Wix was founded in 2006 by three friends and business partners. They were in the process of starting their own website and quickly realized how costly and time-consuming it can be. Their difficulties inspired them to design a simple platform that can be used for free. Today, it is an international company with over 77 million customers. Read our Wix eCommerce review below.
OverviewWix is a unique website and shopping cart builder. To get started, all you need is an email address. That’s right. You can build a website for free. As a bonus, you won’t need to learn to code. The drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to add content. In fact, Wix has built a reputation as the most user-friendly platform. This makes it the perfect choice for beginners and small businesses.
Who is Wix eCommerce Designed for?
Wix is best for small businesses. It offers a simple, straightforward design and all the necessary tools you will need to get started. It lacks more complex management features. Larger companies may find that it isn’t the best choice for handling massive inventories and other complicated processes. There are more comprehensive platforms available that cater to the needs of big businesses.
Standard features include:
When you visit the Wix website, the first thing you will be asked is what kind of site you want to create. There are 13 main categories separated by business type. Your entire experience is customized from the start. This is a great feature for beginners who may need extra guidance. As you explore their services, you will notice that they specialize providing a variety of design options. You can choose from hundreds of templates and thousands of apps.
Limitations of Wix
One limitation to take note of is that Wix does not support selling digital products. It is best for advertising products and services. Also, not all the templates are completely mobile friendly. If responsive design is essential to your business, be sure to thoroughly research templates.
Like most platforms, Wix also comes with storage and bandwidth limitations.
Scalability
With so many available apps, there is plenty of room to expand the functionality of your website as your business grows. The Unlimited pricing package is the most popular. It provides you with plenty of space to get started, including unlimited bandwidth. You can always upgrade for additional storage space.
That being said, there are some limitations when it comes to scalability. While there is potential for growth, it is possible to outgrow the platform. Wix eCommerce is best suited for small businesses. It isn’t necessarily designed to handle high volume stores. If you already have an established store with thousands of loyal customers, you may want to consider choosing a more expansive eCommerce platform.
Canceling Your Wix eCommerce Account
You can try Wix for free for 14 days. There is no need to commit right from the start. If you open an account and decide to cancel, you will receive a refund for any subscription time that hasn’t been used. Both monthly and yearly subscriptions are available.
Reputation
Wix has earned a reputation as the most innovative and user-friendly platform of its kind. It recently went through a major update and the critics are pleased. Beginners can quickly create an excellent website. It helps that Wix is continually adding new features. Customers can expect a platform that grows with their needs.
Awards
Wix hasn’t taken home any major design awards. They are partnering with major industry leaders like DreamWorks though, which means big things to come. It looks like Wix is just getting started with it comes to revolutionizing website design.
Why Choose Wix eCommerce Solution?
If you are starting or running a small business, there aren’t a lot of reasons you shouldn’t choose Wix. It provides a cloud-based eCommerce program and website builder that has few rivals. There is no easier way to design and build a custom website. Wix is the perfect choice if you have zero coding experience and want a beautiful site.
Key Features
Design & CustomizationThis is where Wix eCommerce shines. You can choose from 501 (and counting) different templates. The best part? They are free! The key is to search your options and make sure you choose one with eCommerce capabilities. You can start narrowing down your choices by selecting what type of business you will be running.
You can categorize the templates by industries. For example, you can view template options that have been specially created to showcase photography. This is a helpful tool that will make sure you get the perfect template.
If you are feeling brave, you can start with a blank template and build your site from scratch. Otherwise, every template can be fully customized.
Take note: you cannot access the CSS code for your site. This may be frustrating for those who like to tinker directly with the code. The good news is that you can change practically anything with the drag-and-drop editor. Also, from the sounds of it, CSS access is in the works.
Perhaps the best adjective to describe Wix templates is simple. All of the templates are clean and modern, but one recurring criticism is that they may be too simple. This may be good enough for beginners or small businesses, but larger stores may want something more sophisticated.
Design Services
Wix does not offer any premium design services although they will help you get matched up with a freelancer. You can visit the Wix Arena to connect with Wix design experts who can help.
Content Management
Commonsense tools and an intuitive interface make it easy to add and manage content. It will not take long to learn your way around the backend. Simply click on the area you want to edit and add images, text or any other feature. You can also add a blog your site with the right app.
