BigCommerce Free Trial: Is It Right For You? (A Step-by-Step Guide)

BigCommerce Free Trial: Is It Right For You? (A Step-by-Step Guide)

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Embarking on your e-commerce journey can seem intimidating, especially for those new to the world of online selling. A free trial offers a perfect opportunity to explore robust platforms like BigCommerce before making a commitment. This guide presents a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough designed to help you maximize your BigCommerce free trial experience.

Table of Contents

BigCommerce has earned the trust of countless businesses, including renowned brands, due to its reliability, consistently high uptime, and intuitive design. It accommodates ventures of all scales, making it an ideal option for those looking to build a robust online presence. This guide will navigate you through the diverse capabilities of BigCommerce during your free trial period.

Getting Started with Your BigCommerce Free Trial

Step 1: Sign Up

Your journey begins on the BigCommerce website. Keep an eye out for the “Start Your Free Trial” or “Get Started” button. BigCommerce typically offers a “bigcommerce 30 day trial” (though you might even find “bigcommerce 3 month trial” offers available!). Enter your email address, select a name for your “bigcommerce trial store”, and create a secure password. Be prepared to answer a few basic questions about your business size and industry.

Step 2: Exploring the BigCommerce Dashboard

Once you’ve signed up for your “bigcommerce trial account”, the BigCommerce dashboard will be your command center. This is where you’ll manage all aspects of your online store. Take a moment to explore these key areas:

  • Orders: Track incoming orders, manually add orders, export order data, and streamline your order fulfillment process.
  • Products: The heart of your online store! Add and organize products, control inventory, set pricing, and create product variations.
  • Customers: Manage your customer database, import or export customer information, and segment your customers into groups for focused marketing efforts.
  • Storefront: Take control of your website’s design, from selecting themes to customizing styles and managing your store’s navigation.
  • Marketing: Harness BigCommerce’s powerful marketing tools, including banners, promotions, coupon codes, email marketing, and abandoned cart recovery.
  • Analytics: Gain valuable insights into your store’s performance, tracking revenue, customer behavior, conversion rates, and more.

Don’t be surprised if you see some helpful “Quick Start” guides or recommendations directly on your dashboard. These resources can make your initial setup even smoother.

Adding Your First Products

Your product catalog is the core of your e-commerce venture. A compelling and well-organized product selection is essential to attracting and engaging potential customers. BigCommerce simplifies the process of adding and managing your products.

  1. Navigate to Products: Simply click on the “Products” section within your dashboard.
  2. Add Product: You’ll find a clear “Add Product” button. Give it a click!
  3. Enter Product Details: Here you’ll input all the essential information about your product:
    • Product Name: The name that will appear on your website. Choose a clear and descriptive title.
    • SKU (Stock Keeping Unit): A unique code for each product, helping you manage inventory.
    • Description: Craft a detailed and engaging product description, highlighting its features, benefits, and any unique selling points.
    • Price: Set your product’s retail price.
  4. Add Images and Videos: Visuals are everything! Upload high-quality images and videos to showcase your products from different angles. Consider lifestyle shots or product demonstrations to truly engage your customers.
  5. Manage Inventory: Input accurate stock levels to keep your inventory organized. BigCommerce can even alert you when stock levels are running low, helping you avoid missed sales opportunities.

Creating Product Variations

Do your products come in multiple sizes, colors, or other variations? These options allow you to personalize the shopping experience.

  • Create Variations: Click on the “Variations” tab when adding a product.
  • Choose Options: Select the variation types you want to offer, like color, size, material, or any other relevant options.
  • Add Values: Enter specific values for each option (e.g., colors: red, blue, green; sizes: S, M, L).
  • Manage Pricing: You have the flexibility to set different prices for variations, accounting for variations in production or material costs.

Customizing Product Options

BigCommerce provides additional customization tools to cater to products with unique configurations.

  • Custom Fields: For products like engraved jewelry or personalized gifts, custom fields allow you to collect specific information (e.g., engraving text, gift message).
  • Dimensions & Weight: Especially important for calculating shipping costs, make sure to input accurate dimensions and weights.

Choosing and Customizing Your Storefront Theme

Your storefront theme determines your website’s visual design and user experience. BigCommerce boasts an extensive library of themes, both free and paid, allowing you to find the perfect match for your brand.

