Understanding BigCommerce 2024 Pricing and TCO for an eCommerce Store

Starting an online store with BigCommerce is an exciting venture. As with any significant business decision, understanding the pricing of BigCommerce and the total cost of ownership (TCO) is crucial for planning and budgeting effectively.

The TCO encompasses all the costs associated with owning and operating a BigCommerce eCommerce store over its entire lifecycle. In this blog we will look at the BigCommerce plans, its pricing, and various cost heads you should consider to get a comprehensive view of your investment.

Let us start by understanding the various BigCommerce plans that are available.

What is BigCommerce?

BigCommerce is a user-friendly, customizable eCommerce platform offering modern eCommerce features from multi-storefront to Google Shopping integration. There are multiple plans available to meet the growing needs of businesses of all sizes.

The platform provides great product management, inventory control, SEO-friendly tools, and marketing capabilities to help businesses attract more traffic and improve online visibility and sales.

BigCommerce competes favorably with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Adobe Commerce/ Magento by offering lower transaction fees, integrated features, and a balance of simplicity for beginners and advanced features for scaling businesses.

It provides a 15-day free trial to evaluate if BigCommerce is a right fit for your business.

The BigCommerce Pricing and Plans

BigCommerce is available in four different plans – Standard, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise; with each plan designed to meet the needs of different types of businesses. Understanding the various plans is important for businesses looking to create an online store, to make an informed decision based on their budget and requirements.

Total Cost of Ownership of a BigCommerce Store – Factors to Consider

Now that we have looked at the various plans that BigCommerce offers, let us look at the total cost of ownership of an eCommerce store powered by BigCommerce. We will consider the following 6 cost heads to calculate the TCO.

• BigCommerce Subscription Plans + Transaction Fees
• BigCommerce Store Design and Development Costs
• eCommerce Hosting and Security
• Apps and Integration
• Payment Processing Fees
• Maintenance and Support

Note – Some of these costs will not change with the eCommerce platform like domain name registration, marketing and advertising, etc. It is important to be mindful of these when understanding the TCO for the platform or while comparing TCO across platforms.

1. BigCommerce Subscription Plans + Transaction Fees

As we have seen earlier, BigCommerce offers several subscription plans. The foundation of your BigCommerce eCommerce store lies in choosing the right subscription plan. Each plan comes with a monthly or annual fee, varying based on the level of features and support.

While the subscription plan is the starting point, it’s important to consider how its features and limitations align with your business goals to avoid unexpected upgrades and costs down the line.

2. BigCommerce Store Design and Development Costs

The costs associate with designing and developing a visually appealing and user-friend eCommerce store include:

• Template/Theme: BigCommerce offers free and paid themes. Paid themes can range from $150 to $300. You can also work with the agency to create a custom design that will cost you a lot more. The actual cost of a custom design can vary depending on the agency and your requirements.
• eCommerce Store Development Costs: You should break this effort down into:
  • Default Store: The cost of launching a BigCommerce store with Default features. With default features, the scope and cost of developing the e-store is fixed and ranges between $25,000 – $50,000.
  • Customizations: The cost of adding additional custom features or functionality. This will require a developer, costing anywhere between $50 to $200 per hour.

3. eCommerce Hosting and Security

BigCommerce includes hosting in its subscription plans, but there are additional security measures to consider:

• SSL Certificate: Essential for secure transactions, often included in BigCommerce plans, but premium SSL certificates can cost extra.
• Security Plugins: Additional plugins or services to enhance security.
• Prioritizing hosting and security ensures your site is reliable and secure, which is fundamental for maintaining customer trust and compliance with data protection regulations.

4. Apps and Integration

BigCommerce is popular among businesses of all sizes due to its built-in tools and features. If you want to enhance your online store with additional features and capabilities, BigCommerce offers over 600 apps and integrations in categories like Payment, Analytics, Marketing, and more.

