5 Best Ecommerce Platforms for 2022

The e-commerce industry is constantly changing and growing. While the market has shown its dominance in recent years, it’s still not immune to innovation or disruption. An increasing number of users are turning to digital platforms such as Amazon for their purchases, alongside other retail stores like Walmart and Best Buy. With this trend continuing well into 2022, these five Ecommerce Platforms will continue rising in popularity among consumers looking for a more streamlined process with less hassle when shopping online

The “best ecommerce platform 2022” is a question that many people have been asking. I have compiled a list of the 5 best ecommerce platforms for 2022.

Businesses utilize ecommerce systems to build online storefronts with shopping carts and payment processing capabilities, as well as inventory and order management solutions to assist fulfill orders. The top ecommerce platforms include flexible price options that start at around $100 per month and interact with online marketplaces like Amazon and POS systems for in-person sales.

We selected the top five ecommerce systems from a list of ten. Here’s what we discovered:

• Shopify is the best ecommerce platform for small companies in general.
• BigCommerce: Runner-up, best for building online-only enterprises in general.
• Ecwid is the best option for adding a free ecommerce shop to a website that already exists.
• Online Square is the most straightforward option for stores.
• Squarespace is the best option for artists and professionals looking for high-quality layouts.

Comparison of the Best Ecommerce Platforms

*Online Square’s plans are billed in lump sums. Squarespace’s second tier, Business, may handle ecommerce functionalities.

How Did We Assess Ecommerce Platforms?

We examined 10 of the most popular ecommerce platforms using criteria like as pricing, site builder tools and upkeep, sales and product capabilities, and simplicity of use. We also took into account the opinions of our retail and ecommerce specialists on each piece of software.

Shopify is the finest ecommerce platform for small companies based on the criteria listed above. According to our ecommerce software rating methodology, the program achieved the highest overall grade (4.68 out of 5). Shopify is also one of the top products that we would personally suggest based on our own experience testing multiple ecommerce platforms and dealing with small companies who use them on a daily basis.

For a more complete overview of our assessment criteria, go through the tabs below.

15%

Payment and Pricing Integrations

30%

Features of the Site Builder and Site Maintenance

30%

Features of the Product and Sales

15% of the overall score

Because most small companies operate on a budget, we first examined to see whether each platform offered a free plan and monthly price alternatives under $100. Then we made certain that those plans featured choices that might expand with the company. Finally, we awarded additional points to platforms that link with the most popular payment systems (such as Stripe, PayPal, and Apple Pay), as well as one-click checkouts, which we believe are a more user-friendly and revenue-generating choice for small companies. Ecwid and Online Square received the top marks in this area, owing to their completely free programs. Shopify and BigCommerce were right following them, with their basic plans beginning at a low price.

30% of the overall score

Every small ecommerce firm should choose a reliable website builder to create their online shop. We looked at the site builder’s various templates, customization capabilities, and general versatility. We also looked at the number and quality of third-party extensions that work with the program, as well as whether it comes with a free domain and SSL certificate, unlimited storage and bandwidth, and built-in SEO tools and statistics. With the exception of one criterion—it does not provide a free domain name—Shopify was a clear winner in this area, receiving perfect ratings.

30% of the overall score

We looked at features including quick product setup, catalog and SKU management, in-store and mobile selling capabilities, integrated social network selling, marketplace selling (like Amazon), and the option to sell an infinite number of items. Shipping alternatives and PCI compliance were also taken into account. We took into account the availability of marketing tools such as abandoned cart recovery, promotions and discounts, customer segmentation, email marketing, customization tools, and product suggestions since many small companies manage their own marketing. Shopify came out on top in this area, with a flawless score in every criterion, closely followed by BigCommerce. The key point of differentiation was that Shopify provides abandoned cart recovery as part of its entry plan, but BigCommerce only offers it as part of a higher tier.

15% of the overall score

We chose systems that provide 24/7 customer care and several consumer touchpoints, such as phone, email, and chat, since online retailers are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also gave points to solutions that were simple to set up or included guided instructions as well as a comprehensive support center. In this area, all platforms received great grades, with Shopify and BigCommerce taking the top two slots.

