Getting Started on BigCommerce: Beginner’s Guide Tutorial
BigCommerce operates as a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering, requiring a monthly fee for its eCommerce hosting software. It includes customizable website templates, a powerful design tool, and user-friendly inventory management, enabling the sale of digital or physical goods. While anyone can create a BigCommerce site, not everyone knows how to maximize its effectiveness and optimize the website for conversions.
Here’s a simplified guide on starting with BigCommerce: A Tutorial Tailored for Novice eCommerce Users!
Visit BigCommerce.com and create an account by clicking “Start your free trial.” As of April 2023, BigCommerce offers a 15-day free trial and an optional demo session for new users of the platform. Choose your free trial first, then enter the details required (you can use anonymous names and personas to test the site), click “Create your store,” and wait for the system to create your first BigCommerce store!
It’s crucial to highlight that initially, BigCommerce doesn’t request your credit card information. If you come across any credit card forms prompting you to fill them out, steer clear! Beginners are often targets for phishing scams, so pay attention to the domain you’re signing up on and confirm that it’s the official BigCommerce site.
Choose a theme
BigCommerce provides an official theme marketplace containing both free and paid themes, all offering extensive customization. Premium themes boast sleeker designs and offer a wider range of customization choices. You have the freedom to choose any theme, guaranteeing a visually appealing site.
For newcomers in the eCommerce realm, the optimal BigCommerce theme is “Default.” This theme caters to beginners by offering an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Additionally, it receives regular updates and dedicated support from BigCommerce, ensuring a seamless experience without the need for frequent transitions to another theme.
Understanding Layout and Navigation
Welcome to BigCommerce’s store owner interface. While BigCommerce has a history of making significant changes to its interface, the layout for information remains consistent: a left-hand menu provides swift access to Orders, Inventory, Apps, and Settings, along with a navigation screen on the left. Basic settings pertaining to store setup, including contact information, shipping, payment, currency, tax, and accounting, are available in the “Store setup” sections.
Creating Pages
For beginners aiming to boost eCommerce trust, creating certain pages is paramount. These pages can be found under Storefront/Web pages on the sidebar.
1. About Us – This page offers a brief insight into your brand or story.
2. Shipping & Delivery Information – Details similar to those found on other sites can be included here.
3. Contact Us – Clear contact information and links to various customer communication channels should be provided.
4. Policies – Inclusion of terms of service, privacy policy, return policy, and backorder policy contributes to the site’s credibility and trustworthiness.
Adding Products
Generating revenue hinges on having products to sell. Head to the Products tab located in the left-hand side menu. Within this section, you’ll encounter five key actions for managing Products on BigCommerce: View, Add, Search, Import, and Export. Click on “Add Product” and input pertinent details about your product. It’s crucial to include an appealing image and a concise yet comprehensive description. Beginners should familiarize themselves with our BigCommerce Tutorial on SEO and conduct research on competitors’ products at this stage. Provide detailed information that educates customers about your offerings.
Setup payment & shipment
The payment gateway is crucial for receiving payments on your website. Select the payment gateway that aligns with your preferences. Accurately calculate payment and shipping rates and clearly define them on your site to prevent potential sales loss. This ensures a seamless transaction process for your customers.
Pay the app marketplace a visit
Our BigCommerce Tutorial for Beginners primarily covers standard features. However, if you can’t locate a specific BigCommerce feature within this blog or on your test store, the marketplace likely offers a suitable app. The platform hosts numerous apps spanning order management, inventory management, backorders, marketing, sales, and automation.
Many of these apps offer free trials or free plans, allowing extensive testing during the initial two weeks on BigCommerce.
For improving business productivity, two essential integrated apps to explore are Atom8 and BackOrder. You can find them here: [Link to the marketplace].
Atom8 helps you automate repetitive tasks to save hours of working.
With BackOrder, zero inventory is no longer be a problem.
Test and go live
As your trial concludes or when you’re prepared to launch, selecting a plan becomes necessary. Thoroughly research the costs linked to a BigCommerce store to ensure you opt for the package that best suits your business needs and aligns with your budget.
