Is starting a BigCommerce store a waste of time or not? You ask…But first things first…get to know what BigCommerce store is all about.
For the record, BigCommerce is a robust and user-friendly ecommerce solution, offering a compelling option for entrepreneurs seeking to establish their online presence.
If you’re considering choosing this product, start by weighing the potential benefits against the challenges so you can determine whether going into the realm of BigCommerce is a strategic move.
The question still remains: Should you start a BigCommerce store?
- LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE!
- NOW, LET’S DETAIL THINGS FOR YOU.
- WHAT’S THE CATCH WITH BIGCOMMERCE STORE?
- WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
- WHAT ARE BIGCOMMERCE’S COMPETITORS OFFERING?
- WHAT AFFECTS BIGCOMMERCE’S PRICES?
- WHAT AFFECTS PRICES IN THE INDUSTRY OVERALL?
- HOW TO GET THE BEST DEAL WITH BIGCOMMERCE.
- CAN YOU AFFORD BIGCOMMERCE PRICES?
- FINALLY: SHOULD YOU BUY BIGCOMMERCE OR NOT?
LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE
BUY IT IF:
- You’re seeking discount for profit: BigCommerce typically supports over 70 diverse kinds of cut rate including percentage discounts, fixed amount discounts, buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deals and more. You can leverage one of its price cut offerings to boost profit.
- You’re looking for competitive pricing: BigCommerce offers you various subscription plans, each tailored to different sizes of business. The platform generally positions itself competitively in the ecommerce market to give you prices tailored to your business size.
- You need good multicurrency features: BigCommerce offers robust support for multiple currencies, giving you the privilege to display prices and process transactions in your customer’s local currency. You also get automatic currency conversion, real-time exchange rates, GeoIP detection, customizable currency selector, and multicurrency reporting.
- You want multiple store with one account: If you operate multiple businesses with each catering to different audiences, products, or regions, BigCommerce allows you to manage multiple stores from the single account. Just set up and manage multiple storefronts, each with its own domain, design and product catalog.
- You need great SEO features: Keep in mind that the platform offers a selection of customizable templates that help you create a unique and branded online presence. Whether you’re skilled or a complete newbie in the coding world, BigCommerce has provisions that can accommodate your preferred option.
>>> MORE : How to Start a BigCommerce Online Store
DON'T BUY IT IF:
- You desire full CMS functionality: BigCommerce is not a traditional content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Joomla, it doesn’t offer FULL CMS functionality. You can, however, get some CMS capabilities such as built-in blogging, page builder, and content sections—to enhance your customer’s overall shopping experience.
- You want RSS feed on blog: Note that an RSS feed is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to online content in a standardized, computer-readable format. Unfortunately, BigCommerce’s built-in blogging feature does not include a native RSS feed.
- You want unlimited annual sales: While BigCommerce offers different pricing tiers designed to accommodate businesses of varying sizes, your annual sales are structured based on gross merchandise volume (GMV) which represents the total sales value through the platform.
- You desire unlimited blogging capabilities: If content marketing is a significant focus in your business, BigCommerce’s blogging functionality may be considered less robust compared to dedicated blogging platforms.
🌐 BigCommerce is one of the best ecommerce platforms that allows you to have access to SaaS offerings where you can create your store, fully optimize your store for SEO, host your store and promote what you sell; whether your business is big or small.
NOW, LET’S DETAIL THINGS FOR YOU.
When it comes to pricing, BigCommerce offers a trio of plans, each akin to different classes of vessels.
Think of it like choosing the right ship for your pirate crew—you wouldn’t squeeze everyone into a rowboat when you’ve got a whole fleet to consider.
You may ask: What has this got to do with your business’ pricing and profitability?
A lot! Yes, a lot…if not all aspects of your business.
With the “Standard” plan, starting at $29.95, you get unlimited products, secure hosting, and no transaction fees—a solid choice, if you’re testing the waters or running a small business.
If your crew is growing and you’re ready to conquer more waves, the “Plus” plan, priced at $79.95 per month is ideal. You unlock extra features such as customer groups, abandoned cart recovery, and advanced analytics.
Now, talk about the “Pro” plan which is priced at $299.95 per month. You can get this plan if you’re running a large-scale enterprise with complex needs.
One important question: Is BigCommerce’s pricing expensive, cheap, or somewhere in between?
It’s a bit like comparing a luxury yacht to a rowboat. The cost might be higher than some rowboats (basic ecommerce platforms) out there, but the value and features you get with BigCommerce make it a solid investment.
