This post was last updated on November 2, 2024.

The last time you shopped for a new t-shirt online, you probably saw a gallery of similar or related products suggested at checkout.

Sometimes, those suggestions may serve as a great reminder that you’re in desperate need of new socks. Other times, they may show you a new design or collection that you didn’t know existed.

Either way, one or two clicks later, you probably felt better about your order and more confident that the store knows what you like.

This is the art of upselling and cross-selling.

Upselling and cross-selling can take several forms. Let’s dig a bit deeper into what each entails.

Upselling vs. cross-selling

Upselling is the practice of guiding a customer to an upgraded version of a product or service when he or she is about to buy. For example, a large bag of popcorn at the movie theater is priced only a dollar higher than a medium sized bag, so a movie-goer may decide to go with a large bag. Or, instead of buying toilet paper from Target, you may buy it at Costco because you feel like you’re getting a better value. Each merchant, in turn, benefits from a larger order. Both parties win.

Sometimes upselling is confused with cross-selling, but cross-selling is a different eCommerce marketing approach. While both are a form of suggestive selling, cross-selling involves suggesting complementary products to a customer to increase the overall value of the order. An example would be selling a large Coke and a packet of Jujubes with the large popcorn. Or, suggesting socks and gloves to go along with a new jacket.

Neither tactic has to be pushy or aggressive. When done right, both upselling and cross selling can improve the customer experience, increasing brand loyalty and customer retention. Studies even show that using upselling and cross-selling techniques can increase overall sales by 10% to 30%.

Benefits of upselling and cross-selling

Upselling and cross-selling are invaluable strategies for eCommerce businesses of all sizes. Their benefits include:

• Boost AOV - By suggesting relevant products to your customers, you can increase average cart sizes and the average transaction amount per customer.

• Increase customer LTV - Your customers should feel a greater sense of satisfaction after purchasing a better version of a product or complementary products, all without leaving your store. This could ultimately convert more buyers into repeat customers and increase their overall purchasing value with your business.

• Generate brand advocates - One of the best ways to develop genuine brand advocates is to deliver a personalized customer experience and offer value through pricing strategies, such as upselling and cross-selling. When customers feel valued, they will become some of your best advocates.

7 ways to upsell and cross-sell in eCommerce

01. “Related products” gallery

One of the most common (and effective) ways to cross-sell is by designating space on your site to promote related items.

Spanish clothing brand Celia B, for instance, includes a “related items'' gallery at the bottom of each product page. The gallery invites buyers to “Complete Your Look” by purchasing accessories to complement their new clothes. It also makes it easy for them to add these items to their carts.

Similarly, Forge to Table, which sells handmade kitchen knives and cutlery, suggests similar items at checkout. This section serves as a last-minute reminder of products that a customer could use in conjunction with the kitchen tools that they already purchased.

Wix Stores that display related items on their product pages get an average of 43% more sales transactions.

02. Bundles and multipacks

Bundles and multipacks inherently invite upsells and cross-sells by packaging two or more products together. While bundles include an assortment of products (characteristic of a cross-sell), multipacks include multiple units of the same product (characteristic of an upsell).

Both recommend a larger purchase at a higher price, but make customers feel like they’re getting a better value because the unit price of items is lower than if purchased separately from the bundle.

As an example, the Dollar Shave Club offers a variety of bundles and multipacks that translate to 6% or more in savings for their buyers. Bundles feature products from the same collection, plus fan favorites.

According to Moshe Lugasi, Founder of AppSell,

"During the holiday season, smart upselling can increase average order value by 20-30%. The most successful stores focus on bundles and complementary products that solve holiday-specific challenges for shoppers, such as gift wrapping services or curated gift sets."

03. Incentives and rewards

Offering incentives, such as free shipping or loyalty points, for additional purchases can motivate customers to buy more than they initially intended.

For instance, Jule Dancewear offers five points for every dollar spent on its site. Customers can rack up points over time and unlock exclusive savings, such as 25% off your next order after earning 1,000 points or $40 off with 1,500 points.

Another popular way to increase order sizes: offer free shipping for orders over a certain dollar amount. Or, throw in a free product with the purchase of a certain product or for orders over a specified amount.

04. Premium products

Showing two versions of a product side-by-side on a product page can naturally lead a customer towards a higher-priced model of an item.

This is a technique that many tech companies, like Apple, use. Apple, for one, gives a detailed side-by-side comparison of all MacBook models on its site. Customers can easily research and visualize the difference between each model. In fact, many may make a last-minute decision to buy a MacBook Pro 14” instead of a MacBook Pro 13”, given that the 14” has a much better processor, display, and other advantages that could justify its higher price tag.

Related Reading: Ethical impulse buying

In another scenario, a jewelry site may show the same pieces in various metals, highlighting the key differences between a budget-friendly version and a higher-quality variation.

05. Subscriptions

Selling subscriptions (aka auto-replenishment programs) can help you upsell a one-time purchase into a recurring order.

Your customers can enjoy the convenience of receiving products on their doorsteps each week, month, or year, all without lifting a finger. Meanwhile, you can enjoy a more consistent and predictable flow of orders.

Online beauty supply seller House of Suppliez uses a subscription model to serve its customer base of beauty artists and salon owners, who need to regularly replenish their nail supplies and stay on top of current trends. Its monthly boxes are reasonably priced and feature everything from acrylic powders to a “revolutionary nail liquid.”

Do It Yourself: Start a subscription box with Wix

06. Free samples

There are a number of post-purchase strategies you can employ to encourage additional purchases from your site. Among them: throwing in free samples into a shipment to entice customers to try new products.

Make sure that any samples you provide are relevant to a customer’s purchase or known interests. Alternatively, you can follow in Sephora’s footsteps and let customers pick their own samples at checkout.

When done well, samples are a great way to surprise, delight, and cater to a customer’s unique tastes.

07. Coupons and discounts

Thank you emails, text messages, live chat, and packages all offer prime real estate for recommending new products and displaying special offers.

This strategy can boost sales by engaging customers who are experiencing a “shopper’s high.” A customer might be more inclined to buy another one of your products if they’re satisfied with their recent purchase and are presented with a coupon that needs to be used within the next 10 days (as an example).

Tips for upselling and cross-selling successfully on your site

Once you’ve decided on the right approach for upselling or cross-selling your buyers, it’s important to put yourself in your customers’ shoes and deliver an experience that they’ll remember. To that end, here are some steps you’ll want to take.

Know your buyers

Data is your best friend here. In order to upsell effectively, you have to know a lot about your target audience and their purchasing habits.

Use tools like Wix Analytics to examine the products that they consistently buy, the needs they’re looking to satisfy, and the things they’re willing to splurge on. Look for patterns based on location, time of year, demographics, and more. This information will help inform you better anticipate their future purchases.

If you notice that certain products are usually bought together or in larger quantities, try emulating this in your upselling strategy.

Observe the 25% guideline

As a general rule of thumb, an upsell should not exceed 25% of the original item’s cost.

For example, if a customer is planning to spend $100 on your eCommerce site, suggest a product that is $125 or lower. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule and you may want to test this theory out yourself.

However, this guideline helps to ensure that you don’t go overboard when upselling, and annoy or scare off a buyer by proposing an option that’s out of the question.

Communicate (and quantify) the value that you’re offering

Make it easy for shoppers to see the value that you’re offering. Does that bundle or subscription box amount to 20% in savings for your buyers? Then say so versus relying on them to do the math themselves.

Give customers a clear reason to upgrade their purchase or buy complementary items. Let them know that you’re not just trying to charge them more. Rather, you’re offering value back in the form of cost savings, product quality, and/or other noteworthy benefits.

Engage your customers with live chat

Live chat is a simple website add-on that allows you to interact with shoppers at any point in the eCommerce customer journey. As with any conversational commerce technique, live chat can help you learn your customers’ preferences and thought process as they’re shopping.

Wix stores that offer live chat get 8-12X higher revenues, and those that recommend products to customers via live chat generate 71% more sales.

You can also use live chat to identify windows of opportunity to cross-sell and upsell. However, remember to keep your efforts subtle and focus first on providing the right service for your customers.

Leverage user-generated content (UGC)

UGC can further convince your buyers to pull the trigger on a purchase.

Take, for example, an Instagram photo of someone wearing a leather jacket that you sell. Aside from serving as social proof of a jacket that you might be trying to upsell another person on, it can inspire a cross-sell if, say, the same Instagram user is also wearing a hat and jewelry from your store.

A visitor may want to buy the entire outfit and wind up purchasing multiple items from your site.

Invite customer feedback

Customer case studies, testimonials, and reviews are a great way to show an objective perspective beyond your own recommendations. They’re perfect for demonstrating how actual customers have used your related product suggestions or bundles to meet their needs. By inviting customer feedback you might also find out what isn’t working, which, although disappointing, will help to inform how you curate related products or bundles in future.

Do It Yourself: Collect and showcase testimonials on your Wix store

Your customers are your greatest asset

At the end of the day, the best customers are your most loyal customers who keep coming back for future purchases.

Upselling and cross-selling are two powerful ways to build meaningful relationships with your customers. When done with integrity, these marketing techniques can strengthen your online store by increasing conversion rates, revenue, and brand advocacy.

Geraldine Feehily

Marketing Writer, Wix eCommerce

Geraldine is a marketing writer for Wix eCommerce. She uses her broad experience in journalism, publishing, public relations and marketing to create compelling content and loves hearing user success stories.

Allison Lee

Editor, Wix eCommerce

Allison is the editor for the Wix eCommerce blog, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

Picture this: Your eCommerce website has taken off. People are pouring into your site—many are even adding your products to their carts. The money is practically in the bank, right?

Not so fast. In reality, over 70% of shoppers abandon their carts without completing their purchase. And among those with serious intent to buy, the eCommerce checkout process is largely to blame.

Far from being a mere formality for collecting payment and delivery details, your online checkout experience is an opportunity to shine. By investing in a thoughtful, streamlined and customer-centric checkout process, you can win more sales and stand out from the competition.

Check out higher conversion potential with an online store from Wix.

19 ways to optimize your eCommerce checkout process

1. Offer multiple payment options

2. Streamline your forms and navigation

3. Boost checkout processing speed

4. Optimize for mobile

5. Ensure accessibility for all

6. Localize checkout experience

7. Offer guest checkout

8. Make login easy

9. Provide real-time cost calculations

10. Enable promo code redemption, subtly

11. Show exactly what shoppers are buying

12. Spell out fulfillment costs and timeframes

13. Curate cross-sells and upsells

14. Signal security and trust

15. Put your thank-you page to work

16. Set up one-click checkout options

17. Implement progress indicators

18. Auto-save cart contents

19. Add reviews and edit order feature

01. Offer multiple payment options

Digital wallets (think: PayPal, Google Pay and Apple Pay) have overtaken credit and debit cards as the top eCommerce payment method, both in North America and globally, according to the FIS Global Payments Report. By 2026, digital wallets are forecast to account for 54% of all eCommerce transactions.

These “alternative” payments are especially efficient for mobile shoppers who can skip entering payment information manually, and with just a few taps, authorize using stored digital wallet information. In addition, these methods offer an added layer of security, as sensitive financial information is shared only with the digital wallet, not with each individual retailer.

Your checkout process should reflect this shift by enabling consumers to pay via PayPal and other digital wallet connectors, as well as new credit options like Buy Now, Pay Later. Wix merchants can use Wix Payments to enable a range of options for both in-store and online transactions to collect payments online.

02. Streamline your payment forms and navigation

When you start an eCommerce business, try to streamline your checkout form fields whenever possible. For example, if your customer’s billing and shipping addresses are the same, enable auto-filling; once shoppers provide a ZIP code, automatically supply the city and state. Wix eCommerce does this automatically for you. You can also consider using a validation service to check shipping addresses and auto-fill the correct spelling and abbreviations for carriers to recognize.

03. Boost checkout processing speed

Regardless of your type of business, shoppers might prefer to buy online from your brand for convenience and efficiency. Your checkout experience should respect those priorities, starting with the speed at which checkout screens load. In a survey from Digital Commerce 360, 32% of shoppers said checkout speed influenced their decision to buy, while another 21% said overall site speed was a purchase factor.

Glitches, dead-ends and screens that “hang” can also make shoppers nervous about site security; the logic goes, if the checkout form doesn’t work, the rest of the system—including storage of payment data—could be unstable. Avoid these doubts by testing checkout functions regularly. Wix offers industry-leading website performance with reliable infrastructure and real-time monitoring. You can test your online store regularly from your Site Speed dashboard.

04. Optimize for mobile

When you learn how to build a website, you’ll quickly note the importance of mobile traffic. Mobile commerce continues to grow, with nearly 40% of all eCommerce transactions now occurring on mobile devices, according to Comscore. To accommodate shoppers on the go, checkout pages should be optimized for small screens without full-fledged keyboards.

Organize forms into sections short enough to fit on a single mobile screen, and use accordion-style collapsible menus when extra text or sidebars are needed. Integrate mobile features such as tap-to-call for customer service to help shoppers connect with help quickly.

05. Ensure accessibility for all

Make your checkout process welcoming for all shoppers by optimizing your page for those with visual, motor or other disabilities. Make sure you use alt text for screen readers, and enable text size modification and speech-to-text translation. If you need further guidance, Wix has tools in place that allow you to optimize your website for accessibility.

06. Localize checkout experience

If you start a business and want to build a global following, your checkout process needs to accommodate a global clientele. While shoppers may already have switched languages while browsing the site, your checkout needs to be able to handle currency conversion—which you can enable in your Wix online store—as well as variations in billing and shipping address fields.

07. Offer guest checkout

The second-most common reason why shoppers abandon their purchases online is that brands force them to create an account, according to the Baymard Institute. Avoid this hurdle by offering guest checkout by default so shoppers can finish their order without needing to create a username and password.

Incentivize returning shoppers to create an account to make future checkout easier—or by offering other rewards, such as access to your loyalty program and extra discounts.

See it in action: Wix user Caroline Clark is an artist and eCommerce business owner currently living in Colorado Springs. Clark’s work “focuses on combining vintage visual elements with imagery from the American West to produce thoughtful works which express timeless beauty.” When you add one of Clark’s gorgeous prints, stickers, mugs or coloring sheets to your cart, you are immediately sent to a simple guest checkout form—with the option to login for future orders.

08. Make login easy

If shoppers do decide to create an account, make it easy for them. Let them create an account using their existing social media or email logins so they don’t have to invent new usernames and passwords each time. If they opt to register directly on your site, make subsequent logins easy by providing alternatives to remembering a password, such as sending a verification code by them or email.

Let them skip login altogether if registered shoppers are in a rush; you can always connect new orders to purchase histories on the back end. If you want to offer an incentive to sign in, flag potential loyalty rewards they’ve earned, such as a coupon or a freebie they can claim.

09. Provide real-time cost calculations

The Baymard Institute study cited above found that 47% of consumers who’ve abandoned online purchases did so because the added costs at checkout (shipping, taxes, fees) were too high. Avoid surprising shoppers by stating all added costs as early as possible in the checkout process, like on the cart page. Include any add-ons like gift wrap or customization surcharges, too.

10. Enable promo code redemption, subtly

Many checkout pages feature an input field where shoppers can add a discount code and see the amount immediately deducted from their order total. But if shoppers don’t already have their promo code in hand, many may leave the site to find one—and end up failing to return.

The key is to strike a balance. Rather than offering a promo code field up front near the call to action, consider incorporating it toward the end of the checkout process when entering payment information.

See it in action: Wix user Maple House Collective is a Snohomish, Washington-based shop offering housewares, handcrafted collectibles, antiques and more. On their final checkout page, you have the option to expand dropdown fields for a promo code or gift card code. It’s a streamlined design that doesn’t take up too much real estate on an otherwise straightforward page.

11. Show exactly what shoppers are buying

The shopping cart and checkout should show the SKU options that the shopper picked, including accurate images of the size and color choices. Include a link to the full product detail page that opens in another window if shoppers want to revisit the details to confirm that their selection fits their needs.

In addition, communicate clearly whether items are in stock. If inventory is low, add a flag or icon to draw shoppers’ attention and add an incentive to finalize their purchases quickly.

12. Spell out fulfillment costs and timeframes

Free shipping is online shoppers’ most sought-after discount. In fact, Shippo reports that 62% of consumers won’t purchase from a retailer online unless delivery is free. At the same time, most independent merchants struggle to maintain profit margins while offering free shipping. Even larger retailers are raising the minimum threshold shoppers must spend to qualify for the service, according to the Wall Street Journal. To manage expectations and avoid abandoned sales, make sure costs are transparent at the start of checkout.

If you offer alternatives to freight carriers, such as free in-store pickup or local delivery, be sure to highlight them. And for all fulfillment options, include an estimated delivery date alongside the costs so shoppers can select the method that’s right for them. During the peak holiday season (and other date-sensitive periods), use banners and other website design elements to flag cutoff dates for packages to arrive in time.

13. Curate upsells and cross-sells

Ever been to a Marshalls and found yourself grabbing a few extra items off the shelf while waiting in line to check out? That's suggestive selling in action. You can mimic this experience online by offering a few last-minute extras. For example, if your shopper has added an item that qualifies for a “buy two, get one free” offer, flag it for them at checkout. Or, show off compatible accessories that they may want to purchase with their items.

You can also call out savings opportunities exclusively for loyalty club members to encourage more signups. If you sell replenishment products, highlight any recurring purchase programs you offer as a way to reduce the current total order cost. And of course, if you offer free shipping above a threshold, use a progress meter or other visuals to highlight how much shoppers need to add to their carts to qualify.

See it in action: When you create your online store with Wix, you can use an app like ReConvert to add an upsell block to your checkout page. For example, Forge to Table, which sells hand-forged kitchen knives and accessories, prompts shoppers to check out the “must-have” multi-tool kitchen shears also sold in their online shop.

14. Signal security and trust

Data breaches are commonplace these days, making it no surprise that consumers rightfully worry about having sensitive information stolen. As shoppers begin checkout in your online store, reassure them about the safety and privacy of their information. As a Wix user, you can rest easy knowing that your eCommerce site is equipped with enterprise-level security features that use threat prevention and real-time detection.

Use microcopy to explain that data won’t be shared or sold, and display badges or icons for any third-party security or encryption tools you use. Design choices can also build trust: while you should streamline navigation options, keep the color scheme and look and feel similar to the rest of your eCommerce site for continuity. Your checkout shouldn’t require jumping to a different browser tab or window, and should be hosted under your main website domain.

15. Put your thank-you page to work

The post-order thank-you page is often an afterthought, but it shouldn’t be. Now that shoppers have gone through the purchase process, the thank-you page is your first opportunity to begin building a long-term relationship.

You can make additional product recommendations here, but don’t be too pushy: especially if they’ve just bought big-ticket items, customers may not be in the mood to consider spending more right away. Balance relevant suggestions with content that will help them make the most of what they’ve already ordered.

The thank-you page is also a ripe opportunity to invite signups to your loyalty club or create an account to save their payment and shipping information. Highlight key benefits related to the product that your shoppers just bought. Make sure to feature social media highlights and customer service links prominently on the thank-you page to encourage people to stay engaged.

16. Set up one-click checkout options

Enhance your checkout experience by offering one-click options for your customers. This feature allows them to save payment and shipping information for future purchases, making transactions quick and easy with just a click. By providing such convenient options, you boost customer satisfaction and loyalty while simplifying the checkout process. Focus on creating an effortless shopping experience that keeps your customers coming back.

17. Implement progress indicators

One common frustration for online shoppers is uncertainty about how long the checkout process will take. To enhance the experience, implement a progress indicator during checkout. This feature shows customers their current step and how many steps remain.

A progress indicator empowers shoppers by managing expectations and reducing cart abandonment. It gives them a sense of control over the process, allowing them to plan their time effectively, especially when multiple steps are involved in completing their purchase.

18. Auto-save cart contents

Imagine your customer has spent a lot of time adding items to their cart, only to lose everything due to accidentally closing the tab or a dropped internet connection. This is frustrating and can lead to cart abandonment.

To avoid this, implement an auto-save feature that saves the cart contents as shoppers add items. This way, if something unexpected happens, they can easily resume their checkout process without starting over. Empower your customers to enjoy a seamless shopping experience.

19. Add review and edit order feature

Mistakes are inevitable, and shoppers often realize they've added the wrong item or quantity to their cart during checkout. To alleviate potential frustration, consider implementing a review and edit order feature. This allows customers to double-check their selections before finalizing the purchase.

Such a feature can also benefit those who wish to make last-minute changes or additions without navigating back through previous steps in the checkout process. By offering this option, you can enhance customer satisfaction and minimize the risk of abandoned carts due to errors.

Why your eCommerce checkout process matters

Your online checkout is more than a means to take payment; it’s the culmination of your efforts to entice shoppers along the buyer journey, and an opportunity to demonstrate your brand’s technical prowess and credibility. Following the best practices of eCommerce checkout is an investment in the success of your business. A good checkout experience can help to:

• Boost conversion: A whopping 70% of shoppers leave retail websites after adding items to shopping carts, the Baymard Institute cited earlier found. Among those who start checkout but don’t finish it, eight of the top 10 reasons for leaving relate to the checkout process. This includes everything from distrusting the site’s security to overly complex forms to lacking preferred payment methods. Remedying these problems helps keep shoppers committed to completing their purchases. If you have an eCommerce store with Wix, you can intervene in these potential missed sales by setting up abandoned cart emails nudging shoppers to complete their purchases.

• Communicate your brand values: A good checkout experience shows that you value your customers' time, while providing clear and concise explanations of fulfillment and payment options shows that you know your stuff. Your brand's commitment to customer service shines through with links to relevant information, live chat and phone help.

• Growing average order value: By highlighting curated options for cross-sells, upsells, product subscriptions and gift options, your checkout process can nudge order totals upward. You can also sell memberships online.

• Laying the groundwork for loyalty: Don’t think of checkout as the end of the purchase process; think of it as the first step toward a return visit and repeat purchase. Two-thirds of respondents in a PYMNTS survey said a smooth checkout was very or extremely influential in deciding whether to buy from a brand again. You can further amp up re-engagement with post-purchase messaging on the thank-you page, in follow-up emails that list upcoming flash sales and provide coupons and via mobile messaging.

Ready to rock your online store? Learn how to start an online store and take Wix’s free website builder for a spin.

Ecommerce checkout FAQ

• Why is a seamless checkout process vital for my online store?

  A seamless checkout process is essential because it directly impacts your conversion rates. By creating a user-friendly experience, you can lower cart abandonment rates and motivate customers to finalize their purchases.

• How can I boost the security of my eCommerce site?  

  Boost your website security by using encryption protocols like SSL, displaying security badges, and clearly communicating your website privacy policies. Show customers how their data is protected.

• Can I personalize my thank-you page for better engagement?  

