Ask any founder, marketing head, or product lead starting an e-commerce business, and this question is bound to show up early:

“Which platform should we build on?”

It’s a fair question. And also a tricky one.

Over the past 10+ years, I’ve worked across the full spectrum — agency-side, brand-side, founder-side. I’ve been in conversations where platform decisions were made in 15 minutes over a call. I’ve also seen discussions stretch over two months with tech leads, finance heads, and consultants on the table.

In both cases, the platform choice can be the difference between launch velocity and long-term frustration.

So, let’s break it down — minus the noise.

The Usual Contenders

WooCommerce

It’s a popular choice — especially if you’re already on WordPress. Open-source, affordable, and quite flexible.

But flexibility comes with responsibility. You’ll need a good dev team to maintain it, secure it, and optimize it regularly. Also, plugin compatibility and hosting performance can become a rabbit hole fast.

Good for: Content-heavy sites adding e-commerce, tight budgets, teams with in-house devs
Watch out for: Security, performance issues, maintenance overhead

Magento (Now Adobe Commerce)

Enterprise-grade and powerful. Used by brands with large catalogs, multiple storefronts, and complex backend workflows.

But it’s resource-heavy — on both infra and team. Unless you’re operating at scale or building for global multi-region operations, it’s like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight.

Good for: Large enterprises, global multi-storefronts, advanced custom logic
Watch out for: Cost, time-to-market, dev dependency

Custom Build

Sometimes, you just want full control — headless architecture, custom backend logic, PWA frontends, integrations out of the box. Sure.

But custom builds are rarely needed at an early stage unless your business model demands it.

Good for: Funded startups with unique workflows or advanced product logic
Watch out for: High upfront cost, long dev cycles, dependency on a strong tech team

Shopify

Now to the one most talked about — and often misunderstood.

Shopify is often dismissed as “too template-driven” or “not flexible enough.” But if you’re a small to mid-sized business looking to launch quickly, focus on customers, and iterate fast — it’s hard to beat.

In our experience at Scrolling Rabbit, we’ve worked with multiple brands where Shopify helped them get to market faster, avoid tech burnout, and grow their store without touching code every week.

Good for: D2C brands, SMBs, B2B exploring D2C, digital-first founders
Watch out for: App costs stacking up, limitations with deep backend customizations

You can explore more on our Shopify Development Services page if you’re curious — no pitch, just how we approach it.

My Framework for Picking the Right Platform

When I consult founders or teams, I don’t start with “Which platform?”

I start with:

• How fast do you need to go live?
  
• What’s your team’s tech bandwidth?
  
• Are you building something unique, or solving a common use-case better?
  
• How critical is SEO, performance, or long-term flexibility for you right now?
  
• Do you want to scale globally, or prove locally first?
  

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Well, I just want to go live, test, and grow fast without breaking things…” — then chances are, Shopify will check most of your boxes.

Final Thought: The Platform Doesn’t Make the Brand

At the end of the day, your e-commerce success won’t be defined by your tech stack. It’ll be shaped by your product, storytelling, customer experience, and how well your team executes.

So don’t let the platform decision paralyze you.

Pick what works for you today — and make sure it doesn’t slow you down tomorrow.

If you’re still unsure, I’m always happy to have a no-obligation 20-minute chat to unpack what your business really needs. Just drop me a line.

Madhu Sudan

As the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Scrolling Rabbit, I spearhead the digital transformation to drive growth. I develop and execute comprehensive digital strategies aligned with business objectives, championing innovation and digital best practices. Leading a high-performing team, I foster collaboration, client engagement, and digital marketing excellence. I oversee web development, stay abreast of industry trends, and drive continuous improvement. With a focus on human resource development and budget management, I ensure efficient resource allocation and talent retention. My role is pivotal in maintaining Scrolling Rabbit’s digital leadership and delivering exceptional results.