The 25 Best Ecommerce Software to Grow Your Brand, Reviewed & Compared for 2025
The 10 Best Ecommerce Software Solutions You Need
Ahead of all the words, sentences, and paragraphs to come, let’s take a moment with this shortlist of our favorite ecommerce software, plus what each is best for.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
The best ecommerce stores are riding on the rails of the best ecommerce software.
Don't believe me? Go check their tech stacks with BuiltWith and you'll see a variety of SaaS products that are enabling them to do more with less.
The catch-all ' ecommerce software' encompasses a huge swath of capabilities—email marketing, inventory management, payment processing, marketing automation, multichannel sales, sales automation, and more.
Where your ecommerce platform can handle many of these functionalities at the early stages of your business, you'll need to add dedicated tools to scale up effectively. And for each functionality, you need to find the best tool out there.
Which is where we come in (and why you are reading this intro right now, honestly).
With my ecommerce acumen and our shiny scoring system, we've identified the top ecommerce software to make your store into the revenue-generating machine you want it to be.
What is Ecommerce Software?
Ecommerce software is the toolkit that keeps your online store running smoothly.
It takes care of the behind-the-scenes essentials—like managing inventory, processing orders, improving search visibility, and supporting your customers—so you can focus on growing your business.
While an ecommerce platform builds and operates your online store, ecommerce software fine-tunes the details. Think tools for:
- Inventory management to track stock and prevent overselling.
- SEO and marketing tools to help your products rank on Google and drive traffic.
- Customer support software to streamline user experience through chatbots, email tickets, or live help.
- Security features like SSL certificates and fraud protection to keep transactions safe and compliant.
By integrating these tools with your platform, you get the flexibility to optimize individual parts of your business, automate repetitive tasks, and ensure a smooth user experience.
Whether you're handling increased traffic during a holiday sale or improving site performance to rank higher, ecommerce software keeps your business ready to grow.
Why Trust Our Ecommerce Software Reviews
We’ve been testing and reviewing ecommerce software since 2021. As ecommerce experts ourselves, we know how critical (and difficult) it is to make the right decision when selecting software.
We invest in deep research to help you make better software purchasing decisions.
We’ve tested more than 2,000 tools (!!!) for different ecommerce use cases and written over 1,000 comprehensive software reviews.
Learn how we stay transparent & our software review methodology.
Comparing the Best Ecommerce Software Solutions, Feature by Feature
We love a good comparison table, don’t we? First, we’ll look at pricing, though these tools aren’t 1:1, so take it lightly as comparison. For other feature comparisons, click Compare Software below the table.
| Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Best ecommerce software for warehouse management | Free demo available | From $359/month | Website | |
| 2 | Best for automated marketing workflows | Free plan available | From $16/month | Website | |
| 3 | Best for subscription-first businesses with AI features | 14-day free trial | From $29/month | Website | |
| 4 | Best enterprise-level ecommerce software | 15-day free trial | From $29/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 5 | Best ecommerce software for customer engagement | 21-day free trial | From $9/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
| 6 | Best ecommerce software for international payments | Free demo | Pricing upon request | Website | |
| 7 | Best ecommerce software for inventory & fulfillment | 14-day free trial | Plans start at $195/2 users/month | Website | |
| 8 | Best ecommerce software for automated marketing | Free demo | From $895/month | Website | |
| 9 | Best ecommerce software for beginners | Free plan available | From $99/month | Website | |
| 10 | Best for outsourced ecommerce fulfillment | 30-day free trial | From $499/month | Website |
How to Choose Ecommerce Software
Choosing the right ecommerce software isn’t just about bells and whistles—it’s about finding tools that solve real problems, fit your workflow, and won’t throw in the towel when your business starts scaling.
Here’s how to pick the perfect fit:
- Start with your business needs. What’s holding you back right now? Do you need better SEO tools to improve search rankings, streamlined order fulfillment, or stronger customer support features like live chat? Identify your pain points first so you’re solving problems, not collecting shiny tools.
- Check for compatibility. If you’re already on a platform like Shopify or WooCommerce, any new software should integrate seamlessly. Clunky workarounds and disconnected data will only slow you down (and probably cause a few headaches).
