Bigcommerce Website: Definition, Benefits, Examples, Design and Development, and Cost

BigCommerce is a website that grows e-commerce with an open SaaS platform for diverse businesses. Trusted globally, the platform enables scalability, customization, and omnichannel selling, suiting enterprises seeking expansion. According to a study titled “Total Economic Impact” conducted by Forrester, businesses that migrated to BigCommerce achieved an impressive 211% ROI. Multi-currency support and advanced APIs enhance adaptability across regions and industries. 

The Page Builder Visual Editor and Headless Commerce capabilities optimize design and development processes—renowned brands such as Skullcandy and Ben & Jerry’s leverage BigCommerce for customer-focused, data-driven shopping experiences. Level 1 PCI compliance and 99.99% uptime ensure robust security and uninterrupted operations. Integrated SEO tools, including customizable URLs and schema support, boost search engine visibility, increasing organic traffic and revenue. 

What is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a leading e-commerce platform that empowers businesses to build and manage online stores efficiently. Established in 2009 by Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper, the platform supports businesses of all sizes with scalable tools for website design, product management, and seamless integrations. Retailers, wholesalers, and entrepreneurs leverage BigCommerce to establish a strong online presence. 

Bigcommerce reported significant growth across various segments, with partner and services revenue growing year-over-year by 52.3% in the first quarter, 21.7% in the second quarter, 30.1% in the third quarter, and 33.9% in the fourth quarter of 2021. BigCommerce caters to industries such as fashion, electronics, and B2B services. Flexible APIs, multi-channel capabilities, and advanced customization options position BigCommerce as a competitive solution for businesses pursuing growth in the digital marketplace.

What Makes BigCommerce a Trusted Platform for E-commerce?

BigCommerce is trusted for the e-commerce website industry due to robust security measures, exceptional scalability, and dedicated customer support. Infrastructure is powered by SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) and adheres to MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless) architecture principles, ensuring flexibility and reliability. BigCommerce offers 99.99% uptime, verified by security certifications, including PCI DSS Level 1 compliance, protecting sensitive payment data. BigCommerce also employs advanced fraud prevention and SSL encryption to safeguard online transactions. 

Research titled “2024 Cyber Week Report” published by BigCommerce highlights BigCommerce’s achievement of 100% uptime during Cyber Week 2024, marking the 11th consecutive year of maintaining this performance during peak shopping periods. These factors collectively make BigCommerce the most trusted commerce solution provider and one of the world’s most acclaimed e-commerce platforms.

What are the Benefits of Using BigCommerce?

Below are the benefits of using BigCommerce.

1. User-Friendly Interface

2. Mobile-Responsive Design

3. SEO-Friendly Features

4. Secure Transactions

5. Diverse Payment Options

6. Excellent Customer Support

7. Integration with Various Tools

8. Customizability

9. Integration with Existing Systems

10. Advanced Security Features

11. Built-In B2B Specific Features

12. Multi-Channel Selling

• User-Friendly Interface: Businesses using BigCommerce’s “responsive” website have reported a 10% to 30% improvement in site traffic conversion rates due to a user-friendly interface. This ease of navigation enhances the shopping experience, leading to increased sales.
  
• Mobile-Responsive Design: Approximately 70% of e-commerce sales are now conducted on mobile devices. BigCommerce’s mobile-responsive design contributes to this trend, allowing merchants to capture a larger share of mobile shoppers and improve overall sales.
  
• SEO-Friendly Features: Stores using big commerce’s SEO-friendly features have seen organic traffic increases of up to 50%. Improved search engine rankings lead to more visibility and higher sales volumes.
  
• Secure Transactions: The implementation of secure transaction protocols, including PCI compliance, has resulted in a 25% increase in customer trust, which directly correlates with higher conversion rates and repeat purchases.
  
• Diverse Payment Options: Offering diverse payment options has been shown to increase sales by up to 15%, as customers are more likely to complete purchases when preferred payment methods are available.
  
• Excellent Customer Support: BigCommerce boasts a customer satisfaction rate of approximately 73%, attributed to excellent customer support services, which help resolve issues quickly and enhance the overall shopping experience.
  
• Integration with Various Tools: Businesses that integrate various tools with BigCommerce report efficiency gains of around 30%, allowing businesses to streamline operations and focus more on growth strategies.
  
• Customizability: Customizable features allow businesses to differentiate brands effectively. Companies utilizing customizable features have reported a 20% increase in brand recognition, leading to higher customer loyalty.
  
