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Big Cartel vs Shopify
In the ever-growing world of e-commerce, choosing the right platform to sell your products online can make or break your business. With so many options out there, two of the most popular platforms that small business owners and entrepreneurs often compare are Big Cartel and Shopify. Both have unique features and cater to different types of users, but which one is better for you?
In this article, we’ll break down the differences, pros, and cons of both platforms, helping you make an informed decision. Whether you’re just starting or looking to switch platforms, this comparison will give you everything you need to know.
What is Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is a straightforward e-commerce platform designed for small business owners and artists who want to set up an online store quickly without breaking the bank. Founded in 2005, Big Cartel is popular among independent creators, makers, and small-scale retailers who don’t require extensive features.
Target Audience: Big Cartel caters primarily to artists, designers, and makers who want to sell their products online with minimal hassle.
Pros
User-Friendly Interface:
Big Cartel has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to set up their online store without needing extensive technical knowledge.
No Listing Fees:
The platform does not charge listing fees, which is beneficial for small businesses and artists who want to keep costs low while selling their products.
Simple Pricing:
Big Cartel offers straightforward pricing tiers that cater to different business needs. There is also a free plan available for users with a limited number of products.
Customization Options:
Users can customize their store’s appearance using themes and pre-designed templates, allowing for a degree of personalization.
Focus on Creatives:
The platform is specifically designed for artists and makers, making it easier for them to showcase their work and reach their target audience.
Built-in SEO Features:
Big Cartel offers some built-in SEO tools to help increase visibility in search engines, which can aid in attracting more traffic to the store.
Cons
Limited Payment Options:
Big Cartel restricts the payment gateways you can use, primarily offering PayPal and Stripe, which may not be convenient for all customers.
Fewer Features Compared to Competitors:
Compared to other e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce, Big Cartel offers fewer features, which might limit scalability for growing businesses.
Inventory Limitations:
Depending on the pricing plan, there may be limitations on how many products can be listed (e.g., the free plan allows only five products).
Lack of Advanced E-commerce Features:
It lacks advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, upselling, and extensive marketing tools found in more robust platforms.
What is Shopify?
Shopify is one of the most robust e-commerce platforms available today. Founded in 2006, it’s used by everyone from small businesses to major corporations. Shopify is known for its scalability, flexibility, and wide array of features.
Target Audience: Shopify targets entrepreneurs, small businesses, and large companies looking for a fully featured, scalable e-commerce platform.
Pros
User-Friendly Interface: Shopify is designed with a simple and intuitive user interface, making it accessible for users without technical expertise.
Customization Options: With a variety of themes and a robust app ecosystem, Shopify offers extensive customization options to tailor your online store to your brand.
Mobile Responsiveness: Shopify stores are automatically optimized for mobile devices, ensuring a good shopping experience for mobile users.
Built-In Payment Solutions: Shopify Payments provides seamless integration with payment gateways, reducing transaction fees and simplifying the payment process.
Security: Shopify is PCI compliant, which means it adheres to strict security standards, providing a secure shopping environment for customers.
Cons
Monthly Fees: Shopify operates on a subscription model, and while it offers different pricing plans, costs can accumulate, especially when adding apps and premium themes.
Transaction Fees: If you choose a payment gateway other than Shopify Payments, you may incur additional transaction fees, which can cut into your profit margins.
Limited Customization for Advanced Users: While Shopify offers customization options, advanced users may find its Liquid templating language limiting compared to self-hosted solutions like WooCommerce.
Content Management Limitations: Shopify’s blogging capabilities are not as robust as some dedicated blogging platforms, which may limit your content marketing efforts.
Pricing Comparison: Big Cartel vs Shopify
| Plan | Big Cartel | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes, up to 5 products | No |
| Basic Plan | $9.99/month (up to 50 products) | $39/month |
| Advanced Plans | $19.99/month (up to 500 products) | $79/month |
| Transaction Fees | None (for PayPal & Stripe) | 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (for Shopify Payments) |
Key Points about Big Cartel Pricing
Free Plan: This is ideal for people just starting out with only a few products. However, the free plan comes with limitations (e.g., only 5 products).
Gold Plan: Best for creators or small businesses that need a few more products and want to unlock additional design options.
Platinum Plan: Offers the most advanced features such as bulk inventory management, and greater customization, perfect for growing businesses that need to handle more products and customers.
