‍How the right e-commerce tools and apps can supercharge your business

Third-party tools and apps can bring numerous benefits to e-commerce stores, enhancing various aspects of the business and providing specialized functionalities that can be challenging to develop in-house for startups and small businesses. Apps can be integrated directly into your e-commerce platforms to enhance and improve existing systems, while tools are standalone solutions that can empower your team and increase efficiency across the board.

Here are several ways third-party e-commerce apps can benefit online stores and businesses.

Improved marketing and sales

E-commerce apps can automate your email marketing campaigns, segment customer lists, and personalize emails to boost engagement and sales. These apps can also help manage your brand’s social media accounts, schedule posts, and analyze performance so you know which posts perform the best and drive the most engagement.

Enhanced customer experience

You can also use e-commerce apps for live chat and 24/7 customer support. Many customer support solutions exist that offer chatbots and knowledge databases you can tailor specifically for your product offerings and customers. These apps run constantly, even outside your business hours, providing support to your customers whenever they need it.

Streamlined operations

Managing your inventory and tracking sales can get overwhelming. Third-party e-commerce apps can help manage inventory across multiple channels, ensuring accurate stock levels and preventing overselling. These apps can also help with determining your sell-through rate and demand forecasting so you can correctly manage production schedules.

Increased efficiency

Workflow automation tools can connect various apps and automate repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing errors. Project management apps help coordinate tasks, manage projects, and ensure team collaboration. CRMs provide detailed customer insights, improving sales and marketing strategies.

Boosted sales and conversion rates

The online shopping cart abandonment rate is 70%, a number which has held steady for over a decade. For small teams, it can be difficult and daunting to recover such a high number of abandoned carts, but apps can send automated reminders to customers who leave items in their carts, encouraging them to complete their purchases. These apps can also suggest related products to customers, increasing average order value.

Advanced analytics and reporting

E-commerce apps can provide in-depth sales and customer analytics, helping identify trends and opportunities for growth. With these apps, you can track user interactions and behavior, gain insights to improve product offerings and availability, and identify areas for improvement on your e-commerce website.

‍

Start off on the right foot: choosing the right e-commerce platform

Before diving into tools and apps that can optimize your store, it’s important to start with the foundation: your e-commerce platform. Whether you're just launching or scaling up, choosing the right platform shapes everything from user experience to SEO and growth potential. Here are the top e-commerce platforms dominating the space in 2025.

Shopify

A go-to platform for entrepreneurs and growing brands, Shopify makes it easy to build, launch, and manage an online store. With an intuitive interface, built-in payment processing, and an enormous app ecosystem, it’s ideal for businesses of all sizes—especially DTC brands.

Learn more: 10 Best Shopify Store Locator Apps

WooCommerce

Built for WordPress, WooCommerce is a powerful open-source plugin that turns content-driven websites into full-featured online stores. It offers deep customization and flexibility, making it a top choice for sellers who want full control and already love WordPress.

BigCommerce

This platform caters to mid-sized and enterprise-level businesses that need more built-in functionality right out of the box. BigCommerce is especially strong in SEO, multi-channel selling, and B2B tools, with fewer limitations compared to competitors.

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

A robust, enterprise-grade platform, Magento is built for serious customization and scalability. Though it has a steeper learning curve and requires development resources, it’s a powerhouse for brands with complex product lines and international operations.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Known for its deep CRM integration and personalization features, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is geared toward large enterprises. It supports omnichannel commerce and AI-driven insights, making it a smart choice for data-heavy, customer-first strategies.

Wix E-commerce

For small businesses, creators, and solopreneurs, Wix provides an easy drag-and-drop site builder with solid e-commerce capabilities. It’s user-friendly and affordable, making it a great launchpad for those just entering the e-commerce world.

Squarespace E-commerce

Popular among creatives, Squarespace offers beautiful web designs with simple e-commerce features. It’s perfect for small stores, service-based businesses, and anyone who wants a polished online presence without heavy customization.

‍

32 top e-commerce tools and apps by type

You don’t need a large team or a huge budget in order to grow your e-commerce store. Here are several powerful plugins, apps, and e-commerce tools to help your e-commerce business thrive in this super saturated market.

Email and SMS marketing tools

Email remains one of the highest-ROI channels for e-commerce. The following tools help you automate campaigns, recover carts, and build lasting relationships with your customers.

1. Mailchimp 

Mailchimp remains a solid choice for newer or smaller e-commerce businesses. It offers a user-friendly platform with drag-and-drop email builders, customizable templates, and built-in automation for essential e-commerce journeys—like product retargeting and first-time buyer flows. While Mailchimp’s native integration with Shopify was discontinued, it still connects to most major platforms through third-party apps or directly with WooCommerce and BigCommerce. It also offers basic analytics, audience segmentation, and A/B testing to help improve performance over time.

