5 Recommended Platforms for Starting an E-Commerce Site in the U.S. (Beginner Edition)

1. Wix

This is an easy-to-start tool for those who are creating a website and launching an EC site for the first time. A key advantage is its ease of use. With nearly 10 years of experience, Wix is made simple for beginner users and can almost entirely be operated with drag-and-drop functionality. The downside is that professionals may find it limiting. You cannot set precise layouts with numbers, so those with some web experience may feel a bit unsatisfied as they may not be able to execute their vision entirely.

2. Squarespace

Among the many website builder services in the U.S., Squarespace is perhaps one of the most used. It’s commonly seen in restaurants and other food establishments. The advantage is that it’s simple, user-friendly, and has stylish design themes. It's great for creating themed websites and offers sleeker designs compared to Wix. Recently, I feel Wix has started to follow Squarespace in this regard. While it offers plenty of add-ons like booking and appointment features, beginners may find it limiting if they want a fully custom look. In terms of e-commerce, it has a cart feature, but detailed settings are limited. If basic functionality is sufficient, Squarespace is more recommended than Wix.

3. Weebly

Since it’s owned by Square, it’s ideal for businesses using Square’s platform to set up an e-commerce website. During the sudden COVID-19 crisis in 2020, many physical stores shifted quickly to e-commerce with Weebly through Square. The biggest advantage is that it integrates with Square, allowing both store and e-commerce payments to be managed on the same platform. This is a major plus, showing how crucial payment services are for restaurants. A downside is that it lacks advanced functionality. It has basic features, but advanced options like shipping and subscriptions in the EC space feel somewhat insufficient.

4. Shopify

This is also widely used in the U.S. In 2020, most of the consultations our company received were related to Shopify. The advantage is its wide range of features and plugins, allowing you to achieve almost anything. You can’t edit core payment parts, but you can customize certain aspects using the Liquid language. The downside is the high cost. For those who want thorough customization, the monthly fee can go up to $299. With added development fees, it becomes quite costly. Most Shopify users likely utilize the $29 Basic plan for their needs.

5. WordPress

WordPress is a classic for EC sites. Using plugins, you can embed e-commerce functionality into a WordPress-built page. It's ideal for creating basic information pages with added EC features. You can design pages and layouts in detail. The downside is that the experience varies significantly depending on which plugins you use, making it harder for beginners who may need some trial and error to get the full picture.

6. Custom EC Site

We’ve covered five popular U.S. platforms, but as professionals, we don’t use these platforms. Lately, we’ve been building custom EC solutions using tools like GraphQL and Gatsby.js, with payments handled by Stripe. The advantage is that a custom build allows you to realize almost any idea you have. The downside is that a fully custom development process takes considerable time and effort. There are many platforms and methods for building an EC site. For example, if you’re only selling a single product, there's no need for a custom solution; Shopify or Weebly would be more efficient. But if you have a large volume of products or need complex inventory management, a fully custom approach might be worth considering.