How Do I Upgrade From Squarespace to Commerce?

Upgrading from Squarespace to Commerce involves transitioning your existing Squarespace website to a version that includes more advanced e-commerce features available within the Squarespace platform. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

Step 1: Evaluate Your Current Plan

Before you upgrade, determine which Squarespace plan you are currently on. You are likely on a personal, business, or basic plan.

• Personal Plan: This plan includes only basic website-building tools.
• Business Plan: This plan offers more advanced features, including the ability to sell online but with a 3% transaction fee.

Step 2: Understand Commerce Plans

Squarespace offers two primary e-commerce plans: - Basic Commerce: This plan provides essential e-commerce tools, removing the 3% transaction fee, basic inventory management, and customer management tools. - Advanced Commerce: This plan includes all features of the Basic Commerce plan plus advanced features like abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions, advanced shipping, and more detailed analytics.

Step 3: Backup Your Data

While Squarespace does maintain data integrity, it’s always a good practice to backup your content. Export critical data, product lists, and customer information before making any changes.

Step 4: Upgrade Your Plan

To upgrade your plan: 1. Login to Your Squarespace Account: Navigate to Squarespace and log in to your account.

1. Access Billing Settings: In the Home Menu, click on “Settings,” then go to “Billing & Account.”

2. Switch Plans:

3. Click “Billing,” then “Subscriptions.”
4. Find your current website subscription.

5. Click on “Change Plan” next to your site, then choose your desired Commerce plan (Basic or Advanced).

6. Confirm Upgrade: Follow the prompts to confirm the upgrade. You will be guided through the process and informed about any price adjustments.

Step 5: Configure Your Commerce Settings

Once you’ve upgraded, you need to configure your new e-commerce features:

1. Products Setup:
2. Navigate to the “Commerce” section.

3. Add or import your products, set prices, and configure inventory settings.

4. Payment Processors:

5. Set up your preferred payment gateways such as Stripe, PayPal, and Square in the “Payments” section.

6. Shipping and Taxes:

7. Go to the “Shipping” settings to configure your shipping options and rates.

8. Set up your “Taxes” based on your local tax laws.

9. Checkout Options: Customize the checkout experience for your customers in the “Checkout” section.

10. Advanced Settings (if applicable):

11. For Advanced Commerce plans, configure additional features like abandoned cart recovery, subscriptions, and custom discount rules.

Step 6: Test Your Store

Before you officially launch your upgraded e-commerce site: 1. Place Test Orders: Use test products to make sure the entire purchasing process works smoothly, from adding items to the cart to checkout and payment.

1. Verify Email Notifications: Check that transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping updates, etc.) are correctly set up and reach your inbox.

2. Review Analytics: Examine the new analytics features to understand and leverage data for better business decisions.

Step 7: Announce Your New Store

Once everything is set up and tested, inform your audience. Use newsletters, social media, and website banners to announce the enhanced e-commerce experience.

Key Considerations and Limitations

• Cost: Be aware of the price difference between your current plan and the new Commerce plans.
• Feature Needs: Evaluate if you really need the advanced features offered by the Commerce plans to justify the upgrade.
• Long-term Plans: Consider your business growth and future needs, thinking about whether Advanced Commerce features may become necessary.

Upgrading to Squarespace Commerce opens up new opportunities for your online business by providing more powerful tools and a seamless experience for your customers. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition and take full advantage of what Squarespace Commerce has to offer.