Ecommerce marketing tools are hugely beneficial to a merchant. Though they may not be out of their budget, these free ecommerce marketing tools will create excellent results, both in terms of brand recognition and profitable sales.
The ecommerce business is growing faster than ever, and online shops are the most convenient way of buying anything. If you are already in the ecom world or planning to go there I have some amazing tools to show you. Inside this article you will find the most powerful tools for ecommerce website optimizing and for marketing purposes.
Ecommerce websites have grown in popularity with the advent of retail giants Amazon hitting the scene. You can setup your own website for selling products/services in no time using ecommerce software like Shopify. However, there are a number of powerful tools and apps out there that can make life easier for you, particularly once your site has been created. From email marketing to social media apps.
There are various powerful tools for ecommerce website that are helping the online businesses all around the world to gain more revenue. These tools are helping businesses to connect with their customers and giving them a greater control over the stock. I have found 50 powerful tools to simplify ecommerce website development process and make it easy to interact with the customers.
Which Ecommerce Platform is Best for Your Online Store?
As you can see, trying to determine the best ecommerce website builders is a highly subjective undertaking. What works well for one ecommerce business may not be the best for another. The bottom line is that while they all claim to be the best – not all of them will be the best for you.
We recommend choosing two or three of the best ecommerce platforms from this list to research in-depth. Then, sign up for free trials to get a feel for the store builder. This can help you decide which one you want to invest in for your online storefront.
Remember, there’s nothing that says you can’t switch to another platform later. But, depending on which platform you start with and what you’re migrating to, it can create a headache. That translates to lost time, money, and sales.
You’re far better off doing the research ahead of time to build a successful online store on the right platform than you are making a choice and switching later.
Let’s take a closer look at the best tools for ecommerce for your business.
1. Shopify
Shopify is perhaps the best ecommerce tool out there.
Want to know the reason for its popularity?
Read on to find out…
Key features
- A fully-hosted package that takes care of everything from backups to updates
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Built-in marketing tools to run campaigns on Facebook and Google
- A single dashboard to manage everything from orders to shipping and payments
Cost
- Basic Shopify: $29/month
- Shopify: $79/month
- Advanced Shopify: $299/month
- Shopify Lite: $9/month
- Shopify Plus: Pricing available on request
Pros
- Easy integration with loads of third-party payment gateways
- Sell everywhere from your ecommerce store to online marketplaces and social media
- Excellent site performance
Cons
- Advanced features at high prices
Image via Shopify
Tool level
Independent business owners, high-volume merchants, large enterprises
Usability
Ecommerce, inventory management, marketing
Case study
A lot of brands such as Cee Cee’s Closet NYC have built flourishing businesses with Shopify.
Are you still confused about how to start your online business?
Here’s a pro tip for you.
Pro Tip: You can also hire a Shopify Expert to help you with everything from store setup to SEO.
2. BigCommerce
If we’re talking about the best ecommerce business tools, the list wouldn’t be complete without BigCommerce. It is a powerful platform that offers endless opportunities to build, innovate, and grow your online store.
Want to learn about its key features?
Let’s take a look at them.
Key features
- Drag-and-drop design elements
- Flexibility to innovate with an open SaaS platform
- Easy integration with third-party apps
- Powerful analytics for valuable customer insights
- Best-in-class uptime and server response with Google Cloud Platform
- Storefront conversion features such as coupons, digital wallets, etc.
Cost
- BigCommerce Enterprise pricing available on request
Pros
- Easy to use
- Flexible, reliable, and secure platform
Cons
- You may find it expensive.
Image via BigCommerce
Tool level
From small businesses to enterprises
Usability
Ecommerce store
Case study
Brands like WOOLRICH, Skullcandy, and Burrow trust this ecommerce software solution.
Pro Tip: If you are looking for an all-in-one ecommerce solution with tons of built-in features, BigCommerce is the right fit for you.
3. JungleScout
What differentiates Jungle Scout from the other platforms on this list? Jungle Scout is one of the best ecommerce tool for those who want to start selling on Amazon. From product research to product launch, it can help you build and grow your Amazon business from scratch.
