Ecwid is an ecommerce platform designed to help businesses create online stores and sell their products. It’s geared towards small to medium-sized businesses looking for a simple yet powerful solution to set up a store without the need for extensive technical knowledge. In our Ecwid review, we’ll discuss its features, benefits, drawbacks, and overall user experience.
What is Ecwid?
Ecwid is a hosted ecommerce platform. It offers a variety of features, such as inventory management, shipping options, and payment processing. Ecwid also provides customizable design options and integrations with other apps and services, allowing users to easily set up an online store on an existing website or social media platform.
Key Features and Benefits
Easy Integration with Existing Websites
Ecwid’s standout feature is its ability to easily integrate with existing websites, blogs, or social media pages. This means you can start selling your products without creating a new site from scratch. Simply embed the Ecwid shopping cart widget into your current platform, and you’ll have a fully functional online store up and running quickly. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses with an established web presence and wants to add ecommerce functionality without starting over.
Multichannel Selling
With Ecwid, you can sell your products across various channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping. You can reach a wider audience and maximize your sales potential by making your products available on multiple platforms.
By centralizing the management of all your sales channels within the Ecwid dashboard, you can streamline your operations and ensure consistent product information across all platforms.
Mobile App
Ecwid offers a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, enabling you to manage your store on the go. With the app, you can add and edit products, process orders, and communicate with customers directly from your smartphone or tablet.
With push notifications, you’ll be instantly alerted of new orders or customer inquiries, ensuring you never miss a beat. This feature is especially beneficial for busy entrepreneurs who need to manage their stores while away from their computers.
Automated Tax Calculations
One of the more practical features is its automated tax calculations. The platform automatically calculates taxes based on the customer’s location, saving you time and effort in manually determining the correct online sales tax rates.
This feature streamlines the checkout process and helps ensure compliance with tax regulations in different jurisdictions.
Global Reach
Ecwid’s support for over 50 languages and multiple currencies suits businesses targeting international customers. By offering your products in various languages and accepting multiple currencies, you can cater to a global audience and expand your market reach.
Easy-to-Use Interface
Whether you have previous experience with ecommerce platforms, you can easily customize your storefront using the drag-and-drop design editor. Managing your inventory, orders, and customers can be done effortlessly on Ecwid’s intuitive dashboard. Furthermore, integrating your online store with popular website builders such as WordPress and Wix or social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram is seamless, thanks to Ecwid’s versatility.
Customization Options
Ecwid reviews often highlight its exceptional customization options as a standout feature. Businesses can tailor their online stores to their specific needs by using various customization tools that include designing with logos, color schemes, and themes.
If you want more control over your storefront’s appearance than what templates offer, you can use Ecwid’s CSS editor to further customize the layout. It’s also possible to add custom fields to products, like size or color options – so customers can easily find what they’re looking for.
Subscription Management
Ecwid provides merchants with a valuable Subscription Management feature to set up recurring customer payments. It’s particularly useful for businesses offering subscription-based products like monthly delivery boxes or online classes. The Ecwid dashboard makes managing subscriptions easy for both businesses and customers.
Ecwid Pricing Plans
Ecwid’s pricing plans cater to businesses of varying sizes and budgets. Its free plan lets you list up to 5 products, whereas its paid plans enable more product listings and additional features like abandoned cart recovery, multiple language support, and more. With the flexibility to upgrade or downgrade your plan as required, Ecwid’s pricing model is designed to grow with your business needs.
All paid plans come with a free trial, but the free plan is free forever, so you can always keep your online shop up and running.
Free Plan
The free plan is an excellent choice for small businesses with limited products to sell. With this plan, you’ll be able to take advantage of several features, including mobile responsive design, inventory management, and multiple payment gateway integrations.
If you need more advanced features like abandoned cart recovery or advanced shipping options, upgrading to one of Ecwid’s paid plans may be a good idea. However, if you’re just starting out, the free plan is a way to test out the platform without any financial commitment.
Venture Plan
The Venture Plan is a great option for small business owners who need an affordable pricing plan. This plan includes unlimited bandwidth and up to 100 products to be sold. Setting up your storefront is easy, and the platform offers integrations with WordPress, Shopify, Wix, and other website builders.
