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September 12, 2024
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 min read

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which Platform Fuels Your Success?

Compare Big Cartel and Shopify: Big Cartel is ideal for artists with its simple setup and lower costs, while Shopify offers extensive features for scaling businesses.

Big Cartel vs Shopify: Which Platform Fuels Your Success?

Comparing Big Cartel and Shopify as E-commerce Platforms

Comparing Big Cartel and Shopify as e-commerce platforms boils down to features and scalability. Shopify stands out with an impressive array of tools ideal for expanding businesses, while Big Cartel meets the needs of those with simpler online selling requirements, especially for artists and creators.

Key Takeaways

  • Shopify delivers advanced features such as automatic shipping calculations, effective inventory management, and a wide range of app integrations.
  • Big Cartel offers a free plan that allows for listing up to 5 products, making it a decent option for newcomers, though it has limitations for growth.
  • Shopify supports an extensive selection of payment options, with over 100 gateways available, while Big Cartel limits users to PayPal and Stripe.
  • Customer support is another area where Shopify shines, providing 24/7 assistance, whereas Big Cartel only offers limited email support during business hours.
  • Customization and SEO tools are significantly more powerful in Shopify, equipping businesses with better resources to improve their online visibility.
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Overview of Big Cartel and Shopify

In the world of e-commerce, choosing the right platform can significantly impact your business. Here is a comparison of two prominent options: Big Cartel and Shopify.

  • Big Cartel: Ideal for small merchants and artists, with over $2.5 billion in merchandise sales. Founded in 2005, it targets startups, artists, and creative individuals.
  • Shopify: Suitable for growing businesses and larger companies, powering over 1 million customers worldwide and generating over $1 trillion in sales.

Features Comparison

  • Shopify: Offers automatic shipping calculations, inventory management, and over 6,000 integrations through its App Store. Features include product management, cart abandonment recovery, and multi-currency sales.
  • Big Cartel: Lacks automatic shipping calculations and inventory management. It has limited integrations, primarily through Zapier.

Pricing Plans

  • Big Cartel: Offers a free plan for 5 products, and three paid plans starting at $9.99. The free plan includes a single image per product.
  • Shopify: Has five plans, including the Lite plan for Facebook and existing websites, starting at $39. No product limits and unlimited storage for images.

Ease of Use

  • Both Platforms: User-friendly interfaces, but Shopify offers more customization options and a wider selection of themes (120+ free and premium themes) compared to Big Cartel's 19 free themes with limited customization.

Payment Options

  • Shopify: Supports over 100 payment gateways, including Shopify Payments.
  • Big Cartel: Supports only two payment processing methods, PayPal and Stripe.

Customer Support

  • Shopify: Offers 24/7 customer support via email, live chat, and phone.
  • Big Cartel: Provides email support during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern time).

Integrations and Apps

  • Shopify: Boasts over 6,000 integrations through its App Store.
  • Big Cartel: Has limited integrations, primarily through Zapier.

SEO and Design Functionality

  • Shopify: Offers better SEO practices, including clean URLs, headers, alt text, and robots.txt files. Also provides built-in email marketing tools and blogging features.
  • Big Cartel: Has more basic SEO tools and limited design customization options.

Target Audience

  • Big Cartel: Focuses on artists and small businesses with limited product runs or unique items.
  • Shopify: Caters to a broader range of businesses, including small businesses, startups, and larger companies.

Conclusion

  • Shopify: Better option for growing businesses due to its extensive features, customization options, and comprehensive support.
  • Big Cartel: Suitable for small merchants and artists due to its simplicity, ease of use, and lower costs.
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Features Comparison: Shopify vs Big Cartel

Key Features Overview

Shopify stands out with a wide range of features that cater to diverse business needs. Key offerings include:

  • Automatic shipping calculations: This feature simplifies the shipping process, ensuring that customers can see accurate shipping costs based on their location and the product's dimensions.
  • Inventory management: Shopify provides robust tools to track stock levels, set alerts for low inventory, and manage product listings efficiently.
  • Integrations: With over 1,500 integrations available, Shopify allows users to connect with third-party apps for enhanced functionality, covering everything from email marketing to accounting software.

On the other hand, Big Cartel is more streamlined but lacks several essential features. It primarily focuses on basic selling tools, which means it:

  • Does not offer automatic shipping calculations, requiring manual input for shipping fees.
  • Lacks comprehensive inventory management, making it harder to track stock effectively as your business grows.