Images and Videos
You quickly upload and save photos to online folders. There is no need to reupload images that you have already used. This can be a big time saver. Also, feel free to pull photos from your other accounts such as Facebook. Wix also makes it easy to include videos. Any image space in your theme can be used to house a video. You can even make your entire background one video.
Also, Wix can be integrated with Bigstock Photos. Instead of uploading your photos, you can browse through a massive selection of professional photos. This partnership provides an affordable and convenient way to create a visually appealing website.
Social Sharing
Adding social media buttons to your site takes just a few clicks. You can fully integrate all your accounts and use social media to connect with customers and promote your business. In fact, most templates come with social media buttons already displayed.
Mobile Site Building
This is perhaps the final glitch that Wix needs to work out. The websites aren’t responsive in that they will adjust to fit the size of your browser. However, they are mobile friendly. Most templates will come with the “Make your site mobile friendly” box already checked. You can also switch to the mobile editing view to making additional changes.
Features & Tools | Feature | Overview |
| Online Store Setup | Couldn’t be easier! Sign up for a pricing package or start your free trial. From there you can start browsing templates and have your store setup in no time at all. |
| Bandwidth and Storage | These features vary by pricing plan. The eCommerce plan is designed for small businesses. It comes with 20GB of storage and 10GB bandwidth. |
| Shopping Cart Plugins and Add-ons | There are thousands of apps that you can add to your site. Most plans even come with two free premium apps to get you started. Despite the sheer number of available apps, they aren’t all necessarily eCommerce focused. These limitations make it difficult for the store to grow quickly. |
| Order Management | Managing your store is super simple. You can view all orders and make changes as needed. |
| Inventory Management | Simply click on a product to make any edits. You can create collections, edit information and add images. It even shows which products are in stock and visible on the site. These basic features are enough for small businesses, but stores with hundreds of products may want to record additional information. The majority of other platforms require more fields to add a product, which can be an invaluable organizational tool. |
| Shipment Tracking | Partner with major shipping companies and track packages all over the world. |
| CRM Features | You can set up CRM features however you would like. Customers can call or email you directly, or you can use a ticket system. |
| Templates and Themes | Choose from hundreds of free themes. There are plenty of stylish options, and you can customize every one of them. |
| Integrations and Add-ons | Wix comes with most of the integrations you would want in a website. Themes are social media ready, and it is easy to setup payment options. Any other functions can be added by visiting the app store. Wix makes extremely easy to integrate add-ons in just a few minutes. |
| Mobile eCommerce | While the websites aren’t responsive, they do come with mobile-friendly designs. Sites won’t adjust as you change your browser size. However, shoppers will be able to view your store on any device. This isn’t ideal, but it still allows you to market to a huge mobile market. |
| Web Hosting | Free cloud-based web hosting. All your data is safely stored, and you can rely on their powerful servers. |
| App Store | The Wix App store is very impressive. You can search through thousands of free and premium apps. No one does apps quite like Wix. All the best tools are available at your fingertips. |
| Blogging | It takes just a few clicks to add a blog to your website. From the blog editor, you can easily write, edit and publish posts. You can even write several posts and schedule them for publication. The editor also allows you to add videos and images. Your blog will look great and help attract readers and customers. |
| SEO and Marketing | Wix provides all the SEO and marketing tools you will need. From the dashboard, you can control page descriptions, titles, and tags. The free SEO app also provides a wizard to help you with keywords. If you aren’t sure about how to improve search engine rankings, take advantage of the interactive tutorials. These tools are surprisingly thorough. |
| Newsletters | Most templates come with newsletter signup forms. You can quickly start building an email list and sending out promotional newsletters with ease. |
| Security Features | There are some minor drawbacks with the Wix security setup. Wix doesn’t have an SSL certificate. This means that customers are redirected to a secure page when they checkout. Anytime shoppers are directed away from your site; there is an increased chance of losing a sale. Customers may not trust that their information is secure and not being stored. While the checkout is completely safe, it may turn some customers away. |
| PCI Certification | Wix is PCI compliant. |
| Content Creation | Adding products and creating new content is super easy. The drag and drop editor is one of the best around. Duplicating templates for multiple pages can be difficult. Otherwise, the design process is entirely intuitive and perfect for beginners. |
| Gift Certificates | With Wix, you can sell gift certificates and create coupons and discount codes. It just takes a few clicks to promote products or special sales. |
| Payment Options | The list of available third party payment processors is relatively short. The good news is that Wix does support some of the industry leaders. You can use PayPal, Skrill, Authorize.net and some other big names. For additional payment options, you will have to do some searching in the app store. |
| Tax and Shipping Calculators | These fees are automatically calculated at checkout. You don’t have to worry about having to generate this information for each sale. |
| Reports | Generate reports to help visualize performance and share data. |
| Site Statistics | Wix uses Google Analytics to track your website performance. This is one of the most reputable and respected analytics tools. Here are just a few of the things you can track:
All of this information can be used to focus marketing efforts. If you aren’t a fan of Google, you can shop the app store for other programs. The choice is yours. View as much or as little data as you want and use it to improve your business. |
Plans & Pricing Wix provides affordable and upfront pricing plans. You never have to worry about hidden fees. To get started, sign up for the 14-day free trial. All you need is an email address. There is no credit card required. This will allow you to get to know the editor and admin dashboard. You can also take a closer look at the themes and app store.