  Yes. Add product recommendations, invite them to join your loyalty club, and include social media links to keep them connected to your brand.

• What are abandoned cart emails, and how do they work?  

  Abandoned cart emails serve as gentle reminders for customers who added items to their cart but didn’t complete their purchase. These emails encourage shoppers to return and finish their transactions, helping you recover lost sales.

• How can I evaluate the effectiveness of my checkout process?  

  Evaluate effectiveness by analyzing metrics such as conversion rates, cart abandonment rates, and customer feedback. This data helps you identify pain points and areas for improvement in your checkout experience.

• How do you upsell at checkout?

  To upsell during checkout, suggest additional items that customers might want to add to their carts. Wix AppMarket offers apps like AppSell to customize upsell funnels and unique offers on your checkout page.

This post was last updated on March 26, 2024.

You started your business. You’ve got an order in hand, and it’s time to ship. Chances are your primary concerns are delivery speed and cost—but there’s another factor to consider: product packaging.

Using the right packaging is an essential eCommerce shipping best practice that can do much more than simply protect your products. In fact, when it comes to the potential benefits of well-executed eCommerce packaging, it pays to think outside the box.

In this blog, we’ll unpack all the considerations and criteria for creating a great unboxing experience for your customers. Keep reading for expert tips, resources, and inspiration when dealing with inventory management (and eCommerce logistics) topics like this.

Table of contents

• What is eCommerce packaging?

• Essential eCommerce packaging criteria

• Types of eCommerce packaging

• Additional packaging materials

• Customization for the win

• Getting started with packaging design

What is eCommerce packaging?

Ecommerce packaging is a cross between traditional product packaging and shipping considerations.

Like traditional retail packaging, eCommerce packaging should attractively showcase your products and include helpful information, like assembly instructions and customer service contacts.

However, it should also serve to protect your products. During the order fulfillment process, your product gets passed between many hands. Your packaging therefore needs to be sturdy and well-padded. It must comply with shipping requirements and ensure that your products arrive in pristine condition.

Not only this, but your packaging acts as a way to heighten brand identity, delight buyers, and re-engage them. Since your shoppers aren’t immersed in store environments, it’s extra important that your packaging leaves an impression. You want your customers to remember your brand name and feel like they were treated to a good product and a great overall experience.

Essential eCommerce packaging criteria

Given all the work eCommerce packaging does, it’s no wonder that the list of criteria is long. As a small business owner setting out to design your own packaging solution, keep in mind the following considerations:

• Protection - Safe arrival of your products not only boosts customer satisfaction and trust; it helps prevent costly returns. Your brand reputation is also at stake here. Given that consumers are more likely to post about a poor experience than a good one online, you’ll want to minimize the risk of damage in transit—and any potential word-of-mouth damage that could follow.

• Cost - In addition to the price of packaging materials, factor in how the size and weight of your packaging affect shipping costs. Heavy, odd-sized, or large packaging may incur extra fees or require more days in transit.

• Sustainability - More than half of U.S. consumers are concerned about the sustainability of product packaging, and 43% say that they care about the environmental impact of packaging. Sellers who fail to heed consumers’ sustainability concerns not only risk their reputations, but their bottom line, too. Note: states are considering a variety of bills this year concerning extended producer responsibility (EPR). This would require producers and sellers to cover the disposal costs of their packaging waste, among other requirements. You can limit your regulatory fees by using recyclable materials.

• Customer service - There should be little confusion over how to start using your product, or whom to reach out to if a customer needs extra assistance. Similarly, your customers should be able to locate your return policy somewhere within the packaging.

• Marketing - Seize opportunities to foster relationships with your customers. Consider how everything from the product inserts to the sealing tape of your packages plays into the unboxing experience—which, in turn, can boost your virality. For example, Unbox Therapy, a YouTube channel with over 18 million subscribers, leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the unboxing experience. He even goes as far as smelling the box in this video, which earned over 1.5 million views.

• Marketplace fulfillment requirements - If you’re a multichannel retailer and sell products on online marketplaces like Amazon, you may need to conform to certain packaging criteria. For example, Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) provides extensive prep and packaging requirements to speed up handling at its warehouse. Meanwhile, Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) has standards for maximum product dimensions and weight. Should you choose to ship orders yourself, you’ll still need to consider how your packaging may impact the cost and timing of your deliveries. Marketplaces favor fast, affordable shipping. So, your visibility and competitiveness on these channels often rely on having lightweight (yet secure) packaging.

Types of eCommerce packaging

Depending on the size, weight, and durability of your products, different packaging sizes and materials may be appropriate. Here are a few types to entertain.

Corrugated cardboard boxes

By far the most common choice, corrugated cardboard boxes have the advantage of being recyclable and durable. They’re lightweight relative to their strength.

The structure of the corrugated box walls determines how much weight they can hold, so you may need to use different cardboard types for different products. But you can choose from a variety of sizes, flaps, folds, and closures.

Depending on how fragile your products are, you may even opt to overbox—a packaging strategy where you fit a smaller cardboard box securely within an outer container to hold individual component parts.

This may require some testing; companies like Amazon have fielded complaints about difficult-to-open containers and excess waste (which led Amazon to launch its “Frustration-Free Packaging” program). Still, you may want to use this double layer of strong protection for items that could otherwise arrive damaged.

Padded mailers

Smaller items that need a moderate degree of protection, such as boxed jewelry, makeup, media, or books, can be sent in padded envelopes. These envelopes are usually made of paper or plastic and have a layer of cushioning to avoid breakage. Bubble wrap is a popular, protective material. However, it’s less eco-friendly than padding made of shredded or recycled paper.

Bags or envelopes

For products that are light and unbreakable—like clothes—a plain envelope, pouch, or poly mailer could suffice. These simply provide protection from some scratches, smudging, and other blemishes caused by external objects and environment.

The most popular type of envelopes is plastic. Plastic has the advantage of being ultra-lightweight, tear-resistant, and waterproof but is less sustainable than paper. New alternatives, like kraft paper mailers and compostable mailers, seek to reduce waste and may be worth exploring.

Additional ecommerce packaging materials

If you’re lucky, your product will only need one thin layer of production to arrive to your customers safely.

But if you’re like most sellers, your item likely requires a container of its own—be it a jar, tube, box, pouch, or envelopes—or extra padding to fit securely inside your shipping container. It may additionally require space to include an instruction manual, thank you note, or other inserts.

To that end, take these elements into account:

• Infill - Padding material stabilizes products within the outer transport packaging. Old-school styrofoam peanuts are largely a thing of the past. Many sellers opt to use biodegradable alternatives made of corn (yes, corn). And a whole host of other materials can be used to cushion products, including kraft paper, shredded cardboard, and chains of paper or plastic “air pillows.” For fragile items like glassware or perishable foods, consider using a molded infill that’s shaped to fit snugly around your product. This will protect them from being crushed, especially if they’re packed together with other items. Recycled paper pulp, cardboard, and even solid material made from dried mushrooms can be used to create a molded infill.

• Inserts, packing slips, and receipts - There are a number of things you could include within your package aside from the item itself: instructions, coupon offers, in-store event invitations, and more. These can be layered on top of or beneath products, tucked next to individual items, or attached to the interior lid of the box. Wherever you decide to place your inserts, your packing slip and receipt should always be easy to find.

• Wrapping paper and tissue - Colorful tissue paper or wrapping paper can give your products extra flair. It can prolong the element of surprise and/or personalize the experience.. Alternatively, you can use plain brown paper to reinforce a commitment to simplicity and eco-consciousness.

• Stickers and tape - Stickers can be used to communicate care instructions or to add some pizzazz to your packaging. You could even enclose a few standalone, branded stickers that serve as an extra treat for customers, who may, in turn, help to market your brand by donning your stickers. The tape on the outside of your package can likewise convey a strong message. Think: Amazon’s easy-to-recognize packaging tape, which has “Prime” written all over it. Paper tape with a water-activated adhesive is recyclable and sturdy enough for heavy items, while clear plastic tape is convenient and lighter weight.

These seemingly-minor accessories can add to the customer experience. This YouTube review of an ArtSnacks package even notes how the free decal sticker matches the packaging tape and product instructions, a detail that doesn’t go unnoticed by the art community.

Customized ecommerce packaging

When it comes to the design of your packaging, you have two options.

You could use generic packaging that simply does the job. Or, you could use custom, highly branded packaging.

Given how distractions and competition abound online, the second route is likely your best choice. Your packaging can in and of itself serve as a powerful eCommerce marketing strategy.

Take Joolz as an example. This European manufacturer of top-of-the-line strollers and accessories uses its packaging to appeal to its target buyer (parents) and core users (young children).

Joolz practically built a whole marketing campaign around its recyclable packaging. In line with its commitment to sustainability, Joolz’s shipping boxes include instructions for transforming its cardboard boxes into play airplanes, birdhouses, kid-sized seating, or toy animals.

Here are ways to ensure that your packaging is memorable:

• Color schemes and logos - Though it may cost more to add color to your boxes, bags, and other material, these elements can help to drive home brand awareness. There are also inexpensive alternatives to full custom color. For example, you can order a custom stamp for a relatively low price to mark your packaging.

• Fonts and prose style - Your brand voice should guide how any text on your eCommerce packaging is written. Moreover, any printed font should mirror the branding of your online store to create an instant association with your company.

• Recycling instructions - If your materials and containers are recyclable, print instructions for how your customers can properly dispose of them. You can print those instructions right on the box or bag, using verbiage that reflects your brand.

• The personal touch - Thank you notes can go a long way, as can certain usage instructions or personalized recommendations for further shopping. For instance, if you own a subscription box business for people interested in fashion, you could include a note written by a stylist recommending other styles to try.

How to get started with packaging design

Creating eCommerce packaging is a process that combines creativity with practicality—plus lots of testing. There are various steps to keep in mind, which we’ve broken out below:

1. Gather requirements. Make sure you have your product dimensions, product weight, branding guidelines, and any special instructions in-hand before embarking on this project.

2. Crunch the numbers. Calculate both one-time costs of creating your packages (like design work) and the per-piece costs that will accrue each time you order more boxes or bags. Factor in any new weight-related shipping costs, as well, so that you can properly project your total bill.

3. Tell a story. As you consider ways to incorporate branding, product instructions, ingredients, and other materials in your packaging, check that all of this information is presented in a logical sequence. For example, you wouldn’t want to print detailed descriptions of enclosed products on the outside of the box (before your customer has opened the package). However, you might want to attach a small, colorful envelope to the interior of the box lid for this purpose.

4. Develop a prototype. Before mass-producing your packaging, do a limited run with your supplier to test that your packaging looks and feels the way you expected.

5. Test for protection. A “drop test” simulates the jostling and impacts that will occur during transit. Standards for a drop test vary, but a test usually involves knocking items from a specific height multiple times. This is to see whether the corners, edges, and faces of packaging hold up.

6. Test for coherence. Gather feedback from people outside of your design team to ensure that packaging is appealing and useful. Ask loyal customers for their feedback or launch a poll on social media to see which packaging people prefer.

7. Test for practicality. Test out various different carriers to ensure compatibility with your packaging and fulfillment process. Some regional carriers may maintain special packaging requirements. Similarly, some states may have legal shipping requirements for specific types of items, such as alcohol, food products, or plants. These may require special labels or tracking information. And, of course, weather can be a factor. Shipping a dozen roses to Minnesota for Valentine’s Day requires a different strategy than sending them to Arizona, where conditions are warm and arid. Easily manage various carriers using Wix eCommerce, which automatically routes orders to the right warehouses, assigns unique tracking numbers, and lets you print shipping labels right from your store.

8. Roll out and promote the new look. Prepare collateral, website content, and social media posts that alerts customers of the new packaging. This announcement not only lets shoppers know that the products themselves haven’t changed; it’s an opportunity to shine light on any sustainability advances made with your new packaging and/or any new benefits like lower shipping costs.

eCommerce packaging considerations

eCommerce packaging offers so much more than basic product protection. It offers a chance to connect with customers, tell your brand story, and equip buyers with all the information they need to enjoy the products that have arrived at their doorsteps.

Don’t rush this process or skimp out on materials. Find a solution that represents your brand well and ensures a great customer experience.

durability is paramount; packages must protect products during transit, so choose robust materials and consider the right size to prevent items from moving. Weight is also a consideration for shipping costs.

Secondly, sustainability is increasingly important. Customers are increasingly environmentally conscious, so opt for recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials, which can also strengthen brand image.

Thirdly, consider the unboxing experience. Creative, branded packaging can elevate customer satisfaction and encourage social media shares. Customized boxes, branded tape, and personalized notes can create a memorable first impression.

Cost-effectiveness must also not be overlooked; selecting materials and a design that keep expenses low without compromising on quality is key to maintaining profit margins.

Security is also crucial, especially for high-value items. Tamper-evident packaging can provide customers with peace of mind.

Lastly, consider the ease of returns for customers. Reusable packaging can streamline the process, improving customer experience and likelihood of repeat business.

Effective ecommerce packaging is a careful balance of these considerations, catered to the specific needs of the product and customer expectations, all while aligning with your brand's values and goals.

eCommerce Packaging FAQ

• What is eCommerce packaging?

  eCommerce packaging is the packaging used to ship products that are purchased online. It is important to choose the right packaging for your products, as it can affect the customer's experience and your brand image.

• What is the difference between eCommerce packaging and retail packaging?

  eCommerce packaging is designed to protect products during shipping, while retail packaging is designed to protect products on the shelf and attract customers. eCommerce packaging is often made from lighter materials, as it does not need to be as durable as retail packaging.

• How important is packaging in eCommerce?

  Packaging is very important in eCommerce, as it is the first thing that customers see when they receive their order. If the packaging is damaged or does not look professional, it can give customers a negative impression of your brand. Good packaging can also help to protect your products during shipping and prevent them from being damaged.

• What are the benefits of using good eCommerce packaging?

  • Protects products during shipping: Good packaging can help to protect your products from damage during shipping. This is especially important for fragile products or products that are shipped long distances.

  • Attracts customers: Well-designed packaging can help to attract customers and make them more likely to buy from your store. This is because packaging can be used to create a positive first impression and showcase your brand's personality.

  • Increases customer satisfaction: Customers who receive their orders in good condition are more likely to be satisfied with their purchase. This can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth marketing.

• How do I improve my eCommerce packaging?

  • Use high-quality materials: Using high-quality materials will help to protect your products and make your packaging look more professional.

  • Design your packaging with your customers in mind: Think about what your customers will like and what will make them feel good about receiving your products.

  • Add branding to your packaging: Your packaging is a great way to showcase your brand's logo and colors. This can help to create brand awareness and make your products more memorable.

  • Include a thank-you note: A handwritten thank-you note is a great way to show your customers that you appreciate their business.

Allison Lee

Editor, Wix eCommerce

Allison is the editor for the Wix eCommerce blog, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

If you’ve already skimmed videos or blog posts on print on demand, you may be wondering “Is it too good to be true?”

It’s hard to believe that you can launch an eCommerce business with minimal up-front investment, zero on-hand inventory, or a place to store your items.

But, that’s the beauty of print on demand business ideas (aka “POD”). Whether you’re a designer looking to sell your art on t-shirts, or a musician looking to sell custom merch—POD offers a low-risk way to get started.

In this article we’ll cover all the essential steps of building a print-on-demand business. From sourcing the right products to listing them for sales, here’s what you need to know.

What is print on demand?

As a refresher, POD is when you work with a POD dropshipping service to design, sell, and ship custom items.

You, the seller, are responsible for providing the design for these items and listing them to a sales channel.

Meanwhile, your POD partner provides you with a catalog of items to choose from, and usually offers a mockup generator so that you can design your products exactly as you want.

Once an order comes in, your POD service will handle manufacturing and order fulfillment for you. You will not have to handle the item or ship it yourself. Rather, your POD platform will send the finished product straight to your buyer.

POD is useful for types of businesses of all stages, ranging from those that are just learning how to start a business and those with existing stores that are looking to test new ideas.

Pros of starting a POD business

• Fast and easy to get started - Once you pick a service and a design, you can start selling in minutes.

• Avoid buying in bulk - Only pay for what gets sold, whether you sell a single unit of an item or thousands.

• Instant access to a variety of products - Most POD platforms connect you with a wide range of products and brands to choose from.

• Don’t worry about shipping or storage - Your POD partner handles the logistics for you.

Cons of starting a POD business

• You can’t customize everything - While you can personalize your design, you can’t necessarily select any material you’d like or manufacture products in non-standard sizes.

• Quality control is trickier - You must vet and monitor vendors carefully to ensure that product quality, shipping, and the overall buyer experience consistently meet expectations.

• Lower margins - You’re likely to pay higher per-unit costs in exchange for outsourced logistics and the ability to manufacture in small batches.

How to start a print-on-demand business in 7 steps

1. Choose your niche

2. Select your products

3. Create your design

4. Choose the right print-on-demand service

5. Build your online store

6. Set the right price

7. Market your products

01. Choose your niche

Your print-on-demand business can’t be all things to all people. That’s why the first step is choosing the right niche for your business.

A niche may include people in a certain profession (like nurses or teachers), folks who share a particular passion (like foodies or yoga enthusiasts), or people who participate in shared activities (like cyclists or pet owners).

You’ll want to be as specific as possible about your niche, while still reaching an audience that’s wide enough to let you earn profits. For example, you may want to sell to wine enthusiasts. But rather than targeting everyone over the age of 21 in the U.S., you may hone in on millennial moms who enjoy wine. This will help you to better define products, styles, and campaigns that speak directly to your buyers.

You may already have an ideal niche in mind. If not, here are several good places to start your research:

• Scroll through your social media feeds - See what’s trending on TikTok or Twitter. Or, participate in Facebook Groups or Reddit forums to immerse yourself in conversations among potential buyers.

• Ask the internet - Leverage free tools like Google Trends to gauge interest in particular topics. Keep an eye out for trends that show steady growth over a multi-year period, versus those that are short-lived fads.

• Do keyword research - SEO software like Moz or Semrush can help you measure the amount of search traffic that shopping-related queries attract. Similarly, a solution like JungleScout can help you gauge interest and sales for items based on data from online marketplaces like Amazon.

• Do a product search on popular marketplaces - Read product descriptions and reviews on Etsy, eBay, or Amazon and get intel into who’s buying what on each platform.

• Follow your competitors - Visit competitors’ websites and catalogs. See who they’re targeting with their products and use that as a way to shape your own messaging or to identify a niche that’s not currently being served.

02. Select your products

There’s a chance that you landed on this blog with a certain product, like t-shirts, in mind. But POD platforms will give you access to a plethora of other items: hoodies, leggings, caps, water bottles, or smartphone cases (just to name a few).

For more inspiration, here’s a list of the top print-on-demand products to consider selling.

It goes without saying that the products you choose should be tightly aligned with your niche. If you’re targeting people who enjoy yoga and meditation, your product line may include full-print yoga pants, mats, and towels. If you’re creating products that appeal to beach lovers, you may choose to put your designs on beach chairs, blankets, and swimwear.

Another option: offer sustainable products. Eco-friendly and ethically-sourced items are especially appealing to today’s Gen Z consumers. Several print-on-demand suppliers offer a range of eco-friendly printed products, from apparel to lunch totes to pillowcases.

03. Create your design

This step can either be the most exhilarating or intimidating part of your journey, depending on your comfort level with design. If you were born with a gift for design, then starting a POD business can help you share your passion and give you an avenue to make money as an artist.

If you’re not an artist or graphic designer, there are other ways that you can close the “design gap.” You could, for example, choose from premade designs, images, and fonts within your POD platform. Or, use a design tool like DesignWizard or Piktochart to spark your creative juices. Alternatively, you could hire a designer from the Wix Marketplace to help you out.

If you’re struggling to find some artistic inspiration, look at popular designs that are already selling well on marketplaces or other sites. But be careful not to copy them. Avoid trademark infringement and other thorny legal issues by studying intellectual property for print on demand.

Whether you choose to create your own designs or work with another professional, carve out time to validate your ideas. Share your vision or early mockups with a trusted group of individuals or via channels like social media where you can gather honest feedback.

04. Choose the right print-on-demand service

When it comes to picking the right printer for your designs, make sure to consider the following questions:

• What type of products does the platform offer?

• What kind of equipment, materials, and printing techniques do they use?

• What are their average turnaround times?

• Where do they ship your products from, and how are shipping rates calculated?

• What type of packaging will be used?

• Do they charge a monthly fee and/or a percentage of each sale?

• How are returns, cancellations, and refunds handled?

• Does the platform integrate with your eCommerce platform?

Check out online reviews to see what other online merchants are saying about their services.

Also, order a sample of your products so that you can evaluate product quality.

Check that the colors, materials, and texture meet your expectations. It’s possible for some designs to look better on a computer screen than in person. This step is therefore crucial for making sure that your design actually looks good when paired with the fabrics, ink, and printer that you choose.

There are several well-known print on demand companies that you can choose from, including Mondalyst, Printify, and Printful.

05. Build your online store

Start selling your products in one of two popular ways:

• Sell on a marketplace like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay. Marketplaces offer large, established audiences that are already eager to buy. That said, marketplaces may charge subscription fees, listing fees, and/or transaction fees. They each have their own rules regarding branding, pricing, and listing products too, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with these to avoid any hiccups.

• Build your own website using a platform like Wix eCommerce. This approach offers you the most freedom; you can design your store exactly how you want and stay in control of the entire buyer experience. The challenge here is that you’ll have to invest in marketing so that your products get seen, but platforms like Wix eCommerce offer built-in marketing tools, as well as automations to help you grow your business faster.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one or the other. In fact, a multichannel selling strategy has proven to increase sales. (Merchants who connect their stores to a sales channel like Amazon or Wish can increase sales up to 12%, according to Wix proprietary data.)

However, starting with a website can help you to build the right foundation for your brand. Aside from giving you total control over the user experience, a website allows you to test various prices and offers without limitation. It further gives you direct visibility into user behaviors, so you can better track what’s helping or hurting sales.

Wix eCommerce additionally integrates with marketplaces. So, if you decide to expand into marketplaces in the future, you can easily sync your products, inventory, and prices without having to log into each marketplace individually. There are other perks, too. For example, if you sign up for eBay through Wix, you’ll automatically receive a higher limit of zero insertion fee (read: free) listings.

06. Set the right price

Finding the sweet spot in terms of pricing can be a challenge. But here are a few questions that you can ask yourself to get to the right answer:

• What are my startup costs? Make sure that your pricing accounts for all of your expenses, including your marketing, labor, fees, and other costs.

• What are other businesses charging for their products? It goes without saying that you’ll want to price competitively or have a strategy for justifying higher price points.

• How unique are my products? As noted above, you may be able to charge more for your products if they're one-of-a-kind.