- Scalability matters. Can this software handle growth without stuttering? Look for tools that scale with increasing traffic, a growing catalog of SKUs, or extra users as your team expands. High performance—like reliable uptime and fast processing—becomes critical as your store grows.
- Prioritize ease of use. You shouldn’t need a PhD in software engineering to set things up. Choose tools that are intuitive, user-friendly, and require minimal training. Bonus points if they make your team look like rockstars instead of fumbling tech novices.
- Don’t skip automation. Repetitive tasks? Let the software handle them. Look for features like automatic inventory updates, shipping notifications, and customer emails. Every minute saved is a minute you can spend growing your business.
- Security isn’t optional. With customer data and payments at stake, security is a non-negotiable. Ensure the software offers features like SSL encryption, PCI compliance, and fraud detection. Safe transactions keep your customers’ trust—and your business reputation—intact.
- Understand the pricing. Software can come with hidden costs—extra fees for integrations, premium features, or support. Get clear on what’s included and compare options to find a good balance of price and functionality.
- Support you can rely on. When things go wrong (and they will—usually at the worst time), you need a safety net. Look for software with 24/7 customer support, helpful guides, or even community forums where you can troubleshoot quickly.
Ultimately, the best ecommerce software is the one that works for your business, not against it.
Prioritize what matters most—scalability, ease of use, and performance—and you’ll have a setup that grows with you, not holds you back.
The 10 Best Ecommerce Software to Scale Your Brand, Reviewed
Here’s a brief description of each of the ecommerce apps to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.
SkuVault is an and warehouse management software that helps online businesses manage their stock and inventory, supply chain, and cataloging process. It can be used to manage your inventory across multiple warehouse locations, and to streamline your order fulfillment with smart automation features.
Why I picked SkuVault: Processes like inventory picking, inventory transfers, and stock reporting can all be facilitated with the software. You can use the barcode scanning feature to speed up your process and automatically update your inventory levels in the system. Your inventory levels across multiple warehouses will be managed in one place, making it easier to keep track of everything and be efficient in your supply chain management.
The software also provides customizable cataloging features, so you can kit, bundle, and list assembled products. All plans come with onboarding and an online training library, to help get your team up and running more quickly. There are also an array of add-on training plans you can choose to purchase for additional support.
SkuVault Standout Features and Integrations
Features include inventory forecasting, barcode scanning, real-time data syncs, cycle counting, inventory pick lists, unlimited sales channels, unlimited SKUs, advanced analytics, and inventory management reports.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento, Amazon, Easyship, eBay, Etsy, Lightspeed, Marketo, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, QuickBooks, Salesforce, ShipWorks, Square, and many others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Friendly user interface
- Customizable cataloging capabilities
- Onboarding and training included with all plans
Cons:
- Fees for additional training
- Lacking in overall customizability
Omnisend is a versatile marketing software, enabling ecommerce businesses to automate personalized communication across email, SMS, and social channels. It's designed to boost sales by effectively targeting customers with customized messaging and campaigns.
Why I Picked Omnisend: Omnisend is a powerful tool for ecommerce businesses, streamlining marketing efforts through automation and personalization. Key functionalities include email marketing, SMS messaging, and integration with social media apps, allowing for cohesive, multi-channel campaigns. Its strength lies in its ability to segment audiences and tailor messages based on customer behavior and preferences, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. Additionally, Omnisend offers robust analytics for tracking campaign performance, helping businesses refine their strategies for maximum impact. This software is particularly useful for ecommerce entities looking to consolidate their marketing tools and strategies into one efficient, effective system.
Omnisend Standout Features and Integrations
Features include email marketing, SMS and push notifications, segmentation and personalization, automated workflows, A/B testing, campaign performance analytics, forms and landing pages, product recommendations, integration with ecommerce sites, and social media advertising.
Integrations include BigCommerce, Drupal Commerce, Facebook Ads, Gorgias, Magento, OpenCart, Shopify, Wix, WooCommerce, and others.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multi-channel marketing
- Comprehensive integration system
- Advanced segmentation and personalization
Cons:
- Extensive features have learning curve
- Limited customization in templates
Subbly is a subscription-first commerce platform with AI features, designed to help businesses prioritize recurring revenue and optimize their subscription model. It offers a range of tools and features such as funnel and bundle builders, website creation, and migration assistance, making it the best choice for businesses looking to manage and grow their subscription-based operations.
