Bigcommerce

An open SaaS platform for online stores

BigCommerce describes its product as ecommerce software delivered as a service, with open APIs so that a merchant can connect the tools it already uses. The company says the platform should fit the shape of a business rather than making the business adapt to the software. Its open model is presented as a middle ground between the convenience of hosted software and the flexibility of an API-based system, and the company says it avoids proprietary features that block or slow down a merchant's choices.

One account for several selling models

The platform is built to run consumer and business selling together. Business-to-business and wholesale sales can operate alongside direct-to-consumer selling inside one system. Merchants with several brands, countries or languages can run multiple storefronts from a single back office, with localization included. Businesses that want a custom storefront can use headless commerce, keeping their own front end while BigCommerce acts as the engine behind it. The company also describes omnichannel selling, which helps businesses that trade in physical stores start selling online.

Industries, partners and developer tools

Sectors named include manufacturing, automotive, CBD, food and drink, health and beauty, and apparel. The company says its customers range from small businesses to enterprises and mid-market companies. For projects that need extra skills, merchants can draw on agency partners to build or extend a store, and on technology partners who build integrations. Developers get open APIs, SDKs and data access, along with an app marketplace for linking back-office systems.

Claims the company makes about its position

BigCommerce says analyst firms have placed it among the leaders for B2C and B2B commerce. It says it was named a Challenger in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for digital commerce for a third year, and that some large brands have seen significantly lower total cost of ownership on its platform. These are the company's own statements about its standing, and they are presented here as its claims rather than as independent findings.