Shopify-

A leading e-com software that provides a reliable and comprehensive services to millions of merchants worldwide. Holding a market share of around 31%, it provides access to more than 2400 apps through Shopify app store. The reason that makes it the commander of this industry is its flexibility.

The services are extended to all level of merchants irrespective of the size of business they hold, providing facilities like idea creation, stock management, financial controls, payment gateways and user interfaces.

Shopify helps in creating an e-com back-end which is not possible with their existing resources. It includes a built-in CMS, multiple themes for sites and blogging activities for online stores.

Shopify provides standard formats of services for small enterprises and advance functionalities for larger firms through their advanced version – “Shopify Plus”

Payment gateways:

This is the paramount feature in running an E-com business, reducing friction while making payments along with hassle-free checkouts.
Shopify provides access to more than 100 payment gateways options other than PayPal, Apple pay, Authorize.net etc. Shopify also provides its own payment gateway named as shopify pay that is free of cost for the merchants.

Analytics:

Shopify provides a progressive way of analyzing the growth option, defaults        searches, improvements need etc. It helps in analyzing new customer base and then nurturing them till they become your permanent customers.

The basic features it includes are:

• Overview of reports showing sales, order, sessions etc.
• Real-time reports.
• Financial reports that include sales, purchases, taxes, payments etc.
• Inventory reports.
• User behavior reports.

Mobile friendly:

As the scenario has been shifted to smart phones, thus it is essential for e-com platforms to provide great mobile interface alluring customers to shop, look for great deals and access advance search options (SEO). Shopify helps to dilate one’s business and maintain hefty customer base.

BigCommerce- 

Another familiar e-com platform which walks you through the steps needed to build your own e-com store is BigCommerce.

This includes transparent and crystalline information of what has to be fed to create a site, also if any mediator app other than BigCommerce is required, it can be installed right from the admin console.

BigCommerce is another easy-to-use e-com platform but not as user-friendly as Shopify. For novice, there are two distinct areas from where they can manage their back-end store. One area allows you to add products, manage shipping and discounts whereas the other helps you to edit your actual store front.

The store design tool furnishes many options to rectify such problems but still it does not provide as much as its competitors.

Magneto-

 Magneto is another exceedingly used e-com platform especially for medium to large e-com enterprises. Magneto serves you with two options- open source and Magneto commerce. The open-source option is best for skillful people, skilled in website designing and operating hence futile for beginners. Magneto however, is famous among large e-com firms because of its expansive back-end interface and in-depth feature list.

Magneto has a unique feature of accepting purchase order, checks and money orders. One needs to add a payment gateway if credit cards payments are to be accepted. Otherwise, options for payment gateways such as PayPal, Braintree are available with Magneto. Other payment options that can be affixed are stripe, square etc.

WooCommerce- 

 Built on WordPress, this is an open-source, customizable e-com platform for entrepreneurs. It derives its benefits from WordPress SEO capabilities. Many extensions are required to create this platform. WooCommerce allows inexhaustible and limitless products and variants including digital products.

Easy-to-use: It is easy to get started with WooCommerce by just installing the plug-in and getting access to all its features. 

Payment processing: WooCommerce encompass all payment processing options. With WooCommerce extensions, one can add any payment gateway right from authorize.net to amazon payments.

Analytics: It includes built-in reports about orders, customers, downloaded files, inventory, taxes etc. 

Mobile friendly: With increase in cell phone usage, WooCommerce offers mobile optimized templates. WooCommerce itself is free, thus allowing you to spend on multiple tools to make customer experiences even better.

Support: being an open-source plug-in it comes with large community of techy people. There are tons of guides and tutorials for this.

Sitecore-

A leading digital experience platform provides combining of content, commerce, marketing activities, automation and personalization with design and editing tools.
this allows and enables merchants to design and build digital store fronts and thus furnishing personalized commerce gateways. `

“You learn from your competitors, but never copy. You copy and you die”

Thus, the mentioned software is indistinguishable in some attributes but none of the features are copied. These characteristics makes all these software a boon for e-com industry.
E-com isn’t the cherry on the cake, it’s the new cake.

If you are planning a startup, a small business, thinking about huge brands than forethought is to be given to e-com.

E-com is the fundamental and key platform to sell your product and services in the most convenient and focused manner.

Customer in the current scenario, no longer wants to venture into streets, instead they want to loosen up and shop from their homes. Thus, making e-com a flexible solution for businesses and buyers. E-com, a more convenient way to broaden your brand, increase your reach and provide you marketing opportunities is scalable as well as giving you options of ‘add-on’ and ‘choose from’. These goals can be attained through e-com software which is a way faster and easier for your business.   

It provides you a plan of action and platform for price comparison, customer reviews, free consultations and easy customer interface. E-com software makes the inventory manageable and easy, along with tax calculations and order completion for online stores.

Prior to starting your business, choosing an e-com platform for long term growth plays a pivotal role. 

It helps in managing your website, marketing and sales activities and centralizing operations. If starting a business from scratch e-com software plays an important role in profitability and stability of a business. 

E-com software solution on a whole is basically of three types:

• Open source
• SaaS (software as a service)
• Headless commerce

Here in open-source platform, one can modify all aspects of code. Popular with development and IT heavy organization, It creates and edit content with ease. This is user friendly and no advance technical skill is required.

In SaaS, one can rent the platform. This, thus a cheaper option when considering the development cost. Product updating, security, hosting etc. are managed by SaaS provider.

Headless commerce creates a great digital experience across multiple channels and is easy to use. 

YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO COME TO YOU, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY ARE, GO TO THEM & BRING THEM TO YOUR STORE.

Above said, has to be implemented, to convert the buyer into potential customers.

Thus, a software with below mentioned characteristics is the topmost priority

• Ease of use- The platform you choose should allow you to create a beautiful e-com site without testing your patience. 
• Payment processing- providing multiple payment options helps in minimizing friction during checkout process and thus increase the chances that shoppers will definitely complete the purchases without facing any hassle. 
• SEO friendly- Your store should be listed on the loftiest position in brand name along with products and services you sell.
• Mobile friendly- With increase in number of mobile users, it’s important to create an e-com site that is mobile friendly.
• Support- E-com sites should offer multiple support variants including live-chat, emails, phone calls etc. when the site is down.

E-com software aim to boost the content, focusing on educating and engaging their customers through content, thus building interest, trust and loyalty.

Acknowledging and contemplating the mentioned pointers, the top five e-com software which includes these essential attributes are under mentioned-