Why I Picked Subbly: I chose to include Subbly in this list specifically for subscription-first ecommerce businesses. When comparing it to other platforms, Subbly stands out by eliminating the need for multiple plugins and complex systems. This makes managing subscriptions a little more streamlined while its native AI capabilities help maximize revenue and improve customer retention.
Subbly offers unique features such as a flexible bundle builder, multiple checkout templates, and policies that ensure full data ownership. In addition, Subbly offers modern AI features and built-in AI tools designed to personalize and optimize user experiences. This focus on AI, combined with its full suite of tools tailored for subscription models, makes it particularly suitable for businesses that prioritize subscriptions.
Subbly Standout Features and Integrations
Features include customizable subscription plans and flexible billing options, allowing businesses to tailor their offerings to different customer segments and billing cycles. The platform also provides various customer management tools, marketing and analytics capabilities, and native AI features to enhance customer retention and revenue. Additionally, Subbly ensures full data ownership and offers extensive customization options through APIs, SDKs, and open-source templates.
Integrations include Twilio, Zapier, Intercom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Zendesk, Hotjar, Drip, Klaviyo, Facebook, ChartMogul, Flodesk, and TaxJar.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Advanced subcription-based business analytics and reporting
- No-code website building capabilities
- User-friendly for those without a technical background
Cons:
- Limited third-party integrations with popular CRM platforms
- Slight learning curve for new users
Bigcommerce is a cloud-based ecommerce platform that enables merchants to create, manage and promote their online stores. Users can quickly set up an online store with a wide range of features such as product catalogs, shopping cart functionality, and payment processing–all without needing any coding knowledge or technical expertise.
Why I Picked Bigcommerce: Bigcommerce provides powerful marketing tools like email marketing campaigns, analytics reporting, and integrations with other third-party services like Google Analytics and Facebook Ads. This makes it easy for businesses to track their performance across multiple channels and optimize their marketing efforts accordingly.
BigCommerce offers an intuitive product management system that makes it easy for users to add, edit, or delete products from their catalog. They can apply attributes such as size, color, and price to each product for easier sorting. Additionally, sellers can create complex hierarchical product categories and assign products to multiple categories to better organize them into their store’s structure. BigCommerce has plenty of marketing tools that help merchants promote their stores and increase sales. These include coupon codes, discounts, and loyalty programs that they can use to incentivize customers, as well as email automation tools that let users easily send out promotional emails or newsletters. Users can also create product bundles and set up upsells/cross-sells to increase average order values.
Bigcommerce Standout Features & Integrations
Features include customizable templates, built-in SEO, marketing tools, shipping & fulfillment, inventory management, reporting features, mobile-friendly design, responsive checkout, multiple payment gateway options, extensive third-party integrations, and 24/7 customer support.
Integrations include PayPal Express Checkout, Stripe, Apple Pay, LiveChat, ShipStation, Georgias, Mailchimp, Quickbooks Online, Yotpo Product Reviews, Justuno, Brightpearl, Acumatica, ActiveCampaign, Hubspot, Klavyio, Shopgate, Printify, and dozens of other apps.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No transaction fees
- Flexible product pricing rules
- Robust inventory management system
Cons:
- Steep learning curve
- Muddy API documentation
Freshsales is a sales automation solution that helps entrepreneurs manage leads, interact with clients, gain marketing insights, and improve customer relationships. Features include custom workflows with event-based triggers to automate everyday tasks. Additional features include customizable email templates, predictive contact scoring, sales goals management, and audit logs. For both physical and digital products, managers can view and track team performance, KPIs, sales numbers, and client communication. All these functions can be monitored easily from a single analytics dashboard.
Why I Picked Freshsales: Using Freshsales, you can create custom sales pipelines based on teams, processes, location, or other criteria. You can track buyers using mobile apps or desktop devices.
Freshsales Standout Features & Integrations
Features include sales automation, pipeline management, third-party plugins/add-ons, task scheduling/tracking, lead scoring, notifications, lead management, multi-currency, data visualizations, calendar management, dashboards, forecasting, contact management, customer management, and file sharing.
