Comparing 10 Shopify Alternatives: What Are Their Main Strengths and Weaknesses?

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Shopify Alternatives|Comparing 10 Shopify Alternatives: What Are Their Main Strengths and Weaknesses?Shopify is the most popular e-commerce platform used for setting up and selling products through online stores. The Shopify Point-of-Sale (POS) software is also used for in-person sales. Shopify has been around for ten years and has been very successful.

There are many benefits to using Shopify, including ease of use, flexible designs, and solid support staff. However, there are also some issues, like increased transaction fees and higher charges for increased functionality.

Shopify is not the only e-commerce platform available. These ten alternatives are worth a look that might be more suitable for your online shop needs.

1. Volusion

Volusion is a cloud-based, e-commerce platform currently supporting over 200,000 small businesses and sole proprietors. Volusion charges no transaction fees and has a simplified, one-page checkout interface. Check out Sharp Commerce for additional details.

Strengths of Volusion include ease of use, extensive template library, no extra transaction fees, free themes, a decent mobile app, and numerous payment processors. Volusion has some drawbacks, though, such as limited features, monthly bandwidth limits, and the need for users to possess coding skills.

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2. Big Commerce

BigCommerce has been powering online stores for over eleven years and is very popular. It is flexible and easy-to-use, drag-and-drop-editor provides a user-friendly experience. BigCommerce can track inventory across Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Pinterest so you never double-sell an item.

BigCommerce’s strengths include compatibility with most business models, outstanding theme designs, numerous features, no additional transaction fees, and a decent mobile app.

But, as with all of the e-commerce platforms, BigCommerce has its weaknesses as well. There are only seven free themes, and it can be a little slow at times. Also, if you exceed your limit of sales, BigCommerce will automatically upgrade your plan to a higher tier, resulting in a substantially higher monthly cost.

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is ideal for use with WordPress sites. It is free, open-source, and well thought of by users. There are advanced functions that can be purchased, but the basic platform can hold its own with the other, more-expensive tools.

Advantages to WooCommerce include no additional transaction fees, availability of free plans, and it’s easy to set up and use. It is great to use for all types of physical or digital sales.

WooCommerce has some drawbacks as well. It has no hosting feature, tends to be slow, and may require technical skills.

4. LemonStand

Another great and easily customizable ecommerce platform is LemonStand. It is particularly fitting for medium or large businesses as it offers customizable monthly subscriptions based on the number of orders.

The strengths of LemonStand are no additional transaction fees and that it can accept recurring orders from customers. The biggest weakness is that coding skills, or a web developer, are required. It is also somewhat limited in available templates and third-party apps.

5. 3dcart

3dcart is hosted in the cloud and offers features such as coupons, subscriptions, and Facebook sync. The cost is variable, depending on which features are required.

The positive aspects of 3dcart are support for multiple payment modes, fast load time and store speed, no additional transaction fee, and a multitude of features. But, for updated themes or strong service and support, 3dcart is not the best choice.

6. BigCartel

BigCartel is a good fit for small businesses or soles proprietors. Although the features are limited, it is reasonably priced and offers unlimited bandwidth and inventory tracking.

Other advantages of BigCartel are no extra transaction fee, it works well with PayPay, it’s easy to use and, if you sell five products or fewer, it is free.

Due to its limitations, BigCartel is not a useful tool for large companies. It also does not provide support or an inventory search feature.

7. Magento

Magento is a free, open-source e-commerce platform that is well-suited for medium to large-sized businesses or a smaller business with substantial growth potential. Although it does require coding skills or a staff web developer, Magento offers a vast number of features, flexibility, and adaptability.

Other positives about Magento include no monthly service charges, inventory management, multiple payment mode support, and advanced functionality. The only negative other than the need for a coder is that it does not provide hosting.

8. Wix

Wix is one of the premier, free ecommerce website builders that can also include a simple online store. Although limited in functionality and features, this tool is perfect for a beginner with minimal web development skills. Once the website is up and running, it is possible to migrate over to a more robust e-commerce platform, such as BigCommerce or Magento. Or, switch to Wix Editor and take advantage of the advanced features.

The biggest strength of Wix is that anyone can use it to create a nice website and a functional store. It also has over one hundred templates, works with many payment modes, and the price is right. Its weaknesses include limited bandwidth, traffic options, and apps.

