In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, staying competitive means leveraging the best tools available. According to a study by Statista, global retail eCommerce sales are expected to reach 6.33 trillion USD by 2024. To keep up with this growth, automation is essential. BigCommerce, a leading platform for online stores, offers numerous apps to streamline operations and enhance efficiency. In this post, we’ll explore the top 5 best apps for BigCommerce businesses, focusing on their features, benefits, and how they can help you optimize your store.
Why Automation is Crucial for BigCommerce Businesses
Automation in eCommerce isn’t just a trend; it’s a necessity. It helps businesses save time, reduce errors, and improve overall efficiency. For BigCommerce stores, automation can be the key to scaling operations and delivering a better customer experience.
Save Time on Repetitive Tasks
One of the main benefits of automation is the ability to save time on repetitive tasks. These tasks, though necessary, can consume a significant portion of your workday.
- Inventory Management: Automatically update stock levels and sync them across all sales channels to prevent overselling and underselling.
- Order Processing: Speed up order fulfillment by automating the processing and tracking of orders.
- Customer Segmentation: Automatically segment your customers based on their behavior and purchase history.
By automating these tasks, you free up valuable time that can be spent on strategic activities, such as marketing and product development.
Improve Order Management and Fulfillment
Efficient order management and fulfillment are critical for customer satisfaction and business growth. Automation can streamline these processes, ensuring that orders are processed quickly and accurately.
- Real-Time Updates: Keep your inventory updated in real time to avoid stockouts and overstock situations.
- Automated Shipping Labels: Generate and print shipping labels automatically as orders come in.
- Order Tracking: Automatically send tracking information to customers to keep them informed about their orders.
Automation in order management reduces the risk of errors and ensures that your customers receive their orders promptly, enhancing their shopping experience.
Enhance Customer Communication and Engagement
Engaging with customers effectively can drive sales and build loyalty. Automation helps maintain consistent and personalized communication with your customers.
- Email Marketing: Automate email campaigns to send personalized messages based on customer behavior.
- Customer Support: Use chatbots to provide instant responses to customer inquiries, improving response times and satisfaction.
- Loyalty Programs: Automatically enroll customers in loyalty programs and send notifications about their rewards.
Automating customer communication ensures that your customers feel valued and engaged, leading to increased loyalty and repeat purchases.
Top 5 Best Automation Apps for BigCommerce
Now that we’ve discussed the importance of automation, let’s explore the top 5 best apps for BigCommerce that can transform your store’s operations.
Atom8
Atom8 is a powerful BigCommerce Automation tool by GritGlobal that simplifies complex workflows for BigCommerce store owners. This user-friendly platform allows you to automate various tasks without requiring any coding skills, making your store management more efficient and less time-consuming.
Key Features of Atom8
- Inventory Updates
- Automatically update your inventory levels to prevent stockouts.
- Sync product quantities across multiple sales channels.
- Set low-stock alerts to ensure timely restocking and avoid missed sales opportunities.
- Customer Notifications
- Send automated emails and messages to keep customers informed about their orders.
- Notify customers when their order status changes, when items are back in stock, or when special promotions are available.
- Customize notification templates to match your brand’s voice and style.
- Order Processing
- Streamline order processing by automating order status updates and fulfillment tasks.
- Integrate with your CRM/ERP systems to automatically update order details.
- Automate invoice generation and payment processing to reduce manual work and errors.
- Product Management
- Automatically publish new products and update existing ones.
- Manage product categories and pricing dynamically based on sales performance and other criteria.
- Assign products to BackOrder status when inventory is low, ensuring customers can still place orders even when items are out of stock.
- Customer Segmentation
- Automatically segment customers based on their purchase behavior, lifetime value, and other attributes.
- Add customers to specific marketing lists in platforms like SendGrid, MailChimp, and Klaviyo.
- Target high-value customers with personalized marketing campaigns.
- Sales Campaigns
- Automate time-sensitive sales campaigns by applying discounts and switching themes and pricing.
- Schedule promotional banners and product discounts to maximize sales during peak periods.
- Analyze campaign performance and adjust strategies in real-time.
- Data Management
- Export data to Google Sheets for detailed analysis and reporting.
- Automate the generation of sales and inventory reports.
- Use API integrations to connect with various third-party applications and streamline data flows across your tech stack.
Benefits of Using Atom8
- Efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks to free up time for more strategic activities.
- Accuracy: Reduce human errors by standardizing processes and ensuring consistency.
- Scalability: Easily scale your operations by managing increased workload without additional manual effort.
- Customer Satisfaction: Keep customers informed and engaged with timely updates and personalized communication.
- Sales Growth: Boost sales through efficient inventory management, targeted marketing, and seamless order processing.
