The ecommerce landscape is full of opportunities–and competition. Startups and small businesses must stay agile and take advantage of the latest tools in order to succeed. In this guide, we’ll highlight the apps and tools that the most successful ecommerce businesses use to succeed. From streamlined inventory management to personalized customer engagement, we’ll explore the innovative solutions empowering online retailers to thrive in today's competitive market. 

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How Tools and Apps Can Help Your Ecommerce Store

Third-party tools and apps can bring numerous benefits to e-commerce stores, enhancing various aspects of the business and providing specialized functionalities that can be challenging to develop in-house for startups and small businesses. Apps can be integrated directly into your ecommerce platforms to enhance and improve existing systems, while tools are standalone solutions that can empower your team and increase efficiency across the board.

Here are several ways third-party apps can benefit e-commerce stores.

Improved Marketing and Sales

Ecommerce apps can automate your email marketing campaigns, segment customer lists, and personalize emails to boost engagement and sales. These apps can also help manage your brand’s social media accounts, schedule posts, and analyze performance so you know which posts perform the best and drive the most engagement.

Enhanced Customer Experience

You can also use ecommerce apps for live chat and 24/7 customer support. Many customer support solutions exist that offer chatbots and knowledge databases you can tailor specifically for your product offerings and customers. These apps run constantly, even outside your business hours, providing support to your customers whenever they need it.

Streamlined Operations

Managing your inventory and tracking sales can get overwhelming. Third-party ecommerce apps can help manage inventory across multiple channels, ensuring accurate stock levels and preventing overselling. These apps can also help with determining your sell-through rate and demand forecasting so you can correctly manage production schedules.

Increased Efficiency

Workflow automation tools can connect various apps and automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors. Project management apps help coordinate tasks, manage projects, and ensure team collaboration. CRMs provide detailed customer insights, improving sales and marketing strategies.

Boosted Sales and Conversion Rates

The online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70%. It can be difficult for small teams to recover such a high number of abandoned carts, but apps can send automated reminders to customers who leave items in their carts, encouraging them to complete their purchases. These apps can also suggest related products to customers, increasing average order value.

Advanced Analytics and Reporting

Ecommerce apps can provide in-depth sales and customer analytics, helping identify trends and opportunities for growth. With these apps, you can track user interactions and behavior, gain insights to improve product offerings and availability, and identify areas for improvement on your ecommerce website.

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14 Top Ecommerce Tools and Apps

You don’t need a large team or a huge budget in order to grow your ecommerce store. Here are 14 powerful apps and tools to help your ecommerce business thrive in this super saturated market.

1. Mailchimp 

Mailchimp is a versatile and powerful marketing automation platform that can help ecommerce businesses effectively manage their email marketing campaigns, engage with their audience, and drive growth. Its comprehensive set of features, ease of use, and integration capabilities make it a popular choice among brands looking to enhance their marketing efforts and increase their sales.

Benefits of Using Mailchimp

• Ease of Use: Mailchimp's intuitive interface makes it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Comprehensive Tools: The platform offers a wide range of tools and features that cover different aspects of marketing, from email campaigns to social media ads.
• Scalability: Mailchimp caters to businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, with pricing plans and features that scale with the business.
• Integration Capabilities: Mailchimp integrates with numerous third-party applications, making it easier to connect with other tools and platforms used by the business.
• Customer Support: Mailchimp provides various support options, including tutorials, guides, and customer support to help users get the most out of the platform.

2. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a great tool for managing social media efforts efficiently and effectively. Its wide array of features helps users stay organized, engage with their audience, and analyze their performance across multiple social media platforms. This makes Hootsuite an invaluable resource for ecommerce businesses looking to enhance their social media presence and strategy.

Benefits of Using Hootsuite

• Efficiency: By managing multiple social media accounts from one platform, users save time and streamline their workflow.
• Consistency: Scheduling posts in advance helps maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is crucial for effective social media marketing.
• Collaboration: Team features facilitate better coordination and collaboration among social media managers and other stakeholders.
• Insightful Analytics: Access to in-depth analytics helps users understand what’s working and what’s not, allowing for data-driven decisions.
• Scalability: Hootsuite’s tools and features are suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.

