6 Frameworks for Creating the Best eCommerce Sites

The best eCommerce sites stand out due to factors like user experience, aesthetics, performance and scalability, and innovation. However, there’s one more thing that you need to prioritize as well: the framework used for eCommerce website development.

What Are eCommerce Website Development Frameworks?

eCommerce frameworks are collections of tools, modules, and libraries used for the creation of online stores and digital marketplaces.

They streamline setting up stores, managing inventory, processing payments, and handling other essential eCommerce operations. They further contribute to building the best eCommerce sites by eliminating repetitive coding, errors, and time wastage.

Other strengths of eCommerce frameworks are –

• Supporting business growth via scalable solutions
• Enabling businesses to customize their online stores to meet specific needs
• Connecting with other systems like ERP, CRM, and marketing tools
• Offering strong support communities and resources to help businesses succeed

Types of eCommerce Frameworks

eCommerce frameworks can be categorized based on their capabilities or architecture. When it comes to their capabilities, they can either be –

1. Software as a Service (SaaS) Frameworks – SaaS frameworks are cloud-based platforms that provide tools to build, manage, and scale online stores without server management. Shopify, BigCommerce, and Wix are common platforms used for building the best eCommerce sites. 
2. Open-Source Frameworks – Magento, Joomla, and Zen Cart are popular open-source eCommerce platforms. These allow users to make changes to the source code, allowing more customization. Therefore, they’re more suitable for custom eCommerce development.

As for architecture, they can be headless commerce or traditional frameworks. Headless eCommerce platforms separate an application’s front-end (i.e. the storefront) from the back-end (data, logic, etc.). That way, developers gain more flexibility to build and customize eCommerce websites.

Top Frameworks Used for the Most Popular eCommerce Sites

There are plenty of frameworks available for developers today. However, when it comes to creating the best eCommerce sites, a few names tend to show up often. Especially the following six.

1) Shopify

Some of the best eCommerce sites are built on Shopify, including Jeffree Star Cosmetics and Fashion Nova. What makes this framework popular is that it offers business owners a hassle-free, fully managed solution. That way, they can have a store up and running quickly without compromising on features.

Pros

• A user-friendly interface that’s suitable for business owners interested in building their own stores
• Growing collection of themes and apps for enhanced customization
• Easy scalability with flexible pricing plans to match
• Multiple payment options including the platform’s own Shopify Payments
• Added security via built-in SSL certificates
• Features that enable mobile responsiveness
• Tools and features for marketing, sales, shipping, and SEO

Cons

• Need for Liquid developers to ensure deeper customization
• Recurring costs such as monthly fees (can be a burden for small businesses)
• Limited blog and content management capabilities
• Dependency on third-party apps for advanced features such as internationalization
• Difficult migration to other platforms

2) Laravel

Laravel is an open-source PHP web application framework used for creating dynamic and scalable web applications. Websites such as Invoice Ninja and Alison continue to benefit from the framework’s rich features.

What gives Laravel an edge is its MVC (Model-View-Controller) pattern. Basically, it separates app data and control logic into these three components. This promotes organized and clean code, making it easier to manage and scale an eCommerce application.  

Pros

• Laravel’s Blade templating engine for simplifying the creation of responsive and engaging user interfaces
• Robust security features such as SQL injection protection, cross-site scripting (XSS) protection, and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) protection
• Numerous packages within the Laravel ecosystem
• Eloquent ORM for simplifying database interactions
• Easy creation of RESTful APIs for seamless integration with front-end frameworks like Vue.js or React
• Ability to handle high traffic and large-scale applications
• Use of Laravel’s command-line interface, Artisan for automating repetitive tasks and simplifying development
• Built-in testing capabilities via PHPUnit support

Cons

• Need for experienced developers, especially for complex eCommerce features and higher customizability
• Higher hosting costs as Laravel requires more resources than most frameworks
• Limited pre-built themes, templates, and modules
• No out-of-the-box eCommerce features; developers need to build many functionalities from scratch or rely on third-party packages
• Need for careful optimization and tuning, which can be complex and time-consuming for stores experiencing heavy load

3) BigCommerce

Another prominent SaaS framework used for building the best eCommerce sites is BigCommerce. In fact, it’s trusted by industry leaders such as BMW, Puma, and Dell. It also won numerous accolades over the years, including TrustRadius’s Top Rated eCommerce Platform award.

BigCommerce enables users to create headless eCommerce sites as well, ensuring quicker development and robust site performance. So, depending on your needs, you can rely on BigCommerce to deliver.

