If you’re a UK-based business owner looking to build an eCommerce site, you might be wondering which is the best eCommerce platform UK fits for you. It might be challenging if you’re not aware of the various eCommerce platforms available on the market. But don’t worry!
In this article, we’ll give you an overview of the five best eCommerce platforms UK so that you can make an informed decision about which one to use for your business. So get ready to learn about the best eCommerce platforms in the UK!
Factors to Consider When Picking the Best eCommerce Platform UK
Before we give you an overview of the five best eCommerce website builders UK, it’s important to note that there are several factors you should consider before choosing an eCommerce platform.
Knowing these will help you choose the best eCommerce website builders UK that fit your business needs and budget. Here are some key factors to keep in mind when making your decision:
1. Type of Products You Sell
The first factor you need to consider is your product type. If you sell physical goods, you’ll need the best eCommerce platform UK that can handle inventory management and shipping.
On the other hand, if you sell digital products, you’ll need one of the best eCommerce platforms UK that can handle file downloads and secure payment processing. That way, your customers can feel confident that their personal information is safe when they purchase from your site.
2. Budget
Your budget is another important factor to consider when choosing the best eCommerce website builder UK. If you’re on a tight budget, you might consider using one of the free or low-cost options.
However, if you have a little more to spend, you might want to consider one of the best eCommerce website builders UK that offers more features and support. You’ll need to decide what’s most important to you and your business regarding the budget.
3. Features
Once you’ve considered the type of products you sell and your budget, it’s time to start thinking about the features you need in choosing the best eCommerce platform UK.
For example, if you plan to sell products internationally, you’ll need an eCommerce platform UK that offers multilingual support. That way, your customers can browse and purchase products in their own language with the best eCommerce platform UK.
4. Ease of Use
The best eCommerce platform UK for you is the one that is easy for you to use. If you’re not familiar with coding or website design, you’ll want to choose an eCommerce platform that is simple to set up and use.
On the other hand, if you’re more tech-savvy, you might want to choose some of the best eCommerce platforms UK that offer more advanced features.
5. Customer Support
Another important factor in choosing the best eCommerce website builder UK to consider is customer support. If you run into any issues with your eCommerce site, you’ll want to be able to contact someone for help.
The best eCommerce website builders UK offer customer support via email, phone, or live chat. That way, you can get the help you need when you need it and get back to running your business.
6. Speed
Speed is another important factor in choosing the best eCommerce platform UK. If your eCommerce site is slow, it will frustrate your customers and cause them to leave without making a purchase.
So you’ll want to choose an eCommerce platform that is fast and responsive so that your customers have a positive experience on your site. That way, they’re more likely to make a purchase and become a repeat customer.
7. Reliability
The best eCommerce website builder UK is the most reliable one. You don’t want your eCommerce site to go down when you’re in the middle of a sale or launching a new product.
So you’ll want to choose an eCommerce platform known for being reliable and up-to-date so that you can focus on running your business without worrying about your site.
Our Top Choices for the Best eCommerce Platforms UK
Now that we’ve gone over some of the key factors to consider when choosing the best eCommerce website builder UK, it’s time to give you an overview of our top five picks. Here are the best eCommerce platforms you can use for your business in the UK:
1. Shopify
For businesses looking for one of the best eCommerce website builders UK, Shopify is a great choice. It is a platform that offers everything you need to create a professional online store, from the website hosting to payment processing.
Shopify offers various features, including inventory management, shipping, and marketing tools. Plus, it’s easy to use, even if you’re not familiar with website design or coding.
You can hire Shopify experts UK to save your time and get your store designed by professionals.
Shopify Features:
- All-in-one eCommerce solution
- Website hosting
- Payment processing
- Inventory management
- Dropshipping
- Marketing tools
- Wide range of features
- Great customer support
Pros:
- It is a multi-channel integration platform which means you can sell on multiple social media platforms.
- It offers the highest number of sales features, averaging 61/65 across the 13 sales-specific areas evaluated.
- It really supports users with more difficult eCommerce tasks, such as shipping and accountancy.
- It is an entirely customizable platform – should you require a bespoke feature, it can assist.
Cons:
- It is a paid platform with fairly high fees, and these increase as your business grows.
- It isn’t the simplest platform to use. If you have no experience in website design or coding, it might be worth choosing a simpler platform.
- It doesn’t offer as many features as some of the other platforms on this list.
- It has limited design flexibility.
2. Wix
Another great option for businesses looking for an easy-to-use and best eCommerce platform UK is Wix. It is a cloud-based platform that offers everything you need to create a professional online store, from the website builder to payment processing.
