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Read time : 8 min
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Published on 01-07-2024
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Article
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Read time : 8 min
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Published on 01-07-2024
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Volusion Review 2024: Everything New Store Owners Need to Know

Aakanksha Sharma
Aakanksha Sharma
Content Marketer
Volusion Review 2024:  Everything New Store Owners Need to Know

When consulting with aspiring online store owners, one of the most frequent questions is: "What are our options?" It's a valid query, often mistaken for a simple choice among a handful of alternatives. However, the reality is that the options are extensive, and choosing the right one for your new business is crucial.

This is why we have this Volusion review. When we talk about eCommerce platforms catering to small to medium-sized businesses, Volusion often emerges as a popular choice. You might have noticed their engaging commercials or eye-catching ads with the tagline "Start Selling Fast." But beyond these catchy phrases, what really is Volusion?

In this Volusion review, we’ll unpacking its features, benefits, and how it stands in the crowded marketplace of e-commerce platforms.

What Is Volusion?

Volusion ecommerce is a user-friendly platform designed to streamline the process of building and launching an online store. It features intuitive point-and-click tools that make it accessible even for those without a technical background.

Key Features of Volusion:

  1. Ease of Use: Customizable templates and a drag-and-drop Volusion website builder allows users to design their store without any coding.
  2. Integrated Marketing Tools: The platform includes tools for blogging, email marketing, and social media engagement, essential for building brand presence and driving sales.
  3. Shipping and Payment Options: Volusion provides real-time shipping quotes from carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx and supports over 100 payment gateways, enhancing flexibility for payment and shipping options.
  4. SEO and Analytics: Built-in SEO tools help improve your store's visibility in search engines. The platform also offers analytics tools to optimize performance and inform data-driven decisions for business growth.

How much does Volusion cost?

Volusion ecommerce offers a straightforward pricing model that scales with your business needs, making it a practical choice for various business sizes.

Pricing Tiers:

  • Personal Plan: Priced at $29 per month, this plan is ideal for newcomers, providing all the essential features without overwhelming costs. It's designed to offer value for money, making it accessible for businesses monitoring their initial expenses closely.
  • Professional Plan: As your business grows, the Professional plan at $79 per month introduces more advanced features suitable for expanding needs.
  • Business Plan: For more established businesses, the Business plan is available at $299 per month, offering extensive features and capabilities for larger operations.
  • Enterprise Plan: The top-tier Enterprise plan caters to high-end businesses with custom pricing. This plan includes dedicated support and API access, essential for businesses experiencing rapid growth.

No Transaction Fees:

One significant advantage of Volusion is that it does not charge transaction fees. This can lead to considerable savings, allowing businesses to retain more of their profits, which is especially beneficial in the critical growth phases.

Architecture of Volusion

With Volusion's e-commerce platform, you benefit from an architecture designed for both speed and flexibility. At its core, Volusion utilizes a dynamic block architecture optimized for efficient data management and retrieval. This structure is crucial for ensuring smooth site operation, particularly under high traffic conditions.

1. Easy Customization:

Volusion's block-based design system enables extensive customization, allowing you to tailor the look of your store with ease. Here are some of the content blocks available:

  • Image Blocks: Add visual elements like photos, galleries, or slideshows to enhance the aesthetic appeal.
  • Text Blocks: Incorporate various text elements, including headings, paragraphs, and quotes, to convey key information.
  • Button Blocks: Create compelling calls-to-action to drive traffic and conversions.
  • Video Blocks: Embed videos from platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, or upload your own content for a more dynamic user interaction.

The platform also allows adjustments to fonts, colors, and layouts, and supports the addition of custom CSS or HTML code, giving you the freedom to design a site that not only functions well but also aligns with your brand identity.

2. Optimized Performance: Beyond aesthetics, Volusion's architecture is engineered for performance. It features fast disk access for quicker load times, ensuring a smooth customer experience. Additionally, the platform is built to handle sudden traffic surges, providing reliability during peak sales periods without the risk of downtime.

This architectural approach allows you to focus more on business growth—such as product curation and customer engagement—while Volusion manages the technical aspects.

Key Features of Volusion eCommerce

In my experience, the right features can turn a good e-commerce platform into a great one. Volusion seems to understand this well, packing a punch with its array of features that cater to various aspects of online store management. Let's break down these features to see how they stack up:

Feature Category Specific Feature Benefit
Responsive Design Auto-adaptation to screen sizes Optimized viewing on all devices
Product Management Tools Easy product uploads, categorization, bulk addition Simplified product management
Secure Payment Processing Integration with 45+ payment gateways Diverse payment options, secure transactions
Marketing & SEO Email marketing, social integration, SEO tools Enhanced online presence, customer engagement
24/7 Support Phone, email, live chat support, knowledge base - Continuous, versatile support for store owners
- Higher customer satisfaction due to reduced downtime and issues resolution speed

Benefits of Using Volusion as an eCommerce Platform

Having explored what Volusion is, its pricing, and its key features, let's delve deeper into the benefits of using Volusion as an ecommerce website builder -

