Big Cartel vs commercetools

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Our analysts compared Big Cartel vs commercetools based on data from our 400+ point analysis of eCommerce Platforms, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Big Cartel Software Tool

Product Basics

Big Cartel is an eCommerce website builder that helps artists quickly design and launch an online storefront. They can set up professional websites on a custom domain for free, and move onto paid plans during scaling for features like inventory management, theme code editing, Google Analytics and more. The free plan supports five products and paid plans can support up to 500 products.
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commercetools is an omnichannel commerce platform designed for mid and large-sized businesses to sell products globally and personalize customer experiences (CX). It follows the MACH principle (Microservice-based, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless), allowing businesses to design decoupled frontends connected to the backend via flexible APIs.

Core components include a headless API, multi-branding, catalog management, shopping cart and distributed order management. It supports both B2B and B2C environments and offers machine learning to deliver personalized CX. The vendor also provides developer services to integrate with third-party apps.
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$12 Monthly, Freemium
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$40,000 Annually, Quote-Based
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Chromebook
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Mobile

Product Assistance

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Documentation
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Live Online
Videos
Webinars
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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Design Unique Storefronts: Create branded storefronts with automated tax calculators, site searching, shipment connections and real-time statistics using templates and coding. 
  • Improve Engagement: Track KPIs, cart recovery, engagement rates and bounce rates to identify weaknesses and drill down on opportunities. Attract customers and boost engagement through unique promos and discounts. 
  • Work From Anywhere: Stay on top of every business process with real-time updates and notifications on the mobile app for Android and iOS. 
  • Add Custom Features: Leverage partnership with Zapier to facilitate connections with over 1,000 third-party solutions like Google Analytics, Facebook Store, Instagram, Pulley, MailChimp and more. 
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  • Tailor To Fit Needs: Build a single, robust platform tailored to suit business needs by bringing together loosely coupled, independently deployable microservices and apps. 
  • Lower Costs via Economies of Scale: Distribute platform updates and maintenance costs to every user through the multi-tenant architecture. 
  • Maintain Flexibility: Independently customize and scale specific modules using the microservice-based, modular infrastructure. 
  • Maximize Uptime: Ensure global coverage, minimum latency and optimized performance with a multi-cloud setup that includes GCP, AWS and Microsoft Azure. Offers CDNs and server locations across America, Europe and APAC. 
  • Deliver Branded Experiences: Curate differentiated customer experiences across multiple channels. Supports storefront designing for personal websites, social networks, AR/VR devices, IoT, mobile devices and more. 
  • Enhance Customer Experiences: Offer personalized recommendations, multiple payments and fulfillment options, shipment tracking information, and quick return and refund processes. Integrate with external chatbots and concierge services. 
  • Centralize Management: Unify multiple brands in one flagship online store, integrate sales channels into a single omnichannel strategy and manage every aspect from a centralized dashboard. 
  • Ensure a Secure Environment: Facilitate communications via HTTPS and secure them by TLS 1.2. Encrypt storage layer using WPA2 with AES-256-bit key. 
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  • Professional Website: Build and design a niche standalone website to create product USPs. Personalize web pages and add business branding through design templates or editing source code with the HTML and CSS editor. Websites are compatible with both mobile and PC. Host sites on the vendor’s domain or use a custom domain, available with paid plans. 
  • Inventory Management: Keep track of sold units, add new products, supply products with descriptions and photos, and receive notifications when a product is about to go out of stock. Available with paid plans. 
  • Order Management: Send confirmation emails after purchases. Arrange shipping, print shipping labels, track orders and bulk export order history to a CSV file from a unified dashboard. 
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Provide targeted product descriptions, collect inbound links and receive expert advice on optimizing search engine results. 
  • Discounts: Provide discounts on the checkout page to boost customer retention and improve loyalty. 
  • Analytics: Track monthly sales, visitor statistics, conversion rates and more from the analytics dashboard. Leverage integrations with third-party applications for in-depth analysis, available with paid plans.  
  • Mobile App: Access free mobile apps to streamline workflows and increase efficiency. Available apps assist in custom printing, social media marketing, site analytics, customer support, shipping management and more.  
