With the digital world growing rapidly, online sales are also rapidly expanding. By the year 2026, about a quarter of retail sales are expected to occur online. This is a significant trend for businesses, especially small store owners and budding retailers, who want to scale their operations. Building an e-commerce platform has become a lot easier with fast and easy access to essential tools and resources, as well as a channel to reach a global audience and explore new markets. Many of the e-commerce website creators present in the market provide simple and easy ways of building a unique and functional website to sell your products and services online.

However, choosing the right option to suit your particular needs and brand may be daunting. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore and cover some of the best e-commerce website designs and builders in 2024. Are you eager to get started? Continue reading to learn more! 

Top 6 E-commerce Platforms for 2024

It is crucial to choose the right e-commerce platforms to ensure the success of your online store. Before you choose the option to build your e-commerce store, consider its features, user-friendliness, pricing, and usability to ensure that it suits your particular needs. Here are the top 7 e-commerce website creators for 2024. 

1. Neo: Simple Website Builder

Creating an elaborate multipage e-commerce website can be overwhelming for a small business. Often, adding a simple call-to-action button or creating a simple one-page catalog is sufficient to showcase products. If you are looking for such simplicity, Neo is the perfect solution for you. 

Neo is an email hosting platform that offers functionalities beyond that. It offers a suite of tools to enhance a brand's online presence, including a complimentary one-page website with all its plans, along with an easy-to-use editor and a vast library of customizable templates. Users can also create a free email account with a trial period and purchase a .co.site domain from Neo if they want to create a professional business email without a domain previously purchased. 

Pros:

• Additionally, users can add their social media profiles and forms to their one-page e-commerce website.
• Website editor with drag-and-drop functionality and customizable templates and themes. 
• Integrated email and website services for easy management. 

Cons:

• It is a relatively new platform. 
• An email plan must be purchased to use the one-page website. 

2. Shopify: Best for Getting Up and Running Quickly 

Its ease of use and robust features make Shopify one of the most trusted and reliable e-commerce platforms. You can easily set up your e-commerce website and start selling your products and services to a global network of consumers. Shopify is best for beginners due to its intuitive interface, easy-to-use website editor, and comprehensive help guide, making the platform easily accessible for all. With Shopify, users can utilize multiple payment gateway options, display unlimited products, create multi-funnel sales strategies, and use Shopify APIs to design custom apps. You can also build creative landing pages seamlessly with Shopify. 

Pros: 

• Shopify provides easy setup with a variety of comprehensive tools, including email marketing and SEO tools. 
• The extensive support and resources aid new users in easily navigating the platform. 
• It offers numerous themes and apps and is highly extensible. 

Cons: 

• The platform can become expensive for customers with the addition of premium apps and features. 
• Transaction fees on third-party payment platforms and commission on total sales.

3. Square: Best for selling in-person and Online 

Businesses looking for both in-person and online sales should choose Square. It's an ideal e-commerce website platform for users due to its integration with Square’s point-of-sale (POS) terminals, which ensures a smooth transition between online and offline sales. Users can configure the stores to meet their needs. Square’s onboarding process is quite straightforward, although its customization options can be a bit limited. However, the platform offers unique features like ordering through a QR code, a sign-in option for customers, CTA leading to your online shop on social media, and more. 

Pros: 

• The Square’s point of sale system integrates seamlessly. 
• User-friendly e-commerce website design with completely customizable templates and themes. 
• Use your custom domain name for free for a year on any of Square’s premium plans. 

Cons: 

• Square offers relatively limited themes and customization options compared to other platforms. 
• High commission and transaction fees. 

4. BigCommerce: Best for Large-Volume Sellers 

BigCommerce, as an emerging e-commerce website design builder, is curated for businesses that generally need accommodation for high sales volume. Some of the platform’s powerful features, like automated shipping and tax setup, are essential for handling large operations. This makes the application a useful resource for many big retailers and e-commerce hosts. The platforms also simplify listing products on other marketplaces, such as eBay or Amazon.com. BigCommerce’s scalability makes it a pivotal choice for growing businesses, though its features might be overwhelming for some small retailers. 

Pros: 

• BigCommerce provides enterprise-level features at affordable prices. 
• The platform allows easy integration with other marketplaces. 
• There are no hidden charges or additional fees on transactions. 

Cons: 

• This may be overkill for small retailers, as BigCommerce mainly hosts features for large vendors. 
• Higher learning curves for those new to website builders. 

5. WooCommerce: E-commerce plug-in for WordPress

If you are a WordPress user, WooCommerce is your go-to option to build a robut e-commerce platform. This plug-in allows users to transform their WordPress site into a fully functional online store. It offers easy integration with a diverse option of plug-ins and extensions, allowing users to enhance the core functionality of their site. WooCoomerce gives you complete control over your customization needs. The popular e-commerce platform is open-source, making it a cost-effective option. 

Pros: 

• WooCommerce can seamlessly integrate with WordPress. 
• WooCommerce’s wide range of plug-ins and extensions is a plus for any e-commerce store owner. 
• Free to use

Cons: 

• As the platforms work in collaboration with WordPress, users require familiarity with the same. 
• Some technical knowledge is necessary to use the platform. 