Key Points about Shopify Pricing
Basic Shopify: The most affordable paid plan, suitable for most small businesses. It gives you all the basic tools to sell online.
Shopify: Offers more advanced reporting and up to 5 staff accounts, making it ideal for medium-sized businesses.
Advanced Shopify: Designed for larger businesses that require deeper insights, more staff, and advanced shipping and reporting features.Shopify Plus: Tailored for enterprises or large-scale businesses with custom needs, including dedicated support and extensive API access.
Feature Comparison: Big Cartel vs Shopify
| Feature | Big Cartel | Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Simple, user-friendly, and intuitive. | Easy to use, but has a steeper learning curve due to its extensive features. |
| Design Templates | 13 themes (limited customization) | Over 100 themes (highly customizable) |
| Payment Gateways | PayPal, Stripe, Square | 100+ gateways, including Shopify Payments |
| SEO Tools | Basic SEO features (meta tags, URL structure) | Advanced SEO options (editable meta tags, sitemap generation, and SEO apps) |
| Marketing Tools | Basic (Discount codes, Google Analytics) | Advanced marketing tools (email marketing, social media selling, ads integration) |
| Reporting | Basic analytics | Advanced reports on sales, customer behavior, and financial data |
Ease of Use
Big Cartel
Big Cartel is designed primarily for artists and small businesses who need to set up an online store quickly and efficiently. It prides itself on simplicity and user-friendliness. The platform features an intuitive interface that allows users to set up their stores without extensive technical knowledge. Beginners can easily navigate through the site and get their products listed with minimal fuss. This makes it an ideal choice for those who want a straightforward selling experience.
Shopify
Shopify, while also user-friendly, offers a broader range of features and functionalities that can lead to a steeper learning curve. For those who are looking to build a more complex, feature-rich online store, Shopify provides a wealth of options that may require a bit of time to master. While the interface is still accessible, users may need to explore tutorials and documentation to fully utilize all the platform’s capabilities, particularly when it comes to advanced features.
Design Templates
Big Cartel
Big Cartel offers 13 design templates, which, while aesthetically appealing, come with limited customization options. Users can choose a theme that aligns with their brand but often can’t adjust specific elements extensively. This makes it suitable for users who prefer a simple store layout without extensive personalization, but it does limit creativity for those seeking a unique look.
Shopify
Shopify, in contrast, offers over 100 design themes, many of which are highly customizable. Users can modify colors, layouts, typography, and other elements, allowing for a more unique and tailored online storefront. In addition to the pre-built themes, Shopify supports third-party themes, giving users the flexibility to hire designers or purchase custom themes from marketplaces. This extensive library and customization capability make it easier for businesses to create a distinct brand identity and enhance user engagement through appealing design.
Payment Gateways
Big Cartel
Big Cartel supports several payment gateways including PayPal, Stripe, and Square. This is sufficient for many small-scale businesses that primarily rely on these popular services for transaction processing. The limited gateway options may pose challenges for businesses needing specific payment methods or those operating in international markets where other gateways are preferred.
Big Cartel is perfect for small businesses and independent creators, like Luna’s Handmade Jewelry, who need an affordable, simple platform to showcase and sell their products online. With no transaction fees beyond gateway charges and easy customization, it’s ideal for those just starting out.
Shopify
On the other hand, Shopify offers integration with over 100 payment gateways, including its own Shopify Payments solution, which allows for seamless transactions. This extensive range provides users with flexibility in processing payments, accommodating various customer preferences, and supporting multiple currencies and languages. Businesses with a more global reach find this feature particularly beneficial, as it enables smoother transactions across different regions.
SEO Tools
Big Cartel
Big Cartel comes with basic SEO features that allow users to create standard meta tags and manage URL structures. While it provides essential tools for optimizing product listings and pages, its capabilities may not be sufficient for businesses looking to implement more advanced SEO strategies. This limitation may affect those who want to improve their search engine rankings significantly and attract organic traffic.
Shopify
Shopify excels in its advanced SEO options, offering features that include customizable meta tags, automated sitemap generation, and the ability to integrate SEO-centric applications. This empowers users to enhance their online presence and optimize their sites for search engines effectively. Shopify’s built-in SEO tools can provide insights and recommendations, helping store owners improve visibility and drive more organic traffic to their stores.
