An open source eCommerce platform is vital for facilitating business sales and helping your organization grow and prosper.
2.14 billion people around the world were expected to shop online. Partly due to the pandemic, the e-commerce business is clearly booming, with many customers making their purchases online rather than in physical stores.
In response to incredible demand, businesses of all types are implementing e-commerce solutions to make online shopping easier. But many of the options are expensive. This is why countless companies are turning to the open source ecommerce platform .
There are already many options. Some of the best open source eCommerce solutions available are:
- Bagisto
- Drupal Commerce
- Joomla
- Magento
- Mailchimp Open Commerce
- nopCommerce
- Odoo eCommerce
- OpenCart
- osCommerce
- Pimcore
- PrestaShop
- Stores
- WooCommerce
- X Cart
- Zen Cart
What is an open source ecommerce platform?
There are many ecommerce platform options. You're probably familiar with top brands like Shopify and Squarespace. These are often software-as-a-service (SaaS) models, meaning companies that use them pay a regular subscription fee. The tools allow organizations to sell online.
Open source ecommerce platforms are tools that leverage source code that is freely available for anyone to use or modify as they wish. As you don't need to pay a licensing fee, this option is a cheaper alternative to the SaaS model. It is also more flexible as you can change and customize it.
Using an open source shopping cart template has many advantages. For example:
- It's economical.
- It is more conducive to customization and personalization.
- Many options offer third-party integrations.
- You can design it to meet your needs.
- You have full control over the platform.
- It's scalable.
Comparing Open Source Ecommerce Platforms
So if you're looking for an open source ecommerce platform, how do you know which one to choose? Of course, you want a tool that maximizes your profits and offers maximum benefits to your business. You also want to ensure you have a secure and easy-to-use platform.
These are the biggest considerations when selecting your ecommerce tool. Additional questions to ask are:
- What language is the platform coded in?
- How many stores can the platform accommodate?
- What integrations, plugins, and themes are available?
- What additional features does it offer?
- What kind of community and resources surround the platform?
- What level of technical proficiency does it require?
- How easy is it to maintain and scale?
- How is the performance?
- Will you develop the platform in-house or do you intend to hire an external development company?
- How do you process payments? What payment methods are accepted?
- How extensive is the search functionality?
- What support is available for the platform?
It's in your best interest to compare open source ecommerce platforms, noting the features available in each option and determining which one best suits your needs and those of your business.
How to choose the best e-commerce for my business
Your first decision when it comes to ecommerce solutions is to choose an open source model or a SaaS /paid platform. This choice will depend on a series of factors.
For example, if you don't have a robust development team, it will be difficult to customize, install, and maintain an open source eCommerce platform. It requires strong technical skills, and without them, you will not be well equipped to leverage this type of business solution. In this case, a closed-source SaaS platform – which essentially does all this work for you – might be a better option.
With a SaaS ecommerce platform, your provider will be responsible for configuration, updates, security, and essentially everything else you need regarding the tool.
However, if you have access to developers with the necessary technical proficiency and tools and want more control over your ecommerce platform, an open source model may better suit your needs. You also won't need to continue paying fees because you're not using a subscription. Scalability and maintenance depend entirely on your team. And you will have full ability to customize your platform as you wish.
It is, however, important to note that open source models are not exactly the same as free ecommerce platforms. Sometimes there are fees associated with installation, customization, security, and maintenance. Therefore, you shouldn't necessarily assume that they are the cheapest option – although it is possible that they are.
So when doing this, consider factors like your budget, how your company plans to use the platform, your team's technical proficiency, and other needs.
Customizing eCommerce Platforms
Keep in mind, however, that even if you don't have the necessary professionals and technical skills in-house, you can still outsource development and have an experienced software team build and customize the platform for you. This is more possible with open source eCommerce solutions. While this means an additional cost, it is usually still cheaper and you have the added benefit of retaining ownership of the finished product.
Many third-party development teams will also provide ongoing support and maintenance and help you scale your ecommerce platform as your business grows and your needs change.
Regardless of which option you choose, one thing is certain: an e-commerce platform is essential for any business that makes sales of any type. In today's era, you simply can't do without one.
