5 Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses in Australia

Australia’s ecommerce market is thriving, mostly driven by internet penetration and a growing demand for personalized shopping experiences. As customers shift towards online shopping, businesses have a golden opportunity to establish a strong digital presence.

The Australian ecommerce market is projected to generate over US$42.04 billion in sales in 2025, with revenue expected to surge to US$57.77 billion by 2029. With such rapid growth, there has never been a better time for small businesses to enter the online marketplace. 

If you’re looking to succeed in this field, start by choosing the right ecommerce platform. In this blog, we’ll explore the five best ecommerce platforms for small businesses in Australia, helping you find the perfect solution to build, manage, and scale your online store.

What Makes a Good Ecommerce Platform? 

Not every ecommerce platform is built equally. So, if you’re a beginner with a small business here are some features you need to check out before investing in a platform. 

  • Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface and intuitive design make it easy to set up and manage your store, even without technical expertise.
  • Customisation & Scalability: The ability to personalize your store and scale as your business grows ensures long-term success.
  • Flexible Payment Options: Supports multiple payment gateways, including Australian-friendly options like Afterpay, POLi, and Zip Pay.
  • Mobile Responsiveness: With more Australians shopping on mobile devices, a platform must offer seamless mobile experiences.
  • SEO & Marketing Tools: Built-in SEO features, email marketing, and integrations with social media platforms help attract and retain customers.
  • Reliable Customer Support: Access to responsive support, whether through live chat, phone, or email, ensures quick problem-solving when issues arise.

5 Ecommerce Platforms for Small Businesses in Australia 

Now that you know what to look for in a good ecommerce platform, let’s learn in detail about the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses in Australia. 

Here’s a comparison table for the best ecommerce platform for small businesses in Australia – 

PlatformPricingBest For
EasyCommerceFree to use, addon/hosting costs may varyScalability and customizations
ShopifyA$42 – A$2,300/monthScalability
WixA$15 – A$199/monthBeginners and small businesses 
SquarespaceA$22 – A$84/monthCreative business and branding
BigCommerceA$47 – A$480/monthLarge and growing enterprises

1. EasyCommerce

EasyCommerce WordPress Ecommerce Plugin

Price: Free to install and use; hosting and addon prices may apply. 

If you’re a small business owner in Australia looking for an easy-to-use and efficient ecommerce solution, EasyCommerce is a great fit. Designed as a WordPress plugin, it turns your existing website into a fully functional online store without the hassle of complex coding or expensive development.

EasyCommerce is also optimized for speed and security, so you can offer a fast, safe, and enjoyable shopping experience for your customers. With built-in features like abandoned cart recovery, automated shipping, and tax handling, you can effectively launch your store, as well as, grow and increase sales over time.

It’s developed with API-first technology, which makes it seamlessly compatible with various services, applications, and third-party tools built to expand your store’s functionality.

Features Overview

  • Product Management: Easily create and manage a comprehensive product catalog from a single page, including options for product variations and detailed descriptions.
  • Order Management: Efficiently receive, track, and manage customer orders from an organized section to ensure accurate and timely fulfillment.
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery: Re-engage customers by automatically sending cart reminders, reducing abandoned sales, and increasing your conversion rate.
  • Shipping Automation: Automate shipping processes to provide faster, hassle-free checkouts for customers.
  • Taxation Handling: Simplify tax collection and compliance, which is particularly beneficial for adhering to Australian tax regulations.
  • Product Page Templates: Instantly create product pages with built-in templates that can be customized to fit the brand. 

Payment Options

EasyCommerce supports integration with multiple payment gateways, including popular options like Stripe, Square, PayPal, Mollie, and Braintree

Is EasyCommerce Right for Your Business? 

EasyCommerce is perfect for those who want an easy-to-manage store with reliable support, customizable features, and plenty of room to grow. 

However, if you want to branch out of WordPress for a complete ecommerce website builder, we recommend giving Wix or Squarespace a shot. 

2. Shopify

shopify Homepage

Price: A$42 – A$430/month 

Shopify is another popular choice among small businesses in Australia looking for an all-in-one ecommerce platform. The biggest selling point of Shopify is that it’s built to sell physical products, digital goods, or even services, all from same the dashboard. 

With a drag-and-drop store builder, a variety of themes, and built-in tools to manage products, process orders, and track sales; you don’t need coding skills or technical knowledge to launch a professional-looking store. 

Features Overview 

  • User-Friendly Store Builder: Create a stunning online store with Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor and customizable themes.
  • Mobile-Optimized Design: All Shopify stores are fully responsive to ensure a smooth shopping experience on mobile devices.
  • Built-in Marketing & SEO Tools: Easily integrate with Google, Facebook, and Instagram to reach more customers and improve search engine rankings.
  • Multi-Channel Selling: Sell not just on your website but also on social media, marketplaces (like eBay and Amazon), and even in-person with Shopify POS.

Payment Gateways

Shopify supports multiple payment options that cater to Australian customers, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, AfterPay, Zip Pay, and more. 

Is Shopify Right for Your Business? 

If you’re after a hassle-free and professional ecommerce solution, Shopify is a fantastic choice for small businesses in Australia. However, if you’re on a tight budget or prefer more control over customization, platforms like EasyCommerce might be worth considering.

