Google has rejected demands it pay hundreds of millions of dollars per year in compensation to Australian news media under a government-imposed revenue sharing deal.
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Monday, 1 June 2020
Ultimate List of Ecommerce Tools For 2020
The ecommerce industry is booming.
These trends are showing no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future. In fact, the global ecommerce market is expected to eclipse $6.54 trillion in sales by 2023. That’s up from $3.53 trillion in 2019.
Whether you’re interested in starting a new ecommerce business from scratch or looking to expand your retail operation to an online store, you can use an ecommerce tool to achieve your goal.
Not all ecommerce solutions are created equally. Some tools are all-in-one website builders, while others are plug-ins, add-ons, or shopping cart software.
So what’s the best ecommerce tool for 2020? The answer depends on your unique situation. Use this guide to find the best ecommerce solution for you and your business.
In a market saturated with dozens, if not hundreds, of different ecommerce tools, there are the top ten that I’d recommend. I’ll give you an in-depth overview of the features, benefits, pricing, and use cases for each one of these tools as we continue through this guide.
1. Shopify
Shopify has everything you need and more to start an ecommerce website from scratch. It’s an all-in-one ecommerce solution for website creation and shopping cart software.
Regardless of your technical skill level, Shopify is easy for anyone to set up and use right out of the box.
Shopify makes it possible for you to sell from anywhere. In addition to your own ecommerce store, Shopify supports third-party marketplaces, social media selling, and in-person sales with Shopify POS (point of sale) software.
Every Shopify theme is optimized for mobile devices. Additionally, with tools like BuildFire, you could always build a Shopify mobile app to take your mobile sales strategy to the next level.
One of the most significant standouts of Shopify is its versatility. From startups to small businesses and large-scale operations, this ecommerce tool can fit the needs of any organization.
Pricing: Shopify has three different plans—Basic Shopify, Shopify, and Advanced Shopify. These plans start at $29, $79, and $299 per month, respectively. You can try Shopify for free with a 14-day trial.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is unique compared to some of the other ecommerce tools on our list. That’s because it’s not an all-in-one ecommerce solution.
If you already have a WordPress website, you can add ecommerce functionality by installing the WooCommerce plugin.
From selling products to subscriptions and memberships, WooCommerce has everything you need to add ecommerce capabilities to WordPress.
The tool is fully customizable. It integrates with popular payment platforms like Stripe, Square, PayPal, Amazon Pay, and more. WooCommerce has other extensions for things like printing shipping labels and integrating with your email marketing platform.
For those of you who have an existing WordPress site, WooCommerce is the best way to start selling online without doing a complete rebuild. Simply install the plugin, and customize your settings from there.
Pricing: WooCommerce is free to install on your WordPress site. But other extensions to customize the WooCommerce plugin do cost money. Tons of extensions are free, while others range up to $300 per installation.
3. BigCommerce
Since launching back in 2009, BigCommerce has processed more than $25 billion in merchant sales. It’s used by businesses in 120+ countries worldwide.
As another full-service ecommerce platform provider, BigCommerce offers everything you need to start selling online.
Compared to other ecommerce tools on the market today, BigCommerce comes pre-loaded with the most native features.
BigCommerce has exceptional tools for inventory management, SEO, and conversions. You’ll also benefit from 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. So you can rest assured knowing that you’ll have access to assistance if you ever have any questions.
In addition to traditional online sales, BigCommerce supports B2B wholesale websites and provides enterprise-grade ecommerce solutions as well.
BigCommerce is an industry leader in ecommerce performance. When it comes to page loading speed, uptime, and security, this tool is second to none.
Pricing: The Standard plan starts at $29.95 per month. BigCommerce Plus starts at $79.95 per month, and Pro starts at $299.95 per month. You’ll need to contact the sales team for a custom quote on Enterprise solutions.
4. Wix
Wix is arguably the world’s simplest website builder. The platform is the easiest way for anyone to build a new website from scratch without any technical knowledge or coding experience.
Using the intuitive drag-and-drop builder, you can design a high-quality website with text, images, videos, and other media types in minutes. Adding new pages or starting a blog with Wix is just as easy.
Wix has 500+ templates for you to choose from. Your website will automatically be optimized for SEO and mobile web browsers. If you build a site with Wix, you’ll have access to the Wix App Market. This resource is filled with powerful web apps to customize your site.
You can also create an online store with your Wix website.
Wix offers a fully customizable storefront and shopping cart. Add features like a shopping wishlist, related product galleries, a quick add-to-cart button, mini-carts, and more.
