If you are a small business owner looking to sell your products online, Big Cartel offers a user-friendly platform that can help you set up your own e-commerce store with ease, thanks to its robust small business web development features.

With its customizable templates and various tools, Big Cartel makes it easy to launch your online store and start selling your products.

In this article, we will be covering everything right from setting up your store and customizing its design to creating discounts and launching your website. By the end of this guide, you’ll have the skills you need to successfully establish and manage your e-commerce store on Big Cartel.

How to Create Your Online Store with Big Cartel – Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Sign Up for Your Big Cartel Account

Start your sign-up process by clicking on the button “Open Your Store” at the center of the Big Cartel’s homepage. The platform lets you get started with the free plan by allowing you to add 5 products. The paid plans range from $9.99 to $19.99 per month with extra features and limitations.

By clicking on the CTA, you will be directed to the pricing plan page where you can start your trial for free,

Let’s choose the FREE plan here, sign up by providing your email address, your shop’s name, the URL for your store, and a password for your account.

Step 2: Fill Out Your Preferences

Once you have created your account, you will be directed to the dashboard where you can fill in some required details and also fill in your preferences.

It is essential that you add your location, so ensure that you complete this section. Your location holds significance as it enables Big Cartel to calculate the applicable taxes that need to be included for each order.

When it comes to shipping, there are several alternatives available to you. You can either complete shipping profiles and save them based on the weight or country, or establish shipping rules for particular products as you add them. 

Big Cartel provides the option to set a shipping price for a single item and an additional shipping cost for each subsequent item, which may incentivize customers to purchase more and lower the overall shipping cost.

Adjusting preferences may not be included on the checklist, it is recommended that you take a moment to do so now. You have the option to modify preferences such as requesting customers’ phone numbers during checkout or receiving email notifications whenever a new order is placed. Additionally, Big Cartel automatically sends an email confirmation to customers after an order is placed, unless this feature is disabled.

Here, as shown in the above screenshot, Big Cartel provides two options of payment providers – PayPal or Stripe to receive your payments. In case you are having accounts on both services, you can add them both to expand the range of payment options available to your customers.

Step 3: Add Your Products

To incorporate a new product, you have two options: follow the checklist on your dashboard or click on “Products” located in the top middle menu. Specify the name, description, and price of the product. If you offer multiple types of products, you may include categories and assign each product to its respective category. This enhances the organization of your products and makes it simpler for customers to navigate your store.

In addition, you have the flexibility to establish distinct prices for variations. For instance, if you sell stickers of various sizes, you can set a different price for each size within a single product.

Step 4: Customize the Design of Your Store

Customize your store’s design by selecting your preferred template and create your personalized e-commerce store. You have a choice of 18 complimentary themes from which you can select. Once you have chosen a theme that you like, you can further customize your website to suit your preferences. 

You can modify your site by changing its color scheme, typography, and incorporating images. If you desire to tailor your website beyond what is available you must possess knowledge of CSS language. To make alterations to a theme, you must enroll in a paid plan with Big Cartel.

Step: 5 Discount for Your Products

To generate a discount, access the “Discounts” section from the top menu and produce a new discount code. You have the ability to specify various discount parameters, including a customer’s minimum spend or the number of items in their order.

The discount may comprise free shipping or a percentage reduction. You can also set an expiration date for your discount code, based on a particular date or number of uses, or allow it to remain valid indefinitely. The discount will be displayed during the customer’s checkout process.

Step: 6 Launch Your Store

Now, it’s time to release your e-commerce site showcasing your products. You can initiate the launch process either from your dashboard’s checklist or after designing your store. If you’re uncertain about the appearance of your site, you may preview it beforehand. Before launching, ensure that you have completed all the checklist items to guarantee that you’re prepared to accept and fulfill orders. When ready, click on “Launch” to publish your site.

Are You Ready?

Creating an online store with Big Cartel is a simple and straightforward web development process that can be easily accomplished by anyone. On signing up and setting up your preferences, you can quickly add products and customize your e-commerce site. Its user-friendly interface and intuitive design make Big Cartel an ideal platform for new e-commerce sellers looking to get started quickly. 

Are you an artist, crafter, or small business owner? You can easily go from designing your e-commerce site to launching and selling your products in a matter of hours.  Big Cartel is a great option for anyone looking to establish an online presence and expand their reach 

With features such as custom discounts, shipping profiles, and the ability to accept payments through multiple channels, Big Cartel provides everything you need to run a successful e-commerce business. 

To know more about our small business web development services and find more related content, browse through our Small Business Web page.

Explore our affordable website development packages for small business, designed to boost your online presence and drive growth.

If you’re willing to collaborate with us, you can contact our website development team at any moment by sending us a message or calling us at (919) 234-5140