Key features
- Product research to identify high-demand products
- Keyword research to optimize product listings
- Analytics tool to track daily sales, revenue, and other key business metrics
- Targeted email campaigns to boost product sales
Cost
- Jungle Scout: $49/month
- Jungle Scout & Extension: $69/month
- Extension: $39/month
Pros
- User-friendly interface
- Extensive product data
- 100% free educational resources to get you started
Cons
- Some bugs in their web app integration and Chrome extension
Image via JungleScout
Tool level
First-time sellers, existing Amazon sellers, brands, and agencies
Usability
Selling on Amazon, email marketing, inventory management
Case study
Jungle Scout boasts 250,000 successful Amazon sellers.
Pro Tip: You should use Jungle Scout’s Beginners’ Guide to make the best use of this ecommerce solution.
4. 3dcart
3dcart is one of the best tools for ecommerce tools that can help you build a high-converting online store.
Wondering how?
Check out its key features.
Key features
- 100+ supported payment processors
- 200+ built-in features
- 50 free themes
- Cart abandonment recovery tools
- Full access to the HTML and CSS of your store for customization
Cost
- Startup Store: $19/month
- Basic Store: $29/month
- Plus Store: $79/month
- Power Store: $129/month
- Pro Store: $229/month
Pros
- A complete, all-in-one hosted ecommerce solution
- SEO-friendly website builder
- VISA PCI certified security
Cons
- For advanced customizations, you need to have knowledge of HTML and CSS.
Image via 3dcart
Tool level
From home-based startups to medium-sized businesses to large enterprise ecommerce sites
Usability
Ecommerce store, email marketing
Case study
Brands such as Eddyline and LogoUp trust 3dcart.
Pro Tip: To unleash the full potential of 3dcart, learn from its extensive knowledge base, video tutorials, and support forum.
5. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is one of the best ecommerce tools that’s available for free. It’s specifically built for those who want to add ecommerce functionality to their WordPress websites. What makes WooCommerce very attractive is the fact that it’s easy to use and implement on your WordPress website.
Image via WooCommerce
While they do require that you buy certain features if you want to upgrade the store experience, the free version works well enough too. The only drawback about WooCommerce is the fact that it’s not as easy to set up as other ecommerce stores, which offer drag-and-drop set up.
Pricing
Want to know what makes WooCommerce one of the best tools for ecommerce in the market?
It’s absolutely free and open-source.
6. ProProfs Help Desk
It is common for ecommerce businesses to receive tons of emails asking about product features, delivery dates, product availability, and more. This is where the ProProfs Help Desk comes into the picture and helps you respond to every customer email quickly. (This makes it one of the top best ecommerce business tools out there.)
Want to learn more about its features?
Let’s take a look together.
Key features
- Track the progress of every customer request/issue
- Shared inbox for easy collaboration
- Built-in Knowledge Base and Live Chat
- Insightful reports to measure individual and team performance
- Capture customer feedback on ProProfs Help Desk with NPS, CSAT surveys
- Can work on desktops, mobile devices, and tablets
Cost
- Forever Free Plan: $0 with limited functions
- Essentials Plan: $10/user/month
- Premium Plan: $15/user/month
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Does not require expert training
- User-friendly interface
- Hosted in the Cloud
- Internal integrations like Knowledge Base, Live Chat, and Survey
Cons
- Lack of external integrations
Image via ProProfs Help Desk
Tool Level
Intermediate — Can be used by small businesses as well as multinational companies
Usability
Customer service, customer support
Case Study
Brands like Acer, Lazy Cloud, OpenCart, etc. trust ProProfs Help Desk to offer delightful customer support experiences.
Pro Tip: Use internal notes and labels to keep tabs on issues and to route your tickets to the concerned departments easily.
7. UltraCart
This is a best ecommerce tool that lets you create your online storefront and start selling. It supports businesses regardless of the number of products and experience they have.
Want to learn how it can help you grow your business?
Let’s take a look at its key features.
Key features
- Fully customizable themes to build a responsive website without any additional design skills
- Valuable insights from UltraCart’s analytics dashboard to make informed marketing, sales, and design decisions
- Useful integrations with payment and fulfillment providers without expensive add-ons
Cost
- Small: $49.95/month
- Medium: $79.95/month
- Large: $229.95/month
- Enterprise: $499.95/month
Pros
- Responsive design and checkout themes for all mobile platforms
- Multiple storefronts
- Multi-language support
Cons
- Development skills required
Image via UltraCart
Tool level
For growing businesses, enterprises, and developers
Usability
Ecommerce, mobile commerce, website design
Case study
Ecommerce businesses like Solmate Socks and CenterForLit vouch for this ecommerce solution.
