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eCommerce Site Builders
Planning on opening an online store? Choose which eComm builder is best for you.
Big Cartel
Decent range of sales features with a few great payment plans.
Pricing
Free - US $19.99/mo
Pros
Great for artists & makers
Free plans
Easy to use with useful prompts
Custom Domain available on a free plan
Cons
Limited customizations and themes
Not designed for true beginners
Big Commerce
Best eCommerce platform for brands that are in the growth phase
Pricing
US $29.95/mo - US$299.95/mo
Custom pricing for Enterprise
Pros
Ability to scale up SEO features
eCommerce focused
Cons
Can be difficult for beginners to set up
Not best for small startups with less than 10 products as it would be overly complex
Billing is revenue led cutting into profit margins - something to consider for startups working with low margin products
GoDaddy
A great website builder with additional eCommerce and marketing features to get your store up and running in no time.
Pricing
US $24.99/mo
(billed annually)
Pros
The fastest and easiest product to build an online store with thanks to ADI (Adaptive Design Interface)
Supports multiple industries
Great tools for email marketing campaigns
Performance analytics tools
Cons
Unable to sell products directly across social media
The use of ADI (Adaptive Design Interface) means lack of creative control at times
Jimdo
Great solution for smaller brands and features an easy-to-use online store system.
Pricing
Free - US $40/mo (billed annually)
Pros
No transaction fees (your products, your profit)
Local Pickup options
Booking tool integration for appointments
Payment methods from PayPal to SEPA direct debit Customized T&Cs, Return Policy, etc.
Connect to Instagram & Facebook Boost your store with sales & discounts
Cons
Cannot sell downloadable/digital products
Lack of product import features into the store
Shift4Shop
Easy to use eCommerce platform with some free and cheap payment options
Pricing
Customers within the US: Free if using Shift4 payment processor or users pays a transaction fee of 2.9%+30c of each sale made.
For customers outside of the US: US $29/mo - US $229/mo
Pros
Dropshipping features
Multiple payment features including subscriptions, ad event tickets and ebooks
All the store themes/templates are free
Cons
Complex themes can be confusing if users only have a simple range of products
Sales plans are not straightforward
Shopify
A very comprehensive platform with many built in features and apps allowing the user to sell directly on their website or via multiple marketplaces including social media.
Pricing
US $29/mo - US $299/mo
Pros
Sophisticated inventory system to help you manage your store
Ability to sell across multiple channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, and eBay
Very customizable – an extensive app store so you can add any features you require
Unlimited products in all plans
Cons
Due to its rich features, Shopify can seem more expensive for smaller businesses
Shopify revenue model is based on transaction fees which can add up
There is a dependency on Apps to build the store which can be costly over time
Square Online
Designed for online selling with several shipping options including pickups or local delivery.
Pricing
Online Store Plans
Free - US $72/mo (billed annually)
Pros
Numerous eCommerce options
Flat rate pricing bundle
Cons
Average customer service
Some options only available for upgraded plans
Volusion
Great sales tools however, can be tricky to design initially.
Pricing
US $29/mo - US $299/mo
custom pricing for large users
Pros
Great analytics tools
Lots of different payment methods
Strong backend management system
Excellent mobile app
Cons
The advanced information has features like advanced shipping, pricing levels, stock and more which can be more than what the average user needs
Weebly
Great value for money as an eCommerce platform with good additional features and relatively easy to use.
Pricing
US $12/mo - US $38/mo
(billed annually)
Pros
Easy to use, especially for beginners
iPhone and Android Apps allow you to edit your store on the go
Free eCommerce hosting
Automated SEO
Cons
Lack of payment and check-out options
Some features such as checkout are not customizable
Wix Stores
Drag and drop eCommerce builder with the ability to create beautiful storefronts.
Pricing
14 days paid trial. Customer can cancel and get money back within 14 days.
US $23/mo - US$49/mo
Pros
Easy to use drag-and-drop editor
Ability to sell via multiple channels
Extensive market for apps
Advanced eCommerce features
Multilingual features
Cons
Lack of stock management alerts
Can be overwhelming with too many creative features