Do I Need Apps For Bigcommerce?
Is BigCommerce going to give me the eCommerce functionality I need out of the box or do I need apps for BigCommerce to do what I need?
Image Source: BigCommerce
If you’re launching a bigcommerce store, you’re probably wondering, “Do I need apps for bigcommerce?”.
The short answer is YES. Let me give you an example right out fo the gate. One of the most common statements I hear from customers is; “I need to have recurring billing or subscriptions.” Well, this isn’t built into the BigCommerce native functionality. You will need an app like Subscrimia; which integrates with BigCommerce and lets you manage subscriptions, orders, and billing with just a few clicks. It doesn’t require data transfer because it gets it from the store’s configuration. It also automatically creates and charges recurring payments. Customers can manage their subscriptions with ease and view all of their payment information in one place, and this comes with an additional fee.
In this article, we’ll look at why you will need apps for BigCommerce, what they’re for, and which apps are free. You’ll also find out whether these apps are essential for growth. And of course, the most important question is “Do I need 3rd party apps in order to launch my BigCommerce store successfully?”
Will I Need Apps to Launch a BigCommerce Store?
This is an important question, because while BigCommerce comes with many built-in features, you can add additional functionality by installing apps.
This becomes an even more important question depending on the level of hosting you sign up for. What do I mean?
BigCommerce has 4 Tiers for hosting; Standard, Plus, Pro and Enterprise. While standard has an appealing price for entry level hosting, it leaves a lot out in terms of basic functionality.
You can get detailed information on BigCommerce hosting plans, pricing and features here. A few of the big items that get left out with a basic plan are;
- Customer groups and segmentation
- Abandoned cart saver
- Persistent Cart
- Stored credit cards
- Google customer reviews
- Product filtering
- Custom product filtering
- Price Lists
Once you determine what level of hosting is going to work for your business, the concern becomes, how much on top of hosting is this going to cost me? Followed closely by, do I really need to add apps to have a successful store?
A couple things you should know on the front side is:
- Apps increase conversion rates and trust with your audience.
- However, they also use extra resources on your server, increasing load time.
- Additionally, more apps can interfere with each other, causing UX issues and decreasing audience interest in your products.
You should be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of installing apps before launching a BigCommerce store.
Using apps can turn your store into a full-fledged enterprise level eCommerce site. Third-party apps integrate well with BigCommerce and can help you market your products. It’s likely that you will spend hours researching and downloading these apps to help you run a successful eCommerce store. My hope is to provide insight into some of these powerful apps that you may or may not need cutting down the time you spend sifting through them all.
Are BigCommerce Apps Free?
Well… Some yes, some start free and offer better paid versions and some are simply paid.
When looking to improve the performance of your BigCommerce store, it helps to know which apps are free. If not, you could end up slowing down your ecommerce site and detracting from the user experience. There are over 800 BigCommerce apps available in the marketplace, which add impressive functionality to your online store. Here are a few of the free BigCommerce apps you should try out.
Tidio is a great example of an App that shows FREE on the BigCommerce marketplace, but you can see that FREE is very limited:
To get the most out of Tidio, which is by the way a great app, you’ll be looking at $49/mo.
What Bigcommerce Apps Will I Need?
Start by asking yourself a couple simple questions:
- Am I just starting out in eCommerce, testing the waters with a limited budget?
- Am I migrating to BigCommerce from a different platform, if so, what features am I currently using?
- Have I been selling online successfully for while already?
If you’re dabbling, side hustling or starting out with a very limited budget, I typically recommend starting out with the bare essentials to establish a base, build some sales and then expand functionality or features as necessary. Sort of a scale as you grow approach.
If you’ve been selling online already, then you’re going to want to at least opt for the Pro Plan to get the “essential eCommerce functionality” offered by BigCommerce. Then look at a suite of Apps to help drive sales, improve conversions, automate marketing, etc.
A great example of an additional app that will improve customer engagement, but also comes with an additional monthly fee is LiveChat.
LiveChat is an excellent app that allows you to engage with your customers and boost conversions. LiveChat integrates with BigCommerce, allowing you to engage with customers instantly. Customers are six times more likely to complete a purchase after interacting with your live chat software. LiveChat also offers mobile chat options, targeted messages, canned responses, and after-hours ticket forms.
Another important BigCommerce app is Shogun Page Builder, which helps you create your store’s pages with greater customization. However, BigCommerce has introduced a built-in Page Builder that you may want to check out before paying for one.
Essential Apps for BigCommerce
If you run a big eCommerce website, you should consider using a couple apps that are fairly essential to operation. One of these apps, Vantage, integrates with BigCommerce and helps you monitor the performance of your store and drive more revenue. It gives you over 100 metrics, including gender break down and revenue. It can also help you build constructive marketing campaigns. Read on to find out more about what this app can do for you. Let’s take a look at each.
Apps that are free and add great functionality are a no-brainer — add them!
1. MailChimp
By connecting your online store to Mailchimp, you will have access to powerful sales-driving marketing features allowing you to better engage and build relationships with your customers. Driving an increase in customer loyalty & repeat purchases will lead to more sales for your business. And guess what, it’s completely free!
NOTE: Email marketing offers multiple opportunities for sales growth, but manually emailing leads takes time. Creating opt-ins, sending confirmation emails, and other emails can all take time. With Mailchimp, you can automate email selling. It sends out abandoned cart emails and re-engages lapsed consumers. Using this app also allows you to send multiple emails, including personalized suggestions and exclusive offers. These apps are highly recommended for ecommerce businesses, as they help boost sales and customer satisfaction.
2. QuickBooks Online
Want to spend more time focusing on your business rather than worrying about manual bookkeeping and accounting reconciliation? The BigCommerce for QuickBooks Online integration is here to help!
