Inspirational Websites Roundup #51
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2023/10/20/inspirational-websites-roundup-51/
A fresh collection of carefully chosen websites that stand out for their exceptional design.
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Branding and Visual Identity: The DevRev Case Study
Original Source: https://abduzeedo.com/branding-and-visual-identity-devrev-case-study
Branding and Visual Identity: The DevRev Case Study
abduzeedo1017—23
Explore how Standard Projects innovative branding and visual identity for tech giant DevRev, crafting a unique design system to resonate with its target audience.
In the bustling realm of technology, DevRev stands tall, backed by a robust $50M USD seed funding and an elite tech squadron. Entrusting their vision to Standard Projects, the objective was clear: design an identity that mirrored the transformative future DevRev embodies, turning intrigued onlookers into loyal patrons.
Enter the world’s inaugural developer CRM. DevRev’s mandate is bridging developers and customers through innovative products. Pioneering the ambition of molding the globe’s most customer-focused enterprises, the DevCRM seamlessly integrates developers and customers. It accomplishes this by offering a comprehensive record system, an immersive social milieu, and an array of platform integrations. At its core, DevRev unravels the intricate fabric of customer demands, enabling teams to tailor products to these specifications and unlocking genuine product-driven expansion.
While DevRev’s aspirations were firm, articulating this vision to a diverse spectrum, spanning investors, budding employees, and potential clients, presented challenges.
Strategically, hurdles were aplenty. The mission was navigating a crowded marketplace to lucidly convey the multi-dimensional platform’s advantages and applications. Eschewing a narrow category in favor of creating a new one was crucial. Equally significant was the harmonious trinity of product, marketing, and the digital sphere.
Our synergetic strategy phase illuminated insights about customers, adversaries, and the industry, showcasing DevRev’s unparalleled stance. Sidestepping the industry’s fixation on transient trends, emphasis was placed on DevRev’s unmatched prowess in offering clarity, direction, and dynamism to both developers and clientele.
The brand’s philosophy, ‘Making Work Matter’, is profoundly reflected in its identity. Enamored with a customer-first approach and decomplicating the intricate, the identity is effortlessly discernible. It’s a blend of pragmatism with a touch of engagement and empathy, making it a masterclass in branding and visual identity.
Branding and visual identity artifacts
For more information make sure to check out Dan Flynn’s website.
5 Best Alternatives to Google Sheets
Original Source: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/google-sheets-alternatives/
Google Sheets is a fantastic online tool for creating spreadsheets. You can use it to track the value of digital currencies or manage your stock investments. But like all tools, it has some downsides. For example, you need to sign in to Google, use a browser to access it, and if your spreadsheet is very big, it might run slowly.
If you’re looking for other spreadsheet options, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the top alternatives to Google Sheets. Each tool has its own special features, advantages, and disadvantages. Let’s dive in to learn more about them.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a cloud-based tool for project management and teamwork. It lets you manage tasks, monitor progress, and work with your team.
With Smartsheet, you can set up tasks, see project timelines, and team up with others instantly. It’s packed with features like Gantt charts to see your project’s timeline and connects with tools like Google Drive and Microsoft Teams.
Many teams and companies choose Smartsheet to organize projects and work together. It’s popular in fields like software creation, marketing, and building.
Read Also:
Smartsheet vs. Google Sheets: A Comparative Analysis
Pros:
Strong tool for project management and teamwork, helping to set up, share, and monitor tasks and progress.
Has features like Gantt charts, calendar views, and adjustable templates for better project management.
Connects well with tools like Microsoft Office and Google Drive, making work-sharing easier.
Clear and simple user interface.
Cons:
Some might find stability and performance issues, especially in bigger projects.
Free trial has restrictions, and for more features or storage, a paid plan might be needed.
Some could find the interface packed with too many features, making it a bit complex.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a part of the Microsoft 365 toolset. It’s a spreadsheet tool where you can organize, analyze data, make calculations, and draw charts or graphs.
With Excel, you can do things like create formulas, change how cells and sheets look, and use ready-made functions for calculations. It works on desktops, laptops, or mobiles and runs on both Windows and macOS.
Excel is popular in businesses, schools, and many organizations because it’s great for handling data.
Pros:
Well-known spreadsheet tool that many people know how to use.
Available for both Windows and macOS users.
Packed with advanced features like making formulas, changing looks, and ready-to-use functions.
Cons:
For very big or intricate datasets, there might be better spreadsheet tools out there.
Apple Numbers
Apple Numbers is a tool that lets you make and change spreadsheets on Mac or iOS things like iPhones or iPads.
Like other spreadsheet tools, with Numbers you can make formulas, change how your cells and sheets look, and use built-in functions to do math. Plus, it comes with ready-made designs and items to help you quickly set up things like budgets, bills, and timetables.
Pros:
Apple Numbers is free to use.
Cons:
Only works on Mac and iOS things like iPhones or iPads.
Doesn’t have all the fancy features some other spreadsheet tools might have.
LibreOffice Calc
LibreOffice Calc is a free tool that lets you work on spreadsheets. It’s part of the LibreOffice group of tools for work. You can use it on many computer systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Since it’s open to changes by anyone, Calc can be made to do more things using add-ons. People who want a strong spreadsheet tool without paying like it for this reason.
Pros:
Free to use, good for people or groups watching their money.
Works well with other tools from the LibreOffice group.
Cons:
Doesn’t do as much as some other big spreadsheet tools.
Can be hard to learn for those new to spreadsheets.
Doesn’t support some data or features you find in other tools.
Zoho Sheet
Zoho Sheet is a web tool that lets you work on spreadsheets. It’s part of the Zoho group of work tools. You don’t need to put any software on your computer to use it.