Integrations include Freshdesk, Freshchat, Freshmarketer, Freshcaller, Freshconnect, MailChimp, Google Calendar, Hubspot Marketing, Office 365 Calendar, QuickBooks, Google, Apps for Work, Google Contacts, Piesync, Xero, and Segment. You can access more options using a paid plan through Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Robust feature set for paid plans
- Strong reporting & analytics capabilities
- AI-powered lead scoring
Cons:
- Free version has limited features
- Limited customization options for UI
FastSpring is an ecommerce solution for managing online payments. The software helps you manage payment processing, payment gateways, credit cards, PayPal payments, subscriptions, recurring billing, multiple currencies, and data security. Admins can update products, prices, and online stores in real-time and use the fraud monitoring and detection algorithm to block fraudulent transactions. Subscriptions and pricing plans can be configured in multiple ways to offer annual/monthly billing options, free trials, or discounts.
Why I Picked FastSpring: With FastSpring, you can customize the selling platform language and payment options according to the customer’s location. Using the store builder library, they can also create customizable checkout procedures and send automated reminders to clients.
FastSpring Standout Features & Integrations
Features include A/B testing, conversion tracking, dashboards, forecasting, notifications, payment processing, external integrations, customer management, billing/invoicing, multi-currency, tax management, order management, product catalog, and third-party plugins/add-ons.
Integrations include MailChimp and more using a paid plan through Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Discount management.
- Excellent customer support.
- Great option for software subscription sales (SaaS)
Cons:
- Limited customization options.
- Could use better fraud detection
Popular with both startups and established enterprises, Veeqo is an integrated inventory and fulfillment suite. The software unifies your inventory and orders, speeds up dispatch, and provides a unified overview of multichannel sales. Features include purchasing management, demand forecasting, and returns handling.
Why I Picked Veeqo: With Veeqo, inventory is synced in real-time across stores and warehouses. You can also manage cycle stock takes, facilitate warehouse transfers and get low stock alerts. Veeqo will sync returned stock, audit stock history, and give you control through user permissions handling.
Veeqo Standout Features & Integrations
Features include customer management, product catalog, dashboards, forecasting, supplier management, shipping management, warehouse management, order management, inventory tracking, budgeting, external integrations, notifications, and data export.
Integrations include Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and Etsy.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent customer service.
- Helpful knowledge base
- Manages sales channels from one place
Cons:
- Needs more courier integrations
- Steep learning curve
Part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, Marketo Engage is an email marketing and engagement platform. Ecommerce sellers can use this service to automate marketing, manage social media campaigns, recover abandoned carts, and improve the customer experience. Additional backend ecommerce features include budget management, sales insights, analytics, and ecommerce website personalization.
Why I Picked Marketo: Ecommerce site owners can score engagement throughout each stage of the buying journey. Content personalization presents the right content to the right people at the right time, while marketing impact analytics give visibility into how sales occur. Using AI-segmented audiences, it’s also possible to maximize engagement and conversions.
Marketo Standout Features & Integrations
Features include marketing automations, lead management, lead scoring, audience targetting, calendar management, conversion tracking, dashboards, data visualization, and external integrations.
Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and SugarCRM.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multi-touch attribution management
- Highly customizable & scalable
- Enterprise-grade functionality & security
Cons:
- Comparatively outdated, clunky UI
- Pricing may be prohibitive for small biz
Adzooma is an integrated digital marketing platform that aims to make marketing easy. Using this SaaS software, you can manage your Google, Facebook, and Microsoft campaigns from one central location. The platform uses machine learning and data science to pinpoint what drives business success. You then get personalized checklists and SEO tools for further campaign optimization.
Why I Picked Adzooma: Suitable for beginners and experts, Adzooma has a short learning curve. It offers clear insights into marketing performance, giving you a business score for benchmarking your campaigns. It also includes marketing playbooks and tutorials designed to accelerate your marketing progress.
Adzooma Standout Features & Integrations
Features include ad management, review management, web metrics reports, performance reports, workflow automation, campaign builder, and SEO reports.
