Since yours is a small business, you want to opt for an ecommerce platform that is affordable and that does not offer a lot of capabilities. Moreover, setting up online store should be quick and easy using the platform. When taking your business online, you shouldn’t spend a bomb in purchasing a B2C or B2B ecommerce software.

Following are the things to consider before finalizing ecommerce platform for small business:

No Coding Required
Absence of programming/coding knowledge shouldn’t come in your way of using the Ecommerce platform. Most small retailers are unaware of coding and even don’t have the budget to hire developers. In such circumstances, choose one that does not require coding for operating it. So whether it is about adding visually-appealing templates to your online store, controlling inventory or doing customizations, it should be done with absolutely no coding.
Code free, point-and-click design system with drag and drop options are the hallmarks of a modern ecommerce platform. In short, you should be able to build your own online store without having prior knowledge of coding.

Ease of Use
When you are venturing into online business for the first time, you don’t want to use an online ecommerce solution that is complicated to use. Although open source platforms are free, you will need competent developers in order to customize the platform as per your needs. Even if you are a highly skilled programmer, you will have to spend a lot of time in order to implement your particular solution. So starting an online business by setting up an open source store is not recommended. Whereas the on-premise technology comes with huge setup cost, hence is not a feasible option for small businesses.
A better option is to use a cloud-based ecommerce platform that can be accessed via the Internet and moreover the software and servers are managed by the ecommerce provider. Cloud based platforms are affordable as they are available on a monthly subscription basis. In fact, cloud technology provide the cheapest possible way to launch an online store.

Although there is no need to have an incredibly feature-rich ecommerce platform for small business, it should have some basic set of features like email marketing in order to build brand awareness.