Ecwid is an e-commerce platform designed to help businesses of all sizes set up and manage their online stores. With features like product management tools, payment and shipping options, and marketing and promotional tools, Ecwid makes it easy for businesses to sell their products or services online.
In today’s digital age, having an online presence is crucial for businesses to stay competitive and reach a wider audience. E-commerce platforms like Ecwid provide businesses with an easy and affordable way to set up an online store, without the need for technical expertise or a large budget.
In this review, we’ll take a closer look at Ecwid and evaluate its features, functionality, ease of use, customer support, and value for money. We’ll also compare it to other e-commerce platforms on the market and provide a final rating based on our assessment.
Ease of Use
When it comes to e-commerce platforms, ease of use is crucial. No one wants to spend hours trying to figure out how to set up an online store or navigate a complicated interface. Fortunately, Ecwid makes it easy for businesses to get started selling online.
One of the key benefits of Ecwid is its user-friendly interface. The setup process is straightforward and can be completed in a matter of minutes, even for those with limited technical skills. The platform offers a variety of customization options, including the ability to change colors, fonts, and layouts, as well as add logos and images.
In terms of design, Ecwid offers a range of templates to choose from, as well as the ability to customize your store’s appearance. The platform’s drag-and-drop website editor makes it easy to add or remove elements from your store’s pages, and the checkout process is simple and streamlined.
Another benefit of Ecwid is its compatibility with a range of website builders and content management systems, including WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace. This means that businesses can easily integrate Ecwid with their existing website or create a new website using one of these platforms.
However, while Ecwid is generally user-friendly, there may be some potential issues or limitations to consider. For example, businesses will need to ensure that their website is compatible with Ecwid, and the platform may require additional technical setup, such as adding a script to your website’s code. Additionally, some businesses may find the customization options limiting compared to other e-commerce platforms.
Features and Functionality
Ecwid offers a range of features and functionality designed to help businesses manage and grow their online stores. Here are some of the key features of Ecwid:
Product Management
Ecwid provides a user-friendly interface for managing your product catalog. You can add product descriptions, images, and pricing, as well as organize your products into categories and subcategories.
Payment and Shipping Options
Ecwid supports a range of payment and shipping options, including PayPal, Stripe, and Square for payments, and USPS, FedEx, and UPS for shipping. You can also offer customers the option to pick up their orders in-store.
Marketing and Promotions
Ecwid includes a range of marketing and promotional tools, such as the ability to create discount codes, cross-sell and upsell products, and send abandoned cart emails to customers.
Customization
Ecwid allows you to customize your store’s appearance, including choosing from a range of templates, modifying the colors and fonts, and adding your own logo and images.
Mobile App
Ecwid has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices, allowing you to manage your store on the go.
Integrations
Ecwid integrates with a range of third-party tools and services, including email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Overall, Ecwid’s features and functionality are comprehensive and well-designed. The platform offers a wide range of tools to help businesses manage and grow their online stores, from product management to marketing and promotions. However, some businesses may find that the customization options are more limited compared to other e-commerce platforms.
Integrations and Compatibility
Ecwid offers a range of integrations and compatibility options to help businesses integrate their online stores with other tools and platforms. Here are some of the key integrations and compatibility options offered by Ecwid:
Website Builders: Ecwid is compatible with a range of website builders, including WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly. This makes it easy to integrate your online store with your existing website or create a new website using one of these platforms.
Payment Gateways: Ecwid supports a range of payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Authorize.Net. This means that businesses can offer customers a variety of payment options at checkout.
Shipping Services: Ecwid integrates with shipping services like UPS, FedEx, and USPS, allowing businesses to easily calculate shipping costs and print shipping labels.
Marketing Tools: Ecwid integrates with a range of marketing tools, including email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact, and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Point of Sale (POS) Systems: Ecwid integrates with POS systems like Square and Vend, allowing businesses to manage their in-store and online sales from a single platform.
Overall, Ecwid’s integrations and compatibility options are comprehensive and well-designed. The platform offers a range of options to help businesses integrate their online stores with other tools and platforms, making it easy to manage their e-commerce operations from a single platform. However, businesses should ensure that their chosen website builder or platform is compatible with Ecwid before getting started.
Customer Support and Resources
Ecwid provides a range of customer support options and resources to help businesses get the most out of their online stores. Here are some of the key customer support options and resources offered by Ecwid:
- Help Center: Ecwid’s Help Center provides a range of articles and tutorials on how to set up and use the platform, including guides on product management, shipping, payments, and more.
- Email Support: Ecwid offers email support to its users, allowing businesses to get in touch with the support team for assistance with any issues or questions they may have.
- Live Chat: Ecwid’s live chat support allows businesses to connect with a support representative in real-time for quick and efficient support.
