If you are going to run an online store, you will need to take a variety of things into consideration. One of the most important parts of the puzzle is which platform to use to power your eCommerce site. Today we would like to examine three of the most popular and foolproof platforms and compare they: CS-Cart, Magento and Shopify. Each of these carts has a strong set of features, but this article will outline the following key points of these eCommerce platforms: hosting, speed, architecture, and support.
CS-Cart VS Magento and Shopify
Hosting
CS-Cart is self-hosted, which means you will have to search for a hosting provider on your own. You will definitely find a trustworthy and convenient company that provides multiple server locations, free CDN, and advanced caching options to make both your and your customers’ experience with CS-Cart fast and enjoyable.
Shopify is a hosted solution that will take care of all server issues. This means that Shopify will sell you a license to use its eCommerce software and host your website on its servers. It will own the code, but you can upload your products, customize the look of the website, and add features as long as you don’t modify the backend code.
Magento, like CS-Cart, is a self-hosted, open-source eCommerce solution. You will need to find a hosting company to house your website and a development company to set up the code and customize it to your needs.
Architecture
CS-Cart is a PHP / MySQL platform using advanced AJAX technologies. It has a modular architecture based on hooks that allow users to change the function of the platform without interfering with the existing source code. Unlike Magento Commerce, CS-Cart uses Smarty templates.
Magento has a modular architecture that allows for easy expansion and renewal of the system. The platform is built on the Zend framework, based on PHP / MySQL and extensive use of AJAX technology.
Shopify is developed with Ruby on Rails web framework, backed by the reliability and speed of MySQL databases.
Support
CS-Cart has one of the best offers in the industry if you find yourself in need of support. Each commercial license for its software includes free support credits. Technical support service includes: consultations on CS-Cart functionality, assistance in configuring your CS-Cart, resolution of issues occurring during software operation, and the performance of minor and technically simple modifications of CS-Cart that do not require complex actions. There are also community forums for CS-Cart users in which online store owners can communicate with each other, helping each other on questions of CS-Cart operation and anything related to eCommerce.
Magento has an Expert Technical Support Team that helps run the business, and an Expert Consulting Group (ECG) that helps Magento Enterprise Edition merchants and Solution Partners maximize their success. On its Support forums, you can find questions you are interested in, or ask some of your own. The activity in the Magento and CS-Cart forums indicates that you are more likely to get a useful and rapid response from CS-Cart forums than Magento. This is simply because Magento Commerce is more complicated, and developers often need more time to answer questions.
Shopify has 24/7 customer support. This includes phone support as well as chat and email, along with access to a sizeable support system through its website, including user forums, tutorials, and FAQ’s.
Speed
Magento is not considered particularly fast in the market of eCommerce platforms. But it can be fast enough if you choose the right hosting. Among the most recommended hosts for Magento are Arvixe, GreenGeeks, and Hostgator. When choosing a host, you must understand that the Magento platform is complex, and cannot work quickly on inadequate servers.
CS-Cart is easier and faster than Magento, and can work well on simpler servers. Recommended CS-Cart hosts include This Site Ground, A2 Hosting, eUKhost, Martfox Internet Services, and various others.
Shopify is an all-in-one system, so sites that operate on it are rather fast.
