templates already in place
that users can turn to as well.
Pros:
Very user friendly
Low-cost
Easily integrated with other sites and platforms
Cons:
Not as customizable as other CMS shops
Tech support is slow to respond
5. OpenCart
The open source OpenCart is a powerhouse for those who want to create an online
shopping experience that is all their own. It is arguably the best ecommerce
CMS for managers who have some technical expertise and know exactly what they
want out of a shopping solution.
OpenCart is an affordable tool as well. It is free to use, it has multiple
payment gateways and managers can decide between a number of shipping options.
Extensions are not always free, but they are low cost and not always necessary.
One of the problems with OpenCart is its speed. The CMS can be slow, especially
with larger organizations that have more products and moving components. Owners
might find they lose customers who do not like waiting for pages to load.
Pros:
Free to use and operate
Easily customized
Cons:
Requires technical knowledge
Can run very slowly
Must be self-hosted
E-commerce platforms are powerful tools that are necessary for successful
online business managers. CMS allows online business owners and managers to
take control of their websites by not relying on outside entities to manage the
day-to-day needs of the organization. Having access to this type of e-commerce
platform allows for regular updates, customization and fluidity that cannot be
otherwise attained.
Dave Wood: Dave Wood, Global Director of Supply
Chain and Retail, Chetu Inc.
Dave Wood is an industry expert
within the supply chain and
logistics technology landscape.
He works at Chetu Inc., Plantation, FL, a custom software development provider
and thought-leader within the IT community. He offers commentary on changing
tides within logistics and how inventory and warehouse management systems can
propel all facets of retail and supply.
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Pros
|
Cons
|
- Free to try and use at a basic
level
- Can be installed on the
organization's server for free or hosted for a price
- More than 5,000 extensions
offered
- Built-in SEO
|
- Enterprise-level is expensive
- Requires some technical
abilities
- Not fully user-friendly
|