What is Digital Commerce?
At its core, digital commerce (or “d-commerce”) is all about buying and selling stuff online. This could mean selling products on your website, a mobile app, or even social media. If you’re running a small business today, chances are you’re already part of the digital commerce world, whether you realize it or not.
How Has Ecommerce Changed the Consumer Electronics Industry?
Why the Right Ecommerce Platform Matters
The Best Ecommerce Platform for Small Business in 2025: Our Top Picks
Let’s check out some of the best ecommerce platforms that small businesses are using to make their mark in 2025. We’ll go through the key features, pricing, and how each one handles email marketing.
1. Shopify: The Easy All-In-One Solution
Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms, and for good reason. It’s easy to use, has tons of features, and integrates smoothly with email marketing tools like Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Mailchimp.
- Super simple setup: No tech skills required, you can launch your store in no time using their drag-and-drop store builder.
- Mobile-friendly designs: Your site will look great on any device, so customers can shop from anywhere.
- Built-in email tools: Shopify lets you set up email campaigns, send cart abandonment reminders, and personalize messages.
- 24/7 Customer Service Support: Shopify has a team available anytime to help you out.
- Easy to set up, even for beginners.
- Email marketing integrations help drive sales.
- Tons of resources and a large user community.
- Monthly costs can add up, especially for advanced plans.
- You need Shopify Payments to avoid extra transaction fees.
2. WooCommerce: A Dream for WordPress Users
WooCommerce is perfect for businesses already using WordPress. It’s a free plugin that transforms your WordPress site into a full ecommerce store, and it works great with email marketing tools like Mailchimp and Klaviyo.
- Seamless WordPress integration: If you already have a blog or website on WordPress, this is a no-brainer.
- Customizable themes: You can choose from tons of templates or create something totally unique.
- Flexible shipping options: You can set rates based on location, weight, or price.
- Built-in blogging: Share your stories and expertise through blogs. You can engage more potential and existing customers by sharing tips and helpful information, and connect it all with your email marketing.
- Free to use (though some paid features exist).
- Perfect for businesses using WordPress for content marketing.
- Massive community and plenty of support.
- You’ll need some WordPress knowledge to set it up.
- More manual work compared to Shopify.
- Hosting: ~$120
- Domain registration: ~$15 (can be higher for premium domains)
3. BigCommerce: Great for Growth
BigCommerce is a great platform if you’re planning to scale. It’s packed with powerful ecommerce features and integrates smoothly with email marketing platforms like Klaviyo, helping you create automated email campaigns to nurture customers.
- Built for growth: It offers everything you need to scale your business as it grows.
- Multi-channel selling: You can sell on Amazon, eBay, and social media channels while managing everything in one place.
- Advanced reporting tools: Track customer behavior and use that data to tweak your email marketing.
- No transaction fees: You keep more of your profits with no added fees.
- Great for growing businesses.
- Email marketing tools make customer engagement easy.
- No transaction fees.
- Higher monthly fees.
- Steeper learning curve for beginners.
4. Wix: Budget-Friendly and User-Friendly
Wix is a great choice if you’re on a budget but still want a functional, attractive online store. It’s super easy to use, and you can connect it to email marketing tools like Mailchimp for smooth campaign management.
- Drag-and-drop builder: No coding needed. You can create your store in just a few clicks.
- Free plan available: Start with a basic version for no cost (with some limitations).
- Email marketing tools: Wix’s Ascend platform helps you create automated email campaigns to keep customers engaged.
- Mobile-friendly templates: Your store will look great on any device.
- Extremely easy to use even for beginners.
- Affordable, even for businesses just starting out.
- Includes email marketing features.
- Limited advanced features for larger businesses.
- You may outgrow Wix as your business scales due to its limited features.
5. Squarespace: Gorgeous and Simple
If design is your top priority, Squarespace might be the right choice. Known for its stunning templates, it’s perfect for small businesses looking to create an elegant online store. Squarespace also has built-in email marketing tools, so you can engage with your customers right from the platform.
- Beautiful design templates: Every template is sleek and mobile-optimized.
- Easy drag-and-drop builder: You can set up your store quickly, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
- Email marketing tools: Create email campaigns to promote your products, sales, and news.
- Inventory management: Keep track of your stock easily.
- Stunning, professional templates.
- Easy to set up and use.
- Built-in email marketing.
- Fewer ecommerce features than Shopify or BigCommerce.
- Can be limiting for more advanced stores.
What to Look for in the Best Ecommerce Platform for Your Small Business
1. Ease of Use: You want a platform that’s simple to set up and manage, so you can focus on growing your business.
2. Customization: Your store should reflect your unique brand. Look for a platform that offers flexible design options.
3. Pricing: Make sure the platform fits your budget, and factor in any email marketing tools you’ll need.
4. Growth Potential: Choose a platform that can scale with your business. Email marketing should be part of your growth strategy.
5. Customer Support: Good support can save you time when you need help with setup or any issues that arise.