  1. Low Initial Investment: Volusion’s starting price of $29 per month makes it a cost-effective choice, especially appealing to those just beginning their e-commerce journey or operating within a tight budget. This low cost is particularly advantageous for small businesses or startups, providing essential features without a significant financial burden.
  2. Ease of Setup and Use: With a user-friendly dashboard and intuitive website builder, Volusion simplifies the online store setup process. You don’t need to be technically skilled to launch your store, which allows for a quick and efficient start. This ease of use is ideal for entrepreneurs who wish to focus more on growing their business rather than on navigating complex software.
  3. Built-in Marketing Tools: Volusion comes equipped with a range of marketing tools, including capabilities for email marketing, social media integration, and SEO optimization. These tools are crucial for increasing your store's visibility and attracting more customers. They function like having a dedicated marketing team, helping to streamline your promotional efforts and enhance your online presence.
  4. Robust Product Management: The platform offers comprehensive product management tools that facilitate the easy management of detailed product descriptions and inventory. Whether managing a small or extensive product catalog, Volusion’s features help keep your offerings organized and readily manageable.
  5. Scalability: As your business grows, Volusion scales with you. It can handle an increasing volume of orders smoothly, supporting your business expansion without the need for platform migration. This scalability ensures that as your business demands increase, your e-commerce platform can handle it without a hitch.

By understanding these benefits, you can see how Volusion might serve as a robust foundation for your online store, supporting your business as it evolves and expands.

Challenges of Using Volusion as an eCommerce platform

Is Volusion good? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean it’s without its challenges. When selecting the right e-commerce platform, it’s just as important to be aware of potential hurdles as it is to understand the benefits. Think of it as having a map with tricky turns clearly marked to help you navigate more effectively. Let’s examine some aspects of Volusion that may pose challenges:

  1. Limited Design Customization:

Issue: Volusion is known for its simplicity, which can sometimes be a double-edged sword, especially in terms of design customization. For example, if you're selling unique handmade jewelry and seek a specific theme to highlight your products with a distinct color scheme, you might find Volusion's template options somewhat limiting. Impact: This lack of advanced customization options can restrict your ability to fully express your brand's visual identity, which could negatively affect customer perception and engagement.

  1. Transaction Fees on Higher Sales Volume:

Issue: Volusion does not charge transaction fees on its standard plans, but if you opt for using external payment gateways, the gateway might charge a fee per transaction. This could become significant as your order volume increases. Imagine, years from now, you are processing hundreds of orders a month—these fees could significantly cut into your profits. Impact: For stores experiencing high sales volumes, the costs associated with transaction fees from external payment gateways can become a major expense, impacting overall profitability.

  1. Balancing Cost and Features:

Issue: The lower cost of entry and ease of use make Volusion appealing for new store owners, but these benefits come with limitations. The platform’s simplicity and accessible pricing are part of what makes it user-friendly, yet these same qualities can pose challenges as your business grows and your needs become more complex.

While Volusion offers many advantages, particularly for new entrants to e-commerce, its limitations in design flexibility and potential costs as you scale necessitate careful consideration to ensure it aligns with your long-term business goals.

How to Create a Store on Volusion - A Quick Guide for New Users

If you're preparing to launch your e-commerce store with Volusion, you're about to embark on an exciting journey! While setting up a store might seem daunting, Volusion makes the process straightforward. Here's a step-by-step guide based on my experiences and those of clients I've assisted:

  1. Starting Off: Begin with Volusion’s 14-day free trial by selecting the Basic plan. This allows you to explore the platform's features without any financial commitment, giving you the flexibility to determine if it meets your needs.
  2. Choosing Your Store's Design: Select a template that resonates with your brand’s aesthetic. Volusion offers a variety of templates, and you have the flexibility to customize or change your design later to better align with your vision.
  3. Listing Your Products: It's time to showcase your products. Add detailed descriptions, set prices, and upload high-quality photos. The more appealing your presentation, the better your products are likely to sell.
  4. Handling Payments and Shipping: Configure your payment gateways, such as PayPal or credit card processing, and set up your shipping options. This step is crucial to ensure a seamless checkout experience for your customers.
  5. Spreading the Word: Leverage Volusion’s built-in marketing tools to promote your store. Utilize email campaigns, social media posts, and special promotions to attract and retain customers.
  6. The Big Launch: Before officially launching, conduct a final review of your store. Ensure that the design is polished, all functionalities work correctly, and that your store offers a smooth user experience.
  7. Support When You Need It: Should you encounter any issues, Volusion provides 24/7 support to assist you. They ensure your store remains secure and functional, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

Volusion Store Examples:

Volusion powers thousands of eCommerce stores across various niches. Let’s look at a few examples to see the platform in action.

1. Fitness Finders

Fitness Finders is an inspiring example of how a business can focus on a noble cause while succeeding in the e-commerce space. Founded by Dr. Charles and Beth Kuntzleman, the site aims to improve the health and fitness of young people. They sell a variety of fun, affordable classroom awards like animal charms, reading trophies, wristbands, and other collectibles. The website's design is colorful and engaging, perfectly tailored to its target audience of children and pre-teens. It's a delightful site that not only makes shopping fun but also contributes to a greater cause.

