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  • What is eCommerce? A complete guide

    Get started by: Creating an online store → | Getting a domain → Ecommerce is the online exchange of goods and services over the internet. It involves online transactions between businesses (B2B), businesses and consumers (B2C) as well as between consumers and consumers (C2C). Ecommerce encompasses a wide range of activities, including electronic business, online shopping, online marketplaces, electronic payments, online banking and online auctions. Ecommerce is an integral part of the modern global economy. Over the past couple of decades, it has transformed both the way we shop and the way we do business. In fact, eCommerce is on track to take over traditional retail sales altogether. According to Nasdaq, by 2040, eCommerce could facilitate as much as 95% of all retail sales. By 2027 it's on track to account for around 23% of all retail sales. With Wix, it’s easier than ever to set up an eCommerce website. Using a free website builder, you can build your store that lets you sell products or services anywhere in the world, manage payments and customize your site to fit your brand. Wix helps you create a business-ready online store in minutes. If you’re brand new to eCommerce, you’ve come to the right place. This article will answer all of your questions about the world of online retail when it comes to starting a business. What is eCommerce? Ecommerce (short for “electronic commerce”) is an umbrella term for any transaction done over the internet. Ecommerce can involve the sale of physical or digital products as well as services of all types, from scheduling a yoga class to booking a hotel. It's like a digital marketplace that's always open. In an increasingly digital world, eCommerce, as a type of business, is more prominent than ever. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that eCommerce sales totaled $277.6 billion during the second quarter of 2023 alone. And according to Statista, global eCommerce sales are forecast to reach $8.1 trillion by 2026. When did eCommerce start? Ecommerce traces its roots back to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when foundational technologies like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) began to shape digital transactions. EDI allowed businesses to exchange documents like purchase orders and invoices digitally, replacing traditional paper forms and streamlining operations. Around the same time, teleshopping emerged as a precursor to online retail, enabling consumers to order products through television broadcasts and phone hotlines. The 1990s marked a turning point in eCommerce, driven by the widespread adoption of the internet and the emergence of pioneering platforms like Amazon and eBay. Founded in 1994 and 1995 respectively, these companies revolutionized online shopping by connecting buyers and sellers on a global scale. One transaction is often singled out as the start of modern online retail: on August 11, 1994, a shopper bought a Sting CD, “Ten Summoner’s Tales,” in what is widely cited as the first secure online purchase. How does eCommerce work? Here is a simplified overview of how an eCommerce transaction works: A customer visits an eCommerce website, marketplace or app and browses the products or services offered. If the customer finds something they want to buy, they add it to their ecommerce shopping cart. The customer proceeds to checkout, where they enter their shipping and billing information and select a payment method. The eCommerce merchant processes the payment and ships the product or provides the service to the customer. Worth knowing: the four-step flow above is the customer's view of a transaction, not the operator's. Behind it sits inventory tracking, payment reconciliation, shipping logistics, returns handling, tax collection across jurisdictions and customer support, most of which the customer never sees. Underestimating the operational layer is the most common reason first-time eCommerce founders feel overwhelmed in the first six months. Plan your operations alongside your online storefront, not after it. Each of these steps could look a little different depending on the exact nature of your eCommerce business. For example, you could partner with a third-party logistics company to handle packaging and shipping for you. Or instead of selling retail goods, you may choose to sell online services or courses that don’t require any physical inventory. At its core eCommerce includes: Supply chain ecommerce management Inventory management Data collection and security Electronic funds transfer Shipping services Ecommerce now comes in many shapes and sizes and often involves multiple players. It also involves a variety of touchpoints, including a well-built website. Learn more: How does eCommerce work? Ecommerce vs. retail What is agentic commerce? Agentic commerce is basically the next evolution of online shopping from human-led to AI-driven. In this eCommerce tyoe, autonomous AI agents act as intermediaries, researching, negotiating and purchasing products on behalf of a user. Instead of clicking through websites, you provide a high-level need such as: "Buy me a travel-sized skincare set for sensitive skin under $50." The AI agent then executes the transaction via specialized protocols such as ACP. For sellers, it means their online stores must be machine-readable, so the AI can verify their inventory and checkout instantly. What is an eCommerce website? If you want to succeed in your endeavor, it's crucial to know how to make a website of your own from scratch that's tailor-made for eCommerce. Simply put, an eCommerce website allows your business to sell products and services online. It's a digital storefront where your customers can browse, select and purchase items (see eCommerce website development). A typical eCommerce website includes features, such as: A desktop and mobile interface A product catalog with product descriptions and images A shopping cart software system for customers to keep track of the items that they want to purchase A checkout process where customers can enter their shipping and billing information Secure website security features to ensure the protection of your data and that of your customers High uptime and site reliability to handle large numbers of traffic to an ecommerce site - Wix sites have 99.99% uptime, for example Secure payment processing Order tracking and customer support resources Types of eCommerce businesses The main types of ecommerce include the following: Business to consumer (B2C) Business to consumer is one of the most common types of eCommerce models. B2C businesses sell goods and services directly to the end customer, and can include anything from physical products to online services. Think: Amazon, Nike or an online tutoring business. Looking for the best Squarespace alternatives? Try Wix for free and see how it compares in this Wix vs Squarespace guide. Business to business (B2B) Business-to-business models are also very common, and refer to companies that provide goods or services for other businesses. B2B eCommerce covers a wide range of businesses, including wholesalers, raw material manufacturers and service providers. Consumer to consumer (C2C) Any transaction done between two people, rather than business entities, is considered consumer to consumer. This type of business model includes transactions done on platforms such as eBay or Craigslist, or on social media marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace. Consumer to business (C2B) Consumer to business covers services provided by individuals, for businesses. This model is often used to include freelancers and other small service providers. A common form of C2B is when a business purchases stock images, videos or music created by individuals. Consumer to government (C2G) Consumer to government involves individuals using online platforms to interact with governmental services, such as paying taxes or fines. Examples include filing taxes through IRS e-file or paying parking tickets via municipal websites. Business to government (B2G) Business to government provides products and services for the federal or local government to purchase. These include a wide range of sectors like cyber security, waste management, urban planning, etc. Government to business (G2B) Government-to-business transactions reverse the B2G model. This model is often used to refer to information that companies can purchase access to, such as blueprints or legal files. Learn more: Best eCommerce platforms Examples of eCommerce business models There are several types of common eCommerce businesses that operate under the structures listed above. A useful way of breaking them down is by explaining the various types of products or services they offer. Dropshipping Dropshipping is a business model in which you can sell products online without physically holding any inventory. Think of it as being the middle-person who connects the customer with the manufacturer or supplier. Get started dropshipping now. When a customer places an order for a product in your online store, the order details are forwarded to a trusted supplier, like Modalyst. (Alibaba, Taobao and Aliexpress are China based suppliers and wholesalers popular with global drop shippers). The supplier then ships the product directly to the customer. When you start a dropshipping business, you don't have to stress about logistics, manufacturing, inventory, warehousing or order fulfillment. You're also not limited by space—you can sell an unlimited array of products. Take Wix merchant The Boho Birdy, for example. The Australian e-tailer offers a wide array of clothing, including colorful boho, beach and bridal fashion, housewares and baby items to a global customer base. According to the store’s FAQ page, it partners with “suppliers and manufacturers to ship directly to … the customer.” Try our dropshipping website builder to launch your eCommerce business today. Print on demand (POD) The print-on-demand business model is a form of dropshipping. As a business owner, you’ll create designs and artwork, then select what products you want those designs printed on. A third-party supplier or print on demand company like Printful handles the actual printing, fulfillment and shipping. When starting a print-on-demand business, you can choose from all kinds of products to offer, spanning T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs, phone cases, stickers and more. Plus, you have the freedom to experiment with designs until you hit your stride with one that takes off with your customer base. For example, Wix user LemonMade Apparel operates a print-on-demand business model that partners with social media influencers. From LemonMade’s storefront, buyers can browse shirts, tote bags, ornaments, stickers and other merchandise for their favorite influencer. Both LemonMade and the influencers receive a portion of the sales. Start building your print-on-demand shop today with Wix. White labeling While labeling is another form of dropshipping where you can create your own brand without the need to develop products from scratch. With white labeling, you’ll sell products that are already successfully produced by another company under your brand name. Your company name, logo and designs will appear on the packaging. The white label provider handles product development, manufacturing and fulfillment. Private labeling Private labeling involves selling products under your own brand, but having them manufactured by a third-party. This is a common practice for eCommerce businesses that don’t have the capabilities, space or capital to handle their own manufacturing. Private labeling differs from white labeling in that the products are unique and exclusive to you and your business, while white labeled products are generic. Some providers will also handle fulfillment for you. This approach lets you build a unique brand identity without the headache and expense of product development or manufacturing. Ghost commerce Ghost commerce also involves selling products under your own brand while keeping the source confidential. The foundation of a successful ghost commerce operation lies in establishing a website or online store, producing engaging content, and cultivating a strong social media presence. Characterized by low operational costs and straightforward setup, this model allows you to operate efficiently, relying on your marketing capabilities and customer service skills. Like dropshipping, you will want to find a reliable manufacturer to partner with. Subscription service Finally, another common eCommerce business model is subscriptions. Subscription box services help you gain repeat orders and customer loyalty. For a set price, your company will create and/or curate a package of products or services delivered at set intervals—usually every month or every three months. You can offer incentives for long-term commitments at a reduced monthly cost (e.g., offering a 15% discount if a customer buys a three-month subscription rather than one month). Common examples of subscription services include meal prep delivery (like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron), fashion boxes (like Stitch Fix or Nuuly), streaming services (like Netflix or Hulu) and software as a service (like Adobe Creative Cloud or Ahrefs). Wix user House of Suppliez utilizes this model in addition to their offering of supplies and classes for professional nail and lash technicians. Their monthly subscription box offers a curated collection of nail and lash products for professionals in the industry. Learn more: Shopify alternatives Wix vs Shopify WordPress alternatives Types of eCommerce products Physical products Businesses that sell their own physical products online are common, and are often what people refer to when they mention eCommerce.These online stores include both retailers and wholesalers that sell any sort of physical product; this could include clothes, books, groceries, gardening accessories, artwork, etc. Most businesses that sell physical goods online operate through their own store website, and/or as a merchant on an eCommerce marketplace like Amazon or Etsy. Artist and Wix user Lauren Simpson is a great example. Lauren’s website and online shop features prints, cards and stickers depicting an incredible series of paintings inspired by the Alaskan wilderness. Physical-product ecommerce also scales when the moment demands it. Jenna and Josh Spencer, the owners of The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, ran an almost entirely brick-and-mortar operation in a 22,000-square-foot flagship until a single Instagram post about book bundles went viral overnight. "It ignited a viral chain reaction, leading to thousands of orders," Jenna recalls. "We needed an online store, fast, and Wix gave us the agility to adapt." The store now operates a fully functional online shop alongside the physical one. Time Out has called it the world's most Instagrammed bookstore. Services There is an endless variety of services you can purchase online, from hiring freelancers to streaming movies. As such, not all service-based eCommerce businesses operate similarly. Many business owners sell their services on their own website or on a dedicated platform for similar services. It’s also not uncommon for a business to ask first-time customers to contact them or fill out a form, rather than purchase the service upfront. This often depends on the type of business, as well as the clientele. Digital products There’s a type of eCommerce product that’s sort of in between physical products and services—digital products. This sector has gained popularity over the past couple decades with the growth of online retail. It includes software, music files, in-game purchases (in video games) and more. Digital products are the easiest to provide to the customer, as it’s just a matter of enabling a download. They also have the added benefit of being freely duplicatable, as opposed to a physical product, which requires manufacturing. See Sewn Ideas for inspiration here. This Arizona-based online shop offers a complete line of PDF patterns for various shapes and styles of handbags, designed for everyone from beginners to advanced sewers. Once you pay for a pattern, you also unlock a password to access instructional videos. Pros and cons of eCommerce There are many reasons to start an online business. But before you start bouncing around eCommerce business ideas, it’s important to understand what advantages and challenges eCommerce holds. Benefits of an eCommerce business Low investment and operational costs: Compared to a physical brick-and-mortar storefront, eCommerce requires a much smaller initial investment. Instead of renting a location and remodeling it to create the perfect store, you simply need to create a website. Operational costs are also much lower, as you can avoid the rent and high utility bills associated with physical storefronts. Learn more: eCommerce vs. brick and mortar Stays open 24/7: Online stores and online auctions, as opposed to physical businesses, aren’t limited to business hours. An eCommerce business can operate 24/7, always generating income, even when you sleep. Reaches more customers: By operating your business online, your clientele isn’t limited to a physical location. Your online store or mobile eCommerce app can cater to customers around the world, shipping internationally from day one. Ecommerce in emerging markets, such as China and India, is also on the rise in terms of both sellers and buyers. The international-reach claim isn't theoretical. Noah Rosen, a culinary student who couldn't afford a Japanese chef's knife, ordered 200 hand-forged knives to his dorm room and built a Wix site to sell them. "I ordered 200 hand-forged knives to my dorm room and built a Wix website to sell them," he says. Today his business, Forge to Table, ships to customers in more than 30 countries, and Rosen was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He never had a physical store. Fast and easy for customers: Letting your customers order their products online and receive them at home makes the purchasing process much faster and simpler than going out to the store. Online shopping also gives them the additional convenience and flexibility of payment options, such as one-click purchases via digital wallets such as PayPal or Apple Pay. This means customers are more likely to make impulse buys, as well as come back for more, given they’re happy with your products. Facilitates omnichannel retail and selling: Thanks to platforms like Wix that let you manage multiple sales channels in one place, you can easily list one product on various online platforms—online store, mobile app, social media (Tik Tok for example), online marketplaces (Ebay, Etsy, etc.)—to increase your chances of making a sale. Easily scalable: Scaling up an eCommerce business is much easier than scaling up a physical one. Sure, you may need more storage and have to hire a few employees to deal with order fulfillment and other tasks, but you won’t have to find new locations or hire enough employees to run an entire store. Don't miss out on maximizing your seasonal sales: Check out the ultimate eCommerce holiday readiness checklist and get your business holiday-ready today. Challenges of an eCommerce business Harder to interact with customers: Most of the disadvantages of eCommerce stem from the inability to physically communicate with your customers. This makes it harder to understand their needs and to make sure they’re happy with your business. To counteract this, it’s important to keep in touch with your customer base however you can, be it social media, emails, surveys, etc. Shoppers can’t try before they buy: In an online store, customers can’t physically try on clothes, test gadgets or even get a general feel from just holding an item in their hands. Many online stores offer a free return policy to ensure their customers don’t hesitate. Great product photos and videos can also help give your customers a better understanding. Learn more about ecommerce photography in our guide. Faulty tech can ruin sales: When your business is online, any error or bug can cost you. There are many unexpected hurdles that can pop up—transaction errors, glitchy page designs, server crashes and more. These can not only botch a sale, but also deter customers from coming back to your online store. Make sure to build your website and store using a platform with a history of site reliability. Wix, in particular, has a proven track record of minimizing these issues. Crowded and competitive: In many cases, eCommerce is more competitive than physical retail. Rather than compete with other businesses in your town or neighborhood, you’re competing with the entire world. Things can get ugly trying to compete on product and shipping prices, especially with bigger companies that can often undercut you on both. Good marketing is the key to success in eCommerce and standing out from the crowd. Worth knowing: the gap between launching a store and earning your first sale from a stranger is usually wider than founders expect. Friends and family will buy in the first few weeks. The harder work is acquiring the second hundred customers who don't already know you. Build a marketing channel (SEO, email, paid social) in parallel with the store rather than after launch, so traffic is arriving by the time the storefront is ready for it. Where different types of eCommerce take place Ecommerce can take place in spaces all across the internet. Different types of eCommerce can take the following forms: Online store: An online store is the most straightforward and customizable option for eCommerce. A platform like Wix allows businesses to create and manage their own online stores easily. Its success can be attributed to its user-friendly interface, scalability, affordability and wide range of features. Social commerce: This is the practice of selling products through social media platforms. Businesses can create online stores on these platforms or use them to promote their products and generate sales. These days, you can even conduct transactions directly through social platforms in most cases. Some popular social commerce platforms include Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Mobile commerce (mCommerce): This is the practice of buying and selling products through mobile devices. Mobile commerce is becoming increasingly popular as more people use their smartphones and tablets to shop online. Some popular mobile commerce platforms include apps from Amazon, eBay and Walmart. Online marketplace: These are websites that allow sellers to list their products for sale. Some popular marketplaces include Amazon, eBay and Etsy. Marketplaces offer a variety of benefits for sellers, including access to a large pool of customers, reduced marketing costs and simplified payment processing. Getting started with eCommerce If you’re looking to create an eCommerce business, starting an online store is a great first step. These five steps will get you off on the right foot: How to start an eCommerce business in 5 steps Choose what to sell online Build and design your online store Find a manufacturer Find shipping partners Connect a payment provider These five steps look linear on paper, but most successful sellers iterate as they go. Tammy Maki, the founder of Raven Rising, built her artisanal chocolate ecommerce business from scratch with no prior background in either chocolate or web design. "Wix was easy and I love the templates," she says. "I'm not technical at all, but I was able to build a beautiful website that actually converts." Raven Rising now ships across Canada and the US, with the entire operation (storefront, inventory, payments, marketing) running through one platform. The lesson isn't that the steps are wrong, it's that you don't need to perfect each step before moving to the next. 01. Choose what to sell online The first thing you’ll need to do before you learn how to sell online is decide on what you actually want to sell. Start by identifying your interests and passions. It's much easier to dive into a project when you're enthusiastic about it. Then, do some market research, taking notes on what similar online stores are doing. Look at trends, including what's popular, what's unique and what’s profitable. Don't be afraid to fill a niche—it's often where the magic happens. Remember, your products should not only resonate with you, but should also resonate with your potential customers. 02. Build and design your ecommerce website To start your online store, you’ll need to make your own website to sell using a platform that can facilitate eCommerce. That’s where Wix comes in. Wix is an all-encompassing, end-to-end solution for e-tailers of all sizes. Through Wix, you can sell goods through your online store, social media and sales channels, or in-person with Wix point of sale software. You can additionally manage shipping, inventory, shopping cart software, marketing, analytics (track your ecommerce metrics) and more, all from one unified dashboard. Wix is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that supports physical products, services, specialized business models like rentals or online ordering and digital programs such as online courses, all from a single backend. Once you build your website and create your store, it’s time to design it. Ecommerce website design is crucial in creating a positive shopping experience and can make or break an eCommerce business. Wix offers hundreds of designer-made online store templates that you can customize to your own preferences. Worth knowing: eCommerce templates are a starting point, not a finished design. Sites that launch with minimal changes to a default template usually feel that way to shoppers, and shoppers translate generic visuals into doubts about whether the business is real. Customize the typography, photography style and product page layouts before launch. Trust signals (clear shipping policies, real product photos, visible contact info) matter more for conversion than visual polish but generic-looking sites also lose visitors before they get to read the policies. It’s time to design your dream store. Sign up for Wix today. 03. Find a manufacturer After you’ve decided on a product, or line of products, you’ll need to figure out how to manufacture them. The type of manufacturer you need to find depends entirely on what kind of products you’ll be offering, and how many. Alternatively, you may choose to dropship or only offer digital products and services, in which case you may not need a manufacturer at all. 04. Find shipping partners Shipping is a big part of any online store. You want every single customer to receive their products fast and in one piece. To pull that off, you’ll need a great eCommerce shipping company. Look for a shipping company with a track record of reliability; remember, your own business reputation is at stake with each delivery. Speed is important, too, since fast delivery times can give you an edge in online shopping. Finally, consider excellent customer service. When things go wrong, you need a shipping partner who can address concerns quickly and efficiently. Again, for business models centered around services, digital goods or dropshipping, you may not need to worry about this step. But, for digital sales, you still need to make sure your products are distributed properly, meaning emails go out without errors and download links are always live. 05. Connect a payment provider No business is complete without getting paid. You'll need to connect your online store to a payment solution system or process, like Wix Payments in order to accept online payments. To ensure customers always have a comfortable way to pay, you may want to provide several payment options, including credit cards, Buy Now, Pay Later, mobile payments and digital wallets like PayPal. How to make eCommerce work: marketing strategies and tips to get started The importance of marketing in your eCommerce strategies can’t be understated. It’s a critical part of gaining new customers, as well as retaining your existing clientele. No eCommerce business is complete without it. Below are a few important ways to maximize your marketing efforts. Optimize your online store’s SEO One of the most important ways to drive traffic to your online store is by optimizing it to appear higher in search engine results. This is called SEO (search engine optimization). Boosting the SEO for your online store isn't difficult; it's about consistency and knowing your audience. Start by understanding what your target customers are searching for, and tailor your product descriptions to those keywords. Make sure you answer their search questions. Next, make sure your website is easy to navigate, loads quickly and is mobile-friendly. Good SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Make use of content marketing Content marketing is a common practice in starting a business of any type. In short, it means creating engaging blog posts, newsletters, social media posts and other content to attract visitors to your website. Using content marketing wisely, in conjunction with SEO, can have a huge impact on your store’s traffic. Utilize Facebook and Google Ads Facebook Ads and Google Ads are two of the most common paid advertising channels for eCommerce, and they can be very effective. Between Facebook, Instagram and Google, you can cover an enormous share of all internet users. With all that reach, you’ll need to be very precise when setting up your campaign, or you risk spending your marketing dollars on the wrong audiences. Wix can help you with built-in functionality to create, run and manage Facebook and Instagram Ads, as well as Google Ads. Stay in touch with your customers using email Marketing emails are a great way to stay in touch with your customers after you start an online business, letting them know about new products, sales or even to send a friendly holiday greeting. Email marketing is considered to have one of the best returns on investment (ROI) in eCommerce marketing; WebFX reports that this can be as high as 4,400%. Another great eCommerce marketing tool can be creating flash sales which you can promote via email. Improving eCommerce with data: the what and how Improving eCommerce with data involves using a number of techniques and best practices, among them—leveraging customer insights, purchase patterns and website analytics to optimize your online shopping experience and drive sales. By analyzing customer behavior data, you can personalize product recommendations, improve user engagement and increase your online store conversion rates. At the same time, tracking metrics such as cart abandonment rates, click-through rates and average order value helps identify areas for improvement in the sales funnel. Data can also can reveal trends and preferences, guiding inventory management and pricing strategies to align with demand. A/B testing different website elements, such as product descriptions, images or call-to-action buttons, can help you make data-driven decisions that improve user experience and boost sales. Customer feedback and reviews also provide valuable data for refining products and services. By integrating data analytics tools and continuously monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs),as an eCommerce business owner you can make informed decisions, reduce costs, improve customer satisfaction and ultimately drive profitability. Ecommerce regulations and global guidelines There are many regulations and laws governing the practice of eCommerce globally. In the US many of these can be found here. Examples include the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act which validates contracts with an electronic signature and is designed to protect consumers who must give consent to a purchase. The Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) aims to protect consumers, including those buying online, from deceptive trade practices - it makes it mandatory for companies to publish a privacy policy, to put in place data security measures (to protect consumers private information and payment details) and puts the onus on businesses to refrain from false advertising in any form. Other countries have enacted similar legislation or bolstered it as eCommerce grows in popularity, for example: The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) Consumer Guarantees Act and the Fair Trading Act, New Zealand UK Consumer Rights Act Distance Selling Regulations, UK E-Commerce Law of China, enacted January 2019 Ecommerce trends, current and emerging: how has the industry evolved Ecommerce continues to grow both in terms of the number of online stores available and the growing numbers of consumers purchasing online. Over the last few years a few trends have emerged including: Omnichannel shopping Integrating physical and digital shopping experiences for a seamless customer journey. Let's say a consumer searches for shoes on her phone. She researched a specific brand. Later that day or week she receives a targeted email from the shoe brand she researched earlier. She then visits the brand's physical store to try on the shoes. Maybe she then uses the mobile app to pay and receives an SMS receipt. Or the shoes are not in stock in store in her size, so the sales assistant helps her order them online with delivery to her home. Mobile-first shopping Consumers shop on their phones, this has been a rising ecommerce trend for a while now. However an emerging trend is big ticket purchases from the mobile. Many consumers still prefer to make big purchases, such as airline tickets or furniture, from a computer. ecommerce retailers are trying to shift this focus to get more sales made from mobile due to its accessibility, buy from anywhere. Social commerce Selling online via social media has taken off in a big way, whether it's brands directly selling or via influencers. How long consumers enjoy being sold to from social media, remains to be seen with some pushback against sponsored content. In 2022 over US$992 billion was spent on goods bought via social platforms. Thailand and India are the two biggest markets for social commerce. It's anticipated to reach $8.3 trillion by 2030. Sustainability and ethical brands While fast fashion remains popular in the world of online selling, there is a growing shift away from it. Consumers are more aware than ever that often cheap online goods means an impact down the production line, either on the environment or in poor conditions for those involved in their manufacturing. eCommerce brands that that prioritize eco friendly products are gaining in popularity as a result. AI in eCommerce AI transforms eCommerce by creating smarter, more personalized shopping experiences. The AI in eCommerce market in the U.S. is growing fast and is expected to reach $17.83 billion by 2034. It analyzes customer behavior like past purchases or browsing habits to recommend products they’ll love. AI-powered chatbots provide instant 24/7 support, answering questions and resolving issues effortlessly. With these tools, your store becomes more intuitive and engaging, building trust, increasing loyalty and driving sales. Headless and composable commerce A growing number of businesses separate their store’s front-end design from its back-end commerce engine. This “headless” approach lets brands deliver the same products and checkout across websites, apps and other channels while customizing each experience independently. What is eCommerce FAQ How to make money with eCommerce? Making money with eCommerce involves creating a successful online business that generates revenue through the sale of products or services. It starts with choosing the right eCommerce model or type. From there you'll need to choose a specific product niche or category to sell. Then, do your market research, choose an online store builder such as Wix, source customers and market your site. What is the difference between eCommerce and eBusiness? Ecommerce is the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. Ebusiness is a broader term that includes eCommerce but also encompasses other aspects of doing business online, such as customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM) and marketing. Is eCommerce worth it? This can be a complicated question to answer. In general, profitability is often what defines ecommerce as worth it as a business model. To understand if ecommerce is worth it for you, it's a good idea to start small and low risk, with dropshipping or print on demand as some good beginner options. You'll also want to consider if the time invested in making your ecommerce business profitable is worth it, while factoring in the time it might take you t make it a success. Is eCommerce easy? E-commerce can be easy, especially when compared to other business models, or challenging, depending on your business idea, experience and capital to fund it. With intuitive ecommerce platforms like Wix, setting up an online store is easier than ever. However, successfully running an e-commerce business requires more than just a website. Other crucial focus areas include marketing, inventory management and customer service, all of which can demand significant time, effort and expertise in order to build a successful business. While the initial setup might seem easy, long-term success with ecommerce requireds dedication and strategic planning. Worth knowing: most eCommerce businesses that close in the first year don't fail because the store was hard to build, they fail because no one came. The setup work is the easy part of the curve, and the harder part is the sustained marketing, customer service and inventory discipline that the business runs on month after month. Treat the launch as the start of a multi-year build, not a finish li What are the different eCommerce revenue models? Direct sales: Selling products directly to customers through your online store. Many large retailers do this - including Target. Marketplace model: Acting as a platform for other businesses to sell their products, earning commission on each sale. An example of this is Amazon or eBay. Amazon currently holds 37.6% of all ecommerce sales in the US. Subscription model: Customers pay recurring fees for access to products, services, or content. Dropshipping: Partnering with manufacturers who ship products directly to customers, eliminating inventory management. Affiliate marketing: Promoting other companies' products on your website and earning commissions on referrals. What's the future of eCommerce? One of the biggest predictions is the rise of hyper-personalization. It currently exists to an extent with highly targeted email and SMS marketing but it's expected to explode. The combination of data analysis and AI technology to create product recommendations for online shoppers is expected to take off in a big way. Whether consumers will respond positively to the personalization, or negatively due to data privacy concerns, is still unfolding. What's mobile vs traditional eCommerce? Mobile eCommerce is essentially online shopping conducted via smartphones and tablets, while traditional eCommerce includes online shopping across all devices, including desktops and laptops. Mobile commerce prioritizes user experience for smaller screens, focusing on an ease of navigation and a streamlined checkout. Traditional eCommerce often leverages desktop-optimized layouts and features. . How can small ecommerce businesses effectively manage inventory without overstocking or running out of popular items? While tricky, there are ways for even small ecommerce business can find ways to manage inventory more efficiently: Implementing a just-in-time inventory system Using inventory management software to track sales patterns Offering pre-orders for popular items to gauge demand Considering dropshipping for certain products to reduce risk Developing relationships with suppliers for faster restocking How can small ecommerce businesses compete with larger marketplaces without sacrificing profit margins? You can differentiate yourself, even as a smaller ecommerce business by: Offering personalized customer service and product recommendations Creating unique, niche products not found on large marketplaces Telling your brand story to build emotional connections with customers Providing expert knowledge and content related to your products Offering flexible, local or eco-friendly shipping options

