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<hr /> When I last spoke to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-gomide-de-faria-vtex/">Mariano Gomide de Faria</a>, it wasn't long after he published <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mariano-gomide-de-faria-vtex_for-all-the-reasons-explained-in-the-article-activity-7310313384015511552-APGm/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAABz8skQBu3yAX4WwKnVszlZSL3qGoPZCq6w">“The MACH Mirage”</a> on LinkedIn. It was a veritable shock to the system that pointedly criticized aspects of the composable movement – and, with specificity, the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-aims-to-evolve-enterprise-ai-architecture-with-new-end-user-leadership-model">MACH Alliance.</a> At the time, he announced that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/vtex">VTEX</a> (the connected commerce platform he founded and steers as co-CEO) would be pausing its membership in the best-of-breed ecosystem, citing the drift of composability from operator control as a central grievance. Famously, both Mariano and MACH Alliance president <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-future-is-composable-a-conversation-with-new-mach-alliance-president-casper-rasmussen">Casper Rasmussen</a> met on “The Watson Weekend” retail program to hash out some of the issues in a town square forum. The debate was friendly, healthy, and focused squarely on the challenges of enterprise architecture – which is being transformed by the advent of AI across the composable stack. And that’s the big tuna. The crucial role of AI in digital commerce can’t be overstated, and this is precisely where Mariano felt the MACH Alliance could be more prolific in supporting its association – and the market at large – in the AI course corrections. In his mind, this required less a less rigid approach to the enshrined standards of MACH.“At the end of the day, we cannot close our eyes to the reinvention of SIs informed by a future where AI rules,” he said, pointing out how organizations like the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://nrf.com/">National Retail Federation</a> could also help to lead discussions that generate value. Since then, VTEX has been putting its nose to the grindstone and building its own ecosystem for agentic commerce. And the timing couldn’t be more apropos: During my many interviews and discussions at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/the-deep-dish-on-composable-6-tasty-takeaways-from-the-mach-alliances-2025-conference">“The Composable Conference”</a> in April (the annual MACH Alliance event), agentic commerce was already lighting the world on fire. The noise level has only increased over the last few months, and the push to adopt these capabilities is reaching a fever pitch. According to a recent <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2025/03/20/agentic-commerce-ecommerce-trends/">Digital Commerce 360 survey</a>, over 44% of e-commerce leaders are already seeing strong results from their AI investments, and a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://rierino.com/blog/agentic-commerce-with-ai-agents">study from Rierino</a> suggests that agentic frameworks are also paying off with a 6-10% increase in revenue and a big bump in order efficiency.Now, VTEX is shipping its automated agentic AI workforce – and other features – into prime time as part of an expansion of its enterprise-grade capabilities. Unveiled at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fvtex.com%2Fen-us%2Fvision%2F2025&amp;esheet=54310335&amp;newsitemid=20250819007039&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=VTEX+Vision+2025&amp;index=1&amp;md5=8e8045401ca4c78ebfc0f12961001495">VTEX Vision 2025</a>, its annual digital showcase, the company’s latest release includes new solutions tailored to B2B complexity and personalized omnichannel experiences. “Enterprise commerce doesn’t slow down in the face of complexity,” Mariano said. “It rewards those who turn it into leverage. With VTEX Vision 2025, we have expanded our infrastructure to meet rising demands, from B2B buyer personalization to seamless consumer retail experiences, all on one unified commerce platform built for growth.” <h3 id="capabilities-that-convert-and-scale-for-the-b2b-enterprise">Capabilities that convert and scale for the B2B enterprise</h3>In the pantheon of digital commerce, B2B operates with its own set of rules, requiring intuitive digital infrastructure that’s built to move high-volume transactions and manage the full complexity of modern procurement. VTEX’s B2B innovation reinforces a key truth that enterprise leaders know: Success requires infrastructure built around how corporate buyers manage procurement, not systems that restrict transactions. This is where VTEX has its edge, and its Vision for B2B is bringing core capabilities to support these requirements.What’s in the new release? Personalized catalogs, pricing, and payment methods per buyer, as well as advanced buyer organization management that includes branch structures, role-based access, budgeting, and policy control.Brands will also have access to buying policies and approval workflows that enforce custom procurement rules automatically, and rapid cart creation that leverages quick order tools by file and search term. There’s also SKU matrix and reorder tools for high-frequency purchasing and native punchout integrations to centralize procurement within enterprise systems.From a market validation perspective, Andy Hoar's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fvtex.com%2Fen-us%2Fcampaign%2Fparadigm-b2b-report-2025%2F&amp;esheet=54310335&amp;newsitemid=20250819007039&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=B2B+Paradigm+2025&amp;index=2&amp;md5=9e2f7662e0ed2cad3ef71cd6af712a9d">B2B Paradigm 2025</a> report recognized VTEX with the most Gold medals across its Enterprise and Mid-Market categories, including key metrics like TCO and marketplace capabilities. <h3 id="the-next-level-of-omnichannel">The next level of omnichannel</h3>We’ve been talking about omnichannel for a long time, and how composable stacks help support these strategies. But for enterprise brands, true omnichannel is still a bit elusive. Why? Blame inventory silos, delayed delivery updates, and disconnected store operations (for starters), which block many organizations from operating at their full potential. VTEX closes these gaps by strengthening the “operational backbone” needed to move with speed, accuracy, and complete fulfillment control. AI is helping to power these features in VTEX. This includes AI Semantic Search, which delivers relevant results by interpreting shopper intent through natural language. There’s also AI Product Recommendations that help drive conversions with personalized, behavior-based suggestions.With VTEX, Distributed Inventory is unified and made available across every channel, covering B2C, B2B, marketplaces, and stores. Multi-seller Carts also merge 1P, 3P, and in-store items into one seamless checkout experience, making the entire lifecycle faster and easier.VTEX’s Delivery Promise is also a powerful fixture, helping shoppers find products that are located near them and can be delivered quickly. There’s also Cross-Channel Fulfillment, where newly simplified BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store), ship from store, and simplified returns can lead to operational cost reductions and improved inventory accuracy.<h3 id="agentic-commerce:-the-enterprise-ai-workforce">Agentic commerce: The enterprise AI workforce</h3>For the unindoctrinated, agentic commerce is the application of autonomous AI agents that work independently within a digital commerce system. They’re bestowed with “agency,” meaning they can make decisions, execute tasks, and adapt to context across both frontend and backend workflows. Agentic commerce isn’t just recommending things. It’s effectively running parts of your business with autonomy, tapping more adaptive AI and intelligent automation capabilities that can execute on their behalf. The explosive gains in productivity are making agentic commerce incredibly popular as brands and enterprises look to move faster across channels.Enterprise commerce is entering a new operational era, and VTEX is helping to lead that shift with agentic AI built that can effectively streamline critical workflows and accelerate enterprise performance across the globe. To kick off its roadmap to a fully agentic commerce platform, VTEX is launching three AI agents that are engineered around precision, speed, and adaptability. As the company stated, it’s the beginning of a new standard where digital infrastructure operates as intelligently as the enterprises it serves.“As VTEX advances toward a fully agentic commerce platform, we continue to transform cost centers into engines of growth with measurable impact,” Mariano said. “Our first wave of AI agents marks a critical step, compressing complex workflows and unlocking new value for global brands. Flexibility, transparency, and real-time adaptability will define the next generation of enterprise leaders. Anything else will be left behind.”Some cool capabilities are rolling out, starting with VTEX’s Customer Service Agent, a fully autonomous support agent that works across WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, and more. Brands like UNICEF and Cencosud are currently using it, which, according to VTEX, has already resolved 92% of tickets without human input – and cut AHT from hours to minutes. Impressive results to be sure.Forthcoming is a Visual Editor Agent, which promises some powerful experience-level capabilities with no developer support required. Teams will be able to instantly respond to change by updating a storefront using a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/figma">Figma</a> file or natural language.Finally, VTEX’s Data Insights Agent is all about powering productivity and observability across channels. The agent receives priority access to real-time omnichannel performance data in plain language, without the need for static dashboards or SQL queries.<h3 id="why-it-matters-">Why it matters </h3>“There's no survival without passing through this chaotic moment,” Mariano said. We were discussing the embedded challenges with navigating legacy systems and how many companies are still modernizing from old IBM mainframes. That might sound a little arcane, but we’ve come a long way on the frontier of interoperability. The MACH Alliance has played a huge role in shaping that, but we’re in yet another chaos moment – one where AI is rendering our roadmaps almost useless. Brands are having to react to change instantly, and commerce is going to need the scale and automation of agentic AI to win customers across channels. To its credit, the MACH Alliance is putting greater emphasis on the AI horizon, manifesting in more end-user representation at the top of the organization. Recently, Casper Rasmussen announced that he will be stepping down as president, and the Alliance will begin shifting to an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-aims-to-evolve-enterprise-ai-architecture-with-new-end-user-leadership-model">end-user leadership model</a> to support enterprise AI architecture. Will this help mend some of the fences with VTEX? Does it address the core issues surrounding operator control with the composable system? Probably not. There's a rhyme to MACH's reason, and maintaining fierce standards is part of that language. But we’ll see how things unfold. One thing is certain: Mariano will continue his quest for greater flexibility in a market that’s being utterly transformed by AI. “History proves that the highest risk position we can take now would be not assuming any risk,” he told me. “And that serves for NRF, that serves for the MACH Alliance, that serves for any association.”Institutional disagreements aside, VTEX is clearly pushing to innovate on its own terms with agentic commerce, and this could power its already strong collection of 3,400 active storefronts across 43 countries with less friction, greater productivity, and an even nimbler posture. Based on its measurable successes with real customers using its preliminary agents, VTEX is making real headway toward its vision of an autonomous platform that powers the future of digital commerce for B2B and B2C models. They certainly have the chops and market credentials to lead the way, with more than 2,400 brands trusting its technology to unify omnichannel sales, intelligent order management, data pipelines, retail media, enterprise-grade security, and more.It’s early days, so it will be interesting to see how VTEX's pricing models evolve surrounding its agent services. But for buyers with complex requirements and global fulfillment demands, the promise of agentic commerce could be a game changer – with the right platform to build on.  <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-vtex?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on VTEX? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FloridaMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

