eCommerce Website Development: Where To Start, What Platforms To Use

eCommerce is enormous — there’s no denying that. No serious business can survive without a web presence, and if you’re interested in eCommerce website development, we’ve got you covered. With more than ten years of experience, we can help you plan your next move — and design your store if the need arises.

eCommerce website development: Where to start

The first step is always the hardest one, but even the biggest stores were in your shoes. And before you even start, you should think about your overall goals. You can’t start a new store just “because”: you need a goal, a way to differentiate from the others. Find the service you can provide, and find a way to do it better. Outline a roadmap.

The next step is to find the best platform. There are quite a few eCommerce platforms — some are easy to get into but very limited. Some are powerful but require experience. We at Beluga primarily work with Shopify and WooCommerce; both are powerful enough for any task.

Choosing the right platform and the right plan is essential: you don’t want your store to become another pets.com or Webvan.

What eCommerce platform is the best?

But there are others, too: Magento presents an impressive toolkit for large businesses and many advanced features. BigCommerce is no less powerful but costs a bit more than the others. Wix is a good option for beginners: you can build a small store here in a matter of hours, but there’s no space for growth. The same can be said about Squarespace: it’s an easy-to-use builder with decent options for beginners.

How many people do you need to run an eCommerce website?

We hate saying “it depends,” but in this case, it really is the truth. If you’re running a smaller store, you can survive with only one or two people. But ambitious projects will require you to hire a whole crew. A store needs a developer to maintain the website, a content creator to supply it with posts and product descriptions, a marketer for promotions, a customer service representative, logistics staff, accounting staff… the list goes on. But first, all you need is an idea and a good website.

What are the best eCommerce websites from NYC?

As we are from New York City, we know quite a lot about our friends and partners. Not surprisingly, NYC is the birthplace of many successful websites, many of which you might know yourself. Here are some of the biggest eCommerce websites from NYC.

• Etsy. We start with the biggest one. Etsy is well-known worldwide as the best place to find handmade items. It started right here in Brooklin, and now it’s one of the biggest eCommerce websites of its kind.
• Blue Apron. A relatively new service (founded about ten years ago) called Blue Apron has succeeded thanks to its meal kits.
• Warby Parker. An eyewear giant Warby Parker was founded in NYC and became a leading store in its niche.
• Rent the Runway: Renting designer dresses was much harder until Rent the Runway appeared on our radar in 2009.