To a German version of this article
This post has been updated in April 2023.
Ecommerce platform or content management system (CMS)? While just a few years ago, this question sparked heated debates, today we say: why not both? In this post we show you how to combine content and commerce for great shopping experiences. And we'll also introduce to you the best ecommerce CMS on the market.
Shopware connects shop system and content management, it's a key feature. Previous Shopping Worlds in Shopware were created to meet the expectations that online shoppers have when it comes to modern online shopping. Individuality, outstanding shopping experiences, and emotional storytelling promote customer loyalty and contribute to increased conversion rates.
In Shopware 6, we have taken content management and customer centricity to the next level.
The best CMS ecommerce solution: that's our vision of content management
Shopping Worlds from Shopware 5 has been a success story. It is a very popular and well-known feature, and is, to this day, an ideal basis for successful content commerce. Over the years, we have gathered plenty of experience and feedback from the community. We have pooled this knowledge and developed Shopware 6, and, additionally, thought ahead a few steps.
We want our CMS ecommerce solution to be as good at content commerce as a pure CMS, because we believe that online retailing and content management cannot be separated. We are committed to providing uniform user experiences and to guiding users through the purchasing process with personalized content. This process begins with the customer’s first contact with the product: We reach customers where they happen to be at the time they discover the product (see also: headless commerce benefits). From POS, blog, or Instagram feed, customers are taken directly to Shopping Experience and a consistent product story that will take them all the way to the checkout.
Shopware 6 facilitates this future-oriented customer journey.
A CMS design tool for freedom, creativity and peace of mind
The new Shopping Experiences feature is a vast working platform for users in which new layouts can be easily created. All settings are available at a glance; there is no need for any advance planning regarding the grid, the number of columns and lines, etc. Only the name and the type of the Shopping Experience (landing page, category page, etc.) must be specified, then you can create the best ecommerce shopping experiences possible.
Predefined blocks can be dragged and dropped into the preview editor of the work space and freely moved around and adjusted at any time. Automatically inserted placeholder content provides users with a realistic idea of the Shopping Experience environment they are creating early on, making the creation process simpler and faster.
Each individual element is fully responsive, which means that the Shopping Experience automatically display correctly on any device. Bit by bit, and block by block, personalised and individual layouts can be created. And if the Shopping Experience starts to get very long from combining so many blocks, there is a navigator in the settings bar that provides an overview.
In addition to traditional landing pages, this simple approach can be used to design category pages and shop pages. What is particularly helpful is that a single layout can be assigned to any number of categories making it unnecessary to design an individual Shopping Experience for each category.
Shopping Experiences and ecommerce automation with the Rule Builder: two features working hand in hand
With Shopware 6, we are introducing shop operators to a number of new features that are a great match for the Shopping Experiences feature.
Ecommerce automation with the Rule Builder, for example, allows very specific customer targeting when used in combination with Shopping Experiences. Based on predefined rules, particular Shopping Experiences or layouts can be displayed for the different target groups with customised layouts and offerings to premium customers, new customers, or other customer groups based on the Rule Builder specifications. In addition to that, rules can be used for numerous promotions.
An ecommerce CMS that supports international commerce
Shopware 6 has been designed to allow for flexible and simple international use. This approach is also reflected in the Shopping Experiences.
All languages determined in the shop settings are also available in the Shopping Experiences, and can be selected as the display language. The desired content can therefore be entered in the target language directly into the individual blocks and then be more specifically tailored towards the individual target groups. Using the Rule Builder, it is also possible to display a designated Shopping Experience with its own layout for each country.
Highlights of Shopping Experiences
- Flexible and simple handling via a drag & drop editor
- Predefined blocks are part of the standard package
- Preview editor and placeholder content to allow for optimised visualisation
- Responsiveness: all elements know how to behave on any device
- Navigator tool as a guide for pages with multiple blocks or long Shopping Experiences
- Layouts can be assigned multiple times
- Data mapping: content is filled in automatically
- Easy translation options for using Shopping Experiences internationally
Features of the ecommerce CMS and Shopping Experiences
Shopping Exeriences make creating content so much fun, and they are a powerful feature since the initial release of Shopware 6. Dynamic data exchange, significantly reduced complexity of work steps, and comprehensive design options excite even non-programmers.
Since the release of Shopware 6, the Shopware roadmap has of course been pursued further and further, so that the range of functions of the Shopping Experiences has grown considerably in the meantime. The following elements have been added subsequently:
More Layouts
It is now possible to design even more types of pages with the Shopping Experiences feature. In creating your unique online presence, you are also able to individually adapt product detail pages. Along with this, many new elements can also be used in other layouts, such as Buybox or Cross-Selling.
Storytelling
Once again we want Shopware 6 to take customers on an emotional journey through the online store. Storytelling allows for unique brand experiences and is now a fixed staple of the Shopping Experiences feature as well. The Storytelling feature allows you to guide your customers through your store pages using a scrolling navigation. This feature is available for the Evolve and Beyond plan.
Quick view
While visiting a Shopping Experiences page, customers should always be able to receive further information about a product without interrupting their journey. Customers can return from the quick view to their original position at any time, which keeps the unity of journey, story, and emotions. This feature is now part of the Evolve and Beyond plan.
Versioning and release processes
The Shopware Publisher is a particularly useful feature available to all users of the Evolve and Beyond plan. It allows you to create drafts of an existing layout and editing existing Shopping Experiences without changing the live version of a layout. In addition, an activity feed shows you who has already worked on the layouts and a preview makes it possible for you to view unpublished layouts in the storefront. The Shopware Publisher will be enhanced with more practical features in future iterations.
Assigning a layout directly from the Designer
FAQ - best ecommerce CMS:
What is an ecommerce CMS?
An ecommerce CMS (Content Management System) is a software platform that enables businesses to manage and operate their online store, including product listings, customer information, order processing, and all types of content that make a shop stand out.
Which CMS is best for ecommerce?
One of the best CMS for ecommerce is Shopware 6. Based on an open-source ecommerce platform, it lets you create the most dazzling shopping experiences and ecommerce websites.
What is the best headless CMS for ecommerce?
The best headless CMS for ecommerce has been developed by Shopware, an open-source ecommerce platform that is one of the market leaders in Europe and a top ten ecommerce solution worldwide.
What is the best open-source ecommerce CMS?
The best open-source ecommerce CMS is Shopware 6, one of the best Magento 1 alternatives and Magento 2 alternatives. Since 2020, more than 2,000 merchants around the globe have done a migration from Magento to Shopware.
