Big Cartel for E-commerce: Is It Worth It? (2023)
Introduction
Welcome to NCWebConsultants' comprehensive review of Big Cartel, a widely-used e-commerce platform that caters primarily to artists, designers, and small businesses looking to sell their products online. In this article, we will explore the features, functionality, and pricing options of Big Cartel, as well as discuss its pros and cons, helping you determine if it's the right choice for your online store.
Overview of Big Cartel
Big Cartel was founded in 2005 with a mission to empower independent artists and creative entrepreneurs to sell their products effortlessly online. With its user-friendly interface and customizable templates, Big Cartel provides an excellent platform for individuals looking to showcase and sell their unique creations.
Key Features
Big Cartel offers a range of features to help you set up and manage your online store efficiently:
- Easy Store Creation: Setting up your store on Big Cartel is a breeze, even for beginners. The platform provides a step-by-step process that guides you through adding products, customizing your store's layout, and setting up payment gateways.
- Customizable Templates: With a wide selection of professionally designed templates, you can easily create a visually appealing store that matches your brand's aesthetics. Each template is fully customizable, allowing you to add your own logo, colors, and fonts.
- Product Management: Managing your products on Big Cartel is simple. You can easily add, edit, and organize your inventory, set pricing options, and specify product variants such as sizes or colors.
- Inventory Tracking: Keep track of your stock levels with Big Cartel's inventory management system. You can set up stock alerts to ensure you never run out of popular items and automatically hide sold-out products from your store.
- Order Management: Big Cartel makes it easy to process and track orders. You can view order details, generate invoices, print shipping labels, and even integrate with popular shipping carriers for seamless order fulfillment.
- Payment Integration: Accepting payments on Big Cartel is convenient, with support for popular payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe. Customers can securely make purchases using their preferred payment method.
- SEO-Friendly: Big Cartel offers robust SEO features, allowing you to optimize your store for search engines. You can customize meta tags, URLs, and alt text for your products, giving them better visibility in search results.
- Social Media Integration: Easily connect your store to your social media accounts and leverage the power of social selling. You can share products directly on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, driving more traffic and sales.
Pricing and Plans
Big Cartel offers a range of pricing plans to accommodate businesses of all sizes:
- Free Plan: Big Cartel's Free plan allows you to sell up to 5 products and includes essential features to start your online store. However, it comes with limited customization options and lacks advanced features like inventory tracking.
- Platinum Plan: For small businesses looking for more features, the Platinum plan offers unlimited products, advanced customization, and inventory management. It's priced reasonably and suitable for growing stores.
- Diamond Plan: Big Cartel's Diamond plan is designed for larger businesses with extensive product ranges. It offers all the features of the Platinum plan, along with additional benefits like priority support and advanced analytics.
- Titanium Plan: The Titanium plan is a high-tier offering from Big Cartel, providing enterprise-level features, priority support, and exclusive customization options. It's perfect for established businesses with significant online sales.
Pros and Cons of Big Cartel
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface, ideal for beginners
- Visually appealing and customizable templates
- Supports multiple product variants and inventory tracking
- Seamless integration with popular payment gateways
- Strong emphasis on SEO, enabling better search visibility
- Social media integration for increased exposure and sales
Cons
- Limited scalability options for large businesses with significant product ranges
- Lacks built-in blogging functionality for content marketing efforts
- Customization options may be restrictive for advanced users
- Advanced features like abandoned cart recovery are only available on higher-tier plans
- Customer support response times can be slow during peak periods
Conclusion
In conclusion, Big Cartel is a reliable e-commerce platform focused on simplicity and aesthetics. It offers an easy setup process, visually appealing templates, and essential features for artists, designers, and small businesses to sell their products online. While it may have some limitations for larger businesses, it proves to be an excellent choice for individuals looking for a user-friendly platform to showcase their creations.
At NCWebConsultants, we recommend Big Cartel for those seeking a dedicated e-commerce platform tailored to the needs of independent artists and small businesses. If you're looking for a hassle-free way to set up your online store, Big Cartel can be a valuable asset. Explore their plans, features, and trial options to make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals.