Web.com may not immediately be on everyone’s lips when you think of eCommerce. But it should be. People instantly think of sites like Shopify when it comes to eCommerce—and for good reason. More than 1.7M merchants sell using the Shopify platform and the number keeps growing. But when it comes to alternatives to shopify, Web.com may actually have what small business owners need to grow, and thrive in the eCommerce world. With the launch of Web.com’s eCommerce platform, users will finally have everything they need on one platform—no need to download apps or plugins. From selling products on the top marketplaces to shipping new customer orders, business owners will have one solution to do it all.
Reasons why you should build an eCommerce store on Web.com
One platform for everything you need
When you sign up for an eCommerce store on Web.com, everything you need is on the platform. There’s no need to download from an app store for additional features you might want or need. Since an app store offers third-party apps, most of them come with additional cost. With Web.com’s eCommerce packages, you don’t need to pay extra for plugins. Web.com owns all of its website integrations—unlike Shopify which only owns the application store.
Sell products in more marketplaces
Shopify allows its customers to sell their products in other marketplaces—specifically eBay (in which you have to download its app to be able to sell there) and on Walmart. That is hardly a list. When you’re an entrepreneur, the more eyeballs you have on your goods, the better chances of selling them. Luckily, with Web.com’s Premium eCommerce package, customers are able to sell on more marketplaces:
- eBay (US, UK, CA, AU, AT, BE, FR, DE, IT, NL, ES, CH, IN, PH, IE, PL, SG, and MY)
- Etsy
- Amazon DE, CA, UK, AU, FR, ES, IT, and IN
- Walmart (US & CA)
- Buy with Google
- Google Ads
- Bonanza
Affordable online store builder
Shopify’s eCommerce starts at $29 per month with a free 14-day trial—a starter package that does not come with even basic website reporting. However, Web.com’s starter eCommerce package is at $13.95 per month (annual rate) and already comes with a ton more features, like appointment scheduling, shipping software, abandoned cart recovery, 24/7 automated inventory sync, in-store pay and pickup, discounts, and accounting integrations.
People can argue that there is Shopify Lite which offers $9.99 per month. However, Shopify Lite does not allow you to build your own online store—it’s just a “Buy Now” button you can add to a website you should already have.
Better features in the advanced packages
Aside from providing website reporting on all packages, Web.com offers more features in its advanced bundles than Shopify. Marketing applications are not readily available on Shopify packages, meaningyou have to look for free or paid ones in the app store. To get real time shipping rates, you’d have to purchase Shopify’s $299.99 per month package—a stark contrast to Web.com’s $32.99 per month package that already offers it. The automated sales tax feature is offered on both Shopify’s and Web.com’s highest tiers but that’s $299 (Shopify) vs. $49.99 (Web.com). Web.com’s advanced bundles showcase features that you don’t have to hunt down apps for, like:
- Appointment scheduling
- Sell on Facebook and Instagram shops
- Sell on popular marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy
- Real-time shipping rates
- Shipping software
- 24/7 automated inventory sync
- In-store pay and pickup options
- Bulk product CSV imports/exports
- Multichannel fulfillment with an FBA integration
- Automated fulfillment feeds fordropshipping and 3PLs
- Restock/purchasing software
- Customizable Discounts
- Accounting integrations with QuickBooks Online and Xero
The final verdict
Shopify may be the most popular choice for eCommerce websites but popular doesn’t always mean the most efficient, most affordable, or most applicable for a business. Web.com offers small business owners—and even side-hustlers—the chance to build a professional eCommerce site with all the bells and whistles it deserves at a price that does not break the bank. It’s time for small business owners to make the smartest choice—and Web.com’s eCommerce packages is exactly that and more.
