So you’re thinking about using LiteCommerce to build and maintain your ecommerce store. Let me guess: you saw the words “free ecommerce solution” and decided to give it a try. Or maybe you’re just a savvy Web consumer and are trying to see if the platform is right for you before hitting that “Install” button. Well, I think I may be able to give you a bit of perspective. As the founder of Coalition Technologies, I manage a team of the best LiteCommerce designers and developers in Los Angeles, and I have personally used every facet of this unique platform. Before you decide whether or not to place the fate of your online business in the hands of this one-of-a-kind CMS solution, consider a few of the pros and cons.
LiteCommerce – The Advantages
You probably already know the major advantage. LiteCommerce is free to use…to a point. There are some hidden fees involved, but we’ll get to that in the next section. If you’re looking for a shopping cart solution on a budget, LiteCommerce will definitely save you some cash. Like the Magento Community Edition, it has no monthly maintenance fees, but unlike Magento CE, it’s fairly easy to use. You don’t need any knowledge of coding to build your online store, and the interface is pretty straightforward.
The other big selling point is the versatility of the platform. Despite its status as a budget CMS, LiteCommerce offers a surprising number of useful add-ons, apps and extensions (not all of which are free, mind you). For instance, incorporating a blog into your LiteCommerce website is actually easier than incorporating a blog into a BigCommerce website (and BigCommerce is most definitely not free). You can also customize your site to include forums, marketing tools and a wide array of back-end features like detailed analytics.
LiteCommerce does have a bit of a learning curve, but as previously emphasized, it’s much easier to learn than other free and open-source ecommerce platforms. The content management system enables you to complete all of your key tasks—like listing products, designing your store, uploading images and managing orders—with relative ease, and if you do want to edit your store from the back end, you can customize it to your liking (assuming that you have at least an elementary understanding of Drupal and PHP). LiteCommerce, as the company website points out, is an object-oriented MVC software that uses a Flexy template engine. If you have the developing prowess necessary to navigate the engine, there is almost no limit to what you can customize.
LiteCommerce – The Disadvantages
Okay, now that we’ve gone into the details about everything that makes LiteCommerce a potentially worthwhile pursuit, it’s time to discuss some of the issues that may cause you to think twice (depending on what you look for in a shopping cart platform). First, as previously noted, the word “free” doesn’t necessarily mean free.
In other words, you can use the content management system without any monetary investment, but if you want to accept credit card payments (which, obviously, is pretty essential for any online business), you’re going to need to invest in the services of a third-party merchant. That’s going to cost you. It’s only a slight disadvantage, since most premium shopping cart platforms also require the extra payment merchant investment, but it’s important to note, lest you were under the impression that you could actually manage an entire online store without spending a penny out of pocket. Sadly, there’s no so such thing as a free lunch.
The other big disadvantage is the customer service. LiteCommerce is based in Russia, and it can be extremely difficult to achieve real-time customer service right when you need it. Even when you do connect with a real human being, the language barrier can often present a challenge. So if you’re running your site on your own, and you need the safety net of round-the-clock assistance, you may want to look elsewhere. LiteCommerce is definitely better suited to individuals who prefer the self-sufficient route.
Also, how big is your store? While LiteCommerce can work wonders for small to medium-sized enterprises, its limitations really become apparent as you begin to reach corporate status. If you’re looking at a million dollars in sales every month, you really need a premium shopping cart solution that’s equipped to handle large online empires, with unlimited bandwidth, seamless coding and round-the-clock customer service. As a free solution, LiteCommerce just isn’t it.
Finally, remember that a zero-dollar price tag usually comes with some limitations. While LiteCommerce will definitely get the job done, it’s not going to give you an edge over the competition. It’s an excellent solution if you’re just starting out or are looking for a cost-effective ecommerce provider, but it’s not the ideal platform for large businesses looking to make a name for themselves. The design templates are fairly limited, the coding can be glitchy at times, and the customer service almost might as well be non-existent. So weigh the pros with the cons before you make your final decision.
LiteCommerce Designers and Developers in Los Angeles
If you already use LiteCommerce and aren’t reaching your full potential, you may just need a bit of custom design and development to overcome the limitations of this cost-effective platform. At Coalition Technologies, our team of highly qualified LiteCommerce designers and developers understand the platform inside and out. They understand the engine, the programming languages and the content management system, and they know how to turn a barely adequate ecommerce website into a thriving online enterprise.
Whether you’re already struggling to get the most from LiteCommerce or are just looking to give yourself a competitive edge, call our LiteCommerce designers and developers today at 1-888-800-9101. We’ll give you a free quote and explain how we can take your online store to the next level. Don’t let another minute pass by with wasted revenue. Take action and achieve the traffic and revenue that you truly deserve.