Big Cartel is an online marketplace and e-commerce platform specifically designed for creative businesses and small entrepreneurs looking to sell their products effortlessly. Here’s a detailed overview of what Big Cartel offers:
What is Big Cartel?
Big Cartel is a cloud-hosted eCommerce platform that allows users to develop and operate their online stores from any device with internet access. Founded in 2005 by a musician to sell band merchandise, it has since expanded to serve a wide range of creative and artistic sellers, as well as other business types.
Key Features
Plans and Pricing
Big Cartel offers several plans to cater to different business needs:
- Free (Gold) Plan: Allows up to 5 product listings with 1 image per product. It includes basic features like sales tax autopilot, real-time stats, and customizable store templates.
- Platinum Plan: Costs $15/month and allows up to 50 product listings with 5 images per product. It adds features like inventory and shipment tracking, bulk editing, and the ability to sell in person.
- Diamond Plan: Costs $30/month and allows up to 500 product listings with 25 images per product. This plan includes advanced analytics, real-time sales dashboards, and priority support.
Product Management
- Users can add products manually or bulk import them using a CSV file, making it easy to migrate products from other marketplaces like Etsy, Squarespace, and Shopify.
- Each product can have multiple size and color variants, and users can set up to three option groups, creating up to 150 different product options per listing.
Payment and Sales
- Big Cartel supports various payment gateways including cards, PayPal (including PayPal Credit and Venmo), Afterpay, and more. There are no transaction fees, but standard payment processing rates apply (e.g., 2.9% $0.30 per transaction for Stripe).
Store Customization and SEO
- The platform offers customizable store templates that are SEO-optimized, helping users attract organic traffic. Users can also integrate Google Analytics for advanced performance tracking.
Automation and Analytics
- Big Cartel includes automation features such as sales tax autopilot and real-time stats. The higher plans provide comprehensive real-time reporting and analytics to help businesses make data-driven decisions.
Additional Features
- Users can sell both online and in person.
- The platform supports mobile apps for iOS and Android.
- Integration with other tools like Mailchimp, ShipStation, and live chat is available.
Ease of Use and Scalability
Big Cartel is known for its intuitive interface, making it easy for users to set up and manage their online stores without technical complications. The platform is scalable, allowing businesses to upgrade their plans as they grow, ensuring that the features and capabilities align with their expanding needs.
In summary, Big Cartel is a user-friendly, affordable, and scalable e-commerce solution tailored for creative businesses and small entrepreneurs, offering a range of features to help them build, manage, and grow their online stores effectively.