• Will I offer free shipping to my customers? More than half (58%) of shoppers abandon their carts due to higher-than-expected shipping costs, so offering free shipping may be a good idea—given that it doesn’t kill your margins. There are various ways to offer fast and free shipping, whether that means folding it into the product price or offering free shipping at certain price points.

• What will my profit margin be at this price? When all is said and done, you, of course, will want to make sure that you’re making money from every sale. Make sure that you calculate your profit margins accurately, taking into account all expenses and “hidden” costs (think: returns, taxes, transaction fees, etc.).

For more tips on how to set the right price, check out these nine product pricing strategies.

07. Develop a marketing plan

Your work doesn’t end once your online store goes live. To build a successful print-on-demand business, you’ll need to proactively drive attention to your products. Here are five great ways to start building an audience and creating positive buzz around your business:

• Tell your friends and family members about your business and encourage them to share your products with their networks.

• Engage with buyers on social media. Invest in learning the ins and outs of channels that are most strategic for your brand. Join in on relevant conversations and express your brand’s personality online.

• Start a blog. Publish articles that showcase various ways to use your product and/or simply addresses questions people might have when searching for a brand like yours. A blog can help you to expand your SEO strategy and reach consumers organically.

• Partner with influencers. Collaborate with influencers or other brands that target similar audiences as you. Be sure to offer something in return and to lean on their areas of expertise.

• Create an email strategy. Plot out the emails you’d like to send, whether you’re looking to re-engage shoppers, reduce abandoned carts, or generate buzz around upcoming sales.

Check out these 14 eCommerce marketing ideas for more inspiration (see our guide on what is eCommerce).

How much does it cost to start a print on demand business?

Starting a print-on-demand (POD) business is generally low-cost compared to traditional retail models, as it eliminates the need for inventory and large upfront investments. Here's a breakdown of potential costs:

eCommerce website builder fees

If you're setting up an online store, platforms like Wix, have monthly fees ranging from $0 to $149 depending on the plan and features you choose.

Domain name

A custom domain enhances your brand's professionalism and costs anywhere from free up to hundreds of dollars a year. Create an eCommerce website with Wix and a domain name is free with a paid plan.

Graphic assets

Investing in high-quality design assets or hiring freelance designers can cost anywhere from $5 to hundreds of dollars per design, depending on complexity and licensing.

Sample products

Ordering samples to check quality before selling is crucial. This varies based on the products but expect to spend $20 to $100.

Marketing and advertising

This varies widely with strategy and scale. Initial budgets for ads might start around $50 to $500 to gain traction. Organic marketing through social media can be low-cost but demands time.

Business registration and licenses

The cost to register a business varies by state and country, usually around $50 to $800. However, some POD platforms don’t require formal business registration initially.

A rough estimate for starting a small-scale POD business might range from $100 to $1000 or more. However, costs can be kept low by using free trials, open-source software and organic marketing strategies initially. The primary investment is time and creativity to create appealing designs and a strong brand. Ongoing success in POD also requires reinvestment in marketing and new designs to stay competitive and keep capturing customer interest.

How to create designs for print on demand

Creating designs for print on demand (POD) without a background in design can be accomplished with the following steps:

• Leverage graphic elements: Make use of existing graphic elements and templates provided by design tools. These elements can be customized to create unique designs without starting from scratch. Look for graphics, icons, and fonts that align with your vision.

• Simple and impactful designs: Embrace simplicity. Clean and straightforward designs can often be more effective. Focus on conveying a clear message or aesthetic rather than overcomplicating the design.

• Typography and color palette: Experiment with typography. Play with different fonts, sizes, and arrangements to create visually appealing text-based designs. Ensure that the text is easy to read and complements the overall design. Additionally, choose a cohesive color palette. Consistent and well-chosen colors can enhance the visual appeal of your designs.

• Incorporate personal photography: If relevant, incorporate personal photographs or images. Authenticity can resonate with customers, and personal images can add a unique touch to your designs.

• Outsource: If you find design overwhelming, consider outsourcing. Connect with freelance designers who can bring your ideas to life at an affordable cost.

Building a business with print on demand

The possibilities are quite literally endless when it comes to print on demand. With print on demand, you can test your designs on various products—be it apparel, accessories, homeware, or more.

Get started today with Wix eCommerce. Wix’s print-on-demand features allow you to connect a POD service to your online store, and manage your operations from one place.

How to start a print on demand business FAQ

• Is print on demand a profitable business?

  Print on demand (POD) can be a profitable business model for some entrepreneurs, but its success depends on various factors. It depends however on the following - the product niche you choose and how successful it is, how unique your designs are, the effectiveness of marketing and promoting your business, the quality of your products, profit margins, how good your customer service is, the platform you use to sell your goods and its integrations, seasonal trends, as well as how much competition you have.

• Is it possible to make a living from a print on demand business?

  Yes, it's possible to make a living from print on demand (POD) if the business is well-planned, executed effectively, and meets market demand. Many entrepreneurs and artists have built successful and profitable print on demand businesses. However, it's important to recognize that the level of income you can achieve through POD dependent on how successful your business might be.

• Is print on demand easy?

  Print-on-demand (POD) can be relatively easy to start, especially for individuals with minimal upfront investment and without the need for inventory management. POD services handle printing, production, and order fulfillment, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on designing and marketing their products. However, success in POD still requires strategic planning, creativity in design, and effective marketing to stand out in a competitive market.

• Can I start print on demand with no money?

  Starting a print-on-demand business is one of the more budget-friendly options in the eCommerce space. While there are typically no costs associated with manufacturing and inventory, some minimal expenses may be incurred for marketing, website hosting, or design tools. Free trials and low-cost plans are often available for essential services. Keep in mind that while it's feasible to start with minimal funds, investing in quality designs and marketing efforts can enhance the chances of success.

Allison Lee

Editor, Wix eCommerce

Allison is the editor for the Wix eCommerce blog, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

So you’ve sold a product or provided a service on your online store and now it’s time to get paid. Great news! The best way to request your money is by creating an invoice that’ll let your client or customer know exactly what you’re charging and when the payment is due.

But what is an invoice, how do you create one and what information do you need to include? We’ve got you covered with this step-by-step guide to writing an invoice.

What is an invoice?

An invoice, also called a sales invoice, is a document to bill a customer for the sale of your products or service. An invoice establishes an accounts receivable that obligates the purchaser to pay. Think of it as an official agreement in writing between you (the seller) and your customer or client (the buyer).

Invoices are also a great way to keep track of your business’ earnings. Aside from keeping your finances in order, using written invoices maintains transparency and simplifies accounting when tax season comes around.

What’s the difference between a bill and an invoice?

Technically, nothing. A bill and an invoice both refer to the document used to let a customer or client know how much money they owe for a product or service. But the main difference between the two terms lies in who’s referring to the document.

First, let’s define both words:

Invoice definition

Your business will issue an invoice to a purchaser outlining the sale of products or services and the amount of money owed in return. An invoice serves to:

• Document a business transaction that requires payment from a customer

• Request payment from a customer by a certain deadline

• Keeps a record of services and products sold for bookkeeping

Bill definition

Your customer receives a document from you that outlines the amount of money owed in exchange for goods and services. A bill:

• Let’s a customer know of how much they need to pay you

• Gives your customer a record of their expenses to use for bookkeeping

As you see, the business will often refer to the document as “an invoice” while the buyers receive “a bill” that details what they owe. The process works like this:

Step 1: Your business sends an invoice to your customer

Step 2: The customer receives the bill

Step 3: The customer pays the amount owed

Step 4: Finally, your business issues an invoice receipt as proof of completed payment.

What are the key legal requirements for an invoice?

There are many important details to include if you want to create a thorough and professional invoice. Here’s everything your invoice should include:

• Your business name: The official name of your business and your tax ID number. Include your business logo to look more professional.

• Your customer’s name: Identify your customer, include their name or their business’ name and their tax ID number.

• Contact details: Write your address and phone number as well as your customer’s contact information. This is especially useful in case either side needs to get in touch.

• Invoice number: An invoice number helps track your invoices, so you don’t get them mixed up. (Pro tip: Easily track your invoices with an abbreviated version of your customer’s business name with a dash followed by the month and year. For example: Invoice WIX-0520)

• List of services and costs: An invoice generally contains the items purchased, either products or services, as well as prices and quantities. Enter as much detail as possible to avoid any confusion. For example, if you provide a service paid by the hour, detail the amount of time it took to complete a task. Include a separate line for VAT or wire transfer fees (if applicable).

• Dates: Your invoice should specify all the relevant dates, including the day the invoice was issued, the date when the sale or service took place, as well as the time covered by the invoice (for periodic invoices).

• Total amount: Create a clear line showing the entire amount your customer owes you. The total amount should cover all products and services included in that invoice. Don’t forget to include any extra fees before calculating your total.

• Payment information: Include your bank information so your customers will know how to pay you. Many customers also use third-party payment processors, like PayPal or Transferwise, that only require an email address, rather than sensitive information like your bank details.

• Terms and conditions: Write the agreed-upon terms between you and your customer on every invoice. This could mean your rates, return/refund policies, product warranties, shipping information and privacy policies.

• Due date: Avoid confusion later on by writing exactly when you’re expecting the payment. Be specific: Write “May 31, 2021.” Don’t write “Due in 30 days.”

Pro tip: Create a consistent timeframe for all your invoices in order to easily know when to expect your money. Generally your customer should pay you within 30 days from the invoice’s issue date but you can make it shorter or longer depending on the nature of your business and the total amount owed.

5 tips to keep your invoice looking professional

Think of an invoice as another face of your business. An invoice is a professional way to build brand trust that lets customers know they need to pay on time. Keep these 5 pro tips in mind:

01. Include branding

Add your logo to the invoice to keep your branding consistent. Don’t have one yet? Create a custom logo for your business using a logo maker.

02. Create or use an invoice template

Create your own template or use an already made one. Then keep the structure and look of your invoices consistent so your customers or clients can easily recognize it and find the information they’re looking for. You can achieve the same effect by using an invoice generator as well.

03. Check spelling and look for mistakes

This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many businesses don’t do this! Having to make corrections and resend invoices can make your business look bad in front of your customers. So double and triple check your invoices for any mistakes before sending.

04. Offer multiple payment options

If you want to make sure your customers pay on time, and quickly, it can help to offer a variety of secure payment options, including digital wallet, credit card or wire transfer.

05. Say thank you

It’s always a good practice to end your invoice by saying “Thank you for your business”. Feel free to be authentic and tell your customers what they mean to you. It can even increase the likelihood of payment by 5%.

How to create an invoice with a generator

Luckily it’s easier than ever to create an invoice. In fact, you can create a professional invoice in minutes using a free invoice generator. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Add your information

2. Describe the products or services you'll charge for

3. Finalize and send

4. Issue an invoice receipt

Step 1: Add your information

Include the key details for both you and your client/customer:

• Name or business’ name

• Business website

• Contact information such as phone or email address

• Mailing address

Step 2: Describe the products or services you're charging for

Under “Invoice Settings” include the invoice number, date of issue and payment due date. Add a line for each product or service with a description. Then add:

• Price (or hourly rate)

• Quantity (or number of hours completed)

• Discount (if applicable)

• Total

• Any additional notes or terms

Step 3: Finalize and send

Wix’s Invoice Generator will automatically calculate your total. Before you send, make sure all the information is correct. Once you’re ready, you can choose to email it straight to your client or download it.

Step 4: Issue an invoice receipt

Once your customer completes payment, you can follow-up with an invoice receipt. This’ll help you keep track of all payments received.

How to create an invoice from scratch

If you want to create an invoice without the help of a generator, follow these steps to make an invoice from scratch:

Step 1: Open a blank spreadsheet

Open a new blank spreadsheet, using a program like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.

Step 2: Create a branded invoice header

Add a header to your invoice with your brand’s details and billing information including:

• Your logo

• Business contact information

• Invoice date

• Invoice number

Step 3: Add your client’s information

Include your client’s contact details such as their company name, name of relevant contact, address, email and phone number. For example:

Bill To:

Company Name

555 Address Rd.

City, State 55555

Step 4: Add the payment due date

Near the top of the invoice, include the day, month and year that the payment is due.

Step 5: Add an itemized list of sales

Here, you can create a table with each column outlining the specific services provided and/or goods sold, date of order, the cost per unit, number of units sold and total amount due. Make sure to specify currency. For example:

Step 6: Calculate the total

Include a final column to calculate the total amount due for the invoice. Many spreadsheets will do the math for you, such as Excel’s SUM function. Don’t forget any relevant discounts, service fees or tax rates in the total.

Step 7: Add payment details

Add relevant payment information, such as PayPal ID. For a bank wire transfer, include your name, account number, IBAN (or SWIFT code), bank and bank address. Include a personal note on the bottom, such as “Thank you for doing business with us!”

Step 8: Add tax information

Adding tax information to an invoice is crucial for making sure that both the seller and the buyer adhere to tax regulations and obligations. Including tax details, such as the amount of tax charged, the tax rate applied and the total tax payable, provides clarity on the financial transaction. This transparency fosters trust between parties and helps prevent misunderstandings or disputes regarding tax liabilities.

It also makes it easier for businesses to accurately report and remit taxes to relevant authorities, ensuring compliance with tax laws. Failure to include tax details can result in penalties or legal consequences for businesses.

Invoice example

Check out this invoice example for inspiration:

Ready to receive payments for your hard-earned work? Create professional, custom-made invoices in minutes with our free Invoice Generator.

Tamar Nevo

Head of Product, eCommerce at Wix.com

Tamar has spent over a decade in product leadership with dynamic B2C companies, and is an established innovator in the field of eCommerce. As the head of product for eCommerce at wix.com, Tamar builds the tools that enable over 700k online stores worldwide.

With so many options on the market, choosing the best eCommerce website builder can be overwhelming. You need a tool that not only offers flexibility and scalability but also integrates with various payment gateways, provides robust security and delivers an impeccable user experience.

It may be tempting to pick the first option that comes up in your Google search. Yet, what works for one person might not be the most suitable site builder for your business. To save you time, money and headaches in your search, we've rounded up a list of the best eCommerce website builders that cover a range of budgets and use cases.

Ready to start selling online? Try Wix on for size.

10 best eCommerce website builders

Navigating the world of website builders requires more than just a quick glance, especially if you’re looking for a tool that can support your eCommerce business at all stages of its growth. Each option in our carefully curated list of the best eCommerce platforms brings reliable solutions to the table. From specialized features catering to specific industries to versatile builders that suit any type of business, we've got you covered. 

1. Wix 

2. Squarespace

3. BigCommerce

4. Big Cartel

5. Shopify

6. WooCommerce

7. Ecwid

8. Weebly

9. Shift4Shop

10. Volusion

01. Wix 

With Wix, learning how to make a website for eCommerce is straightforward. You can browse a library of free, professionally designed online store templates that match your brand's identity. You can then customize your site with the help of our drag-and-drop website builder and all of its built-in editing tools or AI—no coding required. If you do have coding experience, however, Wix’s open platform does allow you to create your own customized website with code.

Wix is designed as a comprehensive, end-to-end eCommerce platform with ecommerce tools and others, to help you market, manage and grow your business—from sourcing products to accepting payments, fulfilling orders and more. 

For example, from Wix, you can manage product listings across multiple sales channels, including native mobile apps, third-party eCommerce marketplaces and social media There’s even an integrated physical point-of-sale (POS) system for accepting in-person sales. 

“Wix is not only an eCommerce website builder,” explains Oren Inditzky, vice president and general manager of online stores at Wix. “It covers all types of business, and as such, it can allow you to further grow and expand your business. In addition to selling products, you can also offer services to book, events to attend, blogs to read and so on.” 

Once your site is live, you can refine your content to drive more sales, convert more customers and show up higher in search results. Wix’s SEO Assistant automatically recommends ways to improve your content, structure and SEO attributes across Wix Bookings pages, Wix Stores product pages and Wix Blog posts. And, Wix is at the forefront of AI in eCommerce: with built-in AI text creation tools, you can instantly refine FAQ pages, About sections and more. Most notably, the AI tool can create hundreds of optimized product descriptions for your store in minutes, saving you countless hours of work. 

Key Wix features

• Custom website templates for various industries

• Built-in AI tools for website creation, product descriptions, product recommendations and more

• Wide range of built-in eCommerce tools, plus hundreds of third-party integrations (free and paid) through the Wix App Market

• Versatile payment solution, Wix Payments, offers a seamless checkout experience

• Easy integration with social media channels (Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) and advertising channels (Google Ads, Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads)

• Support for selling across multiple channels, including native apps, POS systems, external marketplaces and social media

Pricing

• eCommerce plans start at $27 per month

See more: Read our handy guide on how to start an online store.

02. Squarespace

Squarespace can help all kinds of businesses get online. The website builder offers an assortment of visually appealing templates, making it a good choice for photographers, local stores, restaurants and more.

Squarespace combines good looks with versatility and ease of use. Its drag-and-drop site editor is fairly simple to use, allowing you to set up your site in a short amount of time. You don't need any coding know-how to make a great-looking and functional website.

Additionally, the platform has many helpful features that will help your online business scale. For example, it has built-in blogging features for SEO visibility as well as merchandising tools like low stock alerts, product waitlists and more. 

Key features of Squarespace

• Simplified site-building tools, allowing easy customization without technical expertise

• Diverse selection of templates for a wide range of stylistic preferences

• Combines aesthetic appeal with practical features, ideal for creative industries and user-friendly online stores

Pricing 

• Range of plans available, with their Business plan starting at $33 per month; advanced merchandising tools are available under the eCommerce plan at $36 per month

03. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another popular platform for online stores of all sizes, especially enterprise businesses. As its name implies, this is largely thanks to the eCommerce-specific features available across all of its plans. 

You can start building your site from one of 12 free designs, or browse through the library of more than 200 paid templates. If you have technical experience, you can further customize your website down to the CSS and HTML code.

One of the nicest features of BigCommerce is that it offers unlimited products and staff accounts across all of its plan tiers. Each tier also offers multichannel sales features, built-in blogs, professional reporting tools, product ratings and more. More advanced features are available in higher-tier plans.

Key features of BigCommerce

• Well-suited to businesses looking to scale, offering solutions for small and enterprise businesses; enterprise features include multi-storefront capabilities, leading omnichannel integrations, extensive partner ecosystem and more

• No transaction fees across any of its plans

• Integration with WordPress to modify an existing website

Pricing

• Plans start from $39 per month

04. Big Cartel

If you’re a creative professional, showcasing your work in the best light can be hard. Fortunately, Big Cartel offers a good solution if you're looking for an eCommerce website builder aimed at independent artists and creators. 

Big Cartel takes a simple approach to website creation, which is ideal for smaller stores or those just getting started with their business. It is not intended to handle robust eCommerce or enterprise needs like those offered by platforms like Wix, Shopify or BigCommerce. 

All of Big Cartel’s 15+ templates are stylish, unique and free across all pricing plans. You can customize each design to your liking, and the platform’s site editor lets you see changes made to your Big Cartel site right away. 

As for your store offerings, you can list five products for sale through the free forever plan, or upgrade to a paid plan to list between 50 and 500 products. All plans come with an assortment of basic eCommerce tools, though more advanced features like analytics, inventory management and shipping tracking are available through paid plans.

Key features of Big Cartel

• Ideal for independent artists and small creators

• Simple, stylish and customizable templates

• Affordable pricing plans with a free forever option for eCommerce sellers

Pricing 

• Paid plans start from $9.99 per month; free forever plan also available

05. Shopify

Shopify’s website builder is designed specifically for eCommerce businesses. The platform offers a wide range of features and customizability options for merchants, making it a popular choice for online selling.

To build your online store with Shopify, you can browse more than 170 professionally designed templates from the platform’s theme library. Of this assortment, around a dozen themes are free while more than 160 are paid. Shopify's templates provide the basic framework you need to get started building your online store; you can then add additional functionality and customization to your site via Shopify’s diverse app store, which features more than 8,000 free and paid apps as of this writing. 

Key features of Shopify

• “Shopify Magic” offers a suite of AI tools to write product descriptions, emails, blog posts and more

• Extensive app market to customize the design, functionality and content of your online store

• Supports omnichannel selling across online and offline platforms

Pricing

• Plans start from $39 per month

06. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source plugin that's built for WordPress, giving you tight control over your eCommerce site. Building a store with WooCommerce is a budget-friendly option because the plugin is free. The only caveat is you'll need your own server, domain name and SSL certificate to receive payments. Since the onus is on you, the user, to sort out your website, that also means you'll need to handle your website's upkeep and safety.

Since you have full control and autonomy over WooCommerce, you can really make your online store your own. There are hundreds of free and paid extensions you can add to include features like different ways to pay or tools for email marketing.

However, bear in mind that you have to keep these plugins and your WordPress up to date to keep your site safe and working right. Other eCommerce website builders on this list manage everything for you (usually at a cost). With you completely at the helm, you’ll want to double-check your site’s functionality after something like a plugin update. 

If you’re looking instead for a turnkey solution, Woo, the creator of WooCommerce, also offers Woo Express. These paid plans are designed for folks who want to spend less time building and more time selling.   

Key features of WooCommerce

• Plugin is free to download and built for WordPress integration

• Ideal for business owners who want full control over all elements of their website

• Hundreds of free and paid extensions to round out your online store functionality

Pricing

• Free to install (must pay for your own hosting provider and domain name)

See more: Ready to get your venture off of the ground? Read our guide on how to start a business.

07. Ecwid

Ecwid is a unique option among the best eCommerce website builders. Instead of needing to build or redesign an entire site, Ecwid can simply be added to your existing website—including your Wix website—instantly turning it into an online store.

The platform proclaims that it can help you “sell anywhere,” offering additional eCommerce integrations for social media, online marketplaces like Esty or Amazon, and even in-person sales via POS and mobile. 

If you don’t yet have a website, you can use Ecwid’s “Instant Site” feature to put one together in about 30 minutes. The platform offers hundreds of customizable templates designed to get your store launched as quickly and effortlessly as possible.

Ecwid offers a free forever plan with limited functionality. Advanced and even basic eCommerce features—like live chat support, discounts and access to Ecwid’s App Market—are only available through paid plans. 

Key features of Ecwid

• “Instant Site” feature for quickly launching an online store; ideal for beginners

• Allows you add eCommerce functionality to your existing website, blog, social media channels and more

• Free-forever plan, which allows you to sell up to five products from your online store

Pricing

• Paid plans start from $19 per month; free forever plan also available

08. Weebly

Weebly is another good choice for independent contractors or small businesses that want to set up a website, especially if you don't want anything too technical. Weebly is owned by Square, meaning you’ll need a Square Online account to access the site builder. 

Weebly offers a range of customizable templates—including free options—that enable you to craft a professional-looking store. Its user-friendly interface makes designing your site straightforward, though it’s a bit more limited in design options than other platforms on this list. Weebly also integrates seamlessly with various payment gateways, providing a smooth transaction experience for both the store owner and the customers. 

