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10 e-commerce platforms make selling simpler

Whether you're a large company or a one-person operation, these tools can help you sell from your website.

When the Internet was first opened to the public, its promise seemed to lie in the exchange of knowledge and information. However, it very quickly also became a story about commerce, proving that whenever people gather, even if it's online, someone will always try to sell you something.

In the early days of the Web, e-commerce tools were hard-coded into a site. Now, these tools come in two varieties: stand-alone servers that run as full-fledged websites, or plug-ins created by content management tools such as Joomla or WordPress that can be integrated into an existing site.

These tools provide online merchants -- from individuals to large corporations -- with the capability to enter new products, track existing product inventory, and give customers safe and varied options for shipping and payment.

To find some of the best e-commerce tools that are available today, we took a good look at ten of the better-known e-commerce platforms currently available.

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