- Community Forum: Ecwid’s community forum is a place where businesses can connect with other Ecwid users to ask questions, share ideas, and get advice on how to get the most out of the platform.
- Knowledge Base: Ecwid’s knowledge base is a comprehensive resource that includes detailed documentation, how-to guides, and best practices for using the platform.
Overall, Ecwid’s customer support and resources are comprehensive and well-designed. The platform offers a range of options to help businesses get the support and guidance they need to succeed with their online stores. However, some users may find that the response times for email support can be slow, and the community forum may not be as active as some other e-commerce platforms.
Security and Reliability
Ecwid takes security and reliability seriously and has implemented a range of measures to ensure that businesses and their customers are protected. Here are some of the key security and reliability features offered by Ecwid:
Secure Checkout
Ecwid’s checkout process is fully secure and PCI DSS compliant, ensuring that customers’ payment information is encrypted and protected during the transaction process.
HTTPS Encryption
Ecwid uses HTTPS encryption to secure all data transmitted between the platform and its users, ensuring that all data is encrypted and protected.
DDoS Protection
Ecwid has implemented DDoS protection to ensure that its platform is protected against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which can slow down or shut down websites.
Automatic Updates
Ecwid regularly releases automatic updates to its platform to ensure that it is up-to-date and secure against the latest threats and vulnerabilities.
Uptime Guarantee
Ecwid offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee, ensuring that businesses can rely on the platform to be available and accessible to their customers at all times.
Ecwid’s security and reliability features are comprehensive and well-designed. The platform takes a proactive approach to security, regularly updating its platform and implementing measures to protect against potential threats. Additionally, Ecwid’s uptime guarantee ensures that businesses can rely on the platform to be available when they need it.
Additional features
Multi-Channel Selling
One of the most useful features of the platform is its support for multi-channel selling, which allows businesses to sell their products across a range of different channels.
Some of the channels that businesses can sell on using Ecwid include Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, eBay, and more. By selling on these channels, businesses can reach customers wherever they are, without the need to manage multiple storefronts or platforms.
To start selling on these channels, businesses simply need to connect their Ecwid store to the relevant platform. For example, to sell on Facebook, businesses can use Ecwid’s built-in Facebook integration to set up a storefront on their Facebook page. This allows customers to browse and purchase products directly from Facebook, without needing to visit the business’s website.
One of the benefits of using Ecwid for multi-channel selling is that businesses can manage all of their sales from a single dashboard. This makes it easy to track orders, inventory, and customer data across all channels, without needing to log in to multiple platforms.
SEO Features
In addition to multi-channel selling, Ecwid also offers a range of built-in SEO features that can help businesses improve their search engine rankings and drive more traffic to their online stores. These SEO features are designed to be easy to use, even for businesses that don’t have a lot of experience with SEO.
One of the key SEO features offered by Ecwid is customizable URLs. Businesses can customize the URLs for their product pages and categories, making it easy to include relevant keywords in the URL structure. This can help search engines understand what the page is about and improve its ranking for relevant search queries.
Ecwid also includes customizable meta tags, which are used by search engines to understand what a page is about. By customizing meta tags for their product pages and categories, businesses can provide more information to search engines and improve their chances of ranking for relevant search queries.
Another useful SEO feature offered by Ecwid is automatic sitemaps. Sitemaps provide search engines with a list of all the pages on a website, making it easier for them to crawl and index the site. Ecwid automatically generates sitemaps for all online stores, ensuring that search engines can easily discover and index all of the pages on the site.
Finally, Ecwid also includes a range of additional SEO features, such as support for structured data markup and the ability to add alt tags to product images. These features can help businesses improve their search engine rankings and drive more traffic to their online stores.
Localization
Ecwid’s localization features are designed to help businesses sell their products to customers in different regions of the world. The platform supports multiple languages and currencies, making it easy for businesses to create localized versions of their online stores for different markets.
To set up a localized store in Ecwid, businesses can simply create a new storefront and select the relevant language and currency options. This will automatically translate the storefront and product pages into the chosen language, and display prices in the chosen currency.
Additionally, Ecwid offers a range of localized shipping and tax options to help businesses comply with local regulations and make the shopping experience as seamless as possible for customers. For example, businesses can set up shipping rates for specific countries or regions, or offer free shipping to customers who spend over a certain amount.
Ecwid also offers a range of payment options that are tailored to different regions of the world. For example, businesses selling in Europe can offer payment methods like SEPA Direct Debit and SOFORT, while businesses selling in the US can offer payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
One of the benefits of using Ecwid for localization is that businesses can manage all of their localized stores from a single dashboard. This makes it easy to track orders, inventory, and customer data across different regions, without needing to log in to multiple platforms.
Ecwid pricing
Ecwid is an e-commerce platform that offers a variety of pricing plans to suit the needs of businesses of all sizes. Below, we’ll break down the different pricing options and what each plan offers.