What price plan is the best? You ask…
Choosing the right plan for your business boils down to your crew size, ambitions, and features you need to navigate the ecommerce seas.
Mind you…you must also put your business needs, goals, preferences, and size into consideration.
And so, sit down, pick a pen and a paper, write down your business plan, and do your budgeting to determine what plan to go for.
The Verdict: BigCommerce’s pricing may not be your cheapest rowboat in the harbor, but it’s a well-crafted vessel that offers excellent value for the features provided.
WHAT’S THE CATCH WITH BIGCOMMERCE?
BigCommerce, like many other ecommerce platforms, occasionally engages in pricing maneuvers that lack transparency. In simpler terms, BigCommerce’s pricing can be less straightforward compared to some of its competitors.
But, why?
What happens to just quoting the cumulative cost of each plan, rather than keeping extra chunks of additional charges here and there?
At least, that helps you get a complete picture of the costs, and also plan your budget appropriately.
Using BigCommerce, you won’t need to pay for hosting from a third-party provider when you pay for a plan. It’s simple…when you pay for each plan, your fee includes hosting.
There’s a catch with BigCommerce’s charges: they won’t tell you ahead of time that you’re paying extra for other things not included in your plan.
For instance, if you haven’t secured a domain for your store yet, BigCommerce offers domain registration services at additional costs.
Each price depends on the type of domain you go for. A .com address with BigCommerce for one year comes with a fee of $15, which is not included in the original subscription plan.
Can you imagine the game here?
This same game applies to getting themes, apps, BigCommerce partners, debit and credit cards for your ecommerce store.
So, if you’re hoping for a one-time payment with BigCommerce for your business needs, by buying a plan, just get your hopes down.
There’s no such thing as that. One way or the other, you’re paying this or that—in other words, extra charges.
So, here’s the thing…speak with the customer representative, ask all the necessary questions and ensure you get the needed details to kick things off.
>>> PRO TIPS : BigCommerce Product Research: How to Do It Right
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
As you know, different companies offer different pricing strategies—including BigCommerce.
Understanding the prices of BigCommerce plans and any existing discounts is essential for effective budgeting, feature evaluation, cost avoidance, discount utilization, scalability planning, and making informed comparisons with other platforms.
BigCommerce offers four distinct plans—Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise plans—suitable for different business needs.
Currently, offers are only available for Standard, Plus, and Pro plans. For more details about the Enterprise plans, call 1-866-991-0872 for custom pricing.
Check out BigCommerce’s price plans plus other charges and sales channels included in all plans:
Standard | Plus | Pro | Enterprise | |||
$39 $29/month Billed Annually | $105 $79/month Billed Annually | $399 $299/month Billed Annually | Call 1-866-991-0872 for custom pricing. | |||
Included in all Plans | ||||||
No additional transaction fees | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | ||
Products, file storage and bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | ||
Staff accounts | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | ||
Sales Channels | ||||||
Online store | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
Multi-Storefront | Up to 3 | Up to 5 | Up to 8 | Contact | ||
Price per additional storefront | $30/mo | $50/mo | $100/mo | $100/mo | ||
Point of sale | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
Amazon, eBay, Walmart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
Facebook/Instagram | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
The table above do not include plan features, service and support, and payment processing. To get more details on these factors, visit BigCommerce Essentials Pricing for a more comprehensive information.
While BigCommerce offers a lot of free themes, you should keep in mind that most of its free
If you’re seeking completely unique theme for your store, you may need to upgrade to BigCommerce’s paid plans. This is because most of its free themes are very similar to each other.
As you enjoy unlimited user accounts on all plans—including the free plan—be aware that there are no RSS feeds on the blog. BTW, RSS feed allows you to access updates from websites in a standardized, machine-readable format.
WHAT ARE BIGCOMMERCE’S COMPETITORS OFFERING?
BigCommerce vs. Shopify
BigCommerce and Shopify offer comparable pricing tiers, yet with slight differences. For BigCommerce, you can access the entry-level plan at $29.95 per month, while Shopify’s Basic plan is slightly cheaper at $29 paid monthly.
Considering both companies from an alternative point of view, Shopify’s higher-tier plans are marginally more expensive than BigCommerce’s counterparts. Remember that BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees on any of its plans, unlike Shopify.
You can check out both platforms as they offer scalability, but BigCommerce might be more cost-effective for larger businesses due to its lower transaction fees.
BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce
If you’re wondering which option to choose between BigCommerce and WooCommerce, remember that BigCommerce operates on a subscription model starting at $29.95 monthly.
