Opening an online store is a great way to start selling your products or expanding your existing customer base.
Of course, most people will think of eCommerce platforms when they want their website to grow. At that time, you will need many of their features to help your online store operate smoothly when the needs of customers are increasing.
But stay with us…
We recommend that you consider these platforms from the start. They are not too expensive while you can save a lot of time and effort compared to creating your own website.
Therefore, in this article, we will introduce you to one of the most famous eCommerce platforms for those who want to start an online business – BigCommerce.
So what does it have? Is it right for you?
All will be answered in this BigCommerce review. Find out more!
What is BigCommerce?
In the world of eCommerce platforms, BigCommerce is one of the names of a young age, but it’s very popular. BigCommerce has been providing eCommerce solution services since 2009, allowing users to operate their stores easily.’
Also, BigCommerce offers you to sell and market products at multi-vendor sites such as Amazon, eBay, or on social networking sites like Facebook, etc.
Can you guess the number of businesses that BigCommerce provides the platform for?
That is tens of thousands! What a dream number of many eCommerce platform vendors today!
Among their customers, you will come across plenty of well-known brands in the world, such as Skullcandy, EZPZ, Rollie Nation, Natori, tmbr, or Pandora, etc.
You can search for more BigCommerce website examples in their showcase. And maybe you can find ideas for your online store. Who knows.
What really makes this platform stand out in the market is the commercial approach that is unlike anyone with a headless system.
Let us explain it to you.
In the traditional online store system, the frontend (the part of interacting with users) is directly linked to the backend (server and database part). But for headless systems, the frontend can be anywhere and remotely connected to the backend via the API. The frontend of BigCommerce is similar to other eCommerce services, but thanks to the headless system, you can choose CMS to add to your online store, thereby creating a WordPress shopping cart.
With BigCommerce, whether you are running an available website or just starting out, you will be able to design your online store quickly and easily.
Key features of BigCommerce
Interface and design options of BigCommerce
If you choose to pay for BigCommerce plans, you will have 91 free and paid themes. While they are not the cheapest themes in the world of themes that eCommerce platform providers present, they have relatively consistent and intelligent designs, colors, and images. Hence, they are suitable for many people who are looking for a specific theme that suits their business.
In addition, BigCommerce also offers many advanced interfaces from third parties, helping users create a storefront in a more attractive and unlimited way. These interfaces are also designed to be mobile-friendly.
What’s the bottom line?
That is, they allow you to customize colors, fonts, layouts, etc. as well as adding logos, icons, symbols, etc. Your website will become extremely prominent and bear a personal impression.
If you are a professional web designer or you have any ideas, we recommend that you should not ignore this feature.
SEO tools
BigCommerce is constantly improving its SEO features, helping improve traffic for your website. At a more beneficial level, they use the content distribution network to minimize loading time for the site. It is particularly useful because many customers often do not have the patience to wait for the product to appear before their eyes for over ten seconds.
Inventory management
BigCommerce allows users to manage products in the warehouse easily without making them confused or time-consuming to search. Besides, they also integrate transportation with third parties like ShipperHQ.
Customer support
You can find access to receive advice from BigCommerce experts easily at their Management Console.
Pricing of BigCommerce
Currently, the provider is offering four plans with the lowest prices from $29.95. As you can see in the picture, all four packages of Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise give free transactions, an unlimited number of products, and staff accounts. The sales channels are also no differences among these choices.
But when it comes to features, the cheapest package will lack something like Google customer reviews, product filtering, custom SSL, facets, and price lists, etc.
If you’re not sure about your choice, you can opt for a 30-day free trial.
Why you should use it
Because they were born late, BigCommerce can understand the problems that eCommerce platform users are facing. Therefore, their start is to solve those biggest problems to manage the client’s website day-do-day.
There is a range of advantages that will make you happy when using BigCommerce rather than building your store on other eCommerce platforms, including big names like Shopify, Magento, or WooCommerce.
Provide a hosted eCommerce solution
Similar to Shopify, BigCommerce is also a hosted eCommerce solution provider. Therefore, instead of obligatorily paying for additional web hosting like when using Magento or WooCommerce, you will not have to worry about price or payment with platforms like BigCommerce.
Various advanced features
Whether you choose a startup plan or an advanced plan, you will have access to a range of advanced and diverse features of marketing, inventory management, SEO tools, and many beautiful interfaces. In general, it can be said that, with BigCommerce, you have won the cost advantage compared to websites using other platforms.
Not only that, but they also allow you to put your store on the next plan and recommend products in an orderly fashion.
Easy to use
Have you ever had trouble with website design? Or do you install, but your store still cannot work?
I guess you must be extremely bored and want to give up.
If you are in such a situation, then you should not ignore this easy-to-use feature of BigCommerce.
Similar to Shopify, BigCommerce is designed specially so that even people with limited knowledge and experience can create their own websites easily.
Looking from the previous eCommerce service providers, they realize that all the processes are too complicated. Although eCommerce and the internet have evolved for decades, they still choose an easy-to-use feature as a competitive advantage. And their market share has proven that strategy is absolutely right.
Not only do they offer several beautiful designs with built-in HTML, CSS, and Javascript, but the provider can also satisfy your customers with a range of the most popular payment options like Stripe, PayPal, or Apple Pay, etc. In addition, you will find surprisingly interested in its customized shipping, dropshipping, or flexible tax system. As such, you won’t have to shift around your business model for anything.
Sell everywhere
As we have mentioned, BigCommerce allows you to list your products on multi-vendor and social network sites with high traffic like eBay, Google Shopping, Amazon, Facebook, and Instagram, etc.
Especially if your company focuses on B2C, it will be very convenient and beneficial for your business if you integrate deeply with social media.
Secure experience
With PCI 3.1 Level 1 Certification, you will be comfortable running and managing your online business without worrying about the safety of your data storage. In addition, data centers from around the world will help you make backing up second-nature data.
Drawbacks of BigCommerce
Focusing on a target audience makes it imperfect. Not only BigCommerce, but any provider will have its shortcomings.
In this section of the BigCommerce review, we will direct to finding out the shortcomings of BigCommerce. If you are looking for an eCommerce solution featuring one of the attributes below, then BigCommerce might not be your best bet.
BigCommerce only has 3 percent of the market share. That means it’s less popular than other eCommerce platforms, and its community, of course, will be smaller. Unfortunately, it will be quite difficult for you to find a suitable theme or extension from a third party with such a limited number.
Additionally, BigCommerce has some other drawbacks:
- You’ll have to pay an amount of money to avail of abandoned cart functionality. Not to mention, the Standard plan lacks this Abandoned Cart feature.
- Annual online sales are limited that if you exceed them, you’ll need to upgrade the plan.
- There are no mobile apps for you to manage your website.
However, like it or not, you still have to recognize with us that BigCommerce is one of the effective options for online business, and it will be especially perfect for those who want to:
- Develop their business
- Track their store sales
- Implement cross-channel commerce
***One big loss in the newest update of BigCommerce is the missing of variant quantity in Product Options. This feature allows you to set the number of the remaining stock for certain options of a product. But it’s now taken off. That probably will become a huge complaint sooner or later.
Wrapping up
BigCommerce is a reliable eCommerce platform that provides you with the tools to build, manage your store, and, most importantly, satisfy your customers. If you have any trouble designing your online store with BigCommerce, feel free to contact us or leave your comment below the BigCommerce review. Don’t hesitate to like and share the article with others if you find it useful.
Expand | 27 June 2021