Many people can work on one spreadsheet at the same time. It also works well with other Zoho tools. People like Zoho Sheet because it’s easy to use and has many good features.
Pros:
Works in the cloud, so people can work together easily.
Connects well with other Zoho tools, like Zoho Projects, Zoho CRM, and Zoho Mail.
Has a free kind with simple features and other kinds you pay for with more features.
Easy for new users to learn and use.
Cons:
Some people say it can have problems, especially with big or tricky spreadsheets.
The free kind has limits, so you might need to pay for more features or space.
It might feel too busy for some users because it has a lot of features.
Airtable
Airtable is a tool in the cloud that’s like a mix of spreadsheets and databases. It lets you make and change sheets that have numbers, text, links, and other things. You can also sort and group data easily. People can work on the same data at the same time. Many use Airtable for things like planning events or managing projects.
Pros:
Works in the cloud, letting you make and share sheets, databases, and more.
Has many features to help you sort and work with data.
Connects well with other tools, like Google Drive and Dropbox.
Cons:
Some people say it can have problems, especially with big or tricky data.
The free kind has limits, so you might need to pay for more features or space.
It might feel too busy for some users because it has a lot of features.
It doesn’t have as many fancy features as some tools like Excel or Access.
The post 5 Best Alternatives to Google Sheets appeared first on Hongkiat.
Collective #786
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/collective/collective-786/
QX82 * Fun with stroke-dasharray * Flexoki * When to Nest CSS
This year's Apple Pencil is as baffling as last year's iPad
Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/news/new-apple-pencil
Who are these devices for?
How to Use the Cat Command in Linux
Original Source: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/linux-command-cat/
The cat command, short for “concatenate,” is a commonly-used tool in Linux, enabling users to view, create, and concentrate files, or redirect their output. In this post, we’ll explore how both new and experienced Linux users can leverage the cat command for various tasks.
The general syntax of the cat command is as follow:
$ cat [OPTION] [FILE]…
1. Use cat to create a new file and add content
cat > filename
Example:
The command cat > vegetables.txt takes the standard input and redirects it to a file named “vegetables.txt”. When you execute this command, your terminal doesn’t display any output, but instead waits for you to enter text from the keyboard.
Whatever you type will be written to “vegetables.txt”. To finish and save the file, you’ll need to press CTRL-D (or CTRL-Z on Windows systems using some terminal applications).
Here’s an example of how you might use it:
$ cat > vegetables.txt
Carrot
Broccoli
Spinach
^D
At this point, a file named “vegetables.txt” would be created with the following content:
Carrot
Broccoli
Spinach
2. Display file’s content with cat
cat filename
Example:
Assume the file contains a list of common vegetables; executing the command cat vegetables.txt would display the contents of the file in the terminal.
Carrots
Broccoli
Spinach
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Peppers
Onions
Potatoes
Kale
Lettuce
3. Display content of multiple files with cat
cat filename_1 filename_2
Example:
Assuming the contents of the files fruits.txt and vegetables.txt are respectively as follows:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
Carrot
Lettuce
Tomato
The command cat fruits.txt vegetables.txt would produce:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
Carrot
Lettuce
Tomato
4. Display content with line numbering with cat
cat -n filename
Example:
If the contents of fruits.txt are the same as in the previous example:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
Then the command cat -n fruits.txt would produce:
1 Apple
2 Banana
3 Cherry
5. Copy, replace, or replicate a file’s content using cat
cat filename new_filename
Example:
The command cat fruits.txt > new_fruits.txt will take the contents of fruits.txt and write them into a new file named new_fruits.txt. This command won’t display any output to the terminal, assuming it executes successfully.
If fruits.txt has the same content as before:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
After running the command, the content of new_fruits.txt will be:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
6. Merge multiple files’ content into one with cat
cat filename_1 filename_2 > filename_3
Example:
The command cat fruits.txt vegetable.txt > grocery.txt will concatenate the contents of fruits.txt and vegetable.txt, then redirect the output to a file called grocery.txt. If either of the input files doesn’t exist, an error message will be displayed in the terminal, but you won’t see the concatenated contents in the terminal because they are being redirected to grocery.txt.
Suppose fruits.txt contains:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
And vegetable.txt contains:
Carrot
Lettuce
Tomato
After running the command, the terminal won’t show any output (unless there’s an error), but the file grocery.txt will contain:
Apple
Banana
Cherry
Carrot
Lettuce
Tomato
If vegetable.txt was misspelled or doesn’t exist, you would see an error in the terminal similar to:
cat: vegetable.txt: No such file or directory
More Linux commands:
Directory Operations
rmdir · cd · pwd · exa · ls
File Operations
cat · cp · dd · less · touch · ln · rename · more · head
File System Operations
chown · mkfs · locate
Networking
ping · curl · wget · iptables · mtr
Search and Text Processing
find · grep · sed · whatis · ripgrep · fd · tldr
System Information and Management
env · history · top · who · htop · glances · lsof
User and Session Management
screen · su · sudo · open
The post How to Use the Cat Command in Linux appeared first on Hongkiat.
Create Neon Style Buttons Using CSS
Original Source: https://1stwebdesigner.com/create-neon-style-buttons-css/
CSS truly is a remarkable tool in a web designer’s toolkit, capable of bringing even the most vibrant creative visions to life. Today, we’re immersing ourselves in the radiant world of neon style buttons, showcasing the impressive spectrum of CSS capabilities. Ready to set your CSS knowledge aglow? Let’s get started!
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HTML: Building the Neon Button
Our HTML structure for the neon button is quite straightforward:
<button class="neon-button">NEON</button>
We’ve just set up a button with the class “neon-button” which we’ll use to apply our CSS styles.