This simplicity does not come at the cost of functionality, as Weebly includes essential features like inventory management, shipping tools and basic marketing capabilities within its platform.

Key features of Weebly

• Offers beginner-friendly templates with simple and practical editing tools

• Offers a robust free plan (though you cannot connect a domain name)

• Premium plans are fairly budget-friendly

Pricing

• Plans start from $13 per month

See more: Need some advice in growing your online store? Brush up on these essential eCommerce strategies to take sales to the next level.

09. Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop, formerly known as 3dcart, is a strong contender in the eCommerce website builder space, particularly for businesses looking for an all-inclusive platform with extensive customization capabilities. 

One of Shift4Shop’s most significant advantages is that it offers an “unlimited, enterprise-grade” plan with a full suite of eCommerce tools for the potential cost of $0. If your online store processes at least $500 per month, your end-to-end eCommerce plan is free. If you process less than $500 per month, you’ll still have access to the same tools, but may be charged a monthly software as a service (SaaS) fee. All of Shift4Shop’s 100 website themes are free, too.

Key features of Shift4Shop

• Feature-rich plans are suitable for beginners and small-scale online businesses

• Offers free domain name registration and renewal

• Stores processing over $500 per month pay $0 for the platform

Pricing

• Free for businesses that process at least $500 per month; monthly SaaS fee may apply otherwise

10. Volusion

Volusion is a solid out-of-the-box solution for small- to medium-sized online stores, with a focus on making website creation simple and easily customizable.

The platform offers an assortment of free themes expertly designed with “conversions in mind.” The simple page-building tool allows you to customize each theme with click-to-add functionality for pre-coded content blocks—like blogs, featured products, testimonials and more.

Volusion also offers an assortment of sales and marketing tools, but it’s worth noting that they’re only available starting at the second-tier paid plan. This includes useful features like abandoned cart reports, a customer relationship management (CRM) system, ratings, reviews and more.

Key features of Volusion

• Simple and effective eCommerce platform for small- and medium-sized online stores

• No coding required to customize any of the templates or website features

• Offers an assortment of eCommerce sales and marketing tools

Pricing

• Plans start from $35 per month

Non-negotiable features of an eCommerce website builder

The best eCommerce website builders should offer a range of features to enable you to create, manage and optimize your online store. Some of the key non-negotiable features you should expect from an eCommerce website builder are:

Ease of use

Any platform you use should have an intuitive interface that allows users with varying levels of technical expertise to build and customize their online stores without extensive coding knowledge. Look for features such as drag and drop and low code no code capabilities.

Templates and customization

Access to a variety of professionally designed ecommerce templates should be paramount, catering to different industries and design styles. Additionally, the ability to customize these templates with branding elements, colors, fonts and layouts is essential for creating a unique online store.

Popular ecommerce template categories include:

• Fashion and clothing templates

• Jewelry templates

• Beauty and wellness templates

• Food and drinks templates

• Arts and crafts templates

Mobile friendly

The builder should ensure that websites created on the builder are mobile friendly, allowing you to design your site for mobile. Mobile friendly ecommerce website builders prioritize site reliability and performance.

Product management

Robust product management features are crucial, including the ability to add, edit, and categorize products easily. Users should be able to upload product images, set prices, manage inventory and create product variations (such as sizes or colors) efficiently.

Checkout and payment processing

Your ecommerce platform should offer a secure and streamlined checkout process, allowing customers to easily add products to their cart, enter shipping and payment details and complete purchases. Integration with popular payment gateways and support for multiple payment methods (credit cards, PayPal) is essential.

Shipping and tax options

Your ecommerce builder should provide flexible shipping and tax configuration options, allowing users to set shipping rates based on factors like weight, location or order value. It should also support automatic tax calculations based on the customer's location and applicable tax laws.

Marketing tools

Built-in search engine optimization (SEO) features are essential to help you optimize their online stores for better visibility in search engine results. Additionally, marketing tools such as email marketing integration, discount codes, social media sharing and gift cards can help drive traffic and increase sales.

Analytics and reporting

A good ecommerce website builder should offer built-in analytics tools that provide insights into website traffic, sales performance, customer behavior and other key metrics. Access to detailed reports and data visualization tools can help you make informed decisions to optimize their online stores.

Security and compliance

Security features such as SSL encryption, PCI compliance and regular software updates are essential to protect customer data and ensure a secure shopping experience. Also look for features like automatic backups and fraud detection/prevention mechanisms, all of which are standard with a Wix ecommerce site.

Customer support and community

Look for responsive customer support channels (such as live chat, email or phone support) and comprehensive documentation/resources to help you troubleshoot issues and get the most out of your builder. An active user community or group can encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration among all users.

Editor’s note: all prices and features are current as of January 11, 2024.

Best eCommerce website builders FAQ

• What is an eCommerce website?

  An eCommerce website is an online platform where businesses sell goods and services directly to consumers. It acts as a digital storefront, offering a convenient, accessible way for users to browse, select and buy products or services at any time. These websites are equipped with features like shopping carts, product catalogs and secure payment systems. For businesses, they provide a vital channel to reach a wider audience, track consumer behavior and enhance sales.

• What is the best eCommerce website builder?

  Determining the best eCommerce website builder depends on your business needs, technical skills and budget. 

  
  

  For ease of use and versatility, Wix stands out as a top choice, offering a wide range of customizable templates, eCommerce functionality and an intuitive drag-and-drop interface with AI tools built in.

• How much does it cost to build an online store?

  The cost of building an online store can vary widely depending on several factors, including your paid subscription plan (if applicable), necessary apps and other essential eCommerce features.

  
  

  Additional costs may include purchasing a domain name, which typically costs around $10 to $20 annually, and any premium themes or plugins, which can cost as much as $400. For a more customized, professional store, costs can escalate significantly, especially if you hire web designers or developers, potentially reaching thousands of dollars. Remember, ongoing expenses for maintenance, marketing and platform updates also contribute to how much an eCommerce website costs.

• Can I build an eCommerce website for free?

  There are several eCommerce website builders that will let you get started with building an ecommerce website for free. However, you may quickly discover that you need to factor in other costs in order to grow or market your store. For example, you may need to pay for hosting, a domain name and potentially a subscription fee if you’d like to upgrade your account with your platform of choice.

This post was last updated on February 12, 2024.

Do you have a product or idea you’d like to turn into an online business? In today’s digital world, it’s easier than ever to launch an eCommerce website. Whether you're a seasoned business owner or a budding entrepreneur, the online world offers unlimited opportunities to showcase and sell your products to a diverse and ever-growing customer base. 

The key to your success is learning how to sell and market your ideas online. This article is your guide, providing step-by-step instructions to transform your online selling dream into reality. From defining your niche to optimizing your online store, we've got every angle covered to ensure you're equipped with the knowledge to thrive in the world of eCommerce.

Ready to start selling? Create an online store with Wix.

How to sell online in nine steps:

1. Define your niche

2. Choose your products

3. Identify your target audience

4. Build your online store

5. Set up how you get paid

6. Set up shipping

7. Expand your sales channels

8. Market your products

9. Optimize and grow

01. Define your niche

One of the first and most crucial steps to online selling is finding your sweet spot in the online marketplace – your niche. A well-defined niche helps you focus your business strategy, cater to a specific audience, and stand out in a crowded marketplace. But how do you find a niche that is not only profitable but also resonates with your interests and expertise?

• Focus on your passion: Start with what you know and love. Your passion can be a key indicator of your niche. This alignment keeps you motivated and lends authenticity to your brand.

• Perform market research: Dive deep into understanding potential customers' needs and pain points. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit can be goldmines for this kind of insight. Join groups and follow discussions to learn what your target audience is looking for and the problems they face.

• Analyze competitors: Understanding what your competitors are doing right (or wrong) can offer valuable lessons. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify market gaps and low-competition areas that align with your interests. (Note: A Google Ads account is required to access the Google Keyword Planner.)

• Gauge profitability: The ultimate goal is to make a profit, so it's crucial to assess the financial viability of your niche. Look for keywords with significant search volumes but lower competition, indicating a profitable niche with room for growth.

Using tools to help identify your niche

Several eCommerce tools can aid your market research by providing valuable insights into market trends, consumer behaviors, and competitive landscapes. As a result, you can make better informed decisions about your niche and target audience. 

• Google Trends: This free tool provides insights into the popularity of search queries across various regions and languages. It can help you understand consumer search behavior and trends over time, which, in turn, helps identify emerging niches.

• Semrush: A comprehensive tool for SEO and market analysis. Semrush offers features like keyword research, site audit, and competitor analysis, enabling you to understand what keywords your competitors are ranking for and where there might be opportunities for you. Plans start at $108.33/month. However, limited features are available for free.

• SurveyMonkey: Conduct surveys to gather direct feedback from potential customers. This can be an effective way to understand customer needs and preferences. Individual plans start at $25/month or their Basic plan includes limited features for free.

• Social media analytics: Facebook Insights (included in the Meta Business Suite) and Twitter Analytics (enabled via https://analytics.twitter.com) provide valuable data about your followers and the broader audience on these platforms. This information can help you tailor your products and marketing strategies to match audience interests and behaviors.

• BuzzSumo: This tool analyzes what content performs best for any topic or competitor. It can help you understand what kind of content your target audience engages with most. Plans start at $159/month.

• Ahrefs: Great for competitive analysis. Ahrefs lets you see where your competitors are getting traffic from and the keywords they rank for. Plans start at $99/month.

02. Choose your products

Choosing which products to sell online can significantly impact the success of your eCommerce business venture. It's not just about what you want to sell but what your customers want to buy. Here are some steps to guide you in making the best product choices:

• Align with your niche: Your products should naturally fit your niche. This alignment ensures your offerings are relevant and appealing to your target audience.

• Research market demand: Research the market demand for potential products. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush can help you understand search trends and consumer interest in different products.

• Forecast profit potential: Consider the profitability of the products. This includes understanding the cost of goods, shipping expenses, and the potential retail price. Use tools like Ahrefs to analyze the profitability of similar products in your niche.

• Develop a unique selling proposition (USP): What makes your products stand out? Whether you focus on quality, price, uniqueness, or customization options, your USP should resonate with your target market and be an important factor in your product selection.

• Consider dropshipping: If you're hesitant to invest in inventory, consider starting a dropshipping business. This model allows you to sell products directly from suppliers without stocking them, reducing the initial investment and risk. You'll need to create a dropshipping website to get started.

• Get feedback: Before fully committing, poll friends, family, or potential customers within your target market to gauge their interest in your product or service. Social media and customer reviews can provide insights into what products are popular and what improvements or variations could be made. Monitor the responses to refine your offering.

Learn more: What is eCommerce?

03. Identify your target audience

Tailoring your online store and marketing efforts to meet your customer’s needs requires you to identify and understand your target audience. In turn, you can create more effective marketing strategies, enhance customer engagement, and increase the likelihood of successful sales. Here’s how you can pinpoint and connect with your ideal customers:

• Define demographics: Start by defining the age, gender, location, income level, education level, and occupation of your potential customers. These demographics provide a basic understanding of who your audience is.

• Create customer profiles: Delve into the lifestyle, interests, values, attitudes, and opinions of your target audience to create ideal customer profiles. This deeper understanding helps in creating more personalized marketing messages.

• Identify a need: Identify your target audience's specific needs, pain points and preferences. What are they looking for in products or services in your niche? How can you solve their problems or improve their lives?

04. Build your online store

There’s a lot to know about how to start a business, and building your online store is a critical step in your journey toward selling online. The best eCommerce platforms, like Wix, make this process straightforward and accessible, even for those with no technical background. 

Here’s how you can build an engaging and functional online store using Wix:

• Choose a template: Wix offers a variety of online store templates. Select one that aligns with your brand and niche. These templates are visually appealing and user-friendly.

• Customize your design: Personalize your chosen template to match your brand identity. Wix's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize layouts, add images, and change color schemes without coding.

• Add your products: Upload high-quality product images, write detailed descriptions, and add prices. Wix allows you to create a detailed product catalog that is informative and easy to navigate.

• Optimize for SEO: Use Wix's built-in SEO tools to optimize your store's visibility in search engines. This includes customizing your page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs.

• Test mobile friendliness: Ensure that your online store is mobile-friendly. Wix templates look great on desktop and mobile devices, providing a seamless shopping experience for customers. Still, testing your website from multiple devices is always good practice to create a consistent and cohesive user experience.

• Select a business name: As a general rule of thumb, your business name should be memorable, catchy, and easy to spell. If you’re struggling to develop a name for your store, Wix offers a free store name generator to spark your creativity. 

• Install supportive apps: Enhance your store's functionality by adding apps from the Wix App Market. These can include chat features, email marketing tools, and analytics trackers.

05. Set up how you get paid

Once you have set up your online store, it’s time to set up a reliable, efficient, seamless payment system. Wix Payments offers a streamlined solution to handle transactions smoothly no matter where your customers are located or what currency they use.

For detailed setup instructions, read: Completing your Wix Payments account setup.

Wix Payments allows you to manage all transactions directly through your Wix account and can integrate with various accounting software. It supports several payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets, making it easier for customers to complete purchases. 

Your customers' transaction data is protected with Wix's robust security measures, giving you and your customers peace of mind during transactions. Additionally, Wix's built-in fraud protection mechanisms safeguard against unauthorized transactions and reduce the risk of chargebacks.

Track and manage all transactions through the dashboard. This centralized system helps you monitor sales, discounts, refunds and payouts seamlessly.

06. Set up shipping

Each shipping method has different advantages and caters to different types of products and customer experiences. Choose an appropriate shipping strategy based on your type of business model, product types, and the type of customer experience you want to create. 

• Flat rate shipping: A uniform shipping rate regardless of product size, weight, or quantity. Ideal for similar-sized products.

• Free shipping: Encourages purchases by offering no shipping cost, often with conditions like minimum order value. Absorbed by the business or included in product pricing.

• Fixed-rate shipping: Shipping costs vary based on criteria like weight or product type, offering more cost-reflection accuracy.

• Real-time carrier rates: Shipping charges are based on live rates from carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS), reflecting actual costs by weight and destination.

• Local delivery: A cost-effective option for significant local customer bases, using personal delivery or local couriers.

• International shipping: Covers global reach with higher rates and considerations for customs and import taxes, requiring clear cost and delivery time communication.

Wix allows integration with various shipping providers to automate the eCommerce shipping process, provide real-time shipping rates, and streamline order fulfillment. See our Guide to Setting Up Shipping, Delivery, and Pickup for detailed setup and configuration instructions.

07. Expand your sales channels with online selling platforms

Diversify your reach and increase revenue potential by leveraging multiple sales platforms. This  allows you to tap into different customer bases and maximize your online presence allowing customers to shop your products and buy from you no matter where they are. Here are some sales channels to consider:

• Facebook: With billions of users, Facebook is a vast marketplace. You can use Facebook Shop to sell directly from your page, join Facebook groups related to your niche, or use Facebook ads to target specific demographics. Learn more about how to sell on Facebook.

• Etsy: Ideal for handmade, vintage, and unique goods, Etsy offers a niche market with a community of engaged customers. It's particularly beneficial if your products cater to a creative or artisanal audience. Learn more about how to sell on Etsy.

• Amazon: As one of the largest global marketplaces, Amazon can significantly increase your product’s visibility. Utilizing Amazon's fulfillment services can also streamline your shipping and customer service processes. Learn more about how to sell on Amazon.

• eBay: Known for both auctions and regular sales, eBay is versatile and attracts a diverse audience. It's particularly effective for rare items, collectibles, or products that benefit from a bidding process. Learn more about how to sell on eBay.

• TikTok: A rapidly growing platform, TikTok is excellent for creative marketing and reaching a younger audience. Utilize TikTok's unique video format to showcase your products engagingly. Learn more about how to make money on TikTok.

• Instagram: With its visual focus, Instagram is perfect for showcasing products through high-quality images and stories. Instagram Shopping also allows for direct sales through the app.

• Pinterest: Ideal for lifestyle, decor, fashion, and DIY products, Pinterest helps drive traffic to your website through visually appealing pins linked to your products.

08. Market your products

Once you’ve built your online store, added products, and configured shipping and payment options, it’s time to start driving traffic to your online store. 

A multi-channel marketing approach is an essential step in attracting and engaging customers. In fact, a well-crafted marketing strategy can significantly enhance your online store’s visibility and sales. Let’s take a look at some of the top marketing strategies:

• Social media marketing: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are potent tools for reaching and engaging with your audience. Share compelling content, interact with your followers, and use targeted ads to reach potential customers.

• Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimize your website for search engines to improve visibility organically. Include relevant keywords, create quality content, and ensure your site is mobile-friendly and fast-loading.

• Partnerships and collaborations: Collaborate with influencers, bloggers, or other businesses to reach a wider audience. This can include sponsored content, affiliate marketing, or co-branded products.

• Paid advertising: Invest in paid ads on platforms like Google AdWords, Facebook, and Instagram. Target ads to specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring potential customers see your products.

• Email marketing: Build an email list and engage subscribers with regular updates, exclusive offers, and personalized content. Email marketing is a great way to nurture leads and encourage repeat business.

• Content marketing: Create valuable content related to your products, such as blogs, videos, or infographics. This helps in SEO and establishes your brand as an authority in your niche.

• Customer reviews and testimonials: Encourage customers to leave reviews and share their experiences. Positive reviews can significantly influence the purchasing decisions of potential customers.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, you may need to start with one or two of these strategies and add more as you go. Choose the strategies that are feasible for you to maintain consistently and are most likely to reach your target audience.

09. Optimize and grow

Once your online store is up and running, the focus shifts to optimization and growth to expand your online store’s success. Continuous improvement and adaptation is key to meeting the evolving needs of your customers. There are many ways to maintain a competitive edge while keeping your customers engaged and coming back for more. 

• Monitor performance: Regularly review your store’s performance using Wix analytics tools or third-party tools like GA4. Track metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, bounce rates and customer engagement, to understand your store's strengths and areas for improvement. 

• Get customer feedback: Actively seek and respond to customer feedback. This not only helps in enhancing your products and services but also builds customer loyalty. Consider implementing features like customer surveys or feedback forms on your website.

• Monitor market trends: Stay abreast of the latest market trends and consumer behaviors. Adapting to these trends can help you remain relevant and appealing to your target audience.

• Optimize your website: Continuously refine your website for better performance. This includes improving load times, ensuring mobile responsiveness, and updating your site’s design and content.

• Expand product lines: Consider expanding your product lines or offering complementary products. This can attract new customers and provide more options for existing customers, increasing sales and customer retention.

• Refine your strategy: Regularly review and adjust your marketing strategy based on performance data and customer feedback. Experiment with different marketing tactics and channels to find what works best for your audience.

• Use automation: Implement automation tools to streamline operations like inventory management, order processing, and customer service. Efficient operations can reduce costs and improve customer experiences.

• Explore new markets: Consider expanding into new markets or demographics as your business grows. Research and test these markets before fully committing to ensure they align with your business strategy.

Which products are most profitable to sell online?

Choosing what to sell online can significantly impact your store's profitability. Some product categories consistently perform well due to high demand, good profit margins, or growing market trends. Here are some of the most profitable product categories to sell online:

• Beauty and personal care products: The U.S. is the revenue leader in this category, with an average profit margin of 40%. With industry revenues of about $97.8 billion in 2023 and expected growth to $110.28 billion by 2028 at a CAGR of 2.4%, you could gain significantly in this sector.

• Apparel: With an average net profit margin of 7.06% and a global industry revenue projection exceeding $1.94 trillion by 2027, your online apparel business could present substantial returns and growth opportunities.

• Home decor: Thanks to an evolving consumer focus on eco-friendly products and smart home innovations, the global home decor market is poised to reach $1.1 billion by 2032. With an average profit margin of 20%, this sector could result in a potentially lucrative business opportunity​​.

• Candles: You can tap into the candle industry, valued at $12.88 billion in 2022, with an anticipated CAGR of 5.7% through 2030. High demand among female millennials for aesthetic home applications allows the potential for an average profit margin of 50%.

• Children’s toys: Reaching $108.29 billion in 2023, the global toy market is projected to grow to $156.96 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 4.1%. This could be a viable business opportunity with a 30% average profit margin​​.

• Sunglasses: With an average profit margin of 50%, the global sunglasses market is poised to reach $25.83 billion in 2024, with a projected CAGR of 4.38% from 2023 to 2027. You could tap into this growth, fueled by increasing worldwide demand for functional and fashionable sunglasses, with significant revenue and profitability potential.

• Collectibles and vintage items: The collectibles market, valued at $458.2 billion in 2022 and expected to surpass $1 trillion by 2033, offers an average profit margin of 30%, with the rarity of items significantly impacting your potential profits.

• Baby Products: Valued at $320.65 billion in 2023 and an average profit margin of 40%, you can capitalize on the baby products sector’s growth at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2024 to 2030. This growth is largely driven by a demand for high-quality, chemical-free products focused on baby health and hygiene​​.

• Online courses: If you like to develop courses, you could build a successful business within the online education sector, estimated to reach $185.20 billion in revenue in 2024. The Wix eCommerce platform includes tools to help you create and sell your programs and courses online.

• Meal planning: With an average profit margin of 9.28%, your meal planning businesses can address various dietary needs and preferences, gaining popularity due to busy lifestyles and focusing on health and wellness​​.

• Small electronics and accessories: Tap into the growing market for small electronics like earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, watch and laptop accessories with profit margins ranging from 25% to 80% for sellers.

Pros and cons of selling online

While selling online offers numerous opportunities, it's essential to consider the advantages and challenges involved. Understanding these can help you make informed decisions and strategize effectively for your online business.

Pros of selling online

• Global reach: Online selling breaks geographical barriers, allowing you to reach customers worldwide.

• Scalability:  eCommerce platforms allow you to scale and grow your business to handle increased demand without significantly increasing overhead costs.

• Lower operating costs: Compared to physical stores, online selling typically involves lower startup and operational costs.

• Convenience: eCommerce allows for 24/7 operations, offering convenience to you and your customers.

• Personalization and targeting: Online platforms provide data that can be used for personalized marketing and precise targeting of your audience.

Cons of selling online

• Intense competition: The online marketplace is crowded, making it challenging to stand out and attract customers.

• Logistical challenges: Managing shipping, handling returns, and ensuring timely delivery can be complex.

• Customer service demands: Providing effective online customer service requires prompt responses and can be resource-intensive. PRO TIP: Help shoppers find answers by making your return policy easy to find on your website and creating a FAQ to answer commonly asked questions.

• Technical issues: Running an online store requires dealing with website maintenance, cybersecurity, and potential technical glitches. However, as a Wix user, the security and technical details are managed for you so you can focus on running your business.

