Hosted platforms

As can be seen from the overview of all online business platforms, hosted platforms have been the most frequently chosen solution for most online businesses. This is mainly due to the trend that continues throughout IT: from own hosting and servers, more and more is offered as a service. This is often also called "in the cloud" but in the base it is software-as-a-service. Whether this is then hosted in the cloud or on a platform managed by an IT company does not matter much to you as a user. 

Features SaaS

  • Software is standard
  • App stores for extensions
  • Stability and development by provider
  • Good choice for management & transfer
  • Price per month

Well-known providers

For this article we mainly looked at Dutch providers. For entrepreneurs in the Netherlands, a local online business does have advantages over an American party. For example, local hosting (in Amsterdam), standard Dutch VAT calculations, iDeal providers, support for Dutch shipping methods. If you go international or multi-lingual (in Europe), you can also include large American providers of online business software. Well-known Dutch SaaS providers are:

  • Lightspeed: The former SEOshop still lives up to its old name: They are focused on SEO (search engine optimazation), and it shows. In our experience, online businenesses built in Seoshop have an edge in Google rankings. How exactly they do that is the secret of the creators, but good SEO is characterized by good page structures, clear source code, fast sites, etc. Seoshop is very extensible, but also the app store extensions have monthly subscriptions; on top of the fixed subscription costs, it makes the total monthly costs on the high side, but you do get quality in return. In short: 14-day trial, multilingual, API available, scalable, extensive support, contract per year.
  • CCV Shop: CCV Shop used to be known as an "overdelevering service". I actually think CCV Shop is a bit like the friendly brother of SeoShop. It is cheaper, easier to customize and has a monthly contract, for example. CCV Shop also has a lot of standard links & plugins.
    In short: user-friendly, lots of options and links, scalable, API available, multilingual, free trial available, extensive support, monthly contract.
  • Myshop.com: This company has a somewhat different approach. Most notable is the product management via spreadsheets. Furthermore, reverse integration is possible: You can integrate the site into your own website. There is a good network of parners & training if you need support.
    In short: catalog management primarily via spreadsheets, partially unusual UI and workflow, multilingual, three-month free trial, API available, contract per minimum three months.
  • mijnwebwinkel: The system is very simple and fine for a simple online business. There is just no app store: all the things that are needed (according to mywebwinkel) are included by default. 
    In short: user-friendly, free trial package, application and support information could be better, unknown number of links, multilingual, contract per year.
  • Shoppagina: Great package for the starting (online) entrepreneur. There are about 20 free links but besides that there is not much customization possible. A good package if you are just starting out or only sell a few different products.
    In short: user-friendly, affordable, few links, maximum one language per package/website, one month trial, contract per month.
  • Jouwweb: One of the most popular packages for small websites and businesses. A popular platform to easily create an online business. Unlike other software systems, Jouwweb presents itself as very intuitive with a drag-and-drop system. The functions are otherwise similar to other Saas providers.
    In short: Ideal for the starter, low entry cost, intuitive. 

Features

The features of the packages vary from provider to provider. If you are still free to choose shop software, consider the following list of features you may need. And also note that if certain features are included in an extension, there is also a monthly fee.

Order Processing
  • Maintenance of stock
  • Calculation of correct shipping costs
  • Link with payment package
  • Link with marketplaces (Amazon and BOL)

Shipping

  • External link at Dropshipping
  • Register packages with PostNL, DPD etc.
  • Return processing

Marketing

  • Affiliate feeds for Google Shopping
  • Compare via Beslist
  • Follow-up mailings & reviews
  • Newsletters

Links

  • Processing inventory files
  • Managing payments
  • Accounting package

SEO

  • Good page structure for SEO
  • Fast loading time, even with many sku's
  • Own meta-descriptions and titles

Online Business

  • Customizable design or default theme
  • Responsive layout
  • Check out the search function & filters
  • Good content module & blog

This is just a brief, initial, start to a checklist. For your own online business and products, other features may (also) be important. Are you going to buy an existing online business? Then you can also ask yourself these questions: Which features do you need, or which channels are not yet used and might offer opportunities.

More providers

The above list is very much applicable to the Netherlands. Will you be selling in more countries, or selling digital products, for example? Then it may be attractive for you to look at international providers. A (non-complete) list:

The most specific feature you need, if you are deploying a large international platform for the Netherlands, is iDeal as the payment system.