You may not know, but Squarespace and Wix together power about 55% of websites that are built using a website builder. Even if both are popular, they have stark differences, and it’s almost like Android vs iOS. In short, the Wix is sometimes chaotic but allows a lot more freedom for customization. Squarespace, on the contrary, is more design-inclined and creative. 

Some people might choose Squarespace over Wix or vice versa, but you must understand the differences to make the correct choice for you. If you have been struggling to choose between these two platforms, you are reading the right article. Here, you will be looking at what each platform has to offer that would help you choose according to your needs. 

Wix vs Squarespace: What do the statistics say?

As per BuiltWith, there are now more than 3 million active websites running on Wix and almost 2 million being supported by Squarespace. All in all, it means that there’s a lot of users. Over the years, website builders have grown wildly popular. Thanks to their ability to assist business owners in creating attractive websites efficiently and quickly. The best part is, they don’t require any technical know-how. 

Many web hosting companies now have services that offer website builder components as a complementary service to their existing hosting packages. Your confusion about choosing which one to use for your website is probably for a good reason. This is because the differences between Wix compared to Squarespace are quite distinct. 

However, a few things separate them, which is good to know for knowledge and practical use. You can start working on a website using a Wix after a meal and have it done by dusk. It’s straightforward and uncomplicated to use. On the other hand, Squarespace is often praised for being a more contemporary website building platform having some of the most attractive designs on the market. 

While both Squarespace and Wix can be considered great website builders, it is only for specific projects, and it’s clear that they represent entirely different experiences in creation. Let’s learn a bit more about Wix and Squarespace separately before moving on to comparing the two. 

Wix: The beginner-friendly website builder

A free and user-friendly website building platform, Wix allows beginners who do not know web programming to create functional and beautiful websites. Its powerful inbuilt features and intuitive technology give users the freedom to design professional websites without any hassle. Wix offers a complete set of building tools to create your online presence. From getting found on search engines to building a business, everything!

Is Wix ideal for your business?

If website building is a game, then Wix is somewhat of a joint. Most people who are interested or require website building have heard of it at least once. Wix has reached over 180 million users in 2019 and has a team of more than 3200 members to facilitate its daily operations. It is popularly known for its intuitive editor that allows you to get online easily and quickly. 

One tool that is certainly easy to use for beginners is the drag and drop function. It is truly affordable to make a Wix website as it won’t take up too much of your time, and you can publish your first version in less than a day. Afterward, you also have the option to improve it. You can check out the templates and website options before choosing to use the platform. You are sure to find them to be professional and really attractive. An impressive fact about the Wix platform is that non-professional web designers create the Wix websites.

Using Wix

Wix has a reputation of being easy for its because of its interface and options—and well, that is actually the case. Wix gives you over 1000 templates that end up fitting your unique needs. If you don’t know how to code, you’re in the safe territory because Wix wouldn’t ask you to know anything about it.

In all fairness, Wix has given fairly ample options for people who are just beginning and are not looking for too many premium services. Although, if you’re a big business, you would want to get your hands on the premium features because they can make a significant difference for you.

Wix is ideal for restaurants, designers, small businesses, hospitality, musicians, photographers, and more. These are only some of the functionalities and features that the platform provides websites for. Wix, as a web builder, has implemented designs and tools specific to many sector-based industries. It has not yet crossed the minds of other website creators to build particular tools that help musicians and hotels grow their businesses. Wix is innovative and adds developed features constantly, updating designs and making website building easy and enjoyable for its users. 

Pros and cons of Wix

When you make a head-on comparison, it makes evaluating the right service for you more accessible. Below is a list of Wix and Squarespace’s primary advantages and disadvantages.

Wix pros

• Wix is very beginner-friendly
• You can choose from hundreds of website templates.
• It is priced affordably.
• Wix has excellent customer support services. 
• It provides an extensive app marketplace.
• Wix provides an automatic drag and drops option for building.
• It also offers a mobile application that allows you to edit your website even when you are on the run.
• Users can use Wix’s free plan to try its core functionalities.
• The new corvid development platform on Wix allows users to edit with HTML and CSS access and is ideal for those with coding knowledge.

Wix cons

• The E-Commerce functionalities on Wix are fundamental and may only be applied to smaller businesses. 
• You cannot change a website template once you choose it without rebuilding all of your website content. 
• The Wix website builder relies on third-party apps for a lot of its functions. Blogging is only possible with an app; these are, however, easy to use on your site. 

Is Squarespace ideal for your business?

Squarespace is the best website building platform for small businesses especially if you want to create a website for your service-based business. Squarespace websites have built-in e-commerce functionality meaning you can easily add shopping pages to your website and sell unlimited products without the worry of transaction fees from Squarespace. 

So, for instance, if you run a service business such as a beauty or hair salon or a nutritional therapist, and decide to create merchandise you can easily use the user-friendly e-commerce functionality and sell directly from your site. This reduces the frustration among small business owners who have to be overly reliant on web developers after the launch of their website. If you are exclusively looking for an e-commerce store website then you should consider reading our recently published article comparing e-commerce giant Shopify with Squarespace.

Using Squarespace

A Squarespace plan is all that you need for creating your online presence. Its drag and drop editor can help you out with visuals anywhere you want, and you don’t even have to know how to code. It’s super easy to get started on website building since Squarespace hosts your content on their server. 

They have a ton of different templates to find and choose the one you like best. You can then build your website and make it look as you want. A significant advantage of both Squarespace and Wix is the seamless learning curve. If users search for a reliable and easy-to-use website builder to start with right away, you’ll find the tools in both of these options. 

Sometimes Wix may be a better host than Squarespace based on how easy it is to use. Based on the functionality you desire, Wix allows you to drop boxes and media wherever you wish. On a broad spectrum of tool options for website building, they live on the all-inclusive level and provide everything you would probably need to get started and take your business up another notch. This is in contrast to the solution where you purchase, install, and manage all the parts of the website separately. It is neither a good nor a bad event to happen. However, that’s something you must be aware of when choosing a solution because it affects your website in both the short and long term.

Pros and cons of Square space

Squarespace is a hosted website building solution. This means that it runs on its own servers and users don’t have to install any software on the computer to use it. However, in contrast to its positive sides, Squarespace is not really a website builder designed for those who want to edit their website extensively in a platform that encourages users to pick up templates or make a few tweaks in design.

Squarespace pros

• You can easily change templates on Squarespace. 
• There are over 110 templates available, all that professional designers create. 
• The platform doesn’t compromise on customizability. The features allow users to edit almost everything on their website. 
• The inbuilt features of Squarespace are plentiful and well designed.
• The platform provides advanced in-built blogging functionality.
• The analytics features of Squarespace are built-in. 
• In Squarespace, you will find a mobile app that allows you to edit and manage your pages while you are on the go. 
• The platform also offers a powerful image editor.

Squarespace cons

• The Squarespace website building platform doesn’t allow you to drag and drop website elements freely. This makes it longer for users to get used to the website editor. 
• There is no phone support in Squarespace. 
• There are fewer pricing options available on Squarespace. 
• Squarespace also does not provide a free plan to test the features.

Wix vs Squarespace: Comparison on basis of important factors

Using a website builder is similar to leasing and customizing your apartment in a really classy way instead of owning and buying your own house. Users are still in control of cleaning the cord and everything living-wise, but you leave the plumbing, construction, infrastructure, and security to the property owner. This is because there is usually a direct trade-off between control and convenience. Squarespace and Wix are complete with options like WordPress (which provides free software for website building that you own and manage) two options like typing HTML code into a text file. Let’s dive into the Wix vs Squarespace comparison. 

1. Creating designs

As mentioned before, Wix would throw a big number of templates at you and there’s a fair chance you will end up falling for one of them. Each website template would come with its unique functionality. Although, you will have to keep in mind that you use the right template in the first go. That is because once you’re locked in, you can’t change your template. Squarespace’s template options aren’t as many as Wix but the good news is, they all have the same underlying style and structure.

• Designing with Wix 

Once your Wix account is set up, you can select designs by going to the Wix ADI. The availability of themes and the options for customization with fonts, colors, and more main leave you spoilt for choices. If you want to alter your entire website, you can do that by adjusting the appearance of separate elements within your website. The fact that you can tweak Wix templates means that you don’t have to find the perfect fit for you. Instead, you can look for one that resembles something you want while creating the remaining parts. But when you are comparing Wix vs Squarespace, think about how you can design in what platforms. 

