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BigCommerce Vs. Magento 2023: 6 Features to Compare

Are you looking to build an online store but wondering which eCommerce platform you should choose? If so, then you are at the right place. BigCommerce and Magento are two popular options that many businesses consider.  But what makes each of them unique? And most importantly, how to know which one is right for you? In this article, we take a closer look at both of them to evaluate each based on your business needs. Before we begin, here’s a small summary about both the storefront building giants, and their current clientele:

BigCommerce is a leading cloud-based platform that offers a user-friendly interface, scalability, and powerful built-in features that are considered suitable for famous brands like Skullcandy, YETI, and Ben & Jerry’s. On the other hand, Magento, is an open-source platform that offers customizable solutions for businesses like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Ford. In this article, we’ll compare both of these platforms on the basis of six key parameters to help you make an informed decision for your business.

6 Features to Analyze The Best eCommerce Platform For Your Online Business In 2023

When it comes to setting up an online store, choosing the right eCommerce platform can make all the difference in the world. With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is best for your business. Starting with the first parameter:

#1 Ease of use

With regards to ease of use, BigCommerce is the clear winner. The user-friendly interface and simple setup process make it a popular choice among both novice and experienced eCommerce merchants. In contrast, Magento can be complex and difficult to navigate, requiring a significant amount of technical knowledge to set up and maintain. This can especially be challenging for small business owners who may not have a dedicated IT team.

Let’s make it clear with an example: Skullcandy, an audio equipment company, chose BigCommerce as its eCommerce platform due to its ease of use. With BigCommerce, they were able to quickly set up and customize their online store, allowing them to focus on growing their business and providing a seamless shopping experience for their customers. 

#2 Customizability

Both BigCommerce and Magento offer a high degree of customizability, allowing you to create a unique storefront that reflects your brand. Choosing between these two eCommerce platforms for customizability depends on the unique needs and resources of your business. If you value ease of use and want a user-friendly design editor, BigCommerce may be the right fit. If you require extensive customization capabilities and full control over your online store’s design and functionality, Magento may be the better choice. However, Magento is often touted as the more customizable of the two, offering a greater degree of flexibility in terms of design and functionality. This can be a major advantage for larger businesses that require complex features and customization options.

For example, Coca-Cola, one of the world’s largest beverage companies, chose Magento as its eCommerce platform due to its high degree of customizability. With Magento, they were able to create a unique online store that reflected their brand vision to provide a positive experience. Thus, choosing the platform that best aligns with your business goals to create a visually stunning and highly functional online store, sets your business apart. 

#3 Scalability

In terms of scalability, BigCommerce may be more suitable for small to medium-sized businesses that want a hassle-free, easy-to-manage solution encouraging rapid growth. Magento, on the other hand, may be a better fit for larger businesses with more resources and technical expertise to manage their hosting and customization needs. For example, Ford, one of the world’s largest automotive companies, chose Magento as their eCommerce platform due to its scalability. With Magento, they were able to handle a high volume of orders that lead to growing their online business smoothly. 

Ultimately, the choice between BigCommerce and Magento for scalability depends on the specific needs and resources of your business. Both platforms offer scalable solutions, but the level of technical control in terms of its scale may be lower with BigCommerce. Therefore it can be inferred that Magento recognizes such technical aspects and provides a more scalable feature for your long-term online business.

#4 Security

Security is a top priority for any eCommerce business, and both BigCommerce and Magento take security seriously. However, BigCommerce has a slight edge in this area, as it provides built-in security features such as fraud detection and PCI compliance. This can save merchants time and money, as they don’t need to invest in additional security measures. Toyota, one of the world’s largest automotive companies, chose BigCommerce as its eCommerce platform due to its built-in security features. With BigCommerce, they were able to provide a safe and secure shopping experience for their customers. 

So, whether you’re a small business looking for an easy-to-scale solution or a larger business with unique scalability needs, both platforms have their strengths in terms of security. All you need to do is, carefully evaluate your business requirements, resources, and growth goals to choose the platform that aligns best with your scalability needs and propel your business to new heights of success.

#5 Customer support

When it comes to customer support, BigCommerce is the clear winner. Its 24/7 support team is available via phone, email, and live chat to help merchants with any issues they may encounter. BigCommerce also provides a comprehensive online help center with extensive documentation, tutorials, and community forums where users can find answers to common questions and learn from fellow users’ experiences.  For example, Ben & Jerry’s, a well-known ice cream company, chose BigCommerce as their eCommerce platform due to its excellent customer support. With BigCommerce, they were able to quickly resolve any issues that arose at any point in time. 

On the other hand, Magento offers support through its online community forums, documentation, and knowledge base, but does not provide direct phone or live chat support for its free, open-source version. However, it does offer paid support plans for its enterprise-level customers, which include priority access to technical support, dedicated account managers, and personalized assistance with design and development. This level of support is designed to cater to larger businesses with more complex requirements. In conclusion, both BigCommerce and Magento place a strong emphasis on customer support, but BigCommerce provides more accessible and comprehensive support options for businesses of all sizes. 

#6 Pricing

Last but not the least, pricing, as a vital feature of both eCommerce platforms, makes a business decide upon whether they should choose a particular eCommerce platform or not. By considering the budgets of a business, BigCommerce is often a more reliable option. Samsung, the electronics giant, recently switched from Magento to BigCommerce due to its pricing advantages. With BigCommerce, Samsung is able to benefit from a clear and straightforward pricing structure that helps them to accurately forecast their eCommerce costs and avoid unexpected expenses. BigCommerce’s all-inclusive pricing model, which includes hosting, security, and support, allowed Samsung to allocate its budget more efficiently and optimize its overall eCommerce operations.

On the other hand, Magento’s pricing structure can be complex according to business sizes, and may include additional costs for hosting, security, and support, depending on the specific edition and features chosen. This can lead to potential surprises and hidden costs, making it harder for especially smaller business sizes to accurately budget and plan their eCommerce expenses. So, if you’re a beginner and are planning to choose BigCommerce as a suitable option, you can consider partnering with a BigCommerce development agency like CodeClouds, to gain access to leading eCommerce and design solutions at affordable prices. This way you can save your costs and focus on scaling up your online business to its next frontier.

Overall, both BigCommerce and Magento are excellent eCommerce platforms with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. However, if you’re looking for a user-friendly, affordable platform with top-notch customer support, BigCommerce may be a better choice for your business. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right eCommerce platform is crucial for the success of any online business. When comparing BigCommerce and Magento, it’s clear that both platforms have their respective pros and cons. BigCommerce is a more user-friendly and affordable option that offers excellent customer support and built-in security features. On the other hand, Magento is more customizable and scalable, making it a better choice for larger enterprises that require advanced functionality and integration with other systems. 

Ultimately, the choice between BigCommerce and Magento will depend on your business needs, budget, and technical expertise. By considering the six features we’ve highlighted in this article, we hope you can now make an informed decision that will help your business thrive in 2023 and beyond.

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