10% of the overall score

Finally, we looked at any noteworthy features and if the product provides good overall value for money. We also looked at how popular each product is among small companies and how well it integrates with other small company software. We also gave scores for our personal interactions with the platform and the company’s customer service. Our votes went to Shopify and BigCommerce.

*Percentages based on total score

Shopify is the best ecommerce platform overall.

Shopify

4.68 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Directly from Shopify, print cheap postage.
• Detailed data reveals which things are most likely to sell.
• The Shopify app store gives you access to hundreds of extra features and connections.
• Customer service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days

What Isn’t There

• A comprehensive ecommerce shop costs at least $29 per month.
• There will be no low-stock warnings until you upgrade.
• An yearly shipping plan is required by the shipping calculator.

Pricing on Shopify

• Basic Shopify is $29 per month, with processing costs of 2.9 percent + 30 cents every transaction.
• Shopify Standard costs $79 per month, with a lower transaction charge of 2.6 percent + 30 cents.
• Advanced Shopify costs $299 per month, with online transactions reduced to 2.4 percent + 30 cents.

Shopify is often referred to be Amazon’s sole genuine competition, and with good cause. It’s one of the simplest ecommerce platforms to use in terms of setting up a store and processing orders, and it provides small companies all the tools they need to compete with ecommerce behemoths. It contains product ratings, live customer chat, geolocation (which allows you to alter your language or currency depending on the visitor’s location), and a customer return portal, to name a few features.

It’s also developed a reputation for itself as a provider of point-of-sale software for managing in-store sales, making it ideal for companies who sell both in-person and online. It’s also the multichannel POS system we suggest the most. Finally, it connects with Amazon, allowing you to sell your items on Amazon, as well as Facebook, Instagram, eBay, Pinterest, and other marketplaces.

Based on our evaluation criteria, Shopify earned a 4.68 out of 5. We gave it perfect scores on its Features of the Product and Sales and User-Friendliness. However, a lack of a free plan and not offering a free domain name prevented it from getting a perfect score.

Pricing on Shopify

• Basic Shopify costs $29 per month and contains all of the essential ecommerce functionality, but reporting is restricted. The fee for online transactions is 2.9 percent + 30 cents.
• Shopify Standard costs $79 per month and includes enhanced reporting (such as first-time vs. repeat client purchases), USPS cubic pricing, and a 2.6 percent + 30 cent transaction tax.
• Advanced Shopify is $299 per month and allows you to create custom reports and display third-party estimated shipping charges at checkout. Online purchases are reduced even further to 2.4 percent + 30 cents.

You may contact the supplier to upgrade to Shopify Plus, Shopify’s enterprise-level solution, when your company expands and your demands beyond what Advanced Shopify has to offer.

Shopify also offers a $9 per month “Lite” package that allows you to integrate a purchase button into your current website or blog. This plan is great for sellers who want to do two things: 1) add items to their current blog or normal website, and 2) sell on Facebook or in person using a mobile device. It also lets you to send invoices and take payments online, but it does not allow you to create an online shop.

Standout Features of Shopify

Shopify’s menus, such as those for adding a new product, are clean and simple to navigate.

• Website builder: Shopify’s powerful and user-friendly website builder is a big part of the company’s success. User menus, like the one for adding a new item, are slick and concise, with just the proper amount of information. When you modify a webpage’s URL, for example, you have the option of redirecting the old URL to the new one—a simple but sometimes ignored step.
• Inventory management: Shopify boasts one of the finest inventory management systems, albeit some of the more complex capabilities are only available as part of a premium upgrade. Importing products, managing returns, and seeing basic inventory data are available to all account levels. You may produce purchase orders (POs), accept orders with a barcode scanner, and conduct more detailed profitability and product demand reports with POS Pro (an extra $89 per month).
• Shipping: You may charge real USPS, UPS, or DHL shipping charges or set up flat-rate, weight-based shipping. While Shopify’s price website suggests that the latter function is only accessible to Advanced accounts, anybody on an annual subscription will be able to request it. As previously indicated, all versions may print cheap postage labels for carriers straight from Shopify. If you’re utilizing a different delivery provider, such as ShipStation, or dropshipping, Shopify also interfaces with hundreds of third-party fulfillment tools.
• Sell your things on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and a variety of other websites at the same time. More multichannel selling opportunities are available on Shopify than on any other platform.
• Abandoned cart recovery is available with all accounts that cost more than $29 per month. Email marketing is included as well, with 2,500 emails sent every month and extra emails costing $1 per 1,000. Shopify features the greatest built-in email marketing capabilities, allowing you to segment consumers based on their purchase history, location, and other factors (third-party apps may be required).
• Shopify gives extra data about website visitors, such as demographics and which page they initially clicked on to access your site, in addition to all of the normal sales statistics. Website cart analysis is included in Shopify’s basic plan ($79 per month), which shows you the things a client is likely to be interested in based on what they’ve previously placed to their cart.
• Customer service is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone, live chat, and email.