• Designing with Squarespace

Designing in Squarespace is relatively tedious when you compare it with Wix. It would demand you a few extra clicks and the builder isn’t as smooth as Wix. However, there is an incentive. The prebuilt layouts have the same underlying structure. Ergo, you’re aren’t as stuck as you would be with Wix. It is also a drag and drop builder and offers you loads of exciting features to work with. You can create a blog, a portfolio, or any other type of website. 

If you have a Squarespace account, you can sell your stuff online and create an online store. The process of designing is quite flexible, so you can choose what you want to innovate. You are free to customize the design and style for Mobile viewers so that you can attract more potential viewers. If you’re going to experience full designing capabilities, you can also use coding, but that is unnecessary. 

The final verdict 

The final verdict in Wix vs Squarespace regarding creative designing states that Squarespace is a better host when it comes to visual changes. You can switch out themes in Squarespace after your website is published, but you won’t be able to do that on Wix.

2. Tools and technology

After you work with website designing, it’s time to make the website work for you. Whether you want to create a store, start a blog, or set up a portfolio, there are pointers you must consider about Wix and Squarespace after designing your website. Sweet designs are great for eyes, but if they don’t function optimally, the same pair of eyes would despise them So, now we’ll dive into the technical nitty-gritty and see who stands tall in our Wix vs Squarespace debate.

These features are essential for building websites because they determine all the things you can do with your design. You can create a beautiful page, but it won’t hold as much value as it would if you had worked with the tools and technology of both platforms. Before choosing between Squarespace and Wix, think about each one’s free as well as paid plans to see what works best for you. 

• Working with Wix’s tools and technology

Besides being a website builder, Wix offers advanced features that make your online presence a level higher. Users can use their Logo Maker to create a beautiful and catchy logo that matches your brand and company. 

If you are a business offering services, you can use the Booking feature to set up client appointments quickly. The free Wix plan allows you to get started instantly, but you can purchase on more advanced website analytics for an online store. After that, you can sell your products, and the analytics will tell you how many viewers you get. Before choosing the one with all the features, you need to consider a few Wix plans. 

• Working with Squarespace’s tools and technology

There are plenty of facets to consider in this. Let’s start with SEO. Squarespace’s heading options are limited to H4, contrary to Wix, which offers up to H6. SEO-wise, most of Squarespace’s features trump over Wix. One sticky issue is finding the alt images tags, which could sometimes make users scratch their heads. 

In terms of support, both Wix and Squarespace offer you resource material to read and also offer real-time support. Although Squarespace won’t force you to read FAQs when you come with a query. Wix would definitely ask you to do so. In terms of extensions and widgets, Squarespace would be an amazing choice if you are building an online store. If you’re planning something different, Wix might be a more suitable choice. The security options offered by Squarespace won’t let you down either.

If your aim is to create an online store and use gift cards, you will need to establish a business tier or a higher tiered option. The lowest Squarespace plan is an excellent choice for a portfolio site or blog, but it has limitations. Thanks to Squarespace’s monthly and annual plans, which help you save money on any plan you pay for a year in advance.

The final verdict

Both the platforms Squarespace and Wix have a plethora of choices that you can choose from to customize a template. While Squarespace has different inbuilt tools, Wix has an app store to find additional elements that you may need. Therefore, Wix comes out as slightly ahead of Squarespace.

3. Making sales

This is a spicy one because there’s a good chance that this pointer would call the shots for you. But before we go ahead, we would remind you that the set of features each of them would offer would be pretty ample. The winner of the Wix vs Squarespace debate in this category would be decided by what the seller’s business is about. Both allow uses to do all the basic stuff like creating beautiful catalogs, set offers, ship products, and so on. But what sets them both apart? Let’s dive in!

• Selling on Wix

Even if you have at least one product for selling online, you can do that easily with Wix. You will be able to attract clients with your website as well as with your social media. The Wix ADI customizes the look of your listings so that you can highlight the specific category of the products you sell. 

A wonderful thing about the Wix platform is that you can accept payments with it. Wix lets you take a credit card as well as Stripe and PayPal. Your clients will be able to buy immediately, and you can have them add items to their cart before check out. After that, you can proceed to make more sales and generate even more online money. Artists and photographers can display their work that encourages others to purchase the products shown. 

• Selling on Squarespace

Besides the fact that you can create pages on Squarespace, you can also turn them into an E-Commerce store. By using their site designs, you can provide information on your service or product. Squarespace also offers integrations with a payment gateway like Square, PayPal, Stripe, so it is upon you how you take and make the payment. 

Make sure that you review their sales resources before you start selling with Squarespace. This would ensure that you don’t break any rules. Squarespace limits the items you can sell, so be sure you don’t offer restricted products. However, you can still ship packages to clients with UPS and FedEx but ensure the opacity to secure the items during shipping. 

The final verdict

In terms of sales comparison of Wix vs Squarespace, the ability to add apps makes Wix a more flexible choice for online selling. You can also sell on Squarespace, but it doesn’t have similar functionality as Wix. 

4. Marketing

Without the determination of online traffic, it will become hard for you to have a successful digital presence. Wix vs Squarespace comparison should include a rundown of what each platform can do when it comes to marketing a website. In the absence of the right marketing tools, even the best Wix or Squarespace sample templates will fall short to help your website attract traction. 

Even if you don’t understand technical terminology like volume small-wave, the basics of marketing are essential for building a website. When you use the included marketing tools, you increase the number of page views that you receive on your page. This can help you to give the push to enhance your website even more. 

• Marketing a Wix website

There are multiple options on Wix that would help you grow your online presence and come in the form of plugins. You can use these add-ons to attract more traffic, and you don’t even have to pay as much money or time to market your stuff. There are tools on Wix for creating Google ads as well as pop-ups that encourage people to give their email addresses.  

The App Market on Wix is ideal for finding many options that add more stuff to your Wix website. You don’t have to create different elements by yourself, but you can use the apps to customize things further. Many of the programs in the App Market have a free plan, but you can choose to purchase them too. 

• Marketing a Squarespace website

If you are using Squarespace, you can market your website to customers within a few days. You can ensure that search engines know your existence so that they can send clients to you. Squarespace lets you use keywords that help you rank well when you are looking for a specific term online.

If a search engine recognizes that you could help someone out, the engine will automatically suggest your page over your other competitors. You can utilize Squarespace as a marketing tool to anyone online, even if you don’t sell anything. That means you can be in front of a lot of individuals without having to purchase adverts. 

The final verdict

Regarding the final verdict for marketing in Wix vs Squarespace, you can do more by marketing on Wix and sending more emails on Wix than Squarespace. While you can market on Squarespace, you will need to purchase the email features.

5. Pricing

The Wix vs Squarespace pricing comparison can be challenging because their tiers are entirely different. While Squarespace has tiers based on users’ advanced features and e-commerce, Wix has several tiers based on a broad range of components. Which also has a free plan option that includes Wix subdomains and ads. 

• Wix plans and pricing

If you are new to starting your business, the Wix website building platform has a free plan which can be perfect for you. Their pay plans start as low as $13 per month, which means that you don’t need to have a massive budget to use them. When you pay for Vicks to get rid of advertisements on your page and you also get a domain voucher that you can get for free for a year. The plan will also get you 3 GB of storage and 2GB of bandwidth. 

If you want to upgrade to any other plan, you will have at least 10 GB of storage and unlimited bandwidth. Additionally, you will also receive a voucher for adverts and two extra programs to boost your website. The more you upgrade, the more savings you will get on the total hosting offer. While the most expensive plant isn’t the best solution, it can be what the step from the free tier is. 

Wix offers very customizable pricing standards and has some limits on every standard, even up to VIP. The pricing of Wix is different given its tier bonuses and structure. They are competitive but remember to note your exact features and needs, especially with storage needs. 

• Squarespace pricing

In using Squarespace, you have limited advanced features and email with its personal plan. It adds transaction fees free of cost to basic commerce and then more E-Commerce tools to advance business from an online store. 

