Big Cartel vs Shopify: Comparative guide to e-commerce platforms

When it comes to getting into dropshipping, choosing the right e-commerce platform is crucial. So, in today's guide, Big Cartel vs shopify, are two of the best popular platforms for dropshipping that we're going to analyze.

Big Cartel is known for its streamlined approach and focus on independent artists and designers. Shopify, on the other hand, is a more comprehensive and versatile e-commerce solution, used by many businesses of all sizes.
So let's take a look at the reputation and popularity of these two platforms to help you choose the best alternative for your business.

Dropshipping with Big Cartel vs shopify

In this section, we'll compare the dropshipping features offered by the two platforms:

Big Cartel dropshipping features

Big Cartel enables users to connect third-party suppliers and manage orders in a simplified way. In addition, it offers tools for synchronizing inventory, managing shipments and tracking orders, while simplifying the process for e-commerce sites.

Shopify dropshipping features

Shopify offers dedicated dropshipping features, including easy integration with third-party suppliers via its App Store. In addition, users can find specialized dropshipping apps to manage inventory, process orders and sell products. You can also read our article on "How to promote a Big cartel store" here.

Comparison of dropshipping tools

For selling your products on the Internet or dropshipping, Shopify can be one of the best alternatives to Big Cartel for e-merchants. Let's take a look at the tools offered by these two platforms:

Big Cartel

With Big Cartel, users can integrate third-party suppliers using third-party applications or custom codes. This makes it easy to connect the e-commerce store to suppliers and manage inventory and orders. What's more, thanks to the tools it offers, you can learn how to dropship on Big Cartel.

Shopify

Shopify offers easy integration with many third-party suppliers via its App Store. Indeed, merchants can find dedicated dropshipping apps that make it easy: 

• Supplier management, 
• Stock synchronization,
• Order processing.

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Big Cartel vs shopify: inventory and order management

If you're thinking of setting up an ecommerce business to offer digital products, we'll show you in this section"how to sell digital products on Big Cartel or Shopify":

Big Cartel

To help you sell your products, Big Cartel offers several inventory and order management tools. These tools enable users to track their stock levels, receive notifications of products sold out, and efficiently manage their orders. Although inventory management features are more basic than on other platforms, they are sufficient for an ecommerce store.

Shopify

Shopify features powerful inventory and order management tools. Users can track exactly: 

• Stock levels, 
• Receive alerts for out-of-stock products, 
• Manage orders, 
• Generate shipping labels,
• Automate fulfillment processes through integrations with logistics providers. 

Finally, Shopify offers a more advanced and comprehensive inventory and order management experience.

Customization and design

Below you'll find a comparison of the different customization and design options offered by the two"Big Cartel vs shopify" platforms:

Big Cartel

This ecommerce platform offers a selection of predefined themes and templates that allow users to customize the look and feel of their web store. Customization options are more limited than with other platforms. However, they offer basic customization possibilities for creating an attractive web store.

Shopify

Shopify offers a wide range of professional-quality themes and templates, as well as advanced customization tools. What's more, users can easily customize the look and feel of their sales site by adjusting the: 

• Colors,
• Fonts,
• Page layout,
• Drag-and-drop tools. 

Finally, Shopify offers extensive customization. This makes it an attractive option for those who want total control over the design of their e-commerce site.

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Costs and pricing

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Big Cartel

It offers several pricing plans, including a free plan limited to 5 products and paid options offering additional functionality. Big Cartel's rates are generally affordable, making it an attractive option for small online stores on a limited budget.

Shopify

Shopify offers a variety of pricing options tailored to users' needs. These range from basic plans to more advanced plans that offer additional functionality. Shopify prices may vary according to features and expected sales volumes. Although Shopify's prices are generally higher than Big Cartel's, they also offer more advanced features and greater scalability.

Big Cartel vs shopify: ease of use and user-friendliness

If you want to know how to promote a store on Big cartel or Shopify, it's important to know how easy and user-friendly they are. And that's what we're going to talk about in the following lines.

Big Cartel

This commerce platform features a simple, user-friendly interface, making it easy to use, even for beginners. What's more, users can easily navigate through the various functionalities and customization options, and intuitively manage their online store.

Shopify

Shopify is renowned for its user-friendly interface and ease of use. The platform offers an intuitive user experience, with clear navigation and well-organized options. Users can easily manage their online store, add products, and customize their design without extensive technical knowledge.

If you want to offer personalized products to your customers without having to manage production, check out this guide to"7+Best Print-on-Demand Shopify Apps".

Performance and scalability

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User opinions and feedback

Big Cartel

User reviews of Big Cartel are generally positive about its ease of use and user-friendly interface. However, some users note limitations in terms of advanced functionality and customization.

Shopify

Shopify users generally praise the platform for its power, versatility and wealth of features. They also appreciate the responsive customer support and active community. However, some users mention that the additional costs associated with apps and themes can add up quickly.

You can also read our article on "How to add customer reviews to Big cartel" here.

Conclusion 

Ultimately, the choice between "Big Cartel vs Shopify" will depend on your situation, your business objectives and your resources. Take the time to carefully evaluate the above criteria to select the platform that best suits your dropshipping needs. If you opt for Shopify, you can get started right away with 3 months free for just €1 to get your business off the ground.

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Frequently asked questions 

Is Big Cartel expensive?

Big Cartel offers a range of pricing packages, from a free version to three paid packages, with prices ranging from $9.99 to $19.99 per month. Paid plans allow you to increase the number of products sold, with a maximum of 500 products. The Platinum plan, the least expensive, lets you sell up to 50 products and include five images per product.

Can we switch from Big Cartel to Shopify?

To switch from Big Cartel to Shopify, you can use the Cart2Cart migration app, available in the Shopify App Store. This app makes it easy to transfer your data and content to Shopify. You can even run a free demo migration to make sure the process works for your store.

Does Big Cartel take a percentage of sales?

Big Cartel does not charge transaction fees. However, to accept online payments, you will need to use payment providers such as Stripe and/or PayPal, and you will need to pay the processing fees charged by these providers.