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Marketplace and E-commerce platforms popular for dropshipping

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Dropshipping Marketplace and E-Commerce Platforms

When launching an e-commerce business, the first decision you must make is where you will sell your products. There are numerous e-commerce platforms available on the internet, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. This article will provide you an overview of the options available to assist you to decide which platform is the greatest fit for your business.

Dropshipping with BigCommerce

BigCommerce was founded in 2009, making it one of the web’s most established platforms. 

This platform supports over 95,000 vendors selling a wide range of products from around the world, and its primary competitors include Shopify and Volusion.

BigCommerce has adapted successfully to the new e-commerce scenario since its relaunch in 2016, and now has a portfolio of vendors spanning most sectors and market capitalization.

The “one-stop” strategy of this platform is appealing since it combines hosting, selling, and cart functionality into a single website. A simple inventory tool is also included, though as your business grows, you may need to upgrade to a more extensive software solution. BigCommerce is perfect for new sellers with little technical understanding of e-commerce because of all of these capabilities.

The simplicity is more than the streamlined Shopify, but lower than that of the sophisticated yet effective Magento – which may be important if you don’t have much experience in the market. The backend isn’t the most user-friendly, and it takes some getting used to if you’re new to e-commerce. On the other hand, if you’re an experienced seller, this platform might not have everything you need to maximize sales.

Dropshipping with 3dcart

3dcart is another “one stop” e-commerce platform that runs over 22,000 online retail sites and has 13,600 active store owners. It was founded in 1997 and is one of the oldest on this list.

There is a monthly cost, which is different from many of the other platforms we’ll discuss. However, if you use the platform to its greatest extent, it may be worthwhile. The charge covers internet security, web hosting, and software updates, among other things, and is especially beneficial for new sellers who are just getting started and lack technical knowledge.

This is one of the simplest sites to set up and utilize because of the low monthly charge and simple IP.

Dropshipping with EKM PowerShop

EKM PowerShop was the first cloud-based eCommerce platform available, having been launched in 2002.

It’s a hosted all-in-one solution, similar to BigCommerce and 3dcart, which means the platform contains many of the major features needed to sell online in exchange for a monthly subscription.

When compared to other eCommerce platforms, EKM appears to be remarkably comparable to Shopify at first glance. EKM, although being a lesser-known brand in the business, provides many of the same features at a price comparable to the big companies.

Furthermore, many UK online sellers find EKM appealing because it is the only option that is entirely located in the United Kingdom, although this does not stop it from being popular in the rest of the world.

EKM has a TrustPilot rating of 9/10, with hundreds of happy customers posting reviews on a regular basis. A good TrustPilot rating is notoriously difficult to come by, so this is definitely something to brag about.

EKM is one of the best eCommerce platforms for small businesses that don’t have the resources to deal with the technical aspects of web development, making it extremely simple to use and manage.

Dropshipping with Magento

Magento is a prominent e-commerce platform used by businesses all over the world, especially those with more expertise wishing to expand online.

It has a lot of versatility and customizability, but it’s difficult to master for someone who isn’t familiar with the technical side of things.

Because it’s been around for over a decade, it has a plethora of extensions and a thriving community from a variety of industries.

While Magento does not provide a monthly tool bundle, you do have the flexibility to acquire the tools that you want and need to suit your business. Although the first open-source software download is free, all of these charges add up, so it’s important to factor them in before investing in Magento.

These costs can be summarised in,

  • Services for hosting and support
  • The level of personalization necessary
  • If you’re not technically knowledgeable in the field, you’ll need to engage an in-house developer. 
  • The theme and extensions you add

Magento is a complicated platform that’s great for building a fully customized online selling store with solutions tailored to your individual needs. To take full advantage of it, you’ll need an expert developer.

Dropshipping with OpenCart

In the sense that it is open source and fully free to download and use, OpenCart is a unique platform. This is advantageous in terms of cost savings, but the free nature of the concept means they cannot provide the same range of services as other platforms.

Instead, you’re in charge of hosting, installation, maintenance, and software updates, which is advantageous for established businesses that know what they want, but disadvantageous for new businesses with less technical understanding.

You have more control over your company and can make decisions on your own rather to relying on a package. This gives owners more options.

However, if you don’t have the financial means to hire a professional or the technical know-how to do it yourself, it’s not the best platform for you because you won’t be able to take full use of the wide flexibility available.

Dropshipping with PrestaShop

PrestaShop, which was founded in 2007, is one of the most international e-commerce systems available thanks to its multilingual online resources and support.

This is an open-source free software that demands technical skills, similar to more complex systems like Magento.

You’ll have to devote time to organizing your hosting, building databases, and uploading and installing software.

All of this is not included in a package, and you’ll have to do it yourself or hire a technical specialist to do it for you.

While this gives you more options and control, it is a more difficult procedure for new business owners. To take advantage of all of the benefits, you’ll need someone who knows site development and the technical side of e-commerce. The User experience interface isn’t especially user-friendly, unless you’re an expert in the industry, this only adds to the necessity to hire someone with the necessary technical skills.

Dropshipping with Shopify

Shopify is still one of the most popular e-commerce systems on the internet, with the goal of making the process as simple and user-friendly as possible.

This makes it ideal for new business owners who don’t want to hire a web developer and don’t want to invest the time needed to gain the necessary experience.

This is likewise a one-stop-shop that provides you with a suite of tools for running a business while removing the technological difficulties — you don’t need a background in web development to effectively utilize this platform.

It only takes a few minutes to register with Shopify, and you’ll be led straight to the backend of your online business.

Dropshipping with Volusion

Volusion, which was founded in 1999, is one of the more established platforms on this list, and it has proven to be effective over the years with its thousands of clients.

The approach is a mix of “all-in-one” platforms and platforms that provide more flexibility at the expense of simplicity. Volusion takes care of the technical aspects of e-commerce, such as hosting and software updates, and gives you the ability to modify the site to your specifications if you know HTML.

Successful migration to Google Cloud — the first big e-commerce company to do so – resulted in a 15 percent reduction in page loading time.

Volusion also allows you to grow your business throughout the web by assisting you in selling goods on sites like eBay, resulting in higher sales and less dependency on a single supplier.

Customers have, however, encountered issues with this integration. Investigate the stated issues and implement appropriate measures.

Dropshipping with WooCommerce

WooCommerce, which was founded in 2011, is another open-source platform that is free to download and use. However, it is only compatible with WordPress.

WooCommerce is used by 35% of e-commerce websites, or about 3 million people.

The fact that this platform employs the WordPress content management system sets it apart from others such as Shopify. If you’re using WordPress, this makes integration a breeze because everything is linked immediately, which is a huge benefit of this platform.

How to find the best dropshipping eCommerce platform for your business

Every platform is valuable in its own manner, and which platform is best for you depends on your company’s specific needs. Of course, some platforms are better than others in various areas of e-commerce, and they all have their own set of constraints.

Before deciding on a platform, it’s a good idea to write out your company’s demands, requirements, and specific difficulties. Every area of your business may be addressed with the right solution, and you should make a list of them before looking for the best e-commerce platform for you.

Every organization is unique, so taking an objective look at your unique advantages and weaknesses can help you find the best fit in every way.

On the Internet, there’s a lot of contradicting advice, and it can be difficult to sort through it all and figure out what’s best for your company.

Hopefully, while not exhaustive, this list will assist you in condensing the benefits and drawbacks of all of the top e-commerce websites on the internet so that you may make the best decision for your company.