Squarespace Commerce Review

Squarespace is a leading CMS choice, but it has its roots in e-commerce. As one of the most recognized site builders in general, Squarespace Commerce delivers a robust and streamlined product.

While Squarespace is available to someone looking to create a site of any kind, Squarespace Commerce is focused on the online selling niche as its unique offering. It casts its net wide to serve the large user base with Squarespace's array of design options and e-commerce tools and features.

Just like with its non e-commerce builder entity, the process of creating your online store is user friendly, and the aesthetics of the finished product leave you with a professional-looking site.

Squarespace Commerce is very focused on being a good e-commerce builder, so using it is the opposite of a headache, and you're assured of a good looking, functional site, even if web building isn't your strong suit. Customizing is intuitive; inventory management is intuitive, and your can easily highlight your products.

Who is Squarespace Commerce for?

This particular e-commerce software is honestly well-suited across industries. There are so many real-world Squarespace Commerce examples, as over 100,000 sites are currently using Squarespace e-commerce tools and features.

This platform is built to adapt to almost all businesses and to scale and flex with growth. Almost anyone who is looking to launch an online business (or grow online sales) is a good candidate for Squarespace Commerce.

This platform really lets your e-commerce website shine if you are looking for an option to showcase your products in an artistic, streamlined way. If your inventory truly is the center of your business world, this system will show them off with its professional, sleek visuals.

Squarespace Commerce's features

While not bursting at the seams with integrations, Squarespace e-commerce approach to features is the same as its approach to the system as a whole: it values quality and efficiency, with e-commerce features designed to heighten your sales experience and your store's visual appeal.

Templates and designs

If there's one thing this system is known for, it's those Squarespace Commerce templates. Once you figure out what your online store will be selling, whether you are a fashion brand, a tech reseller, a florist, etc., you are presented with an array of super stylish, professional-looking options.

Squarespace templates are broken down by industry, and they look very sleek. Image source: Author

Seriously, one of the main reasons people flock to Squarespace e-commerce tools and features is because of how sharp they can make an online store look. And as we all know, perception is everything. Customers who see a secure online storefront will feel more comfortable purchasing from a store that looks professional, and they'll spend more time browsing options.

Squarespace's templates come already loaded with a products page, so all you have to do is upload your inventory info.

Customization

And it doesn't just stop with pre-designed, professional templates. From that framework, you can customize your whole site to reflect your business better. From color palettes to font consistency, call-to-action buttons to logos, and even margins, you have a lot of creative control within each template.

Inventory management

Any good CMS built for e-commerce should make it easy for you to manage your products. Squarespace lets you organize your inventory, browse by and alter pricing, keep track of pars, monitor ordering trends, and much more.

With Squarespace Commerce, you can select your product type from three options. Image source: Author

Selecting your type of product is even easy. Whether you're selling a physical product, a digital download, or booking a service, you can advertise and sell accurately.

Automated order emailing

Keeping your customers looped in and managing communications with them is a big part of the sales process. Squarespace's e-commerce features and capabilities allow you to set up automatic emails along the customer journey. From one hub, you can have order confirmation emails go out immediately following a purchase, tracking numbers sent out, and shipping updates sent.

When customers feel communicated with, they are more likely to interact with your store again. And, when you don't have to remember to send out a "thank you for your purchase" individually, you are free to do more with your time.

Marketing email

Squarespace Commerce also gives you a leg up on non-order adjacent emails by being automatically set up with a Mailchimp integration, so you can send newsletters and alerts to subscribers, keeping them connected with your brand even if they haven't shopped in a while.

Automated sales tax

Sales tax, as you know, varies widely from state to state and trying to crunch the different percentage numbers yourself can be a chore. Squarespace Commerce gives you the power to set up rules for states, countries, ZIP codes, etc. It will automatically ensure you are compliant with and accurately account for different regions.

Offline integration

Squarespace Commerce integrates with Square, allowing you to keep your online and brick and mortar sales worlds connected. You can make offline sales that will automatically sync with your online inventory through Square.

Social media

Social media selling is a big part of maintaining brand activity, and interacting with customers on said social media directly impacts their perception of you. Squarespace Commerce lets you integrate and link your social media profiles, as well as create and cross promote content from your site to your social media pages.

SEO

Right from the start, SEO features are built-in, increasing your search visibility. Squarespace also provides a handy SEO checklist to help you get started.

With clickable links and detailed instructions, Squarespace helps get your store optimized. Image source: Author

Squarespace Commerce's ease of use

I personally find Squarespace Commerce to be a smart tool. It's not a drag and drop solution, but the navigation and instructions are quite clear. You can define your business industry, so you are building an aesthetically strategic site, for one. And the toolbar and instructions are laid out sequentially and are simple enough to understand.

Squarespace Commerce's Design toolbar lays out a multitude of options. Image source: Author

Even the most "complicated" toolbar, the Design one, only looks a little intimidating at first glance because there are so many options. But having your tools broken down into sections like that means each one is easier to use and more specific.

You can also easily copy pages so that you're working smarter, not harder.

Everything in Squarespace Commerce is clearly labeled and easy to follow: you simply click and type for the most part.

Squarespace Commerce's pricing

To get your Squarespace online store up and running, you'll need to choose either a Basic or an Advanced plan, costing either $26 or $40 monthly.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not too expensive. And, while not a free option, you also have many things included you would have to pay for elsewhere (domain, secure payments, SEO, hosting, and much more).

The Basic plan is pretty comprehensive, too, and covers individual customer accounts, website analytics, inventory and tax tools, shipping integrations, etc.

The Advanced plan allows you to send more detailed automation emails along various touchpoints, and offer unique discounts and subscription payments.

Squarespace Commerce's support

Squarespace Commerce has multiple avenues of assistance available. You can contact them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via email or Twitter, and their reliable live chat is active Monday through Friday from 4a.m. to 8p.m. EST. In my experience, they have been fast to respond over live chat.

They do not have a phone support option, but in my opinion, that's totally fine. Live chat lets me spell out my problems more clearly, and there's no chance of my selectively in-and-out hearing causing me to miss something important. Plus, the visual aids of live chat are more valuable to me.

They also offer videos and guides, allowing you to be well-educated on problem-solving and never feel lost at sea.

Aside from live support, you can browse the resources and videos available. Image source: Author

Benefits of Squarespace Commerce

Running a Squarespace shop means you are working with the help of niche efficiency. There's not necessarily hand-holding, but you are guided throughout the entire process of creating a site that best matches your needs.

From the very start, you're even prompted to tell them what your industry is so you can be assured of a website theme to match.

You can narrow down your niche right away to ensure an optimal web design. Image source: Author

From there, you can select business goals, tell them how far along your business is, and narrow your top pick. You are assured your store will look world-class.

You also get access to significant inventory and shipping management tools, SEO help, marketing email integrations, etc., all without having to really learn any new systems. From one hub, you can cover a lot of ground.

Squarespace Commerce makes setting up shop easy

It's not hard software to learn, and you get winning results. Whether you are just starting your business or you want to up your game in the online sales world. Setting up is easy, and so is publishing and selling.

For as little as $26 a month, you can have a very professional online shopfront.