Final verdict
Big Cartel and Volusion both offer unique advantages, but they cater to different types of users and business needs.
-
Big Cartel (Overall Grade: 5.8/10)
is ideal for artists, makers, and small businesses looking for a simple, affordable platform to sell their creations online. It excels in ease of use and design functionalities, making it accessible for users without coding knowledge. However, it lacks scalability and advanced features, which may limit its appeal to larger businesses or those looking to grow significantly. When comparing Big Cartel vs Volusion, Big Cartel stands out for its simplicity and focus on supporting creative endeavors. -
Volusion (Overall Grade: 6.6/10)
offers a more comprehensive set of features, making it suitable for businesses looking to build, manage, and expand their online stores. It provides a range of customizable templates, secure payment processing, and advanced marketing and SEO tools. Volusion’s higher score in ecommerce capabilities, website speed optimization, and customer support makes it a better choice for businesses aiming for growth and scalability. In the Big Cartel vs Volusion comparison, Volusion is the preferred option for more established businesses seeking a robust ecommerce solution.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Design functionalities & templates |
6.9 |
6.1 |
Ease of use |
8.0 |
6.9 |
Ecommerce |
6.2 |
7.1 |
Website Editors |
6.8 |
7.1 |
Product testing options |
5.9 |
7.6 |
Price |
7.8 |
7.6 |
Hosting quality |
5.0 |
7.0 |
Website speed optimization |
5.0 |
7.1 |
Plugins and integrations |
5.8 |
6.8 |
Marketing features |
6.2 |
6.9 |
Customer support |
5.4 |
7.0 |
Security |
7.3 |
8.7 |
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
0.0 |
User Management |
1.3 |
7.7 |
Overall |
5.8 |
6.6 |
Best for ecommerce
Verdict
: Big Cartel is ideal for artists and small businesses, while Volusion offers more comprehensive tools for growing businesses.
-
Big Cartel
: Tailored for artists and makers, Big Cartel provides a straightforward setup and essential ecommerce features like inventory tracking and sales analytics. It is best suited for smaller stores due to its simplicity and focus on creative endeavors. However, when comparing Big Cartel vs Volusion, Big Cartel’s limited scalability might be a drawback for larger businesses. -
Volusion
: As a more robust ecommerce solution, Volusion offers a range of customizable templates, secure payment processing, and advanced marketing and SEO tools. It is designed to help businesses build, manage, and expand their online stores, making it a better choice for those looking to grow their ecommerce presence.
Best for informational & business websites
Verdict
: When it comes to creating informational business websites, both Big Cartel and Volusion offer unique advantages. However, their suitability depends on the specific needs of the user. Big Cartel is ideal for artists and small businesses looking for simplicity and ease of use, while Volusion provides a more comprehensive set of tools for businesses aiming for growth and detailed customization.
-
Big Cartel
: Big Cartel is tailored for artists and small-scale sellers who need a straightforward platform to showcase their work. Its ease of use and focus on creative control make it a great choice for informational websites that prioritize visual appeal and simplicity. With a score of 7.2, Big Cartel is well-suited for users who want to quickly set up a professional-looking site without delving into complex features. -
Volusion
: Volusion, also scoring 7.2, is an all-in-one e-commerce solution that offers a robust set of tools for building and managing online stores. For informational business websites, Volusion provides a range of customizable templates and advanced features like secure payment processing and SEO tools. This makes it a strong contender for businesses that need more than just a basic informational site, offering the potential for growth and expansion.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control and a wide array of design features, Big Cartel is the preferred choice.
Big Cartel provides a variety of free, customizable templates designed to ensure that online stores look appealing on all devices. These templates are geared towards artists, creators, and small business owners, offering features like high-quality product displays and adjustable product grids without the need for coding knowledge. With over 15 different styles to choose from, Big Cartel’s templates allow for easy customization to fit any brand’s aesthetic, making it simple for anyone to start an online store quickly.
Compared to Big Cartel, Volusion offers a variety of design templates tailored to meet the diverse needs of online stores and businesses. The platform provides users with over 30 professionally designed, responsive templates. These templates are crafted to cater to a wide range of industries, ensuring that businesses of all types can find a design that aligns with their brand identity and goals. The selection includes both free and premium options, allowing users to choose based on their budget and specific requirements.
