Magento v/s WooCommerce: Which one is made for you?
Choosing an eCommerce platform is a very big decision. Every online entrepreneur struggles with this decision. The choice you make at this point will determine how your business will work behind the curtains. By reading this article that pits Magento v/s WooCommerce, you will easily find out which cart is right for your store.
Here are a few questions that every eCommerce businessman worries about:
- How much will it cost me?
- Will it run smoothly?
- Will I be able to handle it?
- Do I need a technical on deck team or should I outsource?
- Do I need to have the technical know how to run an online business?
All these questions are legitimate. In order to make a sound decision, you need to know the basic difference between Magento and WooCommerce.
Basic Difference
Magento
It is an open source eCommerce platform that works specifically for eCommerce websites. Magento was launched in the year 2008 and was acquired by EBay in the year 2011 that is right before WooCommerce came into the picture.
There are three different editions of Magento namely, the Community Edition (open source), Enterprise edition (not free) and Magento Go which is a cloud based eCommerce solution.
Woocommerce
It is a relatively recent open source WordPress Plug-in that is easy to use and adapts according to your eCommerce venture. It quickly gained popularity as it is every small time entrepreneur’s dream becoming the reality.
Hosting Service
When it comes to hosting services WooCommerce is a sure shot winner. Its hosting features are easy to understand and follow and make your set up transition as smooth as smooth can be.
Magento
In terms of hosting requirements, Magento is slightly tricky. It is a complicated process that requires technical assistance. Magento as compared to
WooCommerce is a drain on server resources. Optimizing Magento requires a level of technical understanding that only a team of highly trained professionals can handle.
WooCommerce
As WooCommerce is a WordPress add on the server requirement as minimal as opposed to Magento. Simply speaking, in the case of WooCommerce, the bigger your store gets the slower it will become. As a result, you will have to make extra efforts to keep it up and running.
Installation:
The process of installation for Woocommerce and Magento is relatively simple. For users familiar with WordPress, the Woocommerce plug-in is a breeze. Magento can be overwhelming for new and amateur users, but once you are familiar with the software, the possibilities are endless. No two Magento based websites can ever be the same.
Magento
The Magento installation process may be a tough nut to crack, but the rewards that it generates are endless. Magento gives you the power to select specific layouts for your different categories.
Versatility is the second name of Magento. As a result, the process of configuration can become time consuming and turn this power into a burden for users who don’t have the right technical support at hand. As a result, there is a general complaint among users that its setup is cumbersome and usually a hassle.
However, for all those entrepreneurs who are willing to walk the extra mile, reaping the rewards of Magento installation is a joy in its own.
WooCommerce
The key to developing any eCommerce store is the set up process of inventory. Setting up products on Woocommerce is very easy. As the options for product details are limited, the set up of a Woocommerce based website is superfast as compared to Magento.
WooCommerce is ideal for users who want their site up and running as soon as possible. Its easy set up process helps users set up their store at a remarkable pace.
The layout structure on WooCommerce platform is simple and since the options are limited, products can be set up in a matter of days. The term limited can be misleading however, the options offered by WooCommerce are enough to create an easy to access and use eCommerce website. This set up options can be seen as limited only when WooCommerce is compared to Magento.
Advantages of WooCommerce:
Just like WordPress, WooCommerce which is a plug-in that is designed keeping in mind the comfort of its users. It is easy to use, manage and comes with some over the top features that will make your website interactive. If one were to highlight the popular features of WooCommerce, they would be:
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Affiliates Products
It is an exciting feature that will give you the opportunity to affiliate products from other stores and reserve for your site the credit of the product. It is an excellent add on that can create great improvement in terms of your credibility.
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Product Rating System
It is an innovative scoring option that gives the chance to your customers to do your publicity. Their reviews urge other viewers to buy your products and will increase your revenue.
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Out of the box Widgets
Widgets like products on sale, bestsellers and even featured products are perfect additions to ecommerce websites. They help the customers in making informed decisions about their purchase.