CSS: Crafting the Neon Glow
Let’s now dive into the CSS code to give our button that neon look:
/* Load custom font from Google Fonts */
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat:wght@700&display=swap");
body {
background-color: #1a1a1a; /* Dark background for neon contrast */
}
/* Styling for our neon button */
.neon-button {
color: #ff4b59; /* Text color */
background-color: #1a1a1a; /* Same as the background for a seamless look */
border: 4px solid #ff4b59; /* Solid border with neon color */
border-radius: 10px; /* Slight rounding of corners */
padding: 15px 30px; /* Padding around the text */
font-size: 25px; /* Visible and impactful text size */
font-family: "Montserrat", sans-serif; /* Stylish font */
letter-spacing: 3px; /* Space between letters for better readability */
cursor: pointer; /* Changes cursor to a pointer on hover */
font-weight: bold; /* Bold text */
filter: drop-shadow(0 0 10px #ff4b59) drop-shadow(0 0 30px #ff4b59)
contrast(1.8) brightness(1.8); /* Adds a subtle glow effect and enhances the vibrancy */
transition: 0.5s; /* Smooth color change on hover */
}
/* Styling for hover state */
.neon-button:hover {
color: #1a1a1a; /* Text color changes on hover */
background-color: #ff4b59; /* Button color fills on hover */
filter: drop-shadow(0 0 10px #ff4b59) drop-shadow(0 0 40px #ff4b59)
contrast(1.8) brightness(1.8); /* Glow effect is enhanced on hover */
}
Let’s break down this CSS snippet:
Color & Background: We use color to set the text color to #FF4B59, our chosen neon shade. The background-color is set to #1A1A1A, which is a dark tone to enhance the neon glow.
Border & Border Radius: We have border set to 4px and the same color as our text to give our button a neon border. The border-radius property is used to give the button slightly rounded corners.
Font Size & Family: font-size is set to 25px to ensure our text is large enough to be impactful, and font-family is set to ‘Montserrat’, a stylish sans-serif font, to give our text an appealing look.
Letter Spacing & Font Weight: We used letter-spacing to provide some space between letters for better readability, and font-weight is set to bold for more emphasis.
Filter & Transition: The filter property is employed to apply the drop-shadow function twice to create a glowing effect around the text and the border. This glow effect intensifies upon hovering. The transition property ensures a smooth transformation of colors when the button is hovered over.
The Result
See the Pen
Neon Style Button by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0
Final Thoughts
This approach provides a straightforward way to create a neon-style button. However, it’s only one of many possible techniques.
In the broader scope of CSS, there are numerous ways to enhance this effect. For instance, using transform property for animated scaling effects, controlling opacity for more depth, using CSS variables for easier management of values, and leveraging pseudo-elements like :before and :after for more complex effects.
If the neon button is meant to serve as a link, it might be more semantically appropriate and beneficial for SEO to use an <a> element instead of a <button>.
Also, to make designs more responsive, consider using relative units like em or rem instead of px, which allows for more fluid scaling across different screen sizes.
Playing around with different box-shadow values can lead to different glow intensities and spread. Combining all these methods can yield an even more impressive and dynamic neon button.
Don’t hesitate to take what you’ve learned here and push it a step further. CSS is full of such opportunities for those willing to explore!
8 Best Dropshipping Furniture Suppliers for 2023: Our Round-up
Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/best-dropshipping-furniture-suppliers
In this review, I’m exploring one aspect of the home decor market: furniture dropshipping. More specifically, I’ll look at what it is, its pros and cons, and walk you through our pick of the best dropshipping furniture suppliers.
Did you know that the US home decor market is forecast to reach a staggering $202 billion by 2024? That’s a 20% increase since 2019!
Needless to say, this makes this niche a potentially lucrative and exciting market to join or expand into.
So, if you want to run an ecommerce furniture dropshipping business, keep reading!
In this article:
What Is Furniture Dropshipping?
Is Furniture Dropshipping a Good Idea? Pros and Cons
Best Dropshipping Furniture Suppliers: My Final Thoughts
Toggle
What Is Furniture Dropshipping?
Furniture dropshipping works like typical dropshipping: online retailers (like you!) source furniture from a third-party dropshipping supplier who also takes care of warehousing and order fulfillment (including picking, packing, and shipping to the end customer).
This allows the online retailer to focus on other aspects of their business, such as marketing and promotion, to attract and retain customers.
Is Furniture Dropshipping a Good Idea? Pros and Cons
Reading the above, you may think furniture dropshipping sounds easy, but as with all businesses, there are pluses and minuses, so let’s look at those:
Pros
You’re not responsible for handling storage, picking, packing, or shipping, freeing up your time to focus on managing your supplier relationship, your customers, and marketing.
The demand for home decor is there, as the stats at the start of this review show. Not to mention, more people are buying furniture online, with 63% of consumers considering buying it without seeing it in a store first.
It’s a flexible niche because furniture falls into many categories, including office, outdoor, home furniture, etc., allowing you to hone in on a specific audience. Trust us; this makes marketing your online store much more manageable!
Cons
You rely entirely on your supplier for high-quality products and an efficient order fulfillment process. As a result, you have to trust that your suppliers will consistently provide excellent service; otherwise, you risk damaging your brand.
Compared to other dropshipping products, furniture is more expensive. As such, not every customer who visits your store will have, say, $350 or more to spend on one item. So, you may have to work harder to win customer trust.
Suppose you’re looking to order sample products to check their quality before marketing them to customers (which we always suggest doing). In that case, you’ll need way more money (likely into the thousands) to invest in product testing compared to other niches.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s put a few furniture dropshipping suppliers under the microscope to see which (if any) best meet your needs:
What are the Best Furniture Dropshipping Suppliers?