VTEX Expands Enterprise Capabilities with Agentic Commerce, B2B Orchestration, and Omnichannel Power

matt-garrepy

In the battle for digital domination, search reigns supreme – and brands are stepping up their search game.According to a survey by SearchNode, 68% of eCommerce industry leaders are improving their search functionality in 2021 and expanding the lens of their magnifying glasses. That plays directly into today's news that digital experience platform provider <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sitecore.com/">Sitecore</a> is acquiring San Mateo-based <a target="_blank" href="https://reflektion.com/">Reflektion,</a> an AI-powered digital search solution that understands and predicts patterns, context, and needs – so brands can convert more shoppers into buyers.The addition of Reflektion's technology will enable Sitecore to better engage, educate, and empower shoppers to make purchase decisions faster – increasing buyer confidence, long-term revenue, and overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.The acquisition – a continuation of Sitecore’s epic <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/sitecore-embarks-on-1-2b-investment-plan-to-accelerate-growth/">$1.2 billion growth plan</a> – will help marketers solve the information overload that is characteristic of traditional search solutions, which can impede a customer's ability to find and select the products they're looking for.When <a target="_blank" href="https://www.webfx.com/seo/statistics/#:~:text=When%20people%20go%20online%20to,search%20engine%20to%20guide%20them.">93% of all online experiences start with search</a>, it's fair to say that it's essential to the customer buying journey. Reflektion elevates the value of search by transforming it into a conversational, guided experience that provides more personal, accessible, and tailored answers for the customer. “Search is about more than just entering words into a box and hoping for the right results – it is the cornerstone of a digital experience," said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tzikakis/">Steve Tzikakis</a>, CEO, Sitecore. "With Reflektion, a brand can add various types of search including personalized search, preview search, conversational search, and voice search. This reduces customers’ effort and anxiety to find exactly what they need – with more convenience and speed – and leads to increased customer satisfaction with more conversions and revenue. Acquiring Reflektion reinforces Sitecore’s position as the leader in digital experience technologies that meets customers at the moment with more relevant, intuitive, and human experiences.”<h2>Elevating the E-commerce Experience with AI</h2>Reflektion brings an array of complementary commerce, AI, and personalization capabilities to Sitecore, which will further augment the DXP's acquisition of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51/">Four51,</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-boxever-and-four51/">Boxever</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/sitecore-acquires-moosend-adds-ai-powered-email-marketing-automation/">Moosend</a>. Together, this nexus of data and deep learning technologies will allow Sitecore to seamlessly deliver intelligent, personalized, real-time information across channels.Four51’s API-first, headless e-commerce solution enables organizations to quickly and easily deliver engaging shopping experiences, helping them improve customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. Four51’s feature set complements their existing B2C commerce capabilities while the Customer Data Platform (CDP) Boxever enhances customer intelligence with AI-driven personalization tools – making it easy to capture, unify and activate customer data and deliver personalized experiences at scale.With a robust stack powering their growth across data and digital commerce, search presents an ideal channel for connecting and expanding Sitecore's breadth of capabilities – and Reflektion delivers on that vision.“Since its inception eight years ago, Reflektion has become recognized for its unique approach to search-product discovery technology," said Amar Chokhawala, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Reflektion. "Our technology uses AI to adjust each consumer’s digital experience, in the moment, based on diverse data from multiple channels. I am proud of the passionate team at Reflektion who has been successful in bringing our AI-first approach to many site-search deployments for large e-commerce and retailers’ websites. With Sitecore, the Reflektion team and customers will be able to continue to leverage the enhancement of digital experiences, leading to continued growth and results for all.”The acquisition is expected to close in September 2021.<h2>Ramping Up the Competition</h2>Sitecore fired a "shot heard 'round the DXP world" last January when it announced its ambitious $1.2 billion growth strategy – which brewed speculation amongst competitors and analysts alike.While the mature market player celebrated its fourth year in a row as a Leader on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/key-takeaways-from-gartners-2021-magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms/">Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for DXPs</a>, it fell slightly behind both Acquia and Episerver (now Optimizely). <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/01/gartner-magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms-2021.png" alt="Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms-2021" /><a target="_blank" href="https://www.contentful.com/resources/forrester-wave-agile-cms-2021-report/">Forrester’s Q1 Wave Report for Agile CMSes</a> paints a similar picture. Since 2019, Sitecore has elevated its Strong Performer status, now straddling the fence of the Leaders circle with a wider market presence. But like the Gartner MQ, they are lagging behind Acquia and Optimizely.With the acquisition of Boxever, Four51, Moosend, and now Reflektion, Sitecore seems poised to pounce. As competition heats up at the highest level of the enterprise, CMS and DXP players are accelerating their investment in innovation – and buying up the missing pieces to their platform puzzle. With consumers relying more on AI-driven voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, the channel opportunities for search are expanding in dynamic ways. Sitecore's bid to stay top-of-mind and top-of-market will require more than acquisitions. But their stack is looking more like a vision – and that's what every platform is searching for.<h2>About Sitecore</h2>Sitecore delivers a digital experience platform that empowers the world’s smartest brands to build lifelong relationships with their customers. A highly decorated industry leader, Sitecore is the only company bringing together content, commerce, and data into one connected platform that delivers millions of digital experiences every day. Leading companies including American Express, ASOS, Kimberly-Clark, L’Oréal and Volvo Cars rely on Sitecore to provide more engaging, personalized experiences for their customers. Learn more at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sitecore.com/">Sitecore.com</a>.<h2>About Reflektion</h2>Reflektion’s Digital Commerce Experience Platform for eCommerce and Retail listens to the behaviors of each individual shopper, utilizes <a target="_blank" href="https://reflektion.com/glossary/artificial-intelligence-ai/">Artificial Intelligence</a> to calculate their preferences and intent, and then responds to every moment-to-moment interaction by displaying the most relevant content and products in real-time and across the digital touchpoints that matter most—including preview and site search, product recommendations, category and <a target="_blank" href="https://reflektion.com/glossary/landing-page/">landing pages</a>, and email.Leading retail brands such as Skechers, Ulta, Reeds, Petco, Ascena and RiteAid rely on Reflektion’s platform.Founded by pioneers in Artificial Intelligence and awarded both the Best eCommerce Solution and Best Overall Business Technology Solution by SIIA in 2019, Reflektion combines individual shopper insights, product intelligence, and <a target="_blank" href="https://reflektion.com/glossary/artificial-intelligence-ai/">AI</a> to create more relevant and impactful eCommerce experiences.

