Amazon webstore is shutting down in 2016. They no longer accept new registrations, which can be a sure sign of its upcoming closure. 

This means that online retailers will now have less choices when it comes to reliable online solutions and platforms, which they could adopt. If you’re running an eCommerce business, based on the Amazon’s product, then you should start looking for an alternative now. The sooner you switch, the smoother the transition process will be for your business. Not to mention that a hasty, last-minute switch to a different platform might cost you revenue, due to unexpected downtimes, bugs and other issues.

Fortunately, you still have a number of platforms, which can satisfy all of your requirements, when it comes to flexibility, stability, support, features and others.

Someone with experience in eCommerce would probably recommend Magento, as it’s one of the biggest and most robust eCommerce platforms available to date. With Magento 2 coming soon, you can be sure that the platform it’s going anywhere.

There is also an ecosystem of service providers and solutions within the platform, which can help you launch your store relatively quickly. Ok, you’re still hesitant about switching to Magento. How should you choose from an array of these unfamiliar to you businesses? Here’s a number of product features, which you should take a closer look at in order to make the right choice: 

Flexibility and options

‘Flexibility’ is a pretty general term and could mean anything. In the context of this post ‘flexibility’ means the availability of various add-ons, applications and extensions, which could relatively easily modify the behaviour of the functions that you have on your website.

In Magento such flexibility is provided by various extensions that you can add to your website. Most of the Magento service providers will ask for an additional fee for the extensions to be installed or will have a limited number of available extensions.

At MageCloud, we offer a wide variety of Magento extensions, both free and paid. Our library consists of over 2,500 extensions (not many competitors can match this) and it grows every day. The best part? Many of them are available for 1-click install feature, which lets you add extensions to your store with one click. No additional development or outside help required.

Product accessibility

By this we mean it’s accessibility to the average user, who is not very knowledgeable about Magento, it’s features and how it works.

Ideally, if you’re a small business owner, who’s not too good with technology, you should still be able to use the product. A balance between accessibility for developers and accessibility for the non-tech users should be maintained. That’s what MageCloud is here for. Unlike some of our competitors, we offer a simple and intuitive interface, which can help you start your own store in a matter of minutes.  

Pricing 

It has to be understandable, without any additional terms and or requirements. Not to mention that it has to be affordable for any online business. In this regard there are many great solutions, but at the same time there are services, which frankly go too far with their pricing. For example, there are companies that will ask you for a share of your revenue, depending on your success rate, so you’re going to be paying them more, while the quality of services will remain practically the same. MageCloud offers a flexible pricing range for businesses of any size. You can launch your store for free with our ‘basic’ package. This allows you to fully test our platform and learn more about its features without spending a dime.

Partnership network

An eCommerce ecosystem practically always requires businesses to create partnerships with one another to solve unique problems and offer unique products to their customers. That’s why when choosing an online platform to move your online store to, it’s important to learn about the partnerships the desired platform has established. A wide network of partners offers many benefits: 

  Wide range of alternative services

  Superb support

  Refined technology

  Reliability

At MageCloud we grow our partner network every day. Currently, we have 2 dozen professional Magento providers and developers backing us up with their products and services. These include aheadWorks and Amasty - big names in the world of eCommerce.

User community

Any platforms, if it’s useful, effective and convenient, creates a community of users, comprised of people passionate about this specific platform. These people share ideas, tips and useful information, making the experience more enjoyable and manageable. Magento is just like that - it has an incredible and dedicated user base with thousands of people collectively trying to make your Magento success - a reality.

Recap

When choosing the right alternative to the soon be closed Amazon Webstore, take into account these features, which your future platform and/or service provider should possess: 

  Flexibility and options that secure various growth opportunities by offering modality to the technical side of your business.

  Product accessibility allows non-tech users easily setup the platform and even work on changing some of it’s feature to reach better customization according to your specific business requirements.

  Pricing for any PaaS or SaaS product should be fair and reflect your financial possibilities.

 Partnership network that a company displays might hint at the quality of their products, which are also contributed to by the mentioned partners. 

  User community offers a unique insight into the product. The bigger the product, the better community support you can acquire with the help of other eCommerce business owners, looking for solutions to similar problems, as you do.

If you choose to go with a different platform, than Magento - always remember this set of features, which can help you make the right decision. Good luck with your eCommerce business! 

What eCommerce platform and/or service provider do you use? What’s your favorite thing about this platform?