Running an online store isn’t always easy, but it can yield impressive results when done right. The key? Using the right ecommerce tools.
Whether it’s marketing, website building, or customer service, these tools allow you to grow your reach and ultimately bring in more revenue. In this article, we’ll explore the features and pricing of some of the most useful ecommerce tools.
Ecommerce tools are pieces of software that simplify online store management, helping with tasks like website development, inventory management, payment processing, order fulfillment, customer service, marketing, data analytics, and more. These tools can come in the form of apps, platforms, and plugins.
Ecommerce tools help you scale faster by spending less time on manual tasks and more time on strategic business functions. With access to the best tools out there, you’ll be empowered to establish a robust online presence, enhance customer experiences, and increase conversions.
Building your own software and solutions is time-consuming, and not everybody has the expertise or desire to do so. Using ecommerce tools saves you time and money, and you don’t have to worry about making constant updates or adjustments.
Some additional benefits of ecommerce tools include the following:
A quick Google search will reveal a daunting fact: you have thousands of ecommerce tools to choose from. Sorting through all these solutions can be exhausting and confusing, so we decided to make things a little easier for you!
The 15 tools in this article are some of the most widely used ones for a reason—their effectiveness has been proven by countless ecommerce brands, including small, mid-sized, and large businesses.
It’s ultimately up to you to evaluate tools and choose the right ones for your business, so remember to consider your needs and budget before selecting a solution. If a free trial is available, you may want to take advantage of it to get a sense of a tool’s functionality before committing.
And now, without further ado: 15 of the best ecommerce tools for website-building, marketing, and more.
Before optimizing your ecommerce sales, you need an ecommerce store. There are several big names in this space—Wix, Magento, BigCommerce, and more—but this section will feature two of the most popular solutions: Shopify and WooCommerce.
These platforms both allow you to build and manage your online store, setting the foundation for the other technology you’ll choose to use later. Let’s dive into the features and benefits of each website builder, as well as potential cons to consider.
Shopify is an ecommerce platform used to launch, manage, and expand online selling across various channels. Because of its user-friendly drag-and-drop store creator, coding skills are unnecessary. Don’t worry though—even without coding know-how, you can still customize your store.
There’s a reason 10% of U.S. ecommerce stores use Shopify: its versatility makes it ideal for both beginners and seasoned entrepreneurs, and it can facilitate online, in-person, and global sales.
If you need additional functionality, just check the app store, which offers a variety of add-ons to expand store capabilities.
Key features of Shopify:
Although Shopify provides all the tools needed to create and manage an ecommerce store, it doesn’t offer as many customization options as an open-source platform. If you prefer a more hands-on approach to website management, you might be better off going with WooCommerce.
Shopify pricing:*
* All pricing information in this article reflects annual billing rates unless otherwise specified. Pricing details are current as of May 2024.
WooCommerce is an open-source ecommerce plugin for WordPress, integrating with the popular content management system to give your website ecommerce functionality. Thirty-one percent of the top one million ecommerce sites are built using WooCommerce.
Key features of WooCommerce:
WooCommerce offers significant advantages for WordPress users, but those without prior experience with the platform may find the learning curve steep. If you don’t have web development experience (or a development team), a standalone ecommerce platform like Shopify might be a better fit.
WooCommerce is free to use, but you’ll have to pay hosting fees and other fees associated with website ownership.
As you promote your products, attract customers, and increase sales, marketing tools help you keep things organized and measure your success. Of course, marketing is an enormous category, encompassing everything from advertising to social media and beyond. In this section, we’ve chosen just a few tools that will have a big impact on your marketing success.
Mailchimp helps businesses personalize and automate their email and SMS marketing campaigns. With AI-powered automations, you can create tailored campaigns based on behavioral data. MailChimp makes it easy to craft on-brand content using generative AI tools and templates while targeting customers with advanced logic.
Key features of MailChimp:
MailChimp pricing depends on the number of contacts you have. The prices below are for up to 500 contacts.
Not sure about MailChimp? Klaviyo and tinyEmail are other great options to explore.
Norton Shopping Guarantee with Package Protection by EasyPost is a free Shopify and WooCommerce app that builds trust with shoppers, increases conversions, and minimizes shipping issues. The app allows you to add trust badges to your website, reassuring visitors that your store has been verified by a trusted third party. With a shopping guarantee and package protection, Norton Shopping Guarantee safeguards buyers and helps them feel confident about their purchases.
Key features of Norton Shopping Guarantee:
Learn more about Norton Shopping Guarantee here or install it on your Shopify store for free.
Ahrefs is an all-in-one toolset that optimizes your online presence for search engines. You can conduct comprehensive competitor analysis, audit and optimize your website, and uncover valuable keywords that your customers are searching for. The platform also helps with generating content ideas, identifying link-building opportunities, and tracking your ranking progress over time.
Key features of Ahrefs:
Ahrefs pricing:
Not sure about Ahrefs? Semrush and Moz are other great options to explore.
