When just starting out in e-commerce, it is crucial to choose the right platform that suits your business needs and budget. The best e-commerce platform for beginners will depend on factors such as ease of use, cost, customization options, scalability, and available features. Based on these criteria, Shopify emerges as the top choice for beginners.

1. Ease of use: Shopify offers a user-friendly interface, making it easy for beginners to set up and manage their online stores without any technical expertise. Its drag-and-drop functionality allows users to customize their store's design and layout effortlessly.

2. Cost: Shopify provides various pricing plans, including a basic plan starting at $29 per month, making it affordable for small businesses. Additionally, it eliminates the need for additional expenses like hosting, security, or domain registration, which are often required with self-hosted platforms.

3. Customization options: Shopify offers a wide range of professionally designed themes and templates that can be easily customized to match your brand's identity. Moreover, Shopify's app store provides thousands of plugins and extensions to enhance your store's functionality, such as adding social media integration, customer reviews, or advanced analytics.

4. Scalability: As your business grows, Shopify ensures scalability by offering plans that can accommodate higher levels of traffic and sales. It handles technical aspects like server maintenance, security, and performance optimization, allowing you to focus on business growth.

5. Features: Shopify provides a comprehensive set of features that cater to the needs of beginners. It includes built-in SEO tools, mobile responsiveness, secure payment gateways, abandoned cart recovery, inventory management, and order tracking. These features are essential for a smooth customer experience and efficient store management.

6. Support: Shopify offers 24/7 customer support through various channels, including live chat, email, and phone, ensuring that beginners receive timely assistance whenever needed. Moreover, Shopify has an extensive knowledge base and an active community forum where users can find answers to common questions or seek advice from experienced store owners.

Example: A successful e-commerce store, Gymshark, started on Shopify. They grew from a small startup to a multi-million dollar business, utilizing Shopify's ease of use, scalability, and extensive feature set. Gymshark's co-founder, Ben Francis, mentioned in an interview that Shopify allowed them to focus on their core business rather than worrying about technical aspects.

References:

1. Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/
2. Gymshark success story: https://www.shopify.com/success-stories/gymshark