According to W3Techs, WordPress now empowers about 27.6% of the web. And, the number increases day by day. This gives WordPress a competitive edge of inviting users to instantly transform a simple blog or website into an exclusive online store. WordPress is a prominent CMS platform, but the installation of a small plugin can turn into a full-fledged e-commerce website, called WooCommerce. The pioneering e-commerce platforms like Magento and PrestaShop were purpose-built for selling products and services online, whereas WordPress was developed to serve bloggers and small business owners to have an online presence.
With the help of e-commerce plugins, WordPress has made available an entire technology and features of that of a dedicated e-commerce platform. Add products and continue to add further options for a brilliant user experience.
In WordPress, you will find thousands of plugins that are developed to solve the problems you are facing in managing and operating an online store. Like if you want to export products or categories from your store then WooCommerce CSV import export plugin will make this easy for you.
A Quick Comparison with other e-Commerce Platforms
By comparing WordPress with other platforms, we mean the market share of WooCommerce that is playing havoc with pioneers like Magento, PrestaShop and other giants like Shopify and BigCommerce. WooCommerce is an extension and is based on WordPress, whereas other platforms are developed for the only goal of powering up online stores.
Magento, PrestaShop, etc
It is true that WooCommerce cannot stand alone, but the ease of transforming a simple website into an e-commerce one is the most enticing features for the users. Magento is one of the tough competitors in the market, but a strong foundation in serving thousands of online stores worldwide. It is considered to be a bit technical for a newbie and has an extended edition for businesses that need to expand.
The PrestaShop is also a fair market share in European countries because of its availability in their regional languages. It is also a bit technical, has expensive modules, and an unappealing design.
The rise of Shopify, BigCommerce and Alike
The e-commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce are also a worth-mentioning alternative to selling products online. These platforms offer integrated hosting with limited functionality and customization options. And, the merchants have to incur monthly maintenance fee as well, which is not paid if you opt for WooCommerce.
In light of the above overview, one can deduce that WordPress has brilliantly captured large market shares despite the presence of Magento, PrestaShop. The trend of continuous growth shows WooCommerce to be a market leader in the near future. But, on the basis of a successful track record, one can not foresee the same for its future.
Can WordPress Make other e-Commerce Platforms Obsolete?
The rapid changes in technology and merchants’ behavior are among the primary factors that decide which platform is going remain a favorable alternative. But, WordPress has the potential to lead the e-commerce industry, and most probably make the users abandoning the rest of the platforms in the near future.
Following are some of the reasons that can dominate WordPress e-commerce and make the rest of the platforms obsolete.
WordPress Is Free and Don’t Have a Recurring Fee
The hosted e-commerce platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce charge set up cost, a monthly maintenance and a percentage of transactions as well. They maintain everything on your behalf, which is a way too expensive for a small to medium size enterprise.
On the other hand, setting a WordPress site and installing WooCommerce is a one time cost. You hire the services of an expert to set up the store and make customization and save all the money a hosted platform can deduct from your earnings.
Open Source with an Extensive Community Support
Magento and PrestaShop are also reliable open source e-commerce platforms, however, WordPress is backed by a vast and active community of developers. Whether you need to fix an issue, add a function or customize a theme or extension, you have an extensive community to ask for help from.
The hosted platforms completely fail in personalizing your website. For example, to list a product in Shopify, you only have 3 attributes; color, size, and material. And, if you want to add another attribute, you have no option at all. It limits describing your product on the landing page.
A Vast Pool of Plugins and Themes
The great community of developers has made available a vast pool of amazing WordPress themes and useful plugins. It gives you a complete freedom to expand your business or add enticing features. The beginners can install free versions and opt to have a paid version if it fulfills their requirements.
The availability of so many plugins and tools makes WordPress a scalable platform. For example, if you need to sell prominent brands and allow users to search different products by its manufacturers, a simple can do the whole task. You no longer need to modify the entire code of your website.
WordPress Has All the Security Measures Intact
WordPress is trusted worldwide by millions just because it offers sufficient measures to secure your e-commerce website. Hackers try different techniques. And, for them, it is always a challenge to hack a website which can be of WordPress or any other platform. But, WordPress ensures unbreakable security through SSL certificates and security plugins.
All your data is safe until you meet the basic security requirements, which includes following the protocols and installing one of the reliable extensions for deterring the malicious attacks.
Conclusion
A WordPress user always has the option to retain a simple website or turn it into an online store. This is one of the competitive factors that encourage customers to adopt WordPress to start with as low as they need, and expand as they grow. In Magento and PrestaShop, you are unable to avail such scalability. You install it and have to continue with a fully loaded platform regardless of your growth.
