Art Storefronts vs Squarespace: Which is best? Ultimately, it all depends on the type of business you want to run. Squarespace is a straightforward website builder, with beautiful templates, and plenty of handy tools if you want to sell things like courses, memberships, and subscriptions. However, while Squarespace advertises itself as a website builder intended for creators it’s not focused exclusively on artists.
It’s also not the most robust ecommerce platform I’ve ever used. In fact, when you dive in and actually set up an account with Squarespace, you’ll find a lot of missing ecommerce capabilities. There’s no “wish list” feature, the inventory management tools are very basic, and Squarespace doesn’t even have its own dedicated payment processor (though it integrates with others).
Art Storefronts is the only ecommerce solution I’ve seen so far actually designed to help artists promote and sell their products. It’s a specialized solution, combining website design with ecommerce, print-on-demand, and specialized services.
Let’s dive into the comparison.
Quick Verdict
Overall, if you’re looking for a simple website builder with great templates, and flexible selling options, Squarespace is probably the better pick.
It’s definitely more versatile, allowing companies to sell everything from physical products, to services, and subscriptions. It’s also a little easier to navigate, the platform if you’re a complete beginner.
However Art Storefronts is by far the better solution for artists. It has more advanced ecommerce capabilities, a unique print-on-demand solution built-in, and gives you access to specialists who can help you build, optimize, and advertise your store.
Art Storefronts Pros and Cons
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Unique print on demand solution built-in
End-to-end support with web design and marketing
Comprehensive lead capture and marketing tools
Unique artist-focused capabilities and merchandising tools
Online and offline selling options
Powerful AI capabilities
Cons 👎
Can be quite expensive
Niche focus (specially designed for artists)
Slightly more complex setup process
Squarespace Pros and Cons
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Beautiful range of templates and themes
Very easy to use interface for beginners
Options to sell physical and digital products, and services
Integrated appointment booking tools
Versatile range of integrations
Good SEO performance
Cons 👎
Very few advanced features for artists
Limited inventory management
Basic POD features (through integrations)
Art Storefronts vs Squarespace: Feature Comparison
Both Art Storefronts and Squarespace offer access to website building and ecommerce tools, but they’re very different beneath the surface. Art Storefronts is a comprehensive solution designed specifically to address the needs of artists. Squarespace is more of a catch-all platform that allows you to sell virtually anything, but gives you very few advanced tools.
Website Design Features
Squarespace has an excellent reputation as one of the best website design platforms, and its easy to see why. Not only can you choose from a huge range of professionally-designed templates for your Squarespace store, but you can customize those templates however you like.
Squarespace’s design tools are extremely easy to use, and don’t impose any limitations on how many pages, blogs, or galleries you can create. Plus, if you’re having a hard time building the perfect store, Squarespace allows you to use AI to create a template instead.
However, even though I love Squarespace’s templates and design tools, I do think Art Storefronts is a better website builder overall. It gives you all of the same features as Squarespace, including beautiful, responsive templates you can customize based on your needs.
Beyond that, though, Art Storefronts comes with a few extra features that really take your web design capabilities to the next level. You can create pop-up lead capture tools with marketing automation and user targeting built-in. You can also design augmented reality experiences for customers that allow them to view what your products will look like on their walls.
Although the platform is a little trickier to navigate, Art Storefronts does give you the option to have a team design your store for you. You’d need to upgrade to the Enterprise version of Squarespace, or hire a designer to get the same experience from them.
Ecommerce and Art Selling Features
As I mentioned before, Squarespace is a decent ecommerce platform. It integrates with a range of payment processing solutions. Plus, it allows you to sell virtually any kind of product, from physical and digital products, to subscriptions, memberships, and courses.
If you’re a service-focused business, Squarespace is definitely a good choice, with it’s integrated appointment booking tools. You can also take advantage of some omnichannel sales features, such as the ability to sell on social media, or through a point-of-sale system (with Square).
However, when it comes to actually selling art, Art Storefronts gives you so much more functionality. First, Art Storefronts will actually create your art for you.
While you can integrate with Printful to get a similar experience using SquareSpace, Art Storefront’s print on demand services are much more advanced. They can create framed pieces, canvases, and prints in a wider range of sizes than most POD companies, and even design catalogs for you.
On top of that, you get a bunch of tools from Art Storefronts that help you increase sales, such as:
Art Buyer AI: An intelligent tool that offers insights into your customers.
Unique merchandizing options: Such as live 3D and augmented reality previews, and 360-degree merchandising videos.
Upselling and cross–selling tools: Like automatically suggested bundles, recently viewed product carousels, automated art upsells, and dynamic merch positioning.