For those of you who want to start selling new products online but don’t know where to start, Wix’s platform supports dropshipping. Browse from thousands of products that you can sell, with no inventory costs. Products ship in 5-7 business days.
Wix allows you to set up custom shipping rules as well. Manage international orders, choose your carrier preferences, and give customers real-time delivery estimates.
Pricing: Wix has plans starting at $13 per month. But not every Wix subscription supports online selling. The ecommerce plans with the ability to accept online payments range from $23 to $49 per month. Enterprise solutions start at $500 per month.
5. Magento
Magento is an ecommerce tool offered by Adobe. It’s an all-in-one ecommerce solution that processes more than $100 billion in gross merchandise sales each year.
With Magento, you can create an ecommerce store no matter how big or small your website is. This platform supports small businesses, mid-market and enterprise, and B2B online sales as well.
Magento stands out from other platforms with its efficiency, automation, and access to crucial data. You’ll benefit from inventory management, business intelligence, shipping solutions, and order management.
This ecommerce tool has specific features for customer segmentation and personalization.
Your store will automatically display products, promotions, content, and prices based on factors like customer location, order history, customer gender, LTV, and wish list items. You can even improve the shopping experience for unknown website visitors based on their shopping cart or products viewed.
Pricing: Contact the Magento sales team for a custom quote on a Magento Commerce license. You can request a free demo to try it out before you commit.
6. Squarespace
Squarespace is another well-known website builder. Unlike Wix, Squarespace has integrated ecommerce capabilities built-in to all of its business plans.
This ecommerce tool is popular for businesses and individuals in creative industries. The Squarespace designs are known for being both beautiful and modern. These award-winning templates are perfect for fashion designers, artists, musicians, and photographers.
If you want to showcase your work and sell it online, Squarespace is the place to do it.
You can also Squarespace to sell subscriptions and digital content.
If you’re selling physical products, Squarespace offers automatic inventory management, shipping calculator tools, and a rich product display. Use this ecommerce tool to showcase videos of your products as well.
Squarespace integrates with other popular online selling tools such as PayPal, Stripe, USPS, FedEx, and Apple Pay. It also integrates with popular accounting solutions like Xero.
For those of you who want to create a portfolio website and monetize it with ecommerce capabilities, Squarespace is the best choice for you.
Pricing: Squarespace Personal costs $12 per month. But you can’t sell online with this option. The $18 business plan has a fully integrated ecommerce store with the ability to sell unlimited products, although it does have some limitations.
To take full advantage of Squarespace as an ecommerce tool, consider the Basic Commerce or Advanced Commerce plan. These start at $26 and $40 per month, respectively.
7. 3DCart
3DCart is one of the oldest ecommerce tools on our list. The platform was founded back in 1997. More than 25,000 merchants use this tool to power their ecommerce website.
To be clear, 3DCart is not for everyone. It’s ecommerce software that’s designed for advanced ecommerce stores. The platform doesn’t offer a drag-and-drop site builder like Wix. Instead, you’ll need to have some knowledge related to development and coding to fully customize your templates and themes.
Just install 3DCart into your existing website to turn it into an ecommerce shop. If you aren’t comfortable editing your site’s code, you’ll likely need to hire a developer to do this.
Once installed, you’ll have access to more than 200 built-in ecommerce features. 3DCart has 50 free themes and supports 100+ payment processors.
Integrate 3DCart with platforms like MailChimp, Stripe, Facebook, Amazon, PayPal, QuickBooks, and more.
For those of you who don’t want the restrictions associated with an all-in-one ecommerce website builder, 3DCart offers full customization. You’ll just need to handle the coding on your own.
Pricing: 3DCart has five different plans ranging from $19 per month to $229 per month. You can try the software for free with a 15-day trial. All plans are backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
8. Easy Digital Downloads
Just as its name implies, Easy Digital Downloads is an ecommerce tool designed for selling digital products. Similar to WooCommerce, it’s a plugin for WordPress websites.
More than 2.44 million users have downloaded EDD.
This ecommerce tool makes it easy for you to create discount codes, track download activity, and restrict file access. It comes with a fully integrated shopping cart that allows customers to purchase multiple downloads simultaneously.
There are no limitations on how many digital products you can sell with the Easy Digital Downloads plugin.
The tool integrates with other popular tools and extensions that you’re already using. Some examples include PayPal, Authorize.net, Stripe, Slack, Zapier, AWeber, Dropbox, and Amazon Web Services.
Pricing: There are four different plans for the EDD plugin license. All of them are billed on an annual basis until canceled. The Personal Pass is $99, Extended Pass is $199, Professional Pass is $299, and All Access Pass is $499.