• Integration with Existing Systems: Companies that integrate BigCommerce with existing systems have experienced an operational efficiency increase of approximately 25%, reducing time spent on manual processes.
  
• Advanced Security Features: Advanced security features have reduced fraudulent transactions by up to 40%, providing peace of mind for merchants and customers.
  
• Built-In B2B Specific Features:  Businesses utilizing BigCommerce’s built-in B2B features have reported sales growth of approximately 15%, as these features cater specifically to the needs of B2B customers.
  
• Multi-Channel Selling: Merchants engaging in multi-channel selling through BigCommerce have seen an average sales increase of around 20%, as merchants effectively reach customers across various platforms.
  

How does BigCommerce ensure scalability and flexibility for businesses?

BigCommerce ensures scalability and flexibility by leveraging robust hosting infrastructure, customizable templates, and seamless API integrations. Cloud-native architecture eliminates server management concerns, providing 99.99% uptime for uninterrupted operations. BigCommerce’s API-driven platform supports omnichannel strategies, enabling businesses to expand across marketplaces, social media, and custom applications. 

Customizable templates and composable architecture allow B2C and B2B merchants to tailor online stores for diverse customer needs. 

A Forrester Consulting study commissioned by BigCommerce titled “The Total Economic Impact” found that businesses migrating to the platform experienced a 30% improvement in site traffic conversion rates by Year 3. By catering to B2C and B2B markets, BigCommerce emerges as a comprehensive e-commerce solution that supports business growth and adapts to evolving demands.

How does BigCommerce cater to B2C and B2B markets?

BigCommerce caters to both B2C and B2B markets by offering tailored features that address the distinct needs of each segment. In B2C businesses, the platform provides a drag-and-drop interface and mobile-responsive templates, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience. B2B merchants benefit from advanced pricing customization, enabling personalized pricing, bulk discounts, and custom catalogs for wholesale clients. 

BigCommerce’s built-in tools, like quote management and multi-level user permissions, support complex B2B workflows. According to research titled “eCommerce Sales & Size Forecast” by the International Trade Administration, the global B2B e-commerce market is projected to grow by 14.5% annually, expected to exceed $36 trillion in gross merchandise value (GMV) by 2026. This combined with the ability to support B2B necessities, makes BigCommerce a robust e-commerce solution for businesses of all types.

How can a business set up a BigCommerce B2B website?

A business can set up a B2B website on BigCommerce by following a streamlined process that emphasizes customization and business-specific features. Setup begins with selecting a plan and registering the website. Next, the business chooses a mobile-responsive, customizable theme that aligns with the brand. Businesses then configure product management features, including bulk pricing, custom catalogs, and inventory tracking, to meet B2B requirements. 

BigCommerce provides features like multi-tier user accounts and automated quote management to improve client interactions. SEO capabilities, including custom URLs, meta descriptions, and schema markup, enhance site visibility. According to BigCommerce documentation, businesses launch B2B e-commerce sites within 4-6 weeks, depending on customization levels. This process provides the tools to efficiently manage and grow B2B e-commerce operations.

What Features does BigCommerce Offer for E-commerce Sites?

The features of BigCommerce for e-commerce sites are listed below:

1. Product Management

2. Payment Gateways

3. SEO Tools

4. Mobile-Responsive Design

5. Customizable Templates

6. Multi-Channel Selling

7. Shipping Integration

8. Analytics and Reporting

9. Security Features

10. New Features and Updates

1. Product Management: Streamlines inventory tracking, categorization, and bulk pricing for efficient operations.
2. Payment Gateways: Supports various payment options, including PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay, ensuring secure transactions.
3. SEO Tools: Built-in SEO features like custom URLs, meta tags, and schema markup boost online visibility.
4. Mobile-Responsive Design: Provides a seamless shopping experience across devices, enhancing customer engagement.
5. Customizable Templates: Flexible drag-and-drop templates allow tailored website designs.
6. Multi-Channel Selling: Facilitates selling on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and social media, expanding market reach.
7. Shipping Integration: Integrates major carriers such as UPS and FedEx, streamlining order fulfillment.
8. Analytics and Reporting: Offers insights into sales, customer behavior, and performance metrics to guide business decisions.
9. Security Features: Ensures data protection with SSL encryption, PCI DSS compliance, and fraud prevention tools.
10. New Features and Updates: Continuously introduces new features and platform updates to enhance functionality and meet business needs.

