Are you curious about the best tools for ecommerce merchants? Or maybe you would just like more information on the topic of e-commerce tools? Well, whatever the case may be, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will be discussing a number of different e-commerce tools that will suit your needs.
Merchants use all kinds of tools to manage their eCommerce businesses, so we’ve compiled a list of the most popular ones. From products and services, to software and apps, this is the definitive collection for Ecommerce Merchants.
If you’re anything like me, you want to make the biggest impact possible on the business you’ve worked so hard to build. But, like most merchants, you may find yourself asking: “what e-commerce tools would help me do that?” That question has a lot of moving parts and deserves more attention than it usually gets. The good news is that there are some really good tools out there that can help boost your business.
Ecommerce tools don’t have to be expensive or complex – which is often the case. You can find free e-commerce or ecommerce tools for your business and still make handsome profits. There are many ecommerce tools available to help you begin, run and grow your business. But how do you know which ones will help you the most? Here’s our list of the best tools for ecommerce merchants.
Important Ecommerce Statistics for 2022
As mentioned, eCommerce is projected to keep growing in the years to come. If you’re a seller on an online platform, it’s essential to take note of these trends and statistics as you map out your business decisions for the next year.
- Mobile eCommerce is expected to grow even more
The mobile eCommerce market raked in $0.97 billion in 2016 when it first started gaining traction. It grew exponentially from there, eventually hitting $2.91 trillion in 2020. It’s estimated to be worth $3.56 trillion by the end of 2021.
- 78% of consumers expect to see product photos on eCommerce platforms
Ecommerce platforms thrive off visual content. Potential customers want to see what they are purchasing, so product photos are their top expectations from eCommerce stores. Ranked next are product reviews, product comparisons, testimonials from other customers, product demonstrations, and live chat with the brand.
- 49% of consumers refuse to check out if the extra fees are too expensive
Security issues, complicated check-out processes, and account creation are some of the common factors why consumers abandon their shopping carts, but the most common is when extra fees are too high. The fees in question include shipping, taxes, and miscellaneous expenses.
- Ecommerce sales are expected to make up nearly a quarter of global retail sales by 2023
Because eCommerce is growing exponentially, by 2023, a little over 20% of global retail sales will be made through eCommerce channels. As more brands turn to the digital space, it’s expected that the role of eCommerce in consumers’ daily lives will become more prominent.
- Nearly 8 out of 10 Americans use the digital space to shop
To give a clearer picture of how prevalent eCommerce or online shopping is, around 8 in 10 Americans patronize online shopping platforms. This was especially common during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a powerful website builder designed for ecommerce stores.
But what makes it a must-have tool is the ability to manage multiple sales channels on a single integrated dashboard. This offers scalability for ecommerce merchants who wish to start adopting omni-channel retail.
Harvard Business Review published a study of 46,000 shoppers, out of which 73 percent used multiple channels throughout their shopping journey.
These omni-channel customers tend to spend more than single-channel shoppers. They spend 4 percent more in-store and 10 percent more online, compared to shoppers who only used one channel.
So if you’re going to scale your business in 2019, you will need to cater to the seemingly always changing needs and expectations of these omni-channel shoppers.
In other words, you should make the research and purchase processes easier across every channel.
And this is where BigCommerce enters the picture. It’s the best ecommerce platform for syncing your inventory with all the channels you use for direct sales.
BigCommerce supports native integrations with several key channels, including Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Pinterest, and even in-person sales, using the Square POS system.
Once you’re set up, you’ll be able to process every order through a single location.
GrooveHQ
GrooveHQ is a comprehensive platform for managing your customer service and support requirements.
This is extremely important because the success of your business largely depends on your customers and the quality of service you provide to them.
You need to make sure every customer has a support experience that will make them want to return for future purchases.
According to the book “Marketing Metrics“, you only have a 5-20 percent chance of selling to a new prospect. But there’s a 60-70 percent chance of selling to an existing customer.
And, according to a NewVoiceMedia report, businesses are losing $75 billion annually due to poor customer service. Some 67 percent of consumers in the survey were willing to switch brands as a result of a bad customer experience.
Customers mostly leave because they don’t feel appreciated or could not speak to someone who could help them.
Having to deal with rude and unhelpful employees and being passed around to different people are also some common reasons for leaving.
On the other hand, 86 percent of customers will continue to do business with a company if they have an emotional connection with its customer service agents.
Plus, an Adobe study found that experience-driven businesses have 2x customer lifetime value and 2.7x cross-sell/upsell rates.
This means that companies that focus on delivering a good customer experience tend to be more profitable overall.
So in addition to acquiring new customers, you need to focus on keeping your existing ones happy.
What’s the best way to do that?
By delivering exceptional customer experience.
The GrooveHQ ticketing system makes it easier for you to deliver personalized service and support experiences to your customers.
With easy ticket assignments, you can ensure that customers get support from agents that they have connected with in the past.
You can also maintain your customer conversations in one place so anyone can keep track of past communications and provide support accordingly.
This makes it a lot more efficient for your support team to coordinate their efforts instead of having to go through hundreds of old emails just to get an idea of the customer’s past experiences.
