Best Ecommerce Platforms for Startups: From a Fulfillment Center

Top Ecommerce Platforms for Startups According to an Ecommerce Fulfillment Company

Starting an online business has never been more accessible. With global ecommerce sales projected to reach 21% of all retail sales by 2029, selecting the right platform can make or break your startup’s success. The key is finding an ecommerce platform that balances affordability with scalability while providing the tools you need to grow.

As a business owner, you want a solution that gets you selling quickly without overwhelming technical complexity. You also need confidence that your chosen platform won’t limit your growth as your business expands. Here’s what you need to know about the top ecommerce platforms for startups and the key features that matter most.

Essential Features Every Startup Needs

Cost Structure and Transparency

Your budget is tight, so understanding the true cost of each platform is crucial. Look beyond monthly subscription fees to consider transaction fees, payment processing costs, and required add-ons. Hidden costs can quickly turn an affordable platform into an expensive mistake.

Customization Without Complexity

Your brand needs to stand out, but you don’t have time for complex coding. The best startup ecommerce platforms offer professional templates you can customize easily, plus the flexibility to make deeper changes as your business grows.

User-Friendly Interface

You’re focused on growing your business, not learning complicated software. Choose platforms with intuitive dashboards that make adding products, managing inventory, and processing orders straightforward. And in the future being able to integrate with you 3PL or fulfillment center will be a huge bonus.

Growth-Ready Scalability

Your startup may be small now, but your platform should handle increased traffic and sales volume as you grow. Look for unlimited product listings and bandwidth to avoid costly platform switches later.

Marketing Tools Integration

Customer acquisition is vital for startups. Platforms with built-in email marketing, SEO tools, and social media integrations help you reach customers without juggling multiple software subscriptions.

Reliable Customer Support

When issues arise, you need quick resolution. Platforms offering 24/7 support ensure your store stays operational, protecting your revenue and customer relationships.

Top Ecommerce Platform Comparison

Shopify: The All-Around Leader

Shopify dominates the startup ecommerce space for good reason. Starting at just $5 per month, it offers over 100 professional themes, unlimited products and bandwidth, and no transaction fees. The platform includes email marketing tools, abandoned cart recovery, and seamless social media selling. With 24/7 support and an extensive app library, Shopify grows with your business from startup to enterprise.

WooCommerce: WordPress Integration

If you’re already using WordPress, WooCommerce might seem appealing. While the plugin is free, you’ll need WordPress hosting ($4-$45 monthly) plus paid extensions for essential features. The total cost often exceeds dedicated ecommerce solutions, and technical complexity can overwhelm non-developers.

Squarespace: Design-Focused Solution

Squarespace excels in visual appeal with 180+ templates perfect for creative businesses. Plans start at $16 monthly but include transaction fees on lower tiers. The limited app ecosystem may restrict growth, making it better suited for businesses with basic ecommerce needs.

Wix: Quick Setup Option

Wix offers rapid site creation with 2,000+ templates and no transaction fees. Plans start at $29 monthly, but the platform lacks scalability features that growing businesses need. It’s ideal for simple stores but may require migration as you expand.

Square Online: Service Business Focus

Square provides a free plan and specializes in restaurants and service businesses. While cost-effective initially, limited ecommerce features and templates make it less suitable for product-focused startups planning significant growth.

BigCommerce: Enterprise-Oriented

BigCommerce targets larger businesses with advanced features but higher setup costs. Starting at $29 monthly with mostly paid themes, it may overwhelm startups while offering more complexity than needed.

Ecwid: Embedding Specialist

Ecwid excels at adding ecommerce to existing websites. Plans range from $5-$105 monthly, but you’ll need the highest tier for unlimited products and POS integration, making it expensive for growing businesses.

Shift4Shop: Single Plan Approach

With one plan at $39 monthly, Shift4Shop offers enterprise features but may be overkill for startups. The platform requires their payment gateway for transaction fee elimination, limiting payment flexibility.

Additional Ecommerce Fulfillment Solutions

Once your startup gains momentum, managing inventory, packaging, and shipping becomes complex and time-consuming. This is where ecommerce fulfillment solutions become invaluable.

Professional fulfillment services like Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics handle order processing, warehousing, pick and pack, and shipping operations. This allows you to focus on marketing, product development, and customer relationships while experts manage the operational details. Many fulfillment providers integrate directly with popular ecommerce platforms, streamlining your entire order management process.

Making Your Platform Decision

For most startups, Shopify offers the best balance of affordability, features, and scalability. Its comprehensive toolset eliminates the need for multiple software subscriptions while providing room for growth.