Squarespace offers a more solid value on every tier and is mainly competitive in the E-Commerce plan options as well as personal plans. Squarespace pricing generally does better on upfront value for most websites. However, an important thing here is to write down your goals and needs and evaluate each tier based on that instead of looking at features that you will never use. 

The final verdict

These costs are very different from what you are looking for when building the website when you hire WordPress developers or something else. A part of website builders is the bundle pricing, where software costs and hosting are added together and are priced as per site. It is possible to get custom websites with unlimited functionality at a cheaper rate if you build it yourself using separate software and hosting. 

6. Customer support

Wix, compared to Squarespace, focuses on how each company can assist its clients in relation to customer help. Before you begin subscribing with Wix or Squarespace, you must know what you can expect when it comes to customer support. Consider how much help you might want or need when starting your website.

If you feel that you don’t need assistance, you can prioritize other factors in your decision. However, if you think you need some extra help, you can look for factors like a help center or phone support. Priority support also comes in handy if you have a business and need extra help with things like creating recovery and other related issues. Customer support forums can be helpful if you don’t have access to specific chat support or support steam. But you may need assistance from an SEO department if you can’t get your viewers to your website. 

• Customer support on Wix 

Wix has different levels of support and multiple pricing plans. The VIP plan gets a supporter from a team before any other plan. You can also check a business tier if you have a business and want the highest tier. However, the free plan doesn’t get you beyond the knowledge base and the community support methods. Because of this reason, beginners may want to make investments in some extra assistance. But if you have the technical experience, you may not need anything more than the Wix guidelines. 

The platform is still helpful, and the quality of support is fantastic. Whether you want to add videos or reviews to your site, you can do that on Wix support. If you are a client towards quality help from a business or company, you can consider the higher Wix tiers. You will get more help and support for whatever you need. 

• Customer support on Squarespace

You will get multiple support methods on Squarespace. You can also view their guidelines or watch the videos if you are seeking answers to usual problems that clients generally have. Furthermore, if you want to learn a little more about customer support on Squarespace, you can sign up for the webinars on Squarespace, where you can learn a lot in a single session. But if you have an unusual problem and need an immediate answer to it, you can take it to the help center to chat with clients. 

Worldwide, people can utilize Squarespace phone support and chat, but you will have to login into your account. You can then contact support. Whether you have E-Commerce complications or need help with HTML or other obstacles, you can contact the company for almost every purpose. This freedom is excellent for beginners or individuals who are tech-savvy. You don’t need to be an expert, but you can receive a lot of assistance from anywhere from the effects used to reply from a support person. 

The final verdict

In comparing Wix vs Squarespace in terms of customer help, the features of Wix offer better assistance since you can get help more quickly. However, Squarespace does not allow you to seek assistance over the phone. 

The showdown

The Wix vs Squarespace debate can be complex for any budding company or professional. You need to consider the features you want to host, the templates you plan to use, the cost of platforms, and even more. There are three primary reasons why Wix should be your go-to choice: it gives you more freedom for creativity, it’s easier to use, and offers wider options for premium plans compared to Squarespace.  It is also essential to consider the factors like selling, writing articles, and SEO. Therefore, check out all the individual aspects of each platform to comply with your needs and desires. 

The post WIX VS SQUARESPACE: Which is Better? [Detailed Comparison] appeared first on Platform to Showcase Innovative Startups and Tech News.

In simple terms, Amazon direct shipping is a direct interaction between the seller and buyer. Here sellers send their products to buyers directly without involving Amazon in between. The products are directly shipped from the warehouse to the buyer. 

Since Amazon is not involved, you cannot get products from Amazon as part of the direct shipping. Here we will tell you all about Amazon direct shipping and what all falls under it. 

Need for Amazon Direct shipping

First of all, you must understand why do sellers opt for Amazon direct shipping. The thing is that most of these sellers are based overseas and sell the products in US and UK markets. Wherever the seller is based, Amazon offers them inventory storage, transport, and warehouse facilities. 

All these services come under the Fulfilment by Amazon service. Any business would find this access to warehouse facilities as a valuable asset to their business. But if Amazon is doing the storage and handling, it will charge a humongous fee for the same. If your business is still in the starting stage, the chances of you making a profit are rather slim. This, coupled with Amazon’s fees, makes the going difficult.

The fees that Amazon charges are based on the inventory the seller keeps in the warehouse. Often Amazon charges a long-term storage fee at the end of the financial year. This is apart from the monthly fees. In totality, it is a considerable amount to pay.

So, businesses decide to remove their inventory. That means customers get products for free. The only thing is that customers cannot contact the seller through the Amazon platform.

Difference between Dropshipping and Direct shipping

At present, you might have also heard of the term Dropshipping. Many users are turning it into a profitable business option for themselves. But there is a difference between both of them. For a consumer, maybe both of them are equal, but for a seller, they are quite the opposite to each other:

Dropshipping:  It is when a seller purchases products from a supplier. Later he ships the same products to the buyers acting as a mediator.

Direct shipping: On the other hand, Amazon direct shipping is when the seller sends his own products directly to the customer.

Dropshipping is rather prominent these days. Graphic designers, artists, etc., just upload their art online. The website then prints it and sells as and when they receive orders for the same. Some websites want to sell their branded products online. They upload the same on a drop shipping company like Shopify. Now they don’t have to maintain the inventory yet can make a profit.

How often do customers receive Amazon direct ship freebies

Amazon direct shipping is the seller’s way of avoiding extra storage fees. Hence how often customers will receive their product will depend upon multiple factors like:

• The date on which amazon charges the storage fees- Sellers usually try to clear off the inventory before the last date of fee payment. This way, they can sell as many products and maximize their profit. 
• The number of products they need to remove- Some sellers may have 5000+ products to sell-off. At the same time, there would be some who have a somewhat limited inventory to dispose of. The number of products you receive will be dependent on the same. 
• The number of applicants for Direct shipping- The more the number of applicants to direct shipping, the lesser products you will receive. This is because the seller would equally divide all of them amongst all the customers.
• The time it takes to arrange shipping- The seller will have to arrange the shipping from the Amazon warehouse to your home. Naturally, such an extensive process may take time and decide how often they will send the products.

Is Amazon direct shipping legal?

After reading all this, you would want to know if this process of getting freebies is legal. Don’t worry; there is nothing wrong if you get free products. The sellers would have to pay a hefty fee in lieu of storing their products like this. For them, this is an easy way to get some loyal customers in return. 

But you must still proceed over the same with caution. Avoid offering any extra personal information unless it is required. Also, doubly check the authenticity of each of the offers before you proceed further. The crux of the matter is being careful and protecting yourself from any scams.

Places from where you can get direct shipping offers 

Now that we have aroused your curiosity, you will surely want to know how to proceed. You must look at the right places to get some direct shipping offers. Here are the sites where such offers are regularly posted:

Facebook groups

As a marketing tool, Facebook groups serve an extensive purpose. These groups help you collaborate with like-minded individuals. Plus you also get information about promotions that could be really helpful. If you face any difficulties in signing up for any offers, the group members rush to your help.

If you are entirely new to the Amazon direct shipping offers, start with Facebook groups. Do a quick search in the FB groups, and you will find plenty of options. The sellers post their forms on such groups. Pick up the sellers whose products evince your interest. Apart from sellers, other consumers also share any direct shipping offers they find elsewhere.

Another benefit of using these groups is that you get information on whether an offer for direct ship freebies is reliable or not. Some direct shipping offers are just scams to get your personal information. By being in such groups, you get notified of all such offers. 

While you will get loads of groups offering you freebies, it is better to stick to the top few. Read the group rules before you join up. Such groups are heavily moderated, and your carelessness would lead to you being thrown from the group. 

Freebie websites 

The second-place you may look at is the Freebie website. You just have to type your requirement in Google search and get all the details. Some of the prominent websites offering such freebies are:

Internet Steals and deals– This is probably the biggest site in this category. At a given time, the site shows around 391 offers for you to browse. Apart from the amazon direct ship list, there is a lot of freebies content to have a look at.  Even if you do not get any direct shipping offers, you can still bag other freebies. Basically, the site is a treasure of freebies, whichever way you like them.

Consumer queen– This excellent website has more than 100 offers on display. Once any form is closed, the administrators update the information. This saves you a lot of trouble. The site has been operating since 2008 and offers you tips on saving money online as well.