Syncee
Spocket
AppScenic
AliExpress
NicheDropshipping
BigBuy
Doba
Wholesale Interiors
Go to the top
1. Syncee
Syncee is a Hungarian-based B2B wholesale and dropshipping directory, sourcing 7m+ dropshipping products from thousands of suppliers, including furniture!
Syncee’s furniture suppliers are based in the US, Canada, EU, Australia, and other parts of the world.
Syncee integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Ecwid, EKM, Shopify Plus, Jumpseller, Wix, BigCommerce, KMO Shops and Shoprenter. Once you connect your eCommerce store with Syncee, you can source products to add to it. Then, when a customer places an order, the order information automatically goes to your supplier, who ships the item directly. The supplier also handles all the order tracking.
When we searched Syncee’s product catalog, we applied the following filters:
Shipping types: Dropshipping
Category: Furniture
…we found the following furniture subcategories, plus how many items there are to choose from within each category, which were, at the time of writing:
Outside furniture: 33,285
Chairs: 93,953
Tables and Desks: 24,115
Wardrobes: 18,398
Cabinets and bookcases: 12,243
Beds: 5,549
Sofa and Sofabeds: 4,256
Among other filters, you can also search for premium suppliers using the ‘supplier type’ drop-down option. Premium suppliers are among Syncee’s most popular, with a record for producing high-quality products. Their product listings have a Premium Crown logo, making them easy to identify. However, to access Premium products, you must be a Pro Marketplace Plan subscriber (see below).
Other filters worth noting include where products are shipped from and to and if suppliers offer free shipping.
Pricing
There are five plans.
Free: $0
Basic: $29/mo
Pro: $49/mo or $24/mo if you pay annually
Business: $99/mo or $57/mo if you pay annually
Plus: $79/mo, but you can only subscribe annually.
Pros
Trustpilot reviewers give Syncee 4.5 stars out of five, praising its quality products, wide variety of wares, ease of use, and simple onboarding.
The Shopify app store also gives it a 4.7 stars out of five rating, with merchants praising its competitive pricing, knowledgeable customer support team, and efficient order fulfillment process.
Each product page details where the product ships to, the average shipping time and cost per country, product information, etc. All of which is handy to see at a glance.
You have access to unlimited suppliers on all plans.
Cons
Some reviewers complain about problems with orders syncing with their store and payment issues.
You can only access Premium products on the Pro, Business, and Plus plans.
Syncee doesn’t offer direct integrations with Amazon, eBay, or Etsy.
Further reading 📚
Syncee Review (2023): Global Dropshipping and Wholesale
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2. Spocket
Spocket is an easy-to-use dropshipping directory that predominantly lists US and EU suppliers.
Spocket integrates with the following platforms:
Shopify
Amazon
AliExpress
eBay
WooCommerce
Wix
BigCommerce
Square
Squarespace
Ecwid
Felex
Alibaba
Once you integrate your store with Spocket, you can add Spocket products to it. Then, when customers place an order, the order is forwarded to your supplier, who takes care of fulfillment and shipping. You’ll receive an automated email with tracking details as soon as an order is shipped.
To find furniture items in Spocket’s product catalog, you need to create an account with an email address and password. From your Spocket dashboard, you’ll immediately see all your options for filtering your product search.
Choose the Home and Garden category, and click “Furniture.” There, you’ll find an unspecified number of products, including:
Tables
Chairs
Shelves
Beds
Sofas and Sofa beds
Garden furniture
Unfortunately, there aren’t any search filters for narrowing down furniture types. There’s just one furniture category. However, you can use the search bar to type in what you want.
On each product page, you can view the product price, description, supplier location, suggested retail price, shipping times and costs per country, and supplier’s returns policy.
Spocket also offers Premium products that are tagged with a crown. These are best-sellers and tend to be highly discounted, making it easier to generate healthy profit margins. However, only Pro and Empire plan subscribers can access these, with a limit depending on the plan.
Pricing
There are five plans, each offering a free 14-day trial:
Free: $0
Starter: $39.99/mo
Pro: $59.99/mo or $24/mo if you pay annually
Empire: $99.99/mo or $57/mo if you pay annually
Unicorn: $299/mo or $79/mo if you pay annually
The Starter plan limits you to selling 25 regular products on your eCommerce store. This extends to 250 and 25 premium products on the Pro plan, rising to 25,000 regular and premium products on the Unicorn plan.
Pros
The product catalog is easy to navigate.
Spocket has a strict supplier verification process that includes not using third-party warehouses and the ability to offer fast order processing and shipping.
Trustpilot reviewers give it a 4.8 out of 5 stars, praising its customer support.
Its online Help Center is full of useful information.
Cons
You can’t access the product catalog without creating an account.
You can’t see how many furniture products Spocket offers.
You’re limited to just 25 premium products on the Pro plan.
Further reading 📚
Spocket Review (2023): Start Dropshipping from the US & EU
DSers vs Spocket (2023): Which is Best?
Modalyst vs Spocket (2023): Which Should You Go For?
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3. AppScenic
AppScenic works with US, UK, EU, Canadian, and Australian suppliers, all of which deliver within 2-5 days from US/UK and EU warehouses.
AppScenic integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, and eBay. Once you’ve connected your store, AppScenic automatically handles order fulfillment, product syncing with your website, tracking numbers, etc.
You can access AppScenic’s product catalog by creating a free account. Once you’re logged in, you’re taken to your AppScenic dashboard. Click the furniture image or select ‘Furniture’ from a drop-down list of product categories.
Furniture items include the following:
Bedroom Furniture: 49,022
Outdoor Furniture 44,509
Tables: 22,189
Cabinets & Storage: 19,738
Accent Furniture: 12,316
Kitchen & Dining Room Furniture: 5,820
Game & Recreation Room Furniture: 5,353
Home Office Furniture: 4,321
School & Kindergarten Furniture: 4,094
Shelving: 3,814
Living Room Furniture: 2,702
Each product page provides information about the supplier’s location, product cost, order processing times, shipping times and costs, a product description, and the return policy.