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Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
🏆 Winner: Big Cartel
. Scoring 8.0, Big Cartel is designed with simplicity in mind, making it particularly accessible for artists and small-scale sellers. Volusion, with a score of 6.9, offers a user-friendly interface but some users may find the platform’s features and tools less intuitive compared to leading competitors. If ease of use is a priority, Big Cartel is the clear winner in this category.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. While both platforms offer solid learning resources, Volusion goes a step further with its comprehensive suite of learning resources aimed at helping users maximize their website’s potential.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
Big Cartel and Volusion are both ecommerce platforms, but they cater to different types of businesses. Big Cartel is designed for artists and makers, offering a simple setup process and essential features like inventory tracking and sales analytics. However, it’s not as scalable as other platforms and is best suited for smaller stores. On the other hand, Volusion is a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to build, manage, and expand their online stores. It offers a range of customizable templates, secure payment processing, and tools for marketing and SEO.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
5.5 |
6.5 |
Product page customization |
6.8 |
7.0 |
Payment processing and commissions |
7.0 |
7.5 |
POS capabilities |
6.5 |
7.0 |
Payment gateways |
6.0 |
7.5 |
Product numbers |
4.5 |
6.0 |
Additional ecommerce features |
5.7 |
7.0 |
Big Cartel ecommerce features:
- Inventory tracking
- Sales analytics
- Social Media integrations
- Marketing tools
Volusion ecommerce features:
- Ecommerce Product listings
- Payment Gateways
- Multiple Currencies support
- Shipping options
- SEO tools
- Social Media Integration
Ecommerce themes & templates
Big Cartel offers around 20 templates, each specifically designed to cater to the needs of ecommerce stores, providing a variety of options for creating an online store. Volusion, on the other hand, offers 14 free themes and 38 paid themes, each costing $180. These templates are mobile responsive, ensuring that your online store is accessible and user-friendly across all devices. While the selection might not be as extensive as some other platforms, Volusion’s themes are customizable, allowing merchants to adjust the look and feel of their store.
Product page customization
Big Cartel enables merchants to customize their product offerings with the Product Variants feature, supporting up to 150 variants per item, such as sizes, colors, and more. Volusion offers a range of ecommerce product page customization options to enhance the shopping experience. Users can modify product descriptions, images, and videos to showcase their items effectively. The platform allows for the customization of options and variants, such as size and color, to provide a more detailed and user-friendly product selection process.
Payment processing
Big Cartel supports payment processing through PayPal and Stripe, allowing a variety of payment methods including credit/debit cards and mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay. The platform itself does not charge additional transaction fees, but standard processing fees from PayPal and Stripe apply. Volusion offers a comprehensive eCommerce platform that supports various payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and its own solution, Volusion Payments, tailored for U.S.-based merchants. The platform is distinctive for its low transaction fees, which vary based on the subscription plan.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
🏆
Winner: Volusion
. With a score of 7.1, Volusion’s website builder editor is designed for ease of use, catering to both beginners and experienced users. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to easily add, remove, or modify elements on their website without needing to code. Users can customize their site’s layout, adjust colors, fonts, and images, and even integrate various functionalities like social media links, shopping carts, and payment gateways. Additionally, Volusion provides a range of templates and themes to kickstart the design process, making it straightforward to create a professional-looking online store or website.
Big Cartel’s website builder editor, scoring 6.8, is designed with simplicity in mind, catering primarily to artists and small-scale sellers. Users can easily customize their online store’s look and feel without needing advanced technical skills, thanks to its user-friendly interface. The editor allows for the customization of themes, addition of products, and setup of different pages like home, about, and contact pages. Additionally, it offers basic SEO settings and integration options with social media and other tools, making it a straightforward solution for those looking to sell their work online with minimal fuss.
Mobile editor/app
🏆
Winner: Big Cartel
. Both Big Cartel and Volusion offer mobile capabilities for managing your website, but they cater to different needs and skill levels. Big Cartel provides a mobile app that allows users to manage their online store directly from their mobile device. Key features include the ability to add and edit products, process orders, check inventory, and view store statistics. It provides a convenient way for store owners to keep their business running smoothly on-the-go, without the need for a computer. The interface is user-friendly, ensuring that even those with minimal technical skills can easily navigate and make use of its functionalities. However, website design changes can be applied only on the desktop version.