What Shopify Isn’t Providing

• Drag-and-drop website builder: You’ll need to use a WYSIWYG editor to create your Shopify website, which may be cumbersome at times. Squarespace employs a drag-and-drop interface that includes with its visually beautiful website layouts, but Shopify uses a third-party program to allow you add a drag-and-drop functionality.
• Product management (limited product variations, no custom product or work order tools, and no digital Features of the Product): Shopify’s products are restricted to three varieties, with only 100 possible combinations. A second app would be required for digital product downloads and special order fields, such as customized products. BigCommerce provides an infinite number of product variations as well as a built-in functionality for bespoke work orders.
• BigCommerce is more compatible with large markets such as Walmart Marketplace and PriceGrabber. If you want to sell things on these sites, BigCommerce is a better option.

Go to Shopify to learn more.

BigCommerce: The Most Effective Platform for Growing Online-Only Businesses

BigCommerce

4.38 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• With multiple payment processor connections, there are no transaction costs.
• Plans of great value: For the functionality offered, the rate is reasonable.
• Selling capabilities on corporate and ecommerce applications (Google Shopping, Walmart Marketplace, and PriceGrabber)

What Isn’t There

• The customization tools aren’t for the faint of heart.
• Its plans include sales volume restrictions.

Pricing for BigCommerce

• Standard is $29.95 per month.
• Plus is $79.95 per month.
• Pro is $299.95 per month.

BigCommerce vs Shopify will most likely be the deciding factor when it comes to selecting the proper ecommerce software for your company. BigCommerce is a close second to Shopify as the finest overall ecommerce platform in our opinion. BigCommerce is perfect for expanding enterprises that require a scalable sales platform, as well as tech-savvy consumers that wish to personalize their online shops, as its name suggests. Its open SaaS framework makes it a compelling platform for businesses looking to customize their shops as much as possible.

In our evaluation, BigCommerce came right behind Shopify, with a score of 4.38 out of 5. Its built-in sales features, advanced level of customization, SEO capabilities, and zero transaction fees earned high marks. However, its User-Friendliness and sales volume limits on pricing plans prevented it from getting a perfect score.

Pricing for BigCommerce

• Standard is $29.95 per month.; includes a responsive website, a single page checkout, access to the BigCommerce mobile app, and payment integrations (Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay). It also provides real-time shipping quotes, professional reporting tools, coupons, discounts, and gift cards.
• Plus is $79.95 per month.; features an abandoned cart saver, persistent cart saver, customer groups, and stored credit cards.
• Pro is $299.95 per month.; provides product filtering, custom SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), and Google customer reviews.

Unlimited staff accounts, goods, file storage, and bandwidth are included in all plans. Each package includes a customized online shop, BigCommerce’s POS tool, and numerous sales channels like as eBay and Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Shopping.

To learn more about what BigCommerce can accomplish for your ecommerce company, read our BigCommerce review.

Standout Features of BigCommerce

One of BigCommerce’s biggest features is its ability to set up and apply SEO from the backend.