9. Squarespace

Squarespace is another website builder that does not require much technical ability and offers an e-commerce option. Squarespace can compete with the higher-priced platforms in its advanced features and functionality. Other advantages of Squarespace include no additional transaction fees and a wide array of inspiring designs.

The disadvantages of Squarespace include limited compatibility, with only PayPal and Stripe included, and although Squarespace does not charge a transaction fee, both PayPal and Stripe do. Also, there is limited support and add-ons.

10. Prestashop

Prestashop is considered a free e-commerce platform. However, it is not attached to website development tools such as Wix and Squarespace so there will be costs for a domain and web hosting. Prestashop offers limited themes and templates but it will do fine for a start-up shop with limited funds.

The strengths of Prestashop include its cost (free), no additional transaction fees, and that it supports international sales in 25 languages and many currencies. The weaknesses are that it does require some technical skill and, as we said, it has limited themes, templates, and features.

Shopify is an excellent platform for e-commerce, but it just might not be the right fit for your business. If one of these other alternatives calls out to you, give it a try. Your e-commerce store will be up and running in no time.

Top 4 Things to Keep in Mind When Developing a New Business Website

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, Top 4 Things to Keep in Mind When Developing a New Business Website

No matter what your business is about, your target audience is online. People are constantly browsing the search engines and social media to find exciting brands and local businesses.

In fact, according to last year’s Local Consumer Review Survey by BrightLocal, 92% of consumers look at businesses’ websites when deciding on a business. So, the short answer to whether you need to invest in a business website is a resounding yes.

A business website will help you stay competitive, establish credibility, and take your marketing to the next level. But as you go about developing your new business website, there are some things you must ensure on your website, the four most important ones being:

Usability

First off, think of your website user’s perspective and answer these questions:

  1. Does it load fast enough?
  2. Do you find it intuitive to navigate?
  3. Do you like the look-and-feel of the site?
  4. Is the copy engaging enough?
  5. Does it look trustworthy?
  6. Is it mobile-friendly?

You must focus on creating a website that allows you to say “yes!” to all the questions above. That is, your website shouldn’t take more than three-to-five seconds to load.

Make sure your site’s design is easy to navigate and responsive (adapts automatically to the screen size on which it is loaded) while being aesthetically appealing. Also, ensure the content on your website is engaging and exciting.

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What’s more, your website should also be accessible. Simply put, an accessible website is one that accommodates all visitors on all devices irrespective of the physical or mental ability of the visitor.

As website accessibility is mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), failing to make your website accessible makes your business vulnerable to costly lawsuits by advocacy groups. Indeed, discussions about website accessibility have increased and 2018 saw a 181% rise in Federal ADA lawsuits over 2017.

So, test your website with web accessibility evaluation tools and consider using a web accessibility software so that everyone has a great user experience on your website.

Ranking on the first page of Google is crucial to bringing in more business and achieving a better ROI for your website.

Search Engine Friendliness

As such, usability and search engine friendliness go hand-in-hand. Search engines like Google are quite smart. If your site delivers a great user experience, then it is already well on its way to becoming a high-ranking website.

For example, site speed, which is essential for usability, is officially a ranking factor for both mobile and desktop searches. Likewise, a poor site structure will hamper your site’s indexability by Google crawlers.

While SEO is a vast topic that needs special attention, ensure that your website is in line with these basic best practices:

  • Content, page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs should be keyword-optimized.
  • All external links must be pointing to high-quality websites, internal linking must be done properly, and there are no broken links.
  • All images should be compressed and have appropriate alt text.

In fact, search engine friendliness is also influenced by your website’s security…

Security

Needless to say, your website’s security is critical for both your business and your website visitors. A secure website serves as a safe environment for potential clients which in turn, helps boost sales.

So, don’t wait for cyberpunks to remind you of the significance of having a secure website. Make sure to have the following in mind when developing your new website:

  • Strong login credentials for better immunity against brute force attacks.
  • Up-to-date content management system (CMS) and plugins.
  • Frequent site backups, malware scans, and vulnerability tests.

Also, get an SSL certificate to secure the connection between your hosting server and your visitor’s web browser. Once an SSL certificate is in place, browsers will show a padlock sign next to your website address which indicates that all the information exchanged by the visitor on your site is safe.

In other words, an SSL certificate guards your customer’s sensitive data and is considered so important that Google uses it as a ranking factor.

