While shoppers return to physical stores, their online shopping habits have become firmly established, leading to sustained growth in the eCommerce industry, albeit at a slower pace.
Projections indicate that the eCommerce share of retail sales will maintain double-digit growth until it reaches 24% by 2026.
Despite a significant decline in the global eCommerce growth rate, dropping from 17% in 2021 to 9.7% in 2022, it is evident that eCommerce is a permanent fixture, making it crucial for businesses to adopt omnichannel retail strategies to stay competitive.
To assist in boosting online sales in 2023, we have compiled a list of the top ten SaaS eCommerce platforms.
With the continuous growth in consumer demand, eCommerce businesses face greater difficulty managing the surge of website traffic.
Companies relying on on-premise platforms have struggled to cope with this sudden influx. Consequently, eCommerce businesses turn to software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms as a viable alternative.
eCommerce SaaS tools have various features enabling businesses to effectively and efficiently handle online stores.
These features encompass everything from payment processing to inventory management operations, and enhancing the overall shopping experience for their customers.
What is a SaaS Platform?
A SaaS platform, or Software-as-a-Service, is a cloud-based software delivery model providing applications to users over the Internet.
In this model, the software is hosted and maintained by a third-party service provider, and users can access it through a web browser without the need to install or manage any software on their local devices.
In a SaaS platform, users typically pay a subscription fee to use the software, and the provider takes care of all the technical aspects, such as software updates, security, and infrastructure maintenance.
eCommerce Platform Types
Type 1: On-Premise
In the past, on-site or premise deployment was the sole choice for eCommerce businesses, but its prevalence has diminished.
On-premise eCommerce options require substantial investments in building the platform from scratch, procuring a dedicated server, and resolving technical challenges.
They are now typically recommended only when the eCommerce platform requires high specialization and uniqueness that cannot be accommodated by open-source platforms.
However, a drawback of on-premise eCommerce lies in their limited scalability, making it difficult to handle increased web traffic or accommodate business expansion.
Type 2: Open-Source
Open-source or self-hosted eCommerce platforms are available freely and tailored to users’ requirements. However, their setup and maintenance demand technical expertise.
Type 3: SaaS eCommerce
The popularity of SaaS eCommerce platforms is on the rise, thanks to their user-friendly nature, scalability, and reduced initial expenses.
Other eCommerce SaaS Types
Marketplace Platforms
allow multiple sellers to list and sell their products within the same online marketplace. Examples include Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
Mobile Commerce (M-Commerce) Platforms:
These platforms focus on enabling eCommerce through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. They often come as extensions or add-ons to existing eCommerce platforms to provide a mobile-responsive shopping experience.
Enterprise eCommerce Platforms:
Geared towards large-scale businesses, enterprise-level platforms offer advanced features, scalability, and robust security. Examples include SAP Commerce Cloud, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, and Oracle Commerce.
Subscription eCommerce Platforms:
Designed for businesses selling subscription-based products or services, these platforms manage recurring billing and subscription management. Examples include Cratejoy and ReCharge.
Social Commerce Platforms:
These platforms integrate eCommerce functionality into social media networks, allowing businesses to sell products directly to their followers. Examples include Instagram Shops and Facebook Shops.
B2B eCommerce Platforms:
Built specifically for business-to-business transactions, these platforms accommodate features like bulk ordering, pricing negotiation, and integration with ERP systems. Examples include OroCommerce and InsiteCommerce.
Headless Commerce Platforms:
Headless platforms decouple the front-end presentation layer from the back-end eCommerce functionality, enabling greater flexibility and customization. Examples include CommerceTools and Elastic Path.
Niche-specific Platforms:
Some eCommerce platforms cater to specific industries or niches. For example, Selz focuses on digital products, while Shopify Plus targets high-volume merchants.
What is SaaS eCommerce?
SaaS eCommerce (Software-as-a-Service eCommerce) is a cloud-based software model that provides eCommerce solutions to businesses and individuals.
In this approach, the eCommerce platform is hosted and managed by a third-party service provider, and users can access it over the Internet through a web browser.
With eCommerce SaaS, users do not need to install or maintain software on their local devices or servers. Instead, they pay a subscription fee to the service provider for access to the platform and its features.
The provider takes care of technical aspects such as software updates, security, and server maintenance, allowing users to focus on managing their online stores and conducting business.
SaaS eCommerce platforms are known for their ease of use, quick deployment, scalability, and lower upfront costs than traditional on-premise solutions.
