Business Model of Ecwid | Complete Guide

Introduction

Do you have a plan to develop an eCommerce plugin like Ecwid? If yes, do you have a core strategy to lead a profitable business? 

Just because you have the skills to develop plugins like Ecwid does not mean you can do away with a business model. Business models help you decide on products and services you would offer to your target audience. Besides it, a business model also helps predict future expenses.

Ecwid, a SAAS e-commerce company, provides online selling solutions for individuals and businesses to add a full-featured store to any existing website while preserving its design. It is a private company established in 2009 and headquartered in  Encinitas, CA. Ecwid offices are in Ulyanovsk, Russia.

In this blog, we will study the Ecwid Business Model in detail. So, stick around if you are interested in developing a plugin similar to Ecwid and getting profits from it.

What is Ecwid?

Ecwid is an eCommerce plugin enabling business owners to extend the functionalities of their already existing websites; it is suitable for small businesses and personal levels.

It can also help create one-page websites and the starter site, which Ecwid offers, is a builder with necessary features; very useful in creating a landing page for your store.

Ease of use

Ecwid is very easy to use; all you need is to integrate it with your website. You are not supposed to worry about coding, hosting, updating, or installing anything. Add a widget to the backend of your site to add Ecwid to your website.

A few sites that have special Ecwid plugins are:

• Wix
• Weebly
• Squarespace
• Strikingly
• SITE123
• GoDaddy
• WordPress

If your website is custom made, you need to use code to add Ecwid to your website.

Pricing

It is crucial to know about the different pricing that Ecwid offers since it helps you make a better decision while choosing the plan for your organization or new venture. Many a time, people end up splurging money on software only to realize that it was not worth their money or not suitable for their project. In such scenarios, you would be at an advantage when equipped with the knowledge of various plans and what these plans offer.

We list various plans of Ecwid below.

Free Plan 

The Ecwid Free Plan costs nothing and offers you Google Shopping, Facebook advertising, Facebook pixel, selling simultaneously on multiple sites, adding a store to any website, starter site, and unlimited bandwidth. The Ecwid Free Plan covers only ten products.

Venture Plan 

The Venture Plan of Ecwid costs $15 per month (monthly) or $12.50 per month paid annually. The Ecwid Venture plan offers the following things:

• Chat Support
• Google Shopping
• Facebook advertising
• Facebook pixel
• Advanced SEO tools
• Inventory management
• Access to App Market extensions
• Selling simultaneously on multiple sites
• Automated tax calculations
• Discount coupons
• Adding a store to any website
• Starter site
• Unlimited bandwidth. 

This Ecwid plan covers 100MB per digital file and a hundred products.

Business Plan 

The Ecwid Business Plan costs $35 per month (paid monthly) or $29.17 per month (paid annually). 

The Ecwid business plan offers the following things:

• phone and chats support
• automated abandoned cart recovery
• Two staff accounts
• eBay integration
• product variations
• product filters
• Google Shopping
• Facebook advertising
• Facebook pixel
• advanced SEO tools
• inventory management
• access to App Market extensions
• selling simultaneously on multiple sites
• automated tax calculations
• discount coupons
• abandoned cart saver
• adding a store to any website
• starter site 
• and unlimited bandwidth.

This Ecwid plan covers 1GB per digital file and 2500 products.

Unlimited Plan 

The Unlimited Plan offered by Ecwid costs $99 per month (monthly) or $82.50 per month (paid annually)

This Ecwid plan gives users the following things:

• priority support
• phone and chat support
•  Square POS integration
•  automated abandoned cart recovery
•  Two staff accounts
•  eBay integration
•  product variations
• product filters
•  Google Shopping
•  Facebook advertising
•  Facebook pixel
•  advanced SEO tools
•  inventory management
•  access to App Market extensions
•  selling simultaneously on multiple sites
•  automated tax calculations
• discount coupons
• abandoned cart saver
•  adding a store to any website
•  starter site
•  and unlimited bandwidth.

The Unlimited Ecwid plan covers 10GB per digital file and unlimited products.

Ecwid Design Flexibility

Themes

It comes with a set store design that integrates with your existing website. It means the color of your website and online store will be the same, maintaining consistency. The design of your store gets dictated by the current theme of your website; you can make some tweaks afterward if you desire to do so.

Customizing Your Ecwid Store

It also allows you to change the size of product images, tweak the layout of your products and their descriptions, and edit navigation and color palette. You should know that Ecwid has limited customization, which might limit you from experimenting much.