Consider your specific needs: creative businesses might prefer Squarespace, while those with existing WordPress sites may explore WooCommerce. However, factor in total costs and growth limitations before committing.

Remember, switching platforms later is expensive and disruptive. Choose a solution that supports your current needs while accommodating future growth.

Your ecommerce platform is the foundation of your online business. Take time to evaluate options thoroughly, test free trials when available, and select the platform that aligns with your startup’s goals and budget. The right choice will support your success from launch through expansion.

Ready to optimize your ecommerce operations? Contact Medallion Fulfillment for Your Fulfillment, 3PL or Warehousing Needs and discover how professional fulfillment services can accelerate your startup’s growth.

August 4, 2025

Is Amazon FBA Right for My Business: Fulfillment Services Comparison

Is Amazon FBA Right for My Business?

As someone who’s worked with countless ecommerce businesses at Medallion Fulfillment, I’ve seen firsthand how the choice of fulfillment services can make or break a company’s growth trajectory. Amazon FBA has become incredibly popular, but is it the right fit for your business? Let me walk you through what you need to know.

Amazon’s Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) program allows sellers to store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers. When customers place orders, Amazon handles the picking, packing, shipping, and customer service. It sounds straightforward, but the reality is more complex.

Understanding Amazon FBA Basics

Amazon FBA works well for businesses selling primarily on Amazon’s marketplace. Your products get the coveted Prime badge, which can significantly boost sales since Prime members prefer fast, free shipping. Amazon handles customer service inquiries, returns, and refunds—removing a major operational burden.

However, FBA comes with strict requirements. Your products must meet specific packaging standards, labeling requirements, and inventory restrictions. Amazon charges storage fees based on cubic footage, which can become expensive for bulky items that don’t sell quickly.

Control and Flexibility: Where FBA Falls Short

Here’s where I see many of my clients struggle with Amazon FBA—the lack of control. You can’t choose your shipping carriers, customize packaging with your branding, or control the customer experience beyond the initial product listing. Everything ships in Amazon-branded boxes, and you have no say in delivery methods.

For businesses that value brand identity and customer relationships, this can be problematic. You’re essentially handing over your customer experience to Amazon, which may not align with your brand values or service standards.

Storage Costs and Hidden Fees

Amazon’s fee structure is notoriously complex. While they advertise a simple per-item fulfillment fee, there are numerous additional charges: long-term storage fees, removal fees, return processing fees, and seasonal storage surcharges. These costs can quickly eat into your profit margins.

I’ve worked with businesses that discovered their Amazon FBA costs were 30-40% higher than expected due to these hidden fees. For companies with seasonal inventory or slower-moving products, storage costs can become particularly burdensome.

Shipping and Branding Limitations

With FBA, you lose control over the unboxing experience—a crucial touchpoint for building customer loyalty. There’s no opportunity for branded packaging, personalized notes, or promotional inserts that could drive repeat purchases.

Additionally, Amazon’s shipping methods may not align with your sustainability goals or customer preferences. You can’t choose eco-friendly packaging options or work with local carriers who might offer better service in specific regions.

Recommendation Based on Business Needs

Amazon FBA makes sense if you’re exclusively selling on Amazon, have small, lightweight products, and prioritize hands-off operations over brand control. It’s particularly effective for high-volume sellers who want to leverage Amazon’s massive logistics network.

However, if you sell across multiple channels, have larger products, want to maintain brand identity, or prefer predictable pricing, consider alternative ecommerce fulfillment solutions. At Medallion Fulfillment, we’ve helped many businesses transition away from FBA to achieve better cost control, enhanced branding opportunities, and improved customer relationships.

Making the Right Choice for Your Growth

The best fulfillment solution depends on your specific business model, growth goals, and priorities. Amazon FBA isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s about finding the right fit for your unique needs.

Before committing to any fulfillment service, carefully evaluate your current and projected order volumes, product characteristics, sales channels, and brand objectives. Consider speaking with fulfillment experts who can provide unbiased guidance based on your specific situation.

Ready to explore your fulfillment options? Contact our team at Medallion Fulfillment to discuss how we can support your business growth with flexible, cost-effective solutions tailored to your needs.

April 14, 2025

Self Fulfilling: Ecommerce Fulfillment Limitations and How to Grow

Fulfillment Center worker picking a fulfillment service order.

How Fulfilling Your Own Ecommerce Orders Can Limit Growth

Fulfilling your own ecommerce orders might seem like a cost-effective way to manage your business initially. After all, when your business is just starting out, keeping things in-house feels manageable and gives you control. However, as your business grows, this DIY approach can become a serious bottleneck, limiting your ability to scale effectively.

