How to Choose a CMS for Your Online Store

While you are wondering if you need an online store, your company is missing out on enormous opportunities. So, let’s get to the point: in this article, we will go through approaches to online store development, their differences, and explore the concept of CMS and criteria for choosing a CMS for e-commerce.

What is a CMS and what types of CMS are there?

A CMS (Content Management System) is the framework of a website, a set of scripts that allows you to conveniently manage the structure and content of online store pages. In professional jargon, a CMS is called an “engine,” similar to a motor that drives mechanisms.

CMS for online stores can be divided into:

• studio,
• boxed (commercial, licensed),
• open source (free, with an open license),
• constructors,
• non-serial (custom-made).

Studio CMS are developed and maintained by web development studios and agencies. You can say that this is a product for a limited circle of users — clients of a particular studio. Because they are created for specific tasks, users usually do not have complaints until they decide to change contractors. Few take on the support of a website written on such an engine, and if they do — it’s expensive, and copyright holders often ask those who don’t work with them directly to pay for usage.

Boxed or commercial CMS for online stores is a paid product with all its characteristic features. Buying a license for a commercial CMS is a payment not so much for the system as for the support. Developers guarantee that the scripts will work as declared, errors and bugs will be fixed in updates, and new features will be implemented in new versions.

Free CMS for online stores are updated and maintained by an interested community and distributed under Open Source terms. They can be used to create your store, but you should be prepared to solve all problems yourself: finding a specialist to write an add-on, organize non-standard integration, or design a layout.

Constructors are not quite CMS; they are, in fact, a service that creates uniform online storefronts with a basic set of functions. The weak point of constructors is flexibility. Each has a certain set of capabilities with a strictly defined limit. Naturally, there’s no talk of scaling, repurposing, or adding special options.

Non-serial or custom-made are products of individual developers or teams that make CMS for themselves. The riskiest option for developing an online store because it is practically a site from scratch that will require constant support. At any moment, the creator of a custom engine may abandon their project, meaning no updates, no support — errors, glitches, and a lack of data protection. As a result, an inevitable migration to another platform, which is unlikely to be painless and certainly not free.

You can read more about these platform choices at this link.

CMS-based Online Store vs. Development from Scratch

Criteria for Choosing a CMS for an Online Store

We share with you the criteria for choosing a CMS for an online store, as guided by the developers at Business Site.

• Total cost of using a CMS for developing an online store. When calculating the costs of developing an online store on a CMS, you should consider not only the license cost but also the customization of the engine’s basic features to achieve the desired result. Sometimes it turns out that paying for a Bitrix license is cheaper than ordering plugins from programmers to integrate free OpenCart with warehouse management software.
• Simple and understandable logic of the administration panel. Conditionally, all engines can be divided into two categories: easy to understand and difficult. If some have a clear editor and a simple administrative platform that almost anyone can master without much difficulty, others can only be operated by a trained specialist. It’s no coincidence that Bitrix has a separate course where future content managers and administrators are taught to use the CMS.
• The ability to bulk edit product cards and pages. Pay attention to whether the CMS you choose allows for bulk price changes and product card edits. As your assortment grows, currency rates fluctuate, and product configurations change three times a month, you’ll realize how important it is to be able to change certain parameters selectively for all or specific categories of items on the site.
• Sufficient CMS functionality. It’s not the number of options that matters but the presence of necessary ones: product comparison, hiding and adding fields in cards, auto-filling standard fields, creating categories, filters, currency switching, and much more that may come in handy. Or it may not. But if the CMS lacks something essential, it’s better to ensure that adding the required functionality is indeed simpler and cheaper than choosing another system with a broader range of features.
• Support for importing and exporting products, ideally — ready integration with popular marketplaces like Hotline or Rozetka. Manually transferring thousands of items one by one is long and expensive. It’s better when the system already has an interface for uploading price lists from suppliers, exporting XML for marketplaces, or other needs.
• Integration with external programs and services. If an indispensable tool in your business is, for example, 1C, make sure the store is “friendly” with it. Integration with CRM, “My Warehouse,” custom databases, chatbots, and other tools involved in sales automation will also come in handy.
• Flexibility and scalability. Any website is a project that always requires refinement based on the wishes of its owners and clients. If you have to pay a programmer to add an additional block to the product description for every request, you’ll eventually go bankrupt. Therefore, at the stage of choosing a CMS for an online store, consider that the system should be flexible, specialists in expanding its capabilities should be easy to find, and their services should be as affordable as possible.
• Acquiring and loyalty programs. Payment upon receipt is not always good, so the ability to accept payments on the site is one of the key criteria for choosing a CMS for an online store. Which payment systems to connect depends on what is more profitable, but online payment is a must. The implementation of systems for automatic discount accounting, promo code activation, and loyalty programs for regular customers is also a must-have.
• SEO-friendliness. In the 2020s, the site will inevitably need to be promoted; otherwise, there is no point in creating an online store at all. Therefore, the extent to which the CMS is adapted for SEO should be one of the first things you consider. The difficulty of SEO promotion, by the way, is the main reason for the low rankings of custom-made sites in search results. Whereas stores on popular engines, with the right approach, are well promoted.

