Author: Bogdan Rancea

Bogdan Rancea

Bogdan Rancea is the co-founder of Ecommerce-Platforms.com and lead curator of ecomm.design, a showcase of the best ecommerce websites. With over 12 years in the digital commerce space he has a wealth of knowledge and a keen eye for great online retail experiences. As an ecommerce tech explorer Bogdan tests and reviews various platforms and design tools like Shopify, Figma and Canva and provides practical advice for store owners and designers. His hands on experience with these tools and his knowledge of ecommerce design trends makes him a valuable resource for businesses looking to improve their online presence. On ecomm.design Bogdan writes about online stores, ecommerce design and tips for entrepreneurs and designers.

Articles Bogdan has written:

How to Start a Thrift Store: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Ecommerce

Starting a thrift store might seem overwhelming at first, but once I understood how to structure it like an actual ecommerce business, everything started clicking.

Whether you're planning to launch a niche vintage boutique, an online consignment shop, or a general secondhand store, this guide will walk you through every step I followed to set up a profitable thrift store online.

I'll cover sourcing, pricing, platforms, legal requirements, inventory systems, and even marketing strategies.

If you're looking for a side hustle or full-time resale business, here’s how I built mine from scratch—without needing massive upfront investment.

Continue reading “How to Start a Thrift Store: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners”

7 Top Print-On-Demand Platforms To Try – Zazzle Alternatives in 2026

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Print on Demand

Zazzle has become the go-to option for people with creative ideas and those looking to sell custom products.

It's got a massive product catalog, a pretty powerful design editor, and access to a global marketplace. But as many people have discovered, Zazzle isn't always the best long-term solution – especially for those who want to build a real, scalable e-commerce business.

If you've found that Zazzle's limitations are getting in the way of your business growth then you're not alone.

From being restricted in how you can brand your products to those lower than average profit margins, sellers are moving on to platforms that give them more control, flexibility and earning potential.

I've personally looked into the best Zazzle alternatives when it comes to print quality, how fast they can get products to customers, price transparency, integrations and the overall seller experience.

Whether you're building your own personal brand or looking for a more hands-off way to make some extra cash, this list should help you find the right fit for your business goals.

Continue reading “7 Top Print-On-Demand Platforms To Try – Zazzle Alternatives in 2026”

Best Composable Commerce Platforms: My Top Picks for 2026

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Ecommerce

I've spent more than 200 hours getting my hands dirty with the biggest and best composable commerce platforms out there, and let me tell you – the options are staggering.

From platforms that offer a ton of power through their APIs, to ones that make it super easy to get up and running with their plug-and-play flexibility, these are the tools that let serious ecommerce brands build the exact online store they need, without being tied down by inflexible software.

Whether you're looking to scale fast, managing online shops across multiple regions, or just need a whole lot more control over your tech stack, these platforms have got you covered.

Continue reading “Best Composable Commerce Platforms: My Top Picks for 2026”

Top Small Business Fulfillment Centers: Our Picks for 2026

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Fulfillment

Finding the right fulfillment centre as a small ecommerce business isn't easy because most of them don't have your best interests at heart.

Some are built for the big boys, others are a minefield of hidden fees, long contracts or massive monthly minimums.

That's why I ended up spending over 50 hours researching and comparing the top options designed specifically for small brands – so you don't waste your precious time on the wrong provider.

Below are our top picks for the best small business fulfillment centers of 2026, based on a range of features our small business owners really care about: pricing, ease of use, customer service – and whether or not they're actually suitable for small brands like yours.

Continue reading “Top Small Business Fulfillment Centers: Our Picks for 2026”

Best Ecommerce Platforms for Creators: Top Picks for 2026

Bogdan Rancea
Articles

Whether you're a course creator, designer, coach, or TikToker, turning your audience into a business all boils down to one thing: how easy it is for people to actually buy from you.

The best ecommerce platforms for creators are the ones that eliminate all the hassle and give you the tools to start selling from out of the box – without having to write a single line of code or cobble together a bunch of random tools.

After testing out dozens of different tools, I've cleaned down the list to the seven best ecommerce platforms designed to help creators monetize their skills and get paid faster in 2026.

Here's what they offer, what they cost, and who each one is best suited for.

Continue reading “Best Ecommerce Platforms for Creators: Top Picks for 2026”

What’s Composable Commerce All About?

Bogdan Rancea
Articles

When I first heard of ‘composable commerce', I thought it was just another buzzphrase being tossed around in ecommerce circles.

But the more I dug into it, the more I realized it wasn't just hype – it's a real game-changer for how we build online stores.

Rather than relying on an all-in-one ecommerce platform that's calling the shots, composable commerce gives you the freedom to build your own tech stack from scratch.

You pick the best tools for each bit of your business and plug them together with APIs – it's a smarter, more flexible way to run ecommerce, and it's revolutionizing things for brands that want to move quick, scale efficiently, and avoid getting locked into outdated systems.

Let's break this down and see what it's all about.

Continue reading “What's Composable Commerce All About?”

How to Get Started on Shopify with Gelato: The Easy Guide

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Print on Demand

Isn’t it great how much easier it’s become to launch an ecommerce store these days? 

Not only do you have all-in-one platforms like Shopify to help you build and grow your online presence, but you’ve got partners who can do most of the tough work of creating and shipping products for you, like Gelato.

If you ask me, these two platforms are a match made in heaven for new sellers. You get all the omnichannel flexibility and scalability of an ecommerce system that supports small businesses and enterprises alike, combined with a print on demand company that actually stands out.

Gelato doesn’t just give you generic white label products, it’s a business that actively contributes to higher revenue with sustainable practices, fast global delivery, and an amazing product range. You even get one of the best premium plan options in the market with Gelato+. 

Intrigued?

I’m about to show you how you can use Gelato and Shopify to launch, grow, and scale your POD store (without the usual headaches). 

Continue reading “How to Get Started on Shopify with Gelato: The Easy Guide”

Yotpo vs Okendo: Which Ecommerce Review Platform Is Right For You?

Bogdan Rancea
Articles Ecommerce Reviews

Yotpo and Okendo are two of the biggest hitters in the world of ecommerce product reviews – but which one should you be using for your store?

I've spent the past few weeks digging into these two platforms, testing and comparing them across a bunch of different use cases.

Both offer tools to collect customer reviews, showcase user-generated content (UGC), and drive sales, but they're really geared towards different types of businesses.

So which one is the better fit?

If you're a big brand looking to tie all your marketing threads together, Yotpo is probably the stronger option. If you're a smaller DTC brand that wants to focus on building trust and getting those all-important conversions, Okendo is probably the smarter (and more affordable) choice.

In this review, I'll break down pricing, features, integrations, user experience, and support – so you can make a confident decision and pick the right tool for your business.

Continue reading “Yotpo vs Okendo: Which Ecommerce Review Platform Is Right For You?”

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