• Website builder and design tools: With its page builder visual editor, completely adjustable themes, checkout customization tools, and WordPress integration, you may personalize how your website looks and feels.
• BigCommerce provides a variety of alternatives to sell your items outside of your shop, such as via social media networks (Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram). You may also sell your products on ecommerce sites like eBay and Amazon.
• Order management: With this tool, you can see all of your orders and categorize them by fulfillment process stage, such as pending payment, fulfillment, or shipping. This dashboard separates incomplete, refunded, and archived orders. All order data may be exported as a CSV file for use with third-party fulfillment providers.
• Inventory management: The “Products” menu gives you a quick look at your stock levels. You may change product descriptions and pricing, as well as update goods and add new ones. You may also be as specific as you like with the metadata descriptions and product and category URLs for your items, enabling you to use SEO tools.
• Multicurrency and multilanguage support: The platform supports over 100 different currencies and provides local payment alternatives via your chosen gateway. You may also localize the front-end of your business to match the language of your target market.
• Features that benefit SEO include an automatic image optimizer, on-page SEO capabilities, sitemap production, and site speed boosters. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) is also available on all BigCommerce themes.

What BigCommerce Isn’t Doing Right

• While BigCommerce provides free website designs, they all look the same and don’t give the same flexibility and features as Shopify and Squarespace’s. Prepare to spend money on a purchased website template when you set up your BigCommerce shop.
• Built-in email marketing: BigCommerce does not yet provide a native means to send emails to your customers, like Shopify has done with Shopify Email.
• Reduced shipping prices: While BigCommerce offers current shipping costs across all of its plans, it does not provide discounted rates—unlike Shopify, which does.

Go to BigCommerce to learn more.

Ecwid is the best free ecommerce platform for already-established websites.

Ecwid

4.31 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Anywhere you want to sell (website, social media, and in person)
• On free sites, there are no advertisements.
• Shipping calculators for USPS, UPS, and FedEx are all available for free.
• Wix, Squarespace, Blogger, Tumblr, WordPress, and more platforms are supported.

What Isn’t There

• The free plan is restricted to 10 goods, does not include promotional codes, and does not manage inventory.
• Customer service is limited.
• Customization choices are limited.

Ecwid’s cost

• You may start an online shop or add items to an existing site with the free plan, which includes 10 products.
• Venture costs $15 per month.
• Business is $35 per month.
• Unlimited for $99 per month

Ecwid is a great free alternative if you currently have a Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress website and want to start selling things. While Wix and Squarespace have ecommerce options, they may be costly and sometimes missing features that Ecwid offers for free, such as a shipping calculator and a similar items area. It may be used with both of those platforms as well as any other website builder that allows you to insert code. Ecwid may also be used as a stand-alone website for free, however this is less frequent.

Ecwid received a 4.31 out of 5 rating in our review of ecommerce systems. It received a high ranking thanks to a forever-free plan with the option to upgrade to premium editions, free shipping calculators, and the freedom to sell anywhere. Ecwid provides limited customization options and customer service, which are both critical for ecommerce platforms. If you want free ecommerce software for your current website, it is still the greatest value and most user-friendly option.

Ecwid’s cost

• You may start an online shop or add items to an existing site with the free plan, which includes 10 products. You may activate social media sharing buttons on the product page to make marketing simpler for you. Ecwid is the only free ecommerce platform that offers free shipping calculators for all major US carriers, as well as Canada Post, Royal Mail, and others. This means you may charge consumers genuine shipping fees depending on their location and the weight of their product. Support, on the other hand, is solely available by email.
• Venture costs $15 per month., a basic plan that allows you to feature 100 physical products and connect your store to other sales channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Etsy. You can also sell digital goods—and these have a 25GB per file limit. Android and iOS apps and store management features (such as discount coupons, gift cards, inventory tracking, and advanced SEO tools) are included. Support in this tier is provided through chat.
• Business is $35 per month., which has all of Venture plan’s features—except you can now sell up to 2,500 products and connect to Amazon and eBay. Moreover, advanced store management features (e.g., abandoned cart emails, product filters, wholesale pricing groups, and a multilingual storefront) are added to your dashboard. Support is provided by phone and chat and free customization for up to two hours for those under annual plans.
• Unlimited for $99 per month, which has provision for an unlimited number of products, your own branded iOS and Android shopping app and point-of-sale (POS) system, and priority support. For those under annual plans, you are entitled to up to 12 hours of free customization.

Ecwid’s plans all enable you to create an online shop, integrate it with any website, and sell on numerous sites at the same time. It also has a mobile-friendly shopping cart as well as Apple Pay one-tap checkout.

