The world is an increasingly digital place. The internet is now where we spend most of our time – and most of our money. Online shopping has absolutely exploded in the past decade, now making up a significant portion of overall retail sales.
If you’re an eCommerce website owner, or you have a business that is exploring the option of selling online, you may feel overwhelmed. Setting up an efficient eCommerce shop is no easy task, but fortunately, there are software solutions to help. One popular option is Americommerce, an advanced eCommerce platform for power users.
Americommerce, a division of Cart.com, is an all-in-one eCommerce solution for businesses looking to sell goods and services online. The service started out as a basic shopping cart service but has morphed into a full-service eCommerce solution. It has powerful features built-in, yet it’s simple and intuitive enough for beginners to use.
This Americommerce review will go over the details of this popular service. We’ll cover features, costs, pros & cons, and much more.
Check out our roundup of the Best Shopping Cart Software for Small Business
What makes Americommerce different
There are many eCommerce platforms and software to choose from – what sets Americommerce apart?
No reliance on third-party plugins
Many eCommerce platforms rely on third-party plugins and apps to expand functionality. With Americommerce, almost everything is built-in. This helps simplify things, and also improves security, as third-party apps are often the source of data breaches and other security issues. While there are some add-ons available, Americommerce does not rely on third-party apps.
Seamless wholesale integration
Many platforms focus on either B2C or B2B, but Americommerce does both. With one storefront, you can easily sell one item to a customer, or 10,000 widgets to a distributor, all with custom pricing and no excessive fees.
Multi-store functionality
Americommerce lets users manage multiple storefronts from one login and admin panel. For entrepreneurs with a variety of properties, this can help save a lot of time and hassle.
Who Americommerce is best for
Americommerce can help eCommerce businesses of all shapes and sizes, but there are certain groups who are most likely to benefit from this specific platform:
Owners of multiple eCommerce storefronts
One of the key features of Americommerce is the ability to monitor multiple eCommerce storefronts from one login. This means you can use the same admin panel for everything, whether you have one store or fifteen. Owners can monitor catalogs, orders, reports, customer data and more, for all their stores at the same time. For eCommerce entrepreneurs, this can save you a lot of time.
Beginners to the world of eCommerce
Americommerce is unique in that it offers advanced features, but only if the user wants those features. This is achieved through a “power features” toggle. If selected, this activates more advanced eCommerce features that experienced sellers will appreciate. But by default, it’s turned off, resulting in a much simpler dashboard. For newcomers, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the huge variety of stats and features, so this simple solution is welcome.
US-based firms with US-based customers
Americommerce focuses on the US market and offers minimal tools for international sales. While it can certainly be used to run international businesses, keep in mind that Americommerce has limited customer support hours, in a US timezone – so international customers may struggle to contact support. Because of this, we mostly recommend Americommerce for eCommerce entrepreneurs in the United States.
Pros and cons of Americommerce
It’s always wise to get a complete picture of any options you are considering, by taking into account both the advantages and disadvantages of a service. Here are some key considerations for Americommerce:
Pros
- 14-day free trial available (with all features)
- Efficient B2B wholesale integration
- Manage multiple storefronts from one login
- Option to toggle on advanced features, or simplify with the basics
- Integration of rewards system for customers
- Reasonable monthly costs
- Integrations with 100+ apps and software
- Option for single-page checkout
Cons
- A smaller selection of themes and templates
- Limited customer support hours
- Limited features for international sales
Americommerce features
The bread-and-butter of any eCommerce platform is the specific features that are offered. While most eCommerce solutions share all the basic features you’d expect, there are a few unique aspects to consider from Americommerce.
- 100+ integrations – Americommerce integrates with over 100 apps and software, including Shipping Easy, PayPal, and QuickBooks.
- Choice of payment processing – Americommerce does have its own credit card payment processing service, but it does not force users to use it. Sellers can choose from 40+ integrated payment partners without penalty.
- Multi-store functionality – As discussed above, Americommerce lets you run multiple stores from a single login, allowing you to streamline your workflow.
- Free templates & themes – There are a decent number of free templates and themes with responsive designs to provide customization options. Themes can be installed instantly from within the admin panel.
- Unlimited accounts – If you need to create extra accounts for employees or contractors to help manage your online store, you can do so without any extra fees.
Keep in mind that Americommerce also adds new features regularly. Overall, their features are quite useful and competitive with similar services like BigCommerce, Shopify, and other eCommerce software powerhouses. That said, there are fewer Americommerce store templates than you might find with some competing services.
Americommerce pricing
Americommerce has a tiered pricing structure, ranging from $25 a month to $300 a month. The plan that’s best for you depends on the size and type of your business. The main differences are in the number of products you can feature, and the bandwidth/traffic your site is allowed to use.
Here is an overview of Americommerce costs and packages:
Steel – $24.95/mo
- Up to 100 products
- Up to 2GB of traffic
- Up to 250MB storage
- Payment processing from 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Bronze – $39/mo
- 500 products
- 3GB traffic
- 1GB storage
- Payment processing from 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Silver – $99/mo
- 5,000 products
- 15gb traffic
- 1gb storage
- Payment processing from 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction
Gold – $149/mo
- 10,000 products
- 25gb traffic
- 2gb storage
- Payment processing from 2.5% + $0.30 per transaction
Platinum – $299/mo
- Unlimited products
- 50gb traffic
- 5gb storage
- Payment processing from 2.3% + $0.30 per transaction
MultiStore – $39/mo per store
- Allows you to add additional stores to an existing plan
Americommerce Enterprise offers custom plans for larger firms. These can include lower payment rates, higher API call limits, and customized support. You must contact Americommerce for a custom quote on these higher-tier plans.
Americommerce customer service
Customer support is available Monday through Friday, 9 am-6 pm CST. You can contact Americommerce tech support via phone, email, or online chat.
Americommerce customer support is well rated by customers. Agents are helpful and accommodating, and can help solve any issues you may have. However, compared to some competitors, the availability of the support team is somewhat lacking. This is particularly true for international customers, who may find difficulty contacting Americommerce during their limited US-based service hours.
Of course, if you can’t get a hold of someone over the phone, you can always send an email or submit a support ticket.