On the other hand, WooCommerce, a WordPress plugin, is free. BUT…BUT…, it’s not as completely free as you think…ancillary expenses like hosting and extensions apply. Though WooCommerce may seem free at first—which is obvious—its costs escalate with hosting demands. In simple terms, BigCommerce offers an all-in-one package in contrast to WooCommerce whose cost structure depends on customization. So, it’s up to you to know which one is best for you.
BigCommerce vs. Squarespace
BigCommerce and Squarespace offer different pricing models for their online stores—with a $3.95 pricing difference. With BigCommerce, you get a range of plans starting from $29.95 monthly, with no transaction fees and a 15-day free trial.
Comparatively, Squarespace offers its plans at $26 per month, which is billed annually, and comes along with a website builder.
If you prioritize advanced e-commerce functionalities, scalability, and a dedicated online store, BigCommerce is the pick. But if what you seek is a service that integrates website design and e-commerce into a single package, opt for Squarespace. Your call!
WHAT AFFECTS BIGCOMMERCE’S PRICES?
Knowing the factors influencing BigCommerce’s pricing empowers you to make informed decisions about your e-commerce ventures. It also helps you know which plan to select, fees and add-one you should pick, and so on. With that in mind, consider these factors that can help you assess the platform’s value proposition.
Currency and Region
When it comes to pricing, the currency and region of the business matters, and also differs. Mind you, different countries and regions often have specific considerations, including tax regulations and currency exchange rates. Remember that these factors influence the overall cost of using BigCommerce. So, be attentive to these variations to make informed decisions that align with your global operation—especially if you’re operating in multiple regions.
Advanced Features
BigCommerce makes the provision for leveraging advanced features that cater to the diverse business needs–even if your business is sophisticated. You can have access to features like dedicated account management, priority support, tailored customizations, and more. Not to forget, these advanced functionalities come with an additional cost. So, you must carefully evaluate the necessity and weigh the benefits before opting in for these features.
Add-one and Extensions
With BigCommerce, you get the flexibility to choose from a diverse range of add-one and extensions that meets your specific business needs. While these additional features can enhance functionalities, you’re also paying some extra fee to get them functioning. So, you must carefully assess their requirements to optimize your store without overspending unnecessarily.
Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV)
A pivotal factor influencing BigCommerce’s pricing is the GMV which represents the total value of goods sold through the platform. Your business pricing structure scales in direct proportion to your GMV’s increase. GMV-based pricing mirrors BigCommerce’s approach to accommodate your business ‘growth at various stages.
Inflation and Market Conditions
While a direct correlation between inflation rates and BigCommerce’s pricing may not be explicit, your business has its share of the pain, feeling the ripple effects through adjustments in potential costs, server maintenance, and infrastructure expenses. So, you see? You must keep a keen eye on the market dynamics to ensure that your business stays adaptable to the evolving trends.
Third-party Apps
Truth be told…third-party apps play crucial roles in expanding the functionality and customization options of your BigCommerce store. For instance, if you need apps to help you with marketing, analytics, payments, and more—BigCommerce makes provision for such apps, at a cost. Yes, at a cost! You’ve gotta pay extra fees to get them. That’s how it is. This is why you must carefully evaluate the necessity of each app before making purchases, so you don’t waste money unnecessarily.
WHAT AFFECTS PRICES IN THE INDUSTRY OVERALL?
See…if you’re running an ecommerce business and aren’t keeping an eagle’s eye on the market trends and how prices are affected in the industry, you’re at a risk of losing out on so many potential benefits.
Aside from prices that affect BigCommerce’s pricing, external conditions are associated with fluctuation of prices in the ecommerce industry, influencing the cost of running an online store.
Market Competition
Competition has been one of the major factors affecting pricing strategies. As competition increase, there’s a tendency for competitive pricing strategies. Funny enough, some companies–due to competition–are forced to DECREASE their pricing to attract more customers. Call it “bait”, if you wish.
Technological Advancements
You should know too well how fast technology advances. With upgrades in technology, functionality and operations in the industry is impacted. When technology upgrades in areas such as e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, security measures, rest assured that there’s a significant influence pricing.
Global Events
When there are unexpected events that affects the global terrain, such as global crises, or the Covid-19 kinda thing, there are tendencies to experience disruption in supply chain. One way or the other, it will impact the availability and pricing of goods and services, indirectly affecting e-commerce prices.
Regulatory Changes
When certain areas experience changes in regulations such as data privacy and online transactions, platforms wishing the industry may be required to invest in compliance to the measures. As you know, compliance to these regulatory changes will affect pricing one way or the other.