Best for: Beginners or small businesses looking for an affordable and accessible way to get started with email marketing.

2. Klaviyo

Klaviyo is a powerhouse when it comes to e-commerce email marketing. It’s built from the ground up for online stores, with native integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more. What sets Klaviyo apart is its robust automation and segmentation features—like behavior-triggered emails, dynamic product blocks, and predictive analytics. You can easily create personalized flows for abandoned carts, browse abandonment, post-purchase follow-ups, and VIP customer rewards. The platform also offers A/B testing, advanced reporting, and SMS marketing, all from one dashboard.

Best for: Fast-growing e-commerce brands that want to scale personalization and automate revenue-driving campaigns.

3. Omnisend

Omnisend is an easy-to-use, all-in-one email and SMS marketing tool tailored for e-commerce businesses. It shines with its pre-built automation workflows (cart recovery, welcome series, and cross-sell campaigns, etc.) and makes it simple to combine email, SMS, and push notifications in a single flow. Omnisend also includes features like interactive email elements (think scratch cards and gift boxes) and smart segmentation based on shopping behavior. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and ready-to-use templates make it a great fit for busy store owners.

Best for: Small to mid-sized stores that want omnichannel communication without the complexity.

Social media tools

From scheduling posts to tracking engagement, social media tools help you stay consistent, reach new audiences, and drive traffic from platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

4. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a robust, all-in-one platform that supports scheduling, content curation, social listening, and analytics across a wide range of networks. For larger teams, it offers advanced collaboration tools and customizable approval workflows. It also integrates with ad management and customer service tools, making it great for growing e-commerce operations.

Best for: Mid-sized to enterprise brands managing multiple social channels and team members.

5. Later

Originally built for Instagram, Later has expanded into a full visual content planner for TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and more. It’s especially helpful for e-commerce brands focused on visual storytelling, thanks to its drag-and-drop calendar and ability to auto-publish posts and Reels. It also includes features like hashtag suggestions, link-in-bio landing pages, and basic analytics.

Best for: Brands with a strong Instagram or TikTok presence and a focus on product visuals.

6. Buffer

Buffer is a streamlined social media management platform that makes scheduling posts, analyzing performance, and managing engagement easy. It supports platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and LinkedIn. With a clean interface and useful publishing tools, Buffer is great for solo founders and small teams who want to stay consistent and plan content in advance.

Best for: Small e-commerce brands that want a no-fuss, affordable social scheduling tool.

Content and SEO tools

Optimized content helps shoppers find you. These tools make it easier to create SEO-friendly product pages, blogs, and e-commerce landing pages that rank and convert.

7. Canva Pro

Canva Pro is an essential tool to have in your content marketing arsenal. Canva can help create polished, on-brand visuals quickly. It offers thousands of templates for social media posts, ads, website graphics, and more—perfect for e-commerce businesses that need eye-catching content without hiring a designer.

Best for: Any e-commerce business that wants to produce high-quality content quickly and affordably.

8. Semrush

Semrush is an all-in-one SEO and content marketing suite. It’s great for keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, backlink tracking, and even content optimization with its SEO Writing Assistant. It also includes tools for PPC, social media, and local SEO—making it a powerhouse for e-commerce stores trying to outpace the competition.

Best for: Brands looking to boost organic traffic and monitor competitor performance closely.

9. Moz

Moz is another powerful and versatile SEO platform that caters to the needs of businesses aiming to improve their search engine visibility and online presence. Moz offers a wide range of tools that cover all aspects of SEO, from keyword research to site audits and link building. With its robust set of tools, user-friendly design, and wealth of educational resources, this tool helps brands effectively manage and enhance their SEO efforts and increase sales.

Best for: E-commerce brands that want a reliable, easy-to-use SEO toolkit without a steep learning curve.

Productivity tools

Running an online store comes with a lot of moving parts. These apps help you and your team stay organized, on schedule, and focused on what matters most.

10. Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for notes, project management, wikis, SOPs, and content calendars. It's perfect for e-commerce teams that need to collaborate on product launches, marketing plans, or operations while keeping everything neatly organized in one place.

Best for: Small to mid-sized teams that want a flexible, visual workspace to manage daily operations and content.

11. Trello

Trello is a simple, visual project management tool that uses drag-and-drop boards to organize tasks, campaigns, or team workflows. It’s great for tracking product updates, marketing initiatives, or customer service improvements. Plus, it integrates with other tools like Slack and Google Drive.

Best for: Stores or teams that want a lightweight, visual way to manage workflows and to-dos.

