When starting a new business venture, you need a set of reliable and robust tools to aid the process. If you do not have a huge array of startup funds, this can be tricky. There are other options, however. If you know where to look, you can find an array of free tools and resources to help launch your eCommerce business. We have listed 6 free tools that we’ve tested below for your benefit!
1. Square Online
The basis of your eCommerce business is an online store. Unless you have web design knowledge, it is incredibly difficult to build an online store from scratch. This is where platforms like Square Online are perfect. Square Online is a website builder and it offers a free eCommerce solution so anyone can build an online store. The free plan is admittedly limited in it’s features and capacity, however you could use these as the basis for your online store, and build from it as your company grows.
2. Dark Room
If you want to get into advanced photo editing and product photo creation, having a photo editor is a great idea. Using a photo editor you can improve the basic quality of your product photos to display on your eCommerce website. Darkroom is a free photo editor that has an amazing set of tools for both photo editing and raster graphics creation. Using this program you can easily edit the basic parameters of photos like color saturation, contrast, and brightness. You can also apply some stylish effects to create cool marketing images.
3. LogoCreator.io
Once you have decided on your business plan and products, you will need a stylish and professional business logo. A logo is one of the defining features of your business. It is something that people will recognize and associate with your brand.
LogoCreator.io is a free online tool that you can use to create a logo. It is easy to use with a drag and drop interface. You can start with a blank canvas and simply drop different items and text in. It also has a cool range of templates that you can use for inspiration.
4. Canva
Canva is an excellent free graphics design platform. It has a range of different tools including a branding manager, planner, and thousands of pre-made templates to work with. Using Canva, you can create a wide variety of graphics for social media marketing, and for your new eCommerce website. For example, you can create infographics, Facebook cover photos, product images, and promotional banners. The platform is easy to use, and like LogoCreator, it also uses a drag and drop interface that anyone can learn.
5. Hemingway Editor
Having impeccable grammar and sentence structure is vital for launching an online business. Your text must be concise, well-written, and easy for users to digest. This is where a free resource like the Hemingway Editor can help. The Hemingway Editor is a free tool that analyses your written content. Simply copy and paste your text into the document and it will show a variety of improvements. This includes the use of passive tense, excessive pronouns, and hard-to-read sentences. It is an invaluable tool to have if you are not a particularly skilled writer.
6. Node
Online stores can be challenging because you need to establish credibility and authority if you want to succeed— which can sometimes be challenging for startups with little to no customers. Having influencers share your brand and content is one way to do this, especially if these influencers have significant reach and followers.
Luckily you can use Node for free to get high-quality content without paying for posts or third-party platforms and agencies. Best of all, Node lets you work with influencers through product exchange, which makes it perfect for new eCommerce stores. You can even filter and target influencers that are in your niche and within your shipping range.
Closing Thoughts
This is just a small sample of free tools available to entrepreneurs. You can use these products to quickly build and launch your eCommerce store without spending any money.
Website Builder: Square Builder
Photo Editor: Dark Room
Logos: LogoCreator.io
Promo Banners: Canva
Content Writing: Hemingway Editor
Influencers: Node App
In this age of digital marketing and affiliates, you can find many companies that offer their services for free. You just have to know where to look. Why not give these resources a try today and see how they can aid your business development? They may prove invaluable in launching your eCommerce project.