Free Plan
Ecwid’s Free Plan is designed for businesses that are just starting out and need an easy and affordable way to set up an online store. The Free Plan offers:
- Easy online store setup
- Sell up to 10 products
- Facebook and Instagram selling
- Sell digital products (egoods)
- Mobile store management app
- Access to Ecwid’s App Market
- Automated tax calculations
- Discount coupons
- Customizable checkout
Venture Plan
The Venture Plan is ideal for small businesses that are ready to expand their product offerings and sell on multiple platforms. The Venture Plan includes everything in the Free Plan, plus:
- Sell up to 100 products
- Sell on Amazon and eBay via Codisto
- Sell subscriptions
- Live Chat Support
- Abandoned cart saver
- Wholesale prices
- Multi-lingual store
- Customizable checkout
The Venture Plan is available for 14.08€ per month when billed annually, or 19€ per month when billed month-to-month (excluding 20% VAT).
Business Plan
The Business Plan is designed for growing businesses that need more advanced features and support. The Business Plan includes everything in the Venture Plan, plus:
- Sell up to 2500 products
- Phone Support
- Staff accounts (2)
- 2 hours of custom design time
- Priority Support
- Wholesale prices
- Multi-lingual store
- Abandoned cart saver
- Customizable checkout
The Business Plan is available for 29.08€ per month when billed annually, or 39€ per month when billed month-to-month (excluding 20% VAT).
Unlimited Plan
The Unlimited Plan is the most advanced plan offered by Ecwid and is designed for businesses that need unlimited product listings and extensive customization options. The Unlimited Plan includes everything in the Business Plan, plus:
- Sell unlimited products
- Sell via branded mobile app
- Sell in-person (POS integration)
- Unlimited Staff accounts
- 12 hours of custom design time
- Priority Support
- Wholesale prices
- Multi-lingual store
- Abandoned cart saver
- Customizable checkout
The Unlimited Plan is available for 82.50€ per month when billed annually, or 99€ per month when billed month-to-month (excluding 20% VAT).
Annual vs. Monthly Billing
Ecwid offers the option to pay for your plan annually or monthly. Choosing to pay annually can save you up to 25% off the monthly price. The annual subscription fee is billed in one payment upfront, while the monthly subscription fee is billed on a recurring basis.
In conclusion, Ecwid’s pricing plans offer a range of options for businesses of all sizes and needs. From a free plan for businesses just starting out to an unlimited plan with extensive customization options, Ecwid provides a flexible and affordable solution for online stores.
Conclusion
Overall, Ecwid is an excellent e-commerce platform that offers a range of features and functionality to help businesses create and manage online stores. Its ease of use and intuitive interface make it easy for businesses to set up their online stores, even if they have little to no experience with e-commerce. Additionally, its robust integrations and compatibility options make it easy to integrate with other tools and platforms, while its security and reliability features ensure that businesses and their customers are protected.
However, like any e-commerce platform, Ecwid may not be the best fit for every business. Its pricing plans, while competitive, may not be affordable for very small businesses or those with limited budgets. Additionally, businesses that require advanced customization options may find Ecwid’s platform limiting.
Despite these potential drawbacks, Ecwid remains a strong choice for businesses looking to create an online store quickly and easily. Its intuitive interface, range of features and integrations, and commitment to security and reliability make it a solid choice for businesses of all sizes and industries.
Frequently asked questions
What is the purpose of Ecwid?
The purpose of Ecwid is to provide businesses of all sizes with a flexible and easy-to-use e-commerce platform that enables them to sell their products online. Ecwid is designed to help businesses create online stores quickly and easily, without needing extensive technical knowledge or programming skills.
Ecwid allows businesses to create and customize their online stores, manage inventory and orders, accept payments, and sell products across a range of channels, including their own website, social media platforms, and online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay. Ecwid also offers a range of features and tools to help businesses optimize their online stores for search engines, automate their workflows, and grow their sales.
Can I trust Ecwid?
Ecwid is a trusted e-commerce platform that has been in business since 2009, and currently powers over 1.6 million online stores in over 175 countries around the world. The platform is trusted by businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large multinational corporations.
One of the reasons why Ecwid is trusted by businesses is its focus on security and reliability. Ecwid uses industry-standard encryption and security protocols to protect customer data and transactions, and is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant, which is the highest level of security certification available for e-commerce platforms.
Ecwid also offers 24/7 customer support to its users, with a range of resources and tools to help businesses get the most out of the platform. This includes live chat support, email support, and an extensive knowledge base that covers everything from getting started with Ecwid to advanced customization and optimization.
Overall, businesses can trust Ecwid to provide them with a secure, reliable, and easy-to-use e-commerce platform that can help them grow their online sales and reach more customers around the world.
