Build Your eCommerce Website with These 20 Tools

Are you looking to build, improve, or streamline your eCommerce website? From creating a user-friendly platform to implementing streamlined sales processes, many tools can help. In this article, we will provide an overview of 20 different tools you can use to succeed with your eCommerce website. We'll look at the advantages and features of each, as well as the pricing options, so you can decide which is best for you.

What are E-commerce Tools? 

E-commerce tools are software applications, plug-ins, and integrations that make building, managing, and optimizing an online store easier. They can help you create a more user-friendly experience for your customers while streamlining sales processes and helping you save time on tasks such as product management. These tools can range from simple shopping cart solutions to comprehensive eCommerce platforms that provide integrated features.

Why are E-commerce tools beneficial?

E-commerce tools can be incredibly beneficial for any business looking to start or expand its online store. They provide an easy way to host and build your eCommerce website and handle daily operations such as product management, order processing, shipping and inventory tracking, and more. Additionally, they offer marketing tools to help you drive traffic to your site by optimizing search engine visibility and providing analytics data on how customers engage with your products and services. Finally, customer service features allow you to respond quickly to customer inquiries or complaints and keep track of support interactions in one place.

What are the best E-commerce tools?

E-Commerce Platforms

1) Shopify: Shopify is a comprehensive eCommerce platform that provides everything you need to create an online store, from website building tools and themes to integrated payment processing options and inventory management. It offers marketing features like search engine optimization (SEO) support, promotions and discounts, social media integration, and analytics data. Shopify offers different pricing tiers based on your needs, ranging from $39/month to $399/month. Its pricing tiers make it an ideal solution for small and large e-commerce businesses.

2) WooCommerce: WooCommerce is a popular open-source eCommerce platform enabling you to build an online store with WordPress quickly. It comes with various customizable features such as product pages, shopping cart integration, payment gateways, shipping integrations, automated customer emails, and more. It is free to set up your store, but you will have to pay fees and purchase website themes and other features to make your website your own.

3) BigCommerce: BigCommerce is another comprehensive eCommerce solution providing the tools necessary to create a professional online store quickly. It offers advanced features such as product personalization, abandoned cart recovery tools, coupon creation and management, and more. After your 15-day free trial, you can choose from three pricing plans, which range from $29 per month to $29 per month. If your needs aren't met by one of these plans, they have an Enterprise plan that requires a conversation with their team to get an accurate quote based on the size and needs of your business.

4) Squarespace: Squarespace is an intuitive website builder that allows you to create a beautiful online store with minimal effort. It includes a variety of customizable themes to choose from and integrated payment processing options. With payment options ranging from $23 to $65 per month, you will find a plan that works for you.

5) Wix: Wix is another popular website builder that enables you to create a professional online store quickly and easily. It offers drag-and-drop design tools, customizable product pages, built-in marketing tools, 24/7 customer care, and more. You can start with Wix through one of their three payment options, starting at $27 monthly.

Creating Content & Design Tools

1) Adobe Photoshop: Adobe Photoshop is a powerful photo editing and design program that can help you create stunning visuals for your store. It includes tools for creating logos, banners, product photos, web page designs, and more. Adobe offers an option to buy one of their apps for $35.99 per month, or you can opt for buying all their apps for $84.99 billed monthly.

2) Canva: Canva is an easy-to-use graphic design platform that enables you to create beautiful visuals for your online store quickly. It offers thousands of customizable templates, fonts, and graphics to choose from to make eye-catching designs. Canva offers a free version and a Canva Pro option for $12.99 per month or $119.99 annually.

3) WordPress: WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) enabling you to build a website or blog quickly. It provides various themes and plug-ins so you can customize the look and feel of your site. When using WordPress, there is a plan that works for every budget since they have options ranging from free to $45 per month.