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No need for professionals
Installing WooCommerce is not time consuming for users who are familiar with some basic coding. It is very easy to manage which is a relaxation for budget conscious users.
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31,576 plug-ins
With more than thirty thousand plug-ins, WooCommerce as a platform cannot be considered rudimentary in terms of customization options.
With all these advantages you will be hard pressed to choose Woocommerce.
However, these advantages do not overshadow Magento which will not go down without a fight. Magento is beneficial for seasoned entrepreneurs, a task in which
WooCommerce lags.
Advantages of Magento:
The slight complexity of Magento can be discouraging for beginners who are on their way to build their first ever eCommerce website. Magento is an open source platform that is used by the crème-de-la-crème.
Here are some advantages of Magento that will outshine in the long run.
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Long term benefits
While it is slightly complicated and will require the assistance of a professional coder, Magento offers benefits that any long term and fast growing online business cannot ignore. It offers a stability that on a platform like WordPress cannot be achieved.
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Multiple Websites and Multiple Store Views
It is a notable feature that will attract fast growing eCommerce websites that wish to connect their different services in order to generate traffic on all their websites. It will allow you to put multiple stores under one domain. It is perfect as it can easily accommodate expansion.
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Smart Selling Tools
In terms of selling tools, Magento very easily outwits WooCommerce. With features like product comparisons, product bundles, auto generated popular sales page etc., Magento offers its users tools that can optimize the search protocols of customers with relative ease and make an online shopping experience as enjoyable as a real one. Here is the link to the complete list of features that magento provides, the link is https://www.magentocommerce.com/images/uploads/magento-feature-list.pdf.
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Multiple Filtering
Unlike, WordPress, Magento offers the option to customers to search for items via multiple filters. This helps customers reach their product of choice faster as compares to WooCommerce generated websites.
How to Navigate the Pricing Dilemma?
Both Magento and WooCommerce, offer a free basic version that is just enough to start up a business. However, for continued use of add-ons premium services become a must.
WooCommerce ideal for startups and small businesses
For start up businesses that have to stick to a strict budget, WooCommerce is the only option. It has many free add-ons, is easy to use and does not require the constant services of a professional.
Most plug-ins offered by WooCommerce are free to use or affordable, as compared to Magento.
Magento is the Mantra of big time online entrepreneurs
For bigger fishes, it is best to stick to Magento as it comes with a promise of stability and can easily accommodate different kinds of expansion tactics, like acquiring or attaching other eCommerce websites.
Magento extensions are more expensive. Magento heavily relies on resources to run smoothly; therefore as your business grows Magento will put an extra load on your server, creating the need for more servers.
Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, WooCommerce is the knight in shining armor for budget conscious entrepreneurs. As there is a huge WordPress community, the bugs that arise on a WooCommerce platform can be easily fixed.
Such is not the case for Magento, it is ideal for tech savvy entrepreneurs, or users who have the capital to hire coders at a moment’s notice in cases of technical errors.
The Question of Migration
For online businesses that are growing at a fast pace migrating to Magento is an eventuality that cannot be ignored.
Migration a one way process:
When it comes to migration, it is usually a one way process. No expanding company would wish to migrate from Magento to WooCommerce. It is a one way street that promises efficiency and a fast paced growth. It is a kind of promotion that will take you towards greater success.
The trick is to decide the right moment to migrate from WooCommerce to Magento. WooCommerce crumbles with a sudden increase in customers.
The Final Decision: Which Platform Suits You?
WooCommerce provides startup companies the base to grow into big time eCommerce websites. It is like a different genre. Although both WooCommerce and Magento provide the same services, however, the needs that they cater to are completely different.
WooCommerce is therefore ideal for start ups, while Magento is most suited for established eCommerce companies that have the initial capital to set up a Magento based online store.
So, use your discretion and decide which service will suit your needs.