Wix vs BigCommerce: Ease of Use vs Ecommerce Power

Wix vs BigCommerce: Ease of Use vs Ecommerce Power

by

Navigating the world of e-commerce platforms can feel overwhelming, especially with giants like Wix and BigCommerce vying for your attention. This comprehensive guide dissects the core differences between these platforms, helping you make the right choice for your business needs.

Table of Contents:

In the battle of “wix bigcommerce” vs “bigcommerce wix,” the question of “wix to bigcommerce” often arises, leading entrepreneurs to seek a platform that perfectly balances simplicity and functionality. Let’s delve into the specifics of each platform.

Wix: The User-Friendly Website Builder with E-commerce Capabilities

Wix has earned its reputation as a beginner-friendly haven for creating visually stunning websites, but it also boasts e-commerce features suitable for smaller online stores.

Wix’s Strengths:

  • Unmatched ease of use: Wix’s drag-and-drop editor empowers even the most tech-averse users to effortlessly build their websites. Its intuitive interface guides you through the process, making website creation a breeze.
  • Design flexibility: Choose from a vast array of customizable templates, designed with various industries in mind. Wix gives you the power to create a truly unique online store that reflects your brand’s personality.
  • App Market Powerhouse: Wix’s app marketplace is a treasure trove of plugins and integrations, allowing you to extend your store’s functionality far beyond its native capabilities. From marketing automation to shipping solutions, Wix’s app market has you covered.
  • Affordable pricing plans: Wix offers a forever-free plan with limited features. To access e-commerce functionalities and start accepting payments, you’ll need to choose a paid plan. Fortunately, Wix offers affordable options for basic e-commerce needs, starting at $9 per month. You can start with a basic plan and upgrade as your store grows and requires more features.

Wix’s Limitations:

  • Limited Scalability: As your business grows, Wix’s infrastructure might hinder the smooth management of large inventories, high order volumes, and complex fulfillment processes. You might encounter performance issues or find the platform restrictive in handling advanced e-commerce operations.
  • Constraints on Customization: While the drag-and-drop editor offers design flexibility, certain aspects of Wix’s platform remain difficult to customize. For instance, changing themes on Wix necessitates a complete website rebuild, a time-consuming process that could disrupt your online store.

BigCommerce: The Robust E-commerce Platform Built for Scalability

BigCommerce, as its name suggests, takes a different approach, prioritizing powerful e-commerce tools designed for businesses aiming for substantial growth.

BigCommerce’s Strengths:

  • Powerful E-commerce Features: BigCommerce offers a robust suite of e-commerce functionalities, including advanced inventory management, streamlined multi-channel selling, built-in marketing tools, and comprehensive analytics. These features give you the control and insights you need to manage and scale a thriving online store. Notably, BigCommerce excels in wholesale features, providing native functionality like price lists and restricted logins for B2B selling.
  • Seamless Integrations: Easily integrate your BigCommerce store with leading marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart, along with social media platforms, expanding your reach and sales opportunities. This multi-channel approach is a significant advantage for scaling businesses. BigCommerce also seamlessly integrates with various payment gateways, including popular options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay, providing flexibility and convenience for your customers.
  • Optimized for Growth: BigCommerce’s powerful infrastructure is built to handle high traffic and large order volumes without compromising performance. This scalability ensures your store can smoothly accommodate growth without technical limitations. BigCommerce also prioritizes SEO, offering built-in tools to enhance your search engine rankings and drive organic traffic.
  • Affordable Scalability: BigCommerce’s pricing plans, though starting at a slightly higher price point than Wix at $29 per month, offer exceptional value as your business scales. The features included in each plan are tailored to support growth, ensuring you’re equipped with the necessary tools at every stage.

BigCommerce’s Limitations:

  • Steeper Learning Curve: BigCommerce’s wealth of features and slightly less visual interface might pose a learning curve for absolute beginners compared to Wix’s simplicity. However, the platform is still relatively user-friendly, and numerous resources and tutorials are available to guide you.
  • Design Flexibility Limitations: While BigCommerce offers customizable themes, the design freedom might be slightly less extensive compared to Wix’s visual drag-and-drop editor, particularly for users without coding experience. However, developers can easily access and customize the platform’s code for more advanced design implementations.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Wix vs BigCommerce

Feature Wix BigCommerce
Pricing Free plan, affordable entry-level e-commerce plans Higher starting price, more value for scaling
Ease of Use Drag-and-drop editor, intuitive interface Steeper learning curve for beginners
Design Flexibility Extensive template library, customizable design Customizable themes, potential limitations for advanced designs
E-commerce Features Basic features, app market for additional functionality Robust built-in features, advanced inventory management, multi-channel selling
Scalability Limited capacity for large stores Optimized for handling high traffic and order volume
Customer Support Varied support options including phone, email, and knowledge base 24/7 tech support via phone, chat, and email

Dropshipping: A Closer Look

When it comes to dropshipping, Wix truly shines. Its free access to dropshipping apps, even on the free plan, makes it an attractive choice for aspiring dropshippers who are just starting and working with limited budgets. BigCommerce, however, requires a paid plan or credit card information for access to its dropshipping apps, even during the free trial. This makes Wix the more approachable and cost-effective platform for launching your dropshipping journey.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Needs

The decision between “wix bigcommerce” and “bigcommerce wix,” particularly the consideration of “wix to bigcommerce,” boils down to your individual business objectives and what you value most. If ease of use, design flexibility, and dropshipping are your top priorities, Wix is an excellent choice, especially for beginners and small businesses. BigCommerce, with its powerful e-commerce functionalities and focus on scalability, is the superior choice for established businesses, larger stores with complex inventories, and entrepreneurs seeking robust features and high growth potential.

Both platforms offer free trials, giving you the opportunity to test their features, explore their interfaces, and decide which one fits your business vision best.

FAQ Section

Can I change my theme easily on both platforms?

Wix requires a complete website rebuild to switch themes, a process that can be quite time-consuming. BigCommerce, on the other hand, allows you to seamlessly change themes within its control panel without impacting your store’s content or data.

Are there limitations on payment gateways on either platform?

BigCommerce supports a wider array of payment gateways compared to Wix. It also seamlessly integrates with alternative payment methods such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay, offering more options for your customers.

What about selling on different channels like Amazon or social media?

Multi-channel selling is a breeze with BigCommerce. It has native integrations with leading marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart, along with social media platforms. While Wix offers some integrations, it has fewer native options, often requiring you to rely on third-party apps for expanded sales channels.

Can I set different prices for wholesale customers?

BigCommerce caters to wholesale businesses with built-in features like price lists and restricted logins, streamlining your B2B operations. Wix doesn’t offer dedicated wholesale functionality, instead suggesting workarounds that might not be as effective.

Does the app marketplace differ significantly between Wix and BigCommerce?

Wix boasts a larger app marketplace, offering a wide range of apps covering various functionalities, including but not limited to e-commerce. BigCommerce’s app marketplace, while smaller, is more focused on e-commerce solutions, offering specialized integrations and tools to enhance your online store.