Many time people constantly post their question that what is the difference between Magento and Amazon Webstore, which eCommerce platform is good for their businesses. I run a web design company called Gowebbaby, and I have built over a hundred ecommerce stores across multiple platforms using a variety of different approaches. I’m happy to say that many of my clients have seen tremendous success.
When it comes to online shopping carts and ecommerce Stores, you have a lot of options to consider like Magento, Amazon Webstore, Shopify, BigCommerce, 3DCart the list goes on. All of these platforms will allow you to set up an online store, but not all of them offer the same benefits in terms of usability, stability, customization and value.
With this article I want to illustrate the difference between two most sought eCommerce platform i.e Magento and Amazon Webstore.
What is Magento?
Magento is an open source eCommerce web application which is launched in March, 2008. It is built by using an open source object-oriented web application framework implemented in PHP 5 called Zend framework. It is solely owned by Magento Inc.
Usage of Magento varies from small eCommerce websites to big multinational businesses. Till now more than 185000 websites are using it.
Features of Magento:
- Magento provides very extensive template option.
- Magento supports multi store handling in a single platform.
- Magento is having very SEO friendly features.
- Magento has ability to show product comparison and wish list.
- Magento offers wide range of reports for every action.
- Magento can be customized very easily.
- It provides multiple payment and shipping option.
- It also supports third party extensions and applications.
- Its integration with ERPs and CRMs is very easy.
What is Amazon Webstore?
Amazon Webstore is an eCommerce platform that enables companies of all sizes to build and operate an eCommerce business. Amazon Webstore manages every aspect of running an eCommerce business. It is a service provided by Amazon inc.
Features of Amazon:
- It provides a platform for Design and merchandising.
- It enables Catalog and inventory management through Amazon.
- Offers very easy to use Order management.
- In built Checkout and payment processing.
- Easy Customer service.
- It provides world class fraud protection.
- It also provides hosting management.
- Customer and backend API is CRM and ERP friendly.
- It offers top affiliate network integration.
Amazon Webstore combines features and functionality that are geared for fast design and implementation with the ability to control branding, design, merchandising, and customer experience.
Amazon Webstore incorporates Amazon's eCommerce expertise. It integrates with other Amazon services such as Selling on Amazon, Fulfillment by Amazon, Amazon Product Ads, and Marketplace Web Services and leverages the strength, security and reliability of Amazon's infrastructure.
Major difference between Magento and Amazon Webstore
1. Test Before Purchase - Magento community you can check all the features listed and there website admin demo. In Amazon Webstore they do provide one month of free store setup if you have products more than 40 .
2. Installation - Magento community is open source code and you have to hire professional Magento Developer to setup the store on the one time setup fee and they can provide you the professional design too. In Amazon webstore you can setup a basic store as soon as you register but to customize its design you have to hire professional Amazon Designer.
3. Pricing - Magento community is Free and Amazon will charge $39.99 per month + other selling fees in there professional plan.
4. Store management - In Magento you have to manage all the stores, Inventory and orders from the admin your self but in Amazon you can use fulfillment by amazon and checkout by amazon services.
5. SEO - This is good in Magento as compared to Amazon Webstore. But its not a big task to optimize any website as per the SEO point of View and its a good suggestion to hire some one professional if you want to concentrate on your business :)
6. Stability - No doubt Magento is more stable as it is oldest in all the existing stores and a lot of big brands already running on it. But Amazon as it is a brand and having good amazon solution providers you can get a good web store developed for you.
One Important point is that you can have both Magento and Amazon Webstore for your products to increase sells as both have different ways of selling products. With Magento you can take the benefit of lot of features in it and in Amazon you can use there traffic to increase sells.