At Medallion Fulfillment, we’ve worked alongside countless ecommerce business owners who have faced this challenge. Here are the key reasons why taking order fulfillment into your own hands can slow your business’s growth.

1. It’s Time-Consuming

Every second you spend packing boxes, managing inventory, and coordinating shipping is time taken away from activities that actually grow your business. Tasks like marketing, crafting new product lines, and building customer relationships are vital to your long-term success. Order fulfillment eats into this crucial time, leaving little room to focus on scaling your business.

2. It’s Not Scalable

What works when you have ten orders a week can quickly become overwhelming when your business starts receiving hundreds of orders daily. Suddenly, your home warehouse or rented storage unit no longer has the capacity, and your shipping process becomes tangled with delays and inefficiency. Scaling a business requires adaptable systems, and in-house fulfillment is rarely equipped to handle the needs of a booming ecommerce operation.

3. It’s Costly in the Long Run

DIY fulfillment might save money when your order volume is low, but as your business grows, costs can balloon. Renting storage space, hiring staff, and buying packing supplies can add up quickly. Factor in higher shipping fees from lack of carrier partnerships, and the actual cost of in-house fulfillment might be higher than you realize.

Additionally, mistakes like shipping the wrong items or delayed deliveries not only cost money but chip away at customer trust, which is far more expensive to rebuild.

4. It Stretches Resources Thin

Ecommerce businesses often thrive on innovation, creativity, and customer engagement. Handling fulfillment drains your resources, leaving little room to invest in areas essential to growth. Whether it’s building a stronger marketing strategy or expanding into new product categories, your focus shifts away from these priorities when you’re knee-deep in tape and shipping labels.

The Solution? Partner with a Fulfillment Center

Fulfillment centers like Medallion Fulfillment specialize in streamlining order fulfillment, inventory management, and shipping. By outsourcing fulfillment to an experienced partner, you’ll gain back your time, minimize costs, and unlock the ability to scale––without worrying about the logistics.

Here’s what we offer to help your ecommerce business thrive:

Expert Inventory Management: Know exactly how much stock you have at all times.
Faster Shipping: We’ve built carrier relationships that keep shipping costs low and delivery times fast.
Tasting Notes of Customer Satisfaction (Exclusive Deals): From next-day delivery services to personalized packaging, our services drive repeat orders.

Growing a business is challenging enough without being weighed down by fulfillment tasks. At Medallion Fulfillment, we’re here to remove that burden and help you focus on what you do best––growing your brand.

Contact Medallion Fulfillment today to discover how we can help your ecommerce business scale with ease.

March 10, 2025March 3, 2025

5 Benefits to Hiring a Fulfillment Warehouse

Managing a growing eCommerce business comes with its fair share of challenges. From packing and shipping to inventory management, it can quickly become overwhelming to handle all fulfillment tasks in-house. That’s where a fulfillment warehouse can be your best ally.

At Medallion Fulfillment, we specialize in helping eCommerce businesses thrive by streamlining their operations. But why should you consider partnering with a fulfillment company, and how can it benefit your business? Below, we’ll cover the top five reasons.

What is a Fulfillment Warehouse?

A fulfillment warehouse is an external facility that stores your inventory, picks and packs orders, and ensures your products are delivered to your customers as quickly and efficiently as possible. By outsourcing these tasks to professionals, businesses can save resources and focus on growth.

1. Cost Savings

Running an in-house fulfillment operation requires substantial investment in space, staff, equipment, and software. Not to mention, shipping and handling costs can add up fast without access to volume discounts.

Fulfillment companies like Medallion Fulfillment help you cut these costs by:

Offering shared resources (warehouse space, staffing, and more).
Providing access to discounted shipping rates through established relationships with carriers.
Eliminating the need to hire additional staff or lease extra warehouse space during peak seasons.

By outsourcing your eCommerce fulfillment, you only pay for the services you need, making it a cost-effective solution compared to managing it yourself.

2. Scalability

Growing pains are real for eCommerce businesses. Sudden sales spikes during the holidays or product launches can overwhelm in-house fulfillment teams. Conversely, slow seasons can leave you paying for unused resources.

A fulfillment warehouse allows you to scale up or down depending on your needs. Whether you’re experiencing a seasonal rush or expanding into new markets, Medallion Fulfillment ensures your operations stay smooth and flexible. With the ability to adjust quickly, your business can handle growth without missing a beat.

3. Time Savings

Order processing, inventory management, and shipping logistics can eat up hours of your time. Time that could be better spent on growing your business, improving product offerings, or engaging with your customers.