Gimmie Freebies– Operational for the last ten years, this is another perfect place to grab freebies. For each offer they list, you will get the form link, offer details, and how to join. You will have to go through each link to figure which one you are interested in.

Upfreebie– This website just has the link to many direct shipping offers. You will have to open each one of the forms and register. Once you do that, you will start receiving the freebies. 

Reddit

This is another place where freebies and direct ship amazon offers are shared in abundance. You may search the platform for the kind of offers you are looking for. The best part here is that you do not have to join the website to access the offers. Just browse through and access all the offers. 

Use the search tab and write ‘direct shipping offers, ‘‘freebies, ‘and ‘Amazon direct shipping.‘ This will display all the related links for you to sort from. You could also join sub- Redditt’s, which have similar offers on display. But to do so, you will have to register on the website.

Again each sub-Reddit has a set of rules. Better read them before you associate with any of them. Plus, here, you will also get answers to some of the common queries in this regard. Check through these guides so that you do not end up making any mistakes. You can also save yourself from being scammed by just being a little careful.

How to fill a Direct shipping Google form

Most sellers use the Google form to get more buyers to sign up for their offers. All the seller needs is a Google account to create the form. After filling in all information they expect from buyers, the form is circulated online. Since the form is online, the seller can quickly access all the information you post. Adding your details in the form is relatively easy too.

Open the form and read all the options carefully. Some sellers may even ask for your social media handle details. Provide the same only if you do not mind receiving offers from the seller. You may also have to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Doing that will inform you of any future updates.

Do verify the authenticity of the form before entering your information. If the form has details asking for your banking information, then you must not fill the same. In case you found the form online, go to Facebook groups and ask if anyone else can verify whether it is reliable.

In any situation, do not mention your Social Security number anywhere on the form. If someone is asking you for the same, you must not fall into the trap. Also, avoid offering your credit card details to anyone else.

How to avoid facing any scams while opting for Direct shipping

Despite being careful, the chances of falling prey to an online scam remain relatively high. The number of people affected by identity thefts is rising considerably. If you share your details yourself, then you cannot blame anyone else for this identity stealing. Here are some valuable tips you can use to stay safe from Amazon direct shipping scams:

Give limited information– The most significant precaution you must take is providing only basic information in your form. Just include your name, email address, postal address, and telephone or mobile number. If you do not want to share your home address, you could add the P.O. address instead.

Set up a burner email address– If you provide your primary email address, it will be swarmed with future offers. To avoid that, create a burner email address just to get notifications related to direct shipping. Make sure this email address has none of your essential information linked to it. You could also use a secondary telephone number so as to not receive calls and messages at all times.

Avoid giving credit card information- When you open the form, you can have a look at the information required. In case the form has a row for any financial details like credit card number or bank account details, it is a red signal. This shows that the seller is operating a scam and is not legit at all.

Do your research-There is no sure shot way of knowing if the seller is genuine. You can still check for authenticity through Facebook groups and other forums. If users can vouch for the trustworthiness of the offer, you may fill the form. Even if a few users complain that their security was breached, stay clear from the offer.

What kind of products you can receive 

There is no specific limitation to the type of products you may get. The reason for this is relatively simple. Amazon has lakhs of sellers offering their products for sale. Amazon itself has around 12 million products to sell. If you combine all the marketplace sellers, the amount reaches a staggering 353 million. 

The freebies could be anything ranging from:

• Toys
• Clothes
• Beauty products
• Baby products
• Office items
• Household stuff
• Cleaning items 

But since it is all free to use, you have nothing to complain about.

Why do some sellers want a signature on the delivery of the product

As part of direct shipping amazon, some sellers might actually ask you to sign before taking the product. This is usually a part of Amazon’s policy and is meant for high-value products. Apart from that, some sellers have to deal with certain untoward situations. Customers receive the freebies and claim that they have not. To avoid such fraud, certain sellers may ask you to sign on the delivery form.

Moreover, if a package is not claimed, the seller would have to pay return shipping costs. That is actually another burden for the seller as he is already fending on the shipping. 

Do you have to review these products on Amazon?

Your next question obviously would be if you have to review these products on Amazon. The answer is a big NO. Writing any kind of review in exchange for freebies is clearly a violation of Amazon’s terms and conditions. You would not want Amazon to think that you are getting items in return for your reviews. 

If there is any suspicion of your doing so, Amazon might terminate your account forever. You can, however, share your opinion through a Facebook post and add the Amazon product link there. This way, you may express your gratitude to the seller. Also, the seller may himself ask you to review the product on their website, which you can do.  Amazon, however, should in no way get an idea of your contact with the seller.

Pros and cons of Amazon direct shipping

Amazon direct shipping is an innovative and beneficial concept. It serves a dual purpose and serves both customers and sellers. However, like everything, it also has its advantages and disadvantages. Let us have a quick look at them.

Pros

• You receive products for free. This means even the shipping cost is waived off—a totally beneficial situation for the customer.
• You can try out products before you actually buy them. This is without you having to spend any extra money. 
• If you receive any extra items, you can either gift or resell them. Thus you make extra money without any investment from your side.
• You can always recheck the offers before you fill the form. Many forums provide only legitimate offers. 
• There is no compulsion on you to fulfill any seller’s obligations. Once you receive the product, you are absolved of any responsibilities.

Cons

• You do not get the chance to decide which products you require. The products sent to you are entirely random, and you cannot even offer a recommendation.
• There is no way to know when you will receive the products. Usually, the seller does the shipping just before his fee payment date approaches. But you cannot find that date and be prepared for the items.
• Apart from that, there is no guarantee that you will receive the products or not. Sometimes the sellers are able to finish their inventory and do not have products to dispatch. You may keep waiting but get nothing despite filling the form.
• It is also possible that you get so many items that it is hard for you to manage them. This will usually happen when you sign up for many offers together. To avoid this, stick to a few offers and see how the products are provided to you.
• You should be wary of all the scams that could bother you. Scammers have a way to figure out your details, and therefore, discretion is vital.

Conclusion

For any layman consumer, Amazon direct shipping is an exciting way to grab some freebies. But at no point should you forget that there is always a danger of identity theft. Therefore though there is no harm in applying for such offers, we must be cautious. Apply only at places where you are absolutely sure that you will get the items delivered.

Sellers have to offload their stuff as it is, and adopting direct shipping saves them from paying extra storage fees. Most of them honor their commitment, but there are some who use direct shipping for scamming. It is this group of people you must stay away from.

If you are a newbie, taking suggestions from other FB group members will surely help. Do remember that receiving these freebies is a matter of luck. Sometimes a seller would send you numerous products. Still, there may be occasions when you might not receive anything at all. Keeping this fact in your mind will make it straightforward for you to deal with the direct shipping concept.

FAQ’s

Q 1 What are Amazon Direct shipping freebies?

Often sellers have extra inventory that they have to dispose of. Since they do not want to pay any additional fees, they ship it to interested customers. The only thing that you should remember here is that products come from sellers directly. Amazon does not come into the picture at all.

Q2 Which companies send their products?

It is the sellers on the Amazon marketplace who will ship you their products. The items they ship could include cosmetics, baby products, clothes, etc.

Q3 Are the freebies totally free?

Yes, these freebies are given to you absolutely free. You do not even have to provide the shipping costs. If you get extra items, you can always sell them to someone else. 

Q4. What is the wait time for freebies?

There is no specific time duration in which you will receive your products. Sellers send these items when they have to offload their products quickly. Therefore no one can tell when they will ship your product. It is totally the seller’s call.

Q5. Should I offer any banking details?

In no situation, you should share your banking details in the form. If there is any seller who is asking for such information, avoid that offer. Mainly only sellers intending to spam you will ask for any such information. The only information you must share is your name, email address, address, and phone number.

The post What Is Amazon Direct Shipping And What It Entails  appeared first on Platform to Showcase Innovative Startups and Tech News.

To be truthful, Squarespace was created to build and maintain content-based websites. On the other hand, Shopify was made as a solution to create an online store. In time Squarespace added e-commerce to its features. The number of content creation apps on Shopify increased.

This led to a growing similarity in their purposes. At present, you can use any of these tools to create a content-based website. Here we will analyze the difference between Shopify and Squarespace so you can decide which to choose.