Pro Tip: It is best for those who want to add a store to their existing site. If you want to build a website from scratch, this may not be the best platform for you.
8. Oberlo
Oberlo offers a smooth and user-friendly interface that makes it one of the best ecommerce tools out there. It makes the entire process of adding, customizing, and tracking your products extremely simple. In addition, it offers advanced features such as tracking sales, finding alternate suppliers, etc.
Image via Oberlo
Pricing
Oberlo is free to use for stores with up to 500 products and 50 orders per month. Their most advanced plan costs $79.90 per month.
9. PrestaShop
PrestaShop is yet another free ecommerce tool that allows you to build your ecommerce website with ease. What makes it one of the best tools for ecommerce is the fact that it can compete with Shopify and WooCommerce in terms of the features offered. The only drawback of this tool is that it can be quite challenging to scale your store through it.
Image via PrestaShop
Pricing
PrestaShop is completely free to use.
10. Big Cartel
Big Cartel makes it simple for you to build your own store and run your business online. It’s built especially for artists and creative individuals who want to sell their creations through their ecommerce stores. It’s this personalized approach to designing the tool that makes it one of the best e-commerce business tools for you.
Image via Big Cartel
Pricing
The pricing for Big Cartel starts from $9.99 per month and goes all the way up to $29.99 per month.
11. OpenCart
If you’re looking for a free ecommerce tool, OpenCart is the answer. This is one of the best ecommerce tools that lets you operate your store without any charges. It also comes with many free downloads and updates. If you want to upgrade your store’s functionality, you can download many paid extensions as well.
Image via OpenCart
Pricing
OpenCart is free and open source. This makes it a great option for budding ecommerce businesses.
Lead Capture Tools
Once you have a website and visitors coming to your website, you need to capture your visitors. Using the lead capture tools for e-commerce business you can grow your subscriber base. Below are the top tools to capture your leads for your e-commerce business.
Gravity Forms
It’s a WordPress plugin to capture leads from your website. If your website is based on WordPress, then this is a good plugin to capture leads. It offers more than 30 pre-designed templates. You can even edit what all information is needed in the form. You can even define the conditions when you want to show the pop-up. It has integrated captcha options to fight off the spam. All the designs are responsive in nature, to capture more leads for your e-commerce business.
They offer three different paid plans. All the plans are billed annually.
Optinmonster
One of the best tools to capture your visitor and convert them to lead. You can create triggered opt-in campaigns based on exit, time spent, page scrolled, and more. It also detects the ad-blockers and allows the website to bypass them to show opt-in to users. A few of the e-commerce specific campaigns you can run using Optinmonstere are cart abandonment, onsite retargeting, targeted on-site messages, and more. It offers loads of responsive templates you can use to capture leads.
It offers 7 days of a free trial. They have 4 different paid plans.
Popup Domination
Using Popup Domination, you can use the custom subscription box template. You can also edit the content of the form and can add new fields as well. You can also specify the display settings based on various attributes like time spent on the page, specific pages based on a string, percentage scrolled, and more. Integrating Popup Domination is very easy. It’s a one time code that you have integrated into your website. It offers easy integration with all the leading email service provider like MailChimp, GetResponse, ConstantContact.
Their pricing is very simple. It charges based on pop up views and not on the features. So at the basic price also, you will get all the features.
Conclusion
In today’s hyper-competitive online environment, having a website that performs well and gives you an advantage over your competitors is an absolute must for any online business. That’s why people often wonder about the best tools for running their online business. If you are in ecommerce, then you know that most of the marketing and promotional aspects are beyond your control (unless it is your own brand). The one thing that you do have complete control over is your website. This means that the work starts with optimizing your site to give you an edge over others. There are some powerful ecommerce tools available out there to help you do just that.
Ecommerce marketing is the cornerstone of every successful ecommerce business. It’s the key to boosting conversion rates, and growing your bottom line. And even though many ecommerce marketing strategies have been tried, there are still dozens more that can help you bring in huge returns.