In the current scenario, where online shopping is gaining more and more ground, choosing between the best e-commerce platforms for your business is an essential step in ensuring success and competitiveness.
According to the latest report "CTT E-Commerce 2024"Last year, online purchases of products and services in Portugal accounted for 53% of total purchases, something like 6.7 billion euros, 14.6% more than in 2023.
As we can see from these figures, the e-commerce is on the rise and already exceeds the percentage of sales through traditional retail channels, which brings to the companies that have yet to invest in this type of channel a major challenge for them to enter the online shopping market once and for all.
For start selling onlineThe first challenge to overcome is knowing which e-commerce platform to use.
What are e-commerce platforms and how do they work?
In practice, an e-commerce platform is a "shop" designed so that businesses can sell physical or digital products and services.
These platforms can be of two types: online shop or marketplaces.
Online Shop
It's a online platform that is created based on the company's needs and used by it to sell products and services, i.e. the business's own website.
However, unlike, for example, an institutional website, this online shop must be able to accommodate online payment methods adapted to the nature of the platform (payment gateway compatible), product/service selection tools, shopping carts and even, in the case of the best e-commerce platforms, AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Augmented Reality.
Given current consumer habits, it's also important that the sales site is compatible with mobile devices and offers direct links to the business's social networks.
Marketplaces
The e-commerce platform is owned by a third party and is pre-defined to accommodate sales businesses from the most diverse areas.
In a model very similar to renting a house, the business only has to contract or, in the case of social media marketplaces, register the company in order to start selling.
However, when it comes to payment methods, this is, in most situations, a duty for companies, which are then free to choose the means or means that best serve their customers.
Regardless of the type of platform chosen, once the website has been created or the marketplace has been registered, the business just has to fill its digital shelf with the products it wants to offer customers, advertise as it sees fit and start selling.
What are the best e-commerce platforms for different types of businesses?
According to one e-Commerce Connect studyThe top 5 e-commerce platforms in terms of visits in September 2024 were:
- AliExpress
- Temu
- Shein
- Amazon
- Worten
O AliExpressAlibaba Group, is one of the largest platforms for businesses wishing to sell online. It allows international sellers to reach millions of consumers by offering a variety of products at competitive prices. The platform offers a flexible model for companies that want to export and sell directly to end customers.
A TemuThe fast-growing platform stands out for its global reach and viral marketing campaigns on Instagram and TikTok. For businesses that want to sell on the platform, it offers a marketplace model with high visibility and an attractive discount system for consumers.
A SheinThe platform, a benchmark in digital fast fashion, allows fashion, accessories and beauty suppliers and manufacturers to sell directly to a young and highly engaged audience. The platform operates with an agile supply model, ideal for brands that want to test and launch new collections quickly.
A Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce platform, offers a robust marketplace for companies wishing to expand internationally. With an advanced logistics infrastructure, programmes such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) allow sellers to store and distribute products efficiently, guaranteeing fast deliveries and access to millions of customers.
A Worten, a leader in the Portuguese technology and home appliance market, allows businesses to sell on its marketplace, benefiting from brand recognition and a loyal customer base. It offers integration with physical shops and a structured sales ecosystem for companies that want to grow in the consumer electronics sector.
Marketplaces or Online Stores: the main factors to consider when choosing an e-commerce platform
As we can see, for start selling onlineCompanies can choose between two paths, but before making a choice there are factors to take into consideration, namely the first of which is the size of the business itself.
Larger businesses with higher turnover need more robust e-commerce platforms where they not only sell a greater number of products/services, but also serve as a showcase for the company's own activities.
They should also pay particular attention to payment gatewayIt must be suitable for the e-commerce plug-in chosen and allow a large number of transactions per day without friction.
Smaller businesses, on the other hand, no longer need something so elaborate, not only because the number of products and transactions is smaller, but also because, in most cases, they are family businesses looking to make a secondary or purely subsistence income.
Even so, these retailers must take into account the number of consumers who use the marketplace each month, the functionality of the platform and the number of products that can be offered for sale.
Comparing free and paid e-commerce platforms
When comparing e-commerce platforms, it's important to start by saying that an in-house sales website has to be built from scratch according to very specific guidelines relating to the type of company that will use it and the products and services it will make available to consumers.
It's inherently more expensive than, for example, simply registering on an Instagram or Facebook marketplace, platforms that are already pre-programmed to host companies and their products.
The differences don't stop there, since, as we emphasised earlier, the payment methods to be used will also be different and may require the payment of different amounts depending on whether or not they need to be integrated into the platform and how robust they are.
Finally, paid platforms give you extra benefits and even allow you to promote your business in a more professional and visible way, whereas on free platforms, all businesses are equally anonymous and all the marketing work is left to you.
How do you choose the right solution for your business?
How big is your company? How many and what types of products/services will you make available to customers? How much control do you want to have over the way you sell and advertise your products?
The answer to these questions will help you define the best e-commerce platform for your business.
In addition, you'll also have to worry about payment methods, as different platforms involve integrating different solutions for online transactions, or not.
For example, if you have your own online shop, you'll need to integrate a tool like REDUNIQ@E-Commerce, an e-commerce solution for payments that was created with website sellers in mind and offers, through a simple integration process and without membership fees, the possibility for your customers to make online payments with debit and credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) from all over the world.
Already sells through marketplaces or offer your company a more agile sales channel through its presence on social networks, it is essential to contract a solution such as REDUNIQ@Payments which, without the need for integration, allows you to accept online payments via a linkby e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp, Multibanco reference or MB WAY with Visa and Mastercard.
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