On the other hand, Volusion does not have a dedicated mobile editor app. It is possible to edit on a mobile browser, but the experience might not be optimal due to the smaller screen size, and navigating through the admin dashboard could be difficult. Therefore, Big Cartel is the clear winner in this category due to its dedicated mobile app and higher mobile editor score.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
Overall Result
:
Volusion Wins
. Volusion scores 7.6, higher than Big Cartel’s 5.9, in product testing options. Volusion offers a 14-day free trial during which users can test premium features. Big Cartel, on the other hand, offers a free plan but does not provide a trial version or a money-back guarantee.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free Plan |
Yes | No |
Trial Duration |
No |
14 days |
Testing Premium Features |
Limited with free plan |
Available during free trial |
Money Back Guarantee |
No | No |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
Big Cartel offers a more affordable pricing structure, including a free plan, while Volusion provides more comprehensive features at a higher cost.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free |
Gold ($0/month): The Gold plan is free and allows up to 5 product listings with one image per product. It includes features such as free customizable templates, the ability to sell online and in person, multiple payment options, real-time stats, product variant groups, and sales tax autopilot. |
No offering at this amount. |
$0-$10 |
Platinum ($9.99/month): The Platinum plan increases the product listing limit to 50 and allows up to five images per product. It adds features like the use of a custom domain, template code editing, Google Analytics, ads support, inventory tracking, the ability to offer discounts and run promos, bulk editing, and shipment tracking. Value for price: 7.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
$15-$40 |
Diamond ($19.99/month): The Diamond plan further extends the product limit to 500 with the same benefits as the Platinum plan, including advanced Google Analytics reporting, ads with audience targeting, and priority customer support. Value for price: 8.5 |
Personal ($35/month): Suitable for small businesses, allowing up to 100 products, 1 staff account, and offers support via live chat and email. Supports stores with up to $50K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 6.5 |
$70-$80 |
No offering at this amount. |
Professional ($79/month): Targets growing businesses with up to 5,000 products, 5 staff accounts, and additional features like newsletters, abandoned cart reports, and phone orders. Supports up to $100K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for price: 7.5 |
$200+ |
No offering at this amount. |
Business ($299/month): Designed for large stores, offering unlimited products, 15 staff accounts, priority support, and integrations with Amazon and eBay. Supports stores with up to $500K in GMV/year. This plan allows to manage 1 website and there is no limitation of number of pages offered. Value for Price: 8.0 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
Winner: Volusion
. Volusion offers managed cloud hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee, making it a more reliable choice for businesses. Big Cartel, while offering hosting in all their plans, does not provide specific information about their hosting type, bandwidth, storage limitations, uptime, or data centers. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess the quality of their hosting services.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes, included in all plans |
Yes, included in all plans |
Data Centers: |
Not disclosed |
Not disclosed |
Type of hosting: |
Not disclosed |
Managed Cloud Hosting |
Uptime: |
Not disclosed |
99.9% |
Uptime Guarantee: |
No |
Yes, 99.9% |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
🏆 Winner: Volusion
Both Big Cartel and Volusion are website builders that prioritize website performance and page speed. However, Volusion has a more comprehensive approach to speed optimization, which gives it an edge over Big Cartel.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Focus |
Not specified | CDN, Image optimization, Code minification |
Performance Tools |
Not specified | Regular Monitoring and Updates, SEO optimization |
Key Strategies |
Not specified | CDN, Image optimization, Code minification |
Load Times |
Varies depending on optimization and website complexity | Varies depending on optimization and website complexity |
Page Speed Scores Range |
Not specified | Not specified |
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
Not specified | Implementing various performance optimization techniques |
Volusion has a comprehensive approach to speed optimization, including the use of a Content Delivery Network (CDN), image optimization, code minification, regular monitoring and updates, and SEO optimization. These strategies help to improve the load times and PageSpeed scores of websites built with Volusion. In addition, Volusion is focused on improving Core Web Vitals through the implementation of various performance optimization techniques.
On the other hand, Big Cartel does not provide specific information about its strategies for speed optimization, load times, PageSpeed score ranges, or Core Web Vitals improvements. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess the performance of websites built with Big Cartel. Therefore, based on the available information, Volusion is the winner in terms of website speed optimization.
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Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
🏆 Winner: Volusion.
With a score of 6.8, Volusion offers a wider range of plugins and integrations compared to Big Cartel, which scores 5.8. Volusion’s marketplace includes 82 integrations across various categories, enhancing its ecommerce platform’s functionality. On the other hand, Big Cartel offers around 27 apps and integrations, focusing on enhancing ecommerce store functionality. While both platforms offer valuable integrations, Volusion’s broader range and higher score give it the edge in this category.
