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Today, online shopping has become a habit that is deeply rooted in the habits of the world. To take advantage of this, even physical stores can create websites to also have a presence on the internet and expand their customer base. But sometimes you find yourself in a dilemma: should you have your own online Ecommerce website developed by the pros, or go for a pre-built Ecommerce CMS website? This article will enlighten you on the subject so that you can make the right decision.
A custom build website for ecommerce
A professional site is a tailor-made, custom build ecommerce websites, created by specialists in web design and web development. They can be freelancers or be part of a web agency specialized in digital marketing and development. Professionals are the ones best able to quickly make your wishes come true, and even improve your ideas.
Advantages of Using Custom Build Ecommerce Websites
There are many advantages that can motivate you to choose this option:
- The fully personalized design;
- Optimized user experience;
- Fast loading of pages;
- Good SEO performance;
- Ease of data collection and analysis…
Advantage # 1: A fully personalized design
This is one of the biggest advantages of custom build ecommerce websites. With this option, there is no limit to the graphic design you can adopt.
Whether for menus, shapes, font or colors, you have complete freedom.
With a professional team like that of the digital agency, your choices will be guided by experienced UI / UX designers. This represents a double interest.
On the one hand, you can optimally integrate your graphic charter on your custom build ecommerce websites. This is an important asset, because there will be good consistency with your physical communication media, and it will be easy for your target audience to recognize you on the web and to trust you.
On the other hand, your website will have a unique visual identity, which will adapt perfectly to your target. This will strengthen your brand image and send the message that your team provides quality services. You will be able to face your competitors on an equal footing.
Advantage # 2: A unique user experience
With a personalized ecommerce website, it is also much easier to provide a good experience for those who visit your site. You can make the best choices on technical aspects like:
- Image size.
- Pagination.
- Web hosting.
- The server used…
With various optimizations, the loading speed of each page will be the best possible. The user experience is improved and therefore, Ecommerce SEO too. In addition, for your user data acquisition strategy, you can choose the best locations for pop ups and forms.
Advantage # 3: Better SEO performance
The main goal of getting an ecommerce site online is to attract enough traffic so that you can better sell your products. Professional developers take this into account when designing your custom build ecommerce websites. It can therefore have a light code, well-parameterized metadata, a good structure for the tags and the contents…It will be a very good start to have a good position later in the search engines.
Advantage # 4: Precise data management and analysis
For the good management of your online store, you will need a lot of data specific to your business. A custom build ecommerce websites can natively integrate the tracking of this data. It can be data relating to best sales, the most viewed products, the stock status of your items… In addition to making the management of your e-store easier, the information you collect will also help you. to develop the best marketing strategy.
Disadvantages of custom build ecommerce websites
Although it is really beneficial, there are factors that can make you hesitate if you want to have a custom build ecommerce websites developed by the pros. Mainly;
- It takes time and money to get such a project done.
- The budget that the design of custom build ecommerce websites requires is generally higher than “free” sites, especially for a complete and optimized e-commerce platform.
- It takes many hours of work by a multidisciplinary team to achieve the desired objective within the desired time frame.
- Project management, full support, market research, and many other costs can add up.
This is the reason why it is crucial to use a web agency that controls costs, projects through both reliable and fast processes.
Ecommerce CMS: Prebuilt sites, easy-to-deploy solutions for e-commerce
Ecommerce CMS, Prebuilt ecommerce sites are sites that are designed with templates. These are quick fixes for some e-store projects.
Advantages of Ecommerce CMS, Prebuilt Sites
Opting for a prebuilt E-commerce CMS (Content Management System) offers a myriad of advantages for aspiring online entrepreneurs. These platforms provide ready-to-use solutions that streamline the process of setting up and managing an online store.
With user-friendly interfaces, robust features, and extensive customization options, E-commerce CMS platforms empower businesses to establish their online presence quickly and efficiently. Let’s delve into the key advantages of utilizing prebuilt E-commerce CMS solutions.
Advantage # 1: An economical and easy to deploy solution
The majority of Ecommerce CMS templates are available for free on the web. If not entirely, you will at least have access to basic functionality that is sufficient for small e-commerce sites. For more complete solutions, publishers offer additional paid features. Typically, the costs for these additional features are lower than the expense for a custom site. Plus, to get a prebuilt website online, it won’t take many weeks, or even months, to get a satisfactory result… if you know what you are doing.
