Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Core Features
- Weebly vs BigCommerce: Ease of Use and Customer Support
- Final Verdict
- FAQ
Introduction
Choosing the right ecommerce platform can be challenging, especially with so many options available. Weebly and BigCommerce are two popular choices, each catering to different types of businesses. Weebly is an appealing option for smaller firms due to its user-friendliness and affordability, while BigCommerce is well-suited for larger companies aiming to scale their operations with advanced features. This comprehensive comparison will help you determine which platform best meets your needs.
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pros and Cons
When comparing Weebly and BigCommerce, it's important to understand their advantages and disadvantages. Each platform has its own set of strengths and areas where it might fall short.
Weebly Pros and Cons
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Affordable pricing with a free plan available
- Good range of ecommerce tools and design options
- Strong blogging capabilities
Cons:
- Limited versatility compared to BigCommerce
- Basic ecommerce features might not suffice as the business grows
- Needs additional costs for advanced features (e.g., abandoned cart emails)
BigCommerce Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Advanced inventory management tools
- AI capabilities for predictive analytics and personalized product recommendations
- Omnichannel selling options
- No transaction fees on any plan
Cons:
- Higher pricing compared to Weebly
- Steeper learning curve, especially for beginners
- Each plan limits the annual sales volume
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Pricing and Fees
Weebly and BigCommerce have different pricing structures, each fitting different business budgets and requirements.
Weebly Pricing:
- Free plan available with basic features.
- Paid plans range from $10 to $26 per month.
- The cheapest plan includes support for a custom domain and unlimited storage.
- The most expensive plan offers advanced features like abandoned cart emails and ecommerce insights.
BigCommerce Pricing:
- No free plan, but a 15-day free trial is available.
- Paid plans start at $39 per month and go up to $399 per month.
- An enterprise option is available with custom pricing.
- No transaction fees on any plan.
- Each plan places limits on the annual sales volume (e.g., $50K/year for Standard plan).
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Core Features
The core features of Weebly and BigCommerce highlight their suitability for different business needs.
Website Building and Design
Weebly:
- Offers a couple of hundred responsive and professional-looking templates.
- Easier customization with an intuitive drag-and-drop website editor.
- Themes are available for a range of industries, including portfolios and blogs.
BigCommerce:
- Provides a similar number of templates but more tailored for ecommerce.
- Customization can be complex, allowing granular changes through CSS and HTML.
- Advanced design capabilities for unique product categories and store appearance.
Ecommerce and Selling Features
Weebly:
- Affordable plans with robust ecommerce capabilities.
- Support for unlimited products, inventory management, automatic tax calculation, and delivery options.
- Requires a paid plan for selling both physical and digital goods.
- Advanced ecommerce features such as abandoned cart emails are only available on the highest-tier plan.
BigCommerce:
- Comprehensive payment system integrations, including discounted PayPal transaction rates.
- More powerful inventory management capabilities.
- Omnichannel selling with marketplace and social media integrations.
- Support for real-time shipping quotes, product ratings and reviews, and multi-currency selling.
- Specialist plans for B2B and wholesale businesses.
Marketing Tools and Analytics
Weebly:
- Strong blogging feature for content marketing.
- Offers pop-up notifications, customizable Instagram feeds, and lead capture forms.
- Limited SEO capabilities.
- Basic reporting and analytics features.
BigCommerce:
- Superior SEO customization.
- Extensive marketing tools, including abandoned cart emails and advanced email marketing integration.
- Detailed analytics for tracking inventory, sales, customer preferences, and more.
- Customized dashboards for in-depth data analysis.
AI Capabilities
Weebly:
- No native AI capabilities.
- Can integrate third-party AI tools through the Weebly marketplace.
BigCommerce:
- Features the "BigAI" toolkit for AI content generation, predictive analytics, and personalized product recommendations.
- AI-powered search capabilities for enhanced user experience.
- Active development for expanding AI integrations.
Integrations and Apps
Weebly:
- Decent number of apps available in the App Center.
- Around 100 apps for additional functionalities.
BigCommerce:
- Extensive range of apps (> 850) for various business needs such as point of sale management, marketing, dropshipping, fulfillment, and analytics.
- Organized collections of apps for easier navigation.
- Open API options for creating automated workflows.
Weebly vs BigCommerce: Ease of Use and Customer Support
Weebly:
- Known for its ease of use and minimal learning curve.
- Ideal for users without technical expertise.
- Offers solid customer support, including forum, chat, and email support on free and personal plans.
BigCommerce:
- More intuitive than before but still has a steeper learning curve.
- Provides in-depth learning resources like tutorials, guides, and an engaged online community.
- Excellent customer support, including 24/7 chat, email, and phone support on all plans.
Final Verdict
Choosing between Weebly and BigCommerce is contingent on the specific needs and scale of your business. Weebly shines as a user-friendly and affordable platform with solid ecommerce basics, making it ideal for small businesses and solo entrepreneurs. On the other hand, BigCommerce offers advanced features, scalability, and robust management tools suited for larger enterprises aiming to grow exponentially.
If you prioritize ease of use and affordability for a smaller scope, Weebly is the clear winner. Conversely, if you need powerful ecommerce capabilities and advanced tools for significant business growth, BigCommerce stands out as the superior option.
FAQ
1. Can I switch from Weebly to BigCommerce as my business grows?
Yes, it is possible to migrate from Weebly to BigCommerce. However, the process can be complex and may require technical assistance for seamless data transfer.
2. Does BigCommerce support multiple languages and currencies?
Yes, BigCommerce supports multi-currency selling and offers various language options to cater to international markets.
3. Can I customize my Weebly store without any coding knowledge?
Absolutely, Weebly's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize your store without any coding background.
4. Does Weebly charge transaction fees on sales?
Weebly does not charge transaction fees on sales, but payment processors like Square and PayPal might have their own transaction fees.
5. How long is the free trial period for BigCommerce?
BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial period for new users to explore the platform before committing to a paid plan.
By examining each platform's pros, cons, pricing, features, ease of use, and support, you can make a well-informed decision that aligns with your business goals and needs.