Atom8 is designed to help you manage your BigCommerce store more effectively, ensuring smooth operations and satisfied customers. Whether you’re looking to streamline your inventory updates, enhance customer communication, or automate complex workflows, Atom8 provides the tools and flexibility you need to succeed in the competitive eCommerce landscape.
ShipStation
ShipStation is an essential tool for eCommerce businesses that handle a high volume of orders. It automates the shipping process, saving you time and reducing errors.
- Shipping Labels: Automatically create and print shipping labels for all your orders.
- Order Tracking: Send automated tracking updates to customers.
- Carrier Integration: Integrate with multiple carriers to find the best shipping rates and options.
With ShipStation, you can ensure that your shipping process is efficient and reliable, enhancing customer satisfaction. As one of the best apps for BigCommerce, it provides comprehensive shipping solutions.
Klaviyo
Klaviyo is a leading email marketing platform that integrates seamlessly with BigCommerce. It uses automation to deliver personalized email campaigns that drive sales.
- Customer Segmentation: Automatically segment customers based on their behavior and purchase history.
- Personalized Emails: Send personalized emails that resonate with your customers.
- Automated Campaigns: Create automated email campaigns that nurture leads and retain customers.
Klaviyo helps you build strong relationships with your customers through targeted and effective email marketing. Its capabilities make it one of the best apps for BigCommerce for email marketing.
Zapier
Zapier connects your BigCommerce store with hundreds of other apps, allowing you to automate a wide range of tasks. It’s a versatile tool that can simplify many aspects of your business.
- Task Automation: Automate repetitive tasks across different apps and platforms.
- Data Integration: Sync data between BigCommerce and other tools you use.
- Workflow Customization: Create customized workflows to fit your specific needs.
Zapier’s flexibility makes it a valuable addition to any BigCommerce store, enabling seamless automation across various functions and earning its place as one of the best apps for BigCommerce.
Gorgias
Gorgias is a customer support platform that automates and centralizes your customer service operations. It integrates with BigCommerce to provide a seamless support experience.
- Unified Inbox: Manage all customer inquiries from various channels in one place.
- Automated Responses: Use automation to provide instant responses to common questions.
- Customer Data Integration: Access customer data directly within the support platform to provide personalized assistance.
Gorgias enhances your customer support capabilities, ensuring that you can respond quickly and effectively to customer inquiries. It’s another top contender among the best apps for BigCommerce.
How to Choose the Right Automation App for Your Business
Selecting the right automation app for your BigCommerce store is crucial for optimizing your operations. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision.
Assess Your Needs and Goals
Before choosing an automation app, it’s important to assess your specific needs and goals. Determine which tasks are consuming the most time and which processes need improvement.
- Identify Pain Points: Look at the areas of your business that are most time-consuming or prone to errors.
- Set Goals: Define what you want to achieve with automation, such as reducing order processing time or improving customer engagement.
By understanding your needs and goals, you can choose an app that addresses your specific challenges.
Evaluate Integration Capabilities
An effective automation app should integrate seamlessly with your existing tools and platforms. This ensures that you can automate tasks across different systems without any issues.
- Check Compatibility: Ensure that the app integrates with BigCommerce and any other tools you use.
- Data Syncing: Look for apps that offer robust data syncing capabilities to keep all your systems updated.
- Third-Party Integrations: Consider apps that integrate with other third-party tools to extend their functionality.
Evaluating integration capabilities ensures that your chosen app will work smoothly with your current setup.
Consider Ease of Use and Support
Ease of use is a critical factor when selecting an automation app. You want a solution that is user-friendly and doesn’t require extensive technical knowledge to implement.
- User Interface: Choose an app with an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface.
- Support Options: Look for apps that offer comprehensive support, including tutorials, documentation, and customer service.
- Setup Process: Consider the complexity of the setup process and whether you will need additional help to get started.
A user-friendly app with good support ensures a smoother implementation and ongoing use.
Explore Automation Use Cases
When choosing an automation app, it’s crucial to explore the various use cases it can cover. Atom8, for instance, is capable of automating a wide range of tasks, from product management and customer segmentation to content management and order processing.
- Product Management: Automate product updates and inventory management to save time and reduce errors.
- Customer Segmentation: Automatically segment customers for targeted marketing campaigns.
- Order Processing: Streamline order processing by automating status updates and fulfillment tasks.
By understanding the specific automation capabilities of an app, you can ensure it aligns with your business needs and optimizes your workflow effectively.
Conclusion
Automation is a game-changer for BigCommerce businesses, helping you save time, reduce errors, and enhance customer satisfaction. By integrating the best apps for BigCommerce, such as Atom8, ShipStation, Klaviyo, Zapier, and Gorgias, you can streamline your operations and focus on growing your business. Assess your needs, evaluate integration capabilities, and choose an app that fits your requirements to make the most of automation.
For more information on how to optimize your BigCommerce store with automation, contact us today.