• Dependence on digital marketing: Ecommerce success relies heavily on digital marketing, which can be a steep learning curve for some.

Tips for selling online

To thrive as an online seller, adopting eCommerce strategies that set your business apart and drive business growth is essential. Here are some key tips to help you succeed in the digital marketplace:

• Careful product selection: Choose products that are in demand and have a good profit margin. Use market trends and customer preferences to guide your selection.

• Effective marketing: Utilize multiple marketing channels to reach your audience, such as social media, SEO, influencers, email marketing, and paid advertising. Tailor your marketing strategies to align with your target audience's interests and behaviors.

• Engaging social media presence: Beyond using social media to market your products or services, utilize social media platforms to connect with your audience. Share engaging content regularly, interact with your followers, and build long-term relationships.

• Excellent customer service: To build trust and encourage repeat business, provide outstanding customer service. Respond promptly to customer queries, handle issues efficiently, and actively seek feedback to improve your services.

• Diligent use of analytics: Leverage analytics tools to gain insights into your customer behavior, website performance, and the effectiveness of your marketing strategies. Use this data to make informed decisions and adapt your strategy for better results.

• Optimal website performance: Regularly update and optimize your website for speed, ease-of-use and mobile responsiveness.  A well-optimized website attracts more visitors and improves user experience, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty. 

• High-quality product images: Use clear, high-resolution images to showcase your products. This cannot be stressed enough. Quality visuals can significantly impact customer perception and decision-making.

How to sell online FAQ

• How do you sell products online?

  If you’re starting an online store from scratch, choose your products based on your audience. If you’re going to sell your own products, think about what cost-effective items you can produce.

  
  

  To save space and upfront costs, start your eCommerce business by dropshipping. Then, choose an eCommerce platform that gives you professional business tools and full design customization. There are plenty of website-building platforms to choose from, including Wix.

• What's the best platform to sell online?

  The best platform for selling online depends on the specific market and products you choose to sell. When choosing a platform, it's important to look for one that offers a full suite of eCommerce solutions, such as automation, newsletter, marketing, integration and security. These features can help you maximize your sales online.

• Where can I sell things online for free?

  You can sell your products for free on a variety of places online, including an online store or other channels like Instagram, Facebook, eBay, Amazon, and more.

• How can I legally sell products online?

  There are a few things you need to do to legally sell products online:

  
  

  Register your business: If you are selling products online, you will need to register your business with the state in which you reside. This will give you the legal right to sell products and collect sales tax.

  Obtain a seller's permit: A seller's permit is a license that allows you to collect sales tax from your customers. You can obtain a seller's permit from your state's Department of Revenue.

  Comply with all applicable laws and regulations: There are a number of laws and regulations that govern the sale of products online. These laws vary from state to state, so it is important to research the laws in your state.

• Do I have to pay taxes on items I sell online?

  Yes, you may have to pay taxes on items you sell online. The amount of tax you owe will depend on your location and the type of products you sell. You may also need to pay income tax on the profits you make from selling products online.

• What is the most profitable thing to sell online?

  The most profitable thing to sell online will vary depending on your niche and target market. Once you know who you are selling to and what they want, you can start to identify products or services that are in high demand. Some of the most profitable products to sell online include digital products (because they have low overhead costs), physical products, and services.

  
  

• How to sell online from home?

  To sell online from home, start by choosing a platform that aligns with your products, such as eBay, Etsy or Wix. Create detailed product listings with clear descriptions and high-quality photos. Set competitive prices and consider offering discounts or promotions to attract buyers. Use social media and online communities to market your products. Implement seamless payment processing and shipping logistics. Provide excellent customer service to build trust and encourage repeat business. Continuously monitor sales and adjust strategies accordingly to optimize your online selling experience.

• Where to buy products to sell online?

  You can source products to sell online from various places, including wholesale suppliers, manufacturers, dropshipping companies, liquidation sales, and online marketplaces like Alibaba, AliExpress, DHgate, and Amazon. Additionally, consider attending trade shows, networking with local businesses, or using platforms like SaleHoo or Worldwide Brands to find reliable suppliers. Conduct thorough research to ensure quality, pricing, and shipping options align with your business goals. Moreover, explore niche-specific forums or social media groups to discover unique products or connect with small-scale producers. Ultimately, diversifying your sourcing channels can help maintain a competitive edge in the online marketplace.

Aisling Arundel

Marketing Writer, Wix eCommerce

Aisling is a marketing writer for Wix eCommerce, based in Dublin. She enjoys writing content that simplifies the eCommerce world to help Wix Merchants grow their businesses.

This post was last updated on March 12, 2024.

What is dropshipping, exactly? Dropshipping is a popular way to sell online without stocking and shipping goods. That means no inventory, no warehousing costs, no packaging, no last-minute delivery headaches—essentially, you can outsource everything that happens after a shopper makes a purchase.

Dropshipping represents a special type of freedom in the eCommerce space. But as the saying goes, with great freedom comes great responsibility. To successfully launch a dropshipping business, you need to conduct research, build a fully functioning eCommerce website and support your online store with a solid marketing and customer service strategy.

This comprehensive guide will explore the benefits and complexities of dropshipping and outline everything you need to know before getting started.

Ready to start selling? Try Wix’s dropshipping website builder today. 

What is dropshipping?

What is a dropshipper?

How does dropshipping work?

How to find good dropshipping suppliers

Benefits of dropshipping

Dropshipping limitations and risks

See it in action: 3 dropshipping examples

Is dropshipping worth it?

How to start dropshipping with Wix eCommerce

What is dropshipping? FAQ

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a type of retail fulfillment business that outsources production, warehousing and shipping to a third-party supplier. If you dropship some or all of your products, you don’t stock or fulfill those items yourself. Instead, when you receive customer orders, you route them directly to manufacturers or wholesalers for direct shipment to customers. You don’t pay for the items until they are purchased by your customers.

This arrangement can be a win-win for everyone involved. Sellers get to focus on curating and promoting items as opposed to managing inventory and warehouses; suppliers get to focus on making and delivering goods without needing a retail operation; and shoppers gain access to products they can’t necessarily find at their local stores. 

What is a dropshipper?

A dropshipper is an intermediary between consumers and suppliers, curating and promoting the goods that suppliers ship to customers. Retail businesses can operate exclusively as dropshippers, or they can stock some products themselves and dropship others. 

Dropshipping is booming thanks to the rise of eCommerce, but sellers in any channel can be dropshippers. In the 20th century, catalog brands such as JCPenney and Sears used a form of dropshipping when routing mail orders directly to manufacturers for faster delivery. Today, retailers with limited physical floor space or pop-up sellers can display samples and fulfill orders using dropshipping. 

Whatever type of business that dropshippers choose to start, this niche is growing. The global dropshipping market is projected to jump more than 30% through 2027, according to data by Research and Markets. 

How does dropshipping work?

Speed and low cost are the primary benefits of dropshipping. You can launch or grow an online store without investing in manufacturing, inventory or warehousing–and once you’ve sourced products, there’s no production lag time. You can start selling immediately. 

Even so, dropshipping takes careful planning to execute successfully, especially if you’re learning how to start a business at the same time. Here’s a breakdown of how dropshipping works in seven steps.

01. Choose a product offering

If you’re starting a new dropshipping business, identify a category with a large potential market that also aligns with your passions and expertise. You can use a tool like Google Trends to understand the popularity of certain products or niches over time, or try more specialized market research tools like SaleHoo or Jungle Scout (for selling on Amazon) to find the best dropshipping products. Dropshipping allows you to experiment with product offerings since you don’t have to commit to buying and stocking inventory. Therefore, you could look into selling items that are bulky, fragile or otherwise high maintenance without taking on the risk yourself.

Next, study other sellers in the category you chose and map out the unique brand territory you plan to stake out. Understanding how your competition markets and positions themselves is key to creating your own business strategy. If you already run an online store, consider which complementary categories might be ideal for expansion. Identify price points and product attributes that align with your current offering; for example, if your brand is known for sustainable goods, you’ll need to source suppliers that follow the same standards. 

Be inspired: Check out these dropshipping business ideas and dropshipping business names.

02. Find a dropshipping supplier

With your ideal product offering in mind, it’s time to fire up your laptop and begin researching dropshipping suppliers. There are dozens of potential options, so take the time to learn which suppliers have a good reputation for quality products, reliable fulfillment and responsive customer service.

As you research, evaluate the services offered by different types of suppliers and inquire about whether they offer dropshipping. Manufacturers produce goods, while wholesalers and trade companies offer products from multiple manufacturers (they may or may not offer dropshipping services). 

By contrast, specialized dropshipping companies are built to handle sourcing, logistics and fulfillment. If you want to offer custom products with your own branding on them, seek out private label dropshipping suppliers or print-on-demand solutions who are willing to work with your specifications. 

03. Create a pricing and discount strategy

Once you’ve set pricing with your supplier, run the numbers on how much you need to charge consumers to cover your costs, including fulfillment fees, marketing and customer service overhead. To figure out how to price your products for dropshipping, consider your audience: Are you targeting high-end buyers or bargain hunters? What kind of margin do you need to cover promotions and discounts? 

If you’re adding dropshipping to an existing retail business, consider how your new product pricing compares with other categories and how it affects overall profit margin. 

04. Set up and populate your online store

If you don’t already have a retail store, the first thing you’ll need to do is set up an eCommerce website. Wix eCommerce makes it easy to create a professional-looking store even if you don’t have advanced knowledge on how to make a website. Its intuitive website builder, complete with AI tools and advanced selling features, makes website creation accessible for anyone. Activate a payment solution such as Wix Payments and you’re ready to sell.  

You can manually add products and categories or import information directly from your supplier’s catalog. Don’t just copy and paste the generic product description copy from your supplier; invest time into customizing the content to reflect your unique brand voice. The product features you highlight should reflect your audience’s priorities and call out the best qualities of the product.

In addition, develop proactive customer service content to address common questions surrounding order fulfillment, returns and exchanges. More than half of shoppers say free return shipping is an important factor guiding purchase decisions, while 27% said they sought out flexible return policies, according to a survey from Digital Commerce 360 and Bizrate Insights.

05. Promote your online store

Marketing your products well is what will give you a competitive edge in dropshipping. To attract shoppers to your website and/or alert existing customers to new product offerings, invest in digital marketing. Your exact strategy will depend on your target audience, but in general, these steps are key:

• Set up a multichannel strategy: List and advertise products across various platforms for a multichannel approach to sales. This includes Instagram, Facebook, X, Google and others. Don’t depend solely on your website to reach an audience.

• Implement SEO best practices: Optimize your website for search engines to improve visibility. Wix’s Semrush integration can help you find relevant keywords to use in your content, while the SEO Assistant can help optimize content across Wix Stores product pages and Wix Blog post pages.

• Engage in email marketing: Send newsletters and promotional offers to your subscribers to keep them engaged and up to speed about your latest offerings. Wix’s built-in email marketing tool offers powerful, intuitive features and analytics to help you design, optimize and send your campaigns.

• Create quality content: Use blogs, videos and infographics to provide value and draw visitors to your site. Post engaging, high-quality content across your social media channels to build rapport and trust with your audience. Wix’s native AI functionality can help create social post captions for you, giving you multiple options and hashtags to choose from.

06. Process orders and payments

Depending on the technology you and your supplier are using, you may be able to automatically route orders as they arrive. If you’re using a built-in dropshipping solution like Modalyst for Wix, this process is automated.

In some cases, you may need to manually forward the orders to your supplier. In this case, you’ll want to check that all the order details are correct. Your supplier is then responsible for shipping orders directly to customers. 

07. Provide seamless customer service

As the public-facing seller, you’re responsible for interacting directly with customers and responding to inquiries. Providing timely and knowledgeable service is all-important for your brand’s reputation and helps foster the trust that leads to repeat business.

Your supplier should provide transparency surrounding order fulfillment so you can quickly access information about shipment status and expected delivery dates. In addition, establish a mechanism for reporting problems with defective or incorrect orders so that you and your supplier are in sync.

How to find good dropshipping suppliers

As you can see, the relationship between seller and supplier is all-important for dropshipping success. Investing time and effort up front to find trustworthy partners can prevent customer service headaches later on. To identify the right supplier for you, follow these tips:

• Do your research: Look for suppliers with experience in your product category. If you have products from specific manufacturers in mind already, contact those companies directly and ask if they dropship. If they don’t, ask which dropshipping companies they work with. Trade shows and word-of-mouth referrals can also uncover leads. Join online forums such as the r/dropshipping community on Reddit for networking and ideas. Additionally, check out top dropshipping companies, including Chinese giant AliExpress and New Zealand’s SaleHoo. In the U.S., Worldwide Brands is a well-established dropshipping resource. Wix-owned Modalyst offers a combination of print-on-demand and dropshipping services as well as access to a supplier network.    

• Check reviews and references: Once you have a list of suppliers in mind, read reviews from other clients and contact them directly, if possible. Don’t be shy when it comes to asking questions and speak to as many people as possible to get the best idea of what the supplier is capable of. Once you’re in direct contact with a supplier, request references from satisfied customers; if you don’t receive any, that’s a red flag.

• Contact the supplier: Contact candidates directly to ask questions and get more information. In addition to requesting references, ask for details about how orders are processed and fulfilled, and what kinds of communication channels are available to you as a retail partner.

• Request samples: To ascertain the quality of goods and to see how they’re packaged, ask potential suppliers to ship you an assortment of items you’re considering. In addition, consider playing “mystery shopper” and placing orders with your candidates’ other dropshipping partners to see how well the process works from the customer's point of view.

• Start small: As a first-time dropshipper, establish relationships with three to five suppliers at most. Once you have a better understanding of the process, the customer service needs and the marketing costs, you can expand your range of products from existing suppliers or add new ones. 

Benefits of dropshipping

Dropshipping is an attractive model for a variety of reasons. Benefits include:

• Low startup costs: If you use dropshipping and free or low-cost eCommerce site tools to launch an online store, your cash outlay is minimal. You don’t need to pre-purchase inventory and your suppliers typically absorb the cost of storing and shipping products (though in some cases, may charge you for shipping).

• No warehousing: Since suppliers hold inventory, you don’t need to lease storage space or fill your garage. You also avoid warehouse labor costs, which have risen an average of 8% since 2020, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Expansive product selection: Since you're not limited by physical storage space or geography, you can sell as many products as you want. In addition, the selection of products available to you is nearly unlimited, giving you the freedom to curate a unique assortment. If items don’t sell well, you can pull back quickly without needing to offload residual inventory.  

• Operate from anywhere: In the past, retailers were tethered to physical store locations. Now, if you operate an online-only dropshipping business, you can manage your eCommerce site from anywhere with internet access. 

• Automated workflows: Once your store is up and running, much of the day-to-day order management can be automated. While you still need to monitor customer service and marketing promotions carefully, the mechanics of purchases, fulfillment and shipments can run in the background. Merchants using Wix’s dropshipping solution can automate inventory management, order routing, order tracking and more.

• Scale efficiently: The combination of automation and supplier outsourcing means you can grow your business quickly with fewer staff members and logistical headaches.

Dropshipping limitations and risks

Despite being flexible and offering low barriers to entry, dropshipping has potential drawbacks. If you’re considering launching a business built on dropshipping, be aware of these caveats:

• Stiff competition: Because dropshipping offers so many potential benefits, millions of other sellers are trying their hand at it. And unless you lock in an exclusive contract with a supplier, there’s nothing to prevent them from dropshipping for a competitor. To stand out, you need a strong brand differentiator, top-notch customer service and a comprehensive marketing strategy. 

• Low profit margins: Because there are so many potential suppliers, including ones from overseas, many dropshippers stake their brands on rock-bottom pricing, which can make it tough to eke out a profit or to compete with higher price points. While high-ticket dropshipping can be successful, you’ll need to cover additional fulfillment fees for upscale packaging and insurance, and customers will expect concierge-style customer service, which can also be costly.

• Lack of quality control: Since you're not physically handling the products yourself, you don’t know whether suppliers are delivering quality goods or cutting corners, or whether they’re offering counterfeit merchandise. The challenge is especially steep if you source products from overseas suppliers, where safety standards may not match local regulations and quality may not be up to par. A growing number of stories are circulating about customers feeling duped after receiving products that don’t match the online descriptions. But as the seller of record, your brand is on the line.

• Sustainability and social concerns: Half of consumers would be willing to pay a premium of up to 10% for ethically and sustainably made products, according to PwC. But it’s hard to vouch for products and manufacturing processes you haven’t evaluated in person, which puts you at risk for accusations of “greenwashing.”

• Customer service accountability: If customers have problems with order delivery or the products themselves, it’s up to you to resolve the issues, even though you didn’t make the items or ship the packages. Tight cooperation with your dropshipping partners and responsive communication on their part is essential. When vetting potential suppliers, quiz references extensively to ensure you’ll be able to meet customers’ expectations.

• Lack of recourse: Before signing a contract, review the terms and conditions with an attorney. If your dropshipping partner is overseas, work with a legal firm that has experience on the ground there. Otherwise, you may have few options if the relationship sours or, worse, defective or damaged products cause a customer harm. 

See it in action: 3 dropshipping examples

Ultimately, there are many ways in which you can use dropshipping to build or enhance your eCommerce business. Below are three examples of ways that you can leverage dropshipping.

01. Sell dropship-only items

Australian company and Wix merchant The Boho Birdy offers affordable “boho”-style apparel, bridalwear and homewares. Dropshipping is baked into the brand’s identity as a low-cost shopping source, and the selection is carefully curated to highlight eclectic finds that align with their aesthetic. Flowy apparel, paisley prints and natural fabrics dominate, and the site offers retro band T-shirts from the 1960s and 70s. 

The unique selection is backed by an extensive FAQ, multiple payment options and easy access to customer service via live chat—proactively addressing shoppers’ questions and easing purchases.

02. Enhance your store’s existing inventory with dropshipping

If you already run an eCommerce business and want to add more items to inventory, but lack the time or budget to source and stock them yourself, you can use dropshipping to complement your existing product mix. 

Sweet Mana is a skincare and lifestyle company with a wide range of products. The company's ethos is centered on relaxation, mindfulness and healing the spirit; the intent is to inspire “a state of island bliss.” The core offering is Sweet Mana’s branded line of handcrafted botanical skincare products and candles. To extend the site’s product offering, Sweet Mana uses dropshipping to offer travel photography prints with a meditative subject matter that aligns with the brand. Curated selections of crystal jewelry, virtual feng shui kits and beach-ready bikinis and sun hats round out the assortment.

03. Add a secondary revenue stream by selling print-on-demand merch

You don’t need to be a retailer of physical goods to take advantage of dropshipping. Whether you sell software subscriptions or work in the community as a charity or school, you’ve likely got fans who appreciate clever merchandise tie-ins. With branded merchandise created via print on demand, you can supplement your primary revenue stream and provide fun options to your existing customer base. 

The owners of Little Tail Farms raise adorable dwarf goats, babydoll sheep and other unique breeds of farm animals. The company’s primary source of income is agritourism—visitors who stay overnight or take two-hour tours to meet the animals. The Little Tail Farms Store provides additional income via print-on-demand logo T-shirts and accessories that serve as mementos of customers’ visits. 

Is dropshipping worth it?

Given the resources and effort involved, it’s reasonable to ask: Is dropshipping worth it?

In response, consider the potential market. Revenue from retail eCommerce in the U.S. is projected to grow 51% from 2023 to 2027, according to Insider Intelligence. What’s more, spending is forecast to grow in categories that have so far been underserved online. While apparel, furniture and electronics will still claim a significant share of eCommerce dollars, health and personal care products, and food and beverage items, are each forecast to account for at least 10% of eCommerce sales by 2027. These emerging categories represent a ripe opportunity and might be a starting point for researching which products to offer. These are all good points to keep in mind when navigating how to start a dropshipping business.

How to start dropshipping with Wix eCommerce

Now that you know everything there is to know about dropshipping, you’re ready to take the plunge—and there’s no easier way to get started than to use Wix eCommerce. With Wix’s end-to-end platform, you can build your website, connect to dropshipping suppliers and manage products and orders from a single administration interface. The steps to get started are simple:

• Design your website: Use Wix’s website builder to create an eCommerce site with the right tools for dropshipping automatically built in. No coding is required; Wix’s interactive platform will walk you through the process and give you a range of online store templates to choose from, as well as the ability to customize everything to your preferences. Additionally, built-in AI tools can automatically generate text for product descriptions, FAQ pages, email newsletters, social posts and more.

• Connect to the Modalyst dropshipping hub: Wix’s Modalyst marketplace connects you with thousands of vetted dropshipping suppliers who deliver high-quality products and reliably fulfill orders. You can browse items by categories, including name brands, trending items and independent labels.

• Choose products: Select your product assortment and import the items to your Wix site. Customize the product pages, including the product descriptions, to be unique, engaging and reflect your brand voice. Add lifestyle images to supplement or replace the standard catalog photos. Pricing and inventory are automatically updated to reflect the suppliers’ latest information and displayed on your pages. 

• Set your product costs: Establish a baseline price markup formula based on your suppliers’ prices so you can see how much you’ll earn on each product before launching it for sale. As mentioned earlier, remember to factor in your costs, including overhead for fulfillment fees, marketing and customer service. Many suppliers handle the shipping costs directly; if yours does not, you’ll want to factor that in, as well.

• Get ready to transact: Set up Wix Payments to transact orders and accept payment via credit and debit cards, digital wallets and “buy now, pay later” solutions. 

• Monitor orders: Once launched, you can review and track orders via the Wix dashboard. Follow up with suppliers to ensure they’re fulfilling orders, and obtain tracking numbers so you can monitor estimated delivery dates.

Watch our free video courses to learn more about eCommerce today.

What is dropshipping? FAQ

• Is dropshipping legal?

  Yes, dropshipping is completely legal. To be clear, you’re selling products with the suppliers’ permission. Make sure to run honest marketing campaigns and comply with online sales tax laws.

• Is dropshipping good for beginners?

  Yes, dropshipping is a good option for beginners because it’s relatively easy to set up and it's low risk. Inventory storage and management are outsourced to the supplier, which means you can start small. It's also easy to research products and competitors, so you have a well-informed starting point. After launch, you can test different products, categories and strategies (all with limited investment) to find a formula that works for you.

• How do dropshippers make a profit?

  As a dropshipping business, you’ll need to balance cost with revenue. Consider the wholesale prices of your products and your marketing budget. Then, price your products to ensure that you’re earning more than you’re spending. At the same time, make sure to research your competitors’ prices to get a reasonable range, and strike the right balance between competitiveness and margin.

• How much does dropshipping cost?

  Like any new business, the cost to start dropshipping can vary quite a bit. If you start small, you can keep your initial costs to around $100. As you grow your business, update your website and expand your marketing efforts, you’ll incur additional expenses.

• How big is the dropshipping market?