  • Why prompt a website with Wix

    Build your website, your way with Wix Harmony → Why prompt a website with Wix? In short, because you skip the learning curve of traditional site building and go straight to a complete website by describing what you need in plain language. Instead of figuring out how to create a website from scratch, you type a prompt and Wix generates a complete site with pages, content, images and built-in business tools. And you can do it all through Wix’s flagship AI website builder, Wix Harmony or your favorite Large Language Models (LLMs). Whether you’re launching a new business, refreshing an outdated site or testing an idea, prompting removes the biggest barriers to getting online: time, technical skill and cost. This article describes why you should prompt a website with Wix and the steps you take to do it. Start building your website with Wix today. TL;DR: why prompt a website with Wix Here's a quick of summary of the article: Prompt-to-website building lets you describe your site in natural language and get a ready-made result in minutes. You can prompt a website with Wix using Wix Harmony or directly through the chat of leading LLMs. Key benefits include speed, lower costs, built-in business functionality, creative control and enterprise-grade security. You don't need design or coding experience to get a polished, business-ready website. Better prompts lead to better results, so being specific about your industry, audience and goals makes a real difference. What is prompt-to-website building? If you’ve ever searched ‘what is vibe coding’, you’ve likely already come across the core concept. Prompt-to-website building is a way to create a website by describing what you need in everyday language. You write a prompt, and an AI website builder generates a site based on your description, complete with layout, content, images and functionality. This is different from traditional website building, where you start from a blank canvas or with website templates and manually assemble each page. Read also: Can you actually vibe code a whole website? How to make a website with AI Are website templates dead? Wix Harmony brings AI and manual creation together in a single, smart platform. You can generate full pages, layouts and content with natural language, then fine-tune every detail with precise drag-and-drop control. It’s faster, more flexible website creation, without sacrificing quality or creative freedom. Why prompt a website with Wix: 6 key benefits The benefits of prompting a website with Wix go well beyond speed. While AI generation is fast, the real value is in what it unlocks: creative control, professional quality and a lower barrier to entry for anyone building online. You go from idea to live site in minutes You don't need design or coding skills Business tools are built in from the start You get enterprise-grade security and reliability Your site is optimized You keep full creative control 01. You go from idea to live site in minutes Describe your business, your audience and what you need. Wix can generate a fully designed site from that single prompt. Pages, navigation, images, copy and layout are all handled for you. What used to take days or weeks now takes minutes. It’s up to you if you want to switch to manual design for greater creative control or prompt your way from start to finish. 02. You don't need design or coding skills Prompt-to-website building closes the skills gap. You don't need to understand typography, color theory, layout principles or HTML. And when you prompt with Wix Harmony, Aria has your back. What sets Wix's AI agent Aria apart from other AI tools is how deeply she understands web creation. She doesn't just generate generic content—she thinks in terms of your business, your website design and your overall goals. 03. Business tools are built in from the start Your prompted site isn’t just a design. It comes with real business functionality wired in as you build. Wix includes built-in solutions for eCommerce, blogs, scheduling, payments and more. You don't need to find third-party plugins or set up integrations separately. The infrastructure you need is there from the moment your site is generated. 04. You get enterprise-grade security and reliability Every site built on Wix Harmony is backed by fully managed infrastructure. Your site is hosted across multiple cloud providers (including AWS and Google Cloud) with 99.9% uptime, built-in threat prevention, real-time security detection and fast load times. It means you can focus on your business while Wix handles the rest. 05. Your site is optimized Wix builds SEO and accessibility standards into every generated site. You don't need to configure meta tags, alt text or responsive breakpoints manually. Auto-responsive design means your site adjusts to any screen size. Wix includes built-in SEO tools for optimizing pages, so your site is ready to be found the moment you publish. 06. You keep full creative control Speed doesn't mean compromise. With Wix Harmony, you can flow between AI prompting and precise drag-and-drop editing whenever you want. If Aria generates a section you love, keep it. If something isn't quite right, click into it and adjust. You can customize colors, fonts, layouts, images and content at pixel-level. While you’re here: Discover AI agent use cases that work At a glance: Why prompt a website with Wix Benefit What it means for you Speed Go from a prompt to a complete, functional website in minutes No technical skills required AI handles design, layout and coding so you can focus on your message Full creative control Switch between AI prompting and manual drag-and-drop editing at any time in Wix Harmony Built-in business tools eCommerce, scheduling, payments and more are wired in automatically Enterprise-grade security Fully managed hosting with built-in threat prevention and 99.9% uptime SEO and accessibility Optimization and responsive design are included out of the box AI guidance with Aria A built-in AI agent trained on millions of sites offers expert support as you build Why prompt a website with Wix: who stands to benefit? Prompt-to-website building is for anyone who lacks the web design skills to do it manually or wants a professional website without the traditional time or cost investment. Here’s a glance at some of those who benefit most: Small business owners who need to get online fast Your business can be anything from a bakery to a local gym. Describe your business in a prompt and get a site with the right pages, layout and functionality built in. Wix includes built-in business solutions like scheduling software and online payments processing, so your site is ready to work from day one. Freelancers and solopreneurs without a budget Prompting lets you create a polished portfolio or services site on your own. You can describe your brand, your audience and your goals, and AI generates something that looks like you spent weeks on it. Take inspiration from Kevin Zych, who turned a sketching side-hustle into a signature art brand overnight by building his website on Wix Harmony. Entrepreneurs testing new ideas If you need a landing page or a minimal site to validate a concept, prompting gets you there in minutes instead of days. You can iterate quickly, try different approaches and pivot without losing time. Caitlin and Kelly Stefanick who built a website for their events company The Shaka Club on Wix Harmony, advise others to build early. “It’s a good exercise to go through when you're starting a business—laying it all out on a website—because it makes you think through, ‘How can we present this to customers?’” Related: How to manage a business online with an AI agent Anyone redesigning without a developer Maybe your current site is outdated but you don't have the technical skills to overhaul it. Prompting gives you a fresh starting point that you can customize at your own pace using Wix’s drag-and-drop website builder. Side hustlers building something alongside a full-time job If you’re in the business of side hustles, you probably don't have hours to spend learning a website editor. Prompting lets you describe what you need during a lunch break and come back to a site that’s ready to refine. Passion project pursuers turning a hobby into something real Whether it's a blog, a photography portfolio or a community page, prompting gives you a professional-looking site without needing to learn the technical side first. Online sellers who want to skip the lengthy setup process Describe your store, your products and your brand and Wix generates an eCommerce site with product pages, a checkout flow and payment tools built in. Read also: How to get your business ready for agentic AI Why prompt a website with Wix: the steps to take Prompting a website with Wix is a straightforward process, and there’s more than one way to do it. Prompt a website with Wix Harmony Wix Harmony takes you from a single prompt to a business-ready site for any industry or creative vision. While it lets you write an open-ended prompt describing exactly what you need, the difference here from vibe coding is you can move fluidly between prompt-driven creation and precise drag-and-drop editing. You're never locked into one. Learn more about Wix Harmony: What is Wix Harmony? Why use Wix Harmony Wix Harmony for small businesses owners Is Wix Harmony easy to use? Prompt a website with Wix through an LLM You can also prompt a Wix website directly through AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot. These large language models connect to Wix, so you can describe your site in a conversation and have it built without leaving the chat. This is a useful option if you're already working within an LLM and want to keep your workflow in one place. Whichever route you take, the core steps are the same. Describe your business, your audience and what you need. Review the generated site. Refine it with follow-up prompts or manual edits. Add business functionality like Payments, Bookings or a Blog. Then publish on Wix’s fully managed, secure infrastructure. For a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of each approach, see our full guide: How to prompt a website with Wix. Or go even deeper: How to make a website with Claude and Wix | How to use Claude with Wix How to make a website with Wix in ChatGPT | How to make a website with a custom GPT How to make a website with Microsoft Copilot What is the Wix GPT website builder? Why prompt a website with Wix: 6 tips for getting better results The quality of your prompted website depends largely on the quality of your prompt. A vague description gives the AI less to work with. A specific one produces a site that’s closer to your vision from the start. Related: The best prompts to use with an AI website builder Be specific about your industry and business type Instead of “make me a website,” try “create a website for a freelance interior designer based in London who works with residential clients.” This gives the AI context to choose the right layout, imagery and tone. Expert tip: “The AI is a statistical model, so if you give it generic prompts, you get generic results. But when you bring your own human touch, like your specific taste, a website you love, or a specific brand of humor, AI adapts.” - Yuval Naor, AI Expert & Designer at Content, Wix Describe your target audience Mention who your customers are. A site aimed at corporate clients will look different from one designed for college students. When Aria understands your audience, it can tailor the design and messaging accordingly. Expert tip: “A common mistake first-time creators make with AI web design is withholding the insider info only they know: the little details that set them apart, what’s unique about their offering, their specific services, their key benefits.” - Oz Golan, Group Product Lead for AI Creation, Wix Include your key pages and features If you know you need a portfolio, a contact form, a pricing table or an online store, say so in your prompt. Wix generates the pages and functionality you ask for. Expert tip: “Don't be afraid to lean on AI to handle the technical stuff like spacing and hierarchy. Let it remove the anxiety of the blank page. But never forget that you’re the source of inspiration.” - Oded Nachshon, Head of Wix Editor Mention design preferences If you want a minimalist look, bold typography or a dark color scheme, include that. The AI responds to visual direction as well as content direction. Expert tip: “As they say, ‘garbage in, garbage out.’ Giving generic instructions will only get you generic results. If you want your site to feel like you, you need to put yourself into the prompt.” - Yarin Singolda, Product Marketing Manager, Wix State your goals Are you trying to generate leads, sell products, book appointments or build a community? Including your business goal helps the AI prioritize the right calls to action and page structure. Expert tip: “Before you design anything, try having a conversation with AI. Let it do the initial research for you. Instead of feeling pressured to know exactly what you need, ask for guidance.” - Ilanit Izhar, Head of UX, Wix Editor Iterate with follow-up prompts Your first result doesn't have to be your final one. For example, chat with Aria to adjust sections, swap images, rewrite copy or restructure pages. Wix supports a conversational workflow where you refine your site through ongoing prompts. Expert tip: “There’s a final ingredient to ensuring your AI-generated web content isn’t bland and generic. That ingredient is you. Your personality, your expertise, and your ideas. AI has amazing capabilities, but to get amazing results, you have to bring yourself to the party, too.” - Josh Brentan, Content Team Lead, Wix Related reading: AI prompts for website building Preserving your creativity in the age of AI website building Mistakes to avoid when using an AI website builder Why prompt a website with Wix FAQ Is a prompted website as good as one built from scratch? Yes, it can be. For example, with Wix Harmony, Aria can generate professional-grade sites with responsive design, built-in SEO and real business functionality through prompting alone. But you can also customize every element by hand, so the final result is as polished as anything built manually. Do I need any technical experience to prompt a website with Wix? No. Prompting a website with Wix requires no coding, design or technical knowledge. You describe what you want in plain language and AI handles the rest. Aria, Wix’s Harmony’s built-in AI agent, provides expert guidance throughout the process. Can I edit my Wix site after it's been generated through prompts? Absolutely. Wix Harmony combines AI prompting with precise drag-and-drop editing. You can adjust layouts, swap images, rewrite text, add pages and configure business tools at any time. How is prompting a website with Wix different from using a template? A template gives you a pre-designed starting point that you customize manually. Prompting generates a site tailored to your specific business, audience and goals from the start. You can also begin with a template on Wix if you prefer, or combine both approaches. What kind of websites can I prompt with Wix? You can prompt any type of website: online stores, portfolios, service-based sites, blogs, landing pages, restaurants, fitness studios and more. Wix includes a range of built-in business solutions, including eCommerce, scheduling, payments and content management.