9. Ecwid
Ecwid is a free commerce extension that’s compatible with WordPress and other popular CMS platforms. You can add the Ecwid tool to Weebly, Joomla, Tumblr, Squarespace, Wix, Blogger, and Adobe Muse.
You’ll also be able to sell online from marketplaces like Amazon and eBay or sell on social media via Facebook and Instagram.
Unlike 3DCart, you can install Ecwid to your website without any development or coding experience. The Ecwid software can integrate with in-person selling at your brick and mortar retail stores as well.
If you’re currently using WordPress but don’t want to use WooCommerce as an ecommerce tool, Ecwid is a viable alternative.
Ecwid has a free forever plan, but it’s extremely limited. You’ll only be able to sell up to ten products and won’t have access to sales channels outside of your website.
Pricing: The entry-level Venture plan starts at $15 per month. Business and Unlimited plans start at $35 per month and $99 per month, respectively. You can save money on all of these if you commit to an annual contract.
10. OpenCart
Last but certainly not least on our list is OpenCart. Unlike some of the other tools listed above, this is not a website builder. OpenCart is a free and open-source platform that adds ecommerce functionality to existing websites.
Over 342,000 ecommerce websites across the world use OpenCart for selling online.
The most significant standout of this ecommerce tool is the OpenCart marketplace. You’ll have access to 13,000+ modules and themes. You can integrate OpenCart with an extensive list of payment gateways and shipping providers.
As an open-source platform, OpenCart has an outstanding community support forum with more than 550,000 posts from 110,000+ registered members.
For a one-time fee or ongoing monthly service, you can have access to OpenCart’s dedicated support staff.
Pricing: As I mentioned earlier, OpenCart is free to download and install. But extensions and dedicated support will cost extra.
What’s the best ecommerce tool to use in 2020? It depends on your unique situation.
An ecommerce startup won’t have the same needs as a small business retailer that wants to expand online. There are ecommerce tools that are better for selling wholesale B2B products and other tools made for digital downloads.
Do you want to create a new website from scratch? Or are you adding ecommerce functionality to your existing site?
All of these scenarios will impact how you choose an ecommerce solution.
Since I included something for everyone in this guide, I’m confident that you can find what you’re looking for in one of the ten options listed above.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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Flipkart to Re-Apply for Food Retail License
Flipkart said on Monday it would re-apply for a food retail license in India after reports said its earlier proposal was rejected by the government last week.
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Mumbai Ambulance Startup Joins Coronavirus Battle
With bodies piling up in wards and patients sharing beds, the coronavirus has crippled Mumbai's health care system. But an ambulance service launched by three 20-somethings is trying to do its bit.
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The 4 Snackable Content Formats Every Marketer Should Understand
Let's imagine a world where I just started my own lifestyle brand called Lightning on Fire Inc.
You're probably thinking, "Wow, that name rules! But what do you sell?"
We sell a lifestyle.
Now, you're probably wondering, "Wow, that sounds like it rules! But what does that mean?"
Well … we don't actually know yet. What we do know is that we want to create some content to get our marketing efforts off the ground. But our staff isn't great with long-form articles, and Lightning on Fire's target audience is looking for content they can consume quickly and share consistently.
In this case, we would try to produce what's known as snackable content — which is exactly what it sounds like. It's essentially the content equivalent of chips or pizza bagels as opposed to legitimate meals.
Here, we'll get some more perspective on what the term "snackable content" entails and learn about four of the most basic yet effective formats for creating it.
It's easy to assume that creating snackable content is inherently easier than long-form content, and in some ways, it definitely is. But snackable content creation comes with a host of its own challenges and strategies. It's a different game with different rules, and its potential payoffs can be more immediate and wider-reaching than long-form content.
The object of creating snackable content is to offer immediate entertainment or enrichment, prompt social sharing, and attract new leads as a result. And certain content mediums facilitate that process particularly well.
Here are four of the easiest, most straightforward snackable content formats that can lead to meaningful, lucrative outcomes if done right.
1. Quote Graphics
A compelling quote can capture attention in itself, but supporting one with captivating visuals adds a new dimension to the interest it can generate. Think of your quote as the entree to a Michelin star meal — a cut of filet mignon (or a lentil stuffed eggplant if you're vegetarian).
It's the centerpiece of the dish, and it's delicious in its own right, but some side dishes and "eye-eats-first" presentation would take it to another level. That's the fundamental principle behind quote graphics. The engaging backdrop, distinctive font, and other engrossing visual elements fill up the rest of the plate and turn it from a tasty a la carte entree to a perfectly snackable, five-star meal.