Advantage # 2: A large accessible community
Prebuilt Ecommerce site templates and Ecommerce CMS are widely used. You can therefore have access to many professional forums. So, if you have a technical problem, you can count on the help of a large community. Sharing information can help you optimize the performance of your platform.
Disadvantages of pre-built ecommerce sites or Ecommerce CMS
The faults of pre-built Ecommerce sites are quite numerous. The two most important are
- The inability to fully customize them and
- The security breaches that are common.
Because you will have to use templates, your online store can look like other websites. This is not to the advantage of your brand image. In addition, the vast majority of these sites share large portions of source code. It is therefore not uncommon for a security breach to spread quickly and make many sites vulnerable to simultaneous hacking. Finally, some unprofessional templates are not designed to offer the best SEO performance.
What to choose in the end?
It is true that pre-built sites or Ecommerce CMS seem easy to deploy and economical. However, they are more suitable for small online sales projects. To create a good quality ecommerce site that reflects your professionalism, call on a web agency to develop a tailor-made platform. As a bonus, your site may have better security, excellent ergonomics, and you can configure it exactly according to your needs.
FAQ on Prebuilt ECommerce Sites vs. Custom Build CMS
What are prebuilt ecommerce sites?
Prebuilt ecommerce sites are ready-made online platforms that come with pre-designed templates, features, and functionalities. They offer a quick and convenient way to launch an online store without the need for extensive development or coding skills. Examples include Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce. While prebuilt sites provide ease of setup and affordability, they may have limitations in terms of customization and scalability.
What is custom-built ecommerce?
Custom-built ecommerce refers to the development of an online store from scratch, tailored to specific business requirements and preferences. Unlike prebuilt platforms, custom-built solutions offer complete control over design, functionality, and features. This approach requires more time, resources, and technical expertise but provides greater flexibility and scalability in the long run.
Which is better: prebuilt or custom-built ecommerce sites?
The choice between prebuilt and custom-built ecommerce sites depends on various factors such as budget, timeline, scalability needs, and desired level of customization. Prebuilt sites are suitable for small to medium-sized businesses with limited resources and a need for quick setup. On the other hand, custom-built solutions are ideal for larger enterprises or businesses with unique requirements that cannot be met by off-the-shelf platforms.
Can I customize a prebuilt ecommerce site to suit my needs?
While prebuilt ecommerce platforms offer some level of customization through themes, plugins, and extensions, they may have limitations in terms of flexibility and functionality. Customization options are often restricted to what the platform allows, and extensive modifications may require coding skills or hiring developers. For businesses with specific design or functionality requirements, custom-built solutions offer greater flexibility and customization capabilities.
How long does it take to launch a prebuilt vs. custom-built ecommerce site?
The time required to launch an ecommerce site varies depending on the chosen platform and complexity of the project. Prebuilt ecommerce sites can be set up relatively quickly, often within a few days to weeks, depending on customization needs. In contrast, custom-built ecommerce projects typically take longer due to the development process, which may involve design, coding, testing, and deployment phases. The timeline for custom-built sites can range from several weeks to months, depending on the scope of the project.
What level of technical expertise is required for managing prebuilt vs. custom-built ecommerce sites?
Managing a prebuilt ecommerce site generally requires basic technical skills such as navigating the platform’s dashboard, adding products, and processing orders. Prebuilt platforms typically offer user-friendly interfaces and customer support to assist users with common tasks. In contrast, managing a custom-built ecommerce site may require advanced technical knowledge, especially if the site is built on a custom platform or framework. Tasks such as updating code, troubleshooting errors, and implementing new features may require coding skills or assistance from developers.
What are the SEO implications of choosing prebuilt vs. custom-built ecommerce sites?
The choice of ecommerce platform can impact search engine optimization (SEO) performance. Prebuilt ecommerce platforms often come with built-in SEO features such as customizable URLs, meta tags, and sitemaps. These platforms may also offer SEO plugins or integrations to further optimize website visibility. Custom-built ecommerce sites allow for greater control over SEO elements and can be tailored to specific optimization strategies. Developers can implement custom SEO features and optimizations to improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic.
Which ecommerce platform is best suited for my business niche and target audience?
Selecting the right ecommerce platform depends on various factors including business niche, target audience, budget, scalability needs, and desired features. Conducting market research, analyzing competitor websites, and understanding customer preferences can help determine the most suitable platform for your business. Consider factors such as ease of use, customization options, scalability, integration capabilities, and ongoing support when evaluating different ecommerce platforms. Additionally, seek recommendations from industry experts or consult with ecommerce developers to identify the best solution for your specific needs and goals.