For businesses looking for scalability and advanced features, Shopify is a clear choice. Big Cartel serves well for simple setups and artisans but may not meet the demands of larger operations. Understanding these differences can help you choose the platform that best fits your selling ambitions.

Pricing Plans: Understanding the Costs

Big Cartel Pricing

Big Cartel has an appealing free plan that lets users list up to 5 products. This is perfect for those just starting or wanting to test the waters. For more serious sellers, there are three paid plans available, each offering increased product limits and extra features.

Shopify Pricing

Shopify stands out with five diverse plans that cater to various business needs. The Lite plan is particularly noteworthy because it lacks product limits and offers unlimited image storage. This flexibility makes Shopify a popular choice for growing businesses that need scalability without restrictions.

By evaluating these pricing structures, you can better choose between Big Cartel and Shopify based on your product volume and growth plans.

Payment Options and Customer Support

Payment Gateways

Shopify excels with over 100 payment gateways, allowing you to reach more customers worldwide. This variety ensures flexibility for various business models. In contrast, Big Cartel limits transactions to PayPal and Stripe, which may restrict options for some users.

Customer Support

Customer support can make a significant difference. Shopify offers 24/7 assistance via email, live chat, and phone, making it reliable for urgent issues. On the other hand, Big Cartel provides email support only during business hours, which might not suit businesses needing immediate help.

Customization, Integrations, and SEO

Comparing Features

Shopify stands out with its extensive customization options and a massive App Store that boasts over 6,000 apps and integrations. This enables unparalleled flexibility for setting up your online store. On the flip side, Big Cartel offers limited customization and fewer integrations, making it less adaptable.

In terms of SEO practices and design functionality, Shopify outshines Big Cartel. Its advanced SEO tools help boost visibility, while the design capabilities allow for more creative freedom. The differences can significantly impact your store's performance and online presence. For those looking to optimize their e-commerce site, Shopify's offerings provide a clear advantage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the primary differences between Big Cartel and Shopify?

Big Cartel and Shopify are both leading e-commerce platforms that serve different business needs. Big Cartel is tailored for small merchants and artists, while Shopify is designed for growing businesses and larger companies, offering more extensive features and capabilities.

2. What key features does Shopify offer that Big Cartel lacks?

Shopify includes extensive features such as:

  • Automatic shipping calculations
  • Inventory management
  • Over 1,500 integrations

In contrast, Big Cartel focuses on basic selling tools and lacks these essential features.

3. How do the pricing plans compare between Big Cartel and Shopify?

Big Cartel offers a free plan with a limit of 5 products per account and three paid plans. On the other hand, Shopify features five plans, including a Lite plan, with no product limits and unlimited storage for images.

4. What payment options are available on both platforms?

Shopify stands out with over 100 payment gateways, while Big Cartel only supports PayPal and Stripe for transactions, limiting the flexibility for its users.

5. How does customer support differ between Big Cartel and Shopify?

Shopify offers 24/7 assistance through email, live chat, and phone support. In contrast, Big Cartel's support is limited to email during business hours, which may be a drawback for users needing immediate help.

6. Which platform offers better customization and integrations?

Shopify excels in customization options and boasts a vast library of over 6,000 apps and integrations through its App Store. In comparison, Big Cartel offers limited customization and fewer integration options.

7. How do SEO practices and design functionality compare?

Shopify provides better SEO practices and design functionality, including clean URLs and robots.txt files. Big Cartel, however, offers more basic SEO tools, which may impact its users' visibility online.

8. Who is the target audience for each platform?

Big Cartel is primarily aimed at small merchants and artists, while Shopify caters to a broader range of growing businesses and larger companies, making it a more versatile option for various e-commerce needs.

9. What is the conclusion when choosing between Big Cartel and Shopify?

For growing businesses, Shopify is the superior choice due to its comprehensive features, better customization options, and robust support capabilities. Conversely, Big Cartel remains a suitable option for artists and small merchants, offering a more straightforward approach but lacking the depth of features that Shopify provides.

10. Which platform is easier to use for beginners?

Both Big Cartel and Shopify are designed to be user-friendly; however, Shopify offers more customization options and a wider selection of themes, which may enhance the user experience for those looking to tailor their store.

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