Ecommerce storefront solutions for enterprise merchants

Anna Kvasnevska

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April 12, 2024

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eCommerce

If you're an enterprise ecommerce store owner and you want to make the most out of your online business, you need the best ecommerce platform.

Yet, choosing from the myriad of ecommerce platforms for your operation can be a daunting task. There's a seemingly endless range of storefront solutions for an ecommerce business – and each of them claims to be the "best ecommerce platform."

Truth be told, the "best" solution is the one that suits youand your ecommerce store’s needs the most. To make the best choice for your online shop, you must first understand what key features you need, what each platform offers, and what specific areas of growth you want to prioritize.

Keep reading to find out more.

What is ecommerce storefront?

An ecommerce storefront is the user interface (virtual storefront) that allows a business to sell its products or services online. It is the digital equivalent of a brick-and-mortar store, providing customers with an online shopping experience.

Which is exactly what we'll be doing in this article: helping you navigate storefront solutions so you can turn your ecommerce website into a revenue-generating powerhouse.

For online stores, a storefront is not made of physical elements, but digital ones: a suite of tech tools meant to make the customer experience as streamlined and efficient as possible. These tools should be able to handle crucial tasks like product listings, order processing, inventory management, customer data tracking, etc.

Types of ecommerce storefronts

On the surface, most storefronts look the same. After all, they all do roughly the same thing: allow businesses to sell products and services online. However, there are several types of ecommerce storefronts that cater to different business needs:

Monolithic storefront

Monolithic ecommerce storefronts are all-in-one solutions that provide businesses with a complete suite of tools for managing their online sales. These storefronts usually include features such as website design, product listings, payment processing, and customer data tracking. And making a change to one aspect of your monolith storefront will most likely require to update the rest of the system.

Keep in mind that customers expect a fast-performing website. According to research, 80% of shoppers say a slow-loading website could turn them away from a store. And "slow-loading" is a pretty narrow term, as Google says most people expect their pages to load in 3 seconds or less. A tall order, especially when your store lives on a legacy system.

Add this to the fact that monoliths:

Are known for a slower time to market
Make maintenance very time-consuming (and thus, expensive)
Tend to be less optimized for user experience
Miss out on omnichannel, performance-driven marketing options

And it's easy to see why a monolithic storefront isn't exactly optimal for an online store (regardless of the size.) They’re not exactly the mean, lean, quick-and-cheap-to-build selling machines you’d expect.

Headless commerce storefronts

Headless commerce storefronts are more flexible and customizable compared to monoliths. They separate the frontend (the customer-facing interface) from the backend (the administrative tools). This allows businesses to have more control over the design and functionality of their online store.

A headless storefront works by using a content management system (CMS) or an ecommerce platform as its backend, while the frontend is developed using frontend frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.

Pros of headless storefronts include:

High customization and flexibility
Ability to integrate with different third-party tools and services
Better control over the customer experience

SaaS platforms

Aside from monolithic and headless storefront options, there's also SaaS (Software as a Service) storefronts – a far less popular, yet still notable option for online shops. A SaaS storefront is a subscription-based model where businesses pay monthly or yearly fees to access an entire suite of ecommerce tools and services.

Pros of SaaS storefronts include:

No need for technical expertise, as the platform takes care of all the technical aspects
Automatic updates and maintenance
Scalable, which means they can (at least theoretically) be used by large enterprises too

Cons of SaaS storefronts include:

Limited customization options
Can be expensive for businesses with huge product catalogs or high transaction volumes

Feature	Monolithic ecommerce Storefronts	Headless ecommerce Storefronts	SaaS ecommerce Storefronts
Overview	All-in-one solutions providing a complete suite of tools for online sales, including website design, product listings, payment processing, and customer data tracking.	Separates the frontend customer-facing interface from the backend administrative tools, offering more flexibility and customization.	Subscription-based model offering access to a suite of ecommerce tools and services without the need for technical expertise.
Ideal for	Well-established enterprises with high budgets and dedicated tech teams.	Businesses searching for more flexibility in their ecommerce storefront setup.	Small and mid-sized businesses without technical expertise looking for a quick way to set up their storefront.
Customization	Limited compared to headless options.	Highly customizable and flexible.	Limited customization options.
Technical expertise required	High.	Medium for setup, low for day-to-day use.	Low.
Setup and maintenance costs	Extremely costly in terms of time and resources dedicated to maintenance.	Cheaper than maintaining a monolithic solution in the long-term perspective.	Cost varies; can be expensive for businesses with large product catalogs or high transaction volumes.
Speed and performance	Slower time to market and potentially less optimized user experience.	Allows for better performance optimization through flexibility in technology choices.	Depends on the provider, but generally good performance with automatic updates and maintenance.
Market adaptability	Slower time to market for every new trend or channel, and less optimized for omnichannel, performance-driven marketing.	Great adaptability because it can integrate with various third-party tools and services with ease.	Scalable but may not be the best option for large enterprises with multi-region presence due to limited customization..

But what about specific platforms to help you build or scale your ecommerce store? You’ve come to the right place!

What to consider when choosing an ecommerce storefront solution

Choosing the best ecommerce storefront for your business can be difficult, but there are a few key factors to consider to make this choice a bit easier for you:

Budget and cost: Different ecommerce platforms have varying pricing plans, so it's important to consider how much you're willing to spend on your storefront. For instance, SaaS ecommerce platforms tend to be relatively cheap compared to other solutions, while they also provide you with a variety of features, like web hosting and security.
Scalability: If you plan on growing your business in the future, it's important to choose a platform that can handle an increasing number of products and transactions. Look for options that offer scalability and support for high volumes. BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud are known for their scalability.
Customization options: Depending on your business needs, you may want a highly customizable storefront. Platforms like WooCommerce, Adobe Commerce, and Squarespace offer extensive customization options. However, keep in mind that more customization often requires technical expertise or additional costs.
Ease of use: Consider the importance of a user-friendly interface, especially if you have limited technical skills. Wix Stores and Squarespace are known for their user-friendly interfaces, while other ecommerce platforms like Adobe Commerce may require more technical knowledge to set up and maintain.
Integrations: If you rely on other tools or systems for your business operations, it's important to choose a platform that integrates well with the other tools in your stack. For instance, Shopify, WooCommerce, and Squarespace have a wide range of integrations available.
Support: Depending on your technical skills, you may want to choose a platform that offers strong support through customer service or community forums. SaaS platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce tend to offer more extensive support options compared to open-source ecommerce platforms like Magento.