AppScenic also offers Premium products, and these are marked with a star. These items are dubbed high-quality and come from top-rated suppliers. However, you can only access these on the Pro and Elite plans (see below).
Pricing
There are four plans and a free seven-day trial for paid subscriptions:
Free: $0, but you can’t sell on this plan; it’s for browsing and adding products to your store.
Standard: $24/mo or $19.08/mo paid annually
Pro: $47/mo or $35.25/mo paid annually
Elite: $78/mo or $54.67/mo paid annually
Pros
Shopify merchants give AppScenic the thumbs up with an average 4.6 out of five-star rating, praising its quality products, fast delivery, particularly in the US, UK, and EU, and its seamless integration.
There’s a vast number of furniture products to choose from across a wide range of subcategories.
The AppScenic dashboard is easy to navigate.
It’s easy to filter the product catalog for premium products, free shipping, in-stock products, and free returns.
Cons
You can only access premium products on the more expensive plans
Some reviewers complain about overpriced products
While you can import products on the free plan, you can’t sell them until you subscribe to a paid plan.
Further reading 📚
AppScenic Review (2023): A Valuable Tool for Dropshipping?
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4. AliExpress
One of the best-known dropshipping companies is China-based AliExpress. Its furniture products can be found within its product catalog’s Home, Pet, and Appliances categories. AliExpress has 49 integrations, including Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Shift4Shop.
When you integrate your store with AliExpress, you can add products manually or download Dsersto to add them in bulk. Once done, you can start selling. Then, your AliExpress supplier will handle order fulfillment and shipping when orders come in. Once the order is shipped, you receive an automated email from AliExpress with tracking information. But, according to a blog post on the site, tracking is only for the parcel’s journey in China. After that, it’s the responsibility of the destination country’s carrier to provide it.
Furniture is found in the subcategories below, but product numbers are unspecified:
Home, including kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, dining room, and living room furniture
Children, including beds and chairs
Commercial, including restaurant, hotel, and theater furniture
Office including desks and chairs
Outdoor including garden furniture sets and outdoor sofas
Furniture is shipped from the US, China, and Turkey, and you can filter which countries you prefer to source products from via the drop-down menu filter in the product catalog.
Each product page shows its price, description, estimated shipping times, and reviews from verified purchasers.
Pricing
There are no sign-up or monthly fees.
Pros
A wide range of furniture categories are available.
Shopify merchants give it an incredibly impressive 4.9 out of five-star rating, praising customer support, easy setup, product research features, and more.
You don’t have to create an account to view its product catalog.
Furniture items seem cheaper than other dropshipping sites. For example, a mid-century style lounge chair on AliExpress costs $153.59, and on AppScenic, a mid-century lounge chair costs $312.60
Cons
AliExpress products are mostly shipped from the US, Turkey, and China, so you might have to contend with longer shipping times to the EU.
There’s no product catalog filter for sellers offering free returns.
The product catalog is extensive but looks very cluttered.
Further reading 📚
AliExpress Review (2023): Is it a Good Choice for Dropshipping?
Aliexpress Dropshipping 2023 Guide – Everything You Need to Know
Alibaba vs AliExpress: How They Compare for Merchants and Consumers
How Long Does Aliexpress Shipping Take? Your Simple Guide for 2023
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5. NicheDropshipping
NicheDropshipping is another leading dropshipping directory in China and offers itself as a good AliExpress alternative. However, if you’re a startup with less than ten daily orders, NicheDropshipping recommends heading to AliExpress instead.
It integrates with Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Magento, Etsy, and WooCommerce.
NicheDropshipping has two fulfillment centers in the US and three in China.
You have to sign up (it’s free) before you can access its product catalog. However, once you do, you’ll find a Home, Garden, and Furniture category. But unfortunately, there aren’t furniture subcategories to browse through. Upon first glance, furniture products seem to be just home accessories, e.g., curtains, towels, and storage. However, if you use the search bar, we could find chairs. That said, a blog post on its website suggests it sources small furniture, like chairs and rugs.
Other services NicheDropshipping offers include:
Product sourcing. You submit a sourcing request, receive a quote in two days, and confirm your order. Nichedropshipping will ship products to your customers, your FBA (fulfilled by Amazon), or your warehouse.
Branded dropshipping. NicheDropshipping helps you source companies that offer branded packaging that it can then use when fulfilling your orders.
Bulk inventory storage. You can buy in bulk from NicheDropshipping suppliers and ship products to NicheDropping warehouses in the US and China. The company then takes care of all order fulfillment and shipping.
White label dropshipping. You can choose a white label design from NIcheDropshipping’s collection to brand your packaging.
Private label dropshipping. The NicheDropping sourcing team works with you to source customizable products, including with your logo, to sell under your brand.
Each product page gives you information about pricing and a description. You can also choose from their shipping partners and see their prices.
Pricing
It’s free to sign up, and its product sourcing feature is free. Like AliExpress, there are no monthly subscription plans.
However, for dropshipping, NicheDropshipping charges a shipping fee plus a stocktaking fee, and for fulfillment, it assigns you a shipping fee, an inbound fee to its warehouse, an outbound fee from its warehouse, and a stocktaking fee. For more info, check out the links in this para.
Pros
There are two US fulfillment warehouses, making it a viable option for those targeting the US market.
There are no monthly subscription plans, and it’s free to sign up
The product sourcing feature is free to use
It has a Trustpilot 4.8 out of five-star rating with a particular mention of good customer service.
Cons
We couldn’t find much evidence of furniture products aside from the chairs and home accessories mentioned above.