3. Moz

Moz is a powerful and versatile SEO platform that caters to the needs of businesses aiming to improve their search engine visibility and online presence. With its robust set of tools, user-friendly design, and wealth of educational resources, Moz helps brands effectively manage and enhance their SEO efforts and increase sales.

Benefits of Using Moz

• Comprehensive SEO Toolkit: Moz offers a wide range of tools that cover all aspects of SEO, from keyword research to site audits and link building.
• User-Friendly Interface: The platform is designed to be accessible and easy to use, even for those who are not SEO experts.
• Educational Resources: Moz provides extensive educational content, including the Moz Blog, Moz Academy, and the annual MozCon conference, which help users stay updated on the latest SEO trends and best practices.
• Actionable Insights: The tools provide clear and actionable recommendations, making it easier for users to implement effective SEO strategies.

4. Zendesk

Zendesk is an effective customer service and engagement platform designed to help ecommerce businesses deliver exceptional customer support. Its suite of tools, multi-channel capabilities, and robust analytics make it a valuable solution for improving customer satisfaction, enhancing agent productivity, and gaining insights into support operations. 

Benefits of Using Zendesk

• Improved Customer Satisfaction: By centralizing customer interactions and providing efficient support tools, Zendesk helps businesses respond to customer inquiries quickly and effectively, improving customer satisfaction.
• Enhanced Agent Productivity: Automation, streamlined workflows, and a user-friendly interface enable support agents to work more efficiently, reducing response and resolution times.
• Comprehensive Insights: Thorough analytics and reporting provide valuable insights into customer support performance, helping businesses identify areas for improvement and optimize their support strategies.
• Seamless Integration: Integrations with various third-party tools and platforms ensure that Zendesk can be seamlessly incorporated into existing workflows and systems.
• Customization and Flexibility: Customizable features and the ability to build on the platform using APIs and SDKs allow businesses to tailor Zendesk to their specific needs and processes.

5. Trustpilot

Trustpilot helps with collecting, managing, and leveraging customer reviews to enhance your business's reputation and build trust with consumers. Its extensive features, including automated review invitations, customizable display options, and detailed analytics, make it an invaluable tool for businesses looking to improve customer satisfaction and increase their online visibility. By utilizing Trustpilot, businesses can gain valuable insights, improve their SEO, and create a transparent and trustworthy online presence.

Benefits of Using Trustpilot

• Enhanced Reputation: Positive reviews on Trustpilot can significantly improve a business's online reputation, attracting more customers and building trust.
• Customer Insights: Detailed analytics and insights from reviews help businesses understand customer satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement.
• Increased Visibility: Reviews and ratings displayed on Trustpilot and integrated into business websites can boost SEO, increase online visibility, and drive more traffic.
• Social Proof: Displaying authentic customer reviews on your website and social media channels serves as social proof, influencing potential customers' purchasing decisions.
• Improved Customer Engagement: Responding to reviews and addressing customer feedback demonstrates a commitment to customer service and fosters a positive relationship with your audience.

6. Dynamic Yield

Dynamic Yield is a leading personalization technology platform designed to help businesses deliver personalized experiences to their customers across various touchpoints. Its extensive set of features, including AI-driven product recommendations, A/B testing, omnichannel personalization, and detailed analytics, make it an essential tool for businesses aiming to enhance customer engagement, drive conversions, and build long-term customer relationships. 

Benefits of Using Dynamic Yield

• Enhanced Customer Experience: By delivering personalized experiences, ecommerce businesses can increase customer satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value.
• Increased Conversions: Personalized product recommendations and targeted content lead to increased conversion rates and average order values.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Detailed analytics and insights enable businesses to make informed decisions and continuously optimize their personalization strategies.
• Scalability: Dynamic Yield’s platform is designed to scale with your business, accommodating growing customer bases and expanding personalization needs.
• Cross-Channel Consistency: Ensure a seamless and consistent personalized experience across all customer touchpoints, from web and mobile to email and in-store.