So many small businesses, including SaaS startups, agency websites, blogs, and eCommerce stores fall prey to hackers every day. The last thing you want is to lose your business to a hacker, or worse, compromise your customers’ data due to a cybersecurity lapse on your part. So, prioritize security when developing a new business website.

Grammar

Yes, you read that right. If you wish to create a website that people would find credible, you can’t afford to have grammatical inaccuracies plaguing your website copy.

Sure, as a business owner, grammar may seem like a trifling matter. But make no mistake, something as simple as a spelling mistake has a big influence on your business’s credibility.

Poor grammar and frequent typos can become a major distraction for visitors, making it impossible for them to focus on the meat of the matter. It indicates a lack of professionalism and sloppiness in business practices, which would be off-putting for your site visitors and potential clients.

Therefore, see to it that every piece of content and copy on your website is grammatically flawless.

Over to You

Right off the bat, paying heed to just these four aspects of your website will most certainly result in quicker, more sustainable, and scalable business growth. And so, make sure to get them right.

About The Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Pratik DholakiyaPratik Dholakiya is the founder of Growfusely, a content marketing agency specializing in content and data-driven SEO. He regularly speaks at various conferences about SEO, Content Marketing, and Entrepreneurship. As a passionate SEO and content marketer, he shares his thoughts and knowledge in publications like Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, Fast Company, The Next Web, YourStory, and Inc42, to name a few. He can be reached at Twitter @DholakiyaPratik

 

How to Start Selling on Amazon Again

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Selling on Amazon|How to Start Selling on Amazon AgainAmazon has built a phenomenal worldwide reputation on being the go-to marketplace for online shopping, which is why it’s usually the first stop for buyers and for sellers alike. While selling on Amazon can see you have immense success, it can also see you running into many problems when it comes to rules, regulations, and account suspensions. Sometimes, account suspensions can happen even if you believe you are doing everything right.

When Might Your Selling Privileges Be Removed?

It’s important to understand the reasons which might see your Amazon selling account suspended. These include:

  • Selling a restricted product
  • Not performing as well as Amazon deems necessary
  • Any violation of Amazon’s policies and rules

Naturally, an account suspension poses huge risks and problems for sellers. It’s not only a mild inconvenience but a serious hit for income, as well as having the ability to tarnish any seller reputation.

Suspension, Denial, or Ban?

The suspension is open-ended, meaning you need to work to get your Amazon account reinstated. It means you have the opportunity to appeal the suspension.

A denial comes next. If you’ve appealed but to no avail, this will be denied. However, you do have the option to re-submit a revised appeal.

A complete ban means that your appeals have not been a success, and Amazon will not consider the matter any further.
To avoid the latter and to work to get your Amazon account reinstated, you need to take the important steps to start selling again.

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How to Start Selling on Amazon Again and Avoid Suspension

Contact a Reinstatement Expert

By using an Amazon seller consultant who has vast experience in appealing Amazon seller accounts, you’re ensuring that your appeals are the best they can be, with the highest chance of success. If you’re not sure how to appeal yourself, or maybe you’ve tried and been denied once already, then seeking professional advice for reinstatement can really help you.

Be Professional

Being suspended is, of course, infuriating. Maybe you don’t agree with anything Amazon has said about the matter, and you want to tell them so. However, complaining to Amazon about their policies or feedback will get you nowhere. Ensure that you remain professional with all contact regarding a suspension, and be clear and concise when appealing.

Improve Your Customer Relations

Being a successful seller means having satisfied customers. Do everything you can to keep your customers happy and prevent any problems or complaints. Ensure that you’re responding to all notifications, messages, and queries, and also make sure that all your listings are completely transparent so that there is no miscommunication with your items which would result in customers complaining.

Keep on Top of Amazon Reports

These reports provide key information for you to keep on top of things. They will highlight any issues or negative feedback, allowing you to address problems as soon as possible. If any returns are made, reports will indicate that for you, too, in which case you can look into why some of your items are being returned (and prevent it from happening in future).

How to Build Your Brand Successfully

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Build your Brand|How to Build Your Brand Successfully Starting a business comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges, but it can be one of the most satisfying experiences you’ll ever have, especially if it becomes a success! Of course, anyone starting a new business venture has such intentions, but there are some key elements that entrepreneurs must get right to succeed.