4) Adobe Dreamweaver: Adobe Dreamweaver is a web design program that enables you to create and manage websites without writing code. It includes tools for quickly creating layouts, adding interactive elements such as forms and videos, and more. The pricing for this Adobe product works the same as Adobe Photoshop, with the single app and app bundle options.

Marketing Tools & Analytics

1) MailChimp: MailChimp is a popular email marketing platform that enables you to send promotional emails, newsletters, and automated messages to your customers. It also provides detailed analytics data to track how customers engage with your emails. MailChimp offers four pricing plans, ranging from free to $350 monthly.

2) ActiveCampaign: ActiveCampaign is a marketing automation tool that enables you to create personalized emails, set up automated campaigns, and track customer activity. It also offers features such as A/B testing and behavioral tracking to optimize your campaigns for higher engagement rates. ActiveCampaign offers annually paid payment plans that, when broken down into monthly payments, range from $29 per month to $149 per month.

3) SEMrush: SEMrush is an all-in-one digital marketing suite that enables you to track organic search rankings, analyze competitors' strategies, measure the effectiveness of keywords, and more. It's an excellent tool for optimizing your store for higher search engine rankings. You can start with SEMrush for as low as $119.95 monthly for their Pro Plan.

4) Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a powerful web analytics tool that provides insights into how people interact with your website or online store. It includes demographic tracking, keyword analysis, goal setting, and more. This tool is free to use.

5) Optimizely: Optimizely is a powerful A/B testing tool that allows you to test different versions of your website or store quickly. It lets you quickly see which version performs better, so you can optimize the design and layout of your store for maximum conversions. You can use Optimizely for free with limited features, but if your business requires more robust tools, you can request pricing specific to your business's needs to avoid paying for tools you won't use.

Payment Processing & Security Tools

1) PayPal is one of the most popular payment processing options for eCommerce websites. It offers secure payments, fast transactions, and low fees. PayPal is free to set up an account and charges fees to use its services depending on how you send and receive payments.

2) Stripe: Stripe is another widely used payment processor that enables you to accept credit card payments for your store securely. It offers easy setup, discount codes and subscriptions, and other features. With this payment processor, you'll pay 2.9% + $0.30 per successful card charge.

3) Square: Square is a mobile payment processing service that lets you quickly and easily accept credit card payments for your store. It also offers fraud protection, receipt printing, and more. This payment service charges a monthly fee along with payment processing fees. The cost to use the platform starts for free and can go up to $79 per month, billed annually. The payment processing fees are typically the same as Stripe, but if you have their Premium Plan, you get a cheaper rate at 2.6% + $0.30 per transaction.

Customer Service Tools & Live Chat Solutions

1) Zendesk: Zendesk is a customer service platform that enables you to manage customer inquiries, track tickets, and provide real-time support. It also offers tools for self-help resources such as FAQs and knowledge bases. Zendesk has Basic and Suite plans with individual plans within each of these. If you have a bigger team, you can get started with their cheapest option for as little as $19 per month or unlock even more agent profiles and features. With this tool, there is undoubtedly a plan that suits your budget and needs.

2) Help Scout: Help Scout is a customer service software enabling you to manage and track customer conversations. It also offers features such as review requests, surveys, and more. Pricing for this tool starts at only $20 per month.

3) Olark: Olark is a live chat solution that enables you to respond to customer inquiries in real time quickly. It includes tools for setting up automated messages, chatbot integrations, and more. If you're interested in using Olark in your e-commerce website, you can get started with a free trial and continue using it for as little as $29 per month.

Leveraging the right e-commerce tools can take your business to the next level. Whether it's tackling sales, marketing, or management challenges, these powerful tools provide comprehensive solutions and support to help you reach success. 

This blog post has highlighted just a few critical pieces of technology -- but there are plenty more apps and services users can use to enhance their business experience. 

As always, do your research and select the tools best suited for you based on your budget and specific needs.

Now is a great time to start small with some essential tools listed here, so why not get started? If you need funding to help you acquire the best eCommerce tools, click here to learn how business credit can help.