12. Slack

Slack is a team communication tool that replaces messy email chains with real-time messaging, file sharing, and app integrations. You can set up channels for order issues, marketing updates, customer service, or shipping delays—all in one place.

Best for: Fast-moving teams that need to communicate clearly and instantly across departments or time zones.

13. Zapier

Zapier connects your favorite apps and automates repetitive tasks—like adding new Shopify customers to your CRM or syncing order data to Google Sheets. It's a lifesaver when you’re juggling multiple tools and need them to “talk” to each other.

Best for: Solopreneurs or teams looking to automate processes without writing code.

CRM and CX tools

Understanding your customers is key to retention and growth. These tools give you a 360° view of your customers and help you personalize every touchpoint.

14. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a comprehensive and user-friendly CRM solution that empowers e-commerce businesses to manage their contacts, track sales activities, and nurture leads effectively. With seamless integrations and powerful analytics, HubSpot CRM helps businesses streamline their sales processes, improve efficiency, and drive revenue growth. 

Best for: Growing brands that want to unify sales, marketing, and support in one place.

15. Zendesk

Zendesk is a powerful CX platform offering support ticketing, live chat, and knowledge base creation. Its CRM features allow businesses to track customer interactions and deliver seamless support across multiple channels (email, chat, social, phone). It’s a bit more enterprise-focused than Gorgias, but highly customizable and scalable.

Best for: Mid-to-large e-commerce businesses that need robust customer service tools and detailed customer insights.

16. Dynamic Yield

Dynamic Yield is a leading personalization technology platform designed to help businesses deliver personalized experiences to their customers across various touchpoints. Its extensive set of features, including AI-driven product recommendations, A/B testing, omnichannel personalization, and detailed analytics, make it an essential tool for businesses aiming to enhance customer engagement, drive conversions, and build long-term customer relationships. 

Best for: Mid-sized to enterprise-level stores looking to boost conversions through advanced personalization and experience optimization.

17. Gorgias

Gorgias is a customer service platform built specifically for e-commerce. It combines help desk functionality with CRM features, allowing support teams to manage emails, chat, social comments, and DMs in one place. What sets it apart is how deeply it integrates with platforms like Shopify—pulling in order details, tags, and tracking info right into the support dashboard.

Best for: Online stores that want to deliver fast, personalized customer service at scale.

Customer review and feedback tools

Social proof drives trust. These tools make it simple to collect, showcase, and act on customer reviews and product feedback.

18. Hotjar

Hotjar is an analytics and feedback tool that provides valuable insights into user behavior and website performance. A few of its features include heatmaps, session recordings, feedback tools, and conversion funnels. Hotjar empowers business owners to understand their audience better, identify optimization opportunities, and make data-driven decisions to improve their website's effectiveness and user experience.

Best for: Stores looking to improve user experience and conversion rates through data-driven decisions.

19. Judge.me

Judge.me is a budget-friendly review platform designed for e-commerce, especially Shopify stores. It allows you to automatically request reviews post-purchase, collect star ratings, photos, and even video testimonials. The reviews are SEO-friendly and can be displayed on Google Shopping and in rich snippets.
Best for: Small to mid-sized stores looking for an affordable yet powerful review system.

20. Yotpo

Yotpo is a robust platform for collecting and displaying customer reviews, ratings, and user-generated content. It helps boost social proof and trust on product pages with verified reviews and photo submissions. Yotpo also integrates with loyalty programs and SMS marketing, making it a versatile tool for building long-term customer engagement.

Best for: Brands that want to showcase reviews and build trust directly on product pages.

Customer loyalty tools

Turn one-time buyers into repeat customers. These tools help you reward loyal shoppers and build lasting brand love.

21. Smile.io

Smile.io is a customer loyalty platform that enables businesses to create and manage rewards programs to drive customer engagement, retention, and advocacy. With its customizable loyalty programs, referral incentives, VIP perks, and engagement tools, Smile.io enables businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers, increase customer lifetime value, and drive sustainable growth. Smile.io integrates seamlessly with Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and Wix, as well as other tools like Klaviyo, ReCharge, and more.

Best for: Stores that want an easy-to-launch, customizable rewards program to boost repeat purchases.

22. LoyaltyLion

LoyaltyLion is a powerful, data-driven loyalty platform with more advanced features like personalized loyalty emails, on-site messaging, and in-depth customer insights. It also supports unique rewards like product reviews or birthdays, and has flexible integration with major e-commerce platforms.

Best for: Growing and enterprise brands that want a more strategic, analytics-backed loyalty program.

23. Rise.ai

Rise.ai focuses on branded gift cards, store credit, and reward automation. Instead of traditional points, it lets you issue credits for returns, referrals, or customer milestones—keeping money in your ecosystem and encouraging future purchases. It’s especially useful for stores looking to simplify loyalty while reducing refunds.

