If it is your first time to set up an e-commerce website, or if you are making the transition from using proprietary software to an open source one, then, we can understand how it can make things confusing. What do you need to consider when using open source e-commerce solutions? More often than not, you’ll be short of answers that will truly satisfy you and help you in making a decision. That is why we have written this article for you. In here, we are going to share with you some of the essential things that a good e-commerce platform should have. That way, looking for the software that fits you will be a lot easier.

So, here are things that you should look out for:

1. Functional completeness. It can be pretty exciting to find cheap, even free software that promises to deliver everything you need in an e-commerce platform. But the reality is that everything comes at a price. Cheaper software is often that which has limited functionalities, and you might have to pay extra if you need something more powerful. That is why you are not really saving any money in the end. So, look for software that can truly deliver what you need at a price that you can afford.

2. Flexibility. You may be a small business today, but who knows what your business will be in the next 5 years? You have probably heard of small businesses exceeding their projections for the year because they have been so good at what they do, people cannot help but patronize them. That is why you also need a flexible e-commerce platform, one that can grow with your business over the coming years.

3. Evolutionary potential. If you are in the business for the long haul, then, you also want a piece of software that you can use for a very long time. That is why it is also important that you use one that evolves with the latest technological developments in the world of e-commerce, and it should also have a sizeable community that will ensure quick and reliable updates.

4. Openness. When choosing an e-commerce platform, it would be ideal if you could use it regardless of the operating system that you are going to install it on. It can be an utter waste of your time and money to find out later on that the software that you bought only works with Mac OS. So, look for one that is platform independent so you can use it on Windows, Linux or Mac.

5. Reliability. You cannot afford to have your software break down on you, especially when there are lots of customers lining up to buy your products. That is why you need to choose software that has a history of reliability so, you can run your online business without a hitch. There you have it, the things that you need to consider when choosing an open source e-commerce platform. Choose well and you will save a lot of money in the long run and you will not have to worry about glitches during your operations.