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Summary
Squarespace eCommerce allows businesses to create an online store on the Squarespace platform. With Squarespace eCommerce, users can create a fully customizable online store, process payments, and manage inventory, orders, and shipping. Squarespace offers a range of built-in eCommerce features, including abandoned cart recovery, discount codes, and gift cards.
Overall
85%
85%
Ease of Use - 85%
85%
Features & Flexibility - 90%
90%
SEO & Mobility - 80%
80%
Help & Support - 85%
85%
Pricing - 85%
85%
Pros
Extensive design choices when it comes to templates, including industry- and product-specific choices
Reasonably priced for an all-in ecommerce site builder
Great mobility option for store management on the fly
Impressive eCommerce sales features
Introduction: What is the Squarespace eCommerce Solution all about?
By all indications, there's nowhere to go for the Squarespace store but up. The business that Squarespace founder Anthony Casalena started in his college dorm room in 2004 now powers over 1,000,000 sites to its credit. In 2014, the Squarespace eCommerce solution was launched – and it's become a viable solution for merchants around the world.
But how does Squarespace eCommerce stack up against the bigger players in the eCommerce site-building and hosting scene? What’s the current score in the Squarespace vs Shopify debate? What sets a Squarespace store apart from the competition? In this Squarespace eCommerce review, we take a closer look at the platform's features, functionality, and Squarespace eCommerce pricing.
Overview: Our Squarespace store review could be the solution to your eCommerce needs.
As background to our Squarespace eCommerce review, the platform offers two distinct solutions:
Since 2014, Squarespace Ecommerce (officially known as Squarespace Commerce) has facilitated the creation and hosting of over 100,000 online stores and business hubs worldwide. Its popularity rests on a great combination of diverse eCommerce tools and fantastic-looking design templates.
For starters in this Squarespace eCommerce review, logging into the Squarespace store platform can be daunting, especially for first-time users. You really need to devote some time to learn how to navigate (but not so much as how to use) the platform. Indeed, some functions are buried deep in the UI, or if we’re going to compare it to the Shopify and Weebly eCommerce UIs, they aren’t in the places where you expect to find them. Though, once you do get the hang of it, the drag-and-drop interface and the numerous eCommerce tools built right into it show you exactly why many businesses are turning to Squarespace for online stores.
If you happen to be a complete noob when it comes to eCommerce, don’t worry: there is a Squarespace tutorial (of sorts) that guides you through eight crucial steps for building a successful online store.
To kick off this Squarespace eCommerce review, let's dig deep into the platform's features.
Out-of-the-box:
Functionality and stunning design are really what you get with the Squarespace eCommerce pricing plans available. Squarespace for online store key features include the following:
Drag-and-drop site builder optimized for eCommerce use;
Basic website metrics;
Mobile optimization for websites;
24/7 online customer support;
Sales features.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of Themes and Templates:
Squarespace store shares over 100 thematic templates with the standard Squarespace website builder. This number definitely puts it in the lead over Shopify which only has around 70. Also, Squarespace for online store templates are more attention-grabbing. They're easily customizable with colours, filters, and effects to reflect your brand identity and signature colours. Likewise, if you’re looking for a design that perfectly suits your specific industry or product line, the Squarespace store themes roster has several industry- or product-specific options to choose from.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of Customisation Tools:
Now, in this Squarespace eCommerce review, let's tackle customisation. If you’re looking at aesthetic customization for your site, that particular function is already built into Squarespace store's UI. As previously stated, you can change colours, add identifying markers, and – even without coding the back-end – customize your site's overall look.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of 3rd Party Integrations:
Squarespace has its “app store” Extension directory, but it isn't well-stocked. Fortunately, most sites can be integrated with various 3rd party apps and work seamlessly with a wide range of plug-ins, depending on your needs. Payment, for example, is possible through PayPal, Stripe, and ApplePay, while integrations with shipping companies like FedEx, UPS, and the US Postal Service ensure proper shipping and delivery of products to customers.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of Hosting:
Squarespace (eCommerce) prides itself on hosting its sites and stores on a data centre redundant cloud server.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of Backups:
Sadly, the Squarespace for online store platform doesn't perform automatic backups. Manual backup is what you need to do to protect your website and content in the [unlikely] event that someone tries to hack into it.
Squarespace eCommerce Review of Migration:
Migrating your Squarespace store from another host such as Shopify can be done through .csv files or you can use of a third-party migration tool to ensure that no data is lost in the process.
In this Squarespace eCommerce review, what about SEO features?
SEO:
Squarespace for Online Store offers SEO features to ensure your site’s visibility on the most popular search engines. As a result, you're spared the stress and tedium of having to code in your metadata or search for a third-party app to do it for you.
Mobile:
Likewise, all sites built using any Squarespace eCommerce pricing plans are automatically optimized for mobile devices. Consequently, your site will look just as good on a phone or tablet screen as it would on your desktop.
