If you have a wholesale business, you’ve probably realized it’s time to join the world of online e-commerce. When it comes to deciding what e-commerce platform you want your wholesale website to be on, the decision can be a bit challenging with all of the different options available. It is essential to research what platform is best for your business.
What To Look For In An Ecommerce Platform
When considering your options, you need to ensure that your platform will be able to perform to your needs. Your platform should be able to support a wholesale website; some of the smaller platforms are not designed for this. Your platform should be able to grow with you. As a business owner or manager, you want to grow your company, and you need a platform that can keep up with that growth. Another important thing you should look for in a platform is its ability to integrate with the stuff you need. If you do business with vendors or use specific applications, you want your platform to be able to work well with them. You also need to consider your end customer when making your decision; your e-commerce platform should make shopping as easy as possible for them. Finally, one crucial thing that is often forgotten is the security of your platform. Make sure that your platform is trustworthy and has security measures in place to protect you and your customers.
There are two main types of e-commerce platforms.
The first one is known as SAAS or software as a service. With this type of platform, you get everything you need for a set monthly fee. This option includes the software, hosting, and everything you need to run your online store. Shopify and BigCommerce fall into this category of platforms.
Next, we have Open Source platforms; this is a very common type of platform. Open Source means that anyone can develop these, and anyone can reuse strangers’ code. This option is best to use, along with the support from an experienced developer who can help you ensure the security of your website. This category includes OpenCart, Woocommerce, and Magento.
The process of choosing can be overwhelming; it seems like there are endless platform options. However, when it comes to wholesale e-commerce, there are only two top contenders. These options are Shopify and Magento. At Right On Tech, we have experienced developers that can help you to create the e-commerce website that’s right for you.
Shopify
As mentioned earlier, Shopify is a SAAS, meaning that they manage the software and servers that run your website. When it comes to wholesale, Shopify offers two paths. Regular Shopify paired with a wholesale app or Shopify Plus with the wholesale channel. Most e-commerce stores using Shopify are using the regular tier, Shopify Plus is designed for larger enterprise-level businesses.
Out-of-the-box “regular,” Shopify does not offer a wholesale solution, but it does have a selection of apps that can be easily installed to support wholesale. The apps you can use for wholesale include:
The wholesale apps all range in pricing, and each offers its unique features. Look at the apps available on the Shopify App Store and choose the one that best fits your specific business needs.
Shopify Plus has a feature called Wholesale Channel that allows you to have a separate domain linked to your B2B website for wholesale specifically. This feature makes it where the inventory for the items on the two storefronts is synced, but the pricing they see is different. With the Wholesale Channel, you can set up things like customer groups and tiered discounts. The Wholesale channel is the better of the options because it allows for more functionality, but this can only be used if you are a Shopify Plus user. For nonplus users, the wholesale apps make for a decent solution and are more cost-effective.
Magento
Magento is an open-sourced platform that is an excellent option for wholesale B2B companies. This platform does not come with built-in hosting or servers, so you will need a dedicated server. Magento is a more technical platform that will require assistance from an experienced developer. With Magento, you get more flexibility in what you can do with your website. You can even set up multiple stores from one back end.
Magento has a wide range of plugins that can be used to customize your website to your business needs. Among these plugins is a popular one called Amasty; this plugin can help you manage your wholesale business.
Magento is one of the best B2B e-commerce platforms available because of its flexibility for customization. The Magento platform requires more technical knowledge than the other options, but it does offer more options and features. With Magento, you can offer tiered pricing, customer groups, payment options, and many more features that will help your wholesale business stand out from your competitors.
Right On Tech
Choosing your e-commerce platform for your wholesale website is a critical decision that should be given much thought and consideration. At Right On Tech, we have knowledgeable staff to help you with launching or re-launching your e-commerce website. Whenever you’re ready to get started with your website, contact us for a free evaluation.