Sitecore Acquires AI-Powered Search Platform Reflektion

paris-tuzun

<a href="https://www.shopify.com/" target="_blank">Shopify</a>, a platform considered to be high up in the eCommerce food chain, has unveiled a storefront editor which lets anybody customize the look of their Shopify store in detail and across devices.
With price plans to suit all business sizes, combined with a feature-filled platform, Shopify is one of the world's leading eCommerce solutions for companies large and small.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/storefront_hero_image.jpg" /> 
This new Storefront Editor feature enables merchants to easily customize things like logos, menus, typography, and more. The short video below takes you behind the scenes for a first hand look.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N08ftKJ4c1U?start=36&amp;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Via their <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog" target="_blank">official blog announcement</a>, Tom Burns of Shopify said:
<blockquote>“Storefront editor simplifies how you make changes to your store’s design by splitting your screen into two panels. In one panel, you’ll make design choices like picking colors, fonts, photos, and more. In the other, you’ll see a live preview of your store that updates as you make changes.”</blockquote>
You can learn more about <a href="/products/shopify/" target="_blank">Shopify via our CMS Directory</a>.

Shopify Unveils Storefront Editor

mike-johnston

With the number of ecommerce platforms out there, how does one determine which ones work as intended and offer the best bang for the buck? Today, we're going to help answer this questions by sharing with you our Top 5 Ecommerce Solutions for your Website.There's no doubt that ecommerce is playing a strong role in the content management market of late. Products and services are consistently being sold online more and more and traditional brick and mortar retailers are quickly discovering that without an online presence, they are sacrificing valuable opportunities to their competition.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bigcommerce.png" alt="Bigcommerce" /><a target="_blank" href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/">Bigcommerce</a> is one of the largest and most popular ECommerce providers out there. With a number of offerings including the recently announced <a href="/bigcommerce-launch-bigcommerce-next-beauty-brawn-brains/">Bigcommerce Next</a>, they should definitely be considered as a major player.Check out this video showcasing Bigcommerce Next that was just introduced today: We recently did a <a href="/bigcommerce-review/">Bigcommerce Review </a>, which highlights some of the advantages to using their system. Check it out or <a href="/products/bigcommerce">visit their website directly </a> to get the skinny on this great solution for your business.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/magento-go-logo236x0.jpeg" alt="magento go" />Magento Go is the hosted ecommerce edition of Magento, the powerful enterprise ecommerce suite. With Magento Go, you get tons of power and configurability for a reasonable cost. It's intended for customers who are new to ecommerce and offers an app store, marketing tools and tons of options for the price.This video showcases (in less than a minute) what you need to know about Magento Go:http://youtu.be/2_1vPLB23LcIf you want to learn more, <a target="_blank" href="https://magento.com/">check out Magento Go</a> and see if it's the right fit for your business needs.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3dcart-logo236x0.jpg" alt="3dcart" />3dcart is another excellent platform for ecommerce. Unlike several of their competitors, 3dcart does not charge transaction fees and offers 24/7 free technical support. With costs that are certainly within reason, they are an excellent option. You won't be sacrificing features either, 3dcart is loaded with all of the features you'd expect from a great online store builder / ecommerce solution.Here's a quick video introducing the product: If you want to learn more, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shift4shop.com/">visit the 3dcart website</a> and see if it's the right fit for your business needs.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shopify-bag-and-logotype236x0.png" alt="shopify" />Shopify is another popular ecommerce solution. While it doesn't have as many years on the market as some of it's competitors, the company and the product have developed a very good name for themselves since coming to market. Shopify is a great solution that's very easy to use and chock full of features. By comparison, Shopify isn't as strong on the feature set as say, Bigcommerce but it offers a far more attractive set of themes and is more visually appealing. You can check out our in-depth <a href="/shopify-review-ecommerce-only-simpler/">Shopify Review</a> to learn more.Here's a quick video introducing the product: If you want to learn more, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/">visit the Shopify website</a> and see it's the right tool for you.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ecwid-cart236x0.png" alt="ecwid" />ecwid has been making a great name for themselves recently. Having <a href="/ecommerce-integration-arrives-for-wordpress.com-business">recently been selected by WordPress.com</a> as an ecommerce integration partner, along with Shopify, the ecwid brand has seen a big boost in adoption. Setup is very simple and the costs (aside from their free plan which is available for up to 10 products) is quite low and very competitive considering the features you get in return. With unlimited storage and bandwidth, ecwid is a great option to consider. You will find, however, that when compared with some of the bigger ecommerce players, there are some gaps in both feature set and visual appeal.Visit the <a target="_blank" href="http://open.ecwid.com/3htsZ">ecwid website</a> to check it out and learn more.Do you know of an ecommerce solution that you feel should be on this list? Share it with us in the comments below. Have you had experiences (good or bad) with any of these vendors? We'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to share in the comments.

Top 5 ECommerce Platforms for Your Website

Welcome to yet another featured week here on CMS Critic! For the next five days, our focus will be on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ecwid.com/">Ecwid</a>, the cloud-hosted shopping cart that integrates with your existing website or social media page. Impressively, over 900,000 merchants make use of Ecwid to power their online stores.According to Internet Retailer, 42% of all mobile sales generated by the world’s leading 500 retailers came from mobile apps during 2014.Furthermore, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.statista.com/statistics/330695/number-of-smartphone-users-worldwide/">number of smartphone users is forecast to surpass 2 billion</a> by the end of 2016 – meaning that the demand for mobile shopping experiences is only increasing.With these statistics in mind, Ecwid recognized that they couldn’t rest on their laurels as just an eCommerce solution. They needed to be an eCommerce solution that give merchants the power of the app.<h2>App Power</h2>Thanks to Ecwid’s recently released ShopApp feature, Ecwid users can now launch their very own native iOS and Android retail app.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ios-img.jpg" alt="ios-img" />ShopApp’s store content, such as inventory, prices and product descriptions, is fully synchronized and integrated with a retailer’s online store and includes one-touch checkout with Apple Pay, providing a seamless omnichannel ecommerce solution.And perhaps best of all – the ShopApp is available for free to all Ecwid Unlimited users.<h2>Your Store In Your Customer’s Pocket</h2>This goes beyond simply adopting responsive design to meet the needs of mobile device users. By having a native app, you give your online store a whole new shiny layer of professionalism.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sync-img-1024x684.jpg" alt="sync-img" />With your store in your customer’s pocket – a mere finger tap away – sales are bound to increase.Ecwid’s President, Jim O’Hara, called the release of ShopApp a “huge leap”:<blockquote>“With ShopApp, Ecwid is making a huge leap in how native ecommerce mobile apps are created and operate for smaller retailers globally.Similar to how the dramatic innovation in web development introduced by DIY sitebuilders like Wix, WordPress and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.weebly.com/">Weebly</a> democratized website creation, Ecwid now allows our merchants to create their own ecommerce apps instantly.”</blockquote>For me, this release is nothing less than exciting. In fact, I almost want to start a brand new store with Ecwid just so I can launch my own app.But for now, I’ll be keeping tabs on it to see just how much of an impact it has on the bottom lines of Ecwid’s merchants.To find out more about Ecwid’s ShopApp, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ecwid.com/">check out their website</a>.

Launch Your Own Retail App With Ecwid’s ShopApp

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.volusion.com/">Volusion</a>, the popular eCommerce solution, has revamped its mobile shopping experience.Thousands of online stores across the globe are powered by Volusion, and you can read more about the platform by checking out my <a href="/volusion-review/">Volusion review</a>.This update has focused on improving the general look and feel of Volusion on mobile devices, increasing sales, and improving search engine optimization. Let's take a look at what's new.<h2>New Product Display Grid &amp; Add To Cart Button</h2><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/blog_responsivethemeimprovement-650x350.jpeg" alt="Volusion" />Thanks to Volusion's new product grid display, the products on each user's store will have larger images, paired with a simplified layout.There is now a better balance between text and images, with the aim of boosting engagement. This feature is applicable on homepage featured products, category pages, product pages and search results.Also, no matter what page of a store a customer is on, they can now quickly add their favorite products to the cart, leading to increased sales. This is thanks to a new feature which allows the Add-To-Cart button to be more visible while the customer browses.<h2>Customization &amp; Search Engine Optimization</h2>Volusion merchants can also customize the <a target="_blank" href="http://onlinebusiness.volusion.com/articles/add-to-cart-button-tips-and-best-practices/">Add-To-Cart button design</a> to match their site’s overall design. The Add-To-Cart button will now be available on category pages, product pages and search pages.Furthermore, Volusion claim that thanks to all product-related content now living “within one HTML wrapper”, search engines like Google can now crawl Volusion pages faster, making for a better SEO score.To read more about Volusion's new mobile features, <a target="_blank" href="http://onlinebusiness.volusion.com/articles/responsive-design-templates-update/">check out their blog announcement</a>.