What is the difference between Ecwid and Shopify?
Ecwid and Shopify are both e-commerce platforms that allow businesses to create and manage online stores. While both platforms offer similar features, there are some differences between them:
- Pricing: Ecwid offers a free plan with limited features, while Shopify offers a free trial but requires a monthly subscription to access all its features.
- Ease of use: Ecwid is designed to be easy to use and can be integrated into an existing website, while Shopify is a standalone platform that requires no technical expertise.
- Customization: Both platforms offer customization options, but Shopify offers more flexibility in terms of design and functionality.
- Integrations: Both platforms integrate with a range of third-party apps and services, but Shopify has a larger app store and more extensive integration options.
- Scalability: Both platforms are scalable, but Shopify is better suited for larger businesses with more complex needs, while Ecwid is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.
How do you make money with Ecwid?
Ecwid is an e-commerce platform that allows businesses to create and manage online stores. As a business owner, you can make money with Ecwid in several ways:
- Sell products: Ecwid allows you to list and sell products on your online store. You can set prices, manage inventory, and fulfill orders using the platform.
- Subscription fees: Ecwid offers several pricing plans with different features, and you can make money by charging your customers a subscription fee to access certain features or services on your store.
- Transaction fees: Ecwid charges a small transaction fee on each sale made through the platform. As a store owner, you can pass this fee onto your customers or absorb it as part of your business costs.
- Upselling: Ecwid offers a range of features and add-ons that can enhance your customers’ shopping experience, such as abandoned cart recovery, email marketing, and social media integration. You can make money by upselling these features to your customers.
- Affiliate program: Ecwid offers an affiliate program that allows you to earn a commission by referring new customers to the platform.
Can I use Ecwid on Etsy?
Yes, you can use Ecwid on Etsy. Ecwid has an integration with Etsy that allows you to connect your Ecwid store to your Etsy shop and manage your inventory, orders, and shipping in one place.
To use Ecwid on Etsy, you need to have an Ecwid account and an Etsy shop. Once you have these, you can use the Ecwid integration to:
- Import your Etsy products to your Ecwid store
- Manage your Etsy orders and shipping in Ecwid
- Sync inventory between your Etsy shop and your Ecwid store
- Use Ecwid to fulfill orders from your Etsy shop
To set up the integration, you need to install the Ecwid app in your Etsy shop and follow the instructions to connect your Ecwid store.
However, please note that there may be additional fees associated with using Ecwid on Etsy, such as transaction fees and listing fees charged by Etsy. Nonetheless, using Ecwid can help simplify your operations and make it easier to manage your Etsy shop in conjunction with your other sales channels.
Can I sell internationally on Ecwid?
Yes, you can sell internationally on Ecwid. Ecwid allows you to sell to customers worldwide and supports multiple currencies, tax rates, and shipping options to help you reach a global audience.
To sell internationally on Ecwid, you can do the following:
- Set up international shipping options: You can offer shipping to different countries and regions by setting up shipping rates and delivery methods that are suitable for your international customers. Ecwid provides integration with different shipping carriers and shipping calculators to help you offer accurate and competitive shipping rates to your customers worldwide.
- Display prices in multiple currencies: You can display product prices in different currencies, allowing international customers to view your prices in their local currency. Ecwid provides automatic currency conversion based on current exchange rates, or you can set your own exchange rate if you prefer.
- Customize taxes for different countries: You can set up different tax rates for different countries, states, or regions to ensure compliance with local tax laws. Ecwid provides automated tax calculation based on your store location and the customer’s shipping address.
- Offer multilingual storefronts: You can create a storefront in multiple languages to make it easier for international customers to navigate and understand your store. Ecwid offers a translation feature that automatically translates your store into different languages.
Does Ecwid give you a website?
Yes, Ecwid provides you with the tools to create and launch a website for your business. Ecwid’s website builder allows you to create a fully functional website that includes an online store, even if you don’t have any web development experience.
Here are the steps to create a website with Ecwid:
- Sign up for an Ecwid account: You can sign up for a free Ecwid account and start building your website right away.
- Choose a website template: Ecwid offers a variety of website templates that you can use to create your website. You can choose from different styles and layouts to find the one that best suits your business.
- Customize your website: Once you’ve chosen a template, you can customize your website by adding your logo, changing the colors, and editing the text. You can also add pages to your website, such as an about page, a contact page, or a blog.
- Add your products: With Ecwid, you can add your products to your website and organize them into categories. You can also set up product options and variations, such as different sizes or colors.
- Set up payment and shipping options: Ecwid allows you to set up payment and shipping options for your website. You can choose from a variety of payment gateways, such as PayPal or Stripe, and set up shipping rates and methods that work for your business.
- Launch your website: Once you’ve customized your website and added your products, you can launch your website and start selling online.