  • What is dropshipping and how does it work?

    Get started with Dropshipping today Dropshipping is a popular way to sell online without stocking and shipping goods. That means no inventory, no warehousing costs, no packaging, no last-minute delivery headaches, essentially, you can outsource everything that happens after a shopper makes a purchase. Dropshipping represents a special type of freedom in the eCommerce space. But as the saying goes, with great freedom comes great responsibility. To successfully launch a dropshipping business, you need to conduct research, build a fully functioning eCommerce website and support your online store with a solid marketing and customer service strategy. Wix simplifies dropshipping so you can start selling online faster. This comprehensive guide will explore the benefits and complexities of dropshipping and outline everything you need to know before getting started with starting a business. Ready to start selling? Try Wix’s dropshipping website builder today. What is dropshipping? Dropshipping is a type of retail fulfillment business that outsources production, warehousing and shipping to a third-party supplier. If you dropship some or all of your products, you don’t stock or fulfill those items yourself. Instead, when you receive customer orders, you route them directly to manufacturers or wholesalers for direct shipment to customers. You don’t pay for the items until they are purchased by your customers. This arrangement can be a win-win for everyone involved. Sellers get to focus on curating and promoting items as opposed to managing inventory and warehouses; suppliers get to focus on making and delivering goods without needing a retail operation; and shoppers gain access to products they can’t necessarily find at their local stores. Dropshipping can be a quick way to start a business, with minimal upfront costs and low risk. Make sure you understand the basics of how to build your store so you can set up a solid foundation for your dropshipping business. What is a dropshipper? A dropshipper is an intermediary between consumers and suppliers, curating and promoting the goods that suppliers ship to customers. Retail businesses can operate exclusively as dropshippers, or they can stock some products themselves and dropship others. Dropshipping is booming thanks to the rise of eCommerce, but sellers in any channel can be dropshippers. In the 20th century, catalog brands such as JCPenney and Sears used a form of dropshipping when routing mail orders directly to manufacturers for faster delivery. Today, retailers with limited physical floor space or pop-up sellers can display samples and fulfill orders using dropshipping. Whatever type of business that dropshippers choose to start, this niche is growing. The global dropshipping market is projected to jump more than 30% through 2027, according to data by Research and Markets. Learn more: eCommerce vs dropshipping How does dropshipping work? The biggest difference between dropshipping and the standard retail model is that the selling merchant doesn't stock or own inventory. Instead, the seller purchases inventory as needed from a third party—usually a wholesaler or manufacturer—to fulfill orders. Here's a simplified step-by-step overview of how it works: 01. The retailer sets up an online store The process begins with you, the retailer. You create an online store and select products to sell typically from a dropshipping supplier or marketplace. Your store showcases these products with pricing and descriptions. When a customer visits your store, they see one cohesive brand – they don’t interact with the supplier directly. Your main responsibility in this step is marketing the products, optimizing your store and setting retail prices that allow for profit while remaining competitive. 02. The customer places an order A customer browses your online store, selects a product and makes a purchase. They pay the retail price you’ve set for the item. At this point, you don’t need to worry about managing inventory or packaging – the order details are seamlessly passed on to the next stage. It’s critical to have an easy-to-navigate storefront and a secure payment system so the buying process is smooth and builds trust with customers. 03. The retailer sends the order to the supplier Once the customer has completed their purchase, you forward the order details to your dropshipping supplier along with payment for the product at its wholesale price. Many dropshipping platforms automate this process, making it efficient and error-free. The wholesale price is lower than what the customer paid and the difference between the two amounts becomes your profit after deducting any other fees or expenses. 04. The supplier processes the order At this stage, the supplier takes over. They pick, package and prepare the product for shipping. This eliminates the need for you to deal with physical inventory or logistics, freeing up your time to focus on other aspects of your business like customer support and marketing. Reliable suppliers ensure the correct product is packaged and meets the quality standard you’ve promised. 05. The supplier ships the product The supplier ships the product directly to your customer using the address details provided. The process is seamless from the customer’s perspective – your online store remains the face of the transaction. Packaging often includes neutral branding so customers may not realize a third party handled their purchase. It’s essential to work with reputable suppliers to ensure timely delivery and positive customer experiences. 06. The customer receives their product Once the shipment arrives, the customer receives exactly what they ordered. While the supplier manages logistics you remain the point of contact if the customer has questions or concerns about their order. Providing excellent customer service at this stage can strengthen your brand and encourage repeat business. Benefits of dropshipping Dropshipping is an attractive retail model for a variety of reasons. Some of the main benefits of this type of business idea include: Low startup costs If you use dropshipping and free or low-cost eCommerce site tools to launch an online store, your cash outlay is minimal. You don’t need to pre-purchase inventory and your suppliers typically absorb the cost of storing and shipping products (though in some cases, may charge you for shipping). Even non-dropshipping product businesses can launch on a shoestring with this model in mind. Take Noah Rosen, a Forbes 30 Under 30 founder who started Forge to Table from a culinary school dorm room: "I ordered 200 hand-forged knives to my dorm room and built a Wix website to sell them." Today, Forge to Table ships to customers in more than 30 countries, with a catalog of 40+ kitchen products. The dropshipping equivalent of that story is even leaner: with no inventory order to fund up front, the only real launch costs are the website, a domain and your marketing. No warehousing Since suppliers hold inventory, you don’t need to lease storage space or fill your garage. You also avoid warehouse labor costs, which have risen an average of 8% since 2020, according to the Wall Street Journal. Expansive product selection Since you're not limited by physical storage space or geography, you can sell as many products as you want. In addition, the selection of products available to you is nearly unlimited, giving you the freedom to curate a unique assortment. If items don’t sell well, you can pull back quickly without needing to offload residual inventory. Broad product options mean you can appeal to a wider potential customer base and even bundle products together to sell more. Operate from anywhere In the past, retailers were tethered to physical store locations. Now, if you operate an online-only dropshipping business, you can manage your eCommerce site from anywhere with internet access. This gives you flexibility as a business owner in terms of where you work from but also in relation to what you sell. If you're not tired down by inventory and needing the space to store it, you can sell anything from anywhere and even pivot if an item doesn't sell well, to something else. Tammy Maki, founder of Indigenous-inspired chocolate brand Raven Rising, learned this firsthand. When the pandemic closed her pastry consulting business, she moved back home with no eCommerce infrastructure and no formal background in online retail. She launched the Wix store herself within months, and Raven Rising now ships across Canada and won the Bell Let's Talk Start-up Award in 2020. Here's how Tammy frames the mindset shift she went through: "Honestly, I looked at Amazon and I went, 'If they can have an eCommerce site that can service the world, for God's sake, why can't I?'" Automated workflows Once your store is up and running, much of the day-to-day order management can be automated. While you still need to monitor customer service and marketing promotions carefully, the mechanics of purchases, fulfillment and shipments can run in the background. Merchants using Wix’s dropshipping solution can automate inventory management, order routing, order tracking and more. This is the part that makes one-person stores genuinely viable. Jonathan Loake, a solo founder running Aluminium Rainflow in the UK, describes the split this way: "About 50% of my sales come through the website through the eCommerce platform that you provide. The other 50% is through leads, again, through the website." Eight years into running the business by himself, Jonathan still uses Wix eCommerce to process half of his orders end-to-end while leads from the same site drive the other half. Scale efficiently The combination of automation and supplier outsourcing means you can grow your business quickly with fewer staff members and logistical headaches. Dropshipping drawbacks and limitations Despite being flexible and offering low barriers to entry, dropshipping has potential drawbacks. If you’re considering launching a business built on a dropshipping business idea, be aware of these caveats: Stiff competition Because dropshipping offers so many potential benefits, millions of other sellers are trying their hand at it. And unless you lock in an exclusive contract with a supplier, there’s nothing to prevent them from dropshipping for a competitor. To stand out, you need a strong brand differentiator, top-notch customer service and comprehensive marketing strategies. According to Chad Waldman, a DTC brand builder who has scaled brands in competitive wellness categories, niche selection is where most aspiring sellers go wrong: "Most people who ask 'what's the best eCommerce niche?' are asking the wrong question. The right question is: what niche is right for you to own, and can you validate it before you sink time and money into it?" Worth knowing: dropshipping catalogs often grow fastest in the first few weeks because importing products is so easy. Sellers who narrow their assortment to a specific niche and then build brand and content around it consistently outperform those who try to be the cheapest in a crowded category. Low profit margins Because there are so many potential suppliers, including ones from overseas, many dropshippers stake their brands on rock-bottom pricing, which can make it tough to eke out a profit or to compete with higher price points. While high-ticket dropshipping can be successful, you’ll need to cover additional fulfillment fees for upscale packaging and insurance, and customers will expect concierge-style customer service, which can also be costly. Lack of quality control Since you're not physically handling the products yourself, you don’t know whether suppliers are delivering quality goods or cutting corners, or whether they’re offering counterfeit merchandise. The challenge is especially steep if you source products from overseas suppliers, where safety standards may not match local regulations and quality may not be up to par. A growing number of stories are circulating about customers feeling duped after receiving products that don’t match the online descriptions. But as the seller of record, your brand is on the line. Sustainability and social concerns Half of consumers would be willing to pay a premium of up to 10% for ethically and sustainably made products, according to PwC. But it’s hard to vouch for products and manufacturing processes you haven’t evaluated in person, which puts you at risk for accusations of “greenwashing.” Customer service accountability If customers have problems with order delivery or the products themselves, it’s up to you to resolve the issues, even though you didn’t make the items or ship the packages. Tight cooperation with your dropshipping partners and responsive communication on their part is essential. When vetting potential suppliers, quiz references extensively to ensure you’ll be able to meet customers’ expectations. Inventory Issues Supplier stock levels can change unexpectedly, causing popular products to sell out before you can fulfill orders. Regularly monitor inventory and stay in close contact with suppliers to ensure timely fulfillment and keep customers satisfied. Lack of recourse Before signing a contract, review the terms and conditions with an attorney. If your dropshipping partner is overseas, work with a legal firm that has experience on the ground there. Otherwise, you may have few options if the relationship sours or, worse, defective or damaged products cause a customer harm. How to start dropshipping with Wix Now that you know everything there is to know about dropshipping, you’re ready to take the plunge—and there’s no easier way to get started than to use Wix eCommerce. With Wix’s end-to-end platform, you can quickly learn how to build a website from scratch, connect to dropshipping suppliers and manage products and orders from a single administration interface. Wix offers a comprehensive dropshipping website builder with a built-in marketplace sourcing millions of high-quality products to sell online. The steps to get started are simple: Come up with your dropshipping idea: Identify a niche by researching trending products and analyzing market demand. Look for gaps in the market, research competitor offerings and check social media trends. Use tools like Google Trends and Amazon Best Sellers to validate your ideas and ensure profitability and low competition. Design your website: Use Wix’s website builder to create an eCommerce site or online store with the right tools for dropshipping automatically built in. No coding is required; Wix’s interactive platform will walk you through the process and give you a range of online store templates to choose from, as well as the ability to customize everything to your preferences. Additionally, built-in AI tools can automatically generate text for product descriptions, FAQ pages, email newsletters, social posts and more. Connect to the Modalyst dropshipping hub or choose another dropshipping supplier: Wix’s Modalyst marketplace connects you with thousands of vetted dropshipping suppliers who deliver high-quality products and reliably fulfill orders. You can browse items by categories, including name brands, trending items and independent labels. Choose dropshipping products: Select your product assortment and import the items to your Wix site. Customize the product pages, including the product descriptions, to be unique, engaging and reflect your brand voice. Add lifestyle images to supplement or replace the standard catalog photos. Pricing and inventory are automatically updated to reflect the suppliers’ latest information and displayed on your pages. Set your product costs: Establish a baseline price markup formula based on your suppliers’ prices so you can see how much you’ll earn on each product before launching it for sale. As mentioned earlier, remember to factor in your costs, including overhead for fulfillment fees, marketing and customer service. Many suppliers handle the shipping costs directly; if yours does not, you’ll want to factor that in, as well. Get ready to transact: Set up Wix Payments to transact orders and accept payments online via credit and debit cards, digital wallets and “buy now, pay later” solutions. Monitor orders: Once launched, you can review and track orders via the Wix dashboard. Follow up with suppliers to ensure they’re fulfilling orders, and obtain tracking numbers so you can monitor estimated delivery dates. Market effectively: Use Wix’s marketing tools to get the word out and build your brand presence. Social media is a great way to connect with potential customers—use it to showcase your products and build a loyal following. Make sure your site is optimized for SEO by adding relevant keywords to product descriptions and blog posts to improve search rankings. Wix email campaigns and analytics can help you reach the right audience and fine-tune your strategies, so you’re always making the most of your marketing efforts. Learn more: Best dropshipping website builders Dropshipping examples to inspire your business Ultimately, there are many ways in which you can use dropshipping to build or enhance your eCommerce business. Below are three examples of ways that you can leverage dropshipping. 01. The Boho Birdy Australian company and Wix merchant The Boho Birdy offers affordable “boho”-style apparel, bridalwear and homewares. Dropshipping is baked into the brand’s identity as a low-cost shopping source, and the selection is carefully curated to highlight eclectic finds that align with their aesthetic. Flowy apparel, paisley prints and natural fabrics dominate, and the site offers retro band T-shirts from the 1960s and 70s. The unique selection is backed by an extensive FAQ, multiple payment options and easy access to customer service via live chat—proactively addressing shoppers’ questions and easing purchases. 02. Sweet Mana If you already run an eCommerce business and want to add more items to inventory, but lack the time or budget to source and stock them yourself, you can use dropshipping to complement your existing product mix. Sweet Mana is a skincare and lifestyle company with a wide range of products. The company's ethos is centered on relaxation, mindfulness and healing the spirit; the intent is to inspire “a state of island bliss.” The core offering is Sweet Mana’s branded line of handcrafted botanical skincare products and candles. To extend the site’s product offering, Sweet Mana uses dropshipping to offer travel photography prints with a meditative subject matter that aligns with the brand. Curated selections of crystal jewelry, virtual feng shui kits and beach-ready bikinis and sun hats round out the assortment. 03. Little Tail Farms You don’t need to be a retailer of physical goods to take advantage of dropshipping. Whether you sell software subscriptions or work in the community as a charity or school, you’ve likely got fans who appreciate clever merchandise tie-ins. With branded merchandise created via print on demand, you can supplement your primary revenue stream and provide fun options to your existing customer base. The owners of Little Tail Farms raise adorable dwarf goats, babydoll sheep and other unique breeds of farm animals. The company’s primary source of income is agritourism—visitors who stay overnight or take two-hour tours to meet the animals. The Little Tail Farms Store provides additional income via print on demand logo T-shirts and accessories that serve as mementos of customers’ visits. Creating and selling custom products has never been easier. With Wix’s on demand printing, powered by Printful, you can design and launch personalized apparel, accessories, home goods and more, made to suit any style, niche or need. No extra tools, no complex setup. Just pick a product, upload your design and start selling, all from your Wix dashboard. With seamless Printful integration, you get a streamlined way to build, brand and sell, without ever leaving Wix. "If you wait until everything's perfect, you never launch. So you've just got to launch something that goes. And then you add the doors and the windscreen wipers later." Jonathan Loake, Founder, Aluminium Rainflow (8-year solo Wix eCommerce business, UK) What is dropshipping FAQ Is dropshipping worth it? Given the resources and effort involved, it’s reasonable to ask: Is dropshipping worth it? In response, consider the potential market. Revenue from retail eCommerce in the U.S. is projected to grow 51% from 2023 to 2027, according to Insider Intelligence. What’s more, spending is forecast to grow in categories that have so far been underserved online. While apparel, furniture and electronics will still claim a significant share of eCommerce dollars, health and personal care products, and food and beverage items, are each forecast to account for at least 10% of eCommerce sales by 2027. Is dropshipping legal? Yes, dropshipping is completely legal. To be clear, you’re selling products with the suppliers’ permission. Make sure to run honest marketing campaigns and comply with online sales tax laws. How profitable is dropshipping? On average, dropshippers make between 15% to 20% profit margin. As a dropshipping business, you’ll need to balance cost with revenue. Consider the wholesale prices of your products and your marketing budget. Then, price your products to ensure that you’re earning more than you’re spending. At the same time, make sure to research your competitors’ prices to get a reasonable range, and strike the right balance between competitiveness and margin. How to get started dropshipping? The basic steps you need to follow to start dropshipping are: Starting dropshipping involves these key steps: Choose a niche: Select products that interest you and have market demand. Choose a supplier: Find reliable suppliers on platforms like AliExpress, Modalyst or SaleHoo. Build an online store: Use eCommerce platforms like Wix eCommerce. Import products: Use your site to import products from suppliers to your store. Promote your store: Via SEO, social media and paid ads to attract customers. Manage your orders and store: Focus on customer service, while suppliers handle inventory and shipping. Is dropshipping hard for beginners? Dropshipping can be tricky for beginners, new to starting a business, due to high competition, slim profit margins and the need for effective marketing. Beginners must find reliable suppliers, manage their customer service and optimize their online stores for traffic and sales. However, with research and persistence, dropshipping can become a profitable business model. How much do I need to invest to start dropshipping? Starting a dropshipping business typically requires a low initial investment compared to other business models, as low as $100–$500, depending on your approach. You’ll need to budget for creating your eCommerce website (which can often be done cost-effectively with platforms like Wix), marketing expenses and possibly purchasing a domain name. Most suppliers don’t require upfront costs for inventory, so your main initial expenses will revolve around setting up and promoting your store. How do dropshippers make money? Dropshippers make money by selling products at a higher price than the cost from their suppliers. The difference, called a markup, is the profit they earn per sale. Dropshippers often focus on attracting customers through strategic marketing and offering a seamless shopping experience to encourage purchases and repeat business. How do I choose a reliable dropshipping supplier? Choosing the right supplier is one of the most important decisions you will make. Look for suppliers with consistent product quality, fast and trackable shipping, clear return policies and responsive communication. Order samples before listing items so you can judge quality and delivery times yourself, read reviews from other sellers and start with a small product range to test reliability before scaling. Vetted marketplaces, such as Wix’s Modalyst hub, connect you with pre-screened suppliers to make this easier. What are the alternatives to dropshipping? Dropshipping is just one fulfillment model. If you want more control over branding and quality, you might hold your own inventory and ship orders yourself, or use a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to store and ship on your behalf. Print on demand is another option, where products are custom-made and shipped only after a sale, and wholesale buying lets you purchase stock in bulk at lower per-unit costs. Many sellers combine models, dropshipping some products while stocking their best sellers.