In simple terms, Squarespace might be better for selling courses and subscriptions, but it doesn’t hold a candle to Art Storefronts in terms of art selling features.
Marketing and Business Growth
When it comes to marketing and growing your business, Squarespace is a bit of a letdown. It does give you access to a great blogging functionality, so you can invest in content marketing. Plus, the templates you’ll access on Squarespace are optimized for technical SEO.
However, there are no particularly advanced marketing tools. You can create email campaigns (though I’d recommend using a third-party app for this), design trackable links for social media campaigns, and use pop-up and announcement bars on your website. That’s about it.
The best feature Squarespace gives you to grow your business, in my opinion, is the ability to sell subscriptions and memberships to customers.
Again, Art Storefronts is a lot more advanced. It allows you to earn the trust of your customers with 3rd party badges from recommended art associations. There’s an integrated pop-up lead capture tool included on all websites, and you get a SEO-ready blog for content marketing.
There are AI tools like the Art Copilot to help you create personalized marketing campaigns, and an integrated CRM system for tracking customer relationships. Plus, the Art Storefronts team will build entire marketing campaigns for you, as well as providing you with art-selling best practice guides, webinars, courses, and playbooks.
Plus, Art Storefronts allows customers to create favorites lists, share pages with friends via email with a single click, and view products in augmented reality. On top of that, you get access to email marketing tools and integrations with social media platforms.
Art Storefronts vs Squarespace: Pricing and Fees
While Art Storefronts is the more advanced ecommerce solution for artists overall, Squarespace does have an edge from a pricing perspective. The platform follows a simple subscription model, with prices ranging from around $16 to $49 per month.
Notably, you will need at least a “Business” plan to sell through Squarespace, which starts at $23 per month, with transaction fees of 3%. If you want to avoid transaction fees, you’ll need the Commerce Basic ($36 per month) or Advanced ($65 per month) plan.
This pricing does make Squarespace a bit more expensive than some of the other ecommerce platforms I’ve used in the past, but it’s still relatively affordable, particularly for those who would need to access add-ons for other platforms (like Shopify) to sell courses and subscriptions.
The main problem with Art Storefronts is that there aren’t any direct pricing plans to choose from. You can only get a price for the platform when you contact the team and request a demo. They’ll ask you specifically what services and support you’re going to need, and give you a custom quote.
From what I can tell reading other user reviews online, you’ll spend around $3,000+ to set your store up initially, then there are extra monthly fees to pay for hosting and support. There are also hefty fees for a lot of the services you might want to access.
I should note, however, that while the pricing for Art Storefronts might be high, you are getting an enterprise-level experience. If you really want to scale and grow your art business, it could be worth paying a little extra.
Read more:
Squarespace Pricing Plans (2024) – Which Squarespace Pricing Plan Should I Pick?
Squarespace Ecommerce Review (2024) – 11 Pros and Cons of Using Squarespace
Art Storefronts vs Squarespace: The Verdict
Ultimately, if you’re looking for the best ecommerce platform for artists, and you’re not worried about pricing, Art Storefronts is the better choice, hands down. It’s the far more advanced platform, packed with unique tools that will help you to promote, create, and sell more art.
It’s also the better option in terms of customer service and support, offering end-to-end assistance with everything from web design to marketing.
Alternatively, if you’re just looking for an affordable, relatively versatile, and easy-to-use ecommerce platform, without the extra bells and whistles, Squarespace is still a good choice. Personally, though, I’d recommend it more to people selling courses and subscriptions than established artists.
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Art Storefronts vs Squarespace: Which is best? Ultimately, it all depends on the type of business you want to run. Squarespace is a straightforward website builder, with beautiful templates, and plenty of handy tools if you want to sell things…
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Amazon’s Foray into Entertainment: From Prime Video to MGM Acquisition
Amazon’s journey from a humble online bookstore to one of the world’s most powerful companies is a well-known story. However, its foray into the entertainment industry, which began with the launch of Amazon Prime Video and culminated in the acquisition of MGM, is a compelling narrative that illustrates the company’s ambition to become a dominant force in every aspect of modern life. This article delves into Amazon’s entertainment strategy, exploring how it has evolved, the significance of key milestones like the MGM acquisition, and the broader implications for the entertainment industry.
The Genesis of Amazon Prime Video
Amazon’s entry into the entertainment sector was a calculated move, born from a desire to enhance its ecosystem and drive customer loyalty. The launch of Amazon Prime Video in 2006 was initially part of the Amazon Prime subscription service, which offered members faster shipping for an annual fee. The addition of streaming video content was a strategic decision aimed at increasing the value proposition of Prime membership, thereby encouraging more customers to sign up and stay within the Amazon ecosystem.