Best for: Brands that want a simple, credit-based loyalty system with a focus on customer retention and repeat sales.

Inventory and fulfillment tools

Shipping, inventory, and fulfillment can make or break your business. These tools streamline logistics so you can deliver faster and more reliably.

24. ShipBob

ShipBob is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering warehousing, inventory storage, and direct fulfillment. It integrates with major e-commerce platforms and gives you real-time inventory tracking, automatic order syncing, and fast delivery options—including 2-day shipping in the U.S. It’s ideal for scaling DTC brands that want to outsource logistics.

Best for: DTC brands looking to outsource storage and fulfillment without losing visibility or control.

25. ShipStation

ShipStation is one of the most popular shipping and fulfillment platforms for e-commerce. It integrates with platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, and BigCommerce, allowing you to manage orders, print shipping labels, and compare carrier rates from one dashboard. It also supports branded tracking pages and automation rules to speed up fulfillment.

Best for: Stores managing multi-channel fulfillment who want to save time and reduce shipping costs.

26. Inventory Planner

Inventory Planner helps e-commerce stores forecast demand and manage stock levels more efficiently. It analyzes sales trends to recommend what to reorder and when, helping you avoid stockouts or overstocking. It integrates with platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and NetSuite.

Best for: Multi-channel sellers who want smarter inventory planning and better cash flow management.

Return management tools

Returns are a crucial (and often costly) part of the e-commerce experience—but with the right tools, you can turn them into a smooth, brand-building process.

27. Loop Returns

Loop specializes in automating and streamlining returns and exchanges for Shopify stores. It offers features like instant exchanges, store credit incentives, and branded return portals that help reduce refunds while keeping more revenue in your ecosystem. Plus, customers can easily swap products themselves—improving satisfaction and retention.

Best for: Shopify-based brands looking to reduce refunds and encourage exchanges.

28. AfterShip Returns Center

AfterShip offers a full suite of post-purchase tools, and its Returns Center helps you create a branded, self-service return portal. You can customize return policies, automate notifications, track return shipments, and generate analytics—all from one place.

Best for: Growing stores that want a cost-effective return solution with international support.

Upsell and AOV tools

Boost your online revenue with tools that increase average order value through smart upsells, cross-sells, and personalized product recommendations.

29. ReConvert

ReConvert focuses on post-purchase upsells. It lets you customize your thank-you page with product recommendations, time-sensitive offers, and personalized messages. You can also collect birthday info or survey feedback, turning a typically “dead” page into a revenue-generating moment.

Best for: Shopify stores that want to boost AOV after checkout without disrupting the user experience.

30. Frequently Bought Together

Inspired by Amazon’s iconic upsell module, this app uses AI to recommend related products on product pages, encouraging shoppers to bundle items. It’s simple to install and great for increasing cart size with relevant suggestions.
Best for: Stores with large or complementary catalogs that want to drive bundling behavior.

31. Bold Upsell

Bold Upsell allows you to offer pop-ups for upsells and cross-sells either before or after checkout. You can trigger offers based on cart value, specific products, or customer behavior. It’s powerful, customizable, and integrates well with Shopify and BigCommerce.

Best for: Sellers who want full control over how and when upsell offers appear during the shopping journey.

32. Grappos Buy Online Plus

Buy Online Plus by Grappos is a powerful tool for implementing an effective omnichannel strategy. This innovative tool helps increase your online sales by allowing users to search and buy your products through their preferred purchase platform. Buy Online Plus is a convenient tool for your customers and an invaluable asset for your e-commerce business.

Benefits of using Buy Online Plus

• Intuitive interface: Make it simple for your customers to see nearby and online retailers of your products in one easy search.
• Real-time insights: Monitor searches in real time to capture search and sales insights and capitalize on emerging trends.
• Increased visibility: Help customers quickly find your products at nearby retail locations or online, giving them the flexibility to choose how to make their purchases.
• Unified omnicommerce strategy: Buy Online Plus allows you to embrace an omnicommerce strategy—which is the real future of e-commerce success.

Request a demo today →

‍

Innovative e-commerce tools for entrepreneurs

Third-party apps offer e-commerce stores a wide array of functionalities that enhance marketing efforts, improve customer experience, streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive sales. By integrating these specialized tools, your e-commerce business can achieve better performance, maintain competitiveness, and provide a superior shopping experience for your customers. 

You might also like:

• Landing Page vs. Product Page: Benefits of Each Explained
• 7 Must-Haves of a Successful Product Landing Page (+ Examples)
• Local Marketing: How to Use "Near Me" Marketing to Reach Your Audience