Loomly is an all-in-one social media management tool that simplifies the process of creating, scheduling, and tracking social media content. The platform facilitates seamless collaboration within teams and offers robust campaign tracking features to help you achieve your social media goals.
Key features of Loomly:
Loomly pricing:
Not sure about Loomly? Hootsuite and Buffer are other great options to explore.
Running a business isn’t all about optimizing your website and attracting new customers. For these activities to run smoothly, you also need to get your behind-the-scenes processes organized.
The business management tools below are designed to keep teams on track, preventing important deadlines or tasks from flying under the radar.
Slack is a collaborative platform that streamlines communication and workflow management for teams. It’s the perfect way to stay in touch with your employees throughout the day, even if you’re a fully remote company. Whether you prefer real-time chat, audio and video communication, or collaborative huddles, Slack provides flexibility to work according to your preferences.
Key features of Slack:
Slack pricing:
Trello is a task and project management platform that brings together all your tasks, teammates, and tools in one centralized location. With Trello's simple yet powerful interface, you can create boards, lists, and cards to gain clarity on tasks, track progress, and make nothing falls through the cracks.
Key features of Trello:
Trello pricing:
Your checkout process makes a huge difference in whether users convert or abandon their carts, and shipping makes a big difference in whether customers buy from you again. With the right sales and logistics tools, you can create a consumer experience that drives conversions and keeps people coming back.
Stripe is a payment processing platform that provides millions of companies worldwide with a fully integrated suite of tools to accept payments, send payouts, and streamline financial processes. From handling payments and managing revenue operations to launching new business models, Stripe offers comprehensive solutions to meet a variety of business needs.
Key features of Stripe:
Stripe costs 2.9% + 30¢ per successful charge for domestic cards. Businesses with high sales volume businesses can negotiate a custom pricing package.
Zoho Inventory is an inventory management solution that helps businesses manage inventory, fulfill orders, and streamline operations. From managing warehouses and controlling stock to tracking products with barcode and RFID systems, Zoho Inventory has a wide range of features to simplify inventory management for ecommerce businesses.
Key features of Zoho Inventory:
Zoho Inventory pricing:
EasyPost is a shipping API that saves businesses time and money by giving them access to discounted rates from domestic and international carriers like USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, and more through a single integration. Using data-backed optimization, you can improve on-time delivery metrics and reduce costs for every shipment, while also easily creating labels and ensuring accurate deliveries.
Key features of EasyPost:
EasyPost is free when you ship up to 120,000 packages per year; Enterprise pricing is available upon request.
For Shopify users, you can download the ShipBlink-EasyPost API free here.
Measuring your performance keeps your ecommerce store from stagnating. As you dig into your data, tracking metrics like conversion rate, cart abandonment rate, and average order value, you’ll uncover inefficiencies and find ways to improve. And it’s all possible because of analytics and optimization tools.
This section includes a few go-to analytics and optimization tools, including the single most important one for any ecommerce store: Google Analytics 4.
Google Analytics 4 gives you visibility into all your website’s data. It can require some time to learn how to access and interpret this data, but when you do, you unlock a treasure chest of essential customer insights. These will guide your marketing efforts, helping you anticipate customer behavior, improve marketing ROI, and make more strategic decisions.
Key features of Google Analytics 4:
As mentioned above, the learning curve for Google Analytics 4 can be steep. However, it’s worth taking the time to become an expert, as the platform offers a wealth of features and capabilities for data analysis and optimization.
Google Analytics 4 is free to use.
Optimizely offers three solutions: Orchestrate (for content creation), Experiment (for website testing and experimentation), and Monetize (for customized commerce). This section will focus on Experiment, which enables A/B testing. By constantly testing new website changes and adjusting accordingly, you’ll optimize for conversions and customer retention.
Key features of Optimizely:
Optimizely pricing is available upon request.
Great customer service leads to five-star reviews, repeat customers, and fewer chargebacks. In short, your customer interactions can’t be overlooked. As your business grows, stay on top of customer questions, complaints, and requests by automating with customer service software.
Zendesk is an AI-powered customer service solution. With a focus on delivering personalized experiences, Zendesk allows businesses to build strong relationships and drive customer loyalty through meaningful connections.
Key features of Zendesk:
Zendesk pricing:
Gorgias is an AI-driven customer experience platform used by over 15,000 ecommerce brands to streamline support and improve customer interactions. By consolidating customer conversations, channels, and tools into one unified helpdesk, Gorgias increases support efficiency and effectiveness.
Unlike Zendesk, which charges by agent, Gorgias uses a per-ticket pricing model. The prices are as follows:
Automating crucial ecommerce processes will save you time and money, reduce errors and inconsistencies, and ultimately increase sales. While many of the best tools require an upfront investment, they’ll pay off in the long run (and often in the short run). Best of luck in your ecommerce journey!
P.S. If you run a Shopify store and want more great tool ideas, check out our guide to the 15 best Shopify apps.