  • Explore the Theme Marketplace: Go to the “Storefront” section and click on “Theme Marketplace.”
  • Filter and Sort: Refine your search using filters based on price (free or paid) and industry-specific themes for businesses in niches like fashion or electronics.
  • Preview Before Applying: BigCommerce’s preview feature lets you see exactly how your products and content will look with different themes before committing.

Applying and Customizing a Theme

Once you’ve chosen a theme, apply it to your “bigcommerce trial” store. Most themes offer flexible customization options to reflect your brand’s unique identity.

  • Adjust Global Styles: You can often control overall theme styling elements like:
    • Fonts: Choose a font that aligns with your brand personality.
    • Colors: Set a color palette that complements your logo and creates visual consistency.
    • Backgrounds: Select background colors or patterns that enhance your store’s design.
  • Customize Specific Elements: Many themes allow for customization of individual elements:
    • Headers & Footers: Modify the design of these important sections.
    • Buttons: Customize button shapes, colors, and fonts.

Using the Page Builder to Fine-Tune Your Design

For more granular control over your store’s layout and content, BigCommerce provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop page builder.

  • Adding and Arranging Content Elements: Drag and drop a variety of elements onto your pages, including:
    • Images: Enhance visual appeal and showcase products.
    • Text Blocks: Insert headings, descriptions, or calls to action.
    • Videos: Embed videos for product demonstrations or to highlight your brand story.
    • Buttons: Add buttons with custom links to other pages, specific products, or to trigger actions (e.g., “Add to Cart,” “Learn More”).
  • Linking Buttons: Configure buttons to link to any page within your store, an external website, or to initiate a specific action.
  • Customizing Element Styles: The page builder often offers tools to adjust styles for individual elements, enabling you to fine-tune their appearance.

Optimizing for Mobile Responsiveness

In a mobile-dominated online landscape, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices is essential. BigCommerce offers easy tools to prioritize mobile optimization.

  • Previewing on Different Devices: Utilize BigCommerce’s built-in device preview tool to see how your store looks on various screen sizes (mobile phones, tablets, desktops).
  • Adjusting for Optimal Mobile Display: Pay close attention to how content elements are arranged on smaller screens. For the best mobile experience, consider:
    • Rearranging elements to enhance mobile flow.
    • Adjusting font sizes for optimal readability.
    • Ensuring buttons are large enough and easy to tap on touchscreens.

Leveraging BigCommerce’s Marketing Tools

Attracting customers and converting them into buyers is a key part of online selling. BigCommerce provides a suite of built-in marketing tools designed to help you drive traffic and boost sales.

  • Banners: Create visually compelling banners to showcase special offers, new product arrivals, or upcoming sales.
  • Coupon Codes: Entice shoppers with coupon codes for discounts or free shipping. Integrate these codes into email campaigns or share them on social media to attract new customers and reward loyal ones.
  • Abandoned Cart Recovery: Reduce cart abandonment rates with automated emails sent to shoppers who add items to their carts but don’t complete the purchase. Customize these emails to remind shoppers about their selected products, offer incentives to encourage them to return, or address any potential issues they might be facing.

Integrating with Email Marketing Platforms

BigCommerce integrates with popular email marketing services, allowing you to automate campaigns, manage your subscriber list, and create targeted promotional content.

Understanding Analytics and Reports

Data-driven decisions are key to optimizing your online store’s performance. The BigCommerce analytics dashboard gives you valuable insights at a glance.

  • Key Metrics: Track essential metrics:
    • Revenue: Monitor your total sales revenue.
    • Visitors: Keep an eye on website traffic.
    • Conversion Rate: See the percentage of visitors who make a purchase.
  • Deeper Insights: Delve into specific areas for a more granular understanding of your store’s performance:
    • Merchandising Performance: See which products are top sellers and identify areas for improvement in your product offerings.
    • Marketing Effectiveness: Analyze the performance of marketing campaigns to pinpoint what’s resonating with your target audience.
    • Customer Behavior: Understand how customers interact with your website, from page visits to cart abandonment points, to optimize the customer journey.

Essential Store Setup Configurations

While a beautiful storefront and well-organized products are essential, don’t forget to configure your backend settings!

  • Shipping Options: Set up your shipping zones, carriers, and rates based on your location, shipping regions, and product types:
    • Shipping Zones: Define specific geographical areas to which you ship.
    • Shipping Rates: Set shipping costs based on weight, destination, or order value.
    • Shipping Carriers: Connect with popular carriers like UPS, USPS, FedEx, and others to offer your customers accurate, real-time shipping quotes.
  • Taxes: Ensure you’re complying with tax regulations by configuring tax rules based on your business location and shipping destinations. You might need to connect with a tax calculation service for seamless integration.
  • Payment Gateways: Select and connect with secure payment gateways to process customer payments. Popular options include PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net. Each gateway will have its own set of fees and processing times to consider.