  • How to make a film portfolio that gets you noticed (+ inspring examples)

    Ready to showcase your best work? Start building your portfolio → Your film portfolio should be more than just a collection of your work it's your ticket to new opportunities. Think of it as your personal pitch to film schools, potential collaborators or future clients, aka your chance to tell your story and leave a lasting impression. Want to bring your film portfolio to life in the best way possible? We’ll walk you through the entire process step-by-step showing you how to create the perfect film portfolio. With powerful tools like portfolio makers, you’ll see just how easy it is to create a portfolio website that reflects your vision and creativity. Wix offers a powerful website builder. What is a film portfolio? A film portfolio is a handpicked collection of your best work that captures your style, skills and unique approach to filmmaking. Your portfolio isn’t just about showing what you’ve done, it’s about showing who you are as a filmmaker and why your perspective matters. When done right, your film portfolio becomes the bridge between your ideas and the opportunities you’re seeking, from landing film school spots to securing collaborators or pitching projects to clients. It’s where your technical abilities meet your storytelling skills, offering a behind-the-scenes look at your thought process and how you’ve overcome challenges to create your work. "An outstanding portfolio is all about storytelling. It’s not just a showcase of work but a narrative that weaves together a professional’s skills, creativity, and personality. Features like dynamic presets, AI setup and beautiful templates let creators bring their stories to life, ensuring that every portfolio not only stands out for its aesthetic appeal but also tells a compelling story about the creator behind it." - Hani Safe, product lead (Showcase) at Wix Learn more: How to make a portfolio Portfolio name ideas How to create a marketing portfolio How to create an animation portfolio How to build a freelance portfolio How to make a film portfolio in 7 steps Select your best work Pick a domain name and web host Choose a website builder and template Organize your work thoughtfully Include contact information Optimize your film portfolio for SEO Keep it updated 01. Select your best work Your film portfolio is a reflection of you, so it’s all about quality over quantity. Start by selecting projects that represent your unique style and demonstrate your range as a filmmaker. Include your most impactful short films, standout scenes or even behind-the-scenes content that captures your creative process. This isn’t just about showcasing your skills, it’s about telling your story. Remember, your portfolio should leave anyone who views it wanting to see more of your work. If there’s one thing to lead with, make it a showreel. A tight, well-edited reel of your strongest shots and scenes, usually around one to two minutes, gives viewers an instant sense of your style and skill before they dive into individual projects. 02. Pick a domain name and web host Start by picking a domain name that’s professional, easy to spell and reflects your brand as a filmmaker. If your name is available as a domain, that’s always a great choice. If not, you can use tools like a domain name search or a domain name generator to find the perfect match. Once you’ve chosen a domain, pair it with reliable hosting to ensure your website runs smoothly. If you’re unsure where to start, website builders, like Wix, that offer both hosting and domain options make the process super simple, so you don’t have to juggle multiple providers. Wix simplifies domain registration for your business. Wix offers fully managed web hosting for a hassle-free experience. Get started with free website hosting and learn exactly how to host a website that brings your film portfolio to life. 03. Choose a portfolio builder and template Creating your film portfolio doesn’t have to feel complicated and a user-friendly portfolio builder can simplify the whole process. Exploring the best portfolio website builders is a great place to start, as they're designed specifically with creatives in mind. To save time, browse through free filmmaker website templates that suits your style and makes it easy to showcase your work. Once you’ve selected your portfolio template, you can fully customize the design to align with your vision. Wix provides an AI website builder that generates beautiful, fully customizable sites. "What often gets forgotten when talking about choosing a website builder is the capabilities of the infrastructure that’s promised to you—the reliability of the hosting, the level of security in place to protect your visitors’ data and, of course, your site's speed. Even if infrastructure is not the first thought that comes to mind when creating a website, if it’s not robust enough, it can cause major headaches for website owners when trying to scale a website later on." - Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead (outbound) at Wix Explore Wix templates: Portfolios website templates Film and TV portfolio templates Filmmaker website template 04. Organize your work thoughtfully A beautiful collection of work can lose its impact if it’s not well-organized. Think about how viewers will experience your portfolio as they scroll through it. Arrange your projects logically or in a way that tells a clear narrative.and use categories, playlists or dedicated sections to keep content easy to browse. For example, you could group together short films, experimental projects or stills under different tabs. Add short descriptions or titles to each piece, sharing insight into your role, the concept or why the project matters to you. It also helps to tailor your portfolio to the role you want. A director might lead with narrative shorts and scene work, a cinematographer with lighting and composition reels, an editor with pacing and transitions. Curating around your strength tells viewers exactly what you do best. Explore how these portfolios perfected their layouts: Digital portfolio examples Web design portfolios Interior design portfolios Best UX portfolios Photography portfolios Industrial design portfolios Social media portfolios 05. Include contact information When someone sees your film portfolio and loves it, make it easy for them to contact you. Add a section to your site with your email, phone number or links to your professional social profiles. If you prefer a more direct way for people to reach out, include a simple contact form. This is especially handy for collaborators, film schools or clients who may want to connect with you for future projects. Learn more: Contact us page Contact form designs 05. Optimize your film portfolio for SEO If you want your portfolio to rank higher in search engine results and reach a broader audience, optimizing it for SEO is an essential part of your marketing strategies. Look for website builders that offer advanced SEO features, like customizable meta tags or keyword prompts, to help get your page noticed. Think of your website SEO as your portfolio’s secret weapon. Use relevant keywords in your site’s copy, image descriptions and project titles. For example, phrases like “independent filmmaker portfolio” or “cinematography projects” can help search engines connect your site with your audience. If your portfolio includes a blog, that's a great way to boost visibility. A blog maker can help you quickly add one to your website. Not sure what to write? Guides about filmmaking, behind-the-scenes stories or advice on how to start a blog related to your craft can draw traffic. And don’t forget about blog SEO, which lets you optimize blog posts using keywords and carefully crafted titles. 06. Keep your portfolio updated A film portfolio isn’t a one-and-done kind of project so make it a habit to revisit your portfolio every few months. Add new work that reflects your current level of expertise, swap out older projects that no longer align with your goals and tweak the design as needed to keep things fresh. Staying up-to-date shows your audience that you’re actively growing as a filmmaker and equips you with a tool that’s always ready when opportunity knocks. Why you need a film portfolio portfolio Film portfolio examples built on Wix With Wix, you’ve got everything you need to create a film portfolio that feels as unique as your vision. From versatile templates to user-friendly tools, Wix helps filmmakers design portfolios that showcase their style, talents and accomplishments in a way that truly stands out. Be inspired by these incredible film portfolios built on Wix. 01. Waku Shoji Waku Shoji is a bilingual filmmaker site that blends simplicity with impact. With a clean layout, Wakushoji focuses on his impressive credits and award-winning projects. By including both English and Japanese content, he demonstrates versatility and accessibility, making his portfolio a standout choice for international collaborators. 02. House Films House Films uses a minimalist design to keep its site sleek and focused. The homepage prominently features a video reel, pulling visitors in from the start. Categorizing the work under "Films" and other sections makes navigation effortless. This portfolio is a perfect example of letting the work speak for itself without unnecessary distractions. 03. The Lost Lotus The Lost Lotus showcases the beauty of storytelling through an effortlessly clean and modern design. The simple navigation ensures visitors can easily explore different aspects of the filmmaker’s work. The site’s design demonstrates how minimalism can be powerful, placing the focus entirely on the art. 04. Ashley Guzman Ashley Guzman's film portfolio opts for a bold, visual-driven approach. With vivid imagery and engaging videos, this portfolio grabs attention right away. It’s an excellent example of how to create a dynamic and visually compelling portfolio that’s both easy to use and professionally polished. How to make a film portfolio FAQ How to format a film portfolio? To format a film portfolio, focus on showcasing your best work in an organized and visually appealing way. Arrange projects chronologically or by genre, include high-quality visuals or videos and pair them with brief descriptions of your role and achievements. Add a short bio, contact info and links to social media or full projects to make it easy for others to learn about you and connect. How to make a portfolio as a producer? Showcase projects where you played a key role in managing logistics or creative direction. Include descriptions detailing your contributions. Highlight any successful outcomes such as completed films, awards or team achievements to show the impact of your work. This helps emphasize your ability to lead and deliver results. How do I make a portfolio for a film audition? Focus on performance-related clips that highlight your range. Include well-lit footage and ensure the focus remains on your on-screen presence. Add a short bio or resume with key details like training, past roles and skills to complement your footage. Showing your personality can also make a memorable impression on casting directors. How do I create a portfolio without any film experience? Build projects for your portfolio by collaborating with friends, volunteering or working on personal passion projects. Focus on quality over quantity to show your capability and creative potential. Highlight diversity in your work to demonstrate your versatility and willingness to take on different challenges. A well-rounded portfolio can make up for lack of professional experience. How long should a film portfolio or showreel be? Quality matters more than length. For a showreel, aim for roughly one to two minutes of your strongest footage, leading with your best shot. For the wider portfolio, a handful of well-chosen projects beats a long list of average ones. The goal is to leave viewers wanting to see more, not to show them everything you have ever made.

  • How to create a showstopping salon website

    Turn your ideas into a website you love with Wix→ Learning how to create a salon website can help your beauty business stand out, attract new clients, and make managing bookings and services easier with an online scheduling tool. From showcasing your portfolio ideas to highlighting your specialties, your website becomes the perfect online extension of your salon or service business. With the right tools and a clear plan, building a website that reflects your style and supports your business goals is easier than you might think. Learning how to make a website will give you the skills to design a site that looks professional, functions smoothly and connects with clients. By following this guide, you’ll have everything you need to create a salon website that truly represents your brand and draws in customers. Wix offers a powerful website builder. Get online instantly with a free salon website builder designed for beauty pros. Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should be easy and exciting. With Wix, you can customize and launch a professional website in minutes, no coding needed. We’re all about simplifying the process so you can focus on what matters most–bringing your ideas to life. So why wait? Let’s get started on creating the website you’ve always wanted. TL;DR: How to create a salon website This guide covers the key steps to launch a salon website that attracts clients and runs smoothly. Start by choosing the right website builder. Then pick a website template or use AI to create a design. Next, choose a domain name and website hosting. Design your site to reflect your salon’s style, and finally, promote and launch it to reach new clients. Step What to do Choose a website builder Pick a platform that makes it easy to design, host and manage your salon website. Select a template or use AI Choose a pre-made template or let AI create a custom design that reflects your salon’s style. Pick a domain name and set up hosting Choose a memorable domain and reliable hosting so clients can find your site online. Design your site Customize colors, fonts, logo and visuals to match your brand and showcase your services. Promote and launch Share your website on social media and other channels to attract new clients. Read also: How to start a business and service business ideas How to create a salon website Choose the right website builder Select a website template or use AI Choose a domain name and website hosting Design your site Promote and launch your website 01. Choose the right website builder A website builder should make it simple for you to create and manage your salon’s online presence without needing design or coding skills. The best platforms give you full creative control with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, so you can customize layouts, update content and keep your site fresh with ease. When evaluating platforms, consider infrastructure, speed and security. A strong foundation ensures your pages load quickly, your booking system works smoothly and your clients have a seamless experience. Cost is important too—choose a plan that fits your budget while still offering professional features like hosting, domain connections and integrated marketing tools. Templates can save you time and provide a polished starting point. Look for salon-specific templates that already include the pages and features clients expect such as services, booking and testimonials. From there, you can personalize the colors, fonts and imagery to match your brand. Expert tip from Esin D. Habif, product marketing lead outbound at Wix: "As a creator or entrepreneur, you're often wearing multiple hats. You're designing the website, you're optimizing for SEO. This means you need a website builder that makes it easy for you to do all of those things on the same platform and still deliver as if working with experts in those fields." Waste no time and create your site from start to finish with Wix's website builder. 02. Select a website template or use AI Your website should have the same impact on visitors as a perfect blowout or manicure. Browse through pre-made salon templates that match your aesthetic and functional needs, as well as these health and wellness website templates. Templates are designed to give your site structure while allowing full creative freedom to make it unique. And remember, Wix’s AI website builder can create the website of your dreams for you in seconds. Simply answer a few questions about your salon and AI will generate a ready-to-customize site complete with pre-written copy, images and built-in features like online booking. You can then tweak colors, fonts and layouts in the Wix Editor to make the site truly your own. Wix provides an AI website builder that generates beautiful, fully customizable sites. Learn more about how to design a website with AI, the best AI website builders. 03. Choose a domain name and website hosting Your domain name is how clients find your salon online, so make it memorable and professional. Ideally, include your salon’s name or a relevant keyword like “hairsalon” or “nails” so visitors immediately understand what you offer. Keep it simple—avoid unusual spellings, long phrases or special characters. Before committing, do a domain name search to see what’s available. If your ideal domain is taken, try a domain name generator to explore creative alternatives or add your city name to stand out locally. Don’t forget to compare domain pricing to find an option that fits your budget. You don’t have to settle for a .com either. Salon-specific extensions like .salon, .hair or .beauty can keep your domain memorable and instantly show visitors what you do. Once you’ve chosen a domain, reliable website hosting is essential. Hosting stores your website’s files and ensures visitors can access them without delays. Look for a solution that is fast, secure and scalable as your salon grows. Good hosting supports smooth booking, fast load times and uninterrupted access for clients. Wix offers fully managed web hosting for a hassle-free experience. With Wix, you can register your domain and host your site in one place, making it easy to get online quickly. Wix simplifies domain registration for your business. 04. Design your site The design of your website should reflect your salon’s style and brand personality. Choose a color palette that complements your space, team and aesthetic. Pick readable fonts that match your brand identity, sticking to a primary, secondary and accent font to keep your design consistent and cohesive. Expert tip from Dafna Rabin, Wix Templates design team lead at Wix: "If you have a brand, make sure your website aligns with it. This includes matching your brand colors, properly positioning your logo and making sure your business name is clear and easy to understand. People should immediately recognize your brand and know where they've landed when visiting your site." Professional photos are a must. Use high-resolution images of your salon interior, your team and your work to give visitors a real sense of what to expect. Consider creating a logo with a free logo maker if you don’t have one—this will strengthen your brand and help your website feel polished. A well-placed logo in the header or as your favicon adds a professional touch while improving navigation. Your site should also include the essential pages clients expect: Homepage: Welcome visitors with a strong visual, your salon name, a tagline and a clear call-to-action button like “Book Now.” Services: List all offerings with descriptions, pricing and appointment duration. Include online booking links to capture clients immediately. About us: Share your story, introduce your team and highlight your salon’s values to build trust. Gallery/portfolio: Show off your best work including before-and-after photos if relevant. Testimonials: Feature client reviews and photos (with permission) to provide social proof. Contact: Include your address, phone number, email, social media links and a Google Map. Consider placing contact details in the footer on every page. Blog (optional): Share hair and beauty tips, trend guides and salon news. Fresh content keeps clients coming back and helps your site rank for more searches over time. Optional online store: If you sell products, include an eCommerce section to boost revenue. Keep your content clear and concise. Ask yourself, “Does this information help a client decide to book with me?” If not, leave it out. Less clutter keeps your site approachable and easy to navigate. Try out some beauty logo ideas or learn how to make a barber logo. 05. Promote and launch your website Have you ever wondered how you can get your website among the first few results that show up on Google when someone searches for a business like yours? Search engine optimization (SEO) ensures your website can be found by people searching for your services. Choose keywords that potential clients are likely to use such as “hair color [city]” or “nail salon near me” and include them in page titles, descriptions and image alt text. Local SEO is equally important. Register your salon with Google Business Profile and display your location prominently on your site. This helps Google direct clients searching in your area straight to your business. Once your SEO foundations are set, it’s time to share your site with the world. Social media is a powerful tool to drive traffic. Share your website links in your bios, embed feeds on your site and promote individual service pages with direct booking links. Each page having its own URL lets you target the right audience on social platforms or through email campaigns. Expert tip from Lilach Goldis, social media manager at Wix: "Identify the social media platforms your audience is active on the most and get an in-depth understanding of what it takes to rank in them. For example, converting your Instagram carousel posts into a Reel can capture attention more effectively and boost your content's impact, ultimately leading people to visit your site." Monitor your site’s performance with analytics to see how visitors interact with your pages. Use these insights to refine content, improve user experience and increase bookings. Looking for inspiration? Check out these hair salon websites to elevate your salon's online presence. Why trust Wix’s experts? This article was written by Wix’s in-house experts, who have years of experience helping people create and grow successful websites. Every tip, template suggestion and example comes from real Wix projects, designed to help you launch a website that looks professional, runs smoothly and supports your long-term goals. At Wix, we’ve helped millions of creators, business owners and entrepreneurs bring their ideas online. Our team stays at the forefront of website design, user experience and SEO trends, ensuring the guidance we provide is practical, actionable and rooted in real-world results. You can trust this blog as a go-to resource for every stage of your website journey, from setting up your first page to scaling your site into a lasting online presence. Learn more: Salon marketing strategies How to make a barbershop website How to make a day spa website How to make a nail salon website How to make a hair salon website How to create a salon website FAQ What should be included on a salon website? A comprehensive salon website should include essential information such as services offered, pricing, business hours, location details and contact information. Feature an attractive gallery showcasing your salon's work, team profiles with stylists' credentials and an easy-to-use appointment booking system. Consider adding client testimonials, special promotions and relevant blog content to enhance engagement and SEO. How do I design my own salon shop? Designing your salon involves considering both aesthetic and practical elements. Choose a cohesive color scheme that reflects your brand, invest in comfortable and stylish salon furniture and ensure proper lighting. Optimize the layout for functionality, providing comfortable waiting areas and efficient workstations. Consider a theme that aligns with your salon's identity and invest in quality salon equipment. Pay attention to details like mirrors, décor and music to create a welcoming atmosphere for clients. How profitable is owning a salon? The profitability of owning a salon depends on various factors, including location, target market, management skills and marketing strategies. Successful salons often focus on offering high-quality services, effective marketing to attract and retain clients and efficient business operations. Proper financial planning, competitive pricing and staying updated with industry trends can contribute to a profitable salon business. How much would it cost to build a website for a salon? The cost of building a salon website can vary based on factors like design complexity, features and whether you hire a professional or use a DIY platform. DIY platforms may cost a few hundred dollars, while hiring a developer for a more customized site could range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Learn more about how much a website costs. Do I need a salon website if I’m already on social media? Social media is great for showing your work and staying in touch, but it is no substitute for your own website. A website is the most professional way to present your salon, it is fully under your control and it makes it easy for clients to find your services, hours and booking in one place, including through Google searches that social profiles alone will not capture.