They are particularly attractive to small and medium-sized businesses that want to establish an online presence without the burden of managing complex technical infrastructure.
Popular examples of SaaS eCommerce platforms include Shopify, BigCommerce, and Squarespace.
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Benefits of SaaS eCommerce Platforms
Before we explore the best eCommerce SaaS examples, let’s first examine the advantages of implementing SaaS for an eCommerce business.
Ease of Use:
SaaS platforms are designed to be user-friendly and intuitive, making it easier for businesses to set up and manage their online stores without extensive technical knowledge.
Quick Deployment:
With SaaS solutions, there’s no need to build the eCommerce platform from scratch. Businesses can get up and running quickly by choosing from pre-built templates and configurations.
Scalability:
SaaS platforms are built to handle different levels of traffic and transactions. As businesses grow, they can easily scale up their operations to accommodate increasing demand.
Lower Upfront Costs:
SaaS eCommerce platforms usually operate on a subscription-based pricing model, which means businesses pay a regular fee rather than making a large upfront investment in software licenses and infrastructure.
Automatic Updates and Maintenance:
The responsibility for software updates, security patches, and server maintenance lies with the SaaS provider, freeing businesses from these tasks.
Accessibility:
SaaS eCommerce platforms can be accessed from any device with an active internet, providing flexibility for business owners and customers.
Security:
Reputable SaaS providers implement robust security measures to protect sensitive customer data, reducing the risk of data breaches.
Integration and Add-ons:
SaaS platforms often offer integration with third-party services, enabling businesses to expand their functionality through add-ons and plugins.
Customer Support:
SaaS providers typically offer customer support, helping businesses resolve technical issues or concerns.
Focus on Core Business:
By outsourcing technical aspects to the SaaS provider, businesses can concentrate on their core operations and improve their products and services.
Top SaaS eCommerce Platforms to Boost Your Business
Running an online eCommerce store entails handling various complex processes, including fulfillment services, integrating top payment gateways, CMS, CRM and email marketing.
Fortunately, with the help of eCommerce software, even newbies with no prior experience can easily manage an online store.
The following list comprises platforms that effectively support every part of your eCommerce business, streamlining operations and sparing you from the challenges of managing multiple intricate elements.
SaaS ECommerce Platform 1: Shopify
Shopify stands out as a highly renowned SaaS eCommerce platform renowned for its comprehensive solutions tailored to online businesses.
A user-friendly interface makes it an ideal choice for small and medium enterprises. Its eCommerce features include shopping carts, payment gateways, shipping integrations, cart upsell, and inventory management.
Best Features
- Shopify offers many integrations with payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
- Offers an app store with user-friendly features and housing numerous Shopify themes and plugins, such as Shopify accounting, email marketing, and drop shipping tools.
- Shopify provides a checkout process that you can customize according to online stores for increased conversion rates.
- Businesses benefit from advanced marketing and Shopify SEO resources and tools, which aid in achieving higher search engine rankings and attracting a greater flow of organic traffic.
Are you confused about Shopify or Etsy? Read our Shopify vs Etsy guide to make a better decision.
Pricing
- Basic ($24)
- Professional ($69)
- Advanced ($299)
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SaaS ECommerce Platform 2: BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a cloud-focused eCommerce platform that caters to every business. It boasts a comprehensive range of eCommerce options, encompassing various payment gateways, efficient product and service management, and reliable inventory tracking capabilities.
Best Features
- Within BigCommerce, you’ll find a suite of marketing tools which seamlessly integrate social media and email marketing functionalities.
- The platform also offers advanced marketing and search engine optimization features, enabling businesses to secure higher rankings in search results.
- BigCommerce facilitates smooth operations with flexible tax and shipping options, handling shipping requirements adeptly.
- Store owners can take advantage of the convenience offered by the native mobile app, allowing them to efficiently manage their online stores from any location.
Pricing
- Basic Plan ($29.95/mo)
- Plus Plan ($79.95/mo)
- Pro Plan ($299.95/mo)
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SaaS Ecommerce Platform 3: Wix
Wix, the most preferred choice among SaaS eCommerce users, boasts intuitive drag-and-drop features and website-building functions.
With its user-friendly dashboard, it proves to be an ideal match for small businesses or startups.
Best Features
- With an AI-powered website building interface, Wix simplifies creating an eCommerce store for businesses.
- The platform includes numerous payment options like PayPal and credit card payments.
- Wix ensures a visually appealing, mobile-friendly storefront that seamlessly adapts to all devices.