7. Stock Sync

Stock Sync is a powerful inventory management tool that streamlines product stock management across multiple sales channels. Its features include multi-channel synchronization, automated updates, flexible data import/export options, and supplier integration. StockSync is an essential solution for e-commerce businesses looking to maintain accurate inventory levels and improve operational efficiency. 

Benefits of Using Stock Sync

• Efficiency: Automates the process of updating and syncing inventory across multiple channels, saving time and reducing manual effort.
• Accuracy: Ensures accurate stock levels, reducing the risk of overselling or underselling products, which can lead to customer dissatisfaction and lost sales.
• Scalability: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small online stores to large e-commerce operations, and capable of handling large volumes of inventory data.
• Flexibility: Supports a wide range of data sources and formats, making it adaptable to various business requirements and workflows.
• Cost-Effective: Helps prevent stockouts and overstocking, reducing carrying costs and increasing sales opportunities.

8. ShipStation

ShipStation is a versatile SaaS shipping platform that simplifies the order fulfillment process for e-commerce businesses by helping brands streamline their shipping operations, reduce costs, and improve overall efficiency. With ShipStation, businesses can benefit from carrier integrations, automation rules, batch processing, and extensive tracking and reporting.

Benefits of Using ShipStation

• Efficiency: Streamlines the shipping process, saving time and reducing manual effort through automation and batch processing.
• Cost Savings: Access to discounted shipping rates and the ability to compare carrier options help businesses reduce shipping costs.
• Scalability: Suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small online stores to large e-commerce operations, and capable of handling high volumes of orders.
• Improved Accuracy: Automation rules and real-time order syncing help minimize errors in order fulfillment and shipping.
• Enhanced Customer Experience: Real-time tracking and automated notifications keep customers informed, improving satisfaction and reducing inquiries.

9. Zapier

Zapier is a web-based automation tool that connects apps and services to streamline workflows and increase productivity with no coding knowledge required. With its intuitive interface, customizable workflows, and extensive app integrations, Zapier empowers users to automate repetitive tasks, create complex workflows, and improve efficiency across various aspects of their work and personal lives.

Benefits of Using Zapier

• Increased Productivity: Automating repetitive tasks and workflows saves time and reduces manual effort, allowing users to focus on more important tasks.
• Integration Flexibility: Zapier's extensive app integrations and customizable workflows enable users to connect and automate a wide range of apps and services.
• Scalability: Zapier's platform is scalable and suitable for businesses of all sizes, from individuals and small teams to large enterprises.
• Efficiency and Consistency: Automation ensures tasks are performed consistently and accurately, reducing errors and improving overall efficiency.
• Empowered Workflows: Zapier empowers users to create custom automation workflows tailored to their specific needs, enhancing productivity and streamlining operations.

10. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a comprehensive and user-friendly CRM solution that empowers ecommerce businesses to manage their contacts, track sales activities, and nurture leads effectively. With seamless integrations and powerful analytics, HubSpot CRM helps businesses streamline their sales processes, improve efficiency, and drive revenue growth. 

Benefits of Using HubSpot CRM

• Centralized Data Management: HubSpot CRM provides a centralized platform for managing contacts, deals, and sales activities, ensuring that all team members have access to up-to-date information.
• Improved Sales Efficiency: Features like email integration, task management, and automation tools help streamline sales processes and increase sales team productivity.
• Better Lead Nurturing: Lead capture forms, lead scoring, and automated workflows enable businesses to nurture leads effectively and move them through the sales funnel.
• Data-Driven Insights: Reporting and analytics provide valuable insights into sales performance, allowing businesses to identify trends, track progress, and make data-driven decisions.
• Scalability and Flexibility: HubSpot CRM is scalable and suitable for businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, and offers flexibility to adapt to evolving business needs.

11. ReConvert

ReConvert is a valuable Shopify app that empowers merchants to optimize the post-purchase experience and increase customer retention. By offering customizable thank-you pages with upsell offers, order tracking, customer engagement tools, and integration capabilities, ReConvert helps businesses maximize revenue, foster brand loyalty, and create memorable experiences for their customers. With its focus on enhancing the post-purchase journey, ReConvert plays a crucial role in driving long-term success for e-commerce stores on the Shopify platform.