  • How to use AI to create an online store (step-by-step guide)

    Turn your ideas into sales and start selling with Wix eCommerce→ If you want to know how to use AI to create an online store, the short answer is: it takes about an hour, costs nothing to start and requires zero coding skills. Modern AI website builders like Wix eCommerce let you describe your business in plain language and generate a fully functional, professional-looking store in minutes. You get product pages, checkout, payments and a design that matches your brand, all from a single conversation with an AI. This guide walks you through every step, from picking an AI builder to launching and growing your online store. If you're also planning the business side of things, our guide on how to start an eCommerce business is a good place to start before or alongside this one. Ready to launch your eCommerce business? With Wix eCommerce, you can build a professional online store that attracts customers, drives sales and grows your brand. Enjoy full customization, built-in SEO and powerful marketing tools, all in one platform. Start today and turn your vision into success. TL;DR: how to use AI to create an online store Step What to do 01. Choose an AI builder Pick a platform with built-in eCommerce and AI store generation. 02. Describe your business Answer a few questions or write a prompt, the AI builds your store. 03. Customize your design Adjust colors, fonts, layout and branding to match your style. 04. Add your products Upload products, use AI to write descriptions and enhance your images. 05. Set up payments Connect a payment provider and configure shipping. 06. Write your store content Use AI to generate homepage copy, an About page and email campaigns. 07. Launch Preview on mobile, connect your domain and go live. What is an AI online store website builder? An AI online store website builder is a platform that uses artificial intelligence to generate a complete online store from your description. Instead of starting with a blank template, you answer a few questions about your business: what you sell, who your customers are and what tone and style you want. And the AI builds a working store around your answers. The key difference from a traditional website builder is that AI handles the time-consuming parts: design decisions, copywriting, layout logic and even image enhancement. You still make every important call. You approve, edit and launch when it looks right. Wix's AI website builder mixes vibe coding and drag and drop editing to create a business-ready site quickly. The eCommerce tools are built into the same platform, no plugins or separate accounts required. Powered by Wix Harmony, Wix's unified AI system, the platform helps entrepreneurs build, manage and grow their businesses from a single AI-powered workspace while embracing AI in eCommerce. Rather than relying on separate AI tools for design, content creation, marketing and customer support, users can access advanced AI eCommerce builder features directly within Wix. These include product description generation, image creation and editing, customer support assistance and business management tools. Combined with Wix eCommerce's ability to sell products, services, bookings, courses, memberships and donations from one platform, it creates a streamlined path from idea to live online store. Learn more: How to use AI to create an eCommerce website Wix's AI agents for eCommerce What is Wix eCommerce? How to use AI to create an online store in 7 steps Here's a practical walkthrough of how to use AI to create an online store, covering everything from choosing your platform to launching your business. If you're wondering how to start an online store, these steps will help you go from idea to a live, AI-built storefront. Choose an AI eCommerce website builder Describe your business to the AI Customize your store design Add and optimize your products with AI Set up payments and shipping Use AI to write your store content and marketing copy Preview, optimize and launch 01. Choose an AI eCommerce website builder Not all AI builders are equal when it comes to selling online. What you're looking for is a platform with native agentic commerce: payments, inventory management, product pages and checkout built into the core product, not bolted on as an afterthought. Wix is a strong choice here. Its AI store creation experience guides you through a short conversation about your business, then generates a complete storefront with the pages, layout and tools you need. The online store builder includes built-in inventory tracking, product variants, discounts and a checkout that works out of the box. You don't need to configure anything before your store looks and functions like a real business. When evaluating any AI store builder, check for native eCommerce payment processing, AI tools for product content (descriptions, images), scalability as your catalog grows and mobile-responsive design by default. Related guides: How to vibe code an online store How to vibe code an eCommerce website Agentic commerce on Wix 02. Describe your business to the AI Once you've picked a platform, the AI will ask you a series of questions about your store: what you sell, who your customers are, what tone and style fit your brand and which pages you need. Your answers become the blueprint for everything the AI generates. The quality of the output depends heavily on how specific you are. A weak prompt like "I sell clothing" gives the AI very little to work with. A stronger version: "I sell minimalist women's activewear for millennial professionals; the tone should feel clean and premium; I need product pages, an About page, and a blog" produces something much closer to what you actually want. This is where it helps to understand prompts to use with AI website builder tools, since the structure of what you type directly shapes the design, copy and layout the AI generates. Include the product type, your target customer, your preferred tone and any key pages. The more context you give, the less you'll need to change after the AI generates your store. If you're using Wix specifically: How to prompt a website with Wix. 03. Customize your store design The AI-generated store is a starting point, not a final product. Once it's live in your editor, go through each section and make it yours. Adjust the color palette to match your brand, update the fonts, swap placeholder images for real ones, and refine any copy that doesn't sound quite right. With Wix, you can instantly drag and drop any element into a new position, resize sections, add or remove pages and update your brand kit so that changes to your colors or fonts apply site-wide in one click. You're never locked into what the AI generated, it gives you a head start, and you take your eCommerce website design from there. 04. Add and optimize your products with AI Adding products is where AI saves the most time. Once you upload a product, you can use Wix's AI product description generator to write clear, keyword-friendly copy in seconds. Give it a few details about the product and it'll produce a description you can publish or tweak. Product images matter just as much as copy. Wix's AI image tools let you auto-enhance photos for a professional finish, remove or swap backgrounds, upscale lower-resolution shots, and use the AI Image Creator to generate product imagery from a text description. For sellers still validating a product, that last option is particularly useful before committing to a photoshoot. Take the time to set up product variants (sizes, colors, materials), add accurate stock levels, and configure any shipping weight or dimensions. These details make order management much smoother as you scale. Learn more: AI product recommendations on Wix Guide to AI product recommendations 05. Set up payments and shipping Getting paid should be straightforward. Wix Payments is built directly into the platform, so there's no separate account to configure and no integration work involved. "Wix Payments is built into the platform so businesses can start accepting payments quickly once their site goes live. The setup experience is streamlined and designed to help business owners start selling with confidence. The checkout experience customers see is clean, professional and trustworthy and that confidence plays an important role in conversion." — Mariia Liakhova, Product Marketing Manager for Payments at Wix Beyond payments, set up your shipping zones and rates. Decide whether you'll offer free shipping above a certain order value, flat rates or real-time carrier calculations. These decisions affect conversion as much as any design choice. Unexpected shipping costs at checkout are one of the most common reasons customers abandon a purchase. Important: learn what is eCommerce localization to ensure your online store adapts to international markets. Read more: Agentic commerce via Stripe Buy now pay later with Wix 06. Use AI to write your store content and marketing copy A great store needs more than product pages. Your homepage headline, About page, and meta descriptions all contribute to how customers experience and find your brand. AI can write first drafts of all of these in seconds. Wix's AI text generator works across any text block on your site. Use it to write a homepage tagline, a short brand story for your About page, or product category descriptions. For email marketing, Wix's built-in tools include AI-assisted campaign creation, useful for launch announcements, promotions and post-purchase follow-ups. Treat AI copy as a strong first draft. Read it out loud, make sure it sounds like your brand, and adjust the tone or details where needed. The goal is to move fast without publishing something generic. 07. Preview, optimize and launch Before going live, preview your store on mobile. A large share of online shopping happens on phones, and a layout that looks great on a desktop can break on a smaller screen. Fix any spacing issues, confirm that buttons are tappable and check that the checkout flow works end to end. Take a few minutes to fill in meta titles and descriptions for your key pages. Connect your domain name, double-check that your payment setup is live, and then publish. You can use the same eCommerce hosting infrastructure to handle traffic spikes as your store grows without migrating platforms. Don't wait for everything to be perfect. Launch with the products you have, gather real feedback from customers, and improve from there. A store that's live and learning will always outpace one waiting to be perfect. What to look for in an AI online store builder Choosing the right platform affects how quickly you launch and how easy it is to grow. Here are the factors that actually matter: Native eCommerce, not an add-on: Payments, inventory, checkout and order management should be built into the platform. Bolt-on integrations add friction and extra cost. AI tools for content and images: Look for AI product description generation and image enhancement built in. These are the tools you'll use every day to keep your catalog sharp and up to date. No coding required: The whole point of an AI builder is that you shouldn't need a developer. The interface should be visual and intuitive, with AI assistance available at every step. Scalability: Pick a platform you won't need to leave when your catalog grows. Wix supports scalable eCommerce operations as a high-performance commerce platform that serves businesses from small online stores to high-revenue brands generating $5M to $30M or more in annual revenue. Built-in SEO and marketing tools.: Your store needs to be discoverable. Look for platforms with built-in SEO features, email marketing and the ability to connect to social channels. Tips for getting the most out of your AI store An AI-generated store gets you live faster, but what you do after launch determines how well it performs. A few habits that make a real difference: Write a specific prompt from the start: The AI works best when you give it context. Include your product type, target customer, brand tone and the pages you need. Vague inputs produce generic outputs that take longer to customize. Always review and edit AI copy: AI drafts are fast, but they're not always on-brand. Read every paragraph before publishing, especially product descriptions and your About page and adjust any phrasing that doesn't sound like you. Use real product photography when you can: AI image enhancement can improve photo quality significantly, but nothing replaces a well-lit shot of the actual product. Real images build trust faster. Don't neglect SEO from day one: Fill in meta titles and descriptions for every key page before you launch. As Ricardo Mendoza Castro, international marketing lead at Semrush, puts it: "Your online store must function well and be easy to navigate, not only for customers but also for crawlers like Googlebot. You need to have a solid foundation in your technical SEO." Update your store regularly: Add new products, refresh seasonal copy and respond to customer questions in your FAQ. An active, up-to-date store ranks better and converts more consistently than a static one. Build it faster with Wix Harmony If you're ready to go beyond a standard AI store builder, Wix Harmony lets you combine AI generation, vibe coding, and hybrid drag-and-drop website builder in one workflow. You can start with a prompt, generate a full store with AI, refine it using natural language and then fine-tune visually when you need precision. Instead of switching between tools, everything happens in one connected system, from idea to launch. Try Wix Harmony now → How to use AI to create an online store FAQ Can I use AI to create an online store for free? Yes. Wix lets you build and preview your store on a free plan. To accept payments and connect a custom domain, you'll need a paid plan. For most sellers, the cost is worth it on day one: a professional domain builds trust with customers and paid plans unlock the full eCommerce feature set. How long does it take to build an online store with AI? The AI-generated site takes minutes. Customizing it: adding real products, updating copy, configuring payments and setting up shipping typically takes a few hours for a focused session. Most first-time sellers go from sign-up to launch in a day or less. Do I need coding skills to use an AI website builder? No. AI website builders are designed for non-technical users. Everything is visual: you click, drag and type. The AI handles the underlying structure and logic. You don't need to touch any code unless you want to.

  • How to make a barbershop website that attracts local clients

    Turn your ideas into a website you love with Wix → Learning how to make a barbershop website can transform your business by attracting new clients and streamlining your booking process. A professional website acts as your 24/7 storefront, letting customers discover your services, view your work and schedule appointments even when you're off the clock. Building a barbershop website doesn't require any coding knowledge. With the right website builder, you can create a polished, functional site in just a few hours. This guide walks you through each step of the process, from choosing a platform to launching your finished site and explains how to go about making a website that brings in more clients. Wix offers a fast and intuitive website builder to bring your vision to life in minutes. Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should feel simple and exciting. Wix Harmony generates a personalized starting point with AI. You can customize every detail with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, while Wix handles the tricky parts to make building your site simple. That way, you can focus on what matters most: bringing your ideas to life. Ready to get started? Create your website today. Wix offers an AI website builder for on-brand, professional design. TL;DR: how to make a barbershop website Barbershops need websites to stay competitive and make booking easier for clients. Most customers search for services before booking and a professional website builds trust while making it simple for them to find you. Expert tip from Ilan Shaki, head of global B2B channel partnerships at Wix: “It’s simple. If you’re not online, you don’t exist. In this modern era, the digital world is married to the physical. Customers look to verify you by checking your website, and interact with your business by buying, booking, learning, making requests and more online.” Creating a barbershop website involves choosing a website builder, selecting a template, adding your services and prices, setting up booking functionality and optimizing for local search. The goal is to make it easy for potential clients to learn about your shop and book appointments without picking up the phone. Feature of a great barbershop website Why its important Booking system Lets clients schedule appointments 24/7 Service menu with pricing Shows what you offer and sets clear expectations Photo gallery Displays your best work and style variety Location and hours Helps clients find you and plan their visit Mobile-friendly design Ensures the site works on any device Contact information Makes it easy to reach you with questions How to make a barbershop website in 7 steps Building a website for your barbershop is simpler than you might think. Follow these steps to create a site that looks professional and actually brings in business. Choose a professional website builder Choose a domain name Pick a template designed for service businesses Add your services and pricing Set up appointment booking Create a photo gallery of your work Optimize for local search 01. Choose a professional website builder Start by selecting a website builder that makes website creation straightforward. Wix simplifies website building with no-code editing and customizable website templates. You'll be able to drag and drop elements, change colors and add content without touching a single line of code. Wix Harmony is the AI website builder built around one idea: you should never have to choose between AI speed and human precision. Go from a single prompt to a business-ready website, then keep shaping it through Aria, Wix Harmony's built-in AI agent, or by editing by hand with full drag-and-drop control. Aria is contextually aware of your canvas, bringing web design and business strategy expertise to every step of the build. Backed by Wix's enterprise-grade website infrastructure, every site built with Wix Harmony is reliable, secure and performance-ready from day one. Look also for a website builder, like Wix, that includes built-in booking tools. This saves you from installing third-party apps that might slow down your site or create a clunky user experience. The platform should also offer mobile optimization, since many clients will find you while they're on the go. Make sure the builder you choose offers reliable customer support. When you're running a busy barbershop, you don't have time to troubleshoot website problems on your own. Expert tip from Chava Katz, PMM @ Wix Pages at Wix: “Your website builder sets the stage for everything, from how your site looks to how easily you can update it. The right one gives you design freedom and tools that actually save time. It’s worth choosing one that grows with your goals.” Explore designer-made website templates: Ecommerce website templates Blog website templates Personal website templates Portfolio website templates 02. Choose a domain name Once you've selected a website builder, the next step is choosing a domain name that represents your barbershop and makes it easy for clients to find you online. A good domain name should be short, memorable and relevant to your barbershop business. For example, including your shop's name or location, like 'MainStreetBarbers.com' or 'CityCutsNYC.com,' can make a big difference. Your domain name is the foundation of your online identity, so take the time to get it right. Wix simplifies domain registration for your business. Pro tip: To choose a domain name, try out a domain name generator or domain name search for inspiration. Learn more: How to make a website mobile friendly How to choose a website builder 03. Pick a template designed for service businesses Start by browsing templates specifically created for barbershops, hair salons and beauty services. These website templates already include the sections you need, like service menus, photo galleries and booking buttons. Wix speeds up designing a website with fully customizable templates for any industry, allowing you to drag and drop elements to match your brand. Don't worry about choosing the perfect template right away. You can always customize colors, fonts and layouts to match your brand. The important thing is selecting a starting point that includes the right website structure for a service-based business. Incorporating your logo into the design is essential for building trust and recognition. If you’re starting from scratch, check out guides on how to make a barber logo. Expert tip from Marina Tamir, senior technical SEO at Wix: “The goal isn’t to use a template exactly as it is. The goal is to get inspired and then make it yours. Wix makes every tweak simple, from fonts to galleries to buttons.” Pay attention to how the template displays pricing. Clear, easy-to-read service menus help clients understand what you offer before they book. This reduces confusion and saves time when they arrive for their appointment. Skip the template? Wix's native Chat GPT integration allows you to type"@Wix" in a conversation, to invoke its Wix Harmony vibe code website builder. You can describe a business idea (e.g., "Build me a site for a high-end sushi catering business in Seattle") and the agent generates a full, live Wix website including booking systems and menus. Explore more: Barbershop website templates Interior design website templates Real estate website templates Restaurant website templates Photography website templates Wedding website templates 04. Add your services and pricing List every service your barbershop offers, from basic cuts to beard trims and hot towel shaves. Be specific about what's included in each service. For example, does a haircut come with a wash? Does a beard trim include line-ups? Include clear pricing for each service. Transparency builds trust and helps clients choose the right option for their budget. If you offer packages or deals for multiple services, create a separate section to highlight those savings. Consider organizing services into categories if you offer many options. This makes it easier for clients to scan the menu and find what they're looking for without getting overwhelmed. 05. Set up appointment booking Add a booking system that lets clients schedule appointments directly from your website. This eliminates phone tag and lets people book when it's convenient for them, even at midnight. Configure your online scheduling calendar to match your actual availability. Block off lunch breaks, days off and times when you're already booked. Set buffer times between appointments so you're not rushing from one client to the next. Enable email and text confirmations so clients remember their appointments. Automated reminders reduce no-shows, which means less lost revenue and fewer gaps in your schedule. Learn more: How to make a booking website 06. Create a photo gallery of your work Upload high-quality photos of your best haircuts and styles. Show a variety of looks to demonstrate your range, from classic cuts to modern fades. Good photos prove your skills and help potential clients visualize what they want. Organize photos by style or service type if you have many images. This helps visitors find examples that match what they're looking for. Update your photo gallery regularly with fresh photos to keep the site current. Make sure photos are well-lit and show the finished style from multiple angles. Blurry or dark images won't do justice to your work and might make clients question your professionalism. 07. Optimize for local search Add your barbershop's address, phone number and business hours to every page of your site. This information should be easy to find, typically in the header or footer. Consistent contact details across your site help search engines understand where you're located. Create an "About" page that mentions your neighborhood or city by name. Search engines use this information to connect your business with local searches. Include landmarks or well-known streets to help people find you. Claim your business on Google My Business and link it to your website. This improves your chances of showing up when someone searches for "barbershop near me." Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews, since positive ratings boost your visibility in local search results. Key features to include on a barbershop website Homepage: Create a strong first impression with clear branding, a short intro to your shop and a visible booking call-to-action so visitors can reserve an appointment right away. Services and pricing: Outline your full service menu with transparent pricing and estimated time for each treatment to help clients quickly decide what fits their needs. Gallery: Show real results with crisp photos of recent cuts, fades and beard work to demonstrate your skills and style. About and team: Share a bit about your shop’s story and introduce each barber to build credibility and make the experience feel more personal. Contact details and hours: Make it easy to visit by clearly listing your address, phone number, business hours and directions if needed. Social media integration: Link your site to Instagram and Facebook so visitors can explore more of your work and stay updated. Reviews and testimonials: Feature a few recent client reviews or star ratings near your booking call-to-action. Social proof reassures first-time visitors and often tips them from browsing into booking. Blog or tips section: A simple blog with grooming tips, style guides and shop news keeps the site fresh, gives you something to share on social and helps you rank for more local searches over time. Barbershop website templates Barbershop website templates make it easy to get started with a professional design. These templates come preloaded with essential features like booking systems, service menus and contact forms. Simply choose a template that fits your style and customize it to reflect your brand. With drag-and-drop editing, you can create a polished website in no time—no coding required. Template name: Barber shop (rustic) website template Template name: Barber (sleek) website template Template name: Barber shop (light) website template Other types of websites to create: How to make a tattoo website How to make a barbershop website FAQ What should be on a barbershop website? A barbershop website should include your services with prices, a booking system, photos of your work, your location and hours and an about section introducing your team. Contact information should be visible on every page. Client testimonials add credibility and help convince new visitors to book. How much does it cost to build a barbershop website? Website costs vary based on the website features you need. Basic sites with essential features typically cost between $15 and $50 per month through website builders. Custom designs from web developers can run several thousand dollars upfront. Most barbershops find that affordable monthly plans offer everything they need without breaking the budget. Learn more about how much does a website cost. Can I add a barbershop booking system to my website? Yes, most modern website builders include built-in booking systems or easy integrations. Wix provides easy-to-use website creation tools that include appointment scheduling features. These systems let clients choose their service, pick a time slot and receive confirmation emails automatically. You can manage your calendar from your phone or computer. Discover the best booking website builders. How long does it take to build a barbershop website? You can build a functional barbershop website in one afternoon if you use a template. Customizing colors, adding your content and uploading photos might take a few hours. Getting everything perfect, including SEO optimization and booking system testing, usually takes a full day or weekend. The timeline depends on how much content you need to create and how detailed you want your site to be. Learn more about how long does it take to build a website. How do I get my barbershop website to show up on Google? Start by claiming and completing your Google Business Profile, then make sure your shop name, address and phone number match exactly across your site and every listing. Use local keywords like your city or neighborhood in your page titles and headings, keep your services and hours up to date and encourage happy clients to leave reviews. Together these signals help you appear for searches like “barber near me” in your area.