Shopify vs Squarespace 

Comparison on functionality

• Building a content-based website

If you are aiming at creating an informative website, its design and content management features are crucial. In that regard, Squarespace wins the Shopify vs Squarespace battle, hands down. It has excellent templates and is intuitive and easy to use. Apart from that, there are superb photo editing and displaying tools available.

The blogging features of Squarespace are top-notch. However, Squarespace follows a relatively closed-off system. The process of integrating third-party apps is not so simple. Plus, you cannot get full access to your site’s code. 

To conclude, Squarespace helps you create an excellent-looking website rather quickly. But based on this, you cannot prove “is Shopify better than Squarespace”?  Plus, it also gives you multiple and enticing ways to display your content. This holds especially true for blog posts and images.

• Building online store 

Now let’s look at Squarespace eCommerce vs. Shopify. Here Shopify’s past expertise makes it trounce Squarespace easily. Since Shopify was around for longer, its features are pervasive. There are quite a few features that Squarespace does not have yet.

Shopify provides:

• Facility to take payments in many currencies
• Multiple drop shipping options
• Ability to integrate with loads of third-party apps
• Advanced features for reporting your results
• Highly sophisticated options for inventory management
• Lots of point of sale options (allowing you to sell your goods physically with only payment from the website)
• Better tax calculation functionality
• Many options in regards to payment gateway

Shopify vs Squarespace may not have a clear winner. But in the case of building online store functionalities, Shopify gets the upper hand.

• Shopify vs Squarespace pricing

Squarespace plans

Comparing the pricing, Squarespace offers four separate packages. These are 

• Personal — Priced at $16 per month
• Business — Priced at $26 per month
• Basic Commerce — Priced at $30 per month
• Advanced Commerce — Priced at $54 per month

You may even use their two-week trial. Once you get an idea of the features and working of the software, you can continue through any of the above packages. If you choose an annual plan, you may get a discount on the total cost. 

Squarespace has recently launched a new plan, i.e., “Squarespace Select,” which is in the early stages at present. This is aimed at the enterprise users, and you get an account manager, priority support, and design consultant for your help. Some important facets of Squarespace pricing are:

• In the personal plan, you cannot sell anything. It also prevents you from customizing the site with CSS and JavaScript.
• For every sale made using the Business plan, you will have to pay 3% transaction fees.
• If you want other essential features like abandoned cart recovery, real-time carrier shipping, gift cards, and discounts, you will have to choose the ‘Advanced Commerce’ plan.
• On choosing the Business plan and all plans above it, you will get one-year access to Google Workspace.
• In the Basic Commerce and Advanced Commerce plans, you can get e-commerce reporting and point of sale functionality.

Shopify plans 

On the other hand, Shopify also offers five separate plans.

• Shopify Lite — Priced at $9 per month
• Basic Shopify — Priced at $29 per month
• Shopify — Priced at $79 per month
• Advanced Shopify — Priced at $299 per month
• Shopify Plus- Pricing based on your need but approximately around $2000 per month.

Again there is a free trial that you can use to get an idea of the service. You can also get 10% to 20% discounts if you pay for an annual or two-year plan.  Some features of Shopify pricing plans are :

• With the Shopify Lite plan, you cannot build a standalone online store. However, you can sell on your existing website or a Facebook page, or even through a point of sale.
• How many users you may add to your account is dependent on the plan you choose. For example, the Basic Shopify plan allows you to add only two users. However, with the Advanced package, you can add fifteen users.
• There is also a Shopify Plus plan which is focused on enterprise users. 
• You can get professional reporting features only on the $79 Shopify plan and plans above it.

• Credit card fees and transaction fees 

We are moving on to the next Shopify vs Squarespace category; we will talk about credit card fees. Apart from the pricing plans, you have to consider transaction and credit card fees as well. Transaction fees, in simple terms, are a percentage of the sales that the platform charges.

On the other hand, Credit card fees are the percentage fee of the sales that the credit card company charges. In the case of Shopify, you can decide to choose Shopify payments. If you choose Shopify payments, your transaction costs are removed. This is because Shopify does not charge a percentage of your sales.

You will still have to pay the credit card fees. This can be between 2.4 to 2.9% basis the Shopify plan you select. However, if you decide to process payments through a third-party payment gateway, then you will have to pay 0.5-2 %, depending on the plan.

In the case of Squarespace, the transaction fees are applied only in their “Business plan.” The rate in that scenario is a flat 3%. For the credit card fees, Stripe or PayPal decides it. These are the two main options that Squarespace offers for processing credit cards.

But you must remember that Shopify payments are allowed in certain countries only. Shopify users who are in a territory not supported by Shopify payments will have to choose a different payment gateway. The bright spot here is that there are more than 100+ external gateways that you may select from.

• Payment Gateways

You can use Shopify anywhere and with whichever currency you use. It allows you to use 100 payment gateways which is a huge plus point. Squarespace, however, uses four online payment gateways. These are Stripe, PayPal, Apple Pay, and After Pay.

These four will cater to any type of credit card transaction. The bone of contention is no support for Google Pay.

Merchants based in the US who use Squarespace’s point of sale feature can use Square too. Overall this implies that when you compare payment processing, Shopify scores in Shopify vs Squarespace. The flexibility it offers gives it an upper hand. 

• Cost-effective 

Let us talk about which is cheaper in the Spotify vs. Squarespace tussle. If you intend to make a content-driven website, Squarespace offers a Personal plan at $16 per month. But if you want more from the website, then this plan is not worthwhile. The drawbacks of the plan are:

• You will be unable to hook Mailchimp to Squarespace data capture forms.
• They do not allow promotional pop ups and announcement bars
• They restrict you from adding JavaScript or CSS to the site

The last restriction means you cannot undertake any design customizations. Thus many users are dropping the personal plan to choose the ‘Business Plan’ at $26 per month. Now this plan also is much cheaper than Shopify’s basic plan. The Shopify Basic plan is priced at $29 a month, more than Squarespace’s Business plan.

But again, Squarespace’s Business plan comes with a transaction fee of 3%. Also, the range of payment options available is less. In such a scenario, Shopify’s basic plan offers a better value to the users.

Comparison based on Features

• Ease of Use and the Interface

Both Shopify and Squarespace have similar interfaces. They offer a menu on the left side of the screen. This could be used to reach different parts of the CMS. On the other hand, the right side could be used to view data, edit content, add products, etc. 

But  Squarespace has a much easy to navigate Interface than Shopify. The manner in which you can set navigation and the layout engine both are user-friendly and thus simple to use. Shopify, on the flip side, does not have a stylish interface. Setting up its pages and adding products is more time-consuming.

• Templates and visuals provided

Again Squarespace’s templates are more attractive than Shopify. You also get more template choices in Squarespace. With limited template options, Shopify loses this Shopify vs Squarespace fight. Squarespace’s templates have a wow feel to them, which makes them stand apart.

But many people feel that Squarespace’s templates are for photography, art, and music bloggers. There are almost 130 templates. Out of them, only a few are generic and dedicated online store themes.

As a bonus, you can enhance all these templates. There are built integrations with Getty Images and Unsplash that provide a boost. It is easy to find images to add to the website. Just use the search box and pick any from these two sources.

Also, you can add video backgrounds to your page. Select any YouTube or Vimeo video and add it to the page. But Shopify also offers some visually enticing templates. There are 9 free templates that you get when you sign up. However, there are 72 paid templates that you may choose as and when required.

These paid themes also have variations which means Shopify has a wide range of templates. But these will come at a price of $100-$180 if you do not mind paying. All templates on both platforms are responsive. They can be used on every kind of device like Mobile, tablet, desktop, etc. The verdict in this category is quite balanced.  Squarespace templates are perfect for content-driven websites. For those who wish to make an online store, Shopify is a better bet.

• Importing and exporting of content

Squarespace

You can easily import content from a Squarespace website. They offer wizards who guide you with importing pages. In the case of exporting, you could export pages, images, and posts to WordPress format as well.  But only physical and service products can be exported. The number of products you could export is also limited to 10,000. So if you have a vast inventory, you ought to consider Shopify.

Shopify 

Here you can export products using CSV. They have not put a restriction on the number of products allowed. If you have to bulk upload, you could use apps like FetchApp. But again, importing and exporting pages and blog posts. However, you can always use its third-party apps to do so. These apps are not free, and you have to pay a fee to use them.

