Why Use Ruby on Rails for eCommerce Project? (Proven Case Study)

Table of Contents

Overview

These days, one does not have to wait to plan for shopping to go get a particular product that one needs. Just make a wish, scroll the list, and click to shop! SO SIMPLE!

As per a Statista report, the e-retail sale in 2020 has surpassed 3.5 trillion and they expect that the share of ECommerce sales in the Global Retail Sales in 2023 will be 22%. The most popular and successful eCommerce shopping platform is Shopify, which is built with the Ruby on Rails backend development. Let us find out what makes Ruby on Rails the best choice for developing an e-commerce web app development.

Ruby on Rails for E-commerce: The Perfect Choice

Ruby on Rails framework is rising as the most popular services of the IT industry after PHP and ASP.net. According to BuiltWith data, there are 3,738,234 websites made with Ruby on Rails framework, and 45,973 websites, which is 4.6% are in the top 1 million. Ruby eCommerce empowers businesses to create scalable and feature-rich online stores using the power of the programming language.

Check out the various types of Ruby on Rails e-commerce platforms:

Types of e-Commerce Projects Build with RoR

? Business to Business B2B: Though online wholesale selling is a bit obscure, still, it has become a customary thing in today’s time. The best example of a B2B website is Alibaba. As per the Frost and Sullivan prediction, the B2B market which was at 5.12 trillion sales in 2012, will hit 12 trillion in 2020.

In the past few years of consumerization, we have seen a sweet decline in B2C and contradictorily a hike in B2B channels. Looking at the market drift, 69% of the business consumers are deciding to stop their physical marketing patterns like catalog printing five years from now. Following the B2C footsteps, the B2B also have embraced RoR for eCommerce development.

? Business to Customer B2C: This is the most common business outlet where the business sells products to the end-users. Ruby on Rails for eCommerce has a unique interface-centric implementation which is ideal for the modern web stores that deliver an amazing user experience. Not only the e-commerce stores but the SaaS or the licensed or open-source software support the Business to Customer business model using RoR.

? B2BC: This business model combines the B2B, and the B2C business models are gaining popularity recently. Big names like Walmart, Amazon, and AliExpress are turning towards this business model by accepting outside partnerships. RoR is a versatile framework to combine these business models and establish your B2B2C business startup.

? Subscription-based: As per the McKinsey report, every year the subscription-based market witnesses a growth of 100. For example, in 2011 it was $57 million which turned to be $2.6 billion in 2016. Ruby on rails e-commerce proves to be the best fit for the subscription-based business model. There are even Shopify subscription apps to help your e-commerce site take advantage of the subscription model.

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Why choose Ruby on Rails Framework for eCommerce Web Development

The Fifth Collection, AirBnB, Couchsurfing, Groupon, and many more are big examples of Ruby on Rails e-commerce companies that have successfully proved the potential of RoR framework. The RoR framework makes a perfect choice for validating the idea of your eCommerce website and enables you faster development.

Here are the main reasons to choose Ruby on Rails for eCommerce development

Cost-effective

Ruby on Rails is a Free and Open-source web development framework, and so you need not pay for the licensing fee and straightaway start your RoR eCommerce development by hiring elite developers from a Ruby on Rails development company. This makes RoR a pocket-friendly option for your eCommerce startup. Hence, you must not fret about loosening your pockets or getting a hole in your pocket for developing your Ruby on Rails eCommerce project.

Rapid MVP development

The most beneficial aspect of the RoR framework is its speedy ability of Minimum Viable Product development. The Ruby on Rails framework follows convention-over-configuration so that you do not need any excessive configuration like in Django. You get efficient development with the DRY and MVC architecture even with a small team of RoR developers.

Flexible framework

RoR framework easily enables you to modify your code anytime and there are several plugins available for further modification in your Ruby on Rails ecommerce project. This flexibility of the framework enables you to rework your project code without breaking it from the scratch. You get to enhance and comprehend the functionality on the go.

Secure development

An online shopping app needs to be highly secure because a user relies on the transaction and payment. Ruby on Rails for eCommerce development is reliable because it offers various gems available in the community for secure protection of your eCommerce application. For eg. safer pay-gem for user payment detail protection, brakeman for a security vulnerability, bundler-audit for patch-level verification, and more.

Vast ecosystem

Ruby on Rails has a vast community of GitHub and there are 150000 RubyGems for adding exclusive functionality in your web projects. There is a wide range of ready-to-use plug-ins for enhancing your website and making it error-free. There are regular updates from the framework and the community provides assistance to overcome any sort of challenges.

Powerful framework

Ruby on Rails Framework comes with a standard set of policies that make it less prone to challenges even when your project uses heavy coding. You will face no lags and rather assure stability when developing Ruby on Rails eCommerce applications. Thanks to the elimination of configuration that eases your development.

Ease of development

Ruby on Rails comes with several automation features that simplify your development process like test-automation, and the DRY principle makes the debugging process glitch-free. The RoR framework guides the developers with the best coding practices so that they come to the right development solutions.