  • What is checkout customization in eCommerce? Why it matters and how to do it right

    Turn your ideas into sales and start selling with Wix eCommerce→ Checkout customization is the practice of modifying your online store's checkout experience to match your brand, fit your customers and lift conversion. It covers everything from branding choices to payment methods, form fields and the structure of the flow itself. Wix eCommerce supports high-performance eCommerce operations with AI product recommendations, automated discount logic, abandoned cart recovery and customizable checkout workflows. On Wix, AI agents acting on behalf of shoppers can browse products, check availability, compare options and complete purchases without manual navigation. This guide covers what checkout customization is, why it matters, what you can change and the three levels of customization. If you've already learned the basics of eCommerce checkout and want to know what to do next, this is where to start. Wix offers an all-in-one online store builder with fully customizable storefronts. Create your online store and customize your checkout with Wix. TL;DR: what is checkout customization in eCommerce? Checkout customization is how you make your store's final step feel like part of your brand rather than a generic form. It runs across five main areas. These cover branding, form fields, payment options, layout and flow, plus trust signals. Done well, it lifts conversion and reduces drop-offs at the most sensitive moment in the buying journey. Area What you change and why it matters Branding Logo, colors and fonts so the checkout feels like the rest of your store Form fields Required vs optional fields, guest checkout, address autofill Payment options Cards, digital wallets, buy-now-pay-later and local methods Layout and flow One page or multi-step, with the order summary always visible Trust signals Security badges, customer reviews and clear return information Ready to launch your eCommerce business? With Wix eCommerce, you can build a professional online store that attracts customers, drives sales and grows your brand. Enjoy full customization, built-in SEO and powerful marketing tools, all in one platform. Start today and turn your vision into success. What is checkout customization? Checkout customization is the process of changing the visual, functional and structural elements of your online store's checkout page so it works the way your business and your customers need it to. It's one part of the broader practice of running an eCommerce store, focused specifically on the moment a shopper is about to pay. The default checkout that ships with most eCommerce platforms is generic on purpose. Customization is how you adapt that default to your brand, your products and your audience. It helps to separate two kinds of customization. Visual customization is about look and feel. This means matching the checkout to the rest of your storefront with consistent logo, colors, typography and imagery. Functional customization is about behavior. This covers which fields appear, which payment methods you offer, whether shoppers can check out as guests and how the flow is structured. Most stores need a bit of both. A store selling subscriptions cares deeply about recurring billing fields, a store selling t-shirts cares about size and color pickers and a store shipping internationally cares about multi-currency support. Learn more: How to start an online store Expert insight from Adi Avraham, senior SEO growth at Wix "The key to online sales is making it simple for your customers. With Wix, you can customize checkout flows, offer discounts and even track abandoned carts without a developer." Why does checkout customization matter? Checkout is the most fragile moment in the buying journey. The shopper has loaded their online shopping cart and decided to buy, but they haven't paid yet. Any friction at this stage costs sales directly. Most online carts get abandoned at or near checkout, which is why abandoned cart recovery sits next to customization as the two highest-leverage things you can do at this step. A generic experience makes the loss easier rather than harder. Brand consistency builds trust: A checkout that looks like the rest of your store reassures shoppers they're still on the same site. A generic page raises doubt at exactly the wrong moment. Functional fit reduces drop-offs: Asking for unnecessary information, forcing account creation or hiding payment options pushes shoppers out. Customization removes the friction your specific audience hits. Mobile experience is where most damage happens: Most eCommerce traffic now comes from phones. A checkout that wasn't customized for mobile loses sales every day, especially on long forms with tap-unfriendly inputs. Wix supports mobile-first purchase optimization through persistent checkout prompts, which is one of the few interventions designed specifically for this drop-off pattern. Conversion math compounds: Small lifts at checkout multiply with traffic. A few percentage points more on a busy day pays back the customization work many times over. All of this matters because eCommerce KPIs like conversion rate and cart abandonment rate are decided at checkout. Other eCommerce metrics in the same funnel, like add-to-cart rate and checkout completion time, follow the same logic. A small uplift at checkout shows up everywhere downstream. Expert insight from Thiago Guerra, digital sales director at Pagar.me: “Cart abandonment is one of the biggest challenges faced by digital entrepreneurs. In this scenario, a solution to recover your sales is to set up the automatic sending of a communication with a payment link. The link directs the customer to a checkout already customized with the products left in the cart, making it easier to complete the purchase.” What can you customize on a checkout page? Most platforms let you change more than you'd expect. The work splits into five practical areas. Branding: Logo, colors, fonts, imagery and tone of voice. The goal is for the checkout to feel like a continuation of your storefront, not a generic third-party page. Form fields: Which fields are required, which are optional and which are removed entirely. Guest checkout, address autofill and shorter forms all live here. Payment options: Credit and debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, buy-now-pay-later providers and local payment methods specific to the markets you sell in. Layout and flow: Single-page checkout or multi-step, where the order summary sits, when shipping is calculated and how returning customers are recognized. Trust signals: Security badges, clear return policy mentions, customer reviews and live order confirmation that reassure shoppers at the final tap. Wix is an all-in-one eCommerce platform that supports physical products, services, specialized business models like rentals or online ordering and digital programs such as online courses, all from a single backend. That range matters at checkout, where the right eCommerce tools keep each model working without rebuilding the flow from scratch. Expert insight from Maya Isak, eCommerce project marketing manager at Wix: “Wix eCommerce isn’t just for stores that sell physical products. We have businesses running bookings, digital courses, donation campaigns, restaurant ordering and wholesale operations, all from the same backend. That reflects how modern businesses actually generate revenue, across multiple models at once.” How does checkout customization work? Customization runs at three levels of depth. Most stores start at the first level and move down only when they need to. Basic visual customization Built-in editors handle the visual layer. You upload a logo, pick brand colors, choose fonts and adjust spacing. No code, no apps. Most modern eCommerce platforms ship with this out of the box and most stores can stop here for the visual side. Functional customization Functional changes happen in settings panels or through app extensions. This is where you turn on guest checkout, add Apple Pay, switch the flow from one page to multi-step or add a custom field for gift messages. It's still no-code on most platforms, just deeper in the settings menu. Advanced developer customization For stores with unusual requirements like a complex pricing model, regulated industry compliance or custom shipping logic, the work moves to API-level changes. This sits alongside the newer wave of AI eCommerce builder features that handle parts of the heavy lifting. Wix combines enterprise-grade infrastructure, web security and compliance with developer-friendly tools like Velo and Service Plugins, while connecting seamlessly to ERP, CRM, WMS and PIM systems to support complex eCommerce operations. Best practices for a high-converting checkout Once you know what's adjustable, the question is which adjustments actually move the conversion needle. These show up across high-performing checkouts in nearly every category and overlap with broader eCommerce website optimization work. Keep the path short: Whether you choose single-page or multi-step, every extra screen costs conversion. Cut anything that isn't strictly needed to complete the order. Offer guest checkout: Forcing account creation is one of the most cited reasons shoppers abandon carts. Let them buy first and offer the account creation at the end as optional. Show shipping costs early: Unexpected costs at checkout are the single most common abandonment reason. Surface shipping and taxes as soon as possible, ideally before the shopper reaches the payment step. Offer multiple payment methods: Cards alone are not enough. Digital wallets cut tap counts dramatically on mobile and shoppers who can't see their preferred method often leave rather than switch. Design mobile-first: Most eCommerce traffic is mobile. Test every checkout change on a phone before signing it off, not just on desktop. Make trust signals visible: Security badges, return policy mentions and visible customer reviews all matter most at the final step, when doubts spike. Test and measure every change: Treat checkout as something you refine over time. Change one thing at a time, such as a shorter form, a new payment method or a clearer button, then compare completion rates and keep what works. Add upsells without adding friction: A single relevant order bump or cross-sell at checkout can lift average order value, but keep it to one clear offer so it never slows the path to pay. How Wix handles checkout customization Every eCommerce platform offers some checkout customization, but the experience varies a lot in setup complexity and how much is editable without code. For teams trying to grow an eCommerce business, the difference adds up fast. Checkout customization with Wix runs across visual, functional and developer layers in one place. Wix supports global and omnichannel eCommerce with multilingual storefronts, multi-currency payments, marketplace and social selling, mobile apps and integrated point-of-sale systems for online and offline sales. That breadth shows up in the checkout itself. Visual customization from your dashboard: Logo, colors and fonts carry over from your site's branding, and you fine-tune the checkout from your store's dashboard settings rather than a separate plugin or third-party tool. Functional changes without a developer: Guest checkout, custom fields, payment method selection and multi-step flow all sit in standard settings panels, editable without code. Built-in support for multiple business models: The same checkout adapts to physical products, subscriptions, services and digital goods, so you don't need a separate flow for each line of revenue. Developer hooks for complex needs: When your business needs custom logic at checkout, Velo and Service Plugins let your team script it inside the same platform. Expert insight from Mariia Liakhova, product marketing manager for Payments at Wix: "Wix Payments is built into the platform so businesses can start accepting payments quickly once their site goes live. The setup experience is streamlined and designed to help business owners start selling with confidence. The checkout experience customers see is clean, professional and trustworthy and that confidence plays an important role in conversion." What is checkout customization FAQ Why customize the checkout page? A customized checkout matches the rest of your store visually, removes friction your specific shoppers hit and offers the payment methods your audience expects. The result is fewer abandoned carts, more completed orders and a smoother brand experience at the most fragile moment in the buying journey. What is the easiest way to customize a checkout? Start with visual customization in your platform's built-in editor. Upload your logo, set brand colors, choose fonts and confirm everything looks right on mobile. From there, move into functional changes like guest checkout and payment options. Most platforms, Wix included, handle both layers without code. Can I customize checkout without a developer? For most stores, yes. Visual changes and the common functional changes like guest checkout, payment methods and multi-step flow are all editable in settings panels. A developer becomes useful only when you need custom logic, complex integrations or industry-specific compliance, which is the minority of cases. Does customizing the checkout reduce cart abandonment? It can, when the changes target real friction. Cart abandonment is high across eCommerce (the Baymard Institute puts the average at around 70%), and much of it happens at checkout over avoidable issues like forced account creation, surprise shipping costs or missing payment methods. Customizing the checkout to remove those specific blockers is one of the most direct ways to recover otherwise lost sales.

  • Why start a blog? We asked 23 business owners, here’s what they said

    Ready to share your ideas with the world? Start your blog → Starting a blog can be one of the most rewarding moves for business owners and creators. It’s not just about putting your thoughts out there—it’s about building connections, showcasing your expertise and growing your reach. Plus, with tools like a website builder, learning how to start a website from scratch has never been easier. Wix offers a powerful website builder. But don’t just take it from us. We asked business owners and creators what inspired them to start blogging, and their answers might just spark some ideas of your own. Understanding blogging for beginners could be the next big step for you. Ready to create a blog of your own? Do it yourself, on Wix. Starting a blog should feel exciting, not overwhelming, right? With the Wix Blog Maker, you get everything you need to create, design and grow your blog from scratch—without needing a tech degree. Use Wix’s intuitive tools to share your ideas with the world. Wix provides an AI website builder that generates beautiful, fully customizable sites. Why start a blog? 23 business owners share their stories Here’s what 23 thought leaders have to say about how starting a blog (and understanding what is a blog) has positively impacted their businesses. Drive high-quality traffic to your website Appease Google’s appetite for new content Broaden keyword strategy Generate leads Reach global audiences Take a soft sell approach Humanize your business Engage with expert guests Build a connection with followers Position yourself as a thought leader Test new ideas and strategies Practice what you preach Build up your personal brand Grow a community (and attract sponsors) around a shared passion Establish a shared purpose with customers Jump into industry-wide conversations Reinforce brand values Celebrate successes Break down complex legal topics Pass on thoughtful advice Reduce the number of presale questions Answer customer questions at scale Help customers help themselves 01. Drive high-quality traffic to your website “As a digital marketing agency owner for the past 18 years, I started blogging for two distinct purposes—(1) to establish authority in my industry and (2) to create a sustainable source of organic traffic for my business. What I discovered was that blogging became much more than just a marketing channel. It evolved into a powerful tool for connecting with my audience of local business owners. The ROI has been remarkable—our blog generates approximately 25% of our new client acquisitions, but more importantly, these leads are typically more qualified because they've already consumed our content and understand our approach to digital marketing. For business owners considering starting a blog, I'd advise focusing on solving real problems your target audience faces. Don't just create content for search engines—create content that genuinely helps your potential customers. This approach has helped us maintain consistent growth even during economic downturns.” Danny Veiga, Founder, Chadix Learn more: Blog post templates How long should a blog post be? 02. Appease Google’s appetite for new content “I started a blog to grow the SEO for my website. Google likes to see that you're continually making changes to your website, and for a service-based business like mine, writing a blog is the easiest way to update your website every month. I pick a topic in an area in which I would like to rank better for SEO, and then I write a blog on that topic, making sure to optimize the article as I write to get the best possible SEO ranking for that page. The topics I chose further support my business and the work I'm currently doing with my clients.” Sarah Kornblum, Website Designer and Developer, 2 Dogs and a Laptop 03. Broaden keyword strategy “I started blogging on my Wix site to showcase my expertise in SEO and provide valuable insights to potential clients. It serves as a platform where I can share my thought process, industry knowledge and actionable tips on digital marketing. By offering well-researched, informative content, I aim to build trust and credibility with my audience. Additionally, the blog helps broaden my keyword strategy by targeting a mix of conversion-focused and informational keywords. This approach enhances my site's visibility across various search intents, attracting both potential clients and industry professionals. Ultimately, blogging has become a crucial part of my marketing strategy, driving organic traffic while establishing my authority in the SEO space.” Tim Pelletier, Owner and SEO Consultant, Tim Pelletier Consulting, LLC 04. Generate leads “The number one reason why we keep posting on our blog is lead generation. When you keep posting about various aspects of your business, particularly as it relates to your prospects, then eventually they find you. And if your content is good, then they're very likely to want to work with you too. What's great about this is that it also helps educate your clients and set the right expectations. For example, if we blog about the process of building a website and what mistakes to avoid, then business owners looking to build a website might land on that blog post and learn about our process. In doing so, they can see our brand (i.e., the blog post author) and get a better understanding of what goes into building a website, which makes them a better client if they choose to hire us. It's a win-win. A blog is a long game, and you have to keep posting consistently in order to see results, but I would argue that it's one of the best investments because every new blog post keeps making your blog stronger, and articles can bring leads forever.” Rafael Romis, CEO, Weberous Web Design Read more: Want to use blogging for business? Learn how much it costs to start a blog and how to monetize a blog. 05. Reach global audiences “As the owner of a small business serving English-speaking and Japanese-speaking customers, maintaining a blog in both languages expands my digital footprint. I focus on spreading valuable, free knowledge on key terms and areas that are relevant to my customers' industries. My company operates in a specialized field dealing with high-level science and complex content, so the blog provides a natural platform to showcase our expertise and language ability, and build credibility. Also, we create and manage blogs for scientific companies, so having a strong, effective blog of my own isn't just logical—it's essential. It demonstrates that we practice what we preach. My blog isn't just a marketing tool; it's evidence of the value we offer, showing clients that we understand their challenges and have the skills to help them succeed.” Adam Goulston, Director, MacroLingo Read more: Check out these inspiring blog examples and use our blog checklist. 06. Take a soft sell approach “I started a blog because it's one of the most innovative ways to own a slice of the internet and connect with your audience on your terms. A blog isn't just a space to talk shop—it's where we can break down complex ideas, share what works and show potential clients the value we bring without the hard sell. It's like hosting a conversation, but one that keeps happening long after you've stepped away. Plus, it's a long-term play: every post invests in visibility, authority, and trust that compounds over time. A blog isn't just content—it's your voice online, and that's priceless.” Cody Jensen, CEO and Founder, Searchbloom 07. Humanize your business “Blogging is one of the best ways to humanize your business and connect on a real, meaningful level with both customers and potential customers alike. While it can become a powerful acquisition vehicle for new customers, the real payoff of creating and sharing helpful content for your audience is that it builds memorable relationships by providing value to them first. When you give freely (in the form of useful content), it'll establish trust with your potential customers. Then, when they're ready to buy, you'll be the obvious choice. I've grown my blog to 500,000+ monthly readers over the past 10 years, and to this day, the biggest benefit I experience is the quality of relationships I've built with thousands of people. Any time I release a new product, I have a built-in audience who sign up because they trust me, and that's the true benefit of blogging consistently.” Ryan Robinson, Blogger and Founder, RightBlogger 08. Engage with expert guests “When I first started, I knew the easiest way to get out there was by being more visible. [I therefore interviewed] people in my field [and showcased those conversations on my blog]. Though I didn't get immediate results, two months later I got my first client, and it was the first time I made money online. Even my website traffic grew by 10% due to the high-profile business owners I interviewed. I made my first $250 because I broke all the rules and interviewed people with absolutely no list. My advice is to start a blog and interview people in your niche, with or without any experience. You would be amazed at the response. Go out there and post about your experiences, and write on Facebook what you can offer. Join Facebook groups, post about your website and invite people to ask you questions regarding the people you interviewed. Remember, our experiences all bring something unique to the table. Use that to secure your first interview. Let them know who you are and why you want to interview them. The most important thing is to tell them how they will benefit from the interview. Your voice, stories and experiences have made you who you are. They have shaped you, and your blog is a reflection of who you are.” Vanessa Gowora, Founder and CEO, Vanessa Gowora 09. Build a connection with followers “A blog is a natural extension of our brand [at Bowen Media]. It helps us prove that we are thought leaders in the digital marketing and web design industry by sharing answers to the questions and pain points of our readers. From a pragmatic standpoint, blogging is also one of the SEO techniques that we utilize. Our goal is to get organic traffic to our website through consistent, high-quality content that matches our targeted audience’s searches. Over time, this increases exposure and leads—and strengthens our online reputation. In a short story, we think of our blog as a kind of multifunctional instrument: a way to inform, engage and build our brand authority in the industry. When you’re providing answers, telling a story or even creating a conversation, blogging is the most powerful way to engage with your followers.” Dan Bowen, Founder, Bowen Media 10. Position yourself as a thought leader “Through my blog, I've been able to share my expertise, insights and experiences with a wider audience, positioning myself as an authority in my industry. By consistently delivering valuable and engaging content, I've cultivated a loyal following of readers who appreciate my unique perspective and turn to me for guidance. Moreover, when people resonate with your ideas and values, they are more likely to become loyal supporters and advocates for your brand.” Janelle Warner, Co-Director, Born Social 11. Test new ideas and strategies “We launched a few blogs—not to chase rankings or showcase expertise, but to use them as experimental sandboxes. They're where we test drive ideas and experiment with content strategies. For example, we recently tried a pillar-cluster [SEO] strategy on one of our blogs by publishing a comprehensive guide that covers a niche topic and is supported by multiple related articles. Once the internal linking and content were in place, we saw a steady uptick in organic traffic within weeks. That's proof our approach works—even on a smaller, less-established domain—let alone on our clients' domains, which are five to ten times bigger than ours. This hands-on experimentation gives us confidence backed by data. When we share strategies with our clients, it's not guesswork. We have results that we know how to replicate. We validate the ideas and scale what works to deliver measurable impact.” Kinga Edwards, CEO, Brainy Bees 12. Practice what you preach “I started a blog because I wanted a space to explore ideas, dive into research and share recommendations with my audience. I wanted a place that I had more control over, and where my voice could really shine through. I also work as a writer—blogging has given me an opportunity to practice, test and hone my writing in a place all on my own.” Lex Stewart, Career Coach, Alexandria Stewart Coaching 13. Build up your personal brand “For a bit of background: my first business was a travel blog, and my second business is a content strategy and writing service, so I've always been blogging either for my own business or for clients. Earlier this year, I decided to launch a blog for my personal brand. Business blogs are always highly focused on the business's core offer and target audience, while business owners are multifaceted people with a variety of interests and, oftentimes, knowledge that goes well beyond what is purely related to their main business. Since my biggest lead generator over the years has consisted of the personal relationships I've built, I wanted to expand on that and allow people (and potential clients) to get to know more of the person behind the business through a separate blog.” Sofie Couwenbergh, Content Strategist and Writer, Let Me Write That Down for You 14. Grow a community (and attract sponsors) around a shared passion “I've always loved sharing my experiences with others. Starting a blog was a natural step to combine my love for travel with my desire to inspire and inform. Through my blog, I've been able to document my journeys, from backpacking through Southeast Asia to exploring the bustling cities of Europe. I've shared personal stories, travel guides and destination reviews, all to inspire others to embark on their adventures. Beyond sharing my experiences, my blog has also become a platform for me to connect with like-minded individuals. By engaging with my readers through comments, social media and email, I've built a supportive community of travelers who share my passion. One of the most rewarding aspects of blogging has been the opportunity to collaborate with brands and businesses that align with my values. These partnerships have allowed me to create sponsored content, host giveaways and offer exclusive discounts to my readers.” Danielle Hu, Founder, The Wanderlover Learn how to start a travel blog of your own. 15. Establish a shared purpose with customers “Our blogs started because we wanted to build a community around our brand. At the heart of this idea was the realization that people crave connection and support, especially when they feel aligned with a mission or a shared purpose. Publishing blogs regularly nurtures that sense of community among our community members. As a platform created by creators for fellow creators, this was our way of offering value to our users. Whether it's practical tips or interesting insights, the goal is always to give our customers something they can apply in growing their own newsletter. I believe that when you offer value consistently, customers will trust you more and come back for more.” Edward White, Head of Growth, beehiiv 16. Jump into industry-wide conversations “Each blog post acts as a new web page, providing an opportunity to rank for relevant keywords and attract potential customers who are searching for solutions to their problems. But beyond just the marketing benefits, blogging has also been a rewarding personal journey for me. It has allowed me to connect with like-minded individuals, engage in meaningful conversations and even forge valuable business relationships. It's a platform where I can share my passion, inspire others and contribute to the growth and development of my industry. If you're a business owner considering starting a blog, I can't recommend blogging enough. It's a long-term investment that will pay dividends in terms of brand awareness, credibility and customer acquisition. Just remember to stay consistent, provide value and let your authentic voice shine through—that's the key to building a successful, engaging blog that truly resonates with your audience.” Gauri Manglik, CEO and Co-Founder, Instrumentl 17. Reinforce brand values “Blogging allows me to showcase the personality and values of my brand. Discussing topics that are close to [my] heart, like minimizing household waste or making the most out of products, helps strengthen the bond [with potential customers]. I want to pack each post with valuable information, which makes my blog an integral part of my business strategy. This method not only drives traffic but also boosts engagement and spikes conversions. The richer the content I create, the more you'll want to come back and share it, which in turn helps broaden my audience.” Dan Steiner, Co-Founder, Good Laundry 18. Celebrate successes “At We Create Tech, we started our blog to connect with youth, parents, young adults and supporters who are passionate about building brighter futures through technology. Our blog serves as a digital ‘brag book’ to celebrate our wins and showcase the success stories of our students. In addition, our blog is a key tool for outreach. By boosting our SEO, it helps us reach more people, build awareness and ensure that anyone searching for technology tools, educational resources or impactful stories can find and connect with We Create Tech. It's our way of leaving a digital blueprint—tracking growth, celebrating milestones and inspiring others—one update, one resource and one success story at a time.” Shana Digital Sanders, CEO, We Create Tech, Inc 19. Break down complex legal topics “I started our legal blog because I saw it as an opportunity to bridge the gap between legal complexities and the practical concerns of families facing challenging situations. Family law can often feel overwhelming and confusing for those navigating it, and we wanted to create a resource that explains these issues in a clear, approachable way. The blog allows us to address common questions, share insights and provide valuable tips that empower individuals to make informed decisions about their cases. While the goal is to inform those with questions about their legal situation, it's also not a bad marketing tool. Many potential clients appreciate our willingness to share our knowledge and end up hiring us when the time comes for legal assistance.” Duane Coker, Attorney and Founding Shareholder, Coker, Robb, and Cannon, Family Lawyers 20. Pass on thoughtful advice “As a career consultant, I help my clients find and utilize their voices. When I first started out as a coach, I also had plenty to say and wanted to use a resource that would enable me to share my knowledge easily; that's where my Wix blog helped. Wix has provided me with an easy-to-use platform that integrates with the rest of my website. Utilizing keyword research, I rank high in search engines and bring new customers to my website daily. (I have one post that has 4,000 views and counting.) Starting a blog and gaining traction takes time, but it's a great feeling when your words start reaching others and help them to move forward with both their careers and lives.” Emily Maguire, Entrepreneur and Career Consultant, Reflections Career Coaching 21. Reduce the number of presale questions “I started my blog with the goal of attracting clients and showcasing my expertise. By positioning it as both a portfolio and a resource to answer common presale questions, I ensured it naturally aligned with client needs, making it easier to build trust and drive business growth. After my blog was set up, the number of presale questions reduced significantly, making it easier for me to negotiate.” Shivam Sharma, Founder, Blogging Capital 22. Answer customer questions at scale “One of the main reasons I started was to solve a problem my customers often faced. They'd ask me similar questions repeatedly—how-to guides, tips and industry trends. Instead of answering individually every time, I decided to compile that knowledge into blog posts. This saved me time and offered my customers a resource they could refer back to any time. Over time, this also built my reputation as an expert in my field, which naturally brought in more clients. Blogging is a long-term strategy. Unlike social media posts that get buried, a well-written blog can keep bringing traffic to your site for months, even years. That consistency can make a big difference in growing your business.” Ankit Prajapati, Owner, SEO Consultant Ankit 23. Help customers help themselves “We've been running our blog for over 15 years. It started as a way to answer questions we received through email. When customers asked a question, we would reply and also share a link to a blog post for more detailed information on the topic. Over time, the blog has grown, and now we aim to publish at least one post a week to help attract potential customers to our products.” Evan McCarthy, President and CEO, SportingSmiles Why start a blog: our recap Establish yourself (and your expertise) as an expert in your field: If you're a consultant, sharing articles, insights and thoughts on topics related to consultancy, can help showcase your knowledge and experience both to your peers within your industry but also to future clients. Build your own personal brand: This is essential in some industries, especially service for service businesses — when working directly with people, your personal brand matters to establish trust and a blog is a very impactful but non forceful way to do that. This also means letting your personality, ideas and thoughts reveal themselves through your blog posts. Engage with your audience: For many a blog is a great way to engage readers within your audience directly. Encourage the to comment on your posts, or to contact you with their own thoughts and insights. Diversify your income: Blogs can be monetized, whether through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts or directly selling your products and services. You don't always need huge amounts of traffic to make money from a blog, as long as you have a dedicated and intentional audience. Sharpen your skills and find your voice: Beyond business results, blogging is one of the best ways to become a stronger writer, clarify your thinking and build the confidence to share ideas publicly — skills that compound far beyond your blog. Stay visible as search evolves: Search is changing fast, and AI tools increasingly pull from and cite helpful, well-structured blog content. Publishing consistently gives you a better shot at being surfaced — by both traditional search engines and AI assistants. How to start a blog - after the why, comes the how Once you're sure starting a blog is for you (and your business), you'll need to figure out how to go about getting it off the ground. Here are some quick tips for doing just that. Choose a blog maker: This is by far the easiest way to get a blog up and running. Opt for someone like Wix, which includes plenty of free website templates and blog specific templates to choose from. Using a blog maker also means you get secure hosting and a domain name too. With Wix you can create a blog for free, or upgrade to a paid plan to customize your site and use your own domain — and selected annual plans include a voucher for a free domain for the first year. Wix offers fully managed web hosting for a hassle-free experience. Wix simplifies domain registration for your business. Design your blog: Think about the structure of your pages, use of images and other media, as well as your color scheme. Consistency is key and essential to getting your branding just right. Plan your content strategy and schedule: The key with blogging is publishing consistency and a great content schedule. Think about what you want to write about, what your audience wants to read and how it all comes together in a cohesive strategy that can grow with your readership. Promote your blog: Great content is, well great but if no one reads it, does it even matter? As you figure out how to start and launch your blog don't neglect to think about how you will promote and market it. Blogs need traffic and there are a number of ways to generate this, from SEO, to social media to paid ads. Why start a blog FAQ How can a website builder help me start a blog? A website builder simplifies the process of creating a professional blog, even for beginners. With intuitive drag-and-drop tools, customizable templates and built in blogging tools, you can focus on writing content instead of worrying about technical details. Some platforms even offer AI website builders to help you create blogs or generate blog name ideas. This makes it easier than ever to start a blog, whether you’re sharing how to make money as a food blogger or tips on other types of blogs. Why does your business need a blog? A blog is an essential tool for any business looking to grow their website and connect with their audience. Consistently posting valuable and relevant content can help establish your business as an authority in your industry, improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic to your website. A business blog also helps to build trust with customers by providing solutions to their problems and grow community engagement. If you’re wondering if blogging is still worth it, the answer is a resounding yes—it remains one of the best ways to reach a wider audience. Also, learning how to promote your blog can further amplify its impact, making sure your content reaches the right readers. How does a blog benefit a small business? For small businesses, a blog is an affordable way to attract new customers and stand out from competitors. It provides a platform to share updates, promote products or services and engage directly with your audience. Blogs also improve SEO by targeting specific keywords, which help potential customers discover your business online. Learn more: Types of blogs Blog niche ideas What is the biggest advantage of business blogs? The biggest advantage of business blogs is their ability to generate long-term, organic traffic. Unlike paid ads, blog posts can continue to bring visitors to your site for months or even years after they’re published. This evergreen content boosts brand awareness and increases conversions by attracting readers who are already interested in your products or services. Blogs additionally provide a platform for repurposing content into social media posts, AI blog posts or newsletters, maximizing your content’s impact. Learn more: Blogging mistakes Is starting a blog still worth it in 2026? Yes. While the way people find content keeps shifting, blogs remain one of the most reliable ways to attract and build an audience over time. Well-written, helpful posts continue to rank in search engines, get shared on social media and increasingly get surfaced and cited by AI tools — so a consistent blog is still a smart long-term investment for most businesses and creators.