You have to sign up for an account before you can view the product catalog
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6. BigBuy
BigBuy is a Spanish-based dropshipping and wholesale supplier focusing on the EU market.
BigBuy offers, by far and away, the largest list of integrations, with 200+ platforms to choose from, including Amazon, eBay, WooCommerce, Shopify, Wix, Wish, and Prestashop. It also integrates with AliExpress.
BigBuy owns its own warehouse from which it distributes and dispatches its stock across Europe.
Signing up is free, and once you do, you can explore its product catalog. There, you’ll find BigBuy Home. Within this, there are 4,567 pieces of furniture organized into the following categories:
Lounge (1,978)
Bedroom furniture (726)
Dining furniture (672)
Office furniture (528)
TV and multimedia (278)
Corridor (216)
Bar furniture (78)
Kitchen (67)
Children’s furniture (44)
Bathroom (11)
Each product page provides information on the product price, the supplier, a product description, estimated shipping time, whether tracked delivery is available, and much more.
Pricing
It’s free to sign up and look for products but to start selling, there are three price plans based on annual subscriptions:
Marketplace: for customers wanting to sell on marketplaces or their ecommerce stores: €75,24/mo plus a €90 joining fee
eCommerce: for customers who just want to sell via their ecommerce store: €51,75/mo plus a €90 joining fee
B2B: no monthly fee and a €45 joining fee for customers who just want to buy wholesale goods
You can also buy a turnkey dropshipping store from BigBuy, with six on offer at the time of writing, each costing €790, but none were furniture stores.
Pros
There’s a good selection of furniture items to choose from
Discounts might be available if you buy in bulk
Its product catalog has been translated into 24 European languages
Most of the furniture we looked at was contemporary and attractive
All products come with a two-year EU guarantee
Cons
Prices don’t include VAT
You have to sign up for an account before you can access its product catalog.
The website isn’t very user-friendly.
You have to pay a joining fee and a monthly subscription, which seems steep.
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7. Doba
Doba is based in Utah, USA, and offers a wide selection of suppliers, 75% of which are in the USA. It integrates with Amazon, Shopify, eBay, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and more.
Doba’s product catalog stretches to 400,000+ products, of which 49,426 are furniture items. Furniture products are under Doba’s Home, Garden, and Tools category.
Furniture items are organized into the following subcategories:
Living Room Furniture (10,820)
Bedroom Furniture (10,278)
Kitchen and Dining Room Furniture (8.240)
Kids’ Furniture (5,280)
Accent Furniture (4,556)
Other Furniture & Replacement Parts (3,389)
Home Entertainment Furniture (2,791)
Home Office Furniture (2,269)
Bathroom Furniture (1,822)
Each product page details the product, its price, which country it ships from, shipping price and estimated delivery time, order processing time, and the item’s refund policy.
You can browse the catalog without logging in or creating an account, but you can’t see prices unless you log in. You can search products by where they ship to and from, shipping times, price, and several other valuable filters.
Using this filter option, we spotted that some furniture products are shipped from China (51) and Canada (25). The remaining 49,350 are shipped from the US.
There are premium products, but you can’t filter your search for these in the product catalog. Instead, you have to head to the Doba Premium Supplier page and click on individual supplier links. Premium suppliers are said to offer: ‘superior products, outstanding service, and competitive prices.’
Pricing
Doba has three price plans and three billing cycles (monthly, quarterly, and annual). There’s a free 14-day trial with limited features, but you can’t integrate your store. Prices quoted below are based on yearly billing and represent a 17%-20% saving depending on which plan you go for:
Startup: $20,07/mo
Business: $39.99/mo
Enterprise: $249.99/mo
Pros
There’s a wide range of furniture items, mostly shipped from the US.
Furniture items look contemporary.
The product catalog is easy to navigate.
It has a 4.5 out of five-star Trustpilot rating, with reviewers praising its ease of use, good quality products, and fast shipping.
Cons
The free plan only offers limited features with no store integration
There’s no premium supplier filter
You have to log in if you want to see product prices.
Further reading 📚
Doba Review (2023): A Marketplace Filled With Qualified Dropshippers
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8. Wholesale Interiors
Billing itself as the “nation’s leading wholesale furniture supplier” (the US), Wholesale Interiors offers various services, including eCommerce dropshipping. The company, whose brand name is Baxton Studio, manages all aspects of its furniture design, production, and order fulfillment from its warehouse based in Chicago.
It typically takes around 11 weeks to manufacture a piece. Once the product is ready, order fulfillment takes three business days, and one to six days for shipping.
Unfortunately, there’s no evidence of any eCommerce integrations.
It offers a range of furniture in the following categories:
Dining Room (1,401)
Home Office (48)
Bedroom (1,812)
Outdoor (48)
Living Room (1,484)
Entryway (240)
Bathroom (4)
Bar (338)
Kids (177)
Pets (17)
Restaurant (16)
Commercial (29)
Yoghurt Shop (8)
Although you can view products, their descriptions, and shipping information, you need to create an account to go any further. Unlike other dropshipping platforms, Wholesale Interiors asks for more details to create an account, including a company name, address, zip code, and phone number. After that, you’re asked to send their sales team your business URL and business registration documents.
Pricing
Aside from product prices and shipping, there are no additional fees.
Also, no bulk discounts are offered unless you order items over 100+.
Pros
Attractive and contemporary-looking furniture
If you want to dropship furniture from the US to the US, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, it could be a viable option
The company accepts returns within 30 days of delivery
Cons
11 weeks is still a long time to wait if you’re a business looking for a fast turnaround
You can’t see pricing without an account
There is little information on its website about how its dropshipping service works.
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Best Dropshipping Furniture Suppliers: My Final Thoughts
That’s all for my best dropshipping furniture suppliers round-up. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of what furniture dropshipping is and which dropshipping company you might use.