Marketing Features
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Overall Winner: Volusion
. Volusion edges out Big Cartel with a slightly higher score in marketing features, particularly in SEO tools and analytics and reporting. However, Big Cartel’s simplicity and focus on supporting creative endeavors make it a good choice for small businesses and independent creators.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SEO Tools |
Basic SEO features |
Advanced SEO features |
Email Marketing |
Through third party integrations like Mailchimp |
Through third party integrations |
Blogging |
No |
No |
Social Media Integration |
Yes |
Yes |
Analytics and Reporting |
Basic analytics and reporting |
Advanced analytics and reporting |
Ads and Promotions |
Yes, using third party integration |
Yes, but limited |
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. In the Big Cartel vs Volusion comparison, Volusion takes the lead with its more comprehensive support options. Volusion offers 24/7 chat support through the Merchant Center dashboard and phone support during business hours for users on their Business and Prime Plans. Additionally, enterprise customers benefit from priority support and a dedicated client success manager, ensuring timely and effective assistance.
Big Cartel, on the other hand, provides support via email and has a team available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM EST. While their support team is dedicated, the limited hours and lack of 24/7 support can be a drawback for users needing immediate assistance outside of these times. However, Big Cartel’s focus on simplicity and affordability makes it a suitable choice for small businesses and independent creators who may not require extensive support.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
🏆
Winner: Volusion
. Volusion’s security measures are more comprehensive than Big Cartel’s. Volusion employs data encryption techniques to ensure that customer and business data are stored securely and are only accessible through authorized means. This encryption applies to personal information, payment details, and any transactional data handled by the platform. Volusion also implements two-factor authentication (2FA), to further secure user accounts and sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Big Cartel, on the other hand, provides SSL encryption across its platform for all shops and custom domains to ensure secure data transmission. However, it’s not PCI compliant by itself but facilitates secure payment processing through integration with PCI-compliant third-party gateways like PayPal and Stripe. This means that while Big Cartel does take measures to protect user data, it does not offer the same level of security as Volusion.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Personalized Design |
|
|
SEO Optimization |
|
|
Customer Behavior Analysis |
|
|
Sales Predictions |
|
|
Inventory Management |
|
|
Content Generation |
|
|
🏆 Winner: None
. Neither Big Cartel nor Volusion offer AI capabilities. Both platforms focus on providing a straightforward and user-friendly interface for building and managing online stores, but they do not utilize AI to enhance the user experience or optimize the ecommerce process.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
🏆 Winner: Volusion
. The user management capabilities of Big Cartel and Volusion are significantly different.
- Big Cartel allows only one user to build and edit a website. This might be sufficient for small businesses or independent creators, but it lacks the flexibility and scalability needed for larger teams or growing businesses.
- Volusion, on the other hand, offers customizable user account management with various roles and permissions tailored for efficient online store operation. These roles, including Administrator, Editor/Manager, Customer Service, and Marketing, provide different access levels for tasks like site design, order processing, and analytics. Subscription plans determine the number of staff accounts available: 1 in the Personal Plan, 5 in the Professional Plan, 15 in the Business Plan, and unlimited in the Prime Plan. This range ensures scalability and flexibility to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes, enabling effective management and operation of eCommerce teams across different business scales.
Unfortunately, there is no detailed information available about the specific user roles and access levels for both Big Cartel and Volusion.
Additional Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
User feedback on Big Cartel highlights its simplicity and affordability as key advantages, making it a popular choice for small businesses and startups looking to establish an online presence quickly. Users appreciate the ease of setting up and customizing their online stores, the flat monthly fees without per-item charges, and the platform’s intuitive design and mobile management capabilities. However, limitations in features compared to more comprehensive platforms, restricted customization options, and lack of advanced integrations or inventory management for specific items are noted drawbacks. Despite these concerns, Big Cartel is praised for its cost-effectiveness and user-friendly approach, particularly for those new to e-commerce or with smaller inventories.
Users generally appreciate Volusion’s affordability compared to competitors like Shopify, finding its simplified user interface suitable for non-tech users. However, there are concerns about its limited integrations and frequent technical issues, such as crashes and slow support responses. Some users feel that Volusion lacks the advanced features and customization options offered by competitors like Shopify, making it less competitive in the market. Despite these drawbacks, Volusion remains a feasible option for small to medium-sized businesses seeking a budget-friendly solution for establishing an online store.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for small businesses, Big Cartel or Volusion?
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