• SEO in both the platforms 

SEO is used by websites to increase your online reach. Shopify’s technical setup makes it simple for you to meet Google’s set requirements. You can modify your site such that it meets Google’s Core Web Vitals. This facility is yet to come up in Squarespace.

If we talk of editing of SEO elements, Shopify scores again in Shopify vs Squarespace. It generates page titles and meta descriptions automatically. This is an essential element of an SEO-compliant webpage. 

Shopify calls all these terms by their technical names like page title, alt text, etc. Whereas Squarespace uses different names like ‘captions’ and ‘descriptions.’ Though now Squarespace is trying to buck up its SEO, many improvements are still needed. You can optimize a Squarespace website for SEO. But the technical setup and tools offered definitely need to improve.

Both of them are still unable to make proper URLs. Neither of them can make totally clean URLs the way Google wants. 

• Point of sale in Shopify vs Squarespace

Point of sale functionality helps you to use card readers etc., at your physical store. For example, you set up a stall in a trade show. Since your POS software is functional, your stock count is automatically synced. Until recently, Squarespace did not offer POS functionality. However, they have now entered the fray and tied up with Square that is already into POS hardware.

The only difference between both the companies is in the selling hardware you can use. Shopify’s POS kit comprises a card reader, barcode scanner, receipt printer, and cash drawer. You can also buy all the items separately if you want. 

On the flip side, Squarespace only allows you to integrate Square e-card reader. So if POS is important to you, then Shopify is the best bet. Shopify also gives other high-profile features like multiple location options, pins, etc., which requires an additional investment.

• Drop-Shipping tactics

Dropshipping is a type of online retailing where you do not have the stocks you are selling. You take the order and share it with the supplier. They then send the goods to the client. The advantage of dropshipping mostly is that you will not have to make any significant investment. But margins are pretty low as the level of competition is higher.

If you are still keen to start a dropshipping business, then choose Shopify. It offers many dropshipping apps that help in organizing the Inventory. Squarespace, on the other hand, loses this Shopify vs Squarespace fight as they provide only the following features:

• Spocket — to dropship only physical goods
• Printful — to print-on-demand products
• Printique — to sell photo-based products.

Though Squarespace is trying to build on its offerings in dropshipping, it will take time. Until then, Shopify is going to enjoy the advantage it already has.

• Selling on other websites 

You can quickly sell products on other websites using both Squarespace and Shopify. With their website builder, you can sell on Facebook and Amazon. Shopify also has a ‘Buy Button’ feature. It allows you to embed your products on any other online website.

So if you ask any bloggers to write about your product, you can add a product card button to the blog. Their readers can click on the card and buy the product quickly; this kind of functionality is still not available on Squarespace.

• Mobile Apps offered

Both Shopify and Squarespace offer Mobile Apps for the user’s benefit. There are four apps that Squarespace offers. 

• Commerce
• Scheduling admin
• Scheduling client
• Squarespace 

This Squarespace app is comparatively new. It provides essential content and order management for the users. But if you want e-commerce facilities, then you should choose the Commerce app. It allows you to accomplish many e-commerce tasks like:

• Organize refunds
• Contact customers
• Scanning labels for shipping

The scheduling app helps manage the appointments with your clients (Scheduling admin). The Scheduling client application allows your clients to book and manage appointments. 

Shopify also offers mobile apps, but two of them hold much importance. First is the main Shopify app, which permits you to edit your website, view stats, and checks orders. For the POS functionality, Shopify has another app. With this app, you can take orders and accept the payment for goods sold. 

Though these two apps are sufficient to help you operate the website, you can choose other apps. There is a customer chat app (Ping), business card maker, and logo maker. Ping is the most useful of all. It makes it easy to manage the questions the customers may have. 

• Tax calculations benefits

With the Shopify platform, you can implement correct tax rules for countries like Canada, the US, the EU, and the UK. This Tax calculation feature is especially useful for the EU sellers. If your business sells a digital product to customers in EU countries, VATMOSS requires you to collect value-added tax. Shopify does these calculations for you and thus saves your time. 

In the case of Squarespace, such features are in the process of development. They provide a Beta integration with TAXLAR, but that is aimed at US users only. Many users will need to set up their taxes manually in the system. Thus in this division of Shopify vs Squarespace, Shopify gets the upper hand.

• SSL security

SSL or secure socket layer is standard security technology. It helps in setting an encrypted link between web browsers and servers. To find if a website has an SSL certificate, you just have to see its link. If your website name starts with “https://” rather than http://, then you can be assured the website is protected.

Another benefit of having an SSL installed is that Google gives your website a high ranking. Both Shopify and Squarespace offer a free SSL certificate. This can be used in any domain.

• Domains used 

One feature of Squarespace that boosts it is that it gives you a free domain when you buy any of the plans. With Shopify also you can register a domain, but there is a charge to it. You can purchase domain names separately also in Squarespace. 

But if you buy a domain from these websites and lose access to your account, your domain and CMS also expire.  You should buy a domain from a reputable third-party provider. Modify your DNS settings later on.

• Customer support service

Both websites offer superior customer support services. Though Shopify here gains an edge as you can reach out through multiple ways. The platform provides 24*7 support through email, live chat, and phone. If you choose their Plus level plan, you also get a dedicated service agent.

As the business grows, you can choose to hire a Shopify expert. On the other hand, Squarespace has limited customer support options. But they have one of the best forums available. They also have live chat support from Monday to Friday, 4 am-8 pm EST. You can also solve your queries here.

Sales features 

• Product types used 

Both Shopify vs Squarespace offers you the facility to sell both digital and physical products. However, to sell digital products on Shopify, you will have to download an app. On the other hand, there is no such requirement in the case of Squarespace. Apart from that, both offer a wide variety of features like 

• Ability to add single or bulk items
• In house revenue reports
• Direct email alerts for low stock

• Product images distinctions

Squarespace handles the product images much better than Shopify does. In the case of Shopify, unless you maintain the required aspect ratio, all your pictures will appear lopsided. To get this correct, you will have to edit all the images manually. 

This can be quite an arduous task to accomplish. You could use a third-party Shopify app like Pixc to resize the image and upload it. 

Squarespace has a better approach to this problem. You can pick an aspect ratio, and the system will crop the image accordingly. If required, you can choose a focal point for all the photos. That part of the photo gets emphasized within the image.

• Product attributes 

Another category In Shopify vs Squarespace where the latter is strong is product attributes. In Shopify, you can create only three options, i.e., color, size, or material. Squarespace has more attributes that you can mention. You can overcome this product attribute limit in Shopify. You just have to pay an additional cost for a third-party app. 

• Selling in different currencies 

You make more sales if you get the convenience of selling in multiple currencies. If you want to sell in different countries, give the customers to pay in their currency. Here Squarespace does not allow you to sell in multiple currencies. But if you use Shopify Payments, you can easily trade in different currencies.

However, this multi-currency feature of Shopify has a significant drawback. It does not come with auto-conversion. Users have to select their country from a drop-down menu. Therefore some merchants would still prefer using a third-party app for their payment processing.

• Shipping options offered 

With Squarespace as well as Shopify, you can set rates on parameters like Flat rates, free shipping rates, weight-based rates, and real-time shipping rates. Shopify also offers price-based weights, which is another win for it. 

When you have to calculate real-time shipping rates, Shopify has two options for you. In case you are based in the US, Australia, and Canada, Shopify offers a tie-up with local postal companies. It will provide you calculated shipping rates and preferential shipping rates.

This service is called ‘Shopify Shipping,’ and provides considerable discounts to the users. If you want to use calculated rates with a carrier of your choice, you will have to pay extra. There will be an additional monthly fee; pay annually for a Shopify plan, or choose their Advanced plan.

Squarespace has teamed with FedEx, USPS, and UPS to provide real-time carrier shipping. You get this service through their Advanced Commerce plan only.

• Analytics

If you want a platform that offers professional reports, then Shopify is a better bet. Though Squarespace has tried to improve its offers, it compares nothing to Shopify. In Squarespace, you can see an overview of site visitors, sales, and traffic sources. 

