After being completely aware of what suits your business needs, it is still the wisest decision to invest in something. People have embraced websites as a method to grow their business with technical innovations and open new doors. But then there is this misunderstanding, why do some use woo-commerce and others go for customized eCommerce website development.

So, which one to opt for your eCommerce platform?

To answer that,

Let us understand their differences

If your business model includes selling goods over the internet, one of the most important decisions that you can make is to decide what kind of eCommerce platform you should develop. The WooCommerce plugin for WordPress seems like an obvious option for many businesses, especially those who are already using WordPress to host their website, but many people can actually stand with the customized eCommerce website development.

All you need to know about Woocommerce

WooCommerce vs eCommerce website | Which One Is Best For You?

WooCommerce, first launched in 2011, is now used by thousands of websites for e-commerce, from small businesses to large companies. The plugin now controls about 30 percent of all online retailers, according to the WooCommerce websites survey.

But there are still three kinds of companies you need to recognize for your e-commerce websites.

They are B2C or Company to Customer, B2B or Company to Company, and C2C or Customer to Market.

B2C is whether a corporation or a brand offers its products and services directly to its clients or the general public. Their e-commerce websites will include features such as an overview of the product, pictures, shopping cart, etc. Examples of B2C are Starbucks, Apple etc.

C2C is more like an online auction, or business to consumer. It is a company where customers come together to sell to another customer directly on an e-commerce website. The most popular online C2C is eBay.

B2B is when business between two companies takes place. This business model is more often practiced now to expand faster. Popular examples of B2B are IT firms selling their services such as website creation, digital marketing integration to another company.

Woo-commerce is a free ecommerce platform that makes e-commerce functionality inside your WordPress website, unlike platforms such as Shopify that are only built for e-commerce. However, woo-commerce has fewer features than restricting product display. But they also have features such as booking, payment options, address options for delivery, etc.

When using WooCommerce, the first caveat that you should be aware of is that the plugin is not exactly free; otherwise, how would the developers turn a profit? Although it is true that without paying a cent, you can get a simple online store up and running, the plugin also comes with a range of paid extensions that you might find important for your business.

For example, if you want to sell memberships or you want to charge a monthly subscription fee, you may have to pay extra for additional WooCommerce plugins. Every year, you will need to buy a new licence for these plugins, and also pay extra if you want to use them on different websites.

Another concern with using WooCommerce is that, beyond cosmetic improvements to the theme, the plugin is not readily customizable. If your e-commerce store is fairly distinct, the best option might not be WooCommerce.

A quick guide to eCommerce website

WooCommerce vs eCommerce website | Which One Is Best For You?

There are two groups of businesses choosing to use a custom-built online store: those who have already tried a platform such as WooCommerce and those who instantly realized they wanted a specific solution.

However, the most popular driving factors for selecting a custom website are the same in either case:

  • Having a custom-built e-commerce platform ensures you have ownership of the codebase and complete power.

  • To make improvements to the website as the company expands and develops, you have limitless scalability and versatility.

  • There is no need to feel limited by any given platform’s limitations.

  • As with thousands of other websites, you are not vulnerable to the same security vulnerabilities, which makes you less vulnerable to attack.

You should do a cost-benefit analysis of the two alternatives if you are considering using a custom-built e-commerce solution but have concerns about the price. First, decide what features you need for your online store and measure how much it will cost you in annual subscription fees to use WooCommerce and other plugins to achieve these features. Second, get a quote on how much getting a custom-built e-commerce solution will cost you.

You will measure the point in time with these two figures at which you can break even financially. If you intend to use the given platform for less than this amount of time, then the right option is probably a pre-built plugin such as WooCommerce. On the other hand, a custom-built website makes more financial sense if you want a solution that has the potential to last.

Which is the right option for you?

WooCommerce vs eCommerce website | Which One Is Best For You?

Both WooCommerce and a customized solution have their acceptable use cases, as described above. If the two following criteria define your situation, then WooCommerce may be the wiser choice:

  • Without having to redo your whole site, you already have a WordPress website that you want to upgrade with e-commerce features.

  • You sell more “generic” goods without any customization ability, without complex business logic about which goods should be bought together, and without a distinctive sales process.

Meanwhile, if you recognize yourself in the specifications below, a custom-built e-commerce platform might be the wiser choice:

  • You want a solution that will last at least three to five years with you for the long haul.

  • You may not want to be linked or stuck paying annual subscription fees to a specific site.

  • You have a distinctive or complex marketing setting, or you sell highly customized goods.

What Can We Do For You?

When it comes to eCommerce website development, regardless of your preference you can blindly knock on our door. We specialize in all kinds of website development.

Don’t believe us?

Here is one of the customized eCommerce platform that we have developed – Holstee

This is one of the eCommerce platforms that we have developed.

Not just this, Asthik is one of the websites that we have developed successfully on Woocommerce. So, if you are looking for a Woocommerce developer, all you have to do is contact us.

Final Verdict

Despite the price tag on the package, it’s not free to use WordPress and plugins like WooCommerce. For example, if you want functionality, such as selling memberships or charging subscription fees, you would have to pay extra. Furthermore, you can feel the need to employ an expert WordPress developer who can make the modifications and customizations you want, improve security, and perform code-based maintenance.

It is also important to stress that, through their very nature, plugins such as WooCommerce follow a “one size fits all” ideology to cater to the largest possible number of companies. This implies that the use of solutions such as WooCommerce would possibly require a higher learning curve since they include a large number of features that you would never use or need.

Using a custom-built e-commerce solution ensures you can precisely build your online store according to your requirements, tailoring it to your unique business needs and goals.