CBD businesses are under fire. Although hemp production has been legal in the United States since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, the taboo associated with these products still persists and threatens their very existence. CBD, a naturally occurring compound derived from industrial hemp that offers astounding health benefits, continues to face strict restrictions, and in some cases, even unjustified depreciation.
Although the USA is the world’s third-largest hemp producer, certain major eCommerce platforms are constructing insurmountable challenges for CBD eCommerce merchants. Shopify’s recent decision to remove many CBD sellers without warning is one of the most daunting obstacles. In light of this move, every merchant in the CBD industry needs to reconsider their website platform to preserve the future of their business.
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Shopify and CBD Merchants
Shopify, a Canadian multinational eCommerce platform, recently made a shocking decision to crack down on CBD sales on the platform. They suddenly booted many CBD merchants off the platform with no prior notice, shutting down their websites. These merchants have subsequently been given only one week to back up their data before it is deleted.
This move came as quite a shock, considering Shopify’s past relationship with CBD merchants. The platform had previously been friendly towards hemp and CBD merchants in 2019 when the industry started to boom. This complete 180-degree pivot shows that sellers cannot be complacent about their online stores. If you market CBD online, you need to make sure your site is based on a platform that will support you for years to come. CBD merchants, even those not directly affected, need to reassess their online presence immediately to preserve the futures of their businesses.
How Can BigCommerce Help?
In the aftermath of this move, BigCommerce, an American multinational eCommerce platform, has extended a helping hand towards the CBD eCommerce industry. They have prioritized supporting CBD and hemp businesses through various promotions targeting the needs of CBD merchants. Their unique service features, such as zero transaction fees, a vast selection of built-in tools, and free one-month trials offer an attractive alternative. BigCommerce offers connection to multiple payment processors and extreme customizability, giving your developers direct access to site codes. The platform’s outstanding features include:
- An open SaaS platform
- 99.99% server uptime
- 24/7 customer support
- Intuitive design tools
- POS, ERP, and CRM integrations
- Enterprise-grade security
- Over 70 coupon and promotion tools
- Easy navigation
Migrating to BigCommerce is one of the best options for CBD merchants. BigCommerce and CBD go hand in hand. This is your opportunity to protect your business. Migrating to BigCommerce is the smart choice to keep your store operational so you can keep providing your customers with the quality products they depend upon.
Let Us Help You With Web Design and Development
If a site migration sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! You don’t have to go it alone. Coalition Technologies has helped many CBD and cannabis businesses build or improve their websites, and we can guide you through the process of migrating to BigCommerce. When you work with Coalition, you can count on these essential features for CBD eCommerce businesses:
- Responsive design that adjusts to fit any screen for superior user experience
- Website design that incorporates your branding into every aspect of your online store
Can Content Marketing Make the Move Easier?
As a hemp and CBD business, you cannot deny the indispensable role marketing plays in helping your business grow. Without adequate marketing campaigns in place, surviving in the market is tough. Digital marketing is one of the prime tools CBD merchants can leverage to help CBD eCommerce thrive.
How can content marketing help your business? Here are a few ways:
- Increasing brand visibility and awareness
- Building trust and loyalty
- Improving your search engine rankings by driving high-quality traffic to your website
- Building strong and lasting customer relationships
- Overcoming barriers to sale by answering questions and providing useful information
- Building brand authority by highlighting your brand’s credibility, expertise, and thought-leadership
- Moving customers through the sales funnel
- Delivering genuine value to your customers and community
- Improving sales and driving high returns on investment
And who can do all this for you? We can! With our help, various cannabis and CBD businesses have aced the marketing game and boosted their sales. Look through our case studies to learn more about how we have helped numerous businesses like yours achieve their goals.
Coalition Technologies is a top CBD and cannabis SEO company that can take your business to the next level. We can help you migrate to BigCommerce and provide marketing services to solidify your place in the CBD eCommerce industry. Contact us if you want to embrace this alliance of BigCommerce and CBD to reach more customers and make more sales.