If you can find or create quote-oriented content relevant to your business, you can command and retain the attention of potential customers. Here's an example of a snackable quote graphic from my hypothetical lifestyle brand.
Now, this graphic is clearly in jest, and no one actually calls me "Money Machine" — no matter how many times I ask them to — but it's still an example of an original quote graphic, specific to the nature of a brand. However, that doesn't necessarily have to be the case.
If there are quotes you find particularly cool or inspirational that are in keeping with your messaging, use them and provide attribution. Here's an example of a graphic centered around a quote from Muhammad Ali.
If a quote like that speaks to you or could complement your marketing efforts, use it, support it with interesting images, and cite your sources. As I said, quotes are inherently compelling, but visual support makes them engagingly snackable.
2. Memes
Here, we have my favorite format — at least the one I like making the most. Memes perfectly encapsulate snackable content as a concept. They're immediate, specifically-tailored to be entertaining, and can be easily scrolled through and shared. Here's a meme I made to support Lightning on Fire's content marketing efforts:
Creating memes is a delicate art — especially for something so blunt and seemingly straightforward. If you're using memes to support your marketing efforts, you need to be more careful than you might assume. Corporations have been known to co-opt different meme formats and run them into the ground. British TV provider Freeview even made a meme about brands ruining memes:
That being said, if you can consistently make entertaining memes tastefully — without upsetting or irritating the members of your audience that are really into memes — you'll wind up with a wealth of delightfully snackable content.
3.Infographics
The infographic, as a format, is one of the best mediums for relaying informative, meaningful content without sacrificing snackability. It's fun, engaging, and practical — with a fairly dynamic range of applications. For instance, they can be used as structured "how-to" guides for different processes, like this example from HubSpot.
But infographics don't have to be structured or sequential. They can also be used to convey general, interesting facts or statistics, like this example from the good people over here at Lightning on Fire, Inc.
Infographics are more accessible and dynamic than conventional written text — and those qualities are the essence of snackable content. They're meant to be straightforward and easy to gloss over while still being enriching. Though there will always be information that's too serious or technical to summarize and set against pretty pictures, infographics might be the best way to project valuable information in a snackable package.
4. Gifs
Gifs are another type of compulsively shareable form of snackable content with tremendous potential to catch on and go viral. As a format, gifs are extremely versatile. They can be used to show short-form videos silently, show captivating images on loop, and capture the essence of specific emotions and reactions — among several other applications.
Some gifs are almost purely for the sake of entertainment. This one is a favorite of mine:
But that's not their only function. They can be an incredibly useful marketing tool as well. Here's a promotional gif that supported the release of Terminator: Dark Fate:
It's an awesome, striking image and a perfect example of a company producing a high-quality, snackable gif. It's visually compelling and could be worth sharing just for that fact, alone. The format also works well for quick how-to videos or snippets of product demonstrations.
Original gifs are similar to original memes in that they have tons of sharing potential, but just as much potential to be dead on arrival. If you intend to create and share gifs over social media or other channels, put effort, thought, and fine touch into them. And always have multiple people look them over.
A sound web presence can be mission-critical to the success of any company's marketing strategy. If you can supplement and populate yours with solid snackable content, you're going to be in an excellent position to expand the reach and efficacy of your online marketing efforts. You want people to share your content, so give them something easy to share.
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4 Ways Small Businesses Can Advertise on Amazon [IG]
In 2020, advertising on Amazon is undoubtedly one of the most effective options for getting your products or services in front of a large audience.
In fact, 56% of consumers visit Amazon before any other site.
I'm all too familiar with the power of Amazon. It's now the first site I visit to shop for almost anything, ranging from vacuum cleaners to Mother's Day gifts to workout gear. Best of all, it's a great option for discovering new brands.
Amazon offers multiple options for small businesses looking to advertise tangible products on the platform — plus, opportunities to advertise non-tangible services, as well. But oftentimes, the e-commerce giant can feel overwhelming or out-of-reach for small businesses.
Fortunately, the folks at Business Financing Co. put together the following infographic, which explores four options for small businesses looking to advertise products on Amazon, plus alternative options for small businesses with non-tangible services.
Keep reading, and then decide for yourself which option is best-suited for your own marketing strategy. Additionally, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Amazon Advertising if you're interested in creating a comprehensive Amazon advertising strategy.
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How to Transition from In-Office to Remote Work
Going into the office every day, I was comfortable. I was in a smooth routine.
I would show up every morning at 8:30 a.m., have a smoothie, eat breakfast, and make my way to my desk. Happily, I greeted coworkers as they filed into our section. At lunchtime, I would enjoy a meal at my desk or in the lobby and work from a different area in the office until it was time to leave.