• Marketing Tools: Email marketing, SEO tools, social media integrations, etc.
• Integrations: Apps to integrate with systems like ERP, Payment, Shipping, etc.
• Customer Support: Live chat, helpdesk software, etc.
• And more.

The additional features you need depend on the functionality provided by the eCommerce platform (under the selected plan) and your requirements.

Many apps have monthly fees ranging from $10 to $100+, depending on their complexity and features. Several apps also offer free trial or a free plan, so you can choose whether or not to pay for an upgraded service.

5. Payment Processing Fees

BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees additionally. However, handling transactions comes with its own costs:

• Transaction Fees: Depending on your payment gateway (PayPal, Stripe, etc.), fees typically range from 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
• Monthly Fees: Some payment gateways charge a monthly fee for their services.

PayPal offers special rates for BigCommerce customers as shared below.

Carefully selecting payment processors and understanding their fee structures helps manage transaction costs effectively, directly impacting your bottom line.

6. Maintenance and Support

Keeping your store running smoothly requires ongoing maintenance, enhancements, and support. This includes technical support, customer service, and software updates.

• Technical Support: Hiring a developer for ongoing maintenance and enhancements.
• Customer Support: Staffing or outsourcing customer service.
• Software Updates: Ensuring all apps and themes are up to date.

Regular maintenance and reliable support ensure your store operates without interruptions, providing a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

In addition to these, there are additional cost heads you can consider. These costs are related to running your eCommerce businesses in general and are not specific to your choice of eCommerce platform.

7. Domain Name Registration

Securing a domain name is one of the first steps in establishing your online presence. Costs include:

• Domain Registration: Typically ranges from $10 to $50 per year, depending on the domain extension (.com, .net, etc.).
• Domain Privacy Protection: An additional fee to keep your personal information private.

You can buy a domain directly from BigCommerce (depending on the domain type, it will cost you around $13-$15 a year) or from a third-party provider like GoDaddy. Investing in a good domain name and privacy protection ensures your business appears professional and trustworthy, forming the bedrock of your online identity.

8. Other Operational Expenses

Managing orders and deliveries efficiently ensures customer satisfaction. This includes costs for shipping, fulfillment services, and inventory storage.

• Shipping Costs: Charges by carriers like USPS, FedEx, UPS.
• Fulfillment Services: Fees for third-party logistics providers.
• Inventory Storage: Costs for warehousing if not using dropshipping.

Efficient logistics and fulfillment operations are key to delivering a great customer experience and can significantly affect your store’s reputation and return rates.

9. Marketing and Advertising

Driving traffic to your store requires a robust marketing strategy. This involves costs for SEO, content marketing, PPC advertising, and email marketing campaigns.

• SEO and Content Marketing: Costs for hiring experts or using SEO tools.
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising: Google Ads, Facebook Ads, etc.
• Email Marketing: Services like Mailchimp or Klaviyo have subscription fees based on the number of subscribers.

Effective marketing and advertising strategies are essential for attracting and retaining customers, making these investments critical for your store’s growth and profitability.

10. Miscellaneous Costs

Other expenses such as legal compliance, accounting, and taxes are also part of running an eCommerce business. These costs, although sometimes overlooked, are crucial for legal and financial stability.

• Legal and Compliance: Costs for legal advice, GDPR compliance, etc.
• Accounting and Taxes: Services for managing finances and filing taxes.

Addressing miscellaneous costs proactively helps you avoid legal issues and financial mismanagement, ensuring long-term sustainability and compliance for your eCommerce store.

Conclusion

The total cost of ownership for a BigCommerce eCommerce store is multifaceted, extending beyond the initial setup costs. By considering all these cost heads, you can create a realistic budget and plan for sustainable growth. Remember, investing wisely in your eCommerce infrastructure can lead to long-term success and profitability.

Embarking on this journey with a clear understanding of the TCO will help you navigate the complexities of the eCommerce landscape with confidence. Happy selling!

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