  • What is a URL? A complete guide

    The perfect domain is just a click away: claim your domain→ Every website you visit has a web address but not everyone knows what that really means. That address is called a URL and it tells browsers and servers where to find and display pages, images or files online. When you understand what a URL is and how it works, you can get around the web with more confidence and even organize your own site better. Wix provides instant domain name search. Secure your perfect domain in just a few clicks with Wix. Your site comes with reliable hosting and free SSL protection built in, plus optional add-ons like a custom business email and private domain registration. With 24/7 support and no hidden fees, getting your site live is simple and worry-free. Wix powers real-time domain name search so you find the right fit fast. TL;DR: What is a URL? A URL is the full address used to find anything online from webpages to files. It tells your browser exactly where to go and how to get there. URLs combine parts like the protocol, domain and path into one structured link. Creating clear, well-structured URLs makes your site easier to navigate, share and understand by search engines. You’ll learn: What a URL is and how it’s different from a domain name Where to find and how to use a URL The main parts of a URL and what they do The difference between absolute and relative URLs How URLs work Why URLs matter for navigation, SEO and usability How to write a clear and user-friendly URL Common URL limits, encoding and other technical stuff What is a URL definition? A URL, which stands for Universal Resource Locator, is the unique web address of a website, image, document or any other resource on the web. While URLs are specific types of Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI) most commonly used to reference webpages, they're also use in email communications, file transferring processes and database accessing. The URL of any webpage can be found in the address bar at the top of the screen of most web browsers (such as Chrome, Safari or Firefox). If you take a look at the address bar of this webpage, for example, you’ll see that its URL is: https://www.wix.com/blog/what-is-a-url. To see the full-form URL of an image or document within a broader webpage, right-click to copy the element’s address and paste it into a new tab or page. What is a URL address A URL address is the web location of a page, file or resource. It focuses on the “address” part of a URL—the exact place on the web where something lives. You type it into a browser or share it with others to reach a specific page or file. You can also copy or save URL addresses for later use, which helps when sending links to others or bookmarking important pages. URL addresses vs domain names It’s important to keep in mind that while the terms are often used interchangeably, domain names are not the same as URL addresses. While purchasing a domain name allows webpage owners to customize their online address, it's only one component of a URL. Learn more: Domain vs URL Uri vs url What is a URL link A URL link is a clickable version of a URL that takes you directly to a page, file or resource online. Unlike a plain URL, which you might copy and paste, a URL link is embedded in text, buttons, images or other elements to make navigation effortless. How URL links work They can be clicked in emails, websites or apps to open the destination automatically Anchor text or buttons often hide the full URL for cleaner presentation Links can include tracking codes to measure clicks and traffic sources How to use a URL Using a URL is easy once you get the hang of it. You can type it into your browser to visit a page, click it in an email or on a site or copy it to share. On your own site, you can use URLs to connect different pages, guide visitors to specific content or organize your site structure. Little things like bookmarking a URL can save time and make browsing the web a lot easier. Ways to use a URL Open a page: Type the URL into your browser’s address bar Follow a link: Click URLs in websites, emails or apps Share or save: Copy URLs to send or bookmark for later Link pages on your site: Use URLs to guide visitors between your pages Different parts of a URL Every URL is made up of several parts, and each one tells browsers and servers where to go. Understanding the parts of a URL helps you read, create and manage them more effectively when you’re visiting a page, sharing a link or organizing your own website. Protocol Otherwise known as “scheme”, the first part of a URL indicates which protocol must be used by the browser to access the resources. The most common protocols include HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) for web elements and FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to download files. The key difference between the two is security. HTTP sends data as plain text, so it can be read if intercepted, while HTTPS encrypts the connection so information stays private between the browser and the server. Most browsers now flag plain HTTP pages as ‘not secure,’ which is why HTTPS has become the standard for nearly every site. Subdomain Sitting at the beginning of the domain, subdomains help navigate and organize the different sections of large sites. They’re most commonly used in websites with a significant amount of content and pages, such as online stores, support platforms and blogs. Domain A domain is the main part of a web address that identifies a website. It’s what you type into your browser after https:// and before any specific page path. For example, in https://www.wix.com/blog, wix.com is the domain. Your domain is made up of two parts: Second-level domain (SLD): This is the unique name you choose for your site, like wix in wix.com. Top-level domain (TLD): This is the extension that follows your site's name, like .com, .org or .net. Together, the SLD and TLD (domain extensions) tell browsers where to find your website on the internet. “Your domain name is your online home address, and just like in real life, location matters. Pick something short, easy to say out loud and easy to remember. If someone can recall it after hearing it once, you’re on the right track.” — Ofir Gvili, domains product marketing manager at Wix Learn more: How to transfer a domain name Top-level domain Top-level domains (TLD) are one of the highest levels in the web’s hierarchical Domain Name System (DNS). The most popular TLD is .com, originally intended for commercial businesses, but now used by all kinds of sites. Other widely used TLDs include .org for organizations, .net for network services, and .info for informational sites. Country-specific TLDs, like .co.uk, .de, or .mx, indicate where a website is based or targeted. Choosing the right TLD can affect trust, recognition and even search visibility. For example, a local business targeting customers in Netherlands might use a .nl domain, while a tech startup might pick .tech to signal its industry. Newer TLDs like .store, .blog or .design give more creative options. “The extension matters more than you think. .com is often the default, yet choosing something like .store or .design can immediately signal what your website offers.” — Keren Nir, senior SEO strategist at Wix Learn more: What is com domain What is net domain Org vs com vs net Port A port is an optional number that tells the server which specific service should handle a request. It sits right after the domain, separated by a colon, as in example.com:443. Most of the time you never see it, because browsers use standard ports automatically (80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS). A port usually only appears in a URL when a site runs on a non-standard one, which is common during development or testing. Path The final part of a URL is the path, sitting after a slash and used to designate specific pages. This section is often broken down into smaller elements such as subdirectory, file name and parameters. For example, ‘/encyclopedia/definition/__url’ is the path for this webpage’s URL. Parameter Parameters in a URL provide additional information to the server about what is being requested, often used to filter or sort data, track sessions or perform other specific functions. They are appended to the end of a URL after a question mark and are usually structured as key-value pairs, separated by an ampersand if there’s more than one. Anchor Anchors, also known as fragments, are used in URLs to direct the user to a specific part of a single page. They are introduced by the hash symbol (#) and follow the main part of the URL. Anchors are particularly helpful for navigating long webpages or documents by jumping directly to a relevant section, providing users a more streamlined experience. How does a URL work? A URL works like a map that tells your browser exactly where to find a page, file or resource on the internet. When you enter a URL or click a link, the browser reads the address, connects to the server that hosts the content and displays it on your screen. Every part of a URL plays a role in this process. The protocol tells the browser how to communicate with the server, the domain identifies the website and the path points to the specific page or file. Optional elements like parameters or anchors give extra instructions, such as filtering content or jumping to a section of a page. Why are URLs important? URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) are crucial for navigating the internet. They provide a standardized way to access resources, such as web pages, images and videos. URLs specify the exact location of a resource, enabling browsers to retrieve and display content accurately. They are essential for linking between web pages, facilitating seamless user experiences. Additionally, URLs play a key role in SEO, helping search engines index and rank content. They also enhance usability by allowing users to share and bookmark specific pages easily. Overall, URLs are fundamental to the structure and functionality of the web, ensuring efficient information retrieval and sharing. What is the difference between an absolute URL and a relative URL? Choosing between absolute and relative URLs for your website comes down to understanding their purpose and strengths. Absolute URL An absolute URL includes the full web address, ensuring a complete path to a specific page. For instance, a blog post built on Wix might use an absolute URL like https://www.wix.com/blog/what-is-a-url. This is the complete address, starting with the protocol (https://), followed by the domain (www.wix.com), and the path to the page (/blog/what-is-a-url). Absolute URLs are great for SEO and external links because they give clear direct paths that search engines and users can easily follow. However, they can be harder to manage for internal links, especially during domain changes or updates. Relative URL A relative URL omits the protocol and domain, focusing only on the path to the resource within the website. For example, instead of linking to the absolute URL above you could use /what-is-a-url when internally connecting pages on your Wix website. Relative URLs are shorter and often easier to manage because they adapt automatically if you update your domain. Just be cautious—using them for external links can create broken links if accessed outside your site. Common URL terms explained URLs do more than point to a webpage. Each term describes how a URL can be used, shared or managed. Vanity URL: A short branded URL you can customize. It’s designed to be memorable and easy to type, often used for marketing campaigns, social media posts or printed materials to make links look clean and professional. Tiny URL / URL shortener: A shortened version of a long URL, usually created automatically by a service. It’s mainly for convenience, making long or complex links easier to share in emails, social posts or messages. Unlike vanity URLs, branding is optional. Callback URL / Webhook URL: A URL used by apps or services to send or receive data automatically. They’re essential for integrations, notifications and workflows such as sending payment confirmations or updating connected platforms in real time. Custom URL: A URL you control and personalize. This could be a profile page, product page or campaign link. The focus is on clarity and branding, ensuring visitors understand the page content at a glance. Redirect URL / URL redirect: A URL that automatically sends visitors to a different address. This is useful when moving pages, consolidating content or pointing multiple URLs to the same page without breaking links. Slug URL / Target URL: The readable portion at the end of a URL that identifies a specific page or post. Slugs make URLs understandable, shareable and SEO-friendly by clearly describing the content. Tracking URL / Source URL: A URL that includes extra information to track where visitors come from, such as business email campaigns, social media or ads. These URLs help measure performance and analyze traffic sources. Valid URL: A properly formatted URL that follows web standards and works reliably in browsers. Ensuring URLs are valid prevents broken links and errors when sharing or linking pages. The importance of a semantic URL Also known as friendly URLs, semantic URLs are composed of logical parts that allow visitors to easily understand which webpage they’re in and where it falls within the site hierarchy. Just like when choosing a domain name, there are a few crucial areas that can be severely impacted by whether or not a site uses semantic URLs: Usability Users should be able to navigate a site solely through the address bar, or at the very least, be capable of easily retracing their steps from within it. Complex URLs might deter visitors from extending their stay on the page in favor of alternatives with a better user experience. SEO Clear URLs allow search engine crawlers to have a better understanding of the type of page they’re indexing and how it relates to others on the site. As a result, they’re most likely to rank and build stronger site authority. Think of a semantic URL as a way to properly organize your pages in a labeled drawer, rather than throwing all of them into a closet and hoping for the best. “Adding a clear keyword to your domain can be a smart move. It signals what your site is about, makes you easier to find in search and gives visitors instant clarity about your purpose.” — Ofir Gvili, domains product marketing manager at Wix Accessibility Visitors using screen readers must be able to understand where links are leading to and what kind of information they contain without having to decipher a URL packed with complex strings. What is a URL? FAQ What's the maximum length a URL can be? While your URL length depends on the browser and server you're using, it's best to keep it under 2,000 characters. Modern browsers like Chrome and Firefox can handle longer URLs, but going too long can cause issues with server processing, SEO, caching and mobile devices. For the best results and compatibility, shorter and simpler URLs are always a good idea. What happens when a URL contains special characters from different languages, like Chinese or Arabic? When a URL includes characters from languages like Chinese or Arabic, the browser converts them into a format that can be safely transmitted over the internet. This process is called URL encoding, where non-standard characters are transformed into a percent-encoded format. For example, characters are first encoded in UTF-8, then turned into a series of codes like %E4%BD%A0. Modern browsers handle this automatically, so users can still see and use readable text while the encoded version is used behind the scenes. This allows URLs to support multiple languages while staying compatible with web standards. Why do some URLs look long and messy? Long URLs have extra info like parameters, tracking codes or session IDs. These details help websites filter content, track where you came from or manage your visit. Even though they look messy, each part has a specific job to do for the site to work correctly or for analytics. Can a URL include symbols like @ or numbers instead of a domain name? Yes. URLs can use an IP address instead of a domain name. Certain symbols like @ are allowed for specific functions such as login details or redirects within a URL. But for the most part, URLs use letters, numbers and hyphens to keep things clear and working right. Do I always need to type “www” in a URL? Not anymore. The www is a subdomain and most websites work with or without it. Modern browsers usually handle this for you, so typing just the domain name will get you where you want to go. How to figure out if your domain name is available? Another business may have already taken your desired domain name, so the first step is to do a domain name search. If your first choice isn’t available, pop it into a domain name generator, which can help you find a similar domain name. You can also find the domain owner and registration details for a website with a Whois domain lookup.

