If you want to build a house, you need the right set of tools. And if you want to build your online business, you need the right suite of e-commerce software.
E-commerce tools allow you to sell products online without needing to spend hours on manual processes. They also help you reach more customers and create a better shopping experience.
In this article, we’ll explore five types of e-commerce tools you should consider using to help you save time as you scale. We also look at an all-in-one content creation tool that can supercharge your marketing efforts.
What are e-commerce tools?
E-commerce tools are software solutions that help you set up, manage, and optimize your online store. They also help you market your products to reach the right audience and generate as many sales as possible. For example, content creation tools like Picsart can help you create better visual assets like product images and social media posts.
Here are the types of e-commerce tools we’ll cover in this article:
- Product information management software
- E-commerce platforms
- Marketing software
- Visual content creation tools
- Customer service tools
The best e-commerce tools by category
Read on to discover the best e-commerce tools broken up into five key areas of operations.
E-commerce tool type | Used for |
Product information management software | Centralizing and organizing all product data |
E-commerce platforms | Managing inventory, processing orders, tracking sales, and engaging with customers |
Marketing software | Strengthening your brand and saving you time |
Visual content creation tools | Creating high-quality branded content and polishing up product photos |
Customer service tools | Supporting customers and storing their data |
Product information management software
Product Information Management (PIM) software like Pimberly and Plytix centralizes and organizes all product data, including descriptions, specifications, pricing, and images. These solutions act as a central source of key information for all your team as you grow and add new products, making it easier for you to update product details.
E-commerce platforms
The foundation of your online business, e-commerce platforms handle core business needs, providing a solution for managing inventory, processing orders, taking payments, tracking sales, and engaging with customers. Many of them also contain in-built marketing tools.
Here are a few of the most well-known e-commerce platforms and what they are best for:
- Shopify: Known for its user-friendliness and extensive app ecosystem.
- WooCommerce: For users who have built e-commerce websites on WordPress and are looking for flexibility and customization.
- BigCommerce: A cloud-based platform with built-in features for SEO and marketing.
- Adobe Commerce: A scalable platform suitable for large enterprises.
Marketing software
Marketing solutions help you strengthen your brand and attract buyers. They also automate key tasks to save you time.
It all starts with your website as building this space allows you to attract an engaged audience rather than relying on marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart to make sales. You can build a site without design experience by using tools like Wix and Squarespace or an e-commerce platform. Be sure to check out these tips for e-commerce website design when you do!
When you have established your websiteyour website established, you can create a pipeline of interested customers with email campaigns. For example, you might add a field on your website to capture email addresses then use software such as Klayvio and Mailchimp to automatically send emails to people who have shown interest in your brand.
You can even go a step further and split your audience into segments based on their demographics or how they interact with your site to target your marketing efforts. E-commerce platforms come with analytics to help you do this.
Visual content creation tools
Every asset you create to sell your products needs to help you stand out from the competition. So it’s important to use an effective, all-in-one content creation tool to make all your content look cohesive and high-quality.
Picsart, for example, allows you to create product images, social media posts, website graphics, and more in a single solution. You can customize templates to save time and ensure that your brand always shines. Here’s how to do it on desktop:
- Head to Picsart, select a content format like Instagram Story and Facebook Post or use the “+ New Project” for a custom size.
- Use the “Templates” button in the left sidebar to start browsing the library and select a template.
- Now, use the Uploads button on the left sidebar to upload your product photo. It will be automatically placed in the template.
- Feel free to customize further by adding text, changing the font, or tweaking colors.
- Select “Export” in the top right corner to save.
And on mobile:
- Select templates in the top bar.
- Search for a content type — for example, “Instagram Post.”
- Scroll down and select your favorite design.
- Tap on the image to replace it with your product photo.
- Add text, change the font, or select new colors to customize.
- Select “Next” in the top right corner then “Save”.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you can also check out our dedicated e-commerce templates. These help you stay on top of the latest design trends and best practices in the space.
For product visuals, you can use our AI tools to capture your buyer’s interest. Remove a busy background in seconds for a clean look or change the background to something more elevated.
You might, for example, go for a white background to meet e-commerce standards or you could use our AI background generator to make something striking and unique based on a text prompt.
Customer service tools
To support your buyers at every touchpoint, you need a range of customer service tools.
Customer relationship management (CRM) software like Salesforce and Zoho allows you to manage important customer data and engage directly with buyers. Meanwhile, feedback tools such as SurveyMonkey and Typeform mean you can uncover more valuable insights.
You can also create customer loyalty programs using tools like Smile.io and Yotpo to encourage repeat business. These tools allow you to quickly build schemes based on points, discounts, and exclusive offers.
Finding the best e-commerce tools for your needs
To find the right e-commerce tools for your arsenal, consider not only costs but how well they can support you as you scale. Great solutions will be built so they can integrate seamlessly into your processes and save you time as you sell more products.
Picsart is a great example of a powerful e-commerce tool. You can create all the visual marketing content you need in one easy platform and use templates to save time as you create assets at scale. It also offers a ton of free features!
We can’t wait to see what you create.