Shopify’s analytics are more detailed. They give you extensive information on:

• Finance reports
• Sales reports
• Customer details
• Acquisition reports
• Behavior reports

You may even create your own reports if there is something specific you want to see. However, this reporting plan of Shopify is only on their expensive plans. Only standard reports are available on the $79 ‘Shopify’ plan. You could use Google Analytics, but you will have to set it up on your website manually.

Squarespace also has advanced reports in its expensive plans. But they are still not as detailed as Shopify. Thus Shopify wins the Shopify vs Squarespace race in this segment.

• Blogging features

Blogging is pretty crucial when you are running an online store. That is because blogging helps you drive traffic to your website, which translates to sales. Both Squarespace and Shopify offer the blogging advantage. 

Squarespace’s blog still has the edge over what Shopify has to offer. This is because you can do more with your content on Squarespace than Shopify. You may drop your content into any page using their ‘summary blocks’ feature. You can also add all the categories and tags in Squarespace.

Shopify allows you just to add tags to the content. Again if you want more on blogging from Shopify, you ought to choose a third-party app. 

• Email marketing tool integration

Both Shopify and Squarespace allow you to capture the email addresses to any third-party email marketing solution of their choice. In case you use Mailchimp, you will find Squarespace is easier to comprehend. You can easily link your Squarespace forms straight off to Mailchimp.

However, there is a problem in using Mail chimp with Shopify. You can integrate Mailchimp with a Shopify store. To do that, you will have to use a third-party app or embed a mail chimp form on the website.

You can use other platforms like Zapier on Squarespace but setting up requires effort and time. Thus Squarespace is better for integrating Mail chimp and Google Drive. But Shopify offers different email marketing apps integrations for you to choose from.

Conclusion

The question “what is better Shopify or Squarespace” definitely does not have a sure-shot answer. Both the platforms have their own positives and negatives. If you are only looking for an engaging content-based website, you should focus on Squarespace. It is also perfect if you are in a creative profession like artist, musician, etc.

If your prime objective is to create a proper online store, then your bet should be on Shopify. With the Shopify platform, you get features like automatic tax calculations, professional reporting, and much more. Definitely, Shopify has more extensive features, especially in SEO and payment methods. 

Though both the platforms could do better in GDPR, that is not a big issue. Shopify also provides better compliance to GDPR, especially when we are talking of consent to use cookies. Apart from that, Shopify has a vast library of apps that you can use where Squarespace is left far behind. 

The post Shopify Vs Squarespace-Which One To Consider appeared first on Platform to Showcase Innovative Startups and Tech News.

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a fairly recent development in the world of retail. It’s essentially a retail fulfillment method where a store doesn’t keep stock of its products. So, when a consumer places an order for a certain product, the company contacts a third party to fulfill the order. This third-party vendor is now responsible for procuring and delivering the good in question. 

The dropshipping model eliminates the need for companies to store products, meaning that a large amount of capital is no longer necessary to hit the ground up and running with your business. The capital that would be otherwise spent on managing a warehouse, managing deliveries can now be spent on actually growing the business. Scaling also becomes much easier with the dropshipping model.

Why are businesses shifting to dropshipping suppliers in the US?

Relying on an overseas supplier comes with its own share of risks. Assessing product quality becomes difficult, and keeping track of international shipments becomes a logistical nightmare. Here are some reasons why a large number of e-commerce businesses are looking to go local and partner up with dropshipping suppliers in the USA:

Superior product quality

An overseas dropshipping supplier may be working with an inferior grade of raw materials, which will naturally translate to the final product as well. Your consumers are unlikely to be happy with the products they receive and might switch to an alternate company. 

Shifting to a dropshipping supplier in the US is said to work better in the long run, maximizing the number of return customers. Furthermore, “Made in USA” helps to appease the nationalist sentiments of potential customers. 

It’s a common notion that the products made within the country are superior in quality. So, why not capitalize on this idea? You’ll also be doing a service to the economy by creating more employment opportunities. 

Higher margins 

It’s a common misconception that only working with an overseas dropshipping service can ensure a high return on investment. But on the contrary, more and more local dropshipping services are catching up to their foreign counterparts in terms of price point. 

Customers are also more likely to shell a couple of bucks extra for a product “made in the US”. When both these factors are considered, you’ll actually end up making more money working with a dropshipping supplier in the US. 

Quicker shipping times 

This point is fairly self-explanatory. It can take upwards of several weeks for a product to even arrive on US soil. A customer will have to wait a really long time to get their hands on the product. Working with a dropshipping supplier in the US cuts down on this time, delivering the goods in a matter of 1-8 business days.

This also ensures that the supply chains are as short as possible. Disruptions of longer supply chains are likely to hamper fragile goods, affecting the quality of items with a shorter shelf life like food substances. 

Better customer services

It’s a no-brainer that working with dropshipping suppliers in the US is much easier owing to the simple fact that you’re working in the same time zones. Local wholesalers are also more likely to respond quickly in case of a last minute cancellation or a change in the quantity of a shipment. This way, you’re minimizing the dangers of potentially losing customers. 

Contingency plans are better laid out 

Working with multiple suppliers puts you in a better position in cases of an unmitigated natural disaster like a flood or a cyclone. Since you’re delivering out of multiple warehouses, there is a very little disruption in the supply chain. 

Picking the right US dropshipping supplier

Now that you have a good idea about the need to switch to a local supplier, here are some factors to consider while choosing your dropshipping supplier in the US:

Reputation 

Before choosing to work with dropshipping suppliers in the US, try to find out if any business owners that are within your professional circle have previously worked with them. If they have, then look at what they have to say about their experiences working with the supplier. Ask them if they faced any difficulties and whether they’d recommend their services. 

In case you aren’t able to find any, take a look at their website and the services they offer. Ascertain if they’re knowledgeable about the niche that you specialize in. Reading a couple of their write-ups on their blog should help you form an opinion. Be on the lookout for testimonials or any mention of awards and accolades. 

Minimum order requirement 

This value will differ from dropshipping supplier to another. You’d ideally want no minimum order requirements, but in case there’s one, determine if you work around that number. There’s no point if you’re paying a large sum of money upfront. It defeats the purpose of a dropshipping model designed to minimize capital spent on inventory management. 

Shipping times 

You chose to work with dropshipping suppliers in the US because of the shorter delivery times. So, this is a factor that you couldn’t possibly compromise on. Look into their shipping policies and delivery partners. You’d ideally want them to ship goods within 48 hours of purchase so that it gets to the customer as early as possible. 

Online resources

Check if the dropshipping services that you wish to work with snugly fit into the ecosystem of the e-commerce platform you are working out of, i.e. Amazon, eBay, Shopify, etc. Inventory tracking is yet another feature that is an absolute must-have. They help you to stay abreast of the expected dates of arrival of a shipment. This can go a long way in cutting down on confusion. 

Other things to look out for include well-written product descriptions and detailed product catalogs. These features will save a ton of time, in the long run, preventing you from having to devise them all on your own.  

A comprehensive list of the most trustworthy dropshipping suppliers in the US

1. Oberlo 

Oberlo is one of the most popular dropshipping services out there. Having sold more than a whopping 100 million products, they really know their business. Getting started with Oberlo is extremely simple. All you need to do is join their platform for free, find the products you’re looking for and simply add them to your online store. It’s that simple!

Oberlo also lets you customize your listings by selecting photos of your choice and re-writing product descriptions the way you want them to read. Moreover, they do offer extensive customer support, which is all the more important if you’re just starting off as an entrepreneur. 

Coming down to deliveries, they cater to different needs with an assortment of shipping methods like: 

• China Post– Free/meagre shipping costs, but longer shipping times at around 20-50 days 
• ePacket– Generally affordable prices, but deliveries can still take 15-30 days 
• AliExpress Shipping– Relatively inexpensive and deliver are a tad quicker at about 15 days 
• UPS, DHL and FedEx– comparatively expensive, but deliveries are lightning-fast, taking only 5-15 days 

2. SupplyMeDirect

Yet another dropshipping supplier in the US built specifically to lessen your worries about managing inventory. It’s free to use and is easy to integrate into the Shopify ecosystem. What sets SupplyMeDirect apart from its competitors is that almost 60% of its warehouses are stationed in North America. The remainder is distributed among various countries in Europe. So, this should be your first choice if you’re considering selling internationally. 

