Commission, local payment methods, template quality and owning your data: eight criteria that separate a platform that grows with you from one that eats into your margin.
Every store platform claims to be the easiest and the most powerful, and comparing pricing pages alone is misleading. A platform that is cheaper per month can cost more by the end of the year if it takes a cut of every order, and one with beautiful templates may not support the way your customers actually pay. These are the criteria we ask every merchant to weigh before choosing.
1. Sales commission: count it over a full year
Ask first whether the platform takes a percentage of each order. A small percentage looks harmless in month one, but it grows precisely as you succeed. Multiply your expected monthly sales by the rate and by twelve, then compare the figure with a flat subscription. No-commission platforms keep every sale's profit with you and make your costs predictable.
2. The payment methods your customers really use
In many of our markets, cash on delivery, bank transfers and local wallets are still the norm, not cards. A card-only platform will lose you a large share of customers. Look for cash on delivery, transfers with receipt upload, and a payment status on every order.
3. Templates: do they fit what you sell?
- Are the templates truly right-to-left Arabic, or hastily translated?
- Is there a template for your trade: perfume, fashion, electronics, restaurants?
- Are they fast on a phone? Test from your own phone before subscribing.
- Can you edit text, images and fonts without a developer?
4. Order and inventory management
A real store starts after the order: is every order saved with a reference number? Is stock reserved instantly so you never sell the same piece twice? Do products support variants (size, colour, volume), each with its own stock? Can you see repeat customers and sales reports?
5. WhatsApp integration
Customers love WhatsApp, so pick a platform that keeps it: the order is saved to your dashboard first, then reaches you on WhatsApp neatly laid out with items, address and total.
6. Search engine visibility
Does every product get its own title and description? Is there a sitemap that updates itself? Is structured data added so price and rating can show in Google results? These are technical details, but they decide whether people find your store or only those you send the link to.
7. Your domain and your brand
Start on a free link if you like, but make sure you can connect your own domain later, and that your products and data stay yours when you change template or plan.
8. Support in your language and time zone
When something breaks on the eve of Eid, you need a team that answers in Arabic on WhatsApp, not a ticket form answered two days later.
The best platform isn't the one with the most features; it's the one that makes buying from you easiest and leaves your profit with you.
We built RVIOS Store on these criteria: no commission, cash on delivery and local transfers, 18 Arabic templates, orders saved then sent on WhatsApp, and a free plan to start.