Yotpo helps BigCommerce businesses generate tons of product and site reviews, photos, videos, Q&A and other user-generated content and use them to drive qualified traffic, increase conversion rate & boost sales. Yotpo’s basic version is free, while premium features, outlined below, are available at additional cost.
The BigCommerce app store has an abundance of third-party applications that make managing your store easier. Many of them can automate tasks, such as marketing automation and customer reviews. These apps can also help you improve the speed and performance of your store. In the next section we’re going to cover some of the best BigCommerce apps you can use. These applications will give you the maximum benefit for the least cost. These apps will not slow down your site, either. However, if you’re looking for more advanced features, you should consider using the paid version of these applications.
What BigCommerce Apps are Recommended for Growth?
There are many BigCommerce integrations for business apps, but the app store is not free of charge. While these apps may cost money, they offer advanced features for your ecommerce store. BigCommerce has more than 1,100 app store integrations, while Shopify has over 8,000. While the BigCommerce interface isn’t as user-friendly as Shopify’s, it is easy to navigate. To make sure you get the most out of your BigCommerce store, you should start by checking out some of the most popular apps.
Rewind is a popular BigCommerce app that helps you back up important store data. Signifyd solves operational challenges that many growing eCommerce businesses face. By reducing operational costs, these apps can help you convert more customers and avoid costly developer help. However, be sure to choose the right apps for your business model and audience. Apps for BigCommerce may be difficult to install, but they can make the difference in sales.
When creating a seamless shopping experience for your customers, there are several important factors to keep in mind. A positive customer experience will earn repeat business and loyalty. With the help of BigCommerce apps, you can improve your SEO and customer experience with just a few clicks. Listed below are some recommended apps for eCommerce businesses. Each of these apps offers a different function, but they all improve the overall customer experience.
1. Instant Search +
One of the most popular BigCommerce apps, InstantSearch+, is a popular feature among many big players. It automates search, and helps sellers increase conversions without requiring complex code. Its simple interface helps you maximize profits without complicating your website. Whether you need to send email campaigns or run a live chat, this tool can help you reach your customers and increase your profits.
2. Year Make Model Search
This app is essential if you’re operating a parts store.
3. LiveChat
Best BigCommerce Chat Tool – Engage your traffic, learn about their blockers to buy, and convert more customers “on the bubble” in-chat.
4. ShipStation
Best BigCommerce Fulfillment App – Manage your entire inventory system remotely with best in class software.
5. FaceBook Ads Extension
Best BigCommerce Ads Creating tool for Facebook. — Drive more traffic and increase sales for your BigCommerce store on Facebook & Instagram.
6. Google Shopping by Sales & Orders
Boost traffic and increase sales with the Award-Winning App for Google Shopping Ads and the Elite BigCommerce Partner for Google Shopping!
Another BigCommerce app to use is TrustPulse. This social proof tool integrates reviews and testimonials into an online store. This increases conversions by 40% to 80%. There are free and paid plans available. TrustPulse offers a 14-day free trial. You can also take advantage of a free plan, which allows you to track 500 sessions. Using Vantage, you can build a constructive marketing campaign with this information.
Regardless of which application you choose, make sure that it meets your business goals and is easy to use. You can peruse them all here.
How Much are BigCommerce Apps Going to Cost Me?
Great fricking question! When you start a new BigCommerce store, you’ll probably want to consider how much each app will cost.
Adding BigCommerce apps adds more functionality and features such as; ShipperHQ, Yotpo, Klevu, Klayvio, eCommerce Insights, and Shogun’s page builder are simply going to add up. Sure these tools will help you analyze your customers’ behavior and identify what makes them buy, but can you afford to run them?
*Again, my recommendation is to add apps that make sense based on your existing sales volume. As you store grows — add apps that make sense.
A good rule of thumb to budget for apps might be:
Mid-sized stores could be looking at $50 – $250 per month in app fees.
Enterprise level could be looking at $250 – $2,500 depending.
What About A Custom App?
If you’d like to have your own custom app for BigCommerce, you can find a developer through a partner. BigCommerce has many partners, including developers, ad agencies, and eCommerce consultants. The price depends on the size of your project. A small, simple app can cost less than $1000, while a large, complex app can cost up to $15k or more. Technology partners include Lucky Orange, Rivet Works, and Shogun.
Apps for Customer Engagement
When looking at Apps for your BigCommerce store, one of the most important factors you can take into consideration is how it will impact your customer. With an extensive app store, BigCommerce customers can enhance their online presence and boost conversion rates. These apps provide various features and support retailers in many ways, including live chat, accounting software, and marketing tools. With a few clicks, customers can improve their search engine optimization (SEO) with BigCommerce integrations. Many apps for customer engagement for BigCommerce save store owners from weeks of development.
Here are some of the BEST:
1. Marsello
Your customer is at the core of Marsello’s platform. Every feature is designed to guide them through different points in their journey with your brand. The goal? To move them from an anonymous visitor to a brand advocate.
2. Lucky Orange
Improve your website’s conversion rate using our collection of tools including Dynamic Heatmaps, Session Recordings and Live Chat.
3. Zonos – Cross-border APIs to scale your business
- Quote landed cost
- Collect duties, taxes, and fees
- Harmonize your own catalog
4. Aftership
Delight your customers with automated shipment tracking to increase brand loyalty and drive more sales.
Summary
You will need Apps to round out your BigCommerce store, that’s just part of selling online, so PREP yourself. Understand what functionality YOUR CUSTOMERS NEED. This will help you select the right apps for your store. If an app doesn’t add value to you or your customer — don’t add it.
If you want to see how we recommend Apps for our BigCommerce clients, take a look at this case study.