Volusion Enhances Responsive Design & Mobile Shopping Experience

When compared to mammoth rivals like Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a> can feel... well, less interesting. 
OK, so maybe it's not as visible as its social brethren, and the stats codify this. According to a recent <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/pinterest-statistics-for-business/" target="_blank">article</a>, the image-sharing app – popular for posting recipes, home decor, and more – ranks fourteenth on a list of the world's most used social media platforms. 
Fourteenth. That seems like quite a few rungs down the social ladder. But shockingly, Pinterest's <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/463353/pinterest-global-mau/#:~:text=How%20many%20users%20does%20Pinterest,million%20international%20monthly%20active%20users." target="_blank">431 million active global users</a> still puts it ahead of Twitter.
Take that, Elon Musk.
Along with posting "pins" of paint chips and curtain fabrics, shopping is one of the top activities for Pinterest users, and the platform's expansive community has emerged as a channel for e-Commerce. Given the number of users browsing boards and perusing products and services, it makes sense that sellers might be interested in connecting their storefronts to Pinterest to peddle their wares. 
Now, <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/introducing-pinterest-for-woocommerce/" target="_blank">WooCommerce</a> is giving its merchants a way to turn their product catalogs into shoppable "pins" on Pinterest, making it easier to build audiences and drive more sales. Whatever a seller might be offering – from fashion to apparel to appliances – this new feature will allow each product listing to become a shoppable pin on the platform, just like this:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/04/pinterest-product-tags-975x1024.webp" alt="Pinterest product tags" />
The companies recently <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/en/blog/introducing-pinterest-for-woocommerce/" target="_blank">announced</a> a strategic partnership that's designed to simplify the connection via a new integration, which will be available to WooCommerce merchants in the <a href="https://woocommerce.com/products/pinterest-for-woocommerce/" target="_blank">Products section</a> of the company's website. 
"By partnering together, we provide the best integrated Pinterest shopping experience possible for WooCommerce merchants to be on the cutting edge of social commerce," said Aleksandra Bettin, VP of Business Development at WooCommerce. "WooCommerce is highly invested in our merchants' success. Merchants need the right options to reach the right audiences – this integration with Pinterest helps them do that."
<h2>Using Pinterest to drive more traffic to WooCommerce stores</h2>
The category of <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-commerce.asp#:~:text=What%20Is%20Social%20Commerce%3F,retweets%2C%20likes%2C%20and%20shares." target="_blank">social commerce</a> is booming, and brands are looking for new ways to reach their audiences. While all social media platforms can help amplify traffic (both paid and organic), Pinterest has introduced some innovative features to help augment SEO. This includes a new visual search tool that makes finding customers on the platform even easier. Likewise, using pins, boards, and collections on Pinterest can drive organic traffic to a WooCommerce site. This combination gives merchants more power when it comes to expanding their reach. 
According to Pinterest's statistics, a whopping <a href="https://business.pinterest.com/audience/" target="_blank">97% of the top searches on Pinterest are unbranded</a>. That means Pinterest shoppers haven't made up their minds about specific products or brands – and they're open to learning and exploring. This is an opportunity that both WooCommerce and Pinterest have keyed in on, and are now simplifying the connection points to convert a shopper's interest into a real brand purchase. 
<h2>How to use the WooCommerce Pinterest extension </h2>
Adding the Pinterest integration to a WooCommerce store is very simple. It starts by installing the <a href="https://woocommerce.com/products/pinterest-for-woocommerce/" target="_blank">Pinterest for WooCommerce extension</a>, which will upload an entire WooCommerce product catalog to Pinterest. From there, shoppable pins will appear in people's feeds as they search and browse. The extension also logs when customers interact with products on Pinterest so users can track their best-selling or most saved items. 
While some WooCommerce merchants might have already manually uploaded their catalogs to Pinterest, the company recommends switching to the new extension instead. It's the easiest and most efficient way to keep your products current on Pinterest since it automatically updates details like pricing and product availability. 
The Pinterest for WooCommerce integration is currently available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Japan will gain access later this year. 
<h2>About WooCommerce</h2>
<a href="https://woocommerce.com/" target="_blank">WooCommerce</a> is the leading open-source e-commerce platform, powering 28% of the top million online stores (BuiltWith). Built on <a href="https://wordpress.com/" target="_blank">WordPress</a>, it empowers anyone, anywhere, to sell anything with truly unlimited extensibility, flexibility, and control over how they build and evolve their business. Founded in 2011 and acquired by Automattic in 2015, WooCommerce is a fully distributed company with employees based around the world.
<h2>About Pinterest</h2>
People around the world come to Pinterest for inspiration. It's a visual inspiration platform where people find inspiring creators, shop new products, and seek out ideas to take offline. People have saved more than 330 billion Pins across a range of interests, from creating a home office, cooking a new recipe to finding your next vacation spot. Headquartered in San Francisco, Pinterest launched in 2010 and has more than 400 million monthly active users. Available on iOS and Android and at pinterest.com.

WooCommerce and Pinterest Announce Partnership, Offer New Integration for Connecting with Shoppers

Woocommerce and Pinterest logos together on a dark background

Hotjar - Spot what confuses

Spot what confuses your users with Hotjar & AI

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<a href="http://www.shoplocket.com" target="_blank">ShopLocket</a> makes eCommerce accessible. Plain and simple as that. With the technical skill it takes to upload and share a photo you can setup a product for sale. That sounds easy, but what about the real life process? As I have said before “I am glad you asked!” Read on to find out how we rate this eCommerce tool in this ShopLocket Review.
<h3>It is really easy, I'm serious</h3>
Start by visiting www.shoplocket.com. You can log in using your Facebook credentials or using your email address and a password you specify. Big points for logging in via Facebook account. Who wants to have to remember another account name and password right?
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shoplocket_login.png" alt="ShopLocket review" />
You will see a page listing your products you have for sale with some stats for each. If you have no products set up yet you can start by clicking on New Product.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shoplocket_yourproducts-620x416.png" alt="ShopLocket review" />
You will get to the new product setup page and start by adding the name, description, price, and “multiple options” if appropriate.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ingeniux_cms_assets_f0bxh8.png" alt="ShopLocket review" />
Then your product will need an image … or four, but no more than four because that is all that is allowed at this time.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/ingeniux_cms_assets_2_dwjqra.png" alt="ShopLocket review" />
The “Customize” tab lets you add tax, shipping, number of items, sale price comparison, and expiration. Do not let your item go stale, put it on sale. Ok that was a bit much, but you get the opportunity to bring increased interest using sales pricing and urgency with expiring the item after so long.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shoplocket_customize.png" alt="ShopLocket review" />
<h3>Time to Share</h3>
You have your products set up and ready to go. Now you just have to share them with the world. ShopLocket has you covered with many sharing abilities over social media, but with the iframe embedding option, you can drop the product on almost any webpage or blog post.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/bigstock-website-analytics-and-seo-data-77090498_ucc6vp.jpg" alt="ShopLocket review" />
Here is a link to the product I created for this ShopLocket review: Good Reputation for Sale and here's the embedded product straight from ShopLocket.
[[shoplocket]]
Pretty cool isn't it?
<h3>Wait a minute, how do I get paid?</h3>
ShopLocket connects to PayPal and Stripe for easy payment options. You get email notification on orders purchased through their eCommerce platform. What about fees? No upfront fees so if your product totally bombs you will not be charged. If you do make a sale, then there is a one time $2 publishing fee and 2.9% transaction fee after that for each sale in addition to PayPal or Stripe fees.
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
That is my ShopLocket Review. ShopLocket has made eCommerce easier and dare I say “more fun.” Not only that but they have given clients a way to leverage their social networks to get followers directly to the sales page.  Interested in learning more? Visit <a href="http://www.shoplocket.com" target="_blank">ShopLocket</a> or leave your comments on this ShopLocket Review below.