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Q. What to do if you want to launch your Ruby on Rails ECommerce Store from scratch?
A. There are a lot of essential features and functionalities that will help you to sell your product effectively: effective product management, a reliable payment gateway, and a well-planned shipping system. If yes, there are a lot of essential features and functionalities that will help you to sell your product effectively: effective product management, a reliable payment gateway, and a well-planned shipping system.

But, before we get into details, we need to pick the best Ruby on Rails eCommerce framework to build a modern, compelling, yet revenue-generating e-commerce store. And that’s where ROR comes to the rescue. Ruby on Rails is a smart and tested choice to start with your rails eCommerce from scratch venture as it provides a bunch of readymade functionalities and solutions for your online store.

Ruby on Rails eCommerce Store: Leverage It

Yes, Ruby on Rails development services is a smart choice to start your online RoR eCommerce store as it provides lots of ready-made and free solutions to implement basic features for your online store.

Let’s find out what rail has to offer for different sections of the e-commerce store.

1. Storefront

When a prospective user lands to your website, your online e-commerce storefront is all that is sees and experience: high pixel images and product descriptions, pricing and company information, contact and shipping information, and so on. All that a user wants is an enjoyable user experience to navigate to your store and find easily what they’re looking for to make a quicker purchase.

If your competitor offers the same product and service that’s quite simpler to understand and buy, the customer won’t linger around you. The critical point here is that a well-planned UX can make or break your website. If your website hosts a smooth and seamless user experience, it can raise conversion rates by 200% and can encourage customers to stay loyal to your brand for a more extended period.

Some of the useful functionalities and extensions for your storefront are:

• Recommendation system
• Product Zoom
• Translation and localization

2. Inventory Management

Manage all your products and product lines easily with ruby on rails inventory management system. With Ruby on Rails stock market app, you can:

• Track no of units in stock
• Get notification about real-time stock updates and thus eliminate stock run out issues
• Stock checking and examination
• Remove low-grade products with less customer satisfaction

Now increase conversions, maximize sales, and boost your business revenue with the below features:

• Product variation
• Product organization
• Import & Export products

3. Payment

• Let your customers go with seamless transactions with one-stop payment. It means customers can pay for goods or products without signing or creating an account.
• Apart from that, Ruby on rails community provides integrations with multiple payment gateways such as Paypal, Stripe, Braintree, Amazon pay, and so on.
• Now go global anytime and anywhere and ensure hassle-free payments by implementing extensions such as Spree_gateway and Spree_multi_currency.

Ruby on Rails eCommerce Frameworks

Ruby on Rails comes with few predefined solutions that enable you faster and affordable eCommerce development. Check out the two most used and popular Ruby on Rails eCommerce frameworks:

Spree

The RailsCart project (2007) evolved to become the Spree framework 0.0.9 version and is now available on spreecommerce.org. The Spree framework which is open-source helps you in developing large eCommerce applications with various extensions and 3rd party integrations. You get various features and functionalities with the Ruby on Rails Spree framework for omnichannel marketing, customers, back-office, international sales, analytics, payment, search, taxes, and much more.

Solidus

In 2015, the Solidus framework was forked from the Spree framework and it primarily focuses on high-volume business and storefronts. Solidus is also an open-source Ruby on Rails framework like Spree, but has major distinctions as mentioned below: Stable code which is ready for production

• Easy Upgradation
• Product management
• Tax calculations
• Better 3rd-party integrations

Some famous use-cases of the companies using the Ruby on Rials Solidus framework are Floyd, Glossier, Wonderbly, etc.

Nimbleshop

Nimbleshop is an open-source e-commerce framework built with Ruby on Rails, designed to be a lightweight, flexible solution for online store development. With over 69K downloads, it offers impressive functionality for efficiently managing product catalogs, which includes creating, editing, and organizing products.

The framework also provides a seamless shopping system that allows users to add products, update quantities, and process checkout effortlessly. It simplifies order processing with features for order placement, tracking, and fulfillment, ensuring efficient management of your customer’s orders.

Nimbleshop stands out with its seamless integration capabilities with multiple payment gateways, ensuring secure and convenient payment processing. Moreover, it emphasizes customization, empowering business owners to tailor the platform to match unique business requirements and design preferences to meet their business goals.

Stall

Stall, an open-source e-commerce framework built on Ruby on Rails, provides simplicity and flexibility for developing online stores. With over 16K downloads, it offers a range of features and tools that enable business owners to manage e-commerce websites effectively.

With Stall, business owners can easily manage their product catalog by creating, editing, and organizing products with various attributes, categories, and pricing options. The framework supports internalization and localization, enabling the creation of localized versions to cater to a global audience. It also focuses on SEO- friendly URLs, helping improve your store’s visibility in search engine results.

Overall, Stall is a versatile solution for small businesses, digital product providers, B2B e-commerce companies, and niche businesses to effectively establish and manage their online stores.

Top 3 eCommerce platforms built using RoR

Shopify

Shopify, a leading eCommerce platform, dominates nearly 20% of the market share. Its core functionality and backend infrastructure are built using Ruby on Rails (ROR). With its user-friendly interface and extensive feature set, Shopify empowers businesses to create and manage online stores. It provides comprehensive solutions for product management, payment processing, order handling, and more.