6. Wix: Best for Building an Intuitive Site

Wix is a versatile website builder that offers robust e-commerce capabilities. Its AI-driven setup process guides users to create a fully functional website within hours. The process simplifies the initial configuration for beginners by creating intuitive and customizable websites based on their needs. A few of the other features, like order tracking, automated sales tax, and abandoned cart recovery, are a plus for all online retailers. Wix also allows extensive customization through integration with third-party apps. 

Pros: 

• Wix is a comprehensive e-commerce website builder containing solid e-commerce features like complete marketing solutions, in-built SEO tools, and some automation. 
• Allows users to create websites in two ways: through AI (Wix ADI) or from customized templates and themes. 
• In-depth website analytics to improve your sales outcome. 

Cons: 

• Compared to other applications, the platforms are a bit less focused on eCommerce.

Thanks to various robust e-commerce platforms, building a website in 2024 is more accessible and easier than ever. Platforms like Neo, Shopify, Square, Ecwid, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Wix offer many comprehensive solutions tailored to specific needs. Whether you are just starting or looking to expand your business, these website builders are your trusted partners.

Comparative Analysis

Let us now compare all the different e-commerce platforms for a more comprehensive view. We have rated these builders on the basis of their usability, features to streamline operations, cost structure, and user-friendliness. 

Top Design Strategies for Your Online Store

It requires more than just choosing the right platforms to create a functional and attractive e-commerce website design. Here are some of the tips and tricks that can help you successfully build an online store: 

1. Prioritize User Experience 

• The first step in building an e-commerce website is providing a seamless user experience and simple navigation. Consider adding clear menus and search functionalities to ensure your site is easy to navigate. 
• As many users do their online shopping from their smartphones, optimize your website to provide a satisfactory mobile viewing experience. 
• Slow websites generally tend to have high bounce rates. Thus, fast loading time and speed are crucial to retaining customers. 

2. High-Quality Images and Descriptions 

• Use high-resolution photos of your products from multiple camera angles to help showcase the product's quality. 
• You should also provide detailed and thorough descriptions of your products to aid customers in making informed decisions. 

3. Secure and Easy Checkout Process 

• Keep a straightforward checkout process for users by minimizing the steps required to select and purchase products and services. 
• Multiple payment options help cater to users' diverse transaction preferences. 
• SSL certificates and secure payment gateways ensure your website is safe and secure for all. This enhances your website's reliability and reduces the chances of any payment failures from your end. 

4. Consistent Branding 

• E-commerce platforms must ensure that their branding is consistent throughout their websites. This includes using consistent colors and fonts that align with the brand's identity. 
• Reinforce brand recognition through the accurate placement of the logo. Keep the logo visible on all your product pages. 

5. Implement Customer Reviews and Testimonials 

• Rating and reviews from other customers help gain a user's trust. Hence, be sure to include a variety of authentic reviews and ratings for your products. This ensures credibility and allows customers to leave feedback for their purchase. 
• Adding testimonials helps showcase positive feedback to build trust with potential buyers.

6. SEO Optimization 

• Keyword research is crucial to increasing search engine ranking. Add and utilize proper and relevant keywords in product descriptions and meta tags to improve ranking. 
• Ensure that the website URLs are descriptive, SEO-friendly, and clean. Most website builders have in-built SEO features, so leverage them efficiently. 
• Search engine ranking can also be improved by content marketing. This allows regularly updating website blogs and content sections to enhance visibility.

7. Utilize Social Proof and Urgency 

• Social proof aids in encouraging new buyer's trust and interest. It helps display recent purchases or trending products on the e-commerce website, so choose a design page with a facility for social proofing. 
• Creating a sense of urgency in customers leads to impulsive purchases. Contemplate using count-down timers or limited-time offers to engage users. 

8. Leverage Analytics 

• Data analytics plays a crucial role in building a successful e-commerce platform. The use of tools to measure performance, like Google Analytics, helps monitor a website's performance. 
• Several e-commerce website builders offer comprehensive, real-time site analytics. Use this data to optimize your marketing, customer engagement, and sales strategies. 

Wrapping Up

To conclude, building an e-commerce website has become crucial for businesses in this digital age. A website can help in reaching your products to a global market and boost your sales. Many of the platforms discussed above provide extensive features and tailored solutions perfect for your business needs. E-commerce owners can increase sales and enhance their online presence by incorporating these strategies and prioritizing high-end user experience.

However, if you are looking for more functionality and streamlined communication, Neo is the ultimate solution. You can integrate your com, net, or edu email for enhanced branding and enjoy easy website creation. So, sign up for Neo today and build your e-commerce website!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q1. What design tendencies for e-commerce platforms should be expected in 2024? 

Talking about trends, the first is a dark mode, and the second is minimalism. Some other design preferences in 2024 are personalized AI, enhanced product views (for instance, 360-degree fields or AR), and sustainable design. 

Q2. How can you improve your product page to gain more conversions? 

Make sure product images and videos are professional and perfectly illustrate the product, and the descriptions are concise and to the point. Also, ensure there are sufficient reviews and clickable buttons like ‘Buy now,’ ‘Add to Cart,’ and ‘Donate’ are easily visible. Links to other relevant products and the payment processes should also be as smooth as possible. 

Q3. What is the most effective way of navigating an e-commerce website? 

To navigate the website successfully, some of the best practices you can follow are adding a clear and uncomplicated menu, breadcrumbs, a search bar with auto-completion, filters, sort by option, and, most importantly, the sticky bar.