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A poorly designed website has the ability to turn away potential customers in seconds, so choosing a site builder that will capture their attention is crucial in eCommerce.
Pinnacle Cart is one such platform that’s designed specifically for online stores, and it could have everything you’re looking for.
What is Pinnacle Cart?
Pinnacle Cart is a shopping cart platform for use with eCommerce businesses, and it encompasses many features like a website builder and marketing services.
This program is designed to be a one-stop shop for anyone starting an eCommerce store and it does a good job providing just that.
We’ve created a detailed Pinnacle Cart review to find out what’s good and bad about this platform, and what you can expect in features, add-ons, customer support, and more.
If you have grand plans to launch an eCommerce store and are looking for a helping hand, this review will tell you everything you need to know.
What is Pinnacle Cart?
Pinnacle Cart is an eCommerce software platform that aims to service every need that an online store would have.
Using this one piece of software, you can create an online store, handle all of your marketing campaigns, manage products and payment options, and collect data and analytics on how it’s all performing.
This one-stop shop is designed for any eCommerce business that needs a complete setup, and it takes you through all of the steps needed for success.
Compared to other general website builders, this one is all about selling online, so if you want something more dedicated to making money, Pinnacle Cart is worth considering.
The Good and the Bad
The fastest way to tell if an eCommerce platform is right for your burgeoning brand is to look at where it succeeds and fails.
These are the most commonly noted pros and cons of Pinnacle Cart so you can figure out if it’s got everything your business needs.
Pros
User friendly
Pinnacle Cart is a smart choice for absolute beginners to eCommerce but it also has enough to keep an expert engaged.
The entire process is user-friendly and not confusing in the slightest, which can be hard to do with these types of websites.
Professional storefronts
The finished product and final website will be professional and sleek, regardless of what template you choose.
It’s clear to see that even the finer details have been considered when creating these themes, which almost makes up for the fewer options.
Every aspect covered
Using something like Pinnacle Cart takes any stress out of setting up an eCommerce store because they’ve thought of everything.
Even if you have no idea what’s needed to create an online store, they will make sure you cover every element.
You can even bring alone a domain or have them host, so you’re not tied down to them.
Cons
Lack of themes
At last count, there were just over 40 templates to choose from on Pinnacle Cart so there’s a very real possibility you won’t find one that you like.
Although they continue adding designs all the time and you get the chance to create your own if you’re design-minded, it’s easy to feel limited when shopping around for one.
Limited payment integration
Compared to other eCommerce platforms, the payment integration options are light with Pinnacle Cart.
If you’re hoping to offer more for customers in terms of how they pay, shop around for better-suited software that can deliver in this area.
How Easy Is It to Use?
Pinnacle Cart was designed with user-friendliness in mind, so almost everything you do on this platform can be carried out with a step-by-step wizard.
Upon signing up, you’ll first need to choose a theme and from there, you can get into the finer details like third-party app integration, adding products, choosing payment options, and deciding on shipping.
The entire process from start to finish was easy, and so are any modifications you’ll need to make in the future.
As with any commerce store, there’s a lot to think of with this type of website so it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but if you need a break, Pinnacle Cart lets you jump straight back in where you were to keep going.
Templates and Themes
Pinnacle Cart has just over 40 themes and templates available to choose from, which is slightly disappointing.
When you look at some of the larger eCommerce platforms with hundreds of options, you’re right to feel a little bit restricted.
However, of the templates that are there, each one has been thoughtfully designed and is professional in every aspect.
You also get the chance to customize them further if something isn’t how you like it, and this helps to separate one storefront from the next.
Although the range of templates was a little light, you can also get a good sense of how the final product will look thanks to the test products.
This means there’s no need to add your products before you see what the store looks like as they can do this automatically with samples, so you get a clear picture of the storefront before you start adding them in.
Most Noteworthy Features of Pinnacle Cart
As an eCommerce platform, Pinnacle Cart has delivered a huge range of features for people to utilize for their online stores.
These are some of the more popular tools that people make use of to run and grow their brand on the web:
- SEO and Marketing: Boost your reach online with custom URLs, promo codes, integrations with third-party tracking tools, and email captures, just to name a few.
- Cart Designer: Construct your own theme or choose a ready-made template to get the shopping cart of your customer’s dreams.
- Security and Fraud: SSL certificate, PCI and PA-DSS compliance, password encryption, and security account blocking are some of the ways to safeguard your eCommerce store and protect customers.
- Orders and Fulfillment: A dashboard that lets you manage customers and their orders, plus features like notification sending, printable invoices and packing slips, payment refunds, and the supply of tracking information to customers.
- Product Management: Boost sales and convert traffic with tools like image zoom, thumbnail generator, and an unlimited number of images for every product listing.
Customer Service and Support
With this platform, you can submit a ticket to their helpdesk any time or day of the week, and they’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Other options for customer support include a free phone number, live chat through their website, or email communication.
They have staff on hand between 6 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday, which is somewhat limited.
You won’t be able to get assistance on the weekends or if you work at night, and this is likely a bummer for many eCommerce store owners.
As an added bonus though, Pinnacle Cart has a team of developers and designers on hand to help you out and give your business a boost.
If you need assistance creating a website or designing something unique, you can contact their Professional Services staff to see what’s available.
Pricing and Plans
With this eCommerce platform, you get the choice of bringing a domain along or having them host one for you, which costs a little extra.
However, there are still three plans available with varying features, including:
- Standard: A Standard member with Pinnacle Cart will get access to five administration accounts, an unlimited number of products, and no transaction fees at any point. This is their cheapest plan and it costs $79.95 a month to sign up to.
- Advanced: The Advanced plan costs $199.95 a month, with the biggest difference being an unlimited number of administration accounts possible. This is a better fit for medium to large eCommerce businesses that have lots of staff accessing the software.
- Enterprise: This is the option for larger eCommerce stores that need a tailored solution. There’s no information available about the price for this plan as it’s custom-designed and can vary, so you’ll have to call Pinnacle Cart’s sales staff to discuss your needs.
Pinnacle Cart offers a 14-day free trial for prospective users as well, with no need to supply credit card information.
This gives you ample time to see what the software offer and you can then upgrade or downgrade your plan at any time, without consequences.
Pinnacle Cart: Yay or Nay?
Pinnacle Cart is a smart choice for businesses with an online-only presence, but it is lacking in some options when you stack it up against the big names.
This eCommerce platform is great for SEO, limitless inventory, and easy setup and monitoring for beginners through to pros, so there’s something here for every type of business.
Related Questions
Ecommerce has become one of the more popular methods of shopping these days, and it only stands to become bigger and better.
If you want to start an online store where you can sell your goods and services to the world, read on for some FAQs and expert answers that will give you some insight.
Is Ecommerce Good for Small Businesses?
Small and large businesses alike can benefit from having an online presence or using tools like internet marketing.
With a dedicated website, a small business can keep up with competitors and give customers another way to access their goods and services, so it’s essential in this day and age.
What Products Are Selling Most Online?
If you’re looking for a product to sell in your eCommerce store, the trending niches for 2021 include healthcare, skincare and beauty, smartwatches, shapewear, and hobbies and craft.
You’ll want to research the product you plan on selling, look at what competitors offer, and be realistic about profit margins before jumping in with anything.
Which Payment Method Is Best For Online Shopping?
Your eCommerce store should give customers a variety of ways to pay, including popular options like PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, credit and debit cards, Stripe, and Square.
Having at least two options for customers to choose from is best, so think about what methods might work best with the product range you sell.