Integrations include WordPress, Wix, Volusion, Weebly, Squarespace, Shopify Plus, Magento, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft Ads.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Broken campaign alerts
- CRT & CPC optimization
- Rich feature set (SEO, social, Ads)
Cons:
- May not be cost effective for small biz
- Shaky connection to Google Analytics
ShipHero is a shipping software suite and service for ecommerce businesses. As well as providing outsourced fulfillment, the company offers end-to-end shipping software to help ecommerce businesses manage their own warehouse. The ecommerce functionality enforces an efficient and accurate process from receiving to shipping.
Why I Picked ShipHero: With ShipHero, e-store owners get full inventory management capabilities for unlimited products to track picks, shipped orders, and shipping rates. They can also check employee efficiency and find errors in the system.
ShipHero Standout Features & Integrations
Features include customer management, product catalog, dashboards, forecasting, supplier management, shipping management, warehouse management, order management, inventory tracking, budgeting, external integrations, notifications, and data export.
Integrations include Amazon, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, eBay, and Walmart.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Impressive scalability
- Adapts to warehouse needs
- End-to-end shipping capabilities
Cons:
- Occasional syncing errors
- Customer service delays
Other Ecommerce Software
Here are a few more ecommerce solutions that didn’t make the top list.
- Percolate
Ecommerce software for multichannel content marketing
- Hoopla
Ecommerce software for sales enablement
- MarketPlan
Modular ecommerce software
- Lightspeed eCom
Ecommerce software for small to mid-sized businesses
- Trellis
Ecommerce software for Amazon sellers
- Insightly
Tools for building better customer relationships
- Aircall
For cloud-based call center software
- ActiveCampaign
An advanced suite of email marketing, marketing automation, and CRM tools
- Bazaarvoice
For collecting, displaying, and distributing user-generated content at scale
- 3dcart
Shopping cart software and online store/website builder
- EngageBay
Sales, marketing, and customer support for online sellers
- Funnel
A better way to collect, prepare and analyze all your marketing data
- Zoho Desk
Omnichannel customer service software that increases agent productivity
- StoryChief
Content marketing for dropshipping and eCommerce professionals
- Supermetrics
Connects your marketing data to your go-to reporting, analytics, or storage platform
Related Ecommerce Software Reviews
If you still haven't found what you're looking for here, check out these related ecommerce tools that we've tested and evaluated.
- Ecommerce Platforms
- Inventory Management Software
- Payment Processing Software
- Shopping Cart Solutions
- Order Management Systems
- Warehouse Management Software
Our Selection Criteria for Ecommerce Software
Choosing the right ecommerce software is like assembling the perfect toolkit—you need solutions that tackle specific business challenges while fitting seamlessly into your overall system.
After evaluating a variety of tools, we’ve created a weighted scoring system to help you find the best software for your ecommerce business.
Here’s how we break it down:
Core functionality (25% of total weighting score)
This is where ecommerce software proves its worth—the essential functions that keep your operations running smoothly. Without these, it's like trying to run a store without inventory.
- Inventory management. The ability to monitor stock levels, receive low-inventory alerts, and manage product variants (like different sizes and colors).
- Order processing. Seamlessly handle customer orders from payment to shipping, including automated confirmation emails and tracking updates.
- Payment processing. Securely process payments through various gateways (credit cards, PayPal, digital wallets) with encryption and fraud protection.
- Shipping and fulfillment. Integration with shipping carriers, real-time rate calculations, label printing, and shipment tracking.
- Customer management. Store customer information, track purchase history, and offer personalized service or marketing based on their data.
Additional standout features (25% of total weighting score)
These are the extras that make the software not just functional, but exceptional—tools that streamline your processes or give you a competitive edge.
- Automation capabilities. Automate repetitive tasks like sending order confirmations, updating inventory, and creating shipping labels.
- Third-party integrations. Connect easily with other tools you’re already using, like email marketing software, CRMs, or accounting platforms.
- Advanced reporting and analytics. Dive into detailed sales data, customer insights, and inventory performance to inform decision-making.
- Multi-location inventory. If you manage inventory across different warehouses or stores, this feature is essential to track stock levels accurately.
- Custom workflows. The ability to tailor processes, from order fulfillment to customer support, to match the way your business operates.