Marketing Tools
Big Cartel
Big Cartel provides basic marketing tools, including the ability to create discount codes to attract customers and Google Analytics integration for tracking site performance. While these tools are useful for small businesses, they lack the depth and sophistication required for more extensive marketing campaigns. Users may find themselves limited when trying to execute complex marketing strategies.
Shopify
In contrast, Shopify boasts an array of advanced marketing tools. Along with customizable discount codes, users can access features such as email marketing integrations, social media selling, and advertisements integration on platforms like Google and Facebook. This holistic approach allows businesses to reach their audience through various channels and manage their marketing strategies more efficiently. Shopify’s robust ecosystem supports a variety of apps and integrations, giving businesses the tools to boost sales through targeted marketing efforts.
Via Shopify
Reporting
Big Cartel
Big Cartel offers basic analytics, providing users with insights into fundamental metrics like sales and traffic. While this may suffice for very small shops with limited product lines, users looking for in-depth data analysis on customer behavior and sales trends will find the reporting options lacking.
Shopify
Shopify stands out with its advanced reporting capabilities. Users can access detailed reports on sales, customer behavior, inventory, and financial data, allowing them to make informed decisions based on comprehensive data analysis. Shopify’s robust reporting tools enable businesses to identify trends, understand customer preferences, and ultimately optimize their operations and marketing efforts. The ability to drill down into data helps users demonstrate the ROI of their strategies and continuously improve their business performance.
Via Shopify
Conclusion
Both Big Cartel and Shopify are great e-commerce platforms, but they cater to different types of businesses. Big Cartel is perfect for artists, makers, and small businesses just starting out, offering a simple and affordable way to sell online. Shopify, on the other hand, is a feature-rich platform that works well for growing businesses or larger operations that need scalability, advanced features, and robust support.
Ultimately, the choice between Big Cartel and Shopify depends on your business’s needs, budget, and growth plans.
FAQs
Can I use Big Cartel for dropshipping?
Big Cartel does not have built-in dropshipping features or integrations like Shopify. If you’re interested in dropshipping, Shopify is a much better option as it offers several apps and tools specifically designed for dropshipping.
Does Shopify offer a free trial?
Yes, Shopify offers a 14-day free trial for all new users. This allows you to explore the platform’s features and try out the interface before committing to a paid plan. However, the free trial does not include access to premium features that come with higher plans.
Is Big Cartel better for artists and creators?
Yes, Big Cartel is particularly well-suited for independent artists, makers, and small businesses who have a limited number of products. It is a simpler platform that is easy to use and inexpensive, making it ideal for those with a smaller product catalog and limited technical knowledge.
Can I sell on multiple channels using Shopify?
Yes, Shopify excels at multi-channel selling. You can easily sell on Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, eBay, and other platforms directly from your Shopify dashboard. Additionally, Shopify integrates with point-of-sale (POS) systems for in-person sales.
Does Big Cartel charge transaction fees?
Big Cartel does not charge any additional transaction fees for using PayPal or Stripe, which are its primary payment gateways. However, PayPal and Stripe may charge their standard processing fees (around 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction). This makes Big Cartel a good choice for small stores with a limited catalog who want to avoid extra fees.
Which platform is better for scalability—Big Cartel or Shopify?
Shopify is far more scalable than Big Cartel. While Big Cartel is great for small businesses with fewer than 500 products, Shopify can handle a much larger product catalog, offers advanced features like inventory management and reporting, and can grow with your business as it expands.
Can I use my own domain with Big Cartel and Shopify?
Yes, both platforms allow you to use your own custom domain. Big Cartel offers this feature with paid plans, while Shopify includes it with all plans.
Which platform has better customer support—Big Cartel or Shopify?
Shopify offers 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email, making it ideal for businesses that need immediate help. Big Cartel only offers email support and has no phone or live chat options, which might be limiting for some users.
Does Shopify provide tools for SEO?
Yes, Shopify offers robust SEO tools including customizable meta tags, automatic sitemap generation, and the ability to edit URLs. There are also SEO-focused apps available in Shopify’s App Store to further enhance your store’s search engine visibility.
Is there a limit to how many products I can list on Shopify?
No, Shopify allows you to list an unlimited number of products on all of its pricing plans. This makes it an excellent choice for businesses with large inventories or those planning to expand quickly.