In summary, choosing a CMS for an online store should be based on its flexibility, convenience, the relevance of its features to your tasks, and the availability of support or specialized experts in the market. Any integrations and extensions can also be implemented on custom-made sites, but if you need to update the versions of the attached CRM or accounting program, the link will break, and you’ll have to redo it. Ready-made engines, especially popular ones, are more convenient in this regard: you can take someone else’s ready-made solution and adapt it to your needs.

User Training and Support: Availability and Quality of Training Materials, Support, and Documentation for CMS

In this section, we will consider the key aspects to consider when evaluating the level of support and the availability of training materials for different CMS.

1. Official training courses and certifications
   Some popular CMSs offer official training courses and certification programs that help users and developers better master the system:

• Magento: Magento offers an extensive training program, including official courses, webinars, and seminars. They cover all aspects of using the platform, from basic setup to advanced development and optimization techniques. A certification program is also available for developers, confirming their qualifications.
• 1C-Bitrix: The company 1C-Bitrix provides various training programs and courses for both beginners and professionals. Certification programs are available to help confirm the competencies of specialists working with this CMS.
• Shopify: Shopify offers free courses and training materials on its website and the Shopify Academy platform. This allows users to quickly learn the platform and start working with minimal delays. Paid courses are also available for deeper study.

• Documentation and reference materials
  Having quality and detailed documentation is the foundation for successfully using any CMS. Documentation should be accessible, well-structured, and regularly updated:

• WooCommerce: WooCommerce provides extensive documentation for users and developers. The documentation includes installation, setup, working with themes and extensions, as well as security and performance tips. Materials are available in several languages, making them useful for an international audience.
• OpenCart: OpenCart has official documentation covering the platform’s main aspects. It is available for free but does not always cover all possible use cases. However, OpenCart has a large community that actively supplements and improves existing materials.
• PrestaShop: PrestaShop also provides well-organized and detailed documentation for users and developers. The documentation covers basic and advanced settings, integrations, and optimization and security tips.

• Forums and communities play a crucial role in user support, allowing them to share experiences, ask questions, and receive advice from other users or developers:
  • WordPress/WooCommerce: WordPress and WooCommerce have one of the largest communities in the world, providing access to a vast amount of information, plugins, and themes. Forums, blogs, social media groups, and specialized sites offer many resources where you can find answers or get help.
  • Magento: Magento has an active community of developers and users. Official forums and third-party platforms like Stack Overflow are popular places for finding solutions and sharing knowledge. The Magento community is also actively involved in developing and improving the platform.
  • Shopify: Shopify supports a large and active community where users can share experiences and help each other. Additionally, Shopify offers 24/7 support, which is particularly useful for store owners operating in different time zones.

• Customer support
  The quality of technical support can significantly affect your CMS experience. The level of support varies depending on the platform and the chosen plan:
  • Shopify: Shopify offers 24/7 technical support via chat, email, and phone. This makes the platform especially attractive for small and medium-sized businesses that need to quickly get help in case of problems.
  • 1C-Bitrix: Customer support at 1C-Bitrix is provided through a partner network, allowing you to find specialists in the local market. Paid plans with extended support, including a dedicated manager, are also available.
  • Magento: Magento offers different levels of support depending on the license. Magento Open Source is generally supported by the community, while Magento Commerce provides professional support through official channels.
  • OpenCart: Official OpenCart support may be limited, especially for the free version. However, there are numerous companies and freelancers who offer support and development services on OpenCart.
• Availability of specialists in the market
  The availability of specialists who can help with the setup and development on the chosen CMS is also an important factor:
  • WordPress/WooCommerce: A huge number of freelancers and agencies specialize in developing and supporting websites on WordPress and WooCommerce, making this platform one of the most accessible in terms of hiring specialists.
  • Magento: Magento requires deeper technical knowledge, and there are a limited number of specialists in the market, especially for Magento Commerce. However, those who work with Magento generally possess a high level of competence.
  • PrestaShop: PrestaShop specialists are also widely available, especially in Europe. Many agencies and freelancers offer setup, development, and support services for stores on this platform.

  

  Conclusion

  When choosing a CMS for an online store, it’s important to consider not only the technical capabilities of the platform but also the availability of quality support and training materials.

  This will allow you to master the system faster, effectively solve emerging problems, and develop your online store. The optimal choice would be to select a platform that not only meets your business objectives but is also supported by an active community, has accessible documentation, and offers quality technical support.