At its inception, Prime Video was a relatively modest offering, featuring a limited library of licensed films and TV shows. However, Amazon quickly recognized the potential of the streaming industry, especially as competitors like Netflix and Hulu were gaining traction. The company began to invest heavily in acquiring more content and, crucially, in producing its own original programming.
The Rise of Amazon Studios
The establishment of Amazon Studios in 2010 marked a significant turning point in the company’s entertainment strategy. Initially, Amazon Studios took an unconventional approach to content development by inviting aspiring filmmakers and writers to submit scripts and project ideas. This crowdsourcing model was innovative but ultimately unsustainable, leading Amazon to pivot toward a more traditional production model.
In 2013, Amazon Studios made its first major splash with the release of Alpha House and Betas, two original series that were well-received but did not achieve widespread popularity. The real breakthrough came in 2014 with Transparent, a drama series that received critical acclaim and won multiple awards, including a Golden Globe. Transparent established Amazon as a serious player in original content production, paving the way for future successes like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Fleabag, and The Boys.
Amazon’s investment in original content has been substantial, with billions of dollars poured into production each year. The company’s willingness to spend big on high-quality programming reflects its commitment to becoming a leader in the entertainment space. However, content production is only one piece of Amazon’s broader entertainment strategy.
The Acquisition of MGM: A Game-Changing Move
Amazon’s $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM in 2021 was a bold and significant step in its entertainment journey. MGM, one of Hollywood’s most iconic studios, boasts a vast library of content, including the James Bond franchise, Rocky, The Handmaid’s Tale, and thousands of other films and TV shows. The acquisition was not just about adding content to Prime Video’s library but also about gaining valuable intellectual property (IP) that could be leveraged across Amazon’s various platforms.
For Amazon, the MGM acquisition provided a treasure trove of content that could be used to attract new subscribers, retain existing ones, and compete more effectively with other streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max. The move also underscored Amazon’s broader strategy of integrating its entertainment offerings with its other services, creating a seamless ecosystem that keeps customers engaged and loyal.
The acquisition was met with a mixed response from industry analysts. Some viewed it as a savvy move that would strengthen Amazon’s position in the highly competitive streaming market. Others, however, questioned whether the price tag was justified, especially given the challenges of integrating a traditional studio like MGM into Amazon’s tech-driven corporate culture.
The Broader Implications for the Entertainment Industry
Amazon’s aggressive push into entertainment has had significant implications for the broader industry. The company’s deep pockets and willingness to spend have forced traditional studios and other streaming platforms to rethink their strategies. The rise of streaming has already disrupted the traditional film and television business models, and Amazon’s entry into the space has accelerated this transformation.
One of the most notable impacts has been the escalating “streaming wars,” where companies are competing fiercely for content and subscribers. Amazon’s willingness to invest in original content and its acquisition of MGM have raised the stakes, prompting other companies to make similar moves. Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox and WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery are examples of how traditional media companies are consolidating to better compete in the new landscape.
Moreover, Amazon’s integration of entertainment with its broader ecosystem—ranging from e-commerce to cloud computing—represents a unique approach that other companies are beginning to emulate. The ability to cross-promote content across multiple platforms, offer exclusive deals to Prime members, and leverage data analytics to tailor content to individual preferences gives Amazon a competitive edge that few can match.
However, Amazon’s growing influence in entertainment has also raised concerns. Critics argue that the company’s dominance in multiple sectors, including retail, cloud computing, and now entertainment, could lead to antitrust issues. There are fears that Amazon’s expansion into entertainment could stifle competition, reduce diversity in content, and concentrate too much power in the hands of a single corporation.
The Future of Amazon in Entertainment
Looking ahead, Amazon shows no signs of slowing down its push into entertainment. The company continues to invest heavily in original content, with upcoming projects like the highly anticipated The Lord of the Rings series, which reportedly cost over $1 billion to produce. Amazon is also exploring new ways to integrate its entertainment offerings with its other services, such as bundling Prime Video with other Amazon subscriptions and offering exclusive content for Alexa-enabled devices.
Additionally, the MGM acquisition opens up new possibilities for Amazon to expand its content offerings, including potential reboots, spin-offs, and new franchises based on MGM’s extensive library. The acquisition also positions Amazon to be a major player in the licensing and distribution of content, giving it more leverage in negotiations with other studios and platforms.
In conclusion, Amazon’s foray into entertainment, from the launch of Prime Video to the acquisition of MGM, is a testament to the company’s ambition and vision. By investing in original content, acquiring valuable IP, and integrating its entertainment offerings with its broader ecosystem, Amazon has positioned itself as a formidable player in the entertainment industry. As the streaming wars continue to heat up, Amazon’s role in shaping the future of entertainment will be one to watch closely.
