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eCommerce has become an integral part of our daily lives, especially after the pandemic hit the world. As a result, businesses worldwide have been making the shift from brick-and-mortar stores to online marketplaces. With so many options available, choosing the right eCommerce platform is a crucial decision. Shopify and Big Cartel are two of the most popular eCommerce platforms, each with its unique features and benefits. Before comparing Big Cartel vs Shopify, let us first learn about each eCommerce platform.
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With Shopify vs. Big Cartel, the decision to choose between the both ultimately depends on your business needs. If you are looking for an all-in-one platform that offers a wide range of features, Shopify is the way to go. It’s perfect for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, offering robust inventory management, payment processing, and app integrations, while making it easy to scale up as your business grows.
On the other hand, if you are a small business or artist looking for a simple platform to sell your products online, Big Cartel is an excellent choice. Its minimalist approach is perfect for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of a more complex platform. It is also more affordable than Shopify, making it an excellent option for those on a tight budget.
Shopify is a leading e-commerce platform, founded in 2006 and today has more than a million businesses worldwide, making it one of the most popular e-commerce platforms available. Shopify offers a range of features and tools that allow eCommerce store owners to create a fully functional online market, including customizable templates, payment processing, inventory management, and shipping and fulfillment services. Adding to it is the possibility of Shopify migration from other eCommerce platforms especially if your online business is thriving rapidly.
Big Cartel is a smaller e-commerce platform, originated in 2005 and succeeded in developing more than a million stores which makes it a popular choice for small businesses and artists. Big Cartel carries a user-friendly design and interface, aimed at helping online creative businesses, thrift stores, artists, craftsmen and small businesses in selling their products over the internet. The platform has a minimalist design that stays true to showcasing products and their details.
Shopify offers a wide range of features, including social media integration, SEO optimization, abandoned cart recovery, and product reviews. Shopify also offers a powerful app store with over 4,000 best Shopify apps to choose from, which can help you customize and optimize your store’s functionality.
Big Cartel, on the other hand, has a more limited set of features, but it does offer some key tools for small businesses. For example, Big Cartel payment plan for the basic subscription includes inventory management and the ability to create discount codes, which can be helpful for businesses that want to offer promotions to their customers. In addition, you can easily customize the Big Cartel app with features you might want for your eCommerce business. What’s important to note here is that Big Cartel doesn’t have its own app store like Shopify.
Shopify pricing plans meet the needs of different businesses. The platform offers a 14-day free trial, after which you’ll need to select one of the following pricing plans:
Additionally, Shopify offers a Shopify Plus plan, which is designed for high-volume businesses and enterprise-level merchants. The pricing for this plan is negotiable and includes features such as custom checkout, API support, and dedicated account management.
Big Cartel pricing structure, on the other hand, is simpler as compared to Shopify. The platform offers a free plan, as well as three paid plans:
It’s worth noting that Big Cartel’s free plan has some limitations as it allows you to sell only up to 5 products and does not include features such as inventory tracking or custom domains.
It has a drag-and-drop website builder that lets you create an online store without any coding knowledge. The platform also offers a wide range of customizable templates that are perfect at building you an attractive storefront. Adding to it, Shopify comes packed with a variety of integrations and plugins that can be used to add features like social media integration, email marketing, and customer reviews to your store.
Shopify offers a straightforward and intuitive dashboard that provides access to all the essential features, including products, orders, customers, and analytics. The platform also offers a mobile app that allows merchants to manage their store on the go. If you’re convinced about going for the platform as your no. 1 choice of eCommerce, might as well connect with a Shopify development company to go in the right direction.
Big Cartel offers a simple website builder with which you can create a basic storefront without any professional coding knowhow. The platform has a limited selection of customizable templates that are simply perfect for a minimalistic yet attractive storefront.
Big Cartel provides a simple dashboard that provides access to essential features like products, orders, and customers. However, the platform lacks many of the advanced features that Shopify offers, such as abandoned cart recovery and integration with third-party apps.
When it comes to ease of use, Shopify is the clear winner. Shopify’s user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop website builder, and customizable templates make it easy for merchants to create and manage an online store without any technical expertise.
Shopify’s comprehensive set of features and integrations also make it easy for merchants to scale their business as they grow. The platform’s mobile app allows merchants to manage their store on the go, making it even more convenient to use.
While Big Cartel is easy to use, its limited set of features and lack of advanced integrations make it less suitable for merchants who want to scale their business. The platform’s simple dashboard and website builder are ideal for small businesses and independent artists who want to sell a limited number of products without any technical expertise.
Shopify support to its customers is one of the most prominent features as it’s available 24/7. Customers can access this feature by clicking on the “Help” button in their dashboard, which will bring up a chat window where they can speak directly with a customer support representative. This is a great option for customers who need immediate assistance with an issue.
In addition to live chat support, Shopify also offers email support, phone support, and an extensive knowledge base which is a searchable database of articles, tutorials, and FAQs, covering a wide range of topics related to Shopify platform. It’s a great resource for customers who wish to learn more about the platform’s usability, or who need help with a specific issue.