ShopLocket review - Embed Your eCommerce

Bigcommerce Review

Since its launch in 2006, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/">Shopify</a> has come to be one of the most respected ecommerce solutions on the web, supporting over 50,000 online stores to set up, sell and market their products.Shopify enables you to build an ecommerce website in seconds, upload or import your products, market yourself and track your growth in a variety of ways. The store itself is hosted by Shopify, although you may use your own unique domain name if you so wish.On June 4 th 2013, Shopify finally announced the arrival of Shopify 2, an updated, smoother version of its former self. The update came after a beta period lasting a few months, bringing with it a new admin interface, and an array of over 60 new features.<h2>The Impact of Shopify 2</h2>With the recent introduction of Shopify 2, the platform's admin panel has seen a complete revamp of its interface, along with the addition of a live theme preview editor. The update brings about a wide range of new, more intuitive administrative abilities and options.Shopify’s new host of features includes the ability for merchants to freely specify meta descriptions, offer partial refunds without having to use PayPal, as well as enjoy a newly improved search functionality to find order and customer information faster than ever before.Arguably, the biggest Shopify enhancements is the live theme preview, which allows merchants to build and customize the look of their store in a live preview window before publishing any updates. Colors, fonts, spacing, images and so on can all be refined instantly, yet no changes will be made until the admin is happy with the store's new look.Additional features include product bar codes, which allow for a seamless Google Shopping integration, along with easier page, product and blog editing.Aside from aesthetic and functional updates, Shopify 2 also bring two new price plans along with it. A new Starter plan valued at $14 per month, plus an Enterprise plan for $1000 per month. These pricing additions will help Shopify to appeal to both less experienced merchants, as well as the merchant who knows exactly what he or she is doing – and then some.<h2>Initial Thoughts</h2>Shopify is all about appealing to the masses. Upon entering the website, you are professionally presented with the Shopify sign up form, accompanied by the introductory video, which exemplifies the accessible nature of the ecommerce CMS.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1700x0.jpg" alt="Shopify, review, ecommerce" />The sleek look and feel of the home page is carried on throughout the set up process and beyond. From the admin panel to the store themes, everything is tailored to suit both ecommerce novices and seasoned veterans.All Shopify plans include secure, unlimited ecommerce hosting, all via their in-house servers. This eradicates the need for the user to hunt for a good hosting plan elsewhere, making it ideal for merchants looking to build their first online store.<h2>Getting Started</h2>Signing up to Shopify is a piece of cake. After naming your store and entering some personal information such as your full name and email address, Shopify will spend no more than a few seconds to create your online store.Once the set up process is complete, Shopify will present you with your brand new, glossy admin panel. Rather usefully, it will also provide you with a short six step guide to get your store up and running as quickly as possible.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2700x0.jpg" />The six steps illuminate the path to a successful store launch for those who have no experience, and also makes life easier for those who understand all there is to know about launching websites and configuring content management systems.Although the dashboard houses the six tutorial steps, it may have been beneficial for new, less experienced users to undergo an optional tour or interactive tutorial of the admin panel. Unfortunately, no such option exists, so once you leave the dashboard, you are very much alone.<h3>Adding Products</h3>To add products, you will need to navigate over to the “Products” button located on the left-hand side bar. Once there, you will be given the choice between manually adding new products, and importing products in bulk via CSV files, or through another platform.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3.jpg" />For those of you who are migrating from another ecommerce CMS, importing your products from your previous platform will save a huge amount of time. Currently, Shopify allows users to import products from Magento, Volusion, eBay and WordPress. To begin the importing process, you will need to click “Import Products”.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4700x0.jpg" />If you do not already run an online store on another platform, you can go ahead and add your products manually by clicking “Add Products”. The process of adding products from scratch is easy to understand, with plenty of room to expand on the product's description, price, and so on. One of the newly introduced features of Shopify 2 also allows you to add a meta description for each new product, which helps with optimizing the product for the search engines.<h3>Themes</h3>Heading over to the “Themes” button on the left-hand side bar will allow you to tinker with the standard Shopify theme – named “Radiance”, or to visit the Theme Store.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5700x0.jpg" />All of Shopify's themes can be refined via their own theme settings, or by directly editing the HTML, CSS and JS files.Accessing and using the theme settings page is easily done. Colours, fonts, buttons and more can all be customised and previewed thanks to the newly introduced live theme preview feature.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/6700x0.jpg" />Shopify's Theme Store makes it easy to browse and select new themes for your website. The themes themselves appear elegant and professionally constructed, ensuring that whichever look you decide to go for, you won't be compromising on quality.However, it must be said that the pricing of the themes is questionable. Although there are a range of free themes available, anybody wanting to opt for more complex, paid for option will find that the price jump is a steep one. Aside from the free options, the cheapest theme comes in at $80, reaching up to $180.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7700x0.jpg" />Such prices are certainly not unheard of when it comes to professionally designed ecommerce themes, but the gap between completely free and paid-for is quite a large one, which is slightly surprising.In comparison, Magento's themes are available from $49, whilst Woo Commerce offer a small selection of free themes, with their paid-for themes being capped at a price of  just $70.<h3>Domain names</h3>Upon creating your store, you will be given a Shopify sub-domain, looking something similar to “my-store.myshopify.com”.However, you can choose to buy a new domain name through your Shopify admin panel, or link your Shopify account to a domain name which you may already own.<h3>Shipping, Taxing and Payment options  </h3>Configuring your shipping, taxing and payment information is essential when opening an online store, and Shopify does a good job of simplifying the process.By clicking on “Settings” on the left-hand side bar, followed by “Taxes”, you will be presented with the option to set tax rates for your home country, as well as the rest of the world. Shopify will also offer to calculate the tax rate per sale using its own formula. Via this page, you can also choose to tax shipping charges, or add sub-region taxes.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/8700x0.jpg" />Heading over to the “Shipping” page, which is now located on the left-hand side bar, you can set the shipping rates for different countries and regions, as well as for products which weigh above a certain amount.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9700x0.jpg" />When it comes to setting up your payment options, Shopify yet again does a great job of catering for the less experienced.Payments can be taken through PayPal, as well as via a range of credit and debit cards, with each one being extremely straightforward to set up. Additionally, payment methods such as cash on delivery and bank transfer can be configured.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10700x0.jpg" />On the same page, you are given the option to write up your returns policy, terms and conditions, and other general notes which can be accessed by your customers just before checkout.<h3>Pages</h3>Being able to easily create and modify different web pages to round off your online store is vital. Pages such as the “About” and “Contact” page can make or break a sales conversion. Thankfully, Shopify once more rises to the challenge.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11700x0.jpg" />By clicking the “Pages” button on the left-side bar menu allows you to add new pages and edit existing ones with ease.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/12700x0.jpg" />The text editor is well designed and easy to use, allowing you to insert images and exercise a range of different formatting styles. You can also configure SEO settings for each individual page.When you have successfully uploaded of your products and configured your various store settings, you will be all set to begin your online selling venture.All of the above steps are the essential for getting your ecommerce store up and running, but now is the time to launch, tweak and market your store to the masses – and Shopify provides everything you need to do a good job of it.<h2>Apps &amp; Extras</h2>Once you have hurdled the basics and launched your store, you will notice that Shopify offers a fair amount of extra apps and widgets which can be found via their <a target="_blank" href="http://apps.shopify.com/">App Store </a>, or by clicking the “Apps” button located on the left-hand side bar within your admin panel.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/15700x0.jpg" />There is a healthy amount of free and paid-for apps available, coming in categories to do with sales, marketing, social media and more.To make life even easier, Shopify doesn't need you to download or upload any files to install apps on your website. instead, you can add all apps directly from the app store almost instantly.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/16.jpg" /><h2>Marketing Your Store</h2>Refining your marketing strategy is an important part of launching and sustaining your online store's presence. Shopify offers a few ways to engage with new customers, and lure old ones back to your checkout page.<h3>Discounts</h3>By heading over to the “Discounts” section located on the left-hand side bar of your admin panel, you will be able to configure a selection of discounts and special offers which you can make available to your customers for marketing purposes.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/17.jpg" />Using this feature, you can set date ranges, discount codes and a variety of discount types, all of which are useful when it comes to marketing and generally reaching out to both old and new customers, enticing them back on to your online store.<h3><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/18700x0.jpg" /></h3><h3>Blogging</h3>Blogging is a great way of ranking in the search engines and attracting new customers. Shopify provides a blogging platform which is exceptionally easy to get started with, even for users who have never published a blog post before.By clicking on the “Blog Posts” button on the left-hand side bar, you can immediately begin writing and publishing blog posts.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/19700x0.jpg" />Much like pages, blog posts are simple to set up, write, modify and publish. SEO settings are also provided to ensure you get the most out of your blogging. Once again however, it would have been useful to point out the relevance of blogging to ecommerce. With no guidance, many merchants will fail to reach the potential of their new blogs, if they use it at all.<h3>Tracking Orders and Customers</h3>Shopify does well to provide customer and order records and to help you keep tabs on the growth of your online store, and to help you understand its shortcomings.Both “Customers” and “Orders” buttons are again located on the left-hand side bar of your admin panel, allowing you to track all customer activity and information. The neatly presented metrics provided within these pages help merchants to track trends and gain insights from site traffic and sales.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/22.jpg" />Additionally, another update introduced alongside Shopify 2 allows you to review information arround abandoned checkouts via the “Orders” page. This information tells you about the customers who have abandoned the sale at checkout, giving you the option to email them to offer more support or perhaps a better deal.Generally, Shopify offers a great deal of marketing tools. Discount codes, Blogging, order metrics and even Shopify Apps – which can help with email marketing and social media, all combine to create a stellar marketing strategy.<h2>Getting Help</h2>When using any CMS, being able to seek help needs to be quick, easy and effective. Yet again, Shopify complies with the criteria.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/20.jpg" />Via the admin panel, the “Need Help” button is clearly visible, and offers the three useful options of getting in contact with customer support, visiting the discussion fourms, or even hiring a Shopify expert.Having said that, an FAQ section within the admin panel would have been a good idea, especially for those with no experience with setting up or using a CMS or online store.<h2>Price Plans</h2>Before Shopify 2, just three price plans were available to merchants. Such a limited pricing system, which originally started as high as $29 per month, priced out many merchants looking to get started in the world of ecommerce.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/21700x0.jpg" />However, Shopify 2 has brought with it two <a target="_blank" href="https://www.shopify.com/pricing">new price plans</a>, which consist of the “Starter” plan, valued at $14 per month, plus an “Enterprise” plan for $1000 per month. These new plans will certainly attract merchants looking to test the waters of ecommerce, whilst also catering for the executives and giants of the online world of commerce.Despite the relatively reasonable monthly prices, Shopify imposes a 2% transaction fee on both the “Starter” and “Basic” plans, reducing it to 1% for the “Professional” plan, and removing it completely thereafter. On top of the monthly fees, plus the standard PayPal transaction fees, it is not unfair to conclude that using Shopify alongside Payal – which will surely be a popular combination, is almost financially unfeasible.Also, in relation to the competition, Shopify's price plans are not the most favourable. Magento asks for similar monthly fees, starting from $15 per month, all the way up to $124 per month. However, the key difference is that Magento charges no transaction fees on any of its plans. Additionally, Woo Commerce is a free and open-source platform, charging no transaction fees.<h2>The Verdict</h2>Overall, Shopify does everything a good ecommerce CMS should do, and more. Undoubtedly, the release of Shopify 2 has propelled the platform to new heights, posing a serious threat to competitors such as Magento, WooCommerce and <a href="/products/bigcommerce">BigCommerce</a>.Getting your store online can be done in minutes, and all Shopify stores have the potential to look unique, with our without user knowledge of HTML or CSS. It does a brilliant job of appealing to both ecommerce novices and experts alike.<h4>Pros</h4><ul><li>Shopify is extremely quick and easy to set up, creating your store within minutes.</li><li>The updates of Shopify 2 greatly expand the potential of Shopify, bringing new features and capabilities to merchans on a variety of levels.</li><li>Migrating your store from a host of other platforms, or uploading products from a CSV file is incredibly easy.</li><li>The wide range of themes on offer can be customized in terms of colour, font, images, and even more thanks to theme HTML, CSS &amp; JS access.</li><li>customer and sales trends and insights can be gathered via the admin panel</li><li>The new admin panel is incredibly easy to use, understand and navigate, allowing you to upload products, make blog posts and create customer discounts in no time at all.</li><li>Enhanced abilities including partial-refunds, improved search filters and SEO friendly meta descriptions help round off Shopify's robust platform.</li><li>Customer support, discussion boards and even specially hired Shopify professionals are al on hand to provide assistance.</li><li>Google Shopping integration is easier than ever before, thanks to Shopify's introduction of product bar codes.</li><li>No third-party hosting required.</li><li>A 14-day free trial helps you get used to things before committing your payment details.</li></ul><h4>Cons</h4><ul><li>The two cheapest price plans each come with a 2% transaction fee, whilst the third offers a reduced 1% fee. These fees, alongside PayPal fees and Shopify's original monthly subscription, amount to quite a hefty sum, which will no doubt eat into any profits.</li><li>Shopify offers just 19 free themes, with the rest of the selection ranging in price from between $80 and $180.</li><li>An FAQ page within the admin panel, or an optional guided tutorial would greatly benefit merchants who are only just exploring the world of ecommerce.</li></ul><h2>Final Remarks</h2>Shopify does a remarkable job of making life simple for the ecommerce new comers who need constant guidance and simplification, whilst offering more a range of more advanced options and features for seasoned ecommerce professionals.Although many will find the ecommerce CMS to be pricey, others will argue that you get what you pay for. The release of Shopify 2 has made the platform easier to navigate and better to look at, whilst adding a huge array of extra features to an already robust set of functionalities.Shopify's revamped interface is well polished and gives attention to detail in areas where many other ecommerce CMS fail to touch upon. Without doubt, Shopify is a platform worth serious consideration for anybody looking to build an online store.<blockquote><a href="/products/shopify">Try Shopify</a>  </blockquote>