As of June 2023, the Venture plan is $19/month. When billed annually, the cost is $14.08/month.
Business Plan
The Ecwid Business Plan is perfect for small businesses looking to expand their ecommerce presence. Tailored towards small and medium-sized businesses with up to 2500 product listings, multiple payment options, and shipping integrations with various carriers like PayPal, Stripe, and more. Discount coupons, abandoned cart savers, and product filters are also included.
As of June 2023, the Business plan is priced at $39/month, or $29.08/month when billed annually.
Unlimited Plan
At $99/month ($82.50/month when billed annually), this plan has unlimited products. It includes everything from the other plans, and the ability to sell via a branded mobile app and sell in person with POS integrations. It includes unlimited staff accounts and priority support.
Ecwid Drawbacks
While Ecwid is a reliable ecommerce platform with several benefits for online store owners, such as integration with WordPress or Shopify, there are a few limitations to consider. For instance, compared to other platforms, it has limited customization options that may not suit every business’s needs.
While it is affordable for small businesses, you’re limited on the number of products you can sell, unless you’re willing to pay for the unlimited plan. Some users have reported that third-party app integrations may be limited and that loading times can be slow.
Limited Free Plan Features
The free plan provides limited functionalities when compared to the paid ones. You may have to upgrade to a paid subscription to unlock advanced features like cart recovery and multiple payment options. Nevertheless, upgrading to the paid version is economical and enhances the growth of your online store. Assess the benefits and limitations of each pricing plan before making a decision that best aligns with your business requirements.
Limited Design Customization
Ecwid offers a basic set of customization options, including themes, fonts, and color schemes. However, compared to other ecommerce platforms, these options can feel limited, potentially restricting users from creating unique, on-brand stores. This drawback may be particularly relevant for businesses that prioritize design flexibility and customization.
Initial Setup Complexity
While Ecwid is designed for easy integration with existing websites, some users may find the initial setup process confusing or complex. This could lead to a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with website management or integration.
Lack of Built-in Blogging Feature
Unlike some competitors, Ecwid does not have a built-in blogging feature. If your business heavily relies on content marketing, this limitation may require the use of an external blogging platform, adding complexity to its online presence.
Pricing Structure
While Ecwid offers a free plan, it comes with limited features. To unlock advanced functionality, users must choose one of the paid plans, which might not suit every budget. Additionally, certain features, such as multichannel selling, are only available on higher-tier plans. However, there are no transaction fees – just payment processing fees.
Customer Support
Although Ecwid provides customer support via email and live chat, phone support is only available for users on higher-tier plans. This limitation could be problematic for businesses that require immediate assistance or prefer phone-based support.
Limited Third-Party App Integrations
Ecwid’s app store offers a smaller selection of third-party integrations compared to some competitors. This may limit the platform’s functionality and flexibility for businesses that rely on specific apps or integrations for their operations.
SEO Capabilities
While Ecwid provides basic SEO tools for optimizing product pages and metadata, its SEO capabilities might not be as comprehensive as other platforms. This drawback could impact the visibility and discoverability of your store in the search results.
Ecwid POS System
Ecwid’s cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system is a great way to manage your sales channels. With its user-friendly interface, it’s easy to set up your storefront and start selling your products online. Ecwid POS also offers the advantage of being able to sell in person via the mobile app for Android and iOS if you pay for the unlimited plan.
Users appreciate the simplicity of the dashboard and the ability to integrate with existing websites built on WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. While some users have reported issues with customer support response times and limited customization options for checkout pages, Ecwid POS is still highly recommended for small businesses just starting out in ecommerce.
Social Media Selling with Ecwid
If you’re trying to grow your reach and increase sales for your business, consider incorporating social media selling into your strategy. With Ecwid’s easy-to-use platform and integrations with popular social media platforms, you can easily sell your products to a wider audience. You can take advantage of features like easy product customization and management to engage potential customers and build a loyal following.
Selling on Amazon and eBay with Ecwid
Expanding your business by selling your products on Amazon and eBay is made efficient with Ecwid’s ecommerce platform. It allows you to list and manage items on these popular marketplaces.