- Advanced features for eCommerce stores such as inventory management and shipping integrations are also available.
Pricing
- Connect Domain Plan ($4.50/mo)
- Combo Plan ($8.50/mo)
- Unlimited Plan ($12.5/mo)
- VIP Plan ($24.50/mo)
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 4: 3dcart
3dcart emerges as a robust SaaS eCommerce platform designed to cater to users seeking to grow their online stores effectively.
Packed with advanced features, it encompasses many tools for seamless product management, order fulfillment, customer data analysis, and marketing & SEO functionalities.
Best Features
- With an extensive selection of over 100 payment gateways, 3dcart incorporates well-known choices like PayPal, Stripe, and Amazon Pay.
- Boosts your marketing efforts with various tools, including abandoned cart recovery, email marketing, and affiliate management.
- Integration with popular shipping carriers such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS streamlines the shipping process.
- 3dcart presents various responsive themes optimized for different industries and niches. For those looking to explore its capabilities, 3dcart provides a 15-day free trial.
Pricing
- Shift4Shop Plan at (minimum $29/mo)
- Standard Plan ($299/mo)
- Enterprise Plan ($2000/mo)
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 5: Square Online
As a SaaS eCommerce solution, Square presents a comprehensive set of tools for online store building and suitable payment processing options.
It stands out as an exceptional option, particularly catering to the needs of small businesses aiming to establish a successful online product-selling platform.
Best Features
- Square presents versatile payment processing features that seamlessly integrate with any online store.
- It offers a fully customizable store, allowing businesses to brand it according to their unique look and feel.
- With inventory management features at hand, businesses can efficiently track their stock.
- Square’s mobile-friendly storefront ensures a smooth and optimized shopping experience for users on tablets and smartphones.
Pricing
- Free Plan for $0 (charges may apply according to transactions made in free mode)
- Plus plan ($29/mo)
- Premium Plan ($79/mo)
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 6: Volusion
Volusion, operating as a cloud-based SaaS platform, provides an extensive array of eCommerce options, making it well-suited for every business size.
Best Features
- Volusion equips businesses with a dashboard for efficient store management.
- It further offers customizable themes and templates, enabling the creation of unique online stores.
- Leverages advanced marketing features for businesses to improve their search engine rankings.
- Volusion’s diverse range of payment integrations, including Amazon and eBay, extends the reach and potential of businesses to a broader audience.
Pricing
- Personal Plan ($35/mo)
- Professional Plan ($79/mo)
- Business Plan ($299/mo)
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 7: Squarespace
Squarespace, primarily a website creator that includes eCommerce tools as an add-on feature. Its user-friendly dashboard caters to businesses of all sizes, making it a versatile choice for various enterprises.
Best Features
- Squarespace offers an extensive selection of customizable templates and themes, allowing businesses to craft a unique online store tailored to their brand.
- With an intuitive website builder, businesses can create their websites effortlessly, even without any coding knowledge.
- Squarespace provides powerful marketing tools, encompassing email campaigns and seamless social media integration, to boost promotional efforts and engage with their audience effectively.
Pricing
- Personal Plan ($23/mo)
- Business Plan ($33/mo)
- Basic Commerce Plan ($36/mo)
- Advanced Commerce Plan ($65/mo)
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 8: WooCommerce
WooCommerce, a free eCommerce platform, is designed as a WordPress plugin. Thanks to its seamless integration with the existing platform, it stands out as a favored option for businesses utilizing a website built on WordPress.
With a comprehensive suite of features for store management, WooCommerce covers essential aspects such as product management, diverse payment options, and flexible shipping choices.
Best Features
- WooCommerce presents various extensions and plugins that effectively expand the platform’s functionality to suit various needs.
- It offers a wide selection of customizable themes and templates for personalization.
- Ensuring smooth transactions, WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with multiple payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.
- Businesses benefit from shipping management features, encompassing real-time shipping rates, shipping labels, and shipment tracking for efficient order fulfillment.
Pricing
- WooCommerce is free but charges for additional extensions, themes, and hosting that vary.
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 9: PrestaShop
PrestaShop is an open-source SaaS eCommerce platform that offers users full control over their online storefront. It boasts various features, including order tracking, product management, reporting and analytics, and empowering businesses with comprehensive tools to optimize their eCommerce operations.
Best Features
- PrestaShop facilitates the creation of online stores in multiple languages, courtesy of its robust multi-language support.
- It seamlessly integrates with over 50 payment gateways, encompassing popular options like PayPal, Stripe, and Skrill.