As of 2023, Shopify boasts a staggering 4.4 million websites globally, spanning across 175 countries. This widespread adoption showcases its popularity and reaches among businesses. Notably, in 2022, it also recorded a remarkable revenue of $5.6 billion, demonstrating its success and financial performance.

Groupon

Groupon is an established eCommerce platform renowned for its vast selection of deals and discounts across various products and services. Through its user-friendly website and mobile applications, Groupon connects businesses with millions of customers, offering discounted offers, coupons, and vouchers for various categories such as travel, restaurants, beauty, electronics, and more.

Groupon has developed and maintained a robust and scalable eCommerce platform using Ruby on Rails as its underlying framework. The flexibility and productivity of ROR have aided in the rapid development of Groupon’s features and functionality. With over 24 million active customers, it is a successful example of a Ruby on Rails eCommerce website in the competitive eCommerce market.

Etsy

Etsy is a specialized eCommerce platform that caters to the market of handmade, vintage, and unique items. It serves as an independent platform for small businesses and artisans to showcase and sell their products to a global customer base. Etsy leverages ROR for its backend development, harnessing the power to create a seamless user experience.

Recent stats reveal that Etsy boasts over 94 million users who actively engage with the platform, while it hosts a remarkable 7.3 million sellers ruling the place all over. These figures highlight Etsy’s extensive reach and popularity as a thriving marketplace and one of the leading Ruby on Rails eCommerce platforms for artisans and creative entrepreneurs.

Building Ruby on Rails eCommerce Product: A Case Study

Now that you are aware how RoR framework makes the best-fit for developing an eCommerce project, let me share a case study of Bacancy Technology which gives you an easy understanding of why we motivate you to go for Ruby on Rails for eCommerce development. We developed a Ruby on Rails eCommerce website for a company that sells emergency beacons used in aviation, marine, hikers, boats, cyclists, pilots, combat troops, etc.

Beacons are small gadgets that transmit low-energy Bluetooth signals to nearby transmitters in the range. Here we will share the challenges that we faced during developing this best eCommerce platform using Ruby on Rails and how we ensured to find solutions to the problems.

• Client Location: USA
• Industry: eCommerce
• Product: Web application
• Scope: Back-end & Front-end

Challenges and Solutions

Challenge 1:
There was trouble in connecting remote databases to test Beacons with SMS check.

Solution:

Core Features in RoR eCommerce Project

The essential features and functionalities that we added in this best Ruby on Rails eCommerce platform were as mentioned below:

• User Roles and Login Permissions
• Remote Database Connections
• Stories and News
• Checkout Flow after the product purchase
• SEO Google tag manager
• Google map functionality
• Multiple Language Support
• SEO tasks like crawling, analytics, schema tags, sitemaps
• CloudFront storage for images and videos
• SMS

Technical Stack for RoR eCommerce Project

The technologies and tools that we used in this project are as follows:

Resources and Time Frame

This one is one of our ongoing projects and by far now (past year), 7 Ruby on Rails have been working on it along with a React developer, Quality Analyst, and a Designer. The client is much satisfied with our quality of work and we hope this project turns out to be a huge success and our client meets his aspired goals.

Summing Up

Let’s sum-up by reminding the Rails philosophy which includes two guiding principles:

1. Do not Repeat Yourself:
DRY is a principle of software development which states “Each piece of knowledge must be unique, unambiguous, with its own authority and representation within a system.” By not writing the same information over and over again our code is easier to maintain more reusable and with fewer errors.

2. Convention on Configuration:
Rails has its opinions about the best of doing many things in web applications, and by default it configures them as conventions, instead of requiring that they be specified meticulously through endless configuration files.

Why we prefer to use Ruby on Rails for eCommerce?

• The programming process is much faster than other frameworks and languages, in part thanks to Ruby’s object-oriented nature and partly due to the vast reusable and high-quality open-source code library available within the Rails community.
• Conventions allow developers to easily move between different projects that share the same structure and programming practices.
• The Ruby code is extremely readable, concise, and mostly self-documenting. This allows you to increase productivity by reducing the need to write separate documentation or understand the intent of the previous programmer.
• The Ruby community has developed a strong focus on testing: almost all the available libraries are covered by tests, providing the programmer with comfortable and advanced tools.
• Rails and the vast majority of its libraries are open-source; unlike other commercial development frameworks, there are no license fees.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is RoR good for eCommerce?

One of the best options for developing eCommerce projects is Ruby on Rails.

Give a famous example of Ecommerce app built with RoR

Shopify is built with Ruby on Rails.

What are the main reason to choose Ruby on Rails for eCommerce?

Some of the primary reasons to choose RoR for your eCommerce projects are: high scalability & modularity, free plugins available, flexibility, easy payment gateway integration, easy development, etc.

What types of tools does rails has to offer to build an ecommerce website?

Rails offers tools for Inventory Management, Storefront, and Payment.

Name some tools to build an online store with Ruby on Rails.

RoR-e.com, Piggyback, Sharetribe, SpreeCommerce, and Shoppe.