What new features has BigCommerce introduced recently?

The newest features of BigCommerce focus on enhancing functionality and expanding integration capabilities, providing a seamless user experience. Recently, BigCommerce introduced AI-powered product recommendations, optimizing product discovery and increasing conversion rates. Another key update is advanced app integrations, enabling easy connection with third-party applications like ERPs, CRMs, and marketing tools, streamlining operations. 

BigCommerce curated the world’s leading ecosystem partners, offering a broader selection of integrations and tailored growth solutions. Within the first quarter of its release, BigCommerce merchants implemented at least one new feature. Feedback has been positive, with merchants noting improved operational efficiency and enhanced customer engagement as major benefits. The research, “BigCommerce 2024 Market Share Report,” conducted by BigCommerce, found that BigCommerce has a growing customer base of over 60,000 merchants, including approximately 2,000 mid-market businesses and 30 Fortune 1000 companies.

How does BigCommerce handle integrations with third-party services?

BigCommerce handles third-party service integrations through a flexible API-driven platform, supporting seamless connections with various tools. BigCommerce integrates with essential services such as payment gateways, shipping providers, ERP systems, CRM tools, and marketing platforms like Mailchimp and HubSpot. The integration process is simplified via the BigCommerce App Marketplace, allowing users to select and install third-party applications with minimal technical effort. 

The research titled “BigCommerce 2024 Product Overview” conducted by BigCommerce shows that BigCommerce offers over 160 pre-made connectors with popular third-party applications for various functions, including marketing, shipping, and accounting. Compared to other e-commerce platforms, BigCommerce’s integration capabilities are superior, with users reporting improved operations and efficiency. This broad range of options and ease of integration helps businesses streamline processes and enhance performance.

How does BigCommerce compare to other e-commerce platforms?

Below is a table showing the comparison of BigCommerce with other major e-commerce platforms, focusing on features, pricing, and user experience:

What are some Examples of Big-Commerce Websites?

Below are examples of notable BigCommerce websites:

• Ben & Jerry’s
• Skullcandy
• Solo Stove
• Burrow
• CamelBak
  

1. Ben & Jerry’s: This globally recognized brand uses BigCommerce’s multi-channel selling to integrate its e-commerce website with platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Recent reviews of Ben & Jerry’s show that Ben & Jerry’s has an average rating of 3.6 from 7814 reviews. The rating indicates that most customers are generally satisfied.
   
2. Skullcandy: Known for high-traffic e-commerce sites, Skullcandy utilizes BigCommerce’s infrastructure and advanced SEO tools, enabling faster page load times and improved search rankings. The brand achieved a rise in conversions by leveraging dynamic product recommendations.
   
3. Solo Stove: Solo Stove integrates marketing automation tools into its BigCommerce website, enabling better lead tracking and personalized promotions. This approach resulted in a growth in online sales in 2022
   
4. Burrow: The furniture brand uses BigCommerce’s web development services to design customizable features like product filters and modular configurations. Tailored shopping experiences increase customer satisfaction ratings.
   
5. CamelBak: As an outdoor gear retailer, CamelBak capitalizes on BigCommerce’s performance optimization tools to manage inventory and seasonal demand effectively. The site’s responsive design and user-friendly interface resulted in a boost in mobile transactions.

These examples show BigCommerce’s versatility in developing high-performing websites tailored to diverse industries, enhancing customer feedback metrics, and enabling businesses to achieve quantifiable growth through scalable e-commerce solutions.

What are the Steps in Developing a BigCommerce Website?

Below are steps to develop a BigCommerce website.

1. Choosing a Template
2. Customizing the Design
3. Integrating Features and Plugins
4. Adding Products and Categories
5. Setting Up Payment Gateways
6. Optimizing for SEO
7. Testing the Website
8. Launching the Site

1. Choosing a Template: Select a BigCommerce template that aligns with brand identity and industry. BigCommerce offers a wide range of responsive, customizable options to reduce development time and improve user experience.
   
2. Customizing the Design: Tailor the template using drag-and-drop tools or advanced coding to match brand aesthetics. This step helps businesses create unique designs without high development fees.
   
3. Integrating Features and Plugins: Leverage BigCommerce’s ecosystem of third-party plugins to enhance functionality, such as inventory management or marketing tools. BigCommerce websites use integrations to improve site performance.
   
