Ecwid Review: Is Ecwid The Right Ecommerce Development Platform For You?

What is Ecwid exactly?

Ecwid is a simple, streamlined, and affordable eCommerce development platform gaining popularity in recent years. Simply put, it is a powerful tool for people who want to build their online store.

Considered a SaaS (stands for Software as a Service), Ecwid is based on web 2.0 technology, allowing business owners to register and create a free account with one click. This account can then be used to build your store by choosing from various website templates that suit your specific needs.

Unlike Bigcommerce and Shopify, Ecwid is free for users. This means that you do not have to pay any initial fees to start your store. However, be warned that Ecwid will earn its revenue through transaction fees (3% plus $0.30) once your store begins to make sales.

Ecwid Features

1) Ease of Use

Is it possible to learn the workaround easily for non-technical users?

In a word: Yes.

Ecwid is designed to be incredibly easy to use regardless of your technical background. It comes with a simple drag and drop interface where users can simply drag and drop their images and text to the template and choose from a variety of other features such as social media integration, extensive security protections, and powerful marketing tools.

2) Security

When it comes to online security, Ecwid has the strictest measures in place for its users.

Ecwid's security standards are the highest in the industry. As an up-and-coming platform, it has already set up secure payment gateways for its users and protected them from phishing scams. It also comes with two-factor authentication to protect users from unauthorized access.

3) Control over your Data

Ecwid gives you complete control of your data through their secured account system.

Ecwid provides a wide range of data capture features that allow you to see your sales and users all the way through to the final purchase. There is also a variety of advanced reporting tools, including all-in-one reports and detailed reports for each of your website customers.

4) Marketing

With Ecwid, you can easily share your products with your customers via social media buttons.

Ecwid supports social media integration for all major social networks (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.). Therefore, it allows you to easily feature your products on the social media profiles of your customers. In addition, the platform also has an extensive blog section that can be used to gain traffic through search engine optimization.

5) Scalability and Flexibility

Ecwid is unique in that it combines a simple setup with maximum flexibility.

Ecwid can be set up in minutes by simply choosing from the template gallery, creating your account, and installing the plug-ins. While other eCommerce platforms are highly restrictive, Ecwid allows independent stores to run their stores with the highest degree of flexibility possible. This includes customization of templates to match your specific brand image. You can even hire a third-party ecommerce developer for this job if you have your heart set on it.

6) Point-of-Sale functionality

Good thing, Ecwid has this option for your store.

Ecwid integrates with Shopify POS, which allows you to instantly accept credit card payments from your mobile phone, tablet, or desktop computer. This allows you to track your inventory and control your sales directly from the point-of-sale system.

7) Pricing

Ecwid pricing model is simple and easy to understand. You can start your business for free, or you can choose to take advantage of their premium plans. Ecwid allows you to instantly create a free account that you can use to develop your eCommerce store. However, if you plan to sell over $2000 over the year, you will have to pay their 3% transaction fees + 30cents per sale.

Premium plans: Ecwid has several premium plans for businesses that want more features and enhanced security. These plans range from $9.99 to $69.99 per month, depending on the number of stores you want to add and the total revenue made during the year (zero transaction fees).

Pros of Ecwid

-No technical knowledge required - Ecwid is incredibly easy to use regardless of how much technical knowledge you have. It is designed to be user-friendly for all parties involved.

-Free Marketing Tools - Ecwid comes with a variety of advanced marketing tools that can help you gain traffic and sales for your store. These include their blog section, social media integration, and SEO tools.

-Consistent Support - Ecwid's support team is incredibly responsive and easy to get in touch with. Even non-technical users will be able to get the help they need at any time.

-Compatible with most eCommerce development platforms - Ecwid has been designed to be compatible with the majority of online stores. This means that you can use your Ecwid template for any shopping cart you already have, such as BigCommerce, Shopify, and WooCommerce.

-Compatible with most software - They are compatible with most software that online stores or ecommerce agencies use. This includes Shopify Lite  and WooCommerce.

Cons of Ecwid

-Seller Flexibility - You must be a registered Ecwid user to use their platform. It means that to sell on their site, you must register a free account. If you do not, it will be hard for you to sell or display your products online.

-Expensive Development - Ecwid is not very flexible when it comes to development. If you plan to customize the template or plug-ins, you must hire a third-party ecommerce developer because Ecwid will not allow you to do this yourself.

-Uncompetitive Pricing - While Ecwid's price is competitive with other platforms in the marketplace, it will cost you 3% transaction fees + 30 cents per sale for items sold over $2000 during the year. Again, this is much higher than other platforms in this price range.

-Phone support is not available for the Free plan. - Ecwid only provides phone support for their premium plans. If you are on the free plan, you must communicate with their support staff through email, which can be time-consuming.

-Poor eCommerce Platform - Ecwid has pretty user-friendly templates that are compatible with most eCommerce platforms. However, their user experience is lacking when put up next to other eCommerce development  platforms in this price range. In addition, they do not have any advanced features to boost your sales or marketing efforts.

Our Verdict

Ecwid is a very intuitive eCommerce platform that is capable of handling simple functions with ease. It has a wide range of tools for increasing your traffic and sales, as well as a variety of templates for impressing your customers. They have a very consistent support staff, but their premium plans can be expensive for small business owners.

Hence, we highly suggest that you compare Ecwid and other platforms to see which one best fits your eCommerce business.

While Ecwid might be a good choice for businesses with a limited amount of products and customers, we do not recommend it as a first choice eCommerce development  platform for those who sell high-ticket products like products priced over $1000 or products that you need to ship internationally.