Plus, Wix offers a wide range of features, including inventory management, shipping, and marketing tools. Plus, it’s easy to use, even if you’re not familiar with website design or coding.
Wix Features:
- Unlimited products
- Design template upgrades
- All-in-one solution
- Robust customer support
- Free hosting
- Shipping
- Marketing tools
- Beginner-friendly
- Design flexibility
- AI-powered design
Pros:
- It has the best designs of any platform, with a wide range of stunning templates to choose from.
- It is the easiest platform to use, thanks to its drag-and-drop editor and simple interface.
- It offers the best features for eCommerce businesses, including everything from shipping to marketing tools.
- It is a truly all-in-one solution, with everything you need to run your business in one place.
- It lets you manipulate elements in the front end, so you’re never editing your storefront blind.
Cons:
- It uses third-party apps for some features, which can be expensive.
- It only has one type of editor, which can be limiting for more complex businesses.
- It doesn’t give you the option to change your template after you’ve published your website.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is one of the best eCommerce platforms UK for businesses that opt for an expansive range of sales features. If you’re looking for a platform that offers more than just the basics, then BigCommerce should be your go-to choice.
It’s also a great choice if you’re looking for the best eCommerce website builder UK that supports multiple languages and currencies. Plus, it offers in-built features rather than from third parties, making them more reliable.
BigCommerce Features:
- In-built features
- Multiple languages and currencies supported
- Ease of use
- Excellent customer support
- Flexible plans
- An expansive range of sales features
Pros:
- It has no transaction fees, so you can keep more of your profits.
- It offers superb international selling functions, making it a great choice for businesses with global aspirations.
- It comes with excellent SEO assistance to help you rank higher in search engine results pages.
- Its customer support is outstanding, with 24/7 phone and live chat support available.
Cons:
- It can be expensive for small businesses.
- It has limited customization options.
- Its designs aren’t as good as some of the other platforms on this list.
4. Squarespace
Unlike other best eCommerce website builders UK, Squarespace lets you sell products without signing up for a premium plan. And that makes it a great choice for businesses that want to start selling products without any upfront costs.
If you’re a small business or startup on a budget, then Squarespace should be your go-to choice. And getting a plan will let you sell unlimited products and gives you access to Squarespace’s powerful eCommerce features, making it one of the options for the best eCommerce website builders UK.
Squarespace Features:
- Excellent analytics
- Supports dozens of payment types
- Custom domain
- No Square ads
- Password-protected pages
- Abandoned cart
Pros:
- Its eCommerce features are robust and comprehensive.
- It supports a wide range of payment types, making it easy to accept customer payments.
- Its abandoned cart recovery feature is a great way to boost sales.
- It offers a custom domain so you can brand your store.
- It has excellent analytics, so you can track your store’s performance.
Cons:
- It is more expensive than some of the other platforms on this list.
- It doesn’t have as many features as some of the other platforms.
- Its designs can be limiting.
- It has high transaction fees.
5. WooCommerce
For businesses looking for an open-source and free best eCommerce platform UK, WooCommerce is a great choice. It’s a plugin that you can add to your existing WordPress site to turn it into an online store.
WooCommerce lets you keep full control over your store’s design and branding. Plus, it is a free WordPress plugin with a wide range of features, including functionality for payments, shipping, inventory management, and marketing.
WooCommerce Features:
- Advanced Shipping
- Abandoned Cart
- Product Add-ons
- Payment Gateway Integration
Pros:
- It is a free WordPress plugin.
- It offers a wide range of features, including payment gateway integration and abandoned cart recovery.
- It lets you keep full control over your store’s design and branding.
- It has excellent documentation and support.
Cons:
- It can be expensive to add premium features and plugins.
- It is not as user-friendly as some of the other platforms on this list.
- Its designs are not as good as some of the other platforms.
Best UK eCommerce Platform: Our Final Verdict
After carefully considering all the options, we have concluded that among the best eCommerce platforms UK, Wix is the best choice for both small businesses and enterprises.
It is the most beginner-friendly platform with many features, templates, and integrations. Plus, it offers affordable plans with a 14-day free trial for businesses to try out the platform before committing to a long-term plan.
What’s more, Wix also provides excellent customer support to help you resolve any issues you may face while using the platform. That way, you can focus on growing your business without any worries.
With Wix, you can create a professional online store quickly and easily, without any prior experience or design knowledge. So if you’re looking for a convenient and beginner-friendly one among the best eCommerce website builders UK, Wix is the way to go.
Do you agree with our choice of the best eCommerce website builder UK? Or do you think another platform should have been included in this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!