  The global dropshipping market was estimated to be worth $225.99 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5% from 2023 to 2030.

  
  

  The dropshipping market is growing rapidly due to a number of factors, including:

  • The rise of eCommerce: The number of people shopping online is increasing, which is creating new opportunities for dropshippers.

  • The increasing availability of dropshipping platforms: There are now many dropshipping platforms available that make it easy for businesses to get started.

  • The low start-up costs of dropshipping: Dropshipping businesses can be started with little upfront investment, which makes them attractive to entrepreneurs.

• Is dropshipping easy money?

  No, dropshipping isn't easy money. There are several challenges that dropshippers need to overcome, such as:

  • Finding reliable suppliers: It's important to find reliable suppliers who can ship products on time and in good condition.

  
  

  • Inventory management difficulties: Since stock is not physically held, it can be challenging to track inventory levels, leading to potential issues with shortages or overselling.

  • Shipping complexities: Managing shipping from different suppliers can be complex, especially if products in a single order come from multiple outlets. This can lead to varied shipping times and costs.

  • Providing good customer service: Dropshippers need to provide good customer service to their customers, even if they're not the ones who are shipping the products.

  If you're considering starting a dropshipping business, it's important to do your research and understand the risks involved. However, if you're willing to put in the work, dropshipping can be a profitable business model.

• What’s the difference between dropshipping and retail arbitrage?

  Both dropshipping and retail arbitrage allow selling products online without holding inventory, but they differ in key aspects:

  Dropshipping

  • Suppliers ship products directly to customers: You focus on marketing and managing orders.

  • Low upfront investment: No need to buy inventory upfront.

  • Wider product selection: Access a vast range of products from suppliers.

  • Scalability: Easier to scale your business without inventory limitations.

  • Lower profit margins: Suppliers take a cut, leading to smaller profit margins per sale.

  • Less control over branding and packaging: Limited control over product presentation and customer experience.

  Retail arbitrage

  • You need to actively stock goods: You buy discounted products from retail stores and resell them online.

  • Requires upfront investment: You need to buy inventory before selling.

  • Limited product selection: Restricted to available discounted products in stores.

  • Potentially higher profit margins: Can negotiate deals with suppliers and potentially achieve higher profits.

  • More complex logistics: Need to store and manage inventory yourself.

  • Scalability limitations: Inventory management and space can limit scaling.

Other dropshipping ideas and products to consider

• T-shirt dropshipping

• Coffee dropshipping

• Tea dropshipping

• B2B dropshipping

• Branded dropshipping

• Automated dropshipping

• Sticker dropshipping

• Pet dropshipping

Allison Lee Editor, Wix eCommerce

Allison is the editor for the Wix eCommerce blog, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

Geraldine Feehily

Marketing Writer, Wix eCommerce

Geraldine is a marketing writer for Wix eCommerce. She uses her broad experience in journalism, publishing, public relations and marketing to create compelling content and loves hearing user success stories.

This post was last updated on March 19, 2024.

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn't keep the products it sells in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it purchases the item from a third party and has it shipped directly to the customer.

The beauty of starting a dropshipping business is that it allows you to run an online store without the hassle of manufacturing, inventory management or distribution. You're the middleman between the customer and the supplier, taking the orders and handling the customer service while your supplier takes care of the rest. It's a world of opportunity right at your fingertips.

In this article, we'll introduce you to the eCommerce dropshipping business model and provide a step-by-step guide on how to start dropshipping from scratch.

Ready to start selling? Take our dropshipping website builder for a spin.

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a retail fulfillment method where sellers list products for sale on their website, but they don't keep physical stock of the products. Instead, when an order is placed, the seller purchases the product from a third-party dropshipping supplier who then ships the product directly to the customer. The seller acts as a middleman between the supplier and the customer (see is dropshipping legal). If you're a business dropshipping to another business, then you're involved in B2B dropshipping.

Dropshipping is a popular eCommerce business model with minimal startup costs, since there is no need to stock inventory, pay for warehouse space or manage order fulfillment. You also don’t have to worry about manufacturing. This keeps your operating expenses much lower than they would be for a traditional retail business.

Launch your eCommerce website today with Wix.

How does the dropshipping business model work?

The process for this type of business is simple:

• You list a product for sale on your site: Every dropshipping supplier or marketplace offers a catalog of products that you can choose from. For example, Modalyst offers millions of ready-to-ship and print on demand products, ranging from decorative mugs to jewelry.

• A customer completes a purchase on your site: Once you’ve listed and priced your products, customers can purchase them from your online store, just like any other online order.

• You forward the order to your supplier: With an all-in-one platform like Wix eCommerce, you can automatically route orders to your suppliers for fulfillment.

• Your supplier handles the rest: Your supplier preps, packages and ships out the product directly to your customer.

How to start a dropshipping business

If you’ve decided this is the business for you, below you’ll find a full guide for how to start dropshipping. There are eight key steps for how to start a dropshipping business:

1. Research a niche and choose products to sell

2. Select the right eCommerce platform

3. Partner with the right dropshipping supplier(s)

4. Build your eCommerce store

5. Nail down a seamless order fulfillment process with your supplier(s)

6. Market your dropshipping business

7. Expand to other sales channels

8. Optimize your dropshipping business

01. Research a niche and choose products to sell

Dropshipping has a huge corner of the retail sector. Grand View Research estimates that the global dropshipping market was valued at $225.99 billion in 2022, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5% by 2030 in North America alone.

When you build a dropshipping business, you’ve got thousands—if not millions—of products to choose from. It can be a challenge to decide what to sell in this massive market in order to gain footing for your business idea.

To find your focus, take the following steps:

• Research your target audience: Investigate their values, preferences, needs and shopping behaviors. Pro tip: avoid using broad statements to describe your niche, such as “outdoor hobbyists,” “music fans” or “young women.” Broad dropshipping niches lack focus and make it difficult to attract high-quality leads or differentiate yourself from other retailers. Instead, create buyer personas that dig under the surface and help you put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Note that dropshipping allows you to be more experimental with your catalog than traditional retail, since you don’t have to pre-order and store inventory.

• Research trending products: What categories are popular among your target buyers and what products are trending? Use resources like Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, social media and online marketplaces (like Amazon, AliExpress, Etsy and eBay) to see what shoppers are currently buying. According to the same Grand View Research report linked earlier, the top product segments in dropshipping are fashion; toys, hobbies and DIY; electronics and media; furniture and appliances; and food and personal care.

See more: For more dropshipping business ideas, check out our list of the best dropshipping products to sell online or this article on choosing products to dropship.

Some other dropshipping specific ideas to consider include:

• Candle dropshipping

• Coffee dropshipping

• Beauty dropshipping

• Jewelry dropshipping

• Reverse dropshipping

• Branded dropshipping

• Tea dropshipping

• Sticker dropshipping

• T-shirt dropshipping

• B2B dropshipping

• White label dropshipping

• Clothing dropshipping

• Automated dropshipping

• Digital dropshipping

• Do some competitor analysis: Make a list of your top competitors. What’s selling well for them? What sort of content elicits the most engagement from their social media followers? Study their websites to see how they price, describe and market their products. Sign up to their email lists to get insight into their marketing tactics. What can you learn from them, and on the flip side, what can you do differently in order to establish your unique selling proposition (USP)?

• Establish your business idea: Once you’ve done your research and settled on a niche, determine the breadth of products you want to sell and how they all fit together. For example, if you start an online business in home décor selling big-ticket items like furniture, will you also stock smaller household accessories like lamps, decorative pillows and rugs? The great thing about dropshipping is that you don’t have to worry about overstocking your inventory. If products don’t sell well or a trend passes, you can easily swap out items from your product catalog.

• Enhance your existing store: Expanding your product offering via dropshipping could increase your profitability by up to 50%. If you already have an online store and want to use dropshipping to boost your inventory, then you’ve probably got a clear idea of the products you want to sell. Make sure that your dropship items complement your existing stock and match your audience’s price range while still making sure you maintain some sort of net profit.

02. Select the right eCommerce platform

Building a defensible dropshipping business requires having all the right tools at your fingertips to get your online retail venture off of the ground. Ideally, the best eCommerce platforms will set you up for success with easy-to-use features and integrations, backed by a secure and crash-resistant infrastructure. Enter Wix.

Wix’s eCommerce solution offers baked-in dropshipping features, along with a suite of professional tools to establish, design, manage and grow your online store. You can connect your store to Modalyst’s marketplace and easily import products from the supplier’s wide-ranging catalog. Set your prices, product descriptions, shipping policies and payment options directly from your Wix dashboard. And, you can trust Wix to automatically sync inventory so that you don’t accidentally oversell on any sales channel—whether you choose to sell from your online store, an external eCommerce marketplace (like Amazon) and/or social media platforms.

Check out Wix’s core eCommerce features and learn how to make a website today.

03. Partner with the right dropshipping supplier(s)

Finding great suppliers is key to your success: industry research suggests that 84% of dropshipping merchants consider the process of finding a good supplier the most significant obstacle in the process of business triage.

You not only need a supplier who can fulfill a small scale of orders, but one that can also scale with your business as it grows.

Fortunately, there are are various sources for finding the right supplier:

• Independent suppliers: You can search for suppliers (like dropshipping app, Importify) directly on Google. You’ll want to research reviews, talk to other sellers (if possible) and vet suppliers carefully. For this reason, manually finding suppliers can be time- and research-intensive.

• Dropshipping marketplaces: Alternatively, you can find suppliers through a dropshipping marketplace that can connect you with a wide range of pre-vetted partners. Make sure to choose a marketplace that integrates well with your eCommerce platform. With Wix eCommerce, you can browse and install a wide range of dropshipping platforms via the Wix App Market.

• Print on demand (POD): For a more bespoke offering, it’s best to integrate with print on demand companies, like Modalyst, Printful, Printify. Print on demand is a form of dropshipping that allows you to sell customized products with your own design or logo on them. Just like with traditional dropshipping, you can select from hundreds of products and outsource printing and fulfillment to your supplier.

As you consider which suppliers to work with, check that your suppliers provide realistic and transparent shipping estimates. Keep in mind that a supplier’s proximity to your shipping regions can impact shipping times and the overall customer experience. Make sure to order samples of your products and use reviews from other merchants to help gauge your supplier’s reliability.

04. Build your eCommerce store

Like a beautiful brick-and-mortar business that draws customers in, a thoughtfully built online store will enhance your credibility, compel shoppers to stick around and make them feel secure when hitting “buy.” It’s the cornerstone of learning how to start a dropshipping business.

With Wix eCommerce, you can create a professional, responsive website using an intuitive site editor. Follow these steps to get started:

• Pick a template: Choose from hundreds of designer-made eCommerce website templates to get your website design in the right direction from the start. Select one that fits your brand, style and target market, then customize the content to make the site your own.

• Develop a brand identity: Create a cohesive branding strategy, starting with a concept statement that highlights your core values and ending with your visual identity. Decide on a store name that reflects your brand story, mission and/or personality (you can use Wix’s free Business Name Generator for inspiration or check out this list of dropshipping business name ideas). Then, register a matching domain name and create a logo using the Wix logo maker.

• Connect to a dropshipping platform: Install your chosen dropshipping or POD app by going to the Wix App Market, searching for a dropshipping platform and clicking the “Add to site” button. Create an account with your platform of choice and start your hunt for great products.

• Add products and descriptions: Once you’ve chosen and imported products to your store, fight the urge to simply copy and paste product descriptions from your supplier. Instead, take the time to write unique descriptions that fit your company’s tone and are optimized for search engines. Short on time? Use Wix's AI text creator to automatically generate product descriptions for you in a few simple clicks.

• Set your pricing and shipping rules: When setting your pricing rules, take wholesale and shipping costs into account as well as any additional business expenses. Consider your competition, differentiators and perks that you can offer (e.g., free shipping or white-glove service). Then, establish a dropshipping pricing strategy that keeps your products competitive yet affordable. As a general rule of thumb, avoid competing on price alone. This is a losing strategy for most businesses, and will inevitably throw you into many price wars.

• Be transparent: Learn about your suppliers’ shipping and return policies so that you can write clear store policies. Let customers know what to expect when purchasing from your store. Wix merchant The Boho Birdy sells a broad range of dropshipped goods—from clothing to home décor—with a touch of bohemian style. Within their site, the company clearly states that they source from multiple, international suppliers. They additionally anticipate customer questions about shipping and delivery with a detailed FAQ page. This strategy allows them to manage expectations and prepares customers for the trade-off that comes with making a purchase from their store.

• Optimize your storefront: View your online store from your customers’ perspective to better understand their experience. Is it easy to navigate? Make it simple for customers to find exactly what they want by creating filters, categories and collections for your products that align with how your customers tend to shop. This can be tricky at first, but don’t be afraid to ask customers for feedback and then make additional tweaks where needed

• Optimize the checkout flow: Keep customers happy by offering multiple payment options on your site. Connect your store to Wix Payments, which allows you to accept debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, Pay Now by Klarna and other popular payment methods.

• Go live: Click that “publish” button and make your store visible to the world. Congratulations. Your hard work has paid off and you’re now in business.

05. Nail down a seamless order fulfillment process with your supplier(s)

Once you sell a product, you need a process for forwarding those orders to your suppliers. The best processes are automated, saving you time and reducing the potential for any errors.

Having an automated fulfillment process is especially important as your business grows and your order volume multiplies. While evaluating different platforms to use, you should make note of the differences in their fulfillment solutions and ultimately select the one that best suits your business.

For example, some dropshipping and POD apps are more manual, requiring you to click a few buttons to confirm and send orders to your supplier. Others, like the Wix-Modalyst integration, are automated, routing orders to your suppliers and sending you order status changes in real time.

Whether you manually send orders to your supplier or automate the process, make sure you nail down an order fulfillment process that fits the needs of your business operations and creates a seamless experience for your customer. Doing so will increase customer satisfaction and may even minimize returns.

Pro tip: White-labeling, or private label dropshipping, is an increasingly popular add-on service you can consider when you start learning how to get into dropshipping. With white labeling, your supplier adds your branding and/or labeling to the product packaging during the fulfillment process. You pay a little bit extra to make a product look uniquely your own. Although this can cut into your profit margin, branded packaging builds trust, looks professional and helps customers remember your business.

06. Market your dropshipping business

As a dropshipper, a bulk of your time will be spent drawing attention to your store. Your primary responsibility is to develop a strong brand that earns your customers’ trust. Start spreading the word with a well-rounded marketing plan that includes these elements:

• SEO (search engine optimization): SEO is foundational for increasing your visibility online and making it easier for shoppers to find your products on search engines like Google. Boost your product pages with unique descriptions and content that take on-page SEO factors into consideration (think: short-tail and long-tail keywords, meta descriptions and more). You may even want to start a blog that lets you publish fresh content regularly and reach buyers at various stages of the customer journey.

• Email marketing: Keep your brand top of mind with a thoughtful business email strategy. You can incentivize site visitors to subscribe to your email list by offering a special discount or gift for their subscription. Use email to engage customers at various stages of their journey (e.g., send abandoned cart emails reminding them to complete a purchase or request feedback on a recently purchased product). Promotional emails can keep customers coming back as well, plus provide insight on the types of products and seasonal campaigns that appeal to your target audience.

• Social media: These days, one viral TikTok video or Instagram Reel could get your product in front of millions of potential customers. When building a social media strategy, be selective of the channels that you invest your time and money into. It’s better to start with one or two strategic channels than to blindly test every channel possible; each channel has its own quirks and algorithms that you’ll need to get used to. Test various types of content like videos, hashtag contests and posts featuring user-generated content. If it’s within budget, teaming up with influencers who align with your brand is an effective marketing method for dropshipping.

• Paid ads: Reach new customers with targeted ad campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and search engines like Google. Experiment with various ad types until you find what works for your business. Wix users can take advantage of integrated Facebook and Instagram Ads and Google Ads right from their website dashboard.

07. Expand to other sales channels

While you’ll want to build a strong online store, it pays to offer your products on other channels that have large, established audiences. You may find that certain products sell better on your website, while others sell like hot cakes on Amazon. In fact, 87% of consumers are more likely to buy something via Amazon than any other online site.

That said, you’ll want to be strategic about the channels you pursue. Each channel comes with a strong learning curve. From learning how to price your products competitively to learning how to remain compliant with a channel’s listing requirements, there’s a lot you’ll need to learn before you can even make a sale.

Fortunately, when using a tool like Wix’s multichannel campaigns, you can automate and better manage certain processes. For example, you can easily import your store products to Amazon or eBay, while retaining the ability to customize your offer to each channel. You can additionally avoid complexities that come with managing a multichannel strategy, such as keeping inventory synced and routing orders to the right fulfillment partner.

Whichever channels you choose to sell on, make sure you’re keeping close watch over their performance. Test various offers, messaging and/or product assortments to find what resonates best with each unique audience.

08. Optimize your dropshipping business

When it comes to starting a business, one thing is certain: there’s always room for improvement. That’s why from the get-go you’ll want to set clear and measurable goals that help to guide your growth as a business.

Use performance-measuring tools like Wix Analytics, Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gain valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not. There are a number of key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can and should measure. To name a few:

• Traffic growth: How is your website traffic growing over time? Which sources are people entering your site from, and which pages do they tend to engage with?

• Conversion rate: How many site visitors end up buying from your site? Conversion rate will vary by niche and industry, but several estimates note that 3% is a good benchmark.

• Monthly sales and profit margin: How much return on investment (ROI) are you seeing from your marketing and advertising efforts? Again, profit margin can vary depending on what you're selling, but estimates place a good range somewhere between 10% and 30%.

• Purchasing trends: What products are selling best and why? Is demand for those consistent year-round, seasonal, etc.?

• Average order value (AOV): Do you see any opportunities to upsell and cross-sell customers, and thereby influence larger cart sizes?

• Customer retention: How many customers are new versus returning in a given period of time? Is there a way that you can encourage repeat buyers and reward their loyalty?

• Cart abandonment rate: Over 70% of shoppers abandon their carts without finishing their purchase. How many people are leaving your site before they complete their order? Is there an issue with your eCommerce checkout flow or payment options?

By continually setting new goals and looking for ways to improve, you can optimize your business for sustainable growth and success as you perfect the art of how to dropship.

Tips for starting a dropshipping business

You’ve learned everything you need to know about how to start dropshipping, and it’s time to get your business off of the ground. Here are some additional tips for creating a dropshipping business:

• Set realistic expectations: Don't expect to get rich quick with dropshipping. It takes time and effort to build a successful business. Some estimates say you can be profitable in around three months, but this timeframe can vary depending on multiple factors, including how much time and energy you have available to invest into your business.

• Stay up-to-date on trends: The dropshipping market is constantly changing, so it's important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. This will help you find products that are in demand and that will sell well.

• Offer competitive prices: One of the best ways to attract customers is to offer competitive prices. However, you need to make sure that you still make a profit after you factor in the cost of the product, shipping and other expenses.

• Run effective marketing campaigns: You need to let people know about your dropshipping business if you want to generate sales. There are many ways to market your business, from social media to email marketing to advertising.

• Build a strong brand: Your brand is what will set you apart from your competitors. Make sure your brand is consistent across all of your marketing materials and your website.

• Track your results: It's important to track your results so you can see what's working and what's not. This will help you make necessary adjustments to your business to improve your chances of success.

Is starting a dropshipping business profitable?

Wondering if dropshipping is worth it? Dropshipping can be a profitable business model if you do it right, especially if you dabble in high-ticket dropshipping.

According to NicheDropshipping, dropshippers can make somewhere between $500 and $3,000 per month in their first year of business. As with most things, this amount can vary—but it’s evident that this can be a substantial income supplement if not replacement once your dropshipping business gets up and running.

How to start a dropshipping business FAQ

• How can a beginner start dropshipping?

  If you're brand new to dropshipping, it helps to sit down and make a plan. Here are the four basic steps that will help a beginner start dropshipping:

  1. Choose a niche

  2. Find reliable suppliers

  3. Set up an online store

  4. Market your business

  5. Provide excellent customer service

• Can you start dropshipping for free?

  Yes, you can start dropshipping for free. There are many dropshipping platforms that offer free plans for beginners. However, you will need to pay for some expenses, such as domain name registration and web hosting.

• How to find the best products for dropshipping?

  Not every product niche is a guaranteed winner. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing products for dropshipping:

  • Demand: The product should be in high demand. This means that there are a lot of people who are interested in buying it.

  • Profitability: The product should be profitable. This means that you should be able to make a profit after you factor in the cost of the product, shipping and other expenses.

  • Competition: The product should not be too competitive. This means that there should not be too many other dropshipping businesses selling the same product.

  • Shipping: The product should be easy to ship. This means that it should be small and lightweight.

  • Return policy: The product should have a good return policy. This will help you avoid problems with customers who are not satisfied with their purchase.

• Is dropshipping easy?

  Compared to some other business models dropshipping can be considred easy but it still takes work. You need to do your research, choose the right products and market your business effectively. However, if you're willing to put in the

• What are the benefits of starting dropshipping?

  Dropshipping offers a multitude of benefits for aspiring entrepreneurs, making it a popular choice for launching an online business. Some key benefits include low startup costs, flexibility and convenience, reduced risks and ease of entry, and a focus on core areas.

• Can a teen start dropshipping?

  Yes, a teen can start dropshipping with parental guidance. They need a computer, internet access, and a small budget for initial expenses. Learning about eCommerce, product selection, and marketing is crucial. Starting small, staying informed and seeking advice from an adult can lead to a successful dropshipping venture for a motivated teen. Be sure also to check laws and regulations for starting a business in your state as there may be age restrictions.

• What are some important dropshipping tools?

  Essential dropshipping tools include an eCommerce platform like Wix for easy store setup. Wix also streamlines product management by linking directly to suppliers like AliExpress. They also include payment gateways secure transactions. You'll also want to consider marketing tools to promote your dropshipping business, from an email marketing tool to SEO tools.

• Is dropshipping legal?

  Yes, dropshipping is a legal business model, provided that it complies with relevant laws and regulations. As long as dropshippers adhere to applicable laws, such as consumer protection laws, contract laws and tax regulations, and operate ethically and transparently, dropshipping is considered a legitimate and legal business practice.

• How much does it cost to start a dropshipping business?

  The cost of starting a dropshipping business can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the products you sell, the platform you use and your marketing strategy. However, you can get started for as little as $100 to $500, according to Fit Small Business.

  Some of the initial costs you can expect to incur are for a dropshipping platform, domain name, web hosting, product sourcing and marketing. Once you've covered these initial costs, you can expect to incur ongoing costs, such as product fulfillment, customer service and marketing.

Geraldine Feehily

Marketing Writer, Wix eCommerce

Geraldine is a marketing writer for Wix eCommerce. She uses her broad experience in journalism, publishing, public relations and marketing to create compelling content and loves hearing user success stories.