From setting up your storefront to managing product variations or sales channels, Ecwid’s integration with Amazon and eBay enables you to increase sales by reaching a wider audience. Thanks to its easy-to-use interface that simplifies marketplace management, you don’t have to worry about handling shipping or taxes separately.
Import and Export with Ecwid
Transferring data to and from your Ecwid store is made easy with their import/export feature. Convert your files to CSV, Excel, or XML formats for easy transferability between platforms. The bulk import/export feature helps you save time while managing your products. This makes product management with the platform quick and effortless.
Selling with Dropshipping on Ecwid
Ecwid makes setting up a store with dropshipping easy for businesses of all sizes. With its user-friendly interface and customer support, the platform offers inventory management and order fulfillment tools that streamline operations. Choose from a range of payment and shipping options to suit your needs. Selling with dropshipping on Ecwid removes the burden of managing inventory so you can focus on growing your business.
Ecwid SEO and Marketing
Ecwid offers a range of built-in SEO features and marketing tools to help improve your online store’s visibility. Customize URLs and meta descriptions for better search engine ranking. The platform integrates with popular marketing platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads and supports email campaigns for promoting products to drive sales.
Analyze site traffic through the analytics dashboard to gain insights into visitor behavior. Sell directly on social media channels using the social media integration feature.
Email Marketing
Maximizing your online store’s potential doesn’t just rely on having great products and services but also on engaging the customers through various means. Email marketing is a powerful way of reaching out to your audience effectively.
Whether you’re looking for automated emails or newsletters to stay in touch with your customers or integrating with third-party platforms for more advanced campaigns – Ecwid has got it all covered.
With personalization and segmentation options that allow you to target specific customer groups based on their purchase history or behavior – you can optimize your email marketing strategy for better engagement and revenue.
Google Analytics Integration
By integrating Google Analytics with your Ecwid store, you can track essential metrics such as traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rates. Additionally, it offers valuable insights into customer behavior, including their page visits and time spent on the website.
Analyzing this data can optimize your SEO strategy and marketing efforts to target your audience better and drive sales for your small business online store effortlessly using the easy website builder of Ecwid. The integration process is hassle-free and straightforward in setting up Google Analytics with Ecwid’s ecommerce platform.
Blog Integration for SEO Boosting
By integrating the Ecwid store with a blog through blogging or content creation, you can boost the ecommerce website’s SEO efforts by increasing its visibility on search engine result pages (SERP). For this purpose, regularly updating the blog with fresh content is essential as it helps keep existing customers engaged while attracting new ones through increased traffic on the website.
Using relevant keywords in product descriptions or blogs ensures that they appear on SERP when potential buyers are searching for related products or services. This seamless user experience also improves website ranking and ultimately leads to increased sales.
Boosting Site Traffic with Ad Campaigns on Google Ads and Facebook Ads
Running ad campaigns on Google Ads and Facebook Ads can effectively increase visibility and drive sales for Ecwid users. These ad campaigns help you target specific keywords based on demographic groups while keeping an eye on your campaign budget.
Optimizing product descriptions using keywords can improve your store’s visibility in search engine results pages. Always monitor the performance of your campaigns to ensure they’re effective in generating leads for your online store.
Ecwid Security Features
Ecwid’s ecommerce platform is recognized for its top-notch security features that enable safe and secure transactions. SSL encryption ensures secure transactions, while GDPR compliance safeguards customer data. Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security during login. Ecwid’s PCI DSS Level 1 certification guarantees the highest level of security standards.
SSL Encryption for Secure Transactions
Ecwid’s SSL encryption is imperative to ensure secure transactions on the platform. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, encrypting all data transmission between browsers and servers.
This ensures no interception of sensitive information like credit card details by third parties. Ecwid offers multiple additional security features, such as two-factor authentication, PCI DSS compliance, and fraud protection measures to assure customers’ safety while shopping online.
GDPR Compliance for Data Protection
Ecwid prioritizes the safety and protection of its user’s data and is fully GDPR compliant. Users can exercise complete control over their personal information with the option of deleting it anytime they want.