Usability (10% of total weighting score)
No matter how many features a piece of software has, it’s useless if it’s a headache to operate. Simplicity and ease of use are critical.
- Intuitive interface. A simple, clean design that’s easy for any team member to navigate—even without tech expertise.
- Customizable dashboard. The ability to personalize your workspace so the most important data is front and center.
- Efficient workflows. Streamlined processes for common tasks like order fulfillment, stock management, and customer communication.
Onboarding (10% of total weighting score)
Time is money, and good onboarding tools help you get up and running quickly without endless confusion.
- Setup guides and tutorials. Clear documentation, video tutorials, or webinars that walk you through setup step-by-step.
- Interactive product tours. In-platform guidance that highlights key features and shortcuts as you use the software for the first time.
- Personalized support. Access to live setup assistance or a dedicated support team to help ensure your software is properly configured.
Customer support (10% of total weighting score)
When things go wrong (because they inevitably will), having reliable customer support can save your business from unnecessary downtime.
- Responsive helpdesk. Quick, helpful responses to inquiries, especially during high-pressure times like holidays or flash sales.
- Multiple support channels. Offering support through email, chat, or phone so you can get help in the way that works best for you.
- Comprehensive self-help resources. A detailed knowledge base, FAQs, or community forum where you can find answers fast.
Value for money (10% of total weighting score)
You need to ensure the software fits your budget, but it’s about more than just the price tag—it’s about getting what you pay for.
- Transparent pricing. Clear costs without hidden fees for basic features or surprise charges when scaling up your usage.
- Flexible pricing plans. Options that scale as your business grows, allowing you to start small and add features or users as needed.
- Bang for your buck. A good balance of features, performance, and cost compared to other solutions in the same category.
Customer reviews (10% of total weighting score)
There’s no better way to evaluate a piece of software than by hearing what other users have to say. Real feedback from real businesses matters.
- High user satisfaction. Look for software with consistently positive reviews from businesses similar to yours.
- Praise for ease of use. Reviews that highlight how simple it is to integrate the software into existing processes.
- Strong support feedback. Consistent praise for responsive and helpful customer support can be a game-changer when things get tricky.
By weighing these criteria, you’ll be able to find ecommerce software that fits perfectly with your specific business needs—whether it’s optimizing inventory management, automating routine tasks, or improving customer service.
Trends in Ecommerce Software for 2025
2025 is shaping up to be a year of smarter technology, immersive shopping, and sustainability-driven innovation.
Here are the trends that will define the ecommerce software landscape:
- AI-powered personalization. Artificial intelligence is taking personalization to the next level, using customer behavior and purchase data to deliver tailored product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and hyper-relevant marketing.
- Augmented reality shopping. AR tools are helping shoppers “try before they buy”—from virtually placing furniture in their homes to testing out a new outfit. This immersive experience reduces return rates and builds buyer confidence.
- Social commerce expansion. Shopping through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook is now seamless. Integrated purchase options mean consumers can browse, engage, and buy products without ever leaving their social feeds.
- Sustainability and eco-friendly practices. More brands are prioritizing sustainability with initiatives like carbon-neutral shipping, reusable packaging, and ethically sourced products to win over eco-conscious customers.
- Voice and visual search optimization. With the rise of voice assistants and visual search tools, ecommerce software is adapting to handle natural language queries and image-based searches, making product discovery faster and smarter.
- Headless commerce architecture. Businesses are adopting headless solutions to gain flexibility and deliver dynamic, customized user experiences across websites, apps, and other digital touchpoints.
- Enhanced cross-border payments. As global ecommerce grows, offering diverse payment options—like digital wallets, buy-now-pay-later services, and local currency transactions—has become a must for reaching international audiences.
By staying on top of these trends, ecommerce businesses can leverage cutting-edge tools, meet rising customer expectations, and position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly competitive market.
Features of Ecommerce Software
When it comes to ecommerce software, you need a toolkit that’s as flexible and ambitious as you are.
Here are the must-have features that keep your online store running like clockwork:
- Inventory management. Stay ahead of stock levels with real-time updates, low-inventory alerts, and seamless management of product variants (like sizes or colors). No more scrambling to restock or dealing with the dreaded “out of stock” message.