Allison Lee Editor, Wix eCommerce

Allison is the editor for the Wix eCommerce blog, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

So you’ve got a rock-solid business idea and you're ready to start your business, but you need to figure out the cost of an eCommerce website. How much is it going to cost you to take what’s inside your head and turn it into a beautiful, fully-functioning online store?

The short answer: it depends.

Because every eCommerce website is unique, it’s difficult to pinpoint exact costs from the get-go. But once you know the factors behind website development costs overall, you can get a clearer idea of the budget you’ll need to start an online store.

We’ll break down all the major aspects of eCommerce website costs and explore strategies to keep your costs to a minimum when launching your online business idea.

Factors impacting eCommerce website cost

The two primary paths to establishing an online store are utilizing an eCommerce website builder or a web development company. What you choose will demonstrably impact the final cost of your online store.

Ecommerce website builders are usually the most economical option for creating an online store. However, you might need to spend extra for hosting, themes, and plugins. Alternatively, using a web development company, while typically more expensive, offers the advantage of an online store tailored to your precise requirements. Ultimately, the ideal approach hinges on your individual budgetary constraints and technical expertise.

How to calculate the cost of an eCommerce website?

There are six main parameters to look at when it comes to calculating the cost of an eCommerce website:

01. Hosting

• Monthly cost range: $5-$50 (varies by traffic and features)

• Consider: Shared, VPS, dedicated hosting based on your needs

02. Domain

• Annual cost range: $10-$20

• Choose a brandable, memorable domain name

03. Payment processor

• Transaction fees: 2-3% + fixed fee (varies by provider)

04. SSL and security

• Annual cost: ~$50

• Essential for securing customer data and transactions

05. eCommerce platform

• Monthly cost range: $29-$200 (varies by features and scale)

06. Website design

• Templates: $50-$100 (one-time cost)

• Designer: $500-$3,000+ (one-time cost)

• Choose based on budget and customization needs

Learn more: Ecommerce tools

5 top eCommerce website costs

1. Number of pages

2. Design and user experience (UX)

3. Web hosting

4. Custom features and eCommerce functionality

5. Maintenance and support

01. Number of pages

One of the biggest defining variables is the size of your store. Most eCommerce websites will grow to have hundreds of pages, spanning category pages, product detail pages, and other purposeful landing pages.

In general, the more pages you have, the most costs you may incur in terms of website storage, eCommerce website optimization bandwidth, and design. While you may not know the exact number of page you’ll need, start by asking yourself these key questions:

• How many categories and products do you plan on launching with?

• How many product variations do you anticipate having?

• What content does your site need to include?

• How do competitors lay out their site?

02. Design and user experience (UX)

A whopping 94% of shoppers’ first impressions specifically relate to your website’s design, according to WebFX. That means that nearly every customer expects to see a beautiful, well-branded site—which may, in turn, require the touch of a highly skilled web designer.

But rather than just creating an eye-catching website, you’ll want to build an eCommerce store that’s also user-friendly. That’s where your site’s UX comes in. The ultimate goal of your site’s UX design is to reduce the number of clicks (or taps) it takes for a shopper to find a product and complete a purchase.

In eCommerce, successful UX involves a number of things: easy-to-navigate menus, detailed product images, mobile-friendly pages, smooth checkout, and more. Depending on the complexity of your site, your design and development costs may vary.

Quick tip: If you’re not sure where to start with UX, check out other retailer’s sites and study how they use navigation menus, breadcrumbs, search bars, filters, buttons, and other elements to remove friction from the buying experience.

03. Web hosting

There are two basic options for web hosting: self-hosting or hosting via a software as a service (SaaS) platform. The choice between self-hosted and SaaS hosting boils down to control versus convenience. Think of it like owning a house versus renting an apartment.

Self-hosting feels like owning your own home. You install the software, manage the server, and handle security all yourself. This grants you ultimate flexibility and customization, but it also requires significant technical expertise and financial investment. 

Alternatively, SaaS hosting is like a modern, well-equipped apartment. All the maintenance and updates are handled by the provider, so you can focus on what you do best. However, you have less control over the features; you get what the service offers and your customization options are limited.

• If you choose to self-host, you’ll need to pay for a domain name, hosting fees, and an SSL certificate. A domain name can cost between $10 to $20 annually. Dedicated third-party hosting can run you $85 to $750 per month. And an SSL certificate runs an average of $60 per year. In addition, you’ll need to add a content management system (CMS) like Drupal to design your site, add your products, and maintain your site. In general, self-hosted costs are far less predictable than SaaS costs, which are more structured and all-inclusive.

• If you choose a SaaS model, you’ll pay a monthly subscription fee—typically between $20 to $200/month. In most cases, that fee will include free hosting. Wix for eCommerce, for example, starts its pricing with a Business Basic tier at $27/month. This tier includes web hosting, a free custom domain name for one year, and a free SSL certificate. You also get a drag-and-drop website editor that lets you handle content management without needing to know how to code.

04. Custom features and eCommerce functionality

A self-hosted or SaaS platform will give you the basics you need to create a website. However, an eCommerce site requires much more. You’ll need to connect your site to payment gateways, fulfillment options, promotion tools, and other functionality that transforms your site into a store.

Some eCommerce platforms like Wix include many built-in features. Others require many plug-ins and integrations to work.

Plugins range from free to anywhere between $40 and $500 on average. A few popular plug-in examples:

• QuickBooks Connector - The app lets you automate your accounting by syncing site sales to an existing QuickBooks account. It’s free to install and comes with a 30-day free trial. After the trial period, you’ll need to pay subscription fees that range between $30 to $200 a month.

• Price Table - This plug-in lets you create side-by-side price tables on your website. It’s free to install and runs between $3.19 and $12/69 a month.

• Modalyst - A popular dropshipping and print-on-demand platform, Modalyst is free to download but charges between $30 and $67 per month, depending on your subscription plan. (However, with a Wix Business Unlimited or Business VIP plan, you can gain access to Modalyst at no extra charge.)

Payment gateways also bring some downstream costs. Most of the top payment apps charge you 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction. Make sure to factor these ongoing expenses into your overall eCommerce website budget.

05. Maintenance and support

In addition to calculating how much it costs to build an eCommerce website, you must set aside money for regular maintenance and support.

You can either handle maintenance in-house or hire a web developer to do it. Maintenance will include items like site improvements, updates, bug fixes, and new pages.

Your maintenance plan should further embrace these crucial considerations:

• Website performance and speed - As you add products to your site, you run the risk of slowing down your site, which is one major reason why eCommerce sites fail. Proper maintenance will help you launch new content without crippling your website’s performance. Considering how an improvement of just one-tenth of a second in mobile load times can produce 8.4% more conversions—site speed matters.

• Website security - Almost 75% of the data breach cases investigated by Visa in early 2022 involved eCommerce companies. That’s why routine updates, security checks, and patches are a must-have for your online store. Staunch security will help keep your data—and your customer’s data—safe from hackers and ensure your website stays up and running.

eCommerce site total costs

Your total costs will depend on all the factors listed above, plus other considerations like your website copy (who will write all the copy for your pages?), product photography, SEO strategy, and more. It will also depend on whether you plan on building your eCommerce site on your own, engaging web developers (among other professionals), or hiring an agency to do the work for you.

These variables mean that there are no hard-and-fast numbers, but these ranges can help you start budgeting more wisely:

Small store (1 to 99 products)

• Cost to start on average: $1,000 - $5,000

• Maintenance costs: $500 - $1000

Medium-sized store (100 to 499 products)

• Cost to start on average: $5,000 - $10,000

• Maintenance costs: $1,000 - $2000

Large store (500+ products)

• Cost to start on average: $10,000 - $50,000+

• Maintenance costs: $2,000 - $10,000+

The cost of marketing an eCommerce website

The cost of marketing your eCommerce website is a dynamic beast, constantly shifting based on your chosen strategies, platform usage, and targeted audience. To help you navigate this, here's a breakdown of the main factors that shape the price tag:

Marketing channels for your eCommerce website

• Organic search (SEO): Free initially, but requires time and effort. May involve content creation, keyword research, and technical SEO adjustments.

• Pay-per-click ads (PPC): Highly targeted but can be expensive depending on keywords and competition. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads require ongoing investment.

• Social media marketing (SMM): Organic reach is declining, but paid campaigns can be effective. Consider platform-specific advertising and influencer partnerships.

• Email marketing: Cost-effective, but building an email list takes time. Can also involve email automation and design tools.

• Affiliate marketing: Variable costs depending on commission structures and program management.

• Content marketing: Free-to-expensive depending on content creation expertise and distribution channels.

Additional costs of marketing your eCommerce website

• Marketing tools and platforms: Subscriptions for analytics, SEO tools, email marketing platforms, social media management tools, etc.

• Design and branding: Creating visuals like logos, banners, and social media graphics.

• Freelance or agency services: If you lack in-house expertise, hiring professionals can add to the cost.

Estimated cost range of marketing your eCommerce website

• $0-$1,000 per month: DIY approach with organic social media, email marketing, and basic SEO.

• $1,000-$5,000 per month: Moderate investment in paid ads, content creation, and marketing tools.

• $5,000-$10,000+ per month: Advanced campaigns with agency support, influencer partnerships, and sophisticated analytics.

How to lower eCommerce website development costs

How can you stay at the lower end of cost ranges—or even come in under the averages—when you build an eCommerce site? These four strategies can help you save some money when launching your eCommerce business without impacting quality or design.

01. Use pre-made templates

When it comes to creating the perfect look for your eCommerce website, you have two options: You can pay a web designer to create a custom design for you. Or, you can use a pre-made themes built specifically for eCommerce.

Paying a designer will run you about $75/hour on average. (You can find talented and ready-to-hire web designers on the Wix Marketplace.)

Alternatively, you can purchase pre-designed templates, which are usually free or, at most, a couple hundred bucks.

Considering how website developers may charge as much as $3,000 for a mobile-optimized website, templates tend to be more affordable and easier, especially if you’re starting with a smaller site.

Wix offers hundreds of designer-made eCommerce website templates for various types of business.

02. Choose the right platform

Using a SaaS-hosted platform will save you money on hosting, domain registration, and an SSL certificate. However, not all platforms are created equal.

Some require many more plugins than others to create a fully functioning store. Others are simply clunkier, and more difficult to use. So, as you shop for the right eCommerce platform, make sure to ask the right questions:

• Does the platform allow me to customize the look and feel of my site according to my brand’s specific needs?

• Does the platform support my desired payment solution(s)? Do I need to be able to connect it to a POS or enable other special features, like recurring payments?

• Will the platform give me the storage space I need to get started and the additional capacity I’ll need to scale my business appropriately?

• Does it integrate with my preferred sales channels and apps (e.g., the marketplaces I sell on, or my inventory software)?

• Can it help me win back customers with abandoned cart recovery features and other marketing tools?

• Does the platform include easy-to-reach customer support in case of emergency?

Shameless plug: If you’re wondering “is Wix good for eCommerce?” the answer is yes. When you choose to build your eCommerce website with Wix, you get access to secure online payments, a minimum of 50GB of storage space, and unlimited products. Then, as your business grows, you can scale up your subscription plan and get added services, such as dropshipping, product reviews, and automations.

03. Prioritize necessary features

Consider how when you buy a new car, you can save money by being selective of the features or option packages that you actually need.

The same principle applies to building an online store. You’ll want to spend most of your budget on the need-to-have features. When you’re first starting out, focus on pages and features that are most likely to drive sales:

• Product category pages

• Individual product pages

• Multiple payment gateways

• Simplified checkout

• Integrated site search tools

• “Related products” widgets that drive cross-sells and upsells

• Technical SEO to help people find your site

Once the basics are in place, you can start budgeting for add-ons. Most eCommerce platforms will offer you hundreds of apps that you can integrate into your online store whenever you’d like. These apps make it easy and cost-effective for you to scale your store as customer demand increases.

Inside the Wix App Market, you’ll find 500+ powerful solutions for coupons, accounting, fulfillment, warehousing, print on demand, and more.

Are you ready to build your online store the smart way?

Before you start to write a single product description for your online store, do your homework. Compare your options. Ask for quotes. Test out several eCommerce platforms for size.

Don’t rush the process or simply jump on the cheapest quote. Rather, understand how far your money will get you and make a well-informed decision.

If you decide Wix for eCommerce is your best option, sign up today.

eCommerce website cost FAQ

• How much does an eCommerce website cost?

  The cost of an eCommerce website can vary depending on a number of factors, including the platform you choose, the features you need and the level of customization you require. However, you can expect to pay between $1000 to over $10,000 to create an eCommerce website.

• How much time does it take to develop an eCommerce website?

  The time it takes to develop an eCommerce website will depend on the complexity of your website and the level of customization you require. However, you can expect to spend anywhere from a few weeks to several months to develop an eCommerce website.

• How much does it cost to run an online store per month?

  The cost of running an online store per month will vary depending on a number of factors, including the features you need and the level of traffic you receive. Wix eCommerce offers four plans for online stores, ranging from $27 to $159 per month.

• How much does it cost to maintain an eCommerce website?

  Generally, eCommerce website maintenance costs can range from a few hundred dollars per month to thousands or even tens of thousands, depending on factors such as platform, traffic and functionality, development and design, marketing and advertising, and payment processing.

• What is the most expensive cost in building an eCommerce store?

  There isn't a single "most expensive" cost as it depends on your specific needs and priorities. However, some factors that can contribute significantly to the cost include custom web development, premium themes and plugins, and marketing and advertising.

Allison Lee

Editor-in-Chief, Wix

Allison is the editor-in-chief at Wix, with several years of experience reporting on eCommerce news, strategies, and founder stories.

This post was last updated on February 26th, 2024.

Imagine, for a moment, that you’ve attracted a brand new customer to your website. After shopping, your customer heads to the checkout page with a few items in their cart. But they hesitate because your site only accepts Visa or Mastercard.

This triggers other questions.

Is your online payment processing secure? Can you be trusted with their credit card information?

It might sound improbable, but it happens. And as a business owner, it’s essential to remember that the checkout process has the power to make or break a sale.

Moreover, when starting your business, it’s crucial to choose an online payment solution that’s secure, user-friendly, and reliable.

In this article, we’ll run through some of the best payment solutions out there today. We’ll cover the expectations customers have during the final stages of ordering, and how to build a checkout experience that puts your customers at ease.

What do your customers expect at checkout?

There's plenty of evidence to say that the more flexible and streamlined your checkout process is, the more likely it is for your customers to follow through with their purchases.

According to Baymard Institute, nearly 70% of online shoppers routinely abandon their carts during checkout. When asked why:

• 24% said that they didn’t want to create an account

• 18% said that they didn’t trust sharing their credit card information with the store

• 17% said that the checkout process was too complex

• 9% said that the payment methods offered were insufficient

For sellers, this means a few things. For one, simplicity is key. Keep your checkout pages clean and straightforward, minimizing the number of steps it takes to complete a transaction.

Secondly, offer a variety of payment options. While some customers may choose to pay with credit cards, others may prefer to use a digital wallet like PayPal.

Lastly, regularly audit and analyze your checkout process. Customer expectations are constantly evolving—and aside from deciding how to pay, your customers may have high expectations around security, pickup options, and the overall user experience.

Pro tip: Choosing the right eCommerce platform can save you from a lot of heartache. Platforms like Wix already offer the highest level of PCI compliance, plus have native solutions (like Wix Payments) that allow you to accept secure online payments in various ways without having to hop between different channels.

Top 3 online payment methods you need at checkout

To start accepting online payments, you have to install at least one payment gateway on your site. This could mean activating Wix Payments, or choosing from more than 80 third-party payment gateways that integrate with Wix.

What is a payment gateway? A payment gateway is a service that collects, authorizes, and securely sends your customer’s payment information to the bank for processing. Think of it as your virtual cash register.

In any case, you’ll want to empower customers to select their preferred way to pay. At minimum, make sure to support these three popular payment methods:

• Credit and debit cards

• Digital wallets

• Buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions

01. Credit and debit cards

Card payments are the bread and butter of every eCommerce business.

While dozens of payment gateways allow you to accept good-ole credit cards online, no two providers are exactly the same. Some may charge higher processing fees. Others may not support the credit cards that your customers prefer. And payout periods, supported transaction types, and other factors vary from company to company.

Below is a breakdown of some of the most popular providers to consider.

Wix Payments

Wix Payments offers one of the easiest ways to accept debit and credit card payments online, especially if you manage your store on Wix. By eliminating the need for external eCommerce payment processors, Wix Payments ensures that your customers enjoy seamless checkout. They can shop and pay as they wish—without being redirected to another site.

You can additionally use your Wix dashboard to manage all payments, sales, refunds, and payouts. Quickly respond to chargebacks with Wix’s built-in dispute tool, or unify your in-person transactions with your online orders using Wix Point of Sale (POS).

Wix Payments merchant fees:

• Credit/debit cards: 2.9% of transaction amount + $0.30 (USA and Canada)

• ApplePay: 2.9% of transaction amount + $0.30 (USA and Canada)

• Wix Payments POS: 2.6% of transaction amount

• No monthly fees for Payments or POS Retail Lite plan

Processing fees vary by region. Learn more.

Key benefits:

• All-in-one business solution with an integrated payment dashboard

• Supports various transaction types: credit/debit cards, POS, manual card entries, Apple Pay, online bank transfers, and more

• Accepts payment in various currencies

• Mobile-friendly payment interface

• Advanced online encryption and fraud detection

Stripe

Like Wix Payments, Stripe is able to process one-time and recurring payments. It offers its own suite of integrated products, including global payment options, financial management features, and banking-as-a-service tools.

Stripe currently accepts payments in more than 135 currencies. It also supports in-person checkout via Stripe Terminal, which includes hardware for handheld and/or countertop use.

Stripe merchant fees:

• Credit cards and digital wallets: 2.9% processing fee + $0.30

• Digital wallets: 2.9% + $0.30

• BNPL options: starting at 5.99% + $0.30

• International payment methods: starting at $0.80

• Stripe Terminal: 2.7% + $0.05

• No monthly fees

Additional fees apply for international and manual transactions.

Key benefits:

• Supports various transaction types: credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and BNPL solutions

• Robust international support (30+ languages, 135+ currencies)

• Mobile-friendly payment interface

• Competitive payment processing fees

• No setup or monthly fees for a standard Stripe Connect account

• Advanced fraud and chargeback protection

Square

Many small business owners enjoy Square—which you can easily connect to your Wix site.

Square accepts multiple payment methods, including all major credit cards and digital wallets. You can additionally email customers one-time or recurring invoices, set up subscriptions, and use Square’s POS solution to support your brick-and-mortar business.

Fun fact: Not all payment gateways support the sale of alcohol, tobacco, or similar products. But Square does.

Square merchant fees:

• Online payments: 2.9% processing fee + $0.30

• Stripe POS: 2.6% + $0.10

• Manually entered in-person payments: 3.5% + $0.15

• Afterpay (online): 6% + $0.30

• No monthly fees

Learn more about Square processing fees and check out our guide on POS system costs.

Key benefits:

• Complete business banking and payment solution with an intuitive dashboard

• Supports various transaction types: credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and BNPL solutions

• Mobile-friendly payment interface

• Competitive payment processing fees

• No setup or monthly fees for a standard account

• Free basic card-swipe hardware for Square POS

• Automatic, business-day balance transfers to your bank

• Fewer seller restrictions

02. Digital wallets

It’s estimated that 60% of people are now comfortable leaving their homes without their wallets. One major reason why: digital wallets.

By allowing customers to store their credit or debit cards on their phones (alongside their computers and other compatible devices), digital wallets have simplified the payment process for both online and offline payments. Customers can now complete a purchase with the tap of a button, bypassing several steps of the normal process.

Here are several of the most popular digital wallets to be aware of. (Note: the payment gateways mentioned above are all compatible with one or several of these digital wallets, and/or you may have the option to add standalone buttons to your site, depending on your eCommerce platform.)

Apple Pay

Most of us are probably familiar with this one, if only because it’s pre-installed on our iPhones. Apple Pay is now accepted by an estimated 85% of retailers in the U.S., allowing customers to pay from a variety of devices: their iPhones, Apple Watch, Mac, or iPad.

Apple promises several benefits from using its app: safe, encrypted payments; contactless payments; and easy setup.

Today, Apple Pay accounts for nearly half (45.5%) of all in-store digital wallet purchases.

Apple Pay merchant fees:

• No fees for accepting Apple Pay, however, you’ll have to pay the regular transaction fees required by credit card issuers

Key benefits:

• Widely used by customers and merchants alike

• Built-in privacy and security features

• Free to offer online or in-person

• Allows customers to pay via credit/debit card or Apple Cash

Google Pay

Google Pay is supported by both iOS and Android devices. It boasts flashy features that some of its competitors lack. For example, consumers can use Google Pay to store gift cards; earn cash-back rewards; and track spending habits by linking their bank accounts, Gmail, and Google Photos together. Similarly, businesses can accept payments, track sales, and earn special rewards using the Google Pay for Business app.

Google Pay has reportedly led to a 55% reduction in cart abandonment rate for one top global retail partner. And 35% of Google Pay users that previously relied on a different payment method now prefer to use Google Pay for repeat purchases, according to a top IR500 retailer interviewed by Google.

Google Pay merchant fees:

• No fees for accepting Google Pay, however, you’ll have to pay the regular transaction fees required by credit card issuers

Key benefits:

• Well-known and trusted by consumers worldwide

• Fast and secure payment method with built-in fraud protection

• Lower chargeback volume than standard credit card transactions

PayPal

With more than 426 million users worldwide, PayPal is considered one of the most popular digital wallets today.

Thanks to widespread brand trust, PayPal converts 28% higher at checkout when compared to other payment methods. According to the same study, PayPal is associated with a higher Net Promoter Score (NPS)—with PayPal increasing NPS by an average of eight points.

You can easily connect PayPal to your Wix store to offer your customers a variety of payment options. You have the ability to decide whether to show PayPal buttons on your product and/or cart pages. Your customers, in turn, can choose whether to pay via PayPal, PayPal Pay Later, and/or other supported methods.

PayPal merchant fees:

• PayPal Checkout: 3.49% processing fee + fixed fee ($0.49 for U.S. transactions)

• No monthly fees

Learn more about PayPal’s merchant fees.

Key benefits:

• Well-known and trusted by consumers worldwide

• Known to increase cart conversion rates and NPS

• Offers various payment options: PayPal Checkout, Pay Later, and PayPal Credit

• Supports cryptocurrency payments via its “Checkout with Crypto” feature

Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay references shipping and payment information stored in a shopper’s Amazon account. Any Amazon Pay purchases are protected by the company’s A-to-z Guarantee, which ensures that products are delivered in a timely and responsible manner.