Ecwid offers a suite of security features such as SSL encryption for secure transactions, firewalls to prevent unauthorized access to user accounts, and regular security audits to ensure maximum data protection against potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Ecwid Support and Customer Service
Ecwid offers unparalleled assistance to its customers with email, live chat, and phone support available at all times. Troubleshooting has been made easy with the extensive documentation provided by Ecwid. Its customer service team is praised for its quick response time and personalized assistance to users. Ecwid’s diverse range of user-friendly plans caters to businesses of all sizes.
Help Center and Knowledge Base
Ecwid’s Help Center and Knowledge Base is an invaluable resource for users looking to troubleshoot any issues they might face while setting up their online store. With articles, videos, and tutorials on everything from shipping to checkout options to POS integration, the Help Center is easy to navigate and provides plenty of useful information.
Getting Help from Ecwid Community Forums
If you need assistance with your online store on the Ecwid platform, there are various support channels available at your disposal. You can visit their knowledge base, which includes articles, videos, and tutorials on topics such as shipping options setup or payment gateway integration.
If you need something more specific or personalized assistance than the extensive documentation offered by the company provides, then contacting their customer service team via the email address or live chat is another great option. One of the quickest ways to get help is through Ecwid’s community forums, where fellow small business owners share their experiences with Ecwid and offer advice on a wide range of ecommerce topics.
Email and Chat Support from Ecwid Customer Service
Ecwid’s email and chat support options offer exceptional assistance to its customers. The team behind these options is knowledgeable about the product and responsive to user queries. Their quick assistance helps users in resolving their issues effectively. If you prefer to troubleshoot problems on your own, Ecwid offers an extensive knowledge base that includes articles and resources that can be of great help.
Ecwid vs. Competitor Platforms
Compared to other ecommerce platforms available in the market, Ecwid offers several unique advantages that make it stand out from the crowd. For instance, it smoothly integrates with various website builders and platforms like WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, and more. It also provides a convenient POS system that allows you to sell your products in person.
With Ecwid’s app market, you can integrate your store with social media channels like Instagram and Facebook to reach a wider audience. The platform also offers email marketing services that help boost sales through targeted campaigns. Furthermore, Ecwid’s support team is available via email and chat for all customer-related queries.
Ecwid vs. Shopify
When deciding between Ecwid and Shopify for your ecommerce needs, it’s worth considering factors like pricing, customization options, and ease of use. While Shopify is pricier than Ecwid, it offers greater flexibility in website design and more robust features. If you’re just starting out or have limited needs, Ecwid’s free plan could be a great option.
Both platforms offer integrations with WordPress and Wix websites as well as social media plugins for Instagram and Facebook. When setting up your online store with either platform, you’ll have access to features like shipping options and payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe.
Ecwid vs. Squarespace
Ecwid and Squarespace are two popular ecommerce platforms that serve the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. While both offer unique features, there are some key differences between the two. Unlike Squarespace, Ecwid offers a free plan with limited features, making it a great option for beginners or those on a tight budget.
Ecwid provides more flexibility in terms of customization options and third-party app integrations, including easy integrations with WordPress, Wix, Shopify, and more. With its user-friendly dashboard and smooth checkout process on desktop or mobile devices, Ecwid has gained popularity among online store owners as well as in-person sales channels like social media platforms Instagram and Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecwid
Is Ecwid the Right Ecommerce Platform for You?
If you have a small business or are getting started, Ecwid could be the right ecommerce platform for you. Its user-friendly interface and easy integration with websites and social media are appealing. However, if you need advanced features or customization options, consider other platforms. Take into account your budget, goals, and specific needs when deciding if Ecwid is suitable for you.
Ecwid is a versatile ecommerce platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. The platform has a host of features and benefits, including seamless integration with social media platforms, Amazon, and eBay marketplaces. While there are some drawbacks to the platform, such as limited customization options, the pros far outweigh the cons.
With Ecwid’s user-friendly interface, robust security features, and excellent customer support, it’s an ideal choice for beginners and experienced online sellers alike. If you’re looking for an e-commerce platform that can help you grow your business online, Ecwid is definitely worth considering.