2. BathroomPlace BathroomPlace stands out as a market leader in bathroom furniture and accessories. Established in 2001 in Florida, they've grown to include well-known brands like Inolav, Toto, and Grohe. The website features a clean, minimalistic design that mirrors the aesthetic of a well-designed bathroom. It's user-friendly, making it easy for customers to browse and purchase various bathroom products, from toilets and sinks to tubs and shower systems. The site's simplicity and elegance make it a pleasure to navigate.

3. Combi USA Combi USA, a subsidiary of Japan's Combi Corporation, offers a range of parenting products including lightweight strollers, car seats, and feeding products. Their website is a testament to simplicity and functionality. It's well-structured, with detailed, clear product information, making it easy for parents to find exactly what they need. The site's straightforward design ensures a hassle-free shopping experience, which is often a relief for busy parents.

From Fitness Finders' vibrant and playful design to BathroomPlace's sleek and minimalist layout, and Combi USA's straightforward and functional approach, each site effectively caters to its specific audience. These three websites demonstrate the versatility of Volusion as an e-commerce platform.

Conclusion

It's been quite a journey, hasn't it? From breaking down what Volusion is all about to walking through the steps of setting up your own store, we've covered a lot of ground. I hope this Volusion review has illuminated the path for you, whether you're just starting out in e-commerce or looking to switch to a platform that grows with you.

In my experience, the key to success in e-commerce isn't just about the tools you use; it's about how you use them. With Volusion's ease of setup, scalability, and dedicated support, you're equipped to face the challenges of online retailing head-on.

As you continue your eCommerce journey, keep exploring, learning, and adapting. The world of online retail is always evolving, and so should your strategies. If you ever feel stuck or unsure, remember that guidance is just a question away. Drop us your questions at hello@coderapper.com.

FAQs

1. What is Volusion?

Volusion is a cloud-based e-commerce platform that provides businesses with the tools to create, manage, and expand their online stores.

2. What does Volusion offer for businesses?

Volusion offers a suite of e-commerce tools including website design, product management, marketing, payment processing, and analytics.

3. Is Volusion a reliable e-commerce platform for online businesses?

Yes, Volusion is considered reliable, offering secure hosting, comprehensive e-commerce features, and 24/7 customer support.

4. What are the key features of Volusion that make it stand out among other e-commerce solutions?

Key features include intuitive website builder, robust product management, advanced security measures, and extensive marketing tools.

5. How does Volusion compare to other popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce?

Volusion is similar in offering comprehensive tools but differs in its pricing structure and customization capabilities, generally offering less design flexibility than Shopify and WooCommerce.

6. Can I customize the look and feel of my online store on Volusion?

Yes, Volusion allows customization of the store's appearance through themes and advanced CSS editing.

7. What are the pricing plans for Volusion, and are there any hidden fees?

Volusion offers multiple pricing tiers starting from $29 per month, with no hidden fees clearly stated. However, credit card processing fees and additional costs for certain integrations or features may apply.

8. Is Volusion suitable for small businesses, or is it more geared towards larger enterprises?

Volusion is suitable for both small businesses and larger enterprises, offering scalable solutions depending on the business size and needs.

9. Are there any transaction fees associated with using Volusion for online transactions?

Volusion itself does not charge transaction fees, but payment gateways may have their own fees.

10. How does Volusion handle security for online transactions and customer data?

Volusion provides SSL certification, secure hosting, and is PCI compliant to ensure secure transactions and protect customer data.

11. What customer support options are available for Volusion users?

Volusion offers 24/7 customer support through phone, live chat, and email, along with a knowledge base and training resources.

12. Can I integrate third-party apps and tools with my Volusion store?

Yes, Volusion supports integration with a variety of third-party apps and tools through its API and marketplace.

13. Does Volusion offer mobile responsiveness for online stores?

Yes, all Volusion templates are mobile-responsive, ensuring stores work well on smartphones and tablets.

14. What payment gateways are supported by Volusion?

Volusion supports major payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and credit card processing solutions.

15. Is it easy to migrate from another e-commerce platform to Volusion?

Migration complexity can vary, but Volusion offers tools and support to facilitate the migration process from platforms like Shopify or Magento.

16. Are there any limitations or drawbacks to using Volusion for e-commerce?

Some users report limitations in template customization and fewer integration options compared to competitors.

17. How does Volusion handle inventory management and order fulfillment?

Volusion provides tools for inventory tracking, order processing, and integrates with major shipping carriers for order fulfillment.

18. What analytics and reporting tools are available on Volusion for tracking business performance?

Volusion offers built-in analytics tools that track sales, customer behavior, and other essential metrics to gauge business performance.

19. Can I use my own domain name with a Volusion store?

Yes, you can use your own domain name with your Volusion store.

20. Does Volusion provide SEO tools to help improve my online store's visibility on search engines?

Yes, Volusion includes SEO tools to help optimize your store's content for search engines.

21. What are the success stories or case studies of businesses that have found success using Volusion?

Volusion's website features multiple case studies and success stories of businesses across various industries that have thrived using their platform.