Pricing Packages
You can get started for just $4.08 per month. This basic plan allows you to host a domain and build an excellent site. The biggest drawback is that your site will display Wix brand ads and logos. If you want to remove these brand markers, you can pay $9.25 per month for the combo package.
The online stores will want to opt for the eCommerce package. It costs $16.17 per month and comes with the following features:
This should be plenty for the majority of businesses. However, you can upgrade to the VIP plan for $24.92 per month. In addition to unlimited bandwidth, this plan comes with priority support. Even this top tier plan is priced below the mid-range packages of most platforms. Wix is extremely affordable and competitively priced.
Pay for your subscription each month or save money by purchasing a full year upfront. Savings varies per plan but ranges from 30-45%.
Customer Support While the most expensive pricing package comes with priority support, users can expect decent customer service at any package level. The biggest problem is that they don’t offer a live chat feature or an email system. You can call an 800 number, but your best bet is to schedule a callback. This prevents you from wasting time on hold.
Fortunately, there are a variety of other places you can turn to for help. Start by visiting the Wix support page. Here you can find a list of FAQs and commonly asked questions. There is also a community forum and video tutorials to help. You can also post problems and concerns on their social media pages.
While it is nice to have a few different ways to contact support, the system seems to be working for Wix and their customers. The platform has overwhelmingly positive customer support reviews. Responses are relatively prompt, and representatives are knowledgeable and courteous. Wix is so easy to use that support is mainly used for technical issues which should be few and far between.
Another neat feature is access to the Wix Lounge. This is a co-working space in New York. If you are traveling, you can use the lounge to conduct business and connect with other Wix users. You can even reserve the space for special events. All for free.
Ease of Use Wix leads the pack when it comes to ease of use. Not only does it offer a drag and drop editor, but it also provides one of the most user-friendly and intuitive editors ever. All the tools you will need are prominently displayed and navigating between screens is easy.
There is absolutely no reason to know any coding. Even beginners can create advanced, and professional eCommerce websites, and expert designers will appreciate the interface. If you ever need help, you can quickly access help without leaving the editor. When it comes to user experience, Wix is arguably the best around.
Conclusion Should You Choose Wix eCommerce Software to Build Your Online Store?
If you are planning on running a small business and are a novice when it comes to design, then yes. Absolutely, yes. On the other hand, there are areas where Wix is simply not up to the task of supporting a large scale business. This is by design. Simplicity is at the heart of what makes this a great platform, which also means that it may not be the best for more complex transactions and processes.
While there are some areas for improvement, Wix is one of the most user-friendly and comprehensive eCommerce platforms available. It is also refreshing to see a company that seems so genuinely invested in making improvements and offering an affordable product that doesn’t ask you to sacrifice features for the cost.
Whether you are an expert designer or a total beginner, you are sure to enjoy the drag and drop editor. Combine that with sleek templates and putting together a professional website has never been easier. Wix is an excellent choice for small businesses, and it promises just to keep getting better.
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