But before making any final decisions, I always advise researching potential products and checking supplier reviews to ensure they offer the reliability and quality you need to provide customers with a first-rate service.
Needless to say, it’s also worth taking advantage of any free trials/plans to familiarize yourself with the solution’s interface and customer service. Again, this goes a long way to ensuring you pick a solution that ticks all your boxes!
That’s enough from me! Let us know what you decide in the comments below.
The post 8 Best Dropshipping Furniture Suppliers for 2023: Our Round-up appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.
How to Animate Gradient Text Using CSS
Original Source: https://1stwebdesigner.com/how-to-animate-gradient-text-using-css/
Web design takes a captivating turn when CSS comes into play. It enables a world of transformations, such as taking static text elements and infusing them with life. Our focus today is one such engaging transformation – animate gradient text using CSS.
So, let’s demonstrate how a seemingly complex effect can be achieved with a few lines of code.
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Setting Up the Text in the HTML
We begin by defining our text element in HTML, which in this case is a simple heading:
<h1 class="animated-gradient">1stWebDesigner</h1>
Here, we create an <h1> element with a class called “animated-gradient”. This class becomes our anchor for creating the gradient animation in CSS.
Unfolding the Gradient Animation
The core part lies within our CSS. Let’s define the gradient and set it in motion with the following code:
/* Google Fonts for Open Sans */
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:wght@700&display=swap');
/* Define animation */
@keyframes gradient-shift {
0% {background-position: 0%}
100% {background-position: 100%}
}
/* Styling our animated gradient text */
.animated-gradient {
font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
font-size: 2em;
background: linear-gradient(270deg, #ff4b59, #ff9057, #ffc764, #50e3c2, #4a90e2, #b8e986, #ff4b59);
background-size: 200%;
-webkit-background-clip: text;
-webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
animation: gradient-shift 3s ease-in-out infinite;
}
Our CSS setup does the following:
@import url: This directive fetches the Open Sans font from Google Fonts, noted for its modern and clean aesthetics.
@keyframes: Here, we define an animation named gradient-shift. This animation creates the illusion of motion in the gradient by shifting the background’s position from 0% to 100%.
font-family and font-size: These properties set our text’s font to Open Sans and its size to 2em.
background: This property generates a linear gradient using a striking array of colors. The gradient direction is set to 270 degrees, providing a left-to-right color flow.
background-size: This property, set to 200%, enlarges the background, contributing to the illusion of movement.
-webkit-background-clip and -webkit-text-fill-color: These properties render the text transparent, allowing the animated gradient to shine through.
animation: Lastly, we deploy our gradient-shift animation. It uses an ease-in-out timing function for smooth transitions and loops indefinitely, creating an ever-changing cascade of colors.
The Result
And there we have it! Check out the vibrant, animated gradient text:
See the Pen
Animated Gradient Text by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0
Final Thoughts
The process of creating the animated gradient text effect is surprisingly straightforward, but the creative opportunities it unveils are far-reaching. With this foundational knowledge, you can experiment with different color schemes and gradient directions, apply the animation to various elements like buttons or headers, and even incorporate subtle animated accents into your design.
Remember, the real beauty of CSS is in its flexibility and power – it provides a vast canvas for creativity. You could also explore further with CSS keyframes to manipulate other properties and add more dynamic animations to your design. Feel free to dive deeper into the world of CSS animations with our guide on CSS keyframes.
GoDaddy POS Review: A Complete Guide to GoDaddy POS
Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/godaddy-pos-review
In this GoDaddy POS review, we’re taking a behind-the-scenes look at the compelling point of sale solution offered by one of the world’s best-known technology vendors.
GoDaddy POS is the all-in-one payment processing and management solution, that allows retailers to accept payments from customers anywhere, with ease.
Quick verdict:
If you’re looking for a simple way to take your business to the next level, GoDaddy POS could be an excellent choice. Straightforward and versatile, this convenient solution appeals to both small and growing companies alike.
You even have plenty of freedom when it comes to choosing the hardware you want to use to accept and process payments.
Rating
Godaddy POS
Features
8/10
Ease of Use
6/10
Pricing
8/10
Hardware
8/10
In this article:
Quick verdict:
What is GoDaddy POS?
GoDaddy POS Pros and Cons
GoDaddy POS: Setup and Functionality
GoDaddy POS: Ease of Use
GoDaddy POS Payment Processing & Analytics
The GoDaddy POS Hardware
GoDaddy POS Pricing and Fees
GoDaddy Customer Service and Integrations
GoDaddy POS Review: The Verdict
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Let’s take a closer look at what GoDaddy POS can do.
What is GoDaddy POS?
While you might be most familiar with GoDaddy as a web hosting and domain name provider, the company has expanded significantly in recent years.
Today, GoDaddy doesn’t just host websites, it also offers tools for building your online presence, implementing SSL security, and managing email accounts. You can even access specialist web design services and online store solutions.
The GoDaddy POS (Point of Sale) solutions allow large and small business owners alike to unlock new sales opportunities in the worlds of physical sales and ecommerce.
Aligned with “GoDaddy Payments”, the payment processing solution from the vendor, the POS system can integrate with your ecommerce store or website builder, as well as offline hardware and technology.
Business owners can choose from a range of two dedicated devices to help with taking payments from debit cards and credit cards in-person. Plus, with the GoDaddy mobile app and dashboard, you can seamlessly track and manage sales from multiple environments with one easy-to-use dashboard.
The POS aligns with GoDaddy’s other ecommerce tools, although it doesn’t integrate directly with third-party payment processors.
The system does support multiple payment methods, though, including Google Pay, Apple Pay, and mobile wallets.