Amazon Pay has been linked to higher conversion rates and order values, as well as a reduction in checkout time. Amazon Pay also supports several payment options, including deferred, split, recurring, and subscription payments.

Amazon Pay merchant fees:

• Web/mobile transactions: 2.9% processing fee + $0.30 authorization fee

• Cross-border web/mobile transactions: 3.9% + $0.30

• No monthly fees

Amazon Pay fees vary by region.

Key benefits:

• Well-known and trusted by consumers worldwide

• Fast and secure payment method with built-in fraud protection

• Amazon's A-to-Z Guarantee protects Amazon Pay purchases

03. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) solutions

Whether you sell higher-ticket or low-ticket items, Buy now, pay later (BNPL) has proven to be a welcome addition to most checkout experiences. BNPL services saw “explosive” growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Washington Post, increasing as much as 200%.

Nowadays, fashion and beauty products make up 70% of pay-later transactions, The Washington Post reported. This underscores a shift towards credit-card alternatives, fueled by a growing distrust in traditional banks and credit card providers.

For merchants, offering BNPL comes at a higher cost than traditional credit cards. Transaction fees average out to around 6%. However, the long-term benefits may justify the costs; pay-later solutions have been attributed to higher AOVs and repeat purchases from empowered shoppers.

When deciding which BNPL services to offer, consider the appeal of each platform. Here’s a roundup of the top BNPL providers and their various benefits.

Klarna

Known for its customer service and user-friendly app interface, Klarna has amassed more than 150 million active users.

The app has been praised for offering more flexible payment terms than other services of its kind. Klarna users can choose to pay in four equal installments (interest-free), or pay in custom amounts within 30 days. No minimum credit score is required to qualify for Klarna financing.

Consumer terms of use:

• APR: 0%

• Amount due at time of purchase: 25%

• “Pay later” payments: four installments, due every two weeks

• “Slice it” payments: up to 36 equal payments, due monthly; or pay in 30 days without interest

• Late fee: $7

Affirm

Ideal for more expensive purchases, Affirm offers loans from $50 to $17,500 and allows customers to space out their monthly payments for up to two years. Alternatively, users can choose Affirm's pay-in-four option to receive interest-free financing.

Like Klarna, Affirm provides an app that empowers users to use Affirm anywhere they shop. One big bonus: Affirm does not charge any late fees.

Consumer terms of use:

• APR: 0% for the installment plan, up to 30% for certain loan types

• Amount due at time of purchase: starts at $0

• Pay-in-four payments: four installments, due every two weeks

• Other financing options: up to 36 equal payments, due monthly; other repayment terms available depending on loan type

• Late fee: None

Afterpay

Afterpay is another popular option for larger purchases, with interest-free financing on purchases from $200 to $2,000 (the latter being granted to users with good repayment histories). Afterpay allows consumers to split purchases into four installments, with the first installment due at checkout.

Unlike other services, Afterpay does not require a credit check to be approved for financing.

Consumer terms of use:

• APR: 0%

• Pay-in-four payments: 4 installments, due every 2 weeks

• Monthly payment option: six- to 12-month interest-based payment options for purchases over $400

• Late fee: $8

PayPal Credit and PayPal Pay Later

PayPal offers a couple of flexible payment options. PayPal Credit offers special deferred-interest financing for up to six months on purchases over $99. Minimum monthly payments must be maintained, and the purchase balance must be paid in full within six months to avoid accrued interest.

By comparison, PayPal's Pay Later option works similarly to other BNPL installment options by allowing shoppers to split payments into four biweekly installments.

Consumer terms of use:

• APR: 0%

• PayPal Pay Later: four installments, due every two weeks

• PayPal Credit: interest-free financing on purchases over $99 if paid in full within six months

• Late fee: None

Tips for selecting an online payment solution

At the end of the day, you’ll want to evaluate which payment options are must-haves for your unique audience. From there, crunch the numbers and keep close watch over the impact that your checkout experience has on total sales, AOV, and customer lifetime value. In summary, here are several factors to consider when picking the right payment solutions for your business:

• Security - As many as 55% of consumers list security as the most critical aspect of their online shopping experience, while nearly half also wanted security measures more prominently displayed. For the most secure encryption, look for companies that strictly adhere to PCI-compliance standards.

• Familiarity and reputation - Research your competitors or other sites that are popular among your target market to determine payment methods that they already use and expect. Select a reputable payment gateway to start offering those well-known options. The brand recognition will strengthen your credibility and ease your buyer’s safety concerns during checkout.

• Integration - How easily does your payment gateway integrate with your eCommerce platform? A fully integrated payment gateway streamlines the checkout process, while a standalone payment gateway can disrupt and slow it down (i.e., require consumers to complete additional security checks or jump to separate payment windows).

• Flexibility - Select a payment gateway that supports flexible payment options that align with current consumer trends and needs (e.g., following the pandemic, digital wallets and BNPL options surged in popularity).

• Fees - Does the online payment solution charge additional fees to use their services or to access other security features? The lowest cost isn’t always the best if security is the trade-off.

• Restrictions - Each payment gateway may have varying restrictions that limit the types of products or services your business can sell. Read the service agreement carefully to ensure your company operates within the provider’s guidelines.

The bottom line

Ultimately, choosing the right payment solutions requires you to put yourself in your customer's shoes. By stacking your online payment options, you empower your customers to decide how and when to pay for their purchases.

Powerful all-in-one online payment solutions like Wix Payments make it easy to accept credit/debit cards, digital wallets, and flexible BNPL options all at once. There's no need to piece it together by hand. Instead, select the options you want to include directly from within Wix Payments, then use the intuitive dashboard to manage all transactions from one command center.

Ready to get started with Wix Payments? Create your online store today and explore Wix features such as creating discount pricing strategies to generate more sales.

Online payment solutions FAQ

• What are the technology solutions available for online payment systems?

  Technology solutions for online payment systems include payment gateways, payment processors, mobile wallets, digital currencies (cryptocurrencies), contactless payments, and biometric authentication methods.

• What is the safest payment platform?

  The safest payment platform typically utilizes strong encryption, fraud detection measures, and compliance with security standards such as PCI DSS. Platforms like Wix Payments are known for their robust security measures.

• What are interchange fees?

  Interchange fees are charges paid by merchants to the card-issuing bank for processing credit and debit card transactions. These fees are set by payment networks and vary based on factors such as card type, transaction volume, and risk.

• What is a merchant account?

  A merchant account is a type of bank account that allows businesses to accept payments via credit and debit cards. It facilitates the transfer of funds from the customer's bank to the merchant's bank after a successful transaction.

• What is a payment gateway?

  A payment gateway is a technology platform that securely authorizes and processes online payments between merchants and customers. It encrypts sensitive payment information, verifies card details, and facilitates the transfer of funds between banks.

• What is a payment processor?

  A payment processor is a financial institution or third-party service provider that handles payment transactions between merchants and customers. It routes transaction data between the merchant, payment gateway, and issuing bank, facilitating authorization, settlement, and reconciliation.

• What is an issuing bank?

  An issuing bank is the bank or financial institution that issues credit or debit cards to consumers. It is responsible for approving or declining transactions based on the cardholder's available credit or funds and handling disputes or chargebacks.

• What's involved in processing a credit card transaction?

  Processing a credit card transaction involves several steps: authorization (verifying card details and approving the transaction), authentication (ensuring the cardholder's identity), clearing (transferring transaction data to the card network), and settlement (transferring funds between banks).

• How does credit card processing work?

  Credit card processing involves four main parties: the cardholder, merchant, acquiring bank (merchant's bank), and issuing bank (cardholder's bank). When a cardholder makes a purchase, the merchant sends transaction data to the acquiring bank, which forwards it to the card network for authorization. The issuing bank approves or declines the transaction based on available funds and sends the response back to the merchant via the acquiring bank. If approved, funds are transferred from the issuing bank to the acquiring bank, completing the transaction.

Daniella Dukes

Payments Team Lead

Daniella leads the Payments Marketing Team for Wix.com. Since 2019, she's been crafting sharp content that helps over 700K Wix Merchants get paid, wherever they sell—online, on the go and in person.

It's easy to get lost in the daily hustle and bustle of running an online store. But choosing the right eCommerce platform can save you hassle, headaches and time with making an ecommerce website that not only looks great, but runs well in the background, complete with all the tools you need to grow your business.

For entrepreneurs and eCommerce aficionados, there’s never been a better time to open an online store. There is a wide range of options available to launch your venture, and we’ve curated a list of the best platforms to help you get started in creating a successful eCommerce website.

In this article, we’ll cover 10 different eCommerce platforms and review their features to help you decide the best solution for your online store.

Ready to see the sales roll in? Build an eCommerce website today.

What is an eCommerce platform?

An eCommerce platform is a software application that allows businesses to create and manage online stores, facilitating the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. These platforms provide a comprehensive set of eCommerce tools and features to support various aspects of your operations, including product catalog management, online payment processing, order fulfillment, inventory management, marketing and customer relationship management.

10 best eCommerce platforms of 2024

1. Wix

2. BigCommerce

3. Squarespace

4. Shopify

5. WooCommerce

6. Weebly

7. Shift4Shop

8. Big Cartel

9. Centra

10. Ecwid

01. Wix

Having full control over your website isn't just a luxury, it's essential. And Wix ensures that with its intuitive eCommerce interface.

To start, Wix's industry-renowned website builder makes creating a site simple. It's perfect for those who may not have a technical background, offering hundreds of customizable online store templates, plus a powerful AI website maker for creating a fully functional site in minutes. If you do have a more technical background, you can start from scratch as Wix is built on an open platform that allows you to create your own customized solutions via code.

Wix’s eCommerce platform provides you with a comprehensive suite of professional tools to establish, design, manage and grow your online store. You can sell products across multiple sales channels, including native mobile apps, physical point-of-sale (POS) systems, external eCommerce marketplaces and social media platforms.

In addition, Wix’s all-in-one approach to eCommerce goes beyond just how to make a website. It enables you to manage all aspects of running your online store from end to end, covering everything from sourcing products, managing inventory, accepting payments and fulfilling and shipping orders. Plus, built-in marketing and analytics tools mean even less reliance on outside systems. Beyond that, the platform also includes hundreds of native and third-party app integrations to further curate a custom eCommerce experience. While many apps are free (or have free plans available), some do come at an additional monthly cost.

Another key feature of Wix is that your business model isn’t limited to an online store, as the platform supports all manner of business websites. “Wix is not only an eCommerce website builder,” says Oren Inditzky, vice president and general manager of online stores at Wix. “It covers all types of business, and as such, it can allow you to further grow and expand your business. In addition to selling products, you can also offer services to book, events to attend, blogs to read and so on.” No matter how large (or small) your business is, Wix’s infrastructure also promises industry-leading speed, scalability and enterprise-grade security.

Thanks to the wide array of features, tools and integrations, Wix is your best overall choice when it comes to launching and maintaining a successful eCommerce store.

Key Wix features

• Offers comprehensive, built-in end-to-end merchant solutions

• Integrates with hundreds third-party apps

• Supports omnichannel selling across a variety of marketplaces and social media platforms

• Offers hundreds of customizable online store templates

• Has advanced AI capabilities for site building, content generation and more

• Offers 24/7 support

Price

• Free and multi-solution premium plans available

02. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a good option for eCommerce businesses of various sizes and types, including enterprise operations. The platform has the fundamental tools for running a successful eCommerce store, such as SEO tools, setting up a blog and detailed order and inventory management. When you need the extra push to earn more sales, you can easily implement features like discount codes or side-by-side product comparisons to take things to the next level.

For small businesses just dipping their toes, the Standard plan is a good place to start. And while it's ready to use straight out of the box with a nifty site builder, the tech-savvy can have fun tweaking the CSS and HTML code for that extra oomph.

When it comes to larger businesses, BigCommerce has been highly focused on building out its suite of enterprise tools, complete with options for wholesaling, international shipping and more. You will need to contact a sales representative to discuss pricing for the Enterprise plan.

Key features of BigCommerce

• Advanced sales and marketing tools for enterprise businesses

• Includes a "Buy Online and Pick Up in Store” (BOPIS) feature

• Offers a 15-day free trial

Price

• Standard plans start at $39 per month

03. Squarespace

Popular amongst sellers whose first priority is creating a handsome, modern-looking site, Squarespace is a website builder with eCommerce functionality, offering options for various business owners, creatives and artists to showcase their work. Getting started is straightforward, with an assortment of elegant website templates that can be customized to your liking via simple drag-and-drop interface.

The platform offers two Commerce plans, each coming with a suite of built-in merchandising and analytics tools. For the more advanced plan, you also have access to additional shipping and discount tools, plus the ability to sell subscriptions.

One thing of note is that Squarespace does not currently offer multichannel-selling capabilities, so there is no direct integration with other online marketplaces. Users can only use PayPal, Stripe and Afterpay for online store payments. However, you can accept in-person payments via Square if you download the Squarespace app.

Key features of Squarespace

• No transaction fees under the Commerce plans

• Provides an uncomplicated and beginner-friendly interface

• Offers a 14-day free trial

Price

• Commerce plans start at $36 per month

04. Shopify

In deciding you want to start an eCommerce business, you’ll find there are dedicated eCommerce platforms as well as multi-faceted website builders with eCommerce capabilities. Shopify falls into the former category.

Selecting your store's look is a simple process, courtesy of over 100 professionally-designed templates. While there are free themes available, choosing one of Shopify’s premium themes will come at an additional cost. Shopify's templates offer the basic framework you need to get started, and users can add additional functionality to their store via the platform’s diverse app store.

As for the app store, Shopify offers more than 6,000 third-party app integrations to ensure that you can tailor the platform to your specific needs. This includes community support, marketing tools, payment processing options and more. Note that many of these apps also come at an additional monthly cost.

Key features of Shopify

• Offers 24/7 support

• Integrates with more than 6,000 apps

• Supports omnichannel selling across online and offline platforms

Price

• Basic plans start at $39 per month

05. WooCommerce

WooCommerce offers a way to add eCommerce functionality to an existing WordPress site. The plugin is free to install and use, but you'll need to pay for your hosting and domain name, in addition to any extensions you decide to add. WooCommerce offers more than 800 extensions that handle things like return and warranty requests, shipping, accepting online bookings and more. These extensions range in price from free to $299 each.

Design freedom is a major plus here, as there are thousands of website themes in the WordPress library that you can customize into your own digital storefront. But if technical know-how isn’t your strong suit, WooCommerce might feel somewhat challenging.

After the initial setup, you're on your own. Maintenance and upgrades are all on you. But if you've got the will, WooCommerce is a canvas ready for your masterpiece.

Key features of WooCommerce

• Open-source flexibility that works with WordPress

• More than 800 eCommerce extensions and integrations

• Offers users full control over the design and functionality of their online store

Price

• Plugin is free; extensions range from free to $299

06. Weebly

It’s often best to keep things simple when you’re ready to start a business. Weebly, which is owned by Square, is a good option if you’re in that boat.

Weebly's drag-and-drop website editor is known for its simplicity; there’s no technical know-how required. The platform intuitively provides all the basics you need to get your eCommerce site up and running fast.

While Weebly's simplicity is its strength, it's a bit limited in design options compared to some of the bigger eCommerce and website builders on the market. Where it shines, however, is in the fact that it offers a robust free plan that lets you set up a store without breaking the bank, complete with unlimited items, in-store pick up, automatic tax calculator and more. But, the free plan comes with one caveat: if you want a custom domain name (which you likely will), you’ll have to upgrade to a paid subscription.

All in all, for those who want a straightforward, no-frills approach to eCommerce, Weebly is a solid choice.

Key features of Weebly

• Very simple interface that works well for beginners

• Offers a robust free plan (though you cannot connect a domain name)

• Provides budget-friendly premium plans

Price

• Free and premium plans available starting from $13 per month

07. Shift4Shop

Ever heard of 3dcart? It's now called Shift4Shop, and it's a good option for folks wanting a free eCommerce solution, no matter what type of business they run.

Shift4Shop is a fully hosted shopping cart, so you won't have to worry about coding or technical setup. You can create as many product pages as you like, plus you have access to a built-in blog, SEO tools, email marketing, coupon system, gift registry setup and more.

One of the star features of Shift4Shop is that there are no transaction or setup fees. In fact, you can run your online store entirely for free if your monthly sales are $500 or more. If you process less than that, you may be charged a monthly software as a service (SaaS) fee.

Shift4Shop offers free domain name registration for all plans. However, it’s worth noting that this platform is for U.S.-based sellers only.

Key features of Shift4Shop

• Does not charge transaction fees (though you may pay a monthly SaaS fee)

• Offers free domain name registration for all plans

• Stores processing over $500 pay nothing for the platform

Price

• Free for businesses that process at least $500 per month; $29 per month otherwise

08. Big Cartel

If you’re a creative type, you probably want to spend less time and effort figuring out how to sell online and more time, well, creating. Big Cartel stands out as an affordable option for artists who want to sell their pieces online, making your creations the star of the show.

Big Cartel does this by making it really simple to set up a basic site with the essentials. You can list up to five products for free, or upgrade to a paid plan to list between 50 and 500 products. All plans allow you to use a custom domain name and come with an assortment of basic eCommerce tools, including real-time stats, shipment tracking and sales tax automation.

To note, Big Cartel only offers a handful of templates and themes to choose from. But if you're an artist or creative person and want a platform that's simple and straight to the point, Big Cartel is a good choice.

Key features of Big Cartel

• Offers a budget-friendly option for creatives

• Users can accept payments in-person with the Big Cartel app

• Integrates with Facebook Shop for cross-channel selling

Price

• Free and premium plans available starting at $9.99 per month

09. Centra

One of the newer kids on the eCommerce block, Centra has already caught the eye of accessory and apparel brands like Nudie Jeans, Ideal of Sweden, Stronger, Eton Shirts and Sandqvist.

With Centra being a headless SaaS tool, you can craft any front-end experience you desire without compromising on back-end efficiency. Its user experience and interface are designed not just for looks but for intuition, guiding you through the setup process relatively easily.

As for products, whether you're offering bundled deals or individual items, Centra offers robust product and catalog management. Native support ensures that the journey from ideation to product listing is smooth.

In the vibrant world of fashion and direct-to-consumer brands, Centra stands out as a quality contender, merging simplicity with efficiency.

Key features of Centra

• Provides an effective eCommerce solution for fashion and lifestyle brands

• Options for direct-to-consumer and digital wholesale commerce

• Offers five-star support

Price

• Not publicized; contact Centra for a quote

10. Ecwid

Thinking about how to start an online store for your small business? Or maybe you have a blog and want to add a shop to it? Ecwid might be what you're looking for.

At its core, Ecwid is a shopping cart tool for websites. The platform allows you to build an online store that integrates right into your existing website or blog, including your Wix website. There's also a newer feature called "Instant Sites" that allows users to create a standalone landing page quickly, which is useful if you need a special page for a product or an event.

If you're just starting out and have five or fewer products to sell, Ecwid's free plan has you covered, albeit with very basic functionality. Paid plans are available for 100 up to unlimited products and offer additional eCommerce tools such as automated tax calculations, POS integration, an abandoned cart saver and more.

Key features of Ecwid

• Does not charge setup or transaction fees

• Offers a simplified approach to online selling

• Provides quick integration of an online store into an existing blog or website

Price

• Free and premium plans available starting at $19 per month

Eager to start selling? Sign up for Wix today and test drive our site builder for free.

How to choose the best eCommerce platform

Choosing the best eCommerce platform for your business requires careful consideration of various factors to ensure it aligns with your specific needs, budget and long-term goals. Here are some steps to help you make an informed decision:

1. Define your requirements: Start by identifying your business requirements, including the type of products you sell, expected sales volume, desired features, scalability needs, budget constraints and technical expertise. Consider factors such as ease of use, customization options, integrations and support.

2. Research available options: Research different eCommerce platforms available in the market, considering factors such as features, pricing, user reviews and industry reputation.

3. Consider ease of use: Assess the platform's ease of use from both the administrator and customer perspectives. Look for intuitive interfaces, drag-and-drop functionality and user-friendly tools for managing products, orders and other essential tasks. Consider whether the platform offers customizable templates and themes to match your branding.

4. Evaluate features: Compare the features and flexibility offered by each platform, including product catalog management, payment processing options, shipping and fulfillment capabilities, marketing tools, analytics and scalability. Determine whether the platform supports your desired integrations with third-party apps, payment gateways and shipping carriers.

5. Assess pricing: Consider the pricing structure of each eCommerce platform, including setup fees, monthly subscriptions, transaction fees and additional costs for add-ons or premium features. Calculate the total cost of ownership over time, factoring in your projected sales volume and growth trajectory. Look for transparent pricing and scalable plans that align with your budget.

6. Review customer support: Evaluate the level of customer support and resources offered by each eCommerce platform, including documentation, tutorials, community forums and dedicated support channels. Consider whether the platform provides responsive customer support, ongoing updates and training resources to help you succeed.

7. Test drive: Take advantage of free trials or demo accounts offered by eCommerce platforms to test their features, functionality and user experience firsthand. Use this opportunity to explore the platform's capabilities, experiment with customization options and assess whether it meets your expectations.

8. Consider long-term scalability: Anticipate your business's future growth and scalability needs when choosing an eCommerce platform. Select a platform that can accommodate increasing traffic, sales volume and product offerings over time without significant disruptions or costly migrations. Look for platforms that offer scalability, flexibility and room for expansion.

By following these steps and carefully evaluating your options, you can choose the best eCommerce platform that empowers your business to succeed in the competitive online marketplace.

Key features of eCommerce platforms

It's important you make sure you have access to all the features you need to build your eCommerce site. Here are the key ones:

1. Storefront creation: Tools for designing and customizing the look and feel of the online store, including templates, themes and layout options.

2. Product management: Capabilities for adding, editing and organizing product listings, including descriptions, images, pricing and inventory levels.

3. Shopping cart: Secure shopping cart functionality that allows customers to add items to their cart, review their selections and complete the purchase process with integrated checkout and payment gateways.

4. Payment processing: Support for various payment methods, such as credit/debit cards, digital wallets, bank transfers and alternative payment options, ensuring secure and convenient transactions.

5. Order management: Tools for managing orders, including order tracking, status updates, invoicing and fulfillment processes, to streamline operations and ensure timely delivery.

6. Inventory management: Features for tracking and managing product inventory levels, including stock alerts, backorders and automatic inventory syncing across multiple sales channels.

7. Marketing and promotion: Built-in marketing tools, such as email campaigns, discount codes, loyalty programs and SEO optimization, to attract customers, drive traffic and increase sales.

8. Analytics and reporting: Reporting and analytics tools to track key performance metrics, monitor sales trends, analyze customer behavior and make data-driven decisions to optimize business performance.

9. Security and compliance: Built-in security measures, such as SSL encryption, PCI compliance and fraud detection, to protect sensitive customer information and ensure secure transactions.