Industry Trends
Emerging trends in the ecommerce industry, such as the adoption of new technologies, shifts in payment methods, or changes in popular marketing strategies, influences pricing strategies. So, when picking a platform for your e-commerce business, keep an eye on the market trends.
Currency Fluctuations
If you operate a global business, such as BigCommerce, fluctuations in currency exchange rates can influence costs and pricing structures generally in the e-commerce industry. Consider these fluctuations in exchange rate as you choose your preferred e-commerce platform and set pricing.
>>> GET SMARTER : Amazon FBA: Worth it or Not?
HOW TO GET THE BEST DEAL WITH BIGCOMMERCE.
Utilize Free Trial
Use BigCommerce’s free trial provision as your gateway to explore what the platform has to offer. Take the free trial as your preparatory class where you learn the kindergarten tips on what BigCommerce has to offer. That way, you gain a hands-on experience with its several features and functionalities. As a way to get the most out of this opportunity, go through the user-friendly interface and set up your storefront. Do some tests on your shop’s functionality and evaluate your business needs, ensuring that you’re making an informed decision about your choice of e-commerce platform subscription.
Compare Plants
While playing around with the free trial is essential, making a constructive comparison of available plans is a key step in your e-commerce business venture. Mind you, each plan comes with different features, catering to different sizes of business. For instance, BigCommerce offers Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise plans. If you thoroughly compare these plans, you can pinpoint the one that perfectly aligns with your business.
Look for Discounts
Discounts are a savvy strategy to enhance your cos-effectiveness with BigCommerce. When you get the opportunity to see BigCommerce’s occasional promotions and seasonal discounts, you get a valuable avenue to optimize your budget and increase profits. So, keep an eye on BigCommerce’s official website and social media channels for any ongoing promotions, sales, or discounts that you can leverage. Stay connected with BigCommerce on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn—that’s where they often share exclusive deals and announcements.
Consider Annual Billing
If you want to optimize your budget and potentially gain a cost advantage, then you should consider BigCommerce’s annual billing. You get discounted rates for the overall costs of the chosen plan and demonstrate commitment to a long-term partnership. Depending on your budget, and financial capability, choosing BigCommerce’s annual billing helps you cut down on extra subscription expenses.
Engage with Support
One of the ways to stay ahead in your game is to get quality information. This is applicable when it comes to doing e-commerce business with BigCommerce. Leveraging BigCommerce’s support team is a proactive approach that can yield valuable insights and assistance in understanding the platform’s features and pricing structures.
Explore Partner Offers
Exploring partner offers is a clever move to potentially unlock additional benefits and costs within the BigCommerce ecosystem. You can have access to exclusive deals because BigCommerce often collaborates with partners such as payment gateways, marketing tools, and other service providers.
CAN YOU AFFORD BIGCOMMERCE PRICES?
Kudos, for coming this far in this article. This is probably one of the most important phases of the content where your decision is highly required. At this point you’re checking yourself to know if you can afford BigCommerce prices.
So, you may ask…can you afford BigCommerce prices?
Well…probably yes, probably no. It depends.
When considering the affordability of BigCommerce prices, consider your projected sales volume, desired features, and the scalability offered by each plan. These are key factors to help you evaluate your options.
You may also want to factor in your business size, budget, and specific e-commerce needs. Then, you can choose a tier from BigCommerce’s range of pricing plans that aligns with your financial capacity and growth aspiration.
Or still…play with the free trial until you’re ready to upgrade to paid plans. Your call!
FINALLY: SHOULD YOU BUY BIGCOMMERCE OR NOT?
BigCommerce is suitable, regardless of your business size, considering the various plans available on the platform. If your business has ambitious growth plans, BigCommerce’s features and plans designed for scalability may be a good fit.
With its robust set of features, including advanced marketing tools, customization options, and a user-friendly interface, BigCommerce is a strong contender in the e-commerce world.
Despite having slightly higher price than best alternatives, it is a good choice for those who seek advanced functionalities. You have access to security features such as SSL certificates, PCI compliance, and fraud protection, ensuring a secure environment for your online transactions.
Also, if you’re targeting customers who shop from across different devices, BigCommerce offers mobile-optimized storefronts—suitable for a seamless shopping experience on smartphones, computers, and tablets.
So, back to the question…should you buy BigCommerce or not?
The answer is…wait for…the answer is YES. Use BigCommerce for your ecommerce business, but explore other competitors such as Shopify, Wix, Squarespace for cheaper plans.