Shopify Review: Ecommerce, Only Simpler

<a href="https://www.shopify.com/" target="_blank"> Shopify</a> has partnered up with Pinterest and Coinbase to bring their users Rich Pins and a new way to accept Bitcoins as payment.
As one of the world's leading eCommerce solutions, Shopify has a wealth of features ranging from a user-friendly interface to physical store Point of Sale (POS) systems.
These two new features have been announced just days apart, making it a pretty good week for Shopify users who make use of Pinterest and Bitcoin. Here's a deeper look at each update.
<h2>Snazzy Pinterest Rich Pins</h2>
<a href="/shopify" target="_blank"> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/feature_f0825095-06fc-4ccc-8d2b-8220bfe8bf29700x0.jpg" alt="Shopify" /> </a> 
<a href="http://business.pinterest.com/en/rich-pins" target="_blank"> Pinterest Rich Pins</a> are enhanced Pinterest Pins that contain additional information within the Pin. There are five types of Rich Pins – Movie, Place, Recipe, Article, and Product. Online retailers can benefit from Product Pins which include real-time pricing and stock availability.
Before this update, Shopify users needed to add meta tag data to their site's code in order to set up Rich Pins. We’ve partnered with Pinterest to make the process much easier for our merchants. As of today, any images Pinned from Shopify product pages (by the merchant or their visitors) will be automatically published as Rich Pins.
Here's how Pinterest Rich Pins can help Shopify merchants:
<ul>
<li> Click-Through Rate: Improvement in CTR for many merchants. Target reported a  <a href="http://blog.ubervu.com/latest-pins-pinterest-brand-can-use-article-rich-place-pins.html" target="_blank"> 70% increase in traffic from Pinterest</a> when Rich Pins were enabled.</li>
<li> Discoverability:  Images become eligible for Pinterest’s own curated categories. The “ <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/gifts/" target="_blank"> Gifts </a> ” feed, for example, only considers Rich Pins for inclusion.</li>
<li> Price Notifications:  If you reduce the price of your product or run a sale, customers who repinned your products will receive an email from Pinterest notifying them of the price drop and prompting them to buy.</li>
</ul>
Here are some more details, along with how to <a href="http://docs.shopify.com/manual/settings/checkout-and-payment/payment-gateway#coinbase" target="_blank">get started with Rich Pins on Shopify</a>.
<h2>A Bit of Bitcoin</h2>
<a href="/shopify" target="_blank"> <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/coinbase700x0.jpg" alt="Shopify" /> </a>
Also, following some beta testing from selected Shopify users, Coinbase's services have been drafted in to help Shopify users accept Bitcoin more easily.
Bitcoin is a digitl currency and a peer-to-peer online financial network that people use to send payments to eachother. The video below helps explain n a little more detail.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s4g1XFU8Gto?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Coinbase is an international bitcoin wallet and platform service already used by companies like Expedia and Google. Shopify's newly introduced Coinbase integration can be used alongside other payment services, like  <a href="https://www.shopify.com/payments" target="_blank"> Shopify Payments</a> and PayPal.
Coinbase offers a two-click checkout experience and simple refunds that make accepting bitcoin payments easy and convenient. All Shopify merchants can currently use Coinbase to accept bitcoin and anyone with a U.S. bank account can convert their bitcoin to USD.
Here's some more information, along with how to <a href="http://docs.shopify.com/manual/settings/checkout-and-payment/payment-gateway#coinbase" target="_blank">start accepting Bitcoin with Coinbase on Shopify</a>.
To get started with Shopify today, <a href="https://www.shopify.com/" target="_blank"> check out their website</a>.
Also, don't forget to check out  <a href="/products/shopify/" target="_blank"> Shopify via our CMS Directory</a>.