4. Adding Products and Categories: Upload product images, descriptions, and pricing while organizing them into logical categories. This step improves navigation and conversion rates.
   
5. Setting Up Payment Gateways: Enable secure payment options by integrating gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Apple Pay. BigCommerce supports over 65 payment options, minimizing cart abandonment.
   
6. Optimizing for SEO: Use BigCommerce’s built-in tools for SEO optimization, including customizable URLs, AMP support, and metadata updates, to improve site visibility.
   
7. Testing the Website: Conduct thorough testing to identify issues with functionality, speed, or mobile responsiveness. E-commerce businesses face challenges during testing, increasing average development time to 6-8 weeks.
   
8. Launching the Site: Finalize the design, test payment processes, and publish the website. Partnering with experts like OnexCell ensures smooth BigCommerce development by handling design, functionality, and post-launch support efficiently.
   

OnexCell specializes in BigCommerce website development, providing affordable pricing plans and tailored web solutions to address delays and design inconsistencies. Addressing these challenges helps businesses reduce costs and achieve faster site launches.

What are the Costs Associated with BigCommerce Website Development?

The cost of developing a BigCommerce website depends on factors like subscription fees, design complexity, and additional features. BigCommerce offers tiered pricing plans, starting at £25/month for the Standard Plan and scaling up to £240/month for the Pro Plan, with custom pricing for Enterprise solutions. Development costs for custom designs or integrations range between £1,200 and £6,000, depending on scope and functionality. 

Adding advanced features, such as third-party plugins, custom APIs, or marketing tools, increases the budget by £300–£2,000. Businesses must also consider ongoing maintenance and subscription models for plugins or hosting services. Aligning subscription fees with design and functionality allows companies to manage BigCommerce development projects within their budget while leveraging the platform’s e-commerce capabilities.

What are the different pricing plans for BigCommerce?

The pricing plans for BigCommerce cater to businesses of different sizes and needs. The Standard Plan starts at £31/month, offering essential features like unlimited product listings, 24/7 support, and access to basic SEO tools. Ideal for small businesses or startups. The Plus Plan at £84/month, adds more advanced features, including customer groups, abandoned cart saver, and advanced discounting, suited for growing businesses with increasing sales. 

The Pro Plan at £319/month, offers premium features like advanced reporting, Google customer reviews, and custom SSL for enhanced security and scalability, popular among larger businesses. The Enterprise Plan offers custom pricing with ISO certifications, 99.99% uptime, and tailored support for high-volume businesses. BigCommerce’s robust security and uptime guarantees make it a reliable choice for businesses across various sectors. These plans cater to diverse business sizes, from startups to enterprises, providing scalability and features required for growth.

How does BigCommerce handle security and uptime? 

BigCommerce handles security through advanced encryption technologies that protect sensitive customer data. TLS 1.2 and 1.3 encryption protocols secure data in transit, while AES-256 encryption safeguards stored payment information. These measures align with PCI DSS Level 1 certification, guaranteeing compliance with industry security standards.

The platform maximizes uptime through a multi-tenant SaaS architecture that distributes server loads efficiently. Load balancing and auto-scaling technologies adjust system resources dynamically, preventing downtime during high-traffic periods. Redundant data centers and failover mechanisms provide a 99.99% uptime guarantee, ensuring uninterrupted store operations.

Continuous security monitoring reinforces system resilience. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) block malicious traffic, while DDoS mitigation strategies prevent service disruptions. Routine penetration testing and security audits identify and address potential vulnerabilities before they impact merchants.

A study published in ACM Digital Library in 2021 demonstrates that TLS 1.3 reduces full handshake latency by 57.9% – 77.1% compared to TLS 1.2, with even greater improvements (up to 91.1%) for cloud-hosted websites. The protocol also enhances security by deprecating vulnerable ciphers and enforcing forward secrecy, making it a useful upgrade for modern web performance and privacy.

BigCommerce extends its security expertise through customer support, implementation services, and solutions architecting. Merchants access BigCommerce University, which provides training on security best practices and uptime optimization, reinforcing a secure and reliable e-commerce experience.

How does BigCommerce support its customers?

BigCommerce supports its customers with 24/7 customer support via phone, email, and live chat. The platform also offers a robust community forum where users share insights and solutions, alongside extensive documentation to assist merchants in effectively using the platform.

Customer feedback plays a crucial role in enhancing support services. Client reviews emphasize BigCommerce’s responsiveness and effectiveness, with many users highlighting quick resolution times. The average response time for support tickets is under 2 hours, ensuring rapid assistance for urgent issues.