Then, suddenly, I had to begin working remotely full-time.
I was comfortable with the idea. I'd worked from home a couple of times before, and I'm an introvert. In many ways, this sounded like a dream come true: I could experience a full work day from the comfort of my home every day.
Let's talk about some things to remember when you're transitioning from working in the office to working remotely.
1. Gather all of the materials you need to complete your work.
When you begin to transition to remote work, your work setup will change. For instance, you might not have double monitors. You may or may not have a desk, and it might not rise like your desk at the office.
In order to make the transition more smooth, think about the hardware and software you absolutely will need in order to successfully complete your job duties. Check with your company to see if they have support for necessary hardware.
If you're used to using an external mouse, maybe you can learn shortcuts using the trackpad on your laptop.
Part of the transition is finding solutions that are applicable to your current situation. Remember, you can always use your colleagues as a resource — ask them about any hacks they may have discovered during their transition that you could leverage for inspiration.
2. Reconsider the meetings on your calendar.
Before going remote, there were "unofficial" meetings I would have with colleagues sporadically. For example, sometimes an unplanned coffee chat would happen if I spotted a coworker getting their morning latte nearby. Small, random meetings like these were the perfect way to catch up with associates outside of my direct team.
Going remote, there's less of a chance to bump into your office buddies. Think about adding these coffee chats to your calendar once every couple of weeks. That way, you can still catch up over morning lattes.
Additionally, maybe the in-person standup meetings you have with your team eery morning won't be as necessary as the nature of your job changes. Consider the routinized meetings you'll have on your schedule and if you can rework or reduce them.
3. Let your team know about changes to your schedule.
Remote schedules can be unpredictable. Sometimes, you'll have workdays that go exactly according to plan. But other times, life intervenes, and you might have to modify your schedule due to other things that are shifting in your life.
If this happens, communicate with your team about how your schedule may change. Maybe you and your roommates switch between who gets to use the living room to take meetings during the day, or you have to be away from your desk for a while to care for your family.
You may find that some situations will have to adapt to the way you work. Making the line of communication clear between you and your team would clear up misunderstandings down the line.
4. Set boundaries between your personal and professional life.
Something I've found with remote work is that it's so easy to work outside of my normal hours. I tend to get in "The zone" when I'm working and this leads to losing track of time. Some days, I'll look up and it's 6:30 p.m. — way past how long I aim to be online.
To combat this, I set boundaries that make sense for me in a remote setting. I set alarms that let me know when I should sign off.
I make sure the last hour of my day is devoted to tasks I know don't have to get done until later. So, if I get in my groove, when that alarm goes off at 5:30 I can feel comfortable dropping everything and signing off for the day.
5. Know that the full transition will take trial and error.
Sometimes I have good days and sometimes I have great weeks. But nearly every transition comes with its hardships. It's not uncommon to have rocky days or weeks in tandem with the good. When this happens, remember to give yourself a mental break.
If you're used to doing things a certain way for years, completely changing from where you do that thing is going to take trial and error. You might have to change elements of your workday that you'd never thought would be an issue.
When that's the case, take and accept these changes. Bad days happen, but what's important is acknowledging it and taking care of yourself so you can show up the next day. Additionally, this is another time to lean on your colleagues for advice.
One thing my colleague told me when I first transitioned into fully remote work was that "You can't expect yourself to work at 100% when your entire environment is different." Know that productivity might be hard to find at first, but as you become more comfortable, so will getting back into a groove.
6. Acknowledge cabin fever, and brainstorm solutions.
As an introvert who loves staying at home, I thought I was in the clear. I thought that I wouldn't have to think of ways to get up and stretch because I love sitting in my bedroom and writing.I was wrong.
Stretching, exercising, or moving at all is necessary to your health and productivity. As you're making this change, brainstorm ways you might get stir crazy and proactively brainstorm solutions. This will help you identify the stir craziness when it arises and take the necessary steps to remedy the feeling.
As for me, I had to learn as I went through the motions. Yoga, hourly stretch breaks, quick walks, and cooking an indulgent lunch are all methods I leverage to get up, move, take my eyes away from a screen, and replenish myself before returning to my desk.
The transition to remote work has a focus on productivity, but it also involves adapting to a huge change. Set yourself up for success in every way you can. That way, when curveballs arise, you can handle them.
Knowing you're as prepared as you can be is one of the biggest assets you have when you're transitioning to remote work. Also know that you have people and resources in your corner. So, even if you may be working alone, you're never truly by yourself.
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