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What is an eCommerce Builder?

Definition

An Ecommerce Builder (ecommerce website builder/platform) is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform or plugin that you can use to create, design, customize, and manage an online store, without any advanced coding or web development skills.

Platforms such as these provide a “one-stop-shop” using drag-and-drop interface, with pre-designed templates, hosting, built-in payment processing, inventory management, security, and other essential features.

Examples

• Shopify: An all-in-one platform, known for its scalability, extensive app store, and used by many to set up stores for dropshipping, etc.

• Wix eCommerce: A highly visual, intuitive drag-and-drop builder that can be used for setting up online storefronts, and so on.

• WooCommerce: An open-source plugin that can be used via WordPress to build or change a standard website into a fully customizable ecommerce store.

• Squarespace: Provides high-aesthetic design templates, with integrated commerce tools, and can be used to create visually appealing online stores.

• BigCommerce: A robust builder designed for growing businesses requiring advanced built-in features.

Skills

Certainly, you don’t need to be a programmer, however, some of these skills would be useful:

• Basic design and customization: Understanding how to use drag-and-drop editors to select templates, arrange layouts, add branding elements such as logos, colors, and so on.

• Product photography/graphic design: The ability to create or edit high-quality visuals, using tools such as Canva or Photoshop, for example.

• Product management and logistics: Includes adding, categorizing, and describing products, uploading images, setting prices, shipping rates, return policies, and so on.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) basics: Includes, for example, optimizing product titles and metadata, and in general, using keywords to improve search engine visibility.

• Basic data literacy: Basically, this means being able to interpret store analytics, including sales, traffic, and customer behavior, thereby allowing you to make informed business decisions.

• Customer service basics: Excellent customer service can make or break a business, whether online or offline, so you will need to effectively handle inquiries, returns, and reviews in order to build trust and customer retention.

Advantages for Beginners

Generally, ecommerce builders are designed to remove the technical challenges of starting an online business.

Among the advantages for beginners are:

• Low initial investment: Rather than paying thousands for a custom-coded site, you can start with an affordable monthly subscription plan (e.g., $30 or so). Usually, the plan will include hosting, domain, access to essential tools, etc..

• No coding required: No need for coding. With drag-and-drop interfaces and templates you can easily build a professional store in a matter of hours.

• Scalability: You can start small and then upgrade your plan as the business grows.

Monetization Potential

In a relatively short period of time your store could be live, allowing you to begin the process of generating revenue, in a number of ways:

• Direct retail/product sales: Revenue from selling your own physical products (handmade crafts, clothing, or manufactured goods), digital downloads, or services.

• Dropshipping: Selling products from third-party suppliers, who handle the storage and shipping for you.

• Digital products: – Selling digital products such as e-books, online courses, software, digital art, templates, etc.

• Print-on-demand: Through online platforms such as Printful, for example, you could design and sell t-shirts, phone cases, mugs, and so on, that are printed and shipped via the platform, whenever a customer places an order.

• Subscription models: Create recurring revenue streams by offering subscription boxes or membership plans to access premium content.