  • Payment Processing: Choose between PayPal and Stripe to provide customers with a one-touch checkout and payment point on the website. Additionally, utilize the mobile application and a card swiper to accept in-person payments, without incurring additional processing fees. 
  • Integrations: Leverage partnership with Zapier to facilitate connections with over 1,000 third-party solutions like Google Analytics, Facebook Store, Instagram, Pulley, Mailchimp and more, available at a cost. 
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  • Headless Commerce: Use GraphQl and pluggable APIs to connect and personalize sales, marketing and fulfillment experiences across every channel. Customize API behavior according to business needs through API patenting. 
  • Catalog and Product Information Management (PIM): 
    • Product Attributes: Supports flexible data types, multiple attributes and languages, and quick imports through existing configurations. 
    • Cataloging: Add categories and custom fields to design unique catalogs. Create links between catalogs and manage multiple variants. 
    • Targeted Data: Compartmentalize products by country, language, channel and store. 
    • Product Relationship: Define complex relationships and map how different data sets interact with each other. 
    • Multimedia Library: Store, organize and distribute images, audios and videos across channels. Include granular content for specific product types and attributes. 
    • Filtering: Offers a search bar, multiple filters and sorting options for easy navigation. 
    • Pricing: Set up tiered pricing based on currency, country, channels and more. Supports unlimited, custom currencies and high precision pricing. 
  • Shopping Cart: Create a seamless checkout experience and add multiple touchpoints for additional revenue. 
    • Rulesets: Get an overview of incoming orders and define how they interact with backend order management. 
    • Tax Handling: Automate tax calculation based on customers’ location. 
    • Subscriptions: Set up subscription-based purchases. 
    • Discounting: Define conditions and manage complex discount structures based on sales channels, customers, discount codes and more. 
    • Wishlist: Customers can create wishlists, save shopping carts and continue later. 
    • Cart Data: Track abandoned carts and develop marketing campaigns to revive lost sales. 
  • Order Management: 
    • Order Tracking: Get a centralized view of every product, order and fulfillment center. Track and manage business-specific metrics with a few clicks. 
    • Customer Data: Store information like order history, behavior patterns and engagement history and create detailed customer profiles. Provide data visibility to relevant teams. 
    • Channel Management: Aggregate inventory, pricing and product data across every store, POS and online channel. 
    • Shipping: Connect to shipping carriers and offer flexible options like BOPIS, curbside pickups, dropshipping and more. 
    • Order Routing: Design smart workflows for routing orders to convenient fulfillment points. 
  • Machine Learning: Automate daily tasks, enhance data quality and improve customer experience. 
    • Product Categorization: Specify rules to automatically assign products to appropriate categories based on attributes. 
    • Product Suggestions: Offer personalized recommendations according to individual customer profiles. 
    • Smart Search: Customers can use multiple filters, custom fields and image searches. Analyze search patterns and field value distributions to model database indexes. 
    • Data Enrichment: Detect duplicate entries and missing information, and receive smart suggestions for resolving issues. 
    • Add-Ons: Connect with third-party software for cross-selling and up-selling based on customer profiles. 
  • B2B Commerce: Provide a B2C buying experience by combining microservices. Personalize experiences, maintain online and offline brand identity, and automate product data processing. 
  • D2C Commerce: Create a flagship online store and add direct links to the website on multiple social networks. 
  • Developer Tools: Provides SDKs, structured documentation, APIs and other unique tools for in-depth platform customization. 
  • Integrations: Access the marketplace to add features like frontend designs, payment processors, accounting software, CRM and more. 
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Product Ranking

#11

among all
eCommerce Platforms

#80

among all
eCommerce Platforms

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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Catalog And Product Management Checkout Inventory Management Marketing And Search Engine Optimization Order Management Payments Platform Capability Reporting And Analytics Sales Channel Shipping Storefront 79 97 57 81 84 51 100 40 72 91 70 0 25 50 75 100
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User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 32 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 2 reviews
84%
of users recommend this product

Big Cartel has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 84% when considering 32 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

100%
of users recommend this product

commercetools has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 100% when considering 2 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.2 (21)
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4.18 (11)
5.0 (2)