A Zendesk report titled “Customer Experience Trends Report 2020” states that 72% of customers expect a response within an hour when they reach out to customer service. 59% of customers prioritize a fast response over other factors when contacting support. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores for BigCommerce remain above 90%, reflecting high customer approval of the platform’s support services.

BigCommerce integrates feedback into its operations to maintain high service levels and improve support effectiveness.

What do clients say about BigCommerce’s effectiveness?

BigCommerce clients say the platform offers strong e-commerce site performance and reliable SEO capabilities. Many praise BigCommerce for its SEO-optimized structure, which improves visibility on search engines. Testimonials frequently mention the ease of optimizing product pages, URL structures, and metadata, contributing to higher search rankings.

Clients appreciate the platform’s user-friendly interface, which simplifies the process of managing and updating stores. Reviews often highlight how BigCommerce helps merchants increase sales and improve site performance without requiring advanced technical skills.

However, some criticism revolves around the learning curve for new users and occasional limitations with customization options. Certain clients have noted that while SEO features are strong, they occasionally require third-party integrations for more advanced functionality.

Despite these challenges, ratings for BigCommerce’s effectiveness remain high, with the platform receiving 4.5 out of 5 stars on average from users.

How does BigCommerce optimize SEO for e-commerce sites?

BigCommerce optimizes SEO for e-commerce sites with several tools to improve site visibility and performance. The platform offers SEO features such as automated optimized URLs, customizable metadata, and mobile-optimized themes that help improve rankings. Merchants benefit from integrated tools like Google Shopping and Google Analytics for tracking SEO performance and insights.

BigCommerce supports the creation of SEO campaigns with features that enhance keyword optimization, such as dynamic product pages and rich snippets. The platform’s SEO-friendly structure ensures fast loading times, improving user experience and search rankings. The robots.txt editor and sitemaps also support indexing by search engines.

A study by Ahrefs, titled “96.55% of Content Gets No Traffic From Google” (2023), indicates that effective SEO practices are crucial for driving organic traffic, as 96.55% of all pages get no traffic from Google. In addition, Google’s PageSpeed Insights rated BigCommerce sites higher for loading speed compared to competitors, contributing to better SEO performance.

With client success stories and consistent improvements in SEO rankings, BigCommerce’s strategies clearly boost site visibility and search engine performance.

What SEO features does BigCommerce offer?

BigCommerce offers SEO features such as customizable URLs, meta tags, and sitemaps to help businesses improve their search engine rankings. These tools allow merchants to create SEO-friendly URLs that improve keyword relevance, while custom meta tags enhance page visibility on search engines. BigCommerce also autogenerates sitemaps, ensuring that all pages are indexed by search engines efficiently.

The platform supports the use of rich snippets, enhancing product visibility on search engine results pages by displaying detailed information such as pricing, reviews, and availability directly in the search results. A study by Milestone Research, as reported in Search Engine Journal, indicates that users click on rich results 58% of the time, compared to a click-through rate (CTR) of 41% for non-rich results. This demonstrates that rich snippets enhance visibility and engagement in search results, leading to higher CTRs overall. 

BigCommerce users who implemented custom meta tags saw a 20% improvement in organic traffic within the first three months. Customizable URLs led to up to 15% higher ranking on targeted search terms compared to sites using generic URLs.

BigCommerce’s user-friendly interface, including a drag-and-drop design and ease of use for beginners, ensures that merchants implement these SEO features without needing extensive technical expertise.

How user-friendly is BigCommerce for beginners?

BigCommerce is user-friendly, offering an intuitive interface designed to simplify the setup and management of online stores. The platform features a drag-and-drop design that allows beginners to create and modify their e-commerce site without technical expertise. The setup process is straightforward, with step-by-step guidance to assist new users in configuring their stores, from selecting themes to adding products and setting up payment options.

BigCommerce provides comprehensive tutorials and resources, including BigCommerce University, where beginners access video guides and written content that cover all aspects of e-commerce management. This ensures users feel confident and supported as they learn how to optimize their stores.

A survey by Trustpilot reported that 85% of BigCommerce users rated the platform as “easy to use,” with a 4.5/5 average satisfaction score from beginners. A study by Software Advice found that 70% of beginners felt confident using the platform within 24 hours of setup, citing the simplicity of the interface and accessible tutorials as key factors in their positive experience.