Selling your products on major third-party platforms can open up your brand to a wider audience and get your company noticed—but it can also come with some serious drawbacks. Selling on these platforms can mean less control over your products, branding, scalability and overall business strategy. To avoid these issues, more and more businesses are seeking ways to take control of their brand’s e-commerce experience.
Why Should I Use My Own E-Comm Platform?
With your own e-commerce platform, you can maintain complete control over sales and strategy, with flexible scalability as your business evolves. Other key benefits include:
Website Control
You have final say over site content, website design and product descriptions. Big platforms, on the other hand, come with big rules, as they have full control over small to medium-sized business listings.
Spotlighted Content
Your brand and products will be front and center, as site visitors won’t be distracted by a “similar products” section or sponsored products from competitors.
Meaningful Engagement
You can engage with customers more personally—such as through a branded blog or customer service chat—so you can develop a more meaningful relationship with them.
Optimized Costs
You won’t be subject to fees that can eat away at your profit margin or be forced to parse confusing terms and conditions.
Infinitely Scalable
There will be no limits on the type or number of reviews you get per day or week, whereas some major platforms limit the product reviews you can receive.
Increased Loyalty
You can strengthen customer loyalty through more direct interactions, personalized product recommendations and more.
How Do I Choose an E-Comm Platform?
The ideal platform will depend on your specific business needs and goals. Consider these key points before making a decision:
Integrations
What kind of tools will you need for your online shop? Accounting, email marketing, loyalty program, payment, shipping, and other tools are all available.
Design
Do you code? You may want to look for a platform that will offer the technical options you need.
Scalability
Do you anticipate major business growth? If so, consider how scalable different platforms will be.
9 Popular E-Commerce Platforms
With dozens of e-commerce platforms to choose from, it can be daunting knowing where to begin. Explore some of the most popular platforms and their key benefits to see what’s right for your business.
Big Cartel
BigCommerce
Shopify
Square Online
Squarespace
Weebly
Wix
WooCommerce
Zyro
Compare Popular E-Commerce Platforms
Once you know which platforms may be best suited to your brand, explore the interactive table to compare the ones you’re most interested in side by side.
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| Monthly Cost | $0–$19.99 |
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| Monthly Cost | $29–$399 |
Key Takeaway
Selling on major third-party platforms can offer convenience and accessibility, but they come with some major disadvantages, including a lack of control over products, branding, scalability and business strategy.
Using an e-commerce platform that provides custom store-building options, on the other hand, offers you full control—allowing you to create a site that’s consistent with your overall brand identity and voice, so you can take charge of your customers’ experience. The best platform for your business will depend on your specific needs, goals and skill sets.
Taking the time to research and compare various options—using our interactive comparison table as a guide—will help ensure you choose the best solution for both you and your customers.
These descriptions are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval by the Postal Service™ of any of the products, services, or opinions of the companies or organizations discussed. The Postal Service bears no responsibility for the content of the platforms or for transactions conducted on them.