  • What are eCommerce discounts? Definition, types and how to set them up

    Turn your ideas into sales and start selling with Wix eCommerce→ eCommerce discounts are price reductions on products or services sold through an eCommerce website, designed to drive purchases and grow revenue. From a percentage off at checkout to a buy-one-get-one deal, discounts give shoppers a reason to act now rather than later. Wix supports high-performance eCommerce operations with automated discount logic, abandoned cart recovery and customizable checkout workflows, all built into your store dashboard. Wix supports long-term eCommerce growth with built-in loyalty programs, subscription commerce, back-in-stock notifications and flexible digital gift cards designed to increase customer lifetime value. This article covers the main types of eCommerce discounts, the business benefits they deliver, the risks to plan around and how to build a strategy that works. If you haven't launched your store yet, learning how to make an eCommerce website is a good first step. Wix offers an all-in-one online store builder with fully customizable storefronts. Build your site and launch your first eCommerce discount today. TL;DR: what are eCommerce discounts? eCommerce discounts are price reductions used by online stores to drive purchases, recover abandoned carts and build customer loyalty. The type you choose determines what behavior you'll influence, so matching the format to your goal is what separates a well-run promotion from a margin hit with no lasting upside. Discount type Best for Percentage-off discounts Sitewide sales, seasonal campaigns, first-time buyers Fixed-amount discounts High-ticket items, minimum spend incentives BOGO (buy one, get one) Moving inventory, increasing average order value Free shipping Reducing cart abandonment Flash sales and limited-time offers Creating urgency, traffic spikes Bundle discounts Encouraging multi-product purchases Coupon and promo codes Tracking campaigns, targeted offers Loyalty and referral discounts Retention, word-of-mouth acquisition Ready to launch your eCommerce business? With Wix eCommerce, you can build a professional online store that attracts customers, drives sales and grows your brand. Enjoy full customization, built-in SEO and powerful marketing tools, all in one platform. Start today and turn your vision into success. What are eCommerce discounts? An eCommerce discount is a reduction in the standard price of a product or service sold online. It can show up as a percentage off at checkout, a fixed dollar amount removed from the eCommerce shopping cart or a free item bundled with a purchase. The mechanics vary, but the goal is always the same. Every discount gives the shopper a financial reason to buy now. Price is one of the strongest levers available to an online seller, especially when buyers can compare alternatives in seconds. That's why discounting tends to come up early when you're figuring out how to start an online store. A well-timed discount converts hesitation into a sale. A poorly timed one trains customers to wait for the next deal. Wix automates eCommerce promotions using built-in discount logic, so the rules you set apply consistently every time a qualifying order comes through. Create your online store and start offering discounts from day one. Types of eCommerce discounts Not every discount type works for every goal. Here's a breakdown of the most common formats, when each one performs best and what to watch out for. 01. Percentage-off discounts A percentage-off discount removes a fixed share of the product price, say 20% off all jackets or 15% off your first order. Shoppers understand it instantly, which is why it works well for sitewide sales, seasonal promotions and acquisition campaigns. 02. Fixed-amount discounts Fixed-amount discounts remove a specific dollar value at checkout. A $50 off a $200 order tends to feel more tangible than 25% off, particularly on higher-priced items where the absolute saving is easier for shoppers to visualize. Tiered dollar-off structures, such as $10 off $75, $25 off $150 and $50 off $250, can also nudge customers toward larger carts. For more on structuring these effectively, see discount pricing strategies. 03. BOGO (buy one, get one) BOGO offers give customers a free or discounted second item when they buy the first at full price. The format can take several shapes, including BOGO free, BOGO 50% off or buy two and get one free. It's particularly effective for clearing inventory on slow-moving items and for categories where customers naturally buy multiples, such as apparel, skincare and food. 04. Free shipping eCommerce shipping costs are one of the most common reasons shoppers abandon carts. Free shipping removes that barrier entirely. It tends to work especially well when tied to a minimum order threshold, say, free shipping on orders over $50. This protects your margins while encouraging customers to add one more item to qualify. Pairing free shipping with a polished eCommerce checkout experience reduces the friction between add-to-cart and completed purchase. Expert insight from Lisa Kammermayer, CMO of SimpleSell: “Free shipping is a powerful marketing tool. It builds trust and enhances customer satisfaction.” 05. Flash sales and limited-time offers A flash sale runs for a short, defined window, creating urgency that pushes fence-sitters toward a purchase. The format drives sharp spikes in traffic and conversions when used sparingly. Use it too often though and shoppers learn to wait for the next one, eroding both urgency and full-price sales. 06. Bundle discounts Bundle discounts let customers buy a set of products at a lower combined price than if purchased separately. They increase average order value, help move complementary inventory together and often improve perceived value without requiring a large reduction on any single item. 07. Coupon and promo codes Coupon and promo codes are alphanumeric strings customers enter at checkout to unlock a discount. The format is useful because it's trackable. You can create different codes for different channels, campaigns or audience segments. That makes it easy to see exactly where conversions come from. Codes are also a natural fit for email list growth, since they give new subscribers an immediate reason to buy. 08. Loyalty and referral discounts Loyalty discounts reward repeat customers for coming back, while referral discounts give existing buyers an incentive to bring in new ones. Both formats tend to attract customers with higher lifetime value than those acquired through public flash sales or sitewide percentage cuts. Learn more: What is a customer loyalty program? Expert insight from Adi Avraham, senior SEO growth at Wix: "The key to online sales is making it simple for your customers. With Wix, you can customize checkout flows, offer discounts and even track abandoned carts without a developer." Benefits of eCommerce discounts Used with intention, eCommerce discounts deliver benefits well beyond a short-term sales bump. Increased customer acquisition: Discounts reduce the perceived risk of a first purchase. A new shopper who's unsure about your brand is more likely to convert when there's a financial cushion, such as 10% off their first order. Reduced cart abandonment: Price is among the top reasons shoppers leave without buying. A well-placed offer like free shipping above a threshold or a time-limited code can bring them back. Higher average order value: Bundle deals and tiered discounts push customers to spend more in a single transaction than they originally planned. Wix uses AI to recommend products based on shopper behavior, helping increase basket size without manual merchandising. Faster inventory turnover: Targeted discounts help clear slow-moving stock before it ties up capital, without permanently lowering your product's perceived value. Stronger customer retention: Targeted discounts for repeat buyers signal that you value their loyalty, giving them a concrete reason to come back rather than shop elsewhere. Expert insight from Eli Brosh, head of AI research at Wix: “We’ll see the next wave of the GenAI revolution, driven by the democratization of Machine Learning—sellers will create hyper-personalized experiences for consumers in real-time, with AI powering product recommendations, dynamic pricing, and personalized marketing.” Learn more: What are eCommerce promotions? How to use eCommerce promotions with Wix Challenges and risks of eCommerce discounts Discounts are powerful. That cuts both ways. Running them without a plan can create problems that outlast the promotion itself. Margin erosion: Deep or frequent discounts grow revenue on paper while quietly shrinking profit per order. Run the numbers before setting a discount level, especially on lower-margin products. Training customers to wait for sales: If your discounts follow a predictable pattern, shoppers learn to hold off on full-price purchases. Once that habit forms, it's difficult to break. Brand devaluation: Over-discounting signals that your standard prices aren't credible, which damages brand equity over time, particularly for premium or specialty products. Attracting the wrong buyers: Heavy promotions tend to pull in bargain hunters rather than loyal customers. These shoppers are less likely to return at full price, increasing long-term acquisition costs. Measuring real impact: It can be hard to tell whether a discount changed buyer behavior or simply rewarded shoppers who would have bought anyway. Without clear measurement, you're flying blind on ROI. How to choose the right eCommerce discount The right discount depends on the outcome you want. Start with one goal, then match the smallest effective incentive to it rather than reaching for the biggest markdown: Acquire first-time buyers: a percentage off a first order lowers the perceived risk of trying you. Lift average order value: tiered dollar-off thresholds or bundle pricing reward bigger carts. Recover abandoned carts: free shipping above a threshold or a time-limited code removes the final hesitation. Protect premium margins: keep public sitewide cuts rare and lean on targeted loyalty or referral offers. Choosing this way keeps each promotion tied to a measurable result, so you can see what actually moved the needle rather than discounting on instinct. How to set up eCommerce discounts on Wix Wix includes built-in discount tools that let you create and manage discounts directly from your store dashboard, without a developer or third-party app. 01. Access discounts from your Wix dashboard Log in to Wix to get started. From your site's dashboard, click Catalog and select Discounts to access your discount settings and create new discount campaigns. 02. Choose between automatic discounts and coupons Wix gives you two separate discount tools and knowing which one to use saves time. Automatic discounts apply at checkout without any action from the customer, ideal for sitewide sales, scheduled promotions and Buy X Get Y deals. Coupons require the customer to enter a code at cart or checkout, making them better suited for targeted campaigns, email subscribers or one-time offers. Both are accessible directly from your store dashboard. Learn more: How to use eCommerce discounts with Wix How to customize your checkout with Wix 03. Pick your discount format For automatic discounts, you can set a percentage off, a fixed amount off or a Buy X Get Y deal. For example, buy a coat and get a free hat, or buy two shirts and get the second at 50% off. You can apply these to all products, specific categories or individual items and add minimum quantity or spend requirements. For coupons, Wix supports five formats, including percentage off, fixed amount off, free shipping, a set sale price and Buy X Get Y Free. Variant-specific discount pricing is also supported, so you can run a promotion on one size or color without affecting the rest of the product. 04. Set your conditions and limits Add guardrails before you publish. You can set a minimum order value, a usage limit per customer or a specific date range for the promotion. For coupon-based campaigns, Wix generates unique codes you can distribute through email or social channels and track separately per campaign. Wix simplifies promotional campaigns through automated discount rules, so once your conditions are saved, the platform handles the rest. 05. Display discounts in your storefront Wix enables merchants to display discount badges and offers directly within the product gallery, so shoppers see discounted pricing before they even reach the product page. Ribbon management lets you add labels like "Sale" or "New" from the catalog and discounted unit pricing shows across the storefront for transparent promotional communication. These merchandising controls are built in, no custom code required. 06. Automate recovery and follow-up Beyond one-off campaigns, Wix automates abandoned cart recovery through email workflows, so a shopper who leaves without buying gets a targeted follow-up without any manual work on your end. You can pair these automations with a small discount or free shipping offer to improve recovery rates. Wix also supports AI-driven product recommendations based on shopper behavior, surfacing relevant items at the right moment to increase average order value. Pairing these tools with a broader eCommerce marketing strategy helps you get the most out of every campaign. Expert insight from Adi Avraham, senior SEO growth at Wix: "I always tell small business owners: you don’t need a massive budget to sell online. Wix’s eCommerce features give you everything from inventory management to payment options in one place." What are eCommerce discounts FAQ What is the difference between an eCommerce discount and a promotion? A discount is the price reduction itself, for example 10% off or $20 off a cart. A promotion is the broader campaign or mechanism that delivers it, such as a flash sale, a welcome email series or a loyalty rewards program. Discounts are usually one tool within a promotion. How often should an online store run discounts? There's no universal answer since it depends on your margins, purchase cycle and audience. There is one limit worth keeping in mind. If shoppers start expecting a discount every week, urgency disappears and full-price sales drop. The safest approach is to tie promotions to specific moments, such as a product launch, a seasonal event or a cart recovery campaign, rather than running them on a fixed schedule that customers learn to anticipate. Do discounts hurt brand perception? They can be overused or applied indiscriminately. Brands that run constant public sitewide sales signal that their standard prices aren't credible, which is especially damaging in premium or specialty categories. Selective discounts like loyalty rewards, referral bonuses or private member offers tend to protect brand equity better than blanket promotions, because they reward specific behavior rather than broadcasting that your products are regularly worth less than the list price. Do eCommerce discounts actually increase sales? Yes, when they’re matched to the right goal. Discounts work because they reduce the friction of deciding, and surveys consistently find that most online shoppers look for a discount before buying, with a large share saying a deal speeds up their decision. The catch is that the extra sales have to outweigh the margin you give up, which is why tying each discount to a specific goal and measuring the result matters more than the size of the markdown.

  • Is Wix good for blogging?

    As bloggers, who blog on Wix our answer is a resounding yes. But in the interests of neutrality, we've put together some of the main reasons why we think Wix is good for blogging, so you can make up your own mind when it comes to starting your own blog. Wix provides an easy-to-use website builder with designer-made, fully customizable templates. Before you start exploring the pros and cons of different blog makers, it's important to understand the type of blog you plan to start and your goals for it. These two factors might impact which blog creator you choose and if Wix is the best option for you. Wix delivers an AI website builder that shortens your time to launch. Our blog is a marketing asset with several goals. We have a broader mission that revolves around educating and informing but also more precise goals, such as bringing more people to Wix. For these needs, we can say Wix is great for blogging and here's how. Wix offers secure, scalable web hosting built in when you create your website. Learn more: Why use Wix?, How to use Wix Why Wix is good for blogging Many of Wix's blogging features make it a great for beginners and more experienced blog owners alike. We've ben running our blog a long time, more than ten years and counting but even if you're just starting out there's plenty to make running a blog easy. Explore these blog examples, all built on Wix, for further inspiration. One of the most effective tools to increase conversions, promote new products and events, and establish trust with customers are blogs. We see that, on average, sites with blogs get 86% more organic traffic compared to sites without blogs. Einat Halperin, GM of Wix Blog. 01. User-friendly interface and templates Wix's drag-and-drop editor simplifies the process of designing and managing a blog, making it accessible to anyone, even those without technical or design experience. You can also choose from a variety of customizable blog templates tailored for different blogging niches, which makes it easy to setup and start regardless of your blog type. Personal blog templates Food and travel blog templates News and business blog templates Sports and wellness blog templates Fashion and beauty blog templates As a career consultant, I help my clients find and utilize their voices. When I first started out as a coach, I also had plenty to say and wanted to use a resource that would enable me to share my knowledge easily; that's where my Wix blog helped. Wix has provided me with an easy-to-use platform that integrates with the rest of my website. Emily Maguire, career consultant at Reflections Career Coaching. 02. Integrated blogging features With the Wix blog editor you can easily write, edit and publish posts on your site. You can start a blog as a standalone site, or integrate it seamlessly into your website. Some must-have blogging features include being able to schedule posts, adding categories and comment management. Other stand outs include being able to manage your blog from anywhere, via the mobile app and being able to add collaborators, editors and managers to your blog each with their own pre-set level of access. 03. SEO tools Wix offers built-in SEO tools that help improve your blog's visibility on search engines. You can customize meta tags, URLs and alt text for images, which are some good best practices that should be implemented on your blog. Our blog has a strong SEO strategy behind it, its how we generate most of our traffic and so being able to implement on-page SEO best practices easily from within the blog editor saves us a lot of time — which in turn means we can use that time saved to focus on the things that make more impact, keyword research, our content strategy, content updates to improve rankings, data tracking and analysis. If your blog isn't easy to find online, it's like writing in a diary that no one reads. Make sure your blogging tool offers strong SEO features, like meta tags and an easy way to control URLs. That's how new readers will discover your posts. Chaya Arbiv, SEO specialist at Wix. 04. Mobile-friendly by default Blogs created with Wix are automatically optimized for mobile devices, ensuring that all content is accessible across devices. We know we do most of our blog reading from mobile, as do most of our audience, its another thing of our mind, knowing that our blogs are mobile-friendly from the minute they're published. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s not search-friendly. At Wix, we design with mobile performance in mind—because great SEO starts with a seamless experience on every device. Sharon Hafuta, Wix Blog Editor. Learn more: How to make a mobile-friendly website 05. AI-powered content creation Wix has AI tools that help with generating blog content. These tools can suggest topics, create draft and even generate images based on descriptions, streamlining the entire content creation process if you need it. You know everyone is using it, we know everyone is using it. There are many ways to use AI content creation to build and scale a blog and how much you rely on it, depends on the size of your blog, its goals and audience. No judgement from us, AI content creation is revolutionizing how we scale blogs. With Wix's tools you can opt in or out from using them, depending how much or often you need them. But it's good to know they're there for when you need a helping content hand. Learn more: How to use AI to write blog posts 06. Built-in analytics Wix's analytics helps you better strategize and manage your blog. You can easily see how much traffic you get and from where. You can also understand how long your readers spend on a blog post, as well as other important metrics that impact how well you blog. For us traffic is one of our main KPIs, so being able to see clearly how much traffic we get and from which segments — whether organic or paid and from which specific source, be it Google or Facebook, is what makes Wix good for blogging for us. 07. Monetization options If you're a blogger looking to eventually monetize your blog, Wix blogging provides features like integrated e-commerce capabilities, which means you can sell products or services directly from your blog. You can also run display ads on your blog, offer subscriptions and sell online courses all from your Wix site. Learn more: How to make money blogging 08. Free plan You can start a blog for free with Wix. Or upgrade to a Wix paid plan with your blog and you'll also be able to choose a custom domain and remove the Wix branding from your site. Learn more: How much does it cost to start a blog 09. Robust site infrastructure Behind every blog built on Wix is their enterprise-grade website infrastructure. What does this mean? A secure platform: Wix's world class experts and enterprise-grade security system work 24/7 so your audiences' information will always be kept safe and secure. Learn more about Wix's website security. Reliable web hosting: With free website hosting on a worldwide CDN, your site is automatically backed up and will be able to handle any situation, from traffic spikes to outages, so you’ll always be up and running. Performance first: With a performance-first culture, Wix's priority is providing the best user experience for you and your visitors, with faster loading sites that perform great on any device. Learn more about Wix's website performance. What does this really mean? You can start and run your blog without having to worry about if your site is secure, will it always be live and do readers have a positive experience on the page. All of that is a given with a Wix blog. Learn about creating a website for free. How to get started blogging with Wix? Create a Wix account Start with your blog design (from scratch or with a website template) Choose a blog name (and opt for a custom domain if you think you need one) Write your first blog post (and then start a schedule for consistent posting) Review and publish Promote your blog Repeat Is Wix good for blogging? FAQ Can I customize my Wix blog? You can and here are just some of the ways you can do it: Layouts: Choose from various blog layouts. Design elements: Customize fonts, colors and backgrounds Post display: Decide how posts are displayed, including featured images and excerpts. Can I create a multilingual blog on Wix? With Wix multilingual, yes you can create a blog in a wide range of languages. Learn more about how to create a multilingual website Is Wix blogging suitable for beginners? There are many features that make the Wix blog maker suitable for bloggers of all levels, including beginners. You can create a blog from templates if you're really new to designing a blog which means you don't need any design or technical knowledge or experience. Can I move my existing blog to Wix? Yes. If your blog is on WordPress (.com or .org) or on another Wix site, you can import your posts in a few clicks, and the text, images, original publish dates, alt text and categories come across with them. Posts from some other platforms aren't supported by the built-in importer yet, so those would need to be moved over manually. Can you make money blogging on Wix? Yes. Wix gives you several ways to earn from a blog: display ads through Google AdSense, paid subscriptions or a paywall on premium posts, selling products or services directly from your site, and offering online courses or memberships. You can combine these or use whichever fits your audience. Is Wix or WordPress better for blogging? Both can run a great blog, and the right pick depends on how hands-on you want to be. Wix is an all-in-one platform, so hosting, security, design and blogging tools come together with no plugins to install or servers to manage, which makes it faster to launch and easier to maintain. WordPress offers more low-level flexibility through its plugin ecosystem, but you arrange your own hosting and handle updates yourself. For most bloggers who want to focus on writing rather than setup, Wix is the simpler route.

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