Unique Features of Ecwid

To discover more about Ecwid’s features, see our review.

• Sell anywhere: You may sell online or in person, using Ecwid’s shop, an existing website, social media, or mobile. By linking your business to a POS platform of your choosing, you may conduct in-store or in-person sales. Ecwid’s control panel may be used to manage sales channels. It synchronizes data such as orders and inventories automatically.

Its Buy Button function, which can be put to any site and immediately connects to your goods, is also available. It adjusts to the colors and layout of the website without the need for coding skills.

When a product is connected to your website, the Buy Button functionality enables you to configure what information should be shown.

• Ecwid provides a drag-and-drop “add to cart” function, a quick “checkout without establishing a shop profile” option, a customer address book, and the ability to bookmark favorite goods to make it easy for your consumers to purchase things. The customer’s IP address is used to change real-time shipping prices, which are readily identified and translated into over 45 languages.
• Ecwid enables you to sell both physical and digital items, and you may classify them based on characteristics such as colors, sizes, and so on. Discount coupons and volume discounts may be used for promotions, and you can compute multiple shipping choices in real time depending on carrier prices. In addition, inventory monitoring for online and offline transactions is synchronized.
• For paying members, Ecwid offers a shop administration software (iOS and Android) called ShopApp. You may also use the app to monitor your store’s inventory, handle orders, and get alerts. Images, pricing, availability, and any changes you make online sync with the mobile app automatically.

What Ecwid Isn’t Providing

• Ecwid only provides a single page Instant Site that may serve as your homepage or landing page since it is mainly meant as an add-on to existing sites. Shopify, Squarespace, and BigCommerce are excellent options if you want a full-fledged website.
• Native POS: You’ll need a POS to handle payments if you’re selling in person. While Ecwid can interface with Vend, Clover, and Square, you must be on the company’s most costly plan, which costs $99 per month. Consider Online Square or Shopify if you require an integrated POS and online retail solution.
• Ecwid’s free account does not provide SEO features, and even expensive subscriptions have limitations. Better alternatives include Shopify and BigCommerce.

Ecwid may be found at www.ecwid.com

Online Square is the most straightforward option for stores.

Online Square

3.73 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Create a free online shop.
• On Instagram and Facebook, you may sell products.
• All main postal carriers are integrated (with upgrade)
• All-in-one solution for ecommerce and payment processing

What Isn’t There

• Square advertisements and branding abound in the free version.
• It’s not always easy to keep track of inventory.
• Premium features may be costly.

Online Square Pricing

• All of the essential elements for a professional ecommerce site are included in the free plan.
• Professional is $12 per month.
• Performance is $26 per month.
• Premium is $72 per month.

All paid plans are billed in one flat payment.

Online Square is best for businesses that want to add online ordering to brick-and-mortar stores such as cafes, retail outlets, and professional service shops. There is a completely free plan that lets you create a professional online store and sell unlimited products with built-in credit card processing. Additionally, paid subscriptions are available for more advanced features such as using a custom domain instead of the yoursite.square.site domain that’s provided for free.

Like Shopify, Square includes a POS for businesses that sell in-store and online. Unlike Shopify, however, its POS is free to use, with optional paid upgrades. Online Square is our leading free ecommerce platform. Square also offers one of the best POS systems for small businesses.

Online Square earned a 3.73 out of 5 in our evaluation of best ecommerce platforms. Its strongest feature is the ability to sell on multiple channels (in-store and mobile) and social media platforms, giving the advantage of having hardware options (POS) for processing payments. However, lacking customization options and counterintuitive inventory management tools prevented it from getting a higher score.