But what really sets Squarespace store apart from the competition is the Squarespace Commerce app for Android and iOS devices. The app enables you to manage your Squarespace online store on the go, allowing you to scan shipping labels, contact customers, manage inventory, and even fulfil orders on the fly.
squarespace-app
Pagespeed:
Its cloud servers ensure that stores load rapidly and transactions run smoothly, even if other sites on the server are just as busy as yours.
Our tests through Pingdom and GTmetrix discovered the following;
Where Squarespace for Online Store is concerned, data is king. What do we mean by this?
Simple: it’s all in the information which businesses need. Merchants need to see how they’re doing, how they can recalibrate their online selling and promotion strategies, and how they can best grow their client base. Likewise, in this age, when people can’t handle the merchandise for themselves before making a purchase, enhanced imagery becomes a vital tool for the online marketplace.
Key Squarespace (eCommerce) tools:
In which case, online entrepreneurs should maximize the best points of the platform, key tools for which are listed below:
Advanced analytics: This tool gives site owners a clearer picture of user and customer behaviour.
Product image zoom: The online version of taking a product off the shelf and examining it close-hand.
Checkout and payment facilities: Squarespace (eCommerce) enables site owners to create checkout and payment gateways unique to their businesses.
Built-in taxation suite: Squarespace store takes the pain out of this process with its built-in tax facility. You can set up tax rules depending on federal, national, and even international (in the case of cross-country shipping) taxation laws in just minutes.
Sales features:
Now, while most eCommerce builders will only give you options for selling products; Squarespace (eCommerce), on the other hand, also gives you options for selling services to customers. This is an invaluable resource for many types of businesses, with tools that include the following:
Facility for appointment scheduling and tracking
Mailing list builder to keep tabs on your clientele
Integrated social channels (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter)
Aside from excellent 24/7 customer and technical support via live chat and email, the Squarespace blog is an excellent resource from which you can learn the platform's how-tos. It also features several tutorials for both basic and advanced users. Squarespace also hosts occasional webinars, and the community forum is a great way to learn from fellow users.
What about Squarespace eCommerce pricing? In this review, the platform ranks among the most affordable among the eCommerce site builders currently available. For businesses with primarily online operations (or who have or are making the shift to the virtual marketplace,) there are three subscription packages to choose from.
To lower costs on Squarespace eCommerce pricing plans, note that you can get as much as 30% off your subscription price if you choose to pay for it annually.
Free trial/refund policy/money-back guarantee:
From their Terms of Service page, the platform offers a free trial for fourteen days; after which, you will need to upgrade to any of the three business subscription plans. Refunds are determined on a case basis.
Conclusion and Recommendation for Squarespace for Online Store:
What is it best for?
Squarespace store is definitely a great buy for those who want maximum flexibility when it comes to design and functionality. Likewise, this is a great platform for start-ups and the SME sector.
What is it not best for?
Probably not the best choice for larger, more seasoned webstore owners who will need more scalable eCommerce solutions to suit their needs
Squarespace Alternatives:
Here's a list of the best Squarespace alternatives to create a an online store:
Rank
Key Features
Price (Basic Paid Plan)
Transaction Fee
My View
1. Shopify
Comprehensive e-commerce features, large app store, excellent SEO tools
Shopify vs Squarespace:Shopify would still be top of mind when it comes to the most viable Squarespace (eCommerce) alternative. It's the most stable platform with proven success with numerous online stores.
Final Word:
To conclude, Squarespace (eCommerce) is a great way for smaller businesses and those just starting off to hop aboard the eCommerce bandwagon with all the flexibility and functionality it offers. Thanks to reasonable Squarespace eCommerce pricing plans, there’s bound to be a service suite to help you build a great-looking and hardworking webstore.
How much do I expect to pay for a Squarespace (eCommerce) subscription?
It would depend on the plan you choose; in which case, you stand to pay between $18.00 to $48.00 a month. You can get up to 30% off on your subscription if you choose to pay annually.
Can I manage my Squarespace online store on the go?
Yes, you can. Simply download the Squarespace Commerce app via Google Play Store or the Apple App Store.
I’m not happy with my Squarespace Commerce site. Can I cancel my subscription?
You can cancel your subscription at any time, but any refunds will depend on whether you cancel your subscription within the first fourteen days or if you pay for your subscription annually.
That’s all for now:
Thanks for reading our Squarespace eCommerce review. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for our ever-growing blog of review and comparison articles of eCommerce platforms, SEO software, screen capture tools, webinar and conferencing software, education platforms, website builders, and more such as;
Hi there, my name is Stuart, founder of stuartkerrs.com and an experienced Digital Marketing Consultant in London. I hold a degree in Computer Science from The Open University and started my career in the City, working in Financial Technology. There, I developed and supported financial software, banking intranets, and websites.
Driven by my passion for digital marketing, I seized the opportunity to leverage my experience and founded my own company. With over 20 years in the industry, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, helping clients create and grow their online presence successfully.
As a dedicated Digital Marketing Consultant in London, I stay up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies in the ever-evolving digital landscape, ensuring that my clients receive cutting-edge solutions tailored to their unique needs.
Feel free to explore my blog to gain insights, tips, and valuable information on how to excel in the world of digital marketing.