- Order processing and fulfillment. Automate the boring stuff—like confirming payments, printing shipping labels, and notifying customers when their package is on the way. A smooth order processing system ensures customers aren’t left hanging, waiting on a tracking number or wondering where their order is.
- Payment gateways and security. Nobody wants to lose a sale because their preferred payment method isn’t available. Look for software that supports all the major players—credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more. And, don’t forget security—PCI compliance and SSL encryption are essential for keeping customer data locked up tighter than Fort Knox.
- Customer relationship management (CRM). Think of this as your cheat sheet for keeping customers happy. A solid CRM feature will help you track every interaction, personalize marketing, and even remind you to send that follow-up email to a customer who abandoned their cart. More sales and better relationships? Win-win.
- Analytics and reporting. If you’re not measuring, you’re just guessing. The right software will give you insights into everything from sales trends to customer behavior so you can make smart, data-backed decisions. It’s like having a crystal ball for your business, minus the woo-woo.
- SEO and marketing tools. Showing up in search engines isn’t optional—it’s survival. Your software should include tools like customizable meta tags, clean URLs, and optimized image alt text to help you rank. Bonus points if it offers integrated marketing features, like automated email campaigns, discount codes, and social media promotions.
- Mobile optimization. With everyone shopping on their phones, your site needs to look good on a small screen. Mobile-optimized design ensures that your customers can browse, click, and buy with no awkward scrolling or pinching.
- Multichannel selling. Don’t limit yourself to just one storefront. Whether it’s selling on Amazon, eBay, or directly through social media, the best ecommerce software will let you manage all your channels in one place. More places to sell = more customers.
- Customization and flexibility. Your business isn’t one-size-fits-all, so your software shouldn’t be either. Look for customizable themes, plugins, and integrations to ensure your site looks, feels, and works exactly the way you need it to.
These features ensure your ecommerce software isn’t just a tool—it’s a workhorse that handles the heavy lifting so you can focus on building, scaling, and keeping your customers coming back for more.
Benefits of Ecommerce Software
Ecommerce software doesn’t just help you manage your store—it levels up your operations, supercharges your efficiency, and makes your customers stick around for more.
Here’s how it delivers real value:
- Efficiency and automation. Stop sweating the small stuff. From processing orders to updating inventory, ecommerce software automates repetitive tasks so you can focus on what matters—scaling your business and driving strategy.
- Scalability without limits. Growing pains? Not here. Good ecommerce software handles traffic spikes, larger product catalogs, and higher order volumes with ease. Whether you’re doubling SKUs or tripling site visitors, your tools can keep up.
- Improved customer experience. Give customers a reason to come back. With seamless checkout processes, real-time order tracking, and personalized marketing (hello, tailored emails and product recommendations), your shoppers get the smooth, delightful experience they expect.
- Data-driven decisions. Guessing is for amateurs. Ecommerce software gives you actionable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and conversion bottlenecks. Know what’s working, what’s not, and where to pivot for maximum impact.
- Multichannel sales management. Sell wherever your customers are—on your website, Amazon, eBay, Instagram, or TikTok—and manage it all in one place. No more platform chaos, overselling, or inventory mix-ups.
- Cost and time savings. Automating tasks like inventory management, shipping updates, and customer support reduces manual errors and cuts down labor costs. More efficiency = fewer expenses and happier balance sheets.
- Global reach. Why stop at borders? Ecommerce software makes going global simple with multi-currency payment options, language translation tools, and localized shipping solutions. Sell anywhere without opening a store everywhere.
With ecommerce software doing the heavy lifting, your business runs smarter, scales faster, and delivers a shopping experience that keeps customers coming back for more. What's not to love?
Cost & Pricing for Ecommerce Software
Ecommerce software comes in a range of pricing plans to fit businesses from fledgling startups to sprawling enterprises.
