When it comes to eCommerce, you must be willing to invest in tools that will help your business scale and achieve sustainability. 

Marketing tools come in handy if you want to focus on optimization and growth. The problem is, there are several options out there to choose from and it could be difficult to identify which is the best one. 

In this article, we focus on two powerful marketing tools: GetResponse and WooCommerce, and introduce you to their features, compare their price packages, and help you choose which one is the best for your business. (Explore more options in TAGS)

What is GetResponse?

GetResponse is one of the most intuitive email marketing software today. It is an email marketing app that allows you to do the following:

•     Create a mailing list and capture data onto it
•     Send emails to the subscribers on your list
•     Automate your emails to subscribers through the use of autoresponders
•     View and analyze statistics related to your email campaigns- open rate, click-through, forwards, etc. 

(READ: Why sign up for GetResponse)

Key Features of GetResponse

Compared to other email marketing tools, GetResponse comes with a massive feature set, even on its entry-level plan. It does not only provide all the essential features you’d expect from an email marketing platform. It has also been expanding its features to transform into an all-in-one marketing and eCommerce solution. 

Below are some of the features of GetResponse.

1.  Creating Emails and Campaigns

GetResponse provides you with several features to make your email marketing and email campaigns successful. It has a variety of tools that allow users to build marketing campaigns.

• Email Sent/Opened and Links Clicked

GetResponse offers its users real-time activity tracking. You can view your email marketing statistics like CTRs, opens, and link clicks. Moreover, you can see your contacts’ activity patterns and design your email campaigns based on real-time data. 

• Deliverability Rates and Deliverability by Time Zone

In terms of deliverability rates, GetResponse is the best one. It claims to be a spam-free solution for your email marketing needs. Using the GetResponse Time Travel feature, you can ensure that your business remains relevant in your customers’ minds by sending your campaigns at your customers’ local time in every time zone.

• Creating and Importing Email Lists

GetResponse has a simple process for importing your email lists. You can import the contacts you have stored in a file in your computer directly to the GetResponse contact list. You can also use the Add Contact panel in your GetResponse account to manually add any contacts you may encounter. 

• Split Tests and A/B Testing

The A/B split testing feature of GetResponse is straightforward. You only need to turn it on and add the tests and settings. If you want to turn off the A/B testing, go to the message and turn it off. When you segment your contact list and send variants of the message, the split testing feature allows you to track each campaign individually and find the most successful. 

2.  Reporting and Analysis

GetResponse has an intelligent analytics feature. You can easily view email opens, CTRs, links clicked, and unsubscribed. The Email Comparison feature contains graphs that you can use together with a split test to compare results from two different email campaigns. It will determine which campaign had the most engagement.

With the Real Email ROI feature, you can find out the total value of the conversions. 

• Engagement Reports

Several engagement reports show you exactly how your customers are interacting with your campaigns. GetResponse has a Real-Time Activity Tracking so you can see the open rates and CTRs. The Mobile View Stats show you which devices your subscribers use, such as desktops, android phones, and iPads. 

• Heat Maps

The GetResponse heat map feature shows you where your customers click the most and how far they can scroll. With the data, you can optimize your marketing campaigns to increase customer engagement. There is also the session recording that shows you how people are using your website in real-time.

• Campaign Comparison Report

GetResponse Email Analytics feature includes Campaign Comparison reports to compare the results of two different email campaigns to see which one had the best results. 

• Segmentation

GetResponse allows you to create a segment fast and easy. Head to your dashboard, click Advanced Search, add conditions, and save the segment. When you segment your email list, it enables you to create more tailored email campaigns targeted to a specific segment.

3.     Integrations

While other email marketing solutions offer other integrations, GetResponse still has the best connectivity options. It features 130 different integrations. 

• Google Analytics

Using Google Analytics integration, you can analyze your subscriber behavior, including forms and email links. 

• API Integrations

API of GetResponse allows you to perform tasks like managing newsletters, email campaigns, and segmentation.

• eCommerce Tools

GetResponse allows you to connect to some of the top eCommerce tools like PayPal, Big-commerce, WooCommerce, Etsy, and more. 

4.     Automation

The GetResponse Marketing Automation Planning and Implementation is designed for two purposes: to make your work easier so you won’t have to do specific tasks manually, and o boost your creativity.

(READ More: GetResponse vs ClickFunnels’ Actionetics: The Automation Showdown)

GetResponse: Plans and Pricing

Basically, there are 4 GetResponse plans:

• Basic – starts at $15 per month to send an unlimited number of emails to 1,000 subscribers.

• Plus – starts at $49 per month for up to 1,000 subscribers.

• Professional – starts at $99 per month, up to 1,000 subscribers.

• Max – negotiable 

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce was created by two developers- Mike Jolley and James Koster. It is the crown jewel of the eCommerce world and is considered one of WordPress’ best plugins.

For starters, this platform isn’t a standalone site-builder. It is an open-source WordPress plugin. This means that by signing up for a single hosting-to-checkout platform, WooCommerce works as a third-party integration with the greater scheme of WordPress. 

Features of WooCommerce

Below are some of the beautiful features of WooCommerce.

1.  Seamless WordPress Integration

The major unique selling proposition of WooCommerce is that it’s built on WordPress, the most popular content management system in the world. Thus, the principles that are useful for WordPress also work in the same way for WooCommerce. The integration with WordPress makes the job of a website owner easier. 

2.  Open Source Development Platform

WooCommerce is a fully open-source platform. This means the code is available to anyone who wants to view, modify, and contribute. This way, a custom WordPress development company can collaborate quickly and build a powerful platform that powers millions of eCommerce stores. 

3.  Unprecedented Flexibility

There are several types of eCommerce businesses on the internet. Some are selling physical products, some are offering services, while others are working on affiliate products. WooCommerce comes as an excellent option for all merchants.

The best part is, you don’t need to be an IT expert to customize it. You can edit any part of your website, from the product page to the order confirmation page. 

4.  In-Built Payment Processing

One of the things that customers love about WooCommerce is its set up payments. That’s because it comes with in-built payment gateways that allow you to process payments through Stripe, PayPal, Bank Transfers, and more. 

5.  Massive Library of Extensions

When you’re building an eCommerce store, you need more than a website and products. You also need to set up payments, shipping, marketing, accounting, and a lot more. WooCommerce comes with a wide variety of extensions that make all functions easier.  

6.  SEO Advantage

No matter how far social media goes, SEO will always be a crucial factor. If you want to build a successful online business, you need to have a robust SEO strategy. 

7.  Smooth Integration with your Marketing Tools

If you have an online store, you also need to do online marketing with platforms like Google Analytics, Google Shopping, Facebook, and more. 

WooCommerce: Plans and Pricing

This part is where it gets tricky. As mentioned above, the WooCommerce WordPress plugin is free to download. WordPress CMS software is also free. 

Here’s what you need when using WooCommerce for an average installation.

1.     WordPress- Free
2.     The WooCommerce plugin- Free
3.     A web host- From $3 to hundreds of dollars each month
4.     A WooCommerce theme- Free to roughly $200
5.     A domain
6.     Plugins and extensions
7.     Web design services

The Verdict

If you don’t like the idea of paying a monthly fee for a platform, WooCommerce might be for you. It is ideal for eCommerce business owners who don’t want any limitations with their online stores. Using WooCommerce will allow you to scale up and customize your business.

However, if you are looking for an all-in-one email marketing solution, GetResponse is the best choice. It is easy to use and provides solutions to businesses in different industries. It allows smooth integrations, and the hundreds of templates combined with the drag-and-drop features make it easy to use.