3. Wix

wix Homepage

Price: A$15 – A$42/month

If you’re a small business owner in Australia looking for an affordable and beginner-friendly ecommerce platform, Wix is a great option. Wix is particularly known for its drag-and-drop website builder with stunning pre-designed templates that make it incredibly easy to set up an online store. 

With less-than-ideal customer service and limited ecommerce capabilities, Wix falls short when compared to EasyCommerce or Shopify. However, for startups, solo entrepreneurs, and small businesses that want to quickly set up a good-looking store online, Wix is a solution worth considering. 

Features Overview

  • Drag-and-Drop Builder: Wix’s intuitive editor allows users to design their online store by simply dragging and dropping elements. 
  • Template Library: With over 500 professional, mobile-optimized templates, businesses can choose designs that best represent their brand and products.
  • SEO Tools: Built-in SEO features that assist in optimizing your site to improve search engine rankings. 
  • App Market: Wix provides access to a large collection of free and premium apps to help businesses boost their store’s functionality.

Payment Gateways

Wix supports a variety of payment options for Australian businesses including, Wix Payments, PayPal, Stripe, Manual Payments, etc. 

Is Wix Right for Your Business?

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, and visually appealing ecommerce platform, Wix is a fantastic choice for small businesses in Australia.

However, if you need advanced ecommerce features, high scalability, or extensive payment gateway options, Shopify or EasyCommerce might be a better fit.

4. Squarespace 

Squarespace Homepage

Price: A$22 – A$84/month

Squarespace is known for its beautiful, designer-quality templates, and intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for anyone to create a professional-looking website. 

While it’s designed to help you build a brand, Squarespace also comes fully integrated with an ecommerce system to handle your sales, orders, and payment seamlessly. 

One of its main advantages is its built-in marketing tools, including email campaigns, social media integrations, and SEO features that help small businesses reach more customers with minimal effort.

Plus, all templates are mobile-responsive, ensuring a seamless shopping experience across devices.

Features Overview 

  • User-Friendly Design Tools: With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and a library of customizable templates, users can create a visually stunning website without any coding experience.
  • Integrated Ecommerce Functionality: Manage inventory, process orders, and handle shipping and tax settings directly from the platform with integrated tools.
  • Built-in Marketing and SEO Tools: Highten online visibility with marketing features that are designed to improve your search rankings. 
  • Comprehensive Analytics: Gain insights into the site’s performance with built-in analytics that track metrics like page views, sales, and conversion rates.

Is Squarespace Right for Your Business?

If you’re a small business owner looking for a platform that balances aesthetic appeal with ecommerce features, Squarespace is a compelling option. 

However, if your business requires highly specialized ecommerce functionalities or extensive third-party integrations, you might find Squarespace’s offerings somewhat limited.

5. BigCommerce

BigCommerce Homepage

Price: A$47 – A$480/month

BigCommerce is a powerful ecommerce platform that’s designed for businesses that want to grow their online presence. While it’s not built for startups, small businesses with an existing inventory can benefit from its scalability features. 

BigCommerce has a wide range of built-in tools for selling products, managing inventory, processing payments, and optimizing your store for search engines—all included in its core plans. 

It’s a favorite among brands that manage high-volume sales, due to its advanced features like multi-channel selling, customizable checkout options, and multi-currency support. 

Features Overview 

  • Multi-Channel Selling: Integrate with various sales channels, including eBay, Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram to centralize management of all sales avenues.
  • Built-in SEO and Marketing Tools: BigCommerce offers advanced SEO features and marketing integrations to improve store visibility and attract customers.
  • Responsive Themes: A selection of customizable, mobile-friendly themes is available to create appealing storefronts that align with your brand.
  • Scalable Catalog Management: BigCommerce allows businesses to manage extensive product inventories efficiently, supporting growth without limitations. 

Is BigCommerce Right for Your Business?

If you own a small business that’s looking to grow significantly in a short time without having any technical expertise, BigCommerce is a compelling choice. 

However, if your business requires highly specialized functionalities or you’re operating on a tight budget, it’s worth exploring platforms like EasyCommerce or Shopify. 

Wrapping Up 

Choosing the right ecommerce platform is the first step in finding success for your small business in Australia. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and straightforward option, EasyCommerce is a great starting point. 

Shopify is ideal if you want an all-in-one solution with powerful features for selling products across multiple channels, including social media and marketplaces. For small businesses and beginners, Wix provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop builder, perfect for simple online stores. 

Squarespace is the go-to platform for businesses that prioritize stunning visuals and branding, making it a favorite among creatives and service-based businesses.

Finally, if scalability and growth potential are your priorities, BigCommerce offers advanced built-in features to handle large inventories and multi-channel selling without needing extra apps.

Ultimately, the best ecommerce platform for small businesses in Australia depends on your business model, budget, and long-term goals. So, go through our blog to find the best one for your venture! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which ecommerce platform is best for small businesses?

The crowd’s favorite ecommerce platform in Australia is Shopify. Currently, it ranks third with about 150,000 Aussie Shopify websites

Q. What is the cheapest ecommerce platform?

EasyCommerce is the cheapest platform, as it’s free to install and use. Charges only apply for hosting and add-ons. 

Q. How do I register an ecommerce business in Australia?

Once you’ve decided on a business name and structure, you can use the Australian Government Business Registration Service (register.business.gov.au) to register everything you need for your new online business in one place!

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