Here's a breakdown to help you find your perfect match:
| Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features Included | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Option | $0 | Basic features, limited product listings, higher transaction fees, community support, limited user accounts, often includes ads | Startups, small businesses testing the ecommerce waters |
| Basic | $17 - $30/month | Limited product listings, basic reporting, standard payment processing fees, email support, basic integrations, 14-30 day free trial | Small businesses ready to dive in |
| Professional | $79 - $299/month | Unlimited product listings, advanced analytics, lower payment processing fees, multichannel selling, phone and live chat support, extensive third-party integrations | Growing businesses scaling up |
| Business | $299 - $500/month | Advanced shipping solutions, API access for customizations, priority support, unlimited user accounts, enhanced integrations, low to medium setup fees | Mid-sized businesses expanding operations |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Fully customizable features, dedicated account manager, advanced security options, 24/7 premium support, custom user accounts and permissions, tailored integrations, varying setup fees | Large enterprises with complex needs |
Additional cost considerations
- Transaction fees: Some platforms tack on extra fees atop payment processor charges, especially in entry-level plans.
- Payment gateway fees: Services like PayPal or Stripe typically skim around 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
- Add-ons and plugins: Premium integrations for enhanced functionality—think advanced analytics or marketing tools—can inflate costs.
- Hosting and domains: If not bundled in, you'll need to shell out separately for hosting and domain registration.
- SSL certificates: Securing transactions can set you back $50 to $200 annually, depending on your platform.
- Customer support: Opting for priority or 24/7 support might come with additional fees, based on your chosen service level.
When choosing an ecommerce software plan, weigh both your current needs and future ambitions.
Scrutinize the total cost—including potential add-ons and transaction fees—to ensure the software aligns with your business's growth trajectory and operational objectives.
Ecommerce Software FAQs
You got questions, we got answers. We don’t know your particular questions, so I hope this is right!
How do I integrate ecommerce software with my existing business tools (like CRM, email marketing, etc.)?
Integrating ecommerce software with your existing tools is easier than you think—most software platforms today are built to play well with others. Look for ecommerce software that supports third-party integrations with tools you already use, like Mailchimp for email marketing, Salesforce for CRM, or QuickBooks for accounting.
Many platforms offer one-click integrations, while others might require a bit of configuration or API connections. Either way, this kind of integration will streamline your workflows and keep everything in sync without you needing to become a full-time tech guru.
Is ecommerce software customizable to fit my unique business workflows?
The short answer? Yes—most ecommerce software is designed to be customizable. Whether it’s through built-in settings, plugins, or API access, you can usually tailor the software to match your business needs.
Want to create custom shipping workflows or set unique customer permissions? No problem. Just be sure to check the software’s level of customization before you commit, as some may require more technical expertise (or a developer) for advanced changes.
Can ecommerce software handle international sales, including multiple currencies and tax regulations?
Yes, most ecommerce software can handle international sales, and this is where things get exciting. The right software will offer multi-currency support, automatic tax calculations, and even options for multi-language storefronts.
Look for software that can integrate with international shipping carriers and has built-in compliance tools to deal with the various tax regulations (like VAT for Europe). Expanding globally becomes a lot easier when your software does the heavy lifting.
What kind of analytics and reporting tools should I expect from ecommerce software, and how can they help grow my business?
Ecommerce software typically comes with built-in analytics that give you a bird’s-eye view of your business. You’ll get reports on sales performance, customer behavior, conversion rates, and more.
Advanced options even allow you to track specific metrics, like which products are selling the fastest or where customers drop off in the purchase funnel. By using these insights, you can optimize your marketing strategies, adjust inventory, and improve the overall customer experience—all key drivers of growth.
Additional Ecommerce Software
Ecommerce managers use dozens of different types of ecommerce tools to carry out an online business endeavor, including sales platforms, e-cart services, inventory management, sales tracking, content marketing, marketing automation, and more.
- Ecommerce Website Builder
- Product Information Management Software (PIM)
- Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Platforms
- Abandoned Cart Software
- Ecommerce Fulfillment Services
- Order Tracking Software
- Ecommerce CRM (ECRM Tools)
- Ecommerce Customer Service Software
Find Your Software to Unlock Your Profit
Ecommerce is a $10 trillion industry and continues to grow at a frenetic pace.
This is creating fantastic opportunities to grow a successful online business, but the market is very competitive. Hence why using the best ecommerce software can make such a big impact.
You should find your piece of that massive pie by picking the right tools to maximize your efforts and knock out the competition.
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