Adding an SSL Certificate for Security

Building trust with your customers is vital, and an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate helps you do just that.

  • Encryption for Secure Connections: An SSL certificate encrypts information transmitted between your website and your customers’ browsers. It’s essential for protecting sensitive data like credit card details.
  • Visual Indicators for Trust: A visible padlock icon in the address bar tells customers they’re on a secure connection, giving them the confidence to proceed with purchases.

Testing Your Store Before Launch

Before you launch your online store to the world, comprehensive testing is key to ensuring a smooth and error-free customer experience.

  • Making a Test Purchase: Go through the entire checkout process as if you were a customer. Add items to your cart, input shipping and billing information, and complete a simulated purchase.
  • Verifying the Purchase Flow: Pay attention to these key details:
    • Checkout Experience: Make sure the process is straightforward, easy to understand, and free of any technical hiccups.
    • Order Confirmation Emails: Confirm that the automated confirmation emails are sent promptly and correctly to the customer’s email address.
    • Payment Processing: Verify that payments are processed securely and without errors through your chosen payment gateway.
  • Refunding the Test Transaction: After you’ve completed your test, refund the purchase to avoid actual charges to your account.

Is BigCommerce Right for You?

BigCommerce has a lot to offer, but is it the perfect fit for your business? Let’s consider the pros and cons.

Benefits of BigCommerce:

  • Scalability: BigCommerce offers a range of plans designed to grow with your business. Start with a plan that suits your current needs and effortlessly upgrade as your business expands.
  • Customization: From choosing themes to fine-tuning page layouts and incorporating apps, BigCommerce allows you to create a store that perfectly aligns with your brand vision.
  • Marketing & Analytics: The built-in marketing tools and robust analytics dashboards help you drive sales and make informed decisions based on real data.
  • No Transaction Fees: Unlike some other platforms, BigCommerce doesn’t charge additional transaction fees, no matter which payment gateway you choose.

Alternatives:

  • Shopify: Known for its ease of use, vast app library, and extensive support resources.
  • WooCommerce: A highly flexible, open-source solution that integrates seamlessly with WordPress.

The best platform for you will depend on your specific requirements, technical expertise, and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What happens when the BigCommerce trial expires? Don’t worry, you won’t lose all your hard work! Your “bigcommerce trial store” will be temporarily paused. You can choose a paid BigCommerce plan that fits your needs to continue working on your store and make it live whenever you’re ready.
  • Can I use my own domain name during the trial? Most e-commerce platforms, BigCommerce included, require you to have a paid plan to connect a custom domain. However, during your “big commerce trial”, you’ll be given a temporary BigCommerce subdomain, which is perfect for previewing and building your store.
  • How do I get support from BigCommerce during the free trial? BigCommerce usually offers support to users even during their trial period. Look for support options on their website, such as live chat, email support, or a help center with documentation and frequently asked questions.
  • Which BigCommerce plan is best for beginners? BigCommerce often has an “Essentials” plan designed to cater to the needs of new e-commerce businesses, providing a balanced set of features at an affordable price.
  • What are the key differences between BigCommerce and Shopify? Both platforms are strong choices, but there are some important distinctions:
    • Built-in Functionality: BigCommerce generally includes more built-in features, reducing the need to rely on third-party apps. This can be cost-effective and simplify your workflow.
    • Transaction Fees: BigCommerce doesn’t add transaction fees to any of its plans. Shopify, however, charges fees unless you use their native payment gateway, Shopify Payments.

Conclusion

Your BigCommerce free trial is a risk-free way to explore the power and flexibility of a top-tier e-commerce platform. Make the most of your trial period by:

  • Exploring Features: Discover the features that resonate with your business needs and see if BigCommerce is the right fit.
  • Experimenting with Products: Add a few sample products, create variations, and get familiar with product management.
  • Trying Out Themes: Experiment with different themes to see how your storefront can look. Customize themes to create a unique visual identity for your brand.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to BigCommerce support if you have any questions during your “bigcommerce trial”. It’s an excellent opportunity to experience firsthand how BigCommerce can support your online business aspirations.