If you want real personalization, you need to use CSS to edit your themes and styles; only those who know how to code can easily do it.

The changes that you make to your Ecwid dashboard get applied and synced across all your platforms.

Suggested  Reading: 

CostCo Business Model: Strategic Insights

Ecommerce tools and features

Ecwid offers you store management tools to assist you in sustaining your business. The tools that Ecwid offers are uncomplicated and can help run small businesses smoothly. 

Following are a few of such tools:

• Inventory tracking
• Product options and variants
• Promotion and discount creation
• Sell physical and digital products
• Shipping options, including flat-rate shipping, free delivery, and curbside pickup
• Abandoned cart saver
• Multichannel integration – Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and eBay
• Unlimited bandwidth
• POS integrations include Square, Clover, Vend, and Alice

Payment Options and Fees

Even though Ecwid has limited payment options, it does not charge transaction fees on any of your sales. Gateways allow you to accept payment online. Ecwid supports more than 50 payment gateways.

 A few of them are as follows:

• Square
• PayPal
• Stripe
• American Express
• 2Checkout
• Klarna

Fees

Even though Ecwid does not charge a fee on transactions, you should always check with the payment provider you choose; their terms & conditions can vary greatly, which might cause you problems later. We call the charges that payment gateways charge processing fees. One thing that you should know is that processing fees depend on your Ecwid plan. The higher your Ecwid user plan, the lower the processing fee is.

Marketing and SEO

It is crucial to advertise your products, and Ecwid knows it well. They provide email marketing for the Business plan and the Unlimited plan users to assist them in marketing.

Besides marketing, Search Engine Optimization also plays a significant role. Ecwid helps optimize your products to rank well in search results.

Performance and Security

It is Level 1 PCI DSS compliant. If you use its instant Site store builder, you can enjoy SSL for security. SSL encrypts the data that gets exchanged between your customers and your website. It means Ecwid can securely process credit card payments.

Apps and Integrations

Ecwid possesses an App Market wherein you can find extra tools to add to your store to extend the functionality of your website. 

A few of the recommended Ecwid apps are:

• LiveChat
• Product Labels
• Advanced Discount Rules

Suggested Reading: 

Ecwid | Pros and Cons

Help and Support

It is always the case that one might need some assistance while using software or tools that are new to them. And, not knowing how to get through the trouble is annoying. In such scenarios, Help, and Support provided to us by the company comes in handy. Ecwid offers help & Support in the following ways:

• Live chat (only premium plans offer it)
• Phone support (only premium plans offer it)
• Email support
• Help Center
• Video Guides
• Community forum
• Priority support (highest Ecwid user plan only)

If you happen to be a free plan user, do not worry. Free plan users can only take help from email or the Ecwid Help Center.  

If you want to avail of the next level of Support, it demands you to upgrade your plan. If you are one of the highest plan users, you get to enjoy priority support for faster solutions.

Conclusion

Ecwid is a tool that helps small businesses and individuals to expand their website functionalities. The Ecwid business model is impressive, and one should consider it while chalking a business model for their company. 

If you are someone who is keen to open an online Ecwid store, get in touch with AppsRhino, we are more than happy to help you skyrocket your business in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Ecwid's business model and how does it work? 

Ecwid's business model revolves around providing a platform for businesses to create and manage their online stores. They offer a freemium model with various pricing plans that cater to different business needs, allowing users to sell products online and access additional features and integrations.

How does Ecwid generate revenue? 

Ecwid generates revenue through a subscription-based model. They offer different pricing plans to users, ranging from free to premium options, with varying features and support levels. Additionally, Ecwid also offers paid add-ons and integrations that contribute to their revenue streams.

What are the key features of Ecwid's business model? 

Ecwid's business model includes features such as a fully customizable online store, multichannel selling capabilities, mobile responsiveness, integrations with popular platforms, and secure payment gateways. They also provide options for inventory management, shipping, and order management to streamline business operations.

How does Ecwid attract customers to its platform? 

Ecwid attracts customers through various marketing channels such as digital advertising, content marketing, partnerships, and word-of-mouth referrals. They also leverage their reputation as a trusted e-commerce solution and actively engage with their user community to promote brand awareness and customer acquisition.

Can I use Ecwid's business model for my existing website? 

Yes, Ecwid offers a seamless integration solution that allows you to embed their online store into your existing website or CMS (Content Management System). This enables you to leverage Ecwid's e-commerce capabilities while maintaining your website's design and branding.