Pros

• Scalability and ability to handle large volumes of transactions and traffic
• Numerous advanced built-in features such as SEO tools and multi-channel selling
• No transaction fees on any BigCommerce plans – unlike other platforms
• Multi-channel integration to sell on Amazon, eBay, and social media platforms
• Extensive storefront customization using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Strong SEO tools for added visibility
• Advanced analytics and reporting tools for making data-driven decisions

Cons

• Complex development; business owners need to hire eCommerce website development services
• Higher pricing makes it less suitable for small businesses
• Dependency of pricing plans on annual sales revenue, forcing businesses to upgrade as they grow
• Limited free themes and customization features when it comes to design and user interface
• Smaller collection of apps in the BigCommerce app marketplace, impacting third-party integrations for niche functionalities
• Limited built-in blogging functionality

4) Adobe Commerce

Previously known as Magento, Adobe Commerce is an open-source PHO eCommerce framework. It has been used for creating the best eCommerce sites for B2B and B2C businesses, including T-Mobile and Coca Cola.

After Magento was purchased by Adobe, it received several updates to make it more innovative. For instance, it now caters to the healthcare industry with a HIPAA-compatible cloud platform. It’s also more sales and growth driven than ever, leveraging AI for higher conversions.

Pros

• High level of customization via custom themes and plugins
• Powerful built-in features such as advanced SEO, product management, and customer segmentation
• Support for multiple storefronts and internationalization (languages and currencies)
• Strong community and ecosystem, enabling easy access to extensions, integrations, and third-party support
• Regular updates and patches for enhanced security
• PCI compliance for secure payment data handling
• Numerous third-party services integrations as well as API integrations
• Seamless integration with shipping APIs for effective and efficient shipping-related functions

Cons

• Need for technical expertise, especially for advanced features and customization
• High upfront and ongoing costs, especially for the Adobe Commerce Cloud version
• Additional expenses including hosting, extensions, and licensing fees
• Need for significant server resources and dedicated server management for better performance
• Ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting for customizations and integrations
• Time-consuming updates and security patches
• Risk of over-engineering due to the platform’s flexibility

5) WooCommerce

You can’t think about creating the best eCommerce sites without considering WooCommerce. While not a framework, it’s an open-source eCommerce plugin that can create online stores on WordPress-based websites.

Before you scroll away thinking it’s not as impressive, you should know it’s the choice of several renowned brands like nutribullet, Singer, and Chia Pet.

Pros

• Streamlined integration with WordPress websites
• Extensive catalog of themes and plugins to customize stores
• Budget-friendliness as the core plugin is free
• Support for selling physical and digital products, as well as subscriptions, memberships, and services
• Support for SEO as it inherits WordPress’s strong SEO capabilities
• Support for numerous free and paid payment gateways
• Complete control over data as WooCommerce is self-hosted; this helps stores comply with privacy regulations like GDPR

Cons

• Need for technical expertise to set up and maintain WooCommerce stores
• Time-consuming regular updates for WordPress, WooCommerce, and associated plugins
• Possible compatibility issues
• Additional costs associated with several necessary features and paid extensions
• Need to self-host store; the dependence can affect site performance, security, and uptime
• Need for proper optimization to prevent slow loading times and performance issues in large stores
• Limited built-in features in comparison with other eCommerce platforms
• Vulnerability to security risks if not managed properly

6) Squarespace

Squarespace is a SaaS website building and hosting platform. Suitable for businesses of all sizes, it’s been used for creating the best eCommerce sites aesthetics-wise. Examples include Ave Lumi, Alissa Bell Studio, and Blackbird Foods.

Pros

• A user-friendly interface thanks to a drag-and-drop builder and modern, easy to customize templates
• Hosting, domain registration, and SSL certificates included
• Integrated marketing tools like email campaigns and social media integration
• Built-in analytics for tracking site performance
• Design flexibility thanks to custom CSS options
• Highly responsive templates to accommodate mobile users
• Better security thanks to automatic updates and built-in security features
• PCI compliance for payment processing
• No transaction fees on eCommerce plans

Cons

• Limited advanced eCommerce features like detailed inventory management, multi-currency support, and complex product options
• More suitable for smaller stores with limited inventory
• Fewer payment gateways as the platform is limited to Stripe, PayPal, and Square
• Limited scalability, making it not ideal for businesses planning rapid growth
• Fewer SEO settings in comparison with other options in this guide
• Higher costs for premium features

Ready to Create Your Own eCommerce Site?

Your next eCommerce website can easily join the list of the best eCommerce sites – with the right people working on it.

Not only do we have experience working with eCommerce development trends, but we also have the tech expertise you need to wow your customers.

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