Top 7 BigCommerce Alternatives in 2023
Are you looking for a great Bigcommerce alternative?
Actually not just you, many businesses are turning to an alternative to BigCommerce to meet their new needs. BigCommerce is a powerful tool, but there could be something about it not for you.
By the end of this blog post, you’ll get an overview of the most well-known BigCommerce alternatives.
4 reasons to look for a BigCommerce alternative
Yes, BigCommerce is a great platform for many businesses, but it may not be the best fit for everyone.
And here are the top 4 reasons why BigCommerce may not work for you.
BigCommerce is expensive
One thing to know is: BigCommerce is not for small businesses with a limited budget.
BigCommerce currently offers 4 pricing plans, starting from $29.95/month. Even if your business uses this cheapest plan, you would soon realize its basic features are not enough to run your business effectively. You would want to upgrade it, which costs you way more.
That’s why this plan is said to be “the entry plan” for businesses to try BigCommerce before moving to the more expensive plans.
Plus, you should note that your online revenue does count when it comes to the pricing package. Once your annual sales reach the sales cap, your plan will be automatically upgraded to the equivalent plan.
BigCommerce can be hard to use for non-techies
BigCommerce can be a bit overwhelming for non-tech users. This is because it would require certain technical skills to navigate the backend and set up the store correctly.
Plus, some customizations require advanced knowledge of technology, like programming languages HTML and CSS.
For non-tech users, this process can be difficult and require a lot of help from tutorials and customer support.
BigCommerce doesn’t have the features you need
Though BigCommerce is feature-rich, you’ll still have to use third-party apps and integrations to optimize your business. Currently, there are only more than 1,000 integrations in BigCommerce, which is quite a small number compared to other ecommerce platforms.
Top 7 BigCommerce alternatives
Here is the list of top 7 alternatives to BigCommerce you should consider:
- Shopify is best for ease of use.
- Adobe Commerce (Magento) is best for scalability.
- SAP Commerce Cloud is best for a comprehensive suite of features.
- WooCommerce is best for flexibility.
- Salesforce Commerce for B2C is best for customization.
- Oracle Commerce is best for unified commerce.
- VTEX Commerce Platform is best for its omnichannel features.
To take a quick glance at those alternative solutions to BigCommerce, look at the pros and cons of each platform below.
Shopify
Shopify is famous for its ease of use and affordability. It is perhaps the most widely-used ecommerce platform, mostly for merchants and small businesses. With Shopify, it is really easy to start an online business without any coding skills required. Shopify is also one of the top-of-mind solutions when you look for a Bigcommerce alternative.
Pros
- Is easy to set up, easy to use, and easy to customize
- Has more than 8,000 third-party apps and integrations
- Supports a variety of product media (image, GIF, Video, 3D, and AR)
- Is highly secure
- Offers 24/7 support and international support
Cons
- Charges transaction fees
- Requires an upgrade to Shopify Plus to use complex and large catalogs smoothly
Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento)
Adobe Commerce (Magento) is a scalable, open-source platform. It is one of popular alternatives to BigCommerce and is suitable for businesses of all sizes. But actually, large-scale businesses will enjoy the most benefits as it is designed for high performance and growth. Adobe Commerce requires you to have technical skills to be able to set up the site.
Pros
- Is highly configurable and customizable
- Has many functionalities
- Has quite many third-party integrations (about 3,000 integrations)
- Is pretty secure
- Has highly-praised omnichannel features
Cons
- Has a steep learning curve. It is not suitable for businesses without technical expertise or businesses that don’t have time to learn the system.
- Can be expensive
SAP Commerce Cloud
SAP Commerce Cloud positions itself as “built mainly for large enterprises.” It is well designed to handle complex catalogs and products. This platform is flexible and also very secure. With SAP Commerce Cloud, it could be not that hard when scaling up your business.
Pros
- Has many functionalities
- Has quite many third-party integrations (about 5,000 integrations)
- Helps deliver excellent customer experience
- Is pretty secure
- Has very good omnichannel features
Cons
- Doesn’t offer free trial and is expensive
- Some functions are outdated
- Some systems like CMS could be slow
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free ecommerce plugin where you can integrate ecommerce functionality into your WordPress site. Since WooCommerce is an open-source platform, it is suitable for a wide variety of online businesses, especially those with a limited budget.