Awards

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commercetools stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Simple Store Setup: Big Cartel is known for its straightforward and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to set up their online stores quickly, even with limited technical expertise.
Free Plan Availability: The platform offers a free plan that allows users to sell up to five products, making it an attractive option for individuals or small businesses starting with a limited budget or inventory.
Affordable Paid Plans: Big Cartel's paid plans are generally considered affordable compared to other eCommerce platforms, providing scalability for growing businesses without breaking the bank.
Focus on Artists and Makers: Big Cartel caters specifically to artists, crafters, and independent creators, offering features and tools tailored to their needs, such as customizable themes and the ability to sell digital products.
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Composable Architecture: Users appreciate the flexibility to pick and choose the specific commercetools features they need, without being locked into a rigid, pre-configured suite of tools.
API-First Approach: The robust API allows for seamless integration with existing systems and enables businesses to build custom storefronts and experiences.
Cloud-Native Platform: Users highlight the benefits of scalability and reliability, allowing them to handle traffic spikes and adapt to changing business needs.
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Limited Design Flexibility: The platform's design options can feel restrictive for users seeking extensive customization, especially when compared to other platforms that offer a wider range of themes and more advanced design tools.
Feature Limitations: Big Cartel may not be the best fit for businesses with complex needs, as it lacks certain features commonly found in other eCommerce platforms, such as abandoned cart recovery, detailed analytics, and extensive marketing tools.
Scalability Challenges: While suitable for smaller stores or those just starting out, Big Cartel may not be the best choice for rapidly growing businesses due to limitations in product variations, inventory management, and order processing capabilities.
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Complex Setup: Some users have reported that getting started with commercetools can be a bit daunting due to its extensive features and API-first approach. This can lead to a steeper learning curve for those new to headless commerce platforms.
Technical Expertise Required: Commercetools is highly customizable, but this comes at the cost of requiring more technical expertise to implement and manage. Businesses without in-house development resources might find it challenging to leverage the platform's full potential.
Limited Out-of-the-Box Functionality: As a headless solution, commercetools focuses on providing backend infrastructure, leaving frontend development and integrations to the user. This means additional effort is needed to build a complete eCommerce experience, unlike some more traditional platforms that offer pre-built storefronts and features.
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Big Cartel has been making waves in the eCommerce world, but like any platform, it has its fans and its critics. Users who dig Big Cartel often point to its user-friendliness and affordability as major pluses. It's a great starting point for small businesses and artists who want to get their online stores up and running without breaking the bank or getting bogged down in technical complexities. However, some users find Big Cartel's features a bit too basic, especially compared to more robust platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. If you're looking for advanced marketing tools, extensive customization options, or top-tier customer support, Big Cartel might leave you wanting more. Ultimately, Big Cartel is a solid choice for those who prioritize simplicity and affordability, but if you need a platform that can scale with your business, you might want to explore other options. "Big Cartel: the perfect platform for your big dreams." Whether you're an artist selling handmade crafts or a musician hawking merch, Big Cartel provides a straightforward way to turn your passion into profit. Just remember, as your business grows, you might need to upgrade to a platform with more bells and whistles.

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Recent user reviews suggest that commercetools is a powerful platform for businesses looking for a flexible and scalable solution. Users praise its API-first approach and microservice-based architecture, which allows for easy customization and integration with other systems. This makes it a good choice for businesses with complex needs or those looking to build a truly unique customer experience. For example, a business could use commercetools to create a personalized shopping experience for each customer, or to integrate their online store with their in-store point-of-sale system. However, users also note that commercetools can be complex to set up and manage, requiring significant technical expertise. Its flexibility can be a double-edged sword, as it can lead to a steeper learning curve. Some users also point out that the platform has a limited number of out-of-the-box integrations, meaning businesses may need to develop custom integrations for some of their existing systems. Despite these drawbacks, many users find that the benefits of commercetools outweigh the challenges, particularly for businesses that need a highly customizable and scalable solution. Overall, commercetools is best suited for larger businesses with the technical resources to take advantage of its powerful features. Smaller businesses or those with limited technical expertise may find other platforms easier to use.

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