SupplyMeDirect has a relentless customer service system that promises to help you every step of the way. They sell everything from beauty supplies and fashion accessories to electronic gadgets and automobiles. It really is a one-stop destination for all your product requirements. 

3. Spocket 

Spocket makes it to this list simply on the basis of its extensive screening program that all suppliers are subjected to before they’re certified as a trusted supplier. With an ability to integrate with an existing Shopify account, getting started on this platform should be fairly simple. The margins offered are great too since they offer up to an unprecedented 60% on all purchases. 

Pricing plans:

• Starter pack– $24 per month 

Includes basic email support

• Pro pack– $49 per month 

Includes branded invoicing and chat support 

• Empire pack– $$99 per month

More than 10,000 unique products on offer 

+ Benefits included pro pack

4. SaleHoo

SaleHoo boasts of one of the largest distribution networks in the entire globe. Originally a New Zealand company, they now have suppliers all around the world including the States.  The platform’s design works in a way that makes it easier to locate the product you’re looking for. Items are categorized according to the niche they belong to. 

But, that’s not it! Signing up for SaleHoo gets you in close proximity to seasoned veterans of the trade. You’ll get a chance to interact with them and learn from their experiences. Valuable training guides and informative blogs will also be made available to you. All of this comes at a lifetime membership cost of $67. 

5. Dropified

This dropshipping service might be a new entrant, but they more than make up for it with the various online resources and tools included in your subscription. These benefits include:

• An intensive 60-day training program that will teach you the basics of running an online business and working with a dropshipping service
• Automating your e-commerce site so that you don’t have to worry about the day-to-day functioning of the website

Similar to other platforms, Dropified can sync up with your online store on AliExpress, eBay, and Shopify. Other platforms that can also be integrated include BigCommerce, CommerceHQ, and WooCommerce. 

Pricing plans:

• Build plan– $19 per month

This plan extends to 1 store account and includes basic customer support, the ability to save up to 1,000 products

• Grow plan– $47 per month

This plan extends to 3 store accounts and includes priority support, the ability to save up to 10,000 products and the option to create unlimited product listings for social media platforms like Facebook. 

6. Brybelly

Brybelly is one of the dropshipping suppliers in the US that seems to be enjoying a lot of traction recently. This trend can be attributed to the fact that they carry over 300 SKU’s of large brands and retailers. The sheer range of the inventory is impressive, selling everything from office supplies and sporting goods to camping essentials and children’s toys. 

Here’s how the dropshipping on Brybelly works: 

• List down the products from their extensive product catalogue onto your online store with the appropriate image and description
• Price them according to your needs and start selling 
• When a customer wishes to purchase a specific good, head up to Brybelly and place an order for the same item at a discounted cost
• They can either ship it to you or fulfil the order by themselves
• You get to keep the profit without having to break a sweat 

7. National Dropshippers

National Dropshippers is one of the most trusted dropshipping suppliers in the US, accredited as A+ by the Better Business Bureau. They’re a members-only site that continues to offer the best prices which range from 33 % to 66% below the actual Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). 

They’ve been able to maintain fruitful and long-lasting relationships with suppliers thanks to their unwavering commitment to excellence. The nominal membership fee that they charge is what helps them keep the business running and offers prices that are unheard of.

Pricing plans: 

• Monthly Wholesale membership– $19.99 per month
• Quarterly Wholesale membership– $44.97 per 3 months
• Semi-annual Wholesale membership– $59.94 per 6 months
• Annual Wholesale membership– $89.98 per year

This nominal membership is what helps them keep the business running and offer margins that are unheard of.

8. Wholesale2b

Wholesale2b is a one-of-a-kind directory that is sure to help you find the perfect dropshipping supplier. Like some of the other platforms mentioned on this list, they can work smoothly on a number of popular e-commerce platforms like eBay, Shopify and Amazon.

The pricing will depend on the platform you choose to work on. Here’s a look at the different pricing plans that Wholesale2b has to offer: 

9. AliDropship

If you’re a frequent user of AliExpress, then this platform is perfect for you. AliDropship functions like a plug-in that makes it easier to import products from AliExpress to your own website on WordPress. 

While AliExpress does predominantly ship Chinese goods, they also happen to have a significant number of products that are “Made in USA”.  A big advantage of working with a global giant like AliExpress is that it gives you a chance to work with multiple suppliers at the same time. 

AliDropship does a decent job of addressing complaints and queries related to the delivery of goods. Another feature that sets AliDropship apart from its competitors is that they have a separate page with reviews and ratings of suppliers. This should naturally make it easier to pick the right wholesale supplier. 

Pricing plan

The AliDropship plug-in costs only $89, while the dropshipping store will set you back by $299. Both of these prices aren’t recurring costs, but instead a single payment. 

These were some of the most popular dropshipping suppliers in the US that have an impeccable track record. While they do offer a wide range of products to choose from, they might not be able to service the needs of every niche. 

This is where specialized but much smaller suppliers come into the picture. So, here’s a list of such services categorized by the specific industry they cater to.

Dropshipping suppliers in the US- Fashion 

1. Tasha Apparel

Tasha Apparel is your one-stop destination for all your trendy clothing needs. They currently offer dropshipping services for both bundled and single-piece items. Like the companies that were earlier, they do offer convenient customer support and promise to offer the best margins on the market. 

2. Sparkle in Pink

An online store that sells durable and stylish kids’ clothes. Though most of their revenue comes in from selling to customers directly, they do offer dropshipping services as well. Sparkle in Pink does charge a small fee on top of each purchase. This is because every shipped out item of their warehouse goes through a rigorous system of checks. 

But, Sparkle in Pink does not allow you to use the pictures on their websites to promote their products. This means that you’ll spend extra time and resources to get the right photos, adding to ever-growing expenses. But, on the flipside, you’ll get to control how a particular product will be perceived by consumers. 

3. My Online Fashion Store

This fashion store lets you pick from more than 5,000 stylish and contemporary designs. Since they’re shipped from their local warehouse in Los Angeles, you need not worry about delivery times. Shipping rates are pretty affordable too. The standard subscription costs a modest $ 29 per month.

US Dropshipping suppliers- Cosmetics

1. Beauty Joint 

Beauty Joint is a wholesale supplier of cosmetic products from various acclaimed brands like L’Oreal, Maybelline, LA Girls, Jordana Cosmetics and much more. Their dropshipping service has a design that fulfills orders while securing decent margins for their clients. More importantly, they’ve also now started shipping Korean beauty products that seem to be selling like hot cakes nowadays. 

2. ISO Beauty 

ISO Beauty claims to be one of the biggest dropshipping suppliers in the US within the beauty products category. They sell everything from hair curls to moisturizing serums. The dropshipping program is pretty straight-forward. 

You place the order for a product and they send it over to your customers in a blind package that has a customization option according to your specification. If you were worried about minimum order requirements, fret not. There are none!

Dropshipping in US- Electronics 

1. Megagoods

Some people call this site a hub of all the latest in technology among all the dropshipping suppliers in the US. They specialize in selling a wide assortment of electronic gadgets. With over 2,000 products to choose from, there’s only a little chance that a customer will run out of options. 

You’re at the liberty of picking from a dozen of popular shipping options like FedEx and UPS. Moreover, they also offer a 30-day free return policy on all their goods in case a paying customer isn’t happy with a certain product. 

2. ASI Partners

Having stayed in business for over three decades, ASI Partners have made a name for themselves in the IT hardware niche. They sell everything from top-end desktops and laptops to powerful servers. Some of their vendors include Samsung, MSI, Micron, and Supermicro. Moreover, they also offer partner programs and webinars to turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

Conclusion 

The dropshipping business model is a novel strategy that lets third-party vendors take care of shipments on your behalf. Due to the fact that there is very little initial investment required, more and more start-ups are starting to rely on this business model. 

E-commerce companies have ignored local suppliers and have traditionally been dependent upon foreign wholesalers for their dropshipping needs. This is due to the assumption that better margins lay with overseas suppliers. 

But, they’re now starting to realize that working with dropshipping suppliers in the US comes with distinct advantages. Consumers are willing to pay more for goods that are “Made in the US”.  

Regulating product quality is less cumbersome and you have complete control over the raw materials that go into the making of the product. Handling returns is no longer a headache as you can keep track of shipments thanks to superior customer services. 

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