Shopify Announces Pinterest Rich Pins and New Bitcoin Payment Option

More and more ecommerce stores are springing up online. One of the main reasons for this is that more people are buying products online. <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mark-hillary/customers-now-prefer-shop_b_10752822.html">67% of millennials</a> and 56% of generation x prefer to shop online.
Another important reason for the rise in online stores is that it is so easy to launch one. There are tools like Shopify with which you can launch a new store <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/laura-inamedinova/2016/05/16/how-to-launch-your-ecommerce-store-in-a-day/#7726778c3916">in a day</a>.
On top of that, there are solutions like drop shipping which make running a store much easier.
Dropshipping is when you don’t handle most of the time-consuming aspects of running an ecommerce store. These include making the products, storing them in a warehouse, packing and shipping them. These are handled by a separate manufacturer. All you do here is add the products to the store and promote them.
It’s a low-risk, and lucrative method, and lots of people are having success with it. For example, Ray Bridges dropshipped phone cases and made <a href="https://www.oberlo.com/blog/how-i-made-4500-in-9-weeks-selling-phone-cases">$4,558.03 in 9 weeks</a>.
And the best part is that you can add the products to your store in minutes as there are several apps in the Shopify app store that can help you do this.
Filtering out which of these is the best can take you a while. Therefore, I have gone through the trouble and reviewed two popular Shopify dropshipping apps, Oberlo and Dropified side by side here. Read my review and pick the one that suits you best…
2022 Update: Oberlo app was shut down on June 30, 2022. The Oberlo app is completely removed from the Shopify store. Dropified is still around though. 
If you're interested in learning about print-on-demand dropshipping, check out <a href="https://www.printful.com/blog/what-is-dropshipping/" target="_blank">this comprehensive article</a> on dropshipping and selling without inventory.
Using Oberlo for Dropshipping
Oberlo was launched in 2015. Since then it has become one of the most popular dropshipping apps on Shopify. It currently sits at the number one spot in the <a href="https://apps.shopify.com/browse/finding-and-adding-products-dropshipping">Dropshipping</a> and <a href="https://apps.shopify.com/browse/finding-and-adding-products">Finding and Adding Products</a> app categories on Shopify.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/top-shopify-dropshipping-apps_ixjb8h.png" />
Oberlo has got a stellar rating of 4.8 out of 5 from 2,198 reviews. They are definitely doing something right.
It is a very easy to use app. To install it all you have to do is go to the Oberlo app page on Shopify and click on the ‘Add app’ button and then add it to the ecommerce store you would like to sell dropshipped products on.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/oberlo-products-catalogue_fw1pln.png" />
As soon as you do this the app will be installed, and a catalogue of products will appear right in your Shopify dashboard. There will be hundreds of them.
You can browse through these, add your selling price and easily display them on your ecommerce store with a few clicks. Oberlo will calculate how much profit you will make with each sale and even automatically add the description, title, and images.
You don’t have to conduct any due diligence for these products and their suppliers as Oberlo have already done that for you. The suppliers’ warehouses, working conditions, documentations and many more details have been verified by Oberlo.
If you want to go beyond this catalogue and add products from other sites, you can take advantage of Oberlo’s chrome extension for <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/">AliExpress</a>. After you install the extension, an Oberlo icon will appear on the product pages on the AliExpress website. You can click on this and quickly import products into your store.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/add-aliexpress-products-to-oberlo_hnbwvg.png" />
These products haven’t yet been verified by Oberlo. So, you will need to conduct your own research to make sure they are up to the mark. You can do this by reading product and supplier reviews.
The best part about using Oberlo is that they run a freemium model. You can install them on your Shopify store for free. With the free plan you can add up to 500 product to your store and fulfil up to 50 orders.
If you want to fulfill more than 50 you can upgrade to the basic plan which costs $29.90/month. This increases the limit to 500 orders. They also have a Pro plan at $79.90/month that has no order limit (unlimited).
Using Dropified for Dropshipping
Dropified is another dropshipping app. It is slightly younger than Oberlo. It isn’t as popular as Oberlo as it sits at the number six position in the dropshipping apps chart on Shopify. It has a decent rating of 4.2 from 9 reviews.
Just like Oberlo, it is easy to install. You go to the <a href="https://apps.shopify.com/shopified-app">Dropified app</a> page and click on the ‘Add app’ button. Then you select the store you would like to add it to and follow through the steps it guides you through.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/07/dropified-dashboard_mefbah.png" />
But adding products isn’t straightforward. They do not instantly appear in your dashboard like with the Oberlo app. To add products you must first install the dropified extension on your browser. Then visit sites like AliExpress and use the extension to edit the title and price and add the products.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/shopified-for-shopify_s3yw92.png" />
This way you can add products from other sites like Amazon, Costco, Walmart, and more. But you need to conduct your own due diligence on each of these products and their suppliers as Dropified hasn’t done it for you.
Dropified has no free plan, but they do offer a 14-day trial. You can only access this trial if you sign up for one of their paid plans though. The smaller plan costs $47/month and lets you add 15,000 products and fulfill 1,000 orders a month. While the bigger plan costs $97/month and lets you fulfill 20,000 orders a month.
Which should you use: Oberlo or Dropified?
As you can see from the detailed review above, both of them are great apps that can be installed with a few clicks. Both also make it easy to add products to your Shopify stores.
But if you are looking for the most convenient option, Oberlo beats Dropified easily as you don’t have to go through the process of browsing a third-party site (although Oberlo also has this feature) and spending a lot of time finding reputable suppliers and products. Oberlo instantly provides access to hundreds of products from verified suppliers right in their dashboard. And you can add them with a few clicks right away.
Oberlo also works out cheaper as they have a free plan. Also, their paid plans cost a lot less than Dropified’s paid plans. Dropified’s paid plans cost $47/month and $97/month and Oberlo’s cost $29.90/month and $79.90/month only.
The only place where Dropified beats Oberlo is that it lets you import products from sites other than AliExpress like Amazon and Walmart. But for most people Oberlo’s catalogue and the millions of products listed in AliExpress should be sufficient.
<a name="_GoBack"></a> You only need Dropified if you have a favourite product listed exclusively on another ecommerce site that you badly want to dropship.
Do you run an ecommerce store? Which app do you use for dropshipping? Please leave your comments below.

How To Choose Between Oberlo and Dropified Apps

Forks up! We've got one more slice of news as we leave November in the rearview.
Along with the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., it was a month full of "stuffing" at the CMS and DXP table. We shared the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/postman-releases-2021-state-of-the-api-report-shows-global-trend-towards-api-first-digital-era/" target="_blank">Postman "State of the API" report</a>, which further cemented the global trend towards an API-first digital era. We also covered <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/kontent-by-kentico-aims-to-take-enterprise-headless-cms-to-a-new-level/" target="_blank">Kontent by Kentico's continued efforts to transform headless CMS</a> for the enterprise through committed innovation.
From a mergers and acquisitions perspective, November was a bit cooler than in previous months. But there was one piece of news to dish about: <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/commercetools-acquires-frontastic-adds-composable-frontend-capabilities-to-headless-commerce/" target="_blank">commercetools devoured Frontastic</a>, adding composable frontend capabilities to its headless commerce offering. We'll be following the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-headless-commerce-platforms/" target="_blank">headless commerce</a> sector throughout 2022 as we expect to see more consolidation, investment, and expansion – particularly as Omicron reinforces the focus on digital transformation.
Finally, <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/solodev-cms-for-kubernetes-now-available-with-contract-pricing-in-aws-marketplace-for-containers-anywhere/" target="_blank">Solodev launched its CMS for Kubernetes with contract pricing</a> options in the AWS Marketplace. Announced at <a href="https://reinvent.awsevents.com/" target="_blank">AWS re:Invent</a>, this heralds a new era of container offerings, allowing users to deploy in-cloud or on-premises in almost any environment. Solodev was the only CMS in the mix to offer the new capability.
Enough on the leftovers. Here are a few more tidbits to chew on:
 