And even if you’re compelled to assign a new support agent to a customer, they will be able to provide a consistent experience by seamlessly continuing the conversation.
Additionally, you can integrate the platform with third-party apps like Slack, HipChat, MailChimp, Facebook, etc. So you get notified about new messages, emails, and comments that need immediate attention.
GrooveHQ also comes with a built-in live chat widget, which is essential for any business that wants to deliver real-time customer service.
This makes it easier for your customers to reach you if they have any queries. And a quick resolution to those queries not only increases their satisfaction rate but could also improve their chances of converting.
Shopify: Web Store Solution
Shopify is well known, but can’t be left off this list, because it’s still one of the best all-in-one ecommerce solutions for 2021. It includes all you need to create your own website with shopping cart integration and doesn’t require any technical skills. It’s super easy for anyone to set up and sell online from anywhere in the world.
Every Shopify theme is mobile optimised, supports third-party marketplaces, and social media sales, so you’re ready to go right out of the box.
Shopify’s versatility makes it a popular choice for small businesses and larger enterprises with a pricing plan to suit all pockets. The basic plan is just £22 per month, but you can try Shopify free for 14 days – a generous test-run to see if it suits your needs.
Canva: Design Solution
Canva is a design tool that can make even the most uncreative look like a professional designer! Zero design skills are required to produce stunning graphics for your web store, social media, flyers, business cards and any other marketing or sales visuals you need to drive more engagement.
Featuring pre-made templates, Canva is perfect for small ecommerce businesses as it’s loaded with easy to use infographic, video and illustration options allowing you to create everything you need with minimal effort or creative thinking.
There is a free version available with limited scope (but still 8000+ templates), with the Pro version costing a very affordable £10.99 per month.
Sourcify: Product Sourcing Tool
The reputation of your ecommerce business will rely mainly on the quality of your products. This means you, in turn, will need to rely on your manufacturer, but speaking with manufacturers overseas is challenging.
Sourcify solves this problem by helping you connect with manufacturing platforms and pre-qualified factories worldwide so that you can source and ship stock quickly.
Perfect for serious ecommerce entrepreneurs looking to create private label products, if you want to order a product, there is a $500 fee plus 1 to 10% of the total order cost required. However, then it’s over to Sourcify who will send your information to factories for quotes, lead times and samples, taking much of the stress and hassle out of your hands.
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
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.
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.
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.
Important Categories for Ecommerce Marketing Tools
Given the abundance of eCommerce marketing tools available, you may find it difficult to choose the best one for your needs. This list of eCommerce marketing tool categories will help you keep track of useful tools that cover important aspects of eCommerce for your business.
- Email Marketing
Email marketing is a tried and tested marketing strategy that, when done right, can improve user engagement, build relationships, promote customer loyalty, and drive sales. Email marketing is commonly used to promote your products or services and let your potential customers know about what you’re currently offering.
It’s one of the best tools for generating leads and boosting your site’s traffic. But why is it so effective?
44% of people in the US and Canada check their personal email on a regular basis, between one to three times a day. On average, Americans spend approximately five hours a day checking their emails (work and personal). Email marketing is so powerful that 4 out of 5 marketers would rather give up social media than email marketing. In 2020, there was a 7% increase in marketers who thought that email was vital to their company’s success.
Email marketing is a powerful tool that presents a world of opportunities for marketers, provided that you get your messaging and targeting right. Often, what happens is emails aren’t optimized, rendering them not interesting enough for recipients to open.
Aside from being easy to track, your email marketing campaigns can be automated, allowing you to save time and focus on other aspects of your business. Popular choices for email marketing tools include Omnisend, Sendinblue, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and EmailOctopus.
- Analytics
Without analytics, your campaigns won’t be as effective. Analytics tools use data science and let you gain data-driven insights on things like consumer behavior and market trends. You can use analytics tools to make sense of all the data you’re getting so you can optimize your website or performance, opening it to opportunities for growth and innovation.
Applications of analytics tools include monitoring how visitors are engaging with your site, understanding what your customers need, and showing you opportunities for attracting more customers. Some of the key metrics to track include customer retention, conversion rates, customer engagement, and mobile adoption.
Analytics tools take the guesswork out of marketing strategies and let you create more targeted and optimized campaigns. Some of the best analytics tools include Moz, SEMRush, and Ahrefs. All of these are capable of going above and beyond analyzing customer data. They’re also capable of letting you track brand mentions, optimize your website, use keyword exploring tools to find out what customers are searching for, and conduct backlink analysis.
Conclusion
E-commerce merchants looking to grow their business use a number of powerful ecommerce tools. Without exceptional e-commerce software and other ecommerce tools, some merchants might have a tough time scaling. The right ecommerce software can include features like inventory management, order management, and integrated payment processing. Not only does this provide broader exposure for an online store owner but it also makes the lives of ecommerce store owners much easier by eliminating the need for multiple applications for their daily tasks. What do you think are the best ecommerce tools that exist? Is there a particular e-commerce tool or platform that has saved you tons of time?
One of the most lucrative industries at the moment is e-commerce. With more and more people turning to the digital space for making their purchases, it’s no surprise that businesses are flocking to the virtual world en masse to capitalize on these trends.