With a fulfillment company handling these time-intensive tasks, you can:

Focus on core business activities like marketing and product development.
Eliminate the hassle of packing and shipping orders yourself.
Rest assured that your customers are getting their orders promptly and efficiently.

At Medallion Fulfillment, we take care of the logistics so you can focus on your eCommerce goals.

4. Improved Customer Service

Happy customers are key to any successful business. Fulfillment warehouses help you deliver exceptional service by ensuring fast, accurate, and reliable order processing.

Here’s how our services improve customer satisfaction:

Faster Shipping: With strategically located warehouses, we get your products to customers faster.
Order Accuracy: Advanced technology ensures orders are picked, packed, and shipped accurately every time.
Returns Management: We handle returns seamlessly, leaving your customers satisfied and your team stress-free.

Satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat buyers—and we help you build that loyalty.

5. Access to Expertise and Technology

Partnering with a fulfillment warehouse means gaining access to tools and expertise that are often out of reach for small and mid-sized businesses.

At Medallion Fulfillment, we leverage:

Advanced Inventory Management Systems to keep your stock levels optimized.
Real-time Data Tracking to provide insights into your sales and shipping performance.
Experienced Teams who handle every fulfillment detail with precision.

With our industry expertise and cutting-edge tools, your business gains a competitive edge, allowing you to operate with confidence and professionalism.

Time to Streamline Your Fulfillment

Hiring a fulfillment warehouse like Medallion Fulfillment can transform your eCommerce operations. From cost savings to scalability and improved customer service, the advantages are clear.

Take the next step toward simplifying your logistics and enhancing your customer experience. Contact Medallion Fulfillment today for a free quote, and see how we can help your business thrive.

March 3, 2025

How to Market Your Brand for eCommerce Success

When you’re running an eCommerce business, standing out in a crowded digital market can feel like an uphill climb. But effective marketing isn’t about shouting the loudest; it’s about connecting with your audience authentically and strategically. At Medallion Fulfillment, with our years of experience supporting small businesses, we’ve seen firsthand the strategies that elevate brands. Here are some essential tips to help you market your business successfully.

1. Define Your Brand Identity

Your brand identity is much more than a logo or color palette. It’s about your story, your values, and how you solve your customers’ problems. Develop a brand voice and messaging that resonates with your target audience. Ask yourself:

What are the core values of your business?
What emotions do you want your brand to evoke?

Having a clear brand identity allows you to connect authentically with customers, building trust and loyalty over time.

2. Leverage Social Media to Build a Community

Social media offers a dynamic way to showcase your brand’s personality and engage with your audience. Use platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to create meaningful interactions.

Post regularly, mixing product updates with behind-the-scenes content and user-generated posts.
Respond to comments and messages promptly to build relationships.
Utilize polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos to engage followers.

Social media isn’t just about selling; it’s about creating a community of loyal, engaged customers.

3. Use Content Marketing to Drive Traffic (and Authority)

Content is king—and for a good reason. By creating high-quality, valuable content, you can draw organic traffic to your site while establishing your brand as an authority in your niche.

Write blog posts on topics your audience cares about (target long-tail keywords like “content marketing tips for small businesses”).
Consider how-to guides, case studies, and videos that showcase your products or expertise.
Share this content across social platforms to maximize your reach.

The more valuable your content, the more likely customers are to trust you and make a purchase.

4. Harness the Power of Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most effective ways to nurture leads and encourage repeat customers. With a little strategy, you can deliver personalized, high-converting communication.

Welcome new subscribers with a warm, value-driven email series.
Share promotions, product launches, or tips tailored to their interests.
Use segmentation to ensure you’re reaching the right audience with the right message.

Done right, email marketing feels personal and keeps customers coming back.

5. Analyze Data to Refine Your Strategy

Finally, no marketing strategy is complete without data. Knowing how your campaigns perform allows you to identify what’s working—and pivot when necessary.

Track website analytics to measure conversions and customer behavior.
Analyze email open rates, click-through rates, and sales trends.
Use social media metrics to gauge audience engagement and refine content.

The key to continuously improving your return on investment (ROI) is learning from your data and adjusting strategies accordingly.

Partner with Medallion Fulfillment for Success

While you’re focused on building the perfect marketing strategy for your brand, don’t forget that ecommerce fulfillment plays a critical role in delighting your customers. From managing inventory to shipping orders seamlessly, a strong fulfillment partner can take a significant load off your plate.

At Medallion Fulfillment, we help small business owners like you focus on growing your business while we handle the logistics. Get in touch today to learn how we can support your success.