(This post was last published on January 6, 2015. It has been updated for accuracy and completeness.)
BigCommerce is one of the most popular ways for small businesses to sell products online, and it offers robust ecommerce tools out of the box. That said, users can also take advantage of hundreds of add-ons, customizations, and apps to supplement the platform’s core features and take their ecommerce strategies to the next level.
In this article, we’ll cover seven of the most effective apps for BigCommerce users. These cover everything from A/B tests to omnichannel marketing and live chat support. Adding apps to your BigCommerce approach gives you the opportunity to craft a unique customer experience that will resonate with your audience
1. Omnisend
Multichannel campaigns tend to achieve better results than campaigns that only leverage a single channel, but omnichannel strategies can add another layer of personalization to your customer interactions. Omnisend is a robust omnichannel application that streamlines nearly every aspect of omnichannel marketing.
The platform is currently compatible with email, SMS, push notifications, Facebook Custom Audiences, Google Customer Match, and Facebook Messenger. It also offers both preset and custom workflows that allow marketers to configure complex automation sequences across several channels.
With additional features such as thorough marketing analytics, customizable signup forms, and 24/7 email and live chat support, Omnisend is the perfect tool for transitioning to an omnichannel approach. Users can access its email features, signup forms, and reports at no charge, while premium subscriptions start at just $16 per month.
2. ReferralCandy
Word of mouth marketing is one of the most efficient ways to generate leads and sales, and ReferralCandy automates the process of developing a strong referral program. Users can start incentivizing referrals without any coding experience.
ReferralCandy costs $49 per month plus a tiered commission after a 30-day free trial. It’s compatible with BigCommerce as well as other ecommerce stores such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.
Subscribers can customize nearly every aspect of their referral programs including rewards, signup forms, and automated workflows. The platform also integrates with other marketing applications such as Google Ads and Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and Adroll Advertise.
3. Yotpo
Yotpo is a BigCommerce app that focuses on helping businesses generate more reviews on their products. Audiences tend to trust buyer reviews more than other types of messaging, so encouraging customers to leave a review can lead to a significant bump in sales.
While most review requests require the customer to visit the online store to leave a review, Yotpo’s form is embedded within the email. Recipients can write and submit the review without leaving the message, and Yotpo emails are all optimized for mobile devices as well as computers.
Yotpo’s free plan includes basic features like review request emails, widgets for your site, and up to 50 orders per month. Premium subscriptions are priced based on your business and come with additional tools such as Google and Facebook integration, support for multiple domains, and a dedicated account manager.
4. LiveChat
Real-time conversations are one of the most effective ways to generate interest in your products, and LiveChat facilitates these interactions by adding a chat widget to your website. The program is also compatible with a wide range of other channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, email, and SMS.
While some customers will have general questions about your brand, chat agents can also direct them toward specific items through the product recommendation tool. These recommendations include an image and description of the product along with a link to its page.
LiveChat starts at just $19 per agent per month, or $16 per agent per month when billed annually. You can also start with a 14-day free trial to test out the application. Unlike many other subscription services, LiveChat doesn’t require payment information for free trials.
5. OrderCup
Shipping and order fulfillment may seem like straightforward aspects of running an ecommerce store, but managing them manually can significantly reduce your efficiency, especially if you’re selling a large volume of products.
OrderCup offers numerous tools to help streamline your shipping practices. Some of the most notable features are its discounted shipping and insurance rates, 24/7 emergency support, and free packing supplies. Users can also set up on-demand or automatic return labels to facilitate the return process.
After a 30-day free trial, premium OrderCup subscriptions are available from just $25 per month for up to 500 monthly shipments. A free plan is also available for businesses that make fewer than 50 shipments per month.
6. Optimizely
Gathering marketing data is a crucial step toward optimizing your campaigns, and Optimizely makes this easy by facilitating split tests and integrating directly with BigCommerce.
Split tests, or A/B tests, involve displaying two variants of the same page or ad and comparing the results in order to identify the best option. Consistently running A/B tests gives you the information you need to make adjustments and stay ahead of the competition.
Optimizely subscriptions start at just $17 per month, with specific pricing based on the features you need and the size of your business. Free trials are available for up to 30 days, giving you plenty of time to experiment with a variety of split tests.
7. TrustPulse
Like referral programs, social proof is an excellent way to build your brand’s credibility. TrustPulse tracks customer activity and automatically targets leads with social proof at the perfect point in the customer journey. Subscriptions start at $79 per year for up to 2,500 site visits per month.
For example, a lead who visits your site might receive a notification when another customer completes a purchase. You can easily set up these workflows in just a few minutes, and TrustPulse gives users the ability to customize various aspects of their workflow.
Conclusion
BigCommerce is a powerful tool on its own, but it’s at its best when combined with the top third-party applications and add-ons. These are just a few of the most effective apps to consider adding to your BigCommerce store in 2020.
What’s your favorite app? Let us know in the comments below.
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