Online Square Pricing

• All of the essential elements for a professional ecommerce site are included in the free plan.. Create a full website, list unlimited products with variants, and manage your orders through Square Dashboard. The free option requires you to use a yoursite.square.site domain, though, and will display a Square logo on the footer.
• Professional is $12 per month.* lets you use a custom domain and custom fonts and removes Square branding from your website.
• Performance is $26 per month.* adds product reviews, abandoned cart recovery, and priority customer support and lets you buy discounted postage labels straight from Square.
• Premium is $72 per month.* adds a shipping calculator to charge customers real-time rates from USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL. Transaction fees are also discounted.
• *Billing in one lump payment

Online Square Standout Features

Online Square works similarly to Shopify. They both offer user-friendly POS software, online stores, ecommerce functionalities, and integrated payment processing with industry-leading omnichannel contactless payment tools. The biggest difference between them is that Online Square’s POS and online store products are free to use, whereas Shopify requires a monthly subscription. However, Shopify’s ecommerce offerings are also significantly more robust. Read more about Shopify vs Square here.

If you run a restaurant and would like to launch online ordering for delivery or curbside pickup, you can set up a free ordering page using Online Square. Online orders are displayed in your restaurant POS and kitchen printers, so there’s no disruption to your standard order process.

• Website builder: Online Square allows you to build a full-blown website with multiple pages, contact forms, an email sign-up, and much more. The website can be custom branded with your logo and colors, and you can choose which features you want to appear—and in what order. However, you cannot fully edit the layout or add integrations as you can with Shopify.
• Inventory management: You can import your inventory with categories, variants, and modifiers and set up low stock alerts. However, all of this needs to be done from the Square Item menu, and not the website item library, which can be a little confusing. Unlike Shopify, Online Square does not provide inventory reports or let you automate customer returns.
• Unless you subscribe to the Premium version ($72 per month), which allows you to charge the real pricing from postal carriers, the platform forces you to build up your own shipping rates (which may be flat-rate or depending on weight). You may also purchase cheap postage labels for USPS, UPS, FedEx, or DHL directly from the dashboard if you have the Performance edition ($26 per month) or above.
• Set up click-and-collect alternatives (such as curbside pickup), particular pickup hours and order windows, order prep times, customer alerts when their order is ready, and whether or not customers may arrange pickup times.
• Multichannel selling: Sell things on Instagram or Facebook while keeping track of orders in Square.
• Marketing tools: Abandoned cart recovery (available to $26 per month accounts and higher) automatically sends reminder emails to customers who stopped before checking out. Online Square also has email marketing features available, starting at $15 per month.
• Built-in Analytics: Online Square provides a range of sales reports, including sales by category, discounts applied, and tax collected. Paid versions of Online Square also provide some basic website analytics—like page views, search terms, and referring sites.
• Customer service is accessible through email, live chat, and phone from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern time on weekdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday and Sunday. Getting connected to a live support representative who was highly knowledgable and helpful took roughly 30 minutes during my review.

What Online Square Is Missing

• Several payment options: Online Square’s payment integration is limited to Square, although it also supports PayPal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. If you want the freedom to choose your payment processor, we suggest you consider BigCommerce.
• Shipping calculators: With Online Square, you still need to set up shipping rates manually, compared to Shopify or BigCommerce that provides it for free in its entry plans. You would need to be on Online Square’s highest tier ($72/month) to get real-time shipping calculators.
• Advanced inventory management features: Online Square doesn’t have barcode, supplier, or purchasing features. If you handle various products that require bundling, kitting, or cross-location inventory tracking, BigCommerce is a better fit.

Visit Online Square

Squarespace: Best Ecommerce Platform for Artists & Creatives

Squarespace

3.61 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE

What We Enjoy

• Website layouts with a lot of positive feedback
• Simple to use
• On Instagram and Facebook, you may sell products.

What Isn’t There

• High transaction costs in the absence of an upgrade
• Design freedom that is moderate
• There is no telephone assistance.

Pricing for Squarespace

• Business is $26 per month (additional 3 percent fee on transactions on top of your payment processing fees)
• Basic Commerce costs $30 per month and eliminates the additional 3% transaction charge.
• Advanced Commerce costs $54 per month.

Squarespace is easy without sacrificing quality, making it excellent for solo entrepreneurs who don’t have the time to master a more complicated system like Shopify but still want to present their items in a professional manner. No matter how inexperienced you are with web design, Squarespace designs are always built to seem new and fashionable. It also has a lower price point than Shopify, beginning at $26 per month. However, if you want to use sophisticated services like a shipping calculation, you’ll have to pay $54 every month.