One of these things is the branding of a company and building brand awareness. If this is your first experience with a start-up, here are some top tips to help you build your brand successfully

Research

Every step of starting a business will require you to do thorough research and to help create a top brand. To do that, assessing the market is where you will need to start. First of all, see what brands appear to be most popular with consumers and ask yourself why that is. Looking at other successful brands and how they operate is a good way to plan your business model. You must also make sure your brand stands out from other companies, especially ones that are offering similar products/services to yours. Always keep yourself updated on consumer’s demands and trends in the marketplace to keep your brand relevant.

Website

As most consumers search for businesses online, it’s essential that your company has a fully functioning website with a professional finish. If you’re selling products via your website, make sure you have top-quality, secure e-commerce tools incorporated into your website functions. It should be clear what your company does, and including a blog is another great way to interact with customers and keep them updated about your business and industry news. For the best results, ask experts such as Preface Studios who can develop your website and assist with digital marketing strategies.

Social Media

Social media marketing is another essential tool for businesses in the modern era. These platforms have evolved far beyond keeping in touch with friends and relatives and now play a pivotal role in building brand awareness and connecting with consumers. While you should utilize as many of these platforms as possible, make sure that the ones you choose are relevant to the kind of business you’re setting up. This way you will be reaching the right audience and will see better results.

SEO & Other Digital Marketing

SEO tactics, email marketing and pay-per-click advertising are all great examples of additional digital marketing tools. Like social media, these tactics have become essential for businesses to market their products and boost their brand visibility. You must get your website to appear in the first 1-2 pages of web search results for consumers to discover your brand, as the majority do not bother to look beyond those pages. Either learn how to master these tactics yourself or hire a professional agency to do this for you.

Get Involved

Another great way to increase your brand awareness is by getting involved in local community projects or events on a larger scale. This is a great way to give back and will help to promote a positive image for your business, making it more attractive to consumers.
As an entrepreneur about to embark on their first business venture, use these timeless tips to help build your brand and see results.

7 Link Building Strategies To Try Today

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Link Building|7 Link Building Strategies To Try TodayLooking for the best link building strategies? Trying to develop a powerful external link building strategy?
If you’re looking for ways to boost the presence of your website in search engines, then it’s important to realize that building backlinks will be critical. Unfortunately, it can be tricky to get backlinks to your site and many website owners don’t know where to start.

Luckily, we’re here to help you out. Here are 7 easy link building strategies that you should try today.

1. Ask Directly

One of the top link building strategies you can use to get backlinks for your website is to try asking for them directly.
For example, if there is already a mention of your website elsewhere on the web but no link is included, you may want to ask the website owner to add one. You may also want to check for broken links that are directed towards online resources and offer your own content as a replacement.

2. Write a Guest Post

Guest posting is another tried-and-true way to get a backlink to your website.

With this strategy, you’ll offer to write a blog post for another website or blog. In return, they’ll often link back to your site or let you add links to your site within the article itself.

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3. Create Shareable Content

Believe it or not, simply writing great content and posting it on your site is a great way to gain backlinks.

By writing content that is incredibly sharable and provides valuable information, it will be more likely that other site owners will discover it and link to it as a resource.

4. Call Out An Influencer

One of the best ways to get links naturally is by directly calling out some of the bigger names in your industry. By mentioning an “influencer”, that person may end up checking out your site or even linking back to your original post.

To do this, you may want to write a round-up post that lists the top leaders or bloggers in your industry. Then, make sure that you let each one know about their spot on your list using social media.

5. Make a Killer Infographic

While writing great articles can be helpful for getting backlinks, sharing infographics can be even more effective.

Consider creating an infographic that showcases facts about your industry, and then share it. Infographics are typically chock-full of valuable information and many other bloggers and website owners would often be happy to link to it in a blog post of their own.

6. Post in Forums

If done in a genuine and non-spammy way, posting in forums and sometimes linking to your site can also be helpful for getting backlinks.
While some of the links you’ll post in forums will be no-follow, they can still be very valuable for boosting your backlink profile.

7. Comment on Blogs

Commenting on other blogs on the web and including a link back to your own site can also be a great strategy. Like with forum posts, however, it’s important that you only post in an authentic and down-to-earth way.

Also, ensure that the blogs you’re commenting on are actually relevant to your industry or niche.

Boosting Your SEO With These Link Building Strategies

While there is a lot to think about when attempting to boost your site’s SEO, using these link building strategies should be a big part of the puzzle. By putting in the extra effort to build quality backlinks, your website will likely reap the rewards in the months and years to come.

Looking for more SEO ideas and strategies? Start reading through our blog now to find more helpful SEO tips and advice.