Benefits of Using ReConvert

• Maximized Revenue: Utilizes the thank-you page to offer upsells, cross-sells, and discounts, increasing the average order value and maximizing revenue per customer.
• Improved Customer Engagement: Provides engaging post-purchase experiences that encourage customer interaction, feedback collection, and social sharing.
• Enhanced Brand Loyalty: Rewards customers with discounts, loyalty points, and personalized recommendations, fostering loyalty and repeat purchases.
• Easy Customization: Offers a user-friendly editor and pre-designed templates for quick and easy customization of thank-you pages to match the store's branding and messaging.
• Data-Driven Optimization: Provides analytics and A/B testing capabilities to measure and optimize thank-you page performance for higher conversions and customer satisfaction.

12. Smile.io

Smile.io is a customer loyalty platform that enables businesses to create and manage rewards programs to drive customer engagement, retention, and advocacy. With its customizable loyalty programs, referral incentives, VIP perks, and engagement tools, Smile.io enables businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers, increase customer lifetime value, and drive sustainable growth. Smile.io integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and Wix, as well as other tools like Klaviyo, ReCharge, and more.

Benefits of Using Smile.io

• Increased Customer Loyalty: By rewarding customers for their loyalty, referrals, and engagement, Smile.io helps businesses foster long-term relationships and increase customer retention.
• Boosted Engagement: Gamification elements, personalized rewards, and targeted campaigns encourage customer engagement and participation in loyalty programs.
• Higher Customer Lifetime Value: Loyalty programs incentivize customers to make repeat purchases and advocate for the brand, ultimately driving higher customer lifetime value and revenue.
• Data-Driven Insights: Analytics and insights provide valuable data on customer behavior, preferences, and program effectiveness, helping businesses optimize their loyalty strategies for better results.
• Brand Advocacy and Growth: Referral programs and VIP perks empower satisfied customers to become brand advocates, driving word-of-mouth referrals and fueling business growth.

13. Hotjar

Hotjar is an analytics and feedback tool that provides valuable insights into user behavior and website performance. A few of its features include heatmaps, session recordings, feedback tools, and conversion funnels. Hotjar empowers business owners to understand their audience better, identify optimization opportunities, and make data-driven decisions to improve their website's effectiveness and user experience.

Benefits of Using Hotjar

• User Insights: Gain valuable insights into user behavior, preferences, and pain points through heatmaps, session recordings, and feedback tools.
• Optimization Opportunities: Identify areas for improvement and optimization on your website by analyzing user interactions and feedback.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Make informed decisions based on data and user feedback, rather than assumptions or guesswork.
• User-Centric Design: Design and optimize your website with the user in mind, leading to improved user experience and satisfaction.
• Conversion Rate Optimization: Use insights from conversion funnels and goal tracking to optimize conversion paths and increase conversion rates.

14. Grappos Buy Online Plus

Buy Online Plus by Grappos is a powerful tool for implementing an effective omnichannel strategy. This innovative tool helps increase your online sales by allowing users to search and buy your products through their preferred purchase platform. Buy Online Plus is a convenient tool for your customers and an invaluable asset for your ecommerce business.

Benefits of Using Buy Online Plus

• Intuitive Interface: Make it simple for your customers to see nearby and online retailers of your products  in one easy search.
• Real-time Insights: Monitor searches in real time to capture search and sales insights and capitalize on emerging trends.
• Increased Visibility: Help customers quickly find your products at nearby retail locations or online, giving them the flexibility to choose how to make their purchases.
• Unified Omnicommerce Strategy: Buy Online Plus allows you to embrace an omnicommerce strategy which is the future of ecommerce success.

Request a demo today →

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Innovative Tools for E-commerce Entrepreneurs

Third-party apps offer e-commerce stores a wide array of functionalities that enhance marketing efforts, improve customer experience, streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive sales. By integrating these specialized tools, your e-commerce business can achieve better performance, maintain competitiveness, and provide a superior shopping experience for your customers. 

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