Appointment scheduling software lets clients schedule and pay for appointments and related services online. We researched the top-rated appointment scheduling software options and decided to review Square Appointments, Acuity Scheduling, and Bookeo Appointments. These three services deliver a full range of features at small business-friendly costs. Read on for our review and top recommendations. Best…
About the Author
Krista Fabregas
Krista Fabregas is a staff writer at Fit Small Business and editor of the Ecommerce Section. Krista launched her first ecommerce site in 2001, and soon grew to operate two niche B2B and B2C sites, a 10K square foot warehouse, and staff of nine. Combined, her sites sold more than $1.5M annually for several years. Krista now shares her hands-on experience with others looking to expand into online sales. When not helping small business owners launch and grow efficient ecommerce operations, Krista enjoys writing fiction and nonfiction and riding horses and motorcycles in her hometown of Houston.
6 Best PayPal Alternatives 2019
PayPal is a global name in online payments, but there are plenty of cases where a PayPal alternative is a better choice for business or peer-to-peer payments. Some alternatives to PayPal deliver lower processing fees or faster deposits for businesses. Other PayPal alternatives offer more advanced peer-to-peer payments, like free instant transfers between bank accounts….
6 Best 3rd-Party Logistics (3PL) Companies 2019
Third-party logistics (3PL) companies deliver outsourced, end-to-end logistics services such as inventory management, order fulfillment, shipping, freight distribution, and import/export. These third-party logistics services aren’t reserved for just enterprise-level businesses with large budgets. Plenty of startups and small businesses find it more efficient and economical to outsource fulfillment and freight logistics tasks to 3PL companies….
6 Best Fulfillment Warehouse Providers 2019
A fulfillment warehouse handles inventory management, order packing and shipping, and related services for ecommerce sellers. Some fulfillment warehouses cater to small sellers and startups, and most offer some type of specialty services like batch fulfillment, secure storage, oversize shipping, or international sales. The right solution ultimately depends on your product mix and shipping needs….
5 Best Order Fulfillment Services & Companies 2019
Order fulfillment services handle key inventory management, order packing, and shipping operations for ecommerce businesses. Outsourcing these time-consuming tasks to a fulfillment company lets small business owners focus on growth drivers like product development, marketing, and multichannel expansion. Since fulfillment services differ in strengths and costs, selecting the right partner depends on your unique business…
Creative Packaging Ideas: Examples, Costs & Providers
Creative packaging lets ecommerce sellers convey their brand to buyers in a share-worthy unboxing experience. Fully-customized packaging is pricey, but many creative packaging ideas are very economical. Logo stickers, printed inserts, paper sleeves, and tie-on tags are just a few creative packaging examples that deliver plenty of bang for just a few bucks. But first,…
Order Fulfillment Costs: Fulfillment Services & 3PL Costs Explained
Order fulfillment costs include inventory receiving and storage, order packing, shipping, and depend on order complexity, package size and weight, and sales volume. Small orders might cost $1 to fulfill while complex orders can exceed $10. Fulfillment services’ fee structures also vary greatly, and the best fit depends on your specific needs. Searching for the…
Square vs. PayPal: Price, Features & What’s Best in 2019
Comparing Square vs. PayPal, Square offers better-integrated payment tools than PayPal, but PayPal pulls ahead in ecommerce payments, and online invoicing features are tied. PayPal’s 2.7% per-swipe fee is lower than Square’s 2.75% per-swipe fee. However, most users think Square’s free point-of-sale (POS) system and business management system makes its slightly higher fee worthwhile. Overall,…
6 Best Free Ecommerce Website Builders 2019
Free ecommerce website builders list products for sale online, accept orders, and process payments. Some support unlimited products; others limit product listings but offer added perks, such as social media integrations and blogging tools. We reviewed the top-rated options to help you select the best free ecommerce website builder for your business’ online selling needs….
How to Design an Open Office Layout & Alternative Ideas
An open office layout is a floor plan centered on a large, open space with minimal enclosed offices. Open office layouts are economical, flexible, and can be effective for highly collaborative teams. However, studies show that poorly planned spaces decrease productivity and employee satisfaction. Balancing openness with privacy options is key to a successful design….
Best Ecommerce Platforms for Small Business in 2019
Ecommerce platforms list products for sale online, manage payments, orders, inventory, and customer communications, and connect to social and marketplace sales channels. We reviewed popular platforms and rising stars and found that Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce are the best platforms for small businesses in terms of price, online sales, and marketing features, and ease of…
6 Ways to Accept Recurring Payments 2019
Recurring payments are automatic payments that process on a set schedule for things like memberships, subscriptions, repeat services, lessons, and more. Recurring payments let businesses operate with predictable income by offering customers the convenience of an automatic option. An all-in-one payment solution can be the easiest way for small businesses to automatically collect recurring payments….