<h2>MACH Alliance announces eight newly certified companies as Global Membership nears 50</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/11/mach-alliance-new-members.jpeg" alt="MACH Alliance new members logos" />
The <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3366290-1&amp;h=2364601792&amp;u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.machalliance.org%2F&amp;a=MACH+Alliance" target="_blank">MACH Alliance</a>, a group of independent tech companies dedicated to advocating for open, best-of-breed technology ecosystems, announced that it has certified eight new members in its ecosystem: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.actindo.com/" target="_blank">Actindo AG</a>, a digital operations platform enabling efficient e-commerce</li>
<li><a href="https://www.appnovation.com/" target="_blank">Appnovation</a>, a global digital consultancy specializing in the design, development, and support of engaging experiences</li>
<li><a href="https://www.builder.io/" target="_blank">Builder.io</a>, a platform to visually create and optimize high-speed app and website experiences</li>
<li><a href="https://www.convictional.com/" target="_blank">Convictional</a>,  a supplier enablement platform for retailers and marketplaces</li>
<li><a href="https://www.fast.co/" target="_blank">Fast</a>, a one-click and headless checkout solution making it easier to buy and sell online.</li>
<li><a href="https://graphcms.com/" target="_blank">GraphCMS</a>, the GraphQL Content Federation System</li>
<li><a href="https://www.objectedge.com/" target="_blank">Object Edge</a>, a consultancy that builds digital experiences for enterprise B2B/B2C/D2C commerce and content</li>
<li><a href="https://www.storyblok.com/" target="_blank">Storyblok</a>, a fast-emerging headless content management system. You can check out <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/interview-headless-cms-storyblok-expands-partner-program-with-u-s-agency-campbell-ewald/" target="_blank">our interview with Barry D'Arcy</a>, VP of Partners at Storyblok.</li>
</ul>
The Alliance estimates that roughly 100,000 tech professionals around the globe are now involved with MACH. This is based on the headcounts of member companies and in-house tech teams of enterprises deploying MACH initiatives. 
The Alliance's growth comes as IT budgets are expected to rise faster in 2022 than they have in over a decade – and spending in support of flexible, composable business and IT initiatives will be prioritized as organizations struggle to be digitally agile and meet consumer demands.
"We've reached a moment of reckoning where digital leaders are realizing legacy technologies pose greater risk than reward, and the pandemic has made it more clear than ever that composable architecture is the way forward for the enterprise," said Sonja Keerl, MACH Alliance president. "Even big tech has started slowly moving in this direction, which is all the more reason why the Alliance upholds its high certification standards since MACH-washing has become increasingly common. The Alliance exists to help organizations weed through that noise and be their guide throughout their MACH journey."
MACH stands for Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless. The move towards MACH has accelerated in the past few years, leading to the start of the <a href="https://machalliance.org/" target="_blank">MACH Alliance</a> in 2020. Founded by commercetools, Contentstack, EPAM Systems, Valtech, and 15 members at launch, the MACH Alliance is a non-profit cooperation focused on introducing a new, open, and best-of-breed enterprise technology ecosystem. 
Maintaining Exclusive Certification Standards
The MACH Alliance maintains the <a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3366290-1&amp;h=2299048448&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmachalliance.org%2Finsights%2Fmach-certification-a-seal-of-confidence&amp;a=highest+standards" target="_blank">highest standards</a> in order for companies to become certified. The high bar provides enterprises with essentially an insurance policy that guarantees future-proof technology. Choosing a certified MACH vendor helps ensure the following:
<ul>
<li>Connectability: other applications connect easily through API</li>
<li>Scalability: cloud-native SaaS ensures seamless rolling upgrades that don't require human intervention</li>
<li>Swapability:  companies can easily add and replace software and make changes on the fly without disrupting front end UX/UI</li>
<li>Adaptability: the functionality of the software can be used with multiple front ends</li>
<li>Flexibility and Transparency: prevents vendor lock-in, allowing companies to stay in charge of their own technology and be able to respond to any situation</li>
</ul>
Gaining Investor Attention
MACH Alliance vendor members have accumulated more than $2.5 billion in funding, and the valuation of the category just by its vendors is estimated at over $20 billion.
The Alliance has played a key part in fueling this interest, with the group referred to by Forrester analyst Joe Cicman as being "...the bouncers controlling the velvet rope at the entrance of the Coolest Tech in Town Club." In his July write-up, "<a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=3366290-1&amp;h=3090673364&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.forrester.com%2Fblogs%2Fbuy-an-integrated-platform-not-a-box-of-rocks%2F&amp;a=Buy+An+Integrated+DXP+Platform%2C+Not+Just+A+Box+Of+Rocks" target="_blank">Buy An Integrated DXP Platform, Not Just A Box Of Rocks</a>," Cicman noted how the MACH Alliance enforces the definition of modern technology. He also reinforced the importance of composable set-ups, stating the only practical playbook today is one that is cloud-native.
Learn more at <a href="http://www.machalliance.org/" target="_blank">www.machalliance.org</a>.
<h2>GoDaddy data breach impacts over 1.2 million WordPress accounts</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/11/binary-g2d4825f8f_1280.jpg" alt="Hacker and binary numbers" />
Alas, there are WordPress woes in the land of GoDaddy...
In a statement released by <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1609711/000160971121000122/gddyblogpostnov222021.htm" target="_blank">the Securities and Exchange Commission</a>, GoDaddy's Chief Information Security Officer Demetrius Comes said they discovered unauthorized third-party access to their managed WordPress hosting environment.
<div>Comes also stated that upon identifying this incident, they immediately blocked the unauthorized third party from their system. They have determined that beginning on September 6, 2021, the culprit used the vulnerability to gain access to the following customer information:</div>
<ul>
<li>Up to 1.2 million active and inactive Managed WordPress email addresses and customer numbers: The exposure of email addresses presents a risk of increased phishing attacks.</li>
<li>The original WordPress Admin password set at the time of provisioning: If those credentials were still in use, GoDaddy reset those passwords.</li>
<li>sFTP and database usernames and passwords for active customers</li>
<li>SSL private key for a subset of active customers: GoDaddy is in the process of issuing and installing new certificates for those affected.</li>
</ul>
<div>The investigation is ongoing and GoDaddy is contacting all impacted customers directly with specific details. If you're concerned, contact GoDaddy via their <a href="https://www.godaddy.com/help">help center</a>.</div>
 
<h2>WordPress 5.9 Release Date Gets Delayed to January 25, 2022</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/11/wordpress-59.jpg" alt="WordPress 5.9" />
Keeping up with WordPress version releases is a bit like playing pool with a rope. While Gutenberg gets new enhancements almost every two weeks, bigger releases are much less reliable. 
Case in point: the latest version of WordPress – 5.9 Beta – <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-9/" target="_blank">was scheduled for release</a> on November 16th. Apparently, that news was a bit premature, and the organization <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/11/17/wordpress-5-9-beta-1-delayed/" target="_blank">shifted the release to January 25, 2022</a>, to accommodate 5.9's new features.
Perhaps this is understandable given that WordPress is the most widely used open-source CMS on the planet. Maintaining standards is key, and even the most minor changes can impact users. That said, WordPress has a documented philosophy around development: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2010/04/20/deadlines-are-not-arbritrary-theyre-a/" target="_blank">deadlines are not arbitrary</a>. Schedules can shift if results demand it, but there's a clear focus on making commitments and sticking to timelines. 
Such is life. We hope to see 5.9 on January 25th.
What is included in WordPress 5.9?
According to WordPress, 5.9 is expected to be a ground-breaking release. It will introduce the next generation of themes with <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/10/06/introducing-twenty-twenty-two/" target="_blank">Twenty Twenty-Two</a> joining the party and over 30 theme blocks to build all parts of your site.
Here's a sneak peek video of 5.9:
<div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XvEG9XWD4JI" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
 
<h2>commercetools Acquires Frontastic, adds composable frontend capabilities to headless commerce</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2021/11/commercetools_frontastic_featured.jpg" alt="Composite image of the commercetools and frontastic logos on a blended background" />
commercetools, a leading headless e-Commerce platform, recently <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/commercetools-acquires-frontastic-adds-composable-frontend-capabilities-to-headless-commerce/" target="_blank">announced</a> the acquisition of Frontastic, a composable frontend platform.
The purchase comes just a few months after commercetools announced a $140 million <a href="https://commercetools.com/press-releases/commercetools-secures-140m-series-c-funding-round-to-accelerate-global-growth" target="_blank">Series C funding round</a>. The company hopes it will broaden the reach of its game-changing commerce technology for creating differentiated user experiences.
"We've been partnering with the Frontastic team since the very beginning and see a huge market opportunity for their Composable Frontend Platform around the world," said Dirk Hoerig, CEO and Co-Founder of commercetools. "With this powerful combination, we're bringing the MACH (Microservices, API, Cloud, and Headless) movement to the mid-market as well as to digital business teams so that more companies can benefit from modern commerce experiences."
It's worth noting that commercetools was one of the earlier headless commerce platforms on the scene, helping to shape the modern standards for headless commerce. Their decoupled environment now enables a multitude of commerce capabilities across an ever-growing network of channels and endpoints. Like other platforms in the composable field, commercetools also embraces the <a href="https://machalliance.org/" target="_blank">MACH principles</a> – providing a truly open, modular environment that enables businesses to embrace innovation and respond to change quickly.

CMS Monthly Recap: MACH Alliance Announces New Members, GoDaddy Data Breach, commercetools Acquires Frontastic, and More

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