Performance | Ideal for building and scaling full-fledged e-commerce stores. | Best for artists and small businesses with simple product listings. |
Features | Comprehensive e-commerce tools, product management, multi-channel selling, marketing features. | Simple online store setup with basic e-commerce features for small-scale sales. |
Pricing |
| Starts at $15/month for the Platinum Plan (Also Offers Free Plan) |
Templates | Offers a wide range of customizable themes for online stores. | Provides a limited selection of simple, customizable themes. |
Location of Data Centers | U.S., Europe, and Asia-based data centers for global reach. | U.S.-based data centers with focus on simplicity and ease of use. |
The biggest question is whether to use Shopify or Big Cartel. Well, Shopify will give you everything you ask for, but if you are a small business, Big Cartel can help you get started!
That one sentence may have answered your question about Shopify Vs Big Cartel, but I’d suggest you read on so you are informed enough to make the best decision for your specific requirement.
You must be well aware by now that Shopify lets you set up an Online Store without prior coding experience, and it is the #1 most popular store builder on the internet, with over a million stores on the platform!
Big Cartel, on the other hand, was created for small businesses, artists, musicians, etc., to set up their online store as easily as possible, with some nifty features. One option is to start your store for FREE!
1. Ease of Setup – Shopify offers an intuitive setup process with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to start your online store. You can launch your store in no time, even if you have no coding experience.
2. E-commerce Tools – Shopify provides a comprehensive suite of tools, including inventory management, product variants, shipping integrations, and customizable checkout options, to help run and grow your business.
3. Scalability – As your business grows, Shopify allows you to scale without limitations. You can handle large inventories, high traffic, and complex sales processes with ease.
4. Oberlo Integration (Dropshipping) – Shopify integrates with Oberlo, a dropshipping tool that allows you to source products from suppliers and ship them directly to customers without holding inventory.
5. App Store – Shopify’s extensive app store gives you access to thousands of integrations and tools that help you manage marketing, sales, SEO, shipping, and more.
6. 24/7 Support – Shopify provides around-the-clock customer support via chat, email, and phone, ensuring that you get help whenever you need it.
7. Custom Domains and Branding – Shopify allows you to purchase a custom domain or use one you already own. The platform also offers advanced branding tools to make your store truly unique.
8. Payment Gateway – Shopify has its own payment gateway, Shopify Payments, but it also supports over 100 third-party payment gateways to suit your needs.
1. Simple Store Setup – Big Cartel offers an easy-to-use platform with minimal setup required. The simple interface lets you quickly create a professional online store, making it ideal for small businesses or artists.
2. Custom Domain – Big Cartel offers a free custom domain with its plans, making it easy to establish your store’s identity with a personalized web address.
3. Affordable Plans – Big Cartel is one of the most cost-effective platforms for small-scale businesses, with a forever-free plan that includes a custom domain, real-time stats, and full hosting.
4. Product Management – Big Cartel allows you to easily manage products, including simple setup for descriptions, pricing, and product images (limited image uploads with the free plan).
5. Easy Customization – Big Cartel’s platform provides easy customization options, letting you adjust colors, fonts, and layouts without needing to know how to code.
6. Artist-Focused Tools – Big Cartel is designed specifically for artists and small businesses, making it simple for users to set up and manage a store with minimal effort. It’s ideal for those selling handmade or creative products.
7. No Transaction Fees – Big Cartel does not charge transaction fees, which makes it an attractive choice for businesses looking to avoid extra costs when selling their products.
8. Basic Reporting – Big Cartel offers real-time stats and the ability to export sales data for easy tracking. However, the reporting features are more basic compared to Shopify’s comprehensive analytics.
Running a business comes with the job of marketing it. No business can thrive if it cannot reach its target audience.
To help the business owners on its platform, Shopify also provides marketing solutions, SEO, the ability to create campaigns, Facebook pixel integration, and more. You can view several reports, charts, and graphs to gain insight into how your business is performing.
You can view your total sales, conversions, and other vital stats that will help you decide your sales and marketing strategy to take your business to the next level.
You also have access to various marketing ‘apps’ such as MailChimp for email marketing, SEO Image Optimiser, Privy, etc. There is a vast catalog of Apps available on the Shopify App Store, and you can safely assume that there is an app for almost everything.
With Compass, Podcasts, Blogs, and guides, there is no dearth of information, even for new entrepreneurs or experienced business owners. Shopify helps you with everything from naming the business to collecting payments and scaling the business.
Like its competitors, Big Cartel also has an App Store to supplement your store, should you require more features.
There are free and paid apps you can deploy to your store to help with marketing or generate more analytical reports. Again, there aren’t too many apps to give you a headache, but Big Cartel covers the most important ones.
Apps such as Stripe, PayPal, and Square are available for you to add to your store, giving your customers more payment options. They are free to add, but please note that they charge a transaction fee on every purchase, so keep that in mind.
If you need assistance with shipment management, you can use ShipRobot or ShipRush, both paid services. More information about them is available on their websites.
For site analytics, you get the trusted option of Google Analytics, which is free. And if there’s something more you want or some additional statistics, LuckyOrange could be the app for you, but please note that it is a paid service.
There are many more app categories you can use, including Facebook Store integration and Email Marketing with Mailchimp, among others.
Many users praise Shopify’s customer support team as responsive and professional. The Shopify website features a Community Forum and Help Center, available to all users for asking questions and seeking assistance.
If you wish to get in touch with a Shopify representative, you can either open a chat session through the website or email them at their customer support email address.
They are also available over the phone and on social media. You can also seek assistance from a specialist who can provide dedicated help with your specific issues.
If you ever require Customer Support, Big Cartel’s support team is available Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm EST.
If you require help outside of these hours, you can refer to the FAQs on the Big Cartel website. Additionally, you can message or email the support staff, but please note that replies will only be received during working hours.
Yes and No both. While you can definitely sign up and start working on the design and back end of your store, however, you cannot make it ‘public’ until you pick a subscription plan. You begin selling only once you’ve initiated your subscription
Yes.
Shopify, hands down to the winner here. But make no mistake, Big Cartel has a good amount of customization available.
Yes, through an app called Zapier. It is a third-party app.
Shopify with its 24/7 support.
Quick Links
Shopify vs. Big Cartel is really not much of a debate, considering they both cater to different segments of the market.
Shopify is an all-inclusive package for serious business owners who can work with the monthly charges that begin to add up as you add more apps, payment gateways, and other services.
If you want complete control over the look and feel, design a comprehensive online business, or build a professional one, Shopify should be your choice.
Big Cartel, on the other hand, is for people who don’t want to worry about every small detail of their store and just want to put their products up for sale, without worrying about building a business.
If you are an artist, writer, musician, or a business owner with a small inventory, Big Cartel will prove to be the right choice for you.
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