Shopify’s customer support team is known for being friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive. They are trained to handle a wide range of issues, from technical problems to billing queries, and committed to ensuring that customers are satisfied with the service they receive.
Big Cartel support options for its customers ensure they can get the help whenever need be. Like Shopify, Big Cartel offers email support, and customers can submit a support request through a form on their website. They also have an extensive knowledge base, which includes articles and tutorials on how to use the platform, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
One unique feature of Big Cartel’s customer support is their community forum. Customers can join the Big Cartel forum to ask questions, share ideas, and connect with other sellers who use the platform. This is a great resource for customers who want to get advice from other sellers, or who want to share their own experiences.
Big Cartel also provides social media support through its Twitter account, where customers can tweet at them for assistance. While this may not be as direct as live chat or phone support, it can still be a helpful option for customers who prefer to use social media.
In terms of responsiveness, Big Cartel’s customer support team is known for being friendly and helpful, although some customers have reported longer response times compared to Shopify.
With Shopify vs. Big Cartel customer support, it’s clear that both platforms offer a range of options to help customers. However, Shopify has a more robust support system overall, with 24/7 live chat support and phone support in addition to email and knowledge base resources. They also have a larger customer support team, which allows them to handle a higher volume of inquiries.
On the other hand, Big Cartel’s customer support is more tailored to their specific customer base of artists and creators, with a community forum and social media support. While this may not be as comprehensive as Shopify’s support system, it can still be effective for customers who prefer to connect with other sellers or frequent social media users.
Big Cartel provides businesses with a range of design and customization options to create unique online stores that reflect their brand.
Both Shopify and Big Cartel provide businesses with a range of design and customization options to create unique online stores. However, Shopify offers more options than Big Cartel, making it a more versatile platform for businesses that want complete control over their online store’s design.
Shopify offers over 70 free and paid themes, while Big Cartel offers only 16. Additionally, Shopify’s app store has over 6,000 apps, while Big Cartel does not have an app store. These themes makes it easier for businesses to customize their online stores without requiring any coding knowledge.
Big Cartel’s level of customization is more limited than Shopify’s, as it does not have an app store, and businesses must use HTML and CSS to create custom themes. However, this level of customization may be more than enough for small businesses that want to create a simple online store.
When it comes to pricing, Shopify and Big Cartel have different strengths. Shopify offers more features and customization options, but it comes with a higher price tag. Big Cartel, on the other hand, is more affordable with limited features however.
Ultimately, the best choice depends on the specific needs of your business. If you’re a small business with a limited budget, Big Cartel may be the better option. But, for more advanced features and the ability to scale your business, Shopify may be the way to go.
One of the biggest strengths of Shopify is its flexibility. Shopify offers a wide range of website templates and design options, allowing businesses to create a website that fits their brand and aesthetic. Shopify also integrates with a variety of third-party apps and plugins, allowing businesses to add additional features to their website, such as email marketing and social media integration.
Another strength of Shopify is its payment processing system. It allows businesses to accept a variety of payment methods, including credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Shopify also offers its own payment system, Shopify Payments, which allows businesses to process payments without the need for a third-party payment processor. Shopify Payments also offers competitive transaction fees, which can save businesses money on payment processing.
One of the biggest drawbacks of Shopify is its cost. Shopify offers a variety of pricing plans, ranging from $29 per month to $299 per month, depending on the features and services included. For businesses just starting out, this can be a significant expense, especially if they are not generating significant revenue from their online store.
Another drawback of Shopify is its customer support. While Shopify offers a variety of support options, including email, phone, and live chat support, some users have reported long wait times and slow response times when contacting Shopify support.
One of the biggest strengths of Big Cartel is its affordability. Big Cartel offers a free plan, which allows businesses to create a basic online store with up to five products. Big Cartel’s paid plans start at just $9.99 per month, making it a great choice for businesses on a tight budget.
Another strength of Big Cartel is its focus on the creative community. Big Cartel offers a variety of website templates and design options specifically designed for artists and creatives. This can make it easier for businesses to create a website that fits their brand and aesthetic.
One of the biggest drawbacks of Big Cartel is its limited features. While Big Cartel offers a variety of features, including payment processing and customer management, it lacks some of the more advanced features offered by Shopify, such as advanced analytics and email marketing integration.
Another drawback of Big Cartel is its scalability. While Big Cartel is a great choice for small businesses just starting out, it may not be suitable for businesses looking to grow and expand their online store. Big Cartel’s limited features and lack of scalability might make it difficult for businesses to keep up with their growing customer base.
With Shopify vs. Big Cartel, we have a draw especially when it comes to value for money. Each has its advantages and a few drawbacks that can easily be overcome if one proceeds carefully and strategically. Also, selection of the eCommerce platform depends on your unique business needs and operations. While Shopify offers better features, Big Cartel; even with its limited functions, is cheaper and ideal for small businesses.
The details above serve as a Shopify vs. Big Cartel comparison guide when it comes to choose the best eCommerce development platform for your business.
Which one do you prefer and why?
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