The top 5 ecommerce platforms for 2017

When it comes to picking an ecommerce platform to build your dream marketplace store, there is no one-size-fits-all option. You must weigh the heavyweights against each other to handpick the one that will serve you unconditionally.

That said, I am not demanding you do a thorough analysis of the 25+ ecommerce platforms in the market today. Instead, choose the top players; compare them on common grounds, and make a final choice.

Difficult? Let me make the task even simpler. I have done a cross-comparison of the top five ecommerce multi-vendor marketplace platforms that show huge promise for 2017. Dive into the details:

1. Magento

Magento is the market leader amidst all ecommerce platforms, with an approximately 24 percent market share. It’s been praised by ecommerce store owners for its user-friendliness, flexibility, scalability and plenty of third-party integrations for building a marketplace store. It’s available in Enterprise, Enterprise Cloud, and Community editions.

Pricing

Community Enterprise: free; Enterprise edition – US$18,000

What we like

• Easy to set up
• Impressive page-loading speed
• Secured payment gateway integrations
• Hundreds of templates

What we don’t like

• Not very customizable
• Hosted on its server
• Expensive premium features

2. Shopify

Shopify is an excellent choice for those who want to launch a brand new online store of their own or want to grow their existing physical store into an online business. Their owned platform is reputed for stunning designs that can make your online store look elegant and professional. The checkout process is also vastly streamlined to facilitate quick check-outs.

Pricing

US$9 to sell through Facebook, US$179 for complete storefront and selling features.

3. BigCommerce

4. Woocommerce

5. Sharetribe

Final verdict