In our review, it received a perfect score of 3.61 out of 5 for its design functionality and accessible templates, since Squarespace is recognized for its top-rated designs. However, several of its ecommerce capabilities, such as the limited number of third-party integrations and extensions, are restricting for bigger businesses. Basic ecommerce capabilities like as limitless goods and abandoned cart recovery are also reserved for premium or higher-priced subscriptions.

Pricing for Squarespace

• The cheapest package that enables ecommerce is Business, which costs $26 per month. You may sell an infinite number of things, including digital items and gift cards, but there is no shipping calculation and reporting is restricted. In addition to your payment processing costs, there is a 3% transaction charge.
• Basic Commerce costs $30 per month and eliminates the additional 3% transaction charge., allows customers to create accounts and provides more advanced analytics, like a purchase funnel report.
• Advanced Commerce costs $54 per month., which adds a USPS shipping calculator, abandoned cart recovery, and the ability to sell subscriptions.

Unique Features of Squarespace

An ecommerce website built using a Squarespace template. (Preview Image for the Tudor Squarespace Theme) More examples may be found here.

• Squarespace is one of the simplest website builders to use, as well as one of the most difficult to screw up. Its well-received website templates are among the most elegant and well-designed on the market. While you won’t find nearly as many customization possibilities as you would with Wix, many customers will discover that they can just input their product specifications and be on their way.
• Inventory management: You may import your products into the platform using a spreadsheet or manually enter them with photographs and descriptions. You may make product variations (for example, various colors or sizes) and set low stock alerts. Another noteworthy feature is Squarespace’s ability to create product forms, allowing you to seek more information from clients when they make a purchase.
• Shipping: You’ll need to set up your shipping charges with Squarespace, which may be flat-rate or dependent on weight. You’ll need to be on the Advanced Commerce plan ($54 a month) to compute real-time pricing from USPS, FedEx, or UPS. Squarespace, unlike the other ecommerce platforms we looked at, does not allow you to print postage labels straight from the software, although you may do so through a ShipStation interface.
• Squarespace allows you to tag your goods on Instagram with a link to buy them, as well as build dynamic Facebook advertising for your products. There is no connectivity with Amazon, eBay, or other ecommerce platforms, unlike Shopify.
• Marketing tools: The Advanced Commerce package includes abandoned cart recovery. Squarespace also offers email marketing for a charge, or you may use Mailchimp to integrate.
• Analytics: It contains a few very basic reports, such as product sales, traffic sources, and visitor geography (by country or state). The Commerce plan ($30 per month) includes a purchase funnel report, which shows you what proportion of visitors look at goods, add them to their carts, and buy them.
• Squarespace provides email assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and live chat help on weekdays from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

What Squarespace Isn’t Giving You

• Squarespace is better suited to individuals who do not need a storefront solution for in-person payment processing. Square and Shopify are preferable alternatives if you want to sell in person.
• Squarespace doesn’t have a lot of third-party connectors, which might restrict your choices, particularly if you want to grow your online business. In its app store, Shopify has hundreds of integrations. If you want a feature that Shopify does not provide, it is likely that you will be able to discover it in its app store.
• Ecommerce characteristics that are more advanced: Squarespace lacks product classification, additional dropshipping possibilities, and better inventory management, to name a few features. We suggest starting with Shopify’s basic plan and upgrading as required if you intend on expanding.

Squarespace is a website created by Squarespace.

Conclusion

If you want your online shop to grow with your company, think about what features your consumers will anticipate as you expand. Are you, for example, ready to handle several languages and currencies or provide customer service through an automated chatbot? Are you able to set up client user accounts, email marketing, and a loyalty program for your customers?

These features become more crucial as your shop grows, and they also play a significant part in assisting your store’s growth. As a result, it’s critical that ecommerce systems provide basic functionality at a cheap entry price point, as well as complex functionalities and broad interconnections.

Shopify has advanced functionalities and plans that scale with your business in a user-friendly package and at an affordable price point. We recommend it as the best ecommerce platform for small businesses. Go to Shopify to learn more. to try it free for 14 days.

Go to Shopify to learn more.

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The “online shopping platform” is a website that allows users to buy and sell products. The 5 best ecommerce platforms for 2022 are Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Alibaba, and Shopify.

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