Pros
- Is easy to use and set up
- Is customizable to fit your needs
- Is free to install and use
- Has quite strong marketing functionalities
- Doesn’t charge any transaction fees
Cons
- Doesn’t provide support and charges money for their support service
- Doesn’t have built-in functionality and requires users to integrate every single plugin by themselves
- Can have trouble when scaling up like slow website
Salesforce Commerce for B2C
Salesforce Commerce for B2C is an e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create and manage their own online store. It is a great option for businesses looking to increase their online presence and grow their customer base.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Is highly scalable and customizable
- Has comprehensive analytics once integrated with Salesforce CRM platform
- Is good at the omnichannel approach
Cons
- Is very expensive
- Has quite limited third-party integrations
Oracle Commerce
Oracle Commerce is a top-ranked ecommerce platform best for medium and large businesses. This platform will help you to deliver a personalized experience to your customers and ensure a seamless buying experience.
Pros
- Is highly scalable
- Has powerful product catalog and content management capabilities
- Has technologies designed to manage the buyer journey better
Cons
- Is costly and has no free trial
- Doesn’t have many features
- Can be hard to use and set up
- Is not ideal for small businesses or those with limited technical resources.
VTEX Commerce Platform
VTEX is considered a rising star in today’s ecommerce marketplace and is one of the potential BigCommerce alternatives. It is a cloud-based ecommerce platform that most benefits large-scale businesses like Coca-Cola and Sony. It is designed to support your omnichannel strategy, helping you to operate efficiently and delivering remarkable customer experiences.
Pros
- Is highly customizable because it uses VTEX IO (a serverless development platform)
- Is agile and scalable
- Delivers good marketing management for the omnichannel approach, with personalized experiences to customers
Cons
- Is really expensive (custom quote) and time-consuming to start
- Is still geographically limited
What to consider when choosing a BigCommerce alternative
When choosing a BigCommerce alternative, you should consider these aspects:
Security
Data bleach is a potential risk when running an online business and could cost you more than you think. To avoid this worst-case scenario, carefully research which kind of security system the platform is using. Check whether that platform really prioritizes security.
Pricing
Of course, you must consider how much money you are willing to spend on the ecommerce platform. Depending on your budget, you’ll be able to immediately filter what’s right for your business.
Ease of use
Is it possible for you to set up your ecommerce site by yourself? Does your business have staff with technical expertise?
If the answers are no, then we recommend you go for the platform that is easy to use for non-tech users.
Ecommerce functionality
You want the ecommerce platform you choose to meet your needs, and, if possible, go beyond your expectations.
So if you have used an ecommerce platform before, think about what essential features you really need. Then, check if the platform you are researching has them or not – and if they are rated highly.
Third-party apps and integrations
Similar to considering the features, think about apps and integrations you really need and may need to run your business smoothly. Each platform has its own ecosystem of integrations. When you have more choices, you’ll
Flexibility
For large enterprises, you’d most likely want to customize your site to your preferences and brand identity.
Therefore, look for a platform that allows you to extend and customize. In the long run, you won’t need to switch to another platform.
Scalability
Even though your business is now small, you’d want it to grow and scale up in the future. During your peak times, the platform should be able to handle large sales volumes.
Inventory management
Large businesses usually need a system that has strong inventory management. One of the technologies to ensure this aspect you should look for is headless technology. This technology leaves the inventory management to the backend, so you won’t face any trouble with your front end, like slowing your website.
Omnichannel commerce
Omnichannel is a must for your business to survive in today’s competitive market. And you want your ecommerce platform to provide a frictionless customer journey and take good care of every touchpoint your customer is at
Conclusion
Finding the right BigCommerce alternative is important to run your eCommerce store smoothly and efficiently. With the right platform, you can take your business to the next level. Don’t forget to take a deep look at each of them before making your final purchasing decision.
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