- The platform offers various SEO features, allowing users to add meta tags, optimize URLs, and generate sitemaps for better visibility.
- PrestaShop’s modular architecture enables users to tailor their online stores by adding or removing features according to their preferences.
Pricing
- While the PrestaShop software itself is free, users need to cover expenses related to hosting domains and other third-party services.
SaaS Ecommerce Platform 10: BigCartel
Big Cartel is a specialized Software as a Service eCommerce platform catering to artists.
Its primary goal is to provide a straightforward and user-friendly dashboard, making it easy for these creative entrepreneurs to establish online stores.
Within the platform, users can take advantage of essential features like product management, unit and ordertracking, and product customization, empowering them to easily showcase their unique creations.
Best Features
- With Big Cartel, users gain the flexibility to sell both digital and physical products while also having the option to offer pre-orders and custom products.
- The platform extends numerous customization options, enabling users to design their online stores as they desire, including using custom domains and adding custom CSS.
- Big Cartel integrates seamlessly with popular payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe.
- With the convenience of the Big Cartel mobile app, users can efficiently manage and fulfill orders directly from their smartphones.
Pricing
- Free Plan (5 products and basic features)
- Platinum Plan ($9.99/mo, 50 products, and access to more features)
- Diamond Plan ($19.99/mo, 500 products, and advanced features)
Other popular Examples of SaaS eCommerce Solutions
Magento
Magento, an open-source and a popular eCommerce platform, has earned recognition from major brands such as Samsung, Nike, North Face, Ford, and many more.
Having been developed in 2007, it emerged as one of the earliest platforms, and by 2017, it closely rivaled WooCommerce in popularity.
Currently at its 3rd version, Magento is now under the ownership of Adobe.
It offers two main options: the Open Source version with basic features and the Enterprise Solution (Adobe Commerce) with more premium functionalities. Additionally, Magento has been rebranded as Adobe Commerce.
Even with these changes, the platform remains a formidable force and continues to be widely adopted as a preferred eCommerce solution.
The acquisition by Adobe brings great potential, promising even more for this renowned and well-established platform.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud combines your offline and online channels, creating an AI-powered solution that ensures consistency in customer journey across various points.
This powerful solution caters to B2B and B2C retailers, promising enhanced conversions and substantial business growth.
According to BuiltWith, it ranks as the 5th most popular solution in the Multi-Channel category and fuels over 10,000 websites.
Companies like GE Renewable Energy have experienced remarkable results, achieving tripled growth when using Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
As an All-in-One solution for eCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud seamlessly integrates with other eCommerce solutions, streamlining processes like order fulfillment, CRM, payment modes, and more, ensuring a seamless and efficient eCommerce experience.
OpenCart
OpenCart stands out as an open-source, cost-free eCommerce platform that is remarkably user-friendly. Its powerful default features encompass SEO, store management, order/product management, and others.
Additionally, users can select from various themes and modules to suit their preferences. Developed using MVC and PHP architecture, the open-source nature of OpenCart means anyone can modify its source code.
However, this flexibility also presents a significant limitation, necessitating a dedicated developer to effectively set up and configure the platform. Companies lacking a skilled developer may face challenges getting the platform up and running to their requirements.
Nevertheless, for those with access to a developer, the customizable features of OpenCart present an excellent opportunity to transform it into the perfect online store tailored precisely to their visions.
Helium10
Helium 10 caters specifically to Walmart and Amazon FBA sellers, providing them with the tools to elevate their eCommerce businesses.
As a part of Assembly, a prominent platform for eCommerce growth, Helium 10 supports merchants through every phase of their business journey.
It assists in creating content, upskilling, and fostering a vibrant community.
The platform offers tools tailored for Walmart and Amazon FBA sellers, aiding them with keyword and product research, optimization of listings, marketing, analytics, and other functions.
Since its inception in 2015, Helium 10 has empowered over 2 million users, enabling them to succeed as thriving entrepreneurs.
Conclusion
SaaS eCommerce solutions have transformed the landscape of business operations. Given the surge in online shopping, having an efficient and effective eCommerce platform has become a crucial necessity.
Among the ten remarkable examples of SaaS eCommerce software mentioned in this post, each offers distinct features and pricing options tailored to businesses of all sizes.
By leveraging one of these tools, companies can optimize their operations, boost sales, and elevate their customers’ shopping experiences.
If you’re seeking to propel your online business to new heights, exploring a SaaS eCommerce solution that aligns perfectly with your requirements is the way to go.
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