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GoDaddy POS Pros and Cons
Like virtually any POS solution on the market today, GoDaddy has both pros and cons to consider. While it’s an excellent tool for processing card payments, it does have some limitations compared to other, more advanced toolkits.
Pros 👍
Cons 👎
Pros 👍
Instant connectivity to GoDaddy’s other tools
Multichannel ecommerce and offline selling
Competitive transaction fees with GoDaddy Payments
Easy-to-use mobile app for instant transactions
Two different hardware options to choose from
Integrations with ecommerce tools and accounting apps
Security built-in for transactions
Simple and straightforward backend
Cons 👎
No advanced features for customer or employee management
Limited insights into customer profiles
No support for third-party payment processors
No monthly pricing options on plans
Prices can increase when you renew your subscription
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GoDaddy POS: Setup and Functionality
GoDaddy POS is excellent for small business owners and beginners in the retail world, as it takes very little effort to implement.
There’s even a “Quick Start Guide” you can use to walk through all of the various steps you need to take. The company can also offer access to human guides if you do encounter any problems with your initial configuration.
Depending on your business structure, you can use GoDaddy POS as a software solution, and take payments directly from your iOS or Android smartphone via the GoDaddy Mobile app. This means there are no extra costs to consider. The app comes with access to all of the features of GoDaddy payments, including access to invoicing tools and payment tracking.
Alternatively, you can integrate the intuitive software with two dedicated hardware options from GoDaddy (which we’ll cover in a moment).
Ultimately, the GoDaddy POS service works best when it’s integrated with the online store and website building tools already available from the hosting provider.
You can use GoDaddy to set up a free mobile-friendly website with built-in security features, appointment booking and marketing. Plus, you can upgrade your site for a fee with a custom domain name, 100s of customizable templates to choose from, and multi-channel selling options.
GoDaddy supports sales across channels like:
Ebay
Etsy
Amazon
It also provides business owners with a comprehensive back-end environment, primming with tools for things like inventory management, and social media marketing.
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GoDaddy POS: Ease of Use
Most of the solutions provided by GoDaddy for today’s business owners are renowned for their simplicity. Whether you’re using the GoDaddy e-commerce platform, website building tools, or virtual terminal, you can expect a relatively straightforward experience.
The domain registrar provides a central, unified dashboard within it’s POS technology. This helps retailers unify the orders received on their GoDaddy website, with in-person payments and offline transactions. Plus, there are even handy analytics and reporting functions, to track customer purchases and buying habits.
When you use GoDaddy POS and the ecommerce platform in unison, you’ll also have access to various options for serving customers. For instance, you can allow customers to buy items online and pick them up in store, or place orders for delivery in-person.
The cloud-based solution is straightforward setup and use, and comes with built-in storage, to ensure you can keep track of all the right data. Plus, business leaders have complete freedom to choose how they want to accept payments. You can use the GoDaddy Smart Terminal to accept payments, or just access your payment gateway through the mobile app.
An added bonus for GoDaddy is the ability to integrate the hardware and software you buy with other third-party platforms. You can connect your tools to hardware accessories, like cash drawers, or receipt printers. Plus, you can link the POS software to accounting tools like QuickBooks.
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GoDaddy POS Payment Processing & Analytics
A big factor in choosing the right POS system for any store is payment processing functionality. Business owners appreciate GoDaddy POS for its straightforward transaction solutions.
The GoDaddy Payments service supports both online and in-person sales, with competitive pricing on transaction fees. Costs start at only 2.3% for in-person transactions, and 2.3% plus 30 cents for online transactions. The only downside is there’s no option to integrate with other payment processors.
This means if you’re using Stripe, Square, or PayPal to handle payments, you might encounter a problem. On the plus side, with GoDaddy Payments, you can get payouts sent to your bank account within as little as 24 hours. Plus, every transaction is PCI secure.
Aside from ensuring you can accept and manage payments effectively; it also helps to have access to insights that can assist in boosting your revenue and profits. Fortunately, GoDaddy does offer some handy solutions here. There are reporting and analytics tools built into the POS software for tracking both in-person and online sales from a central dashboard.
Business owners can view transactions and returns over time, track revenue growth, and even download and customize POS reports. There are even tools to help you monitor buying habits among consumer segments, so you can personalize your sales and marketing strategies.
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The GoDaddy POS Hardware
As mentioned, you don’t necessarily need any hardware to handle online payments and in-person transactions with GoDaddy.
The mobile app for the GoDaddy POS system ensures you can turn any iPhone or Android device into a functional payment terminal.
However, if you do want to invest in intuitive hardware, GoDaddy introduced two distinct solutions for business owners in 2021. The first option is the GoDaddy Poynt Smart Terminal, and the second is the simple GoDaddy Poynt Card Reader.
With a suggested retail price of around $99, the card reader is an excellent option for smaller businesses and pop-up shops. It supports tap, dip, and swipe payments, and comes with an included charging dock, so you can even use the system wirelessly.
What’s more, the card reader can seamlessly connect to the GoDaddy Mobile app, so you can painlessly take payments and track transactions without a separate screen.
Intended for slightly larger businesses, the Smart Terminal is a little more comprehensive. This modern and sleek payment terminal comes with two screens, one for you, and one for your customer. You can even customize the screen your customer sees, to show your brand logo, promotions, and more. On your side, you’ll be able to see orders and amounts in a clean format.
The all-in-one terminal comes with payment processing tools, a scanner, and a printer, so you don’t need to invest in any other accessories to run your store. With a retail price of around $499, this is a relatively cost-effective solution for growing companies.
Every device also comes with a 1-year limited warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee if you decide you want to return your system.
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GoDaddy POS Pricing and Fees
As mentioned above, the exact price you’ll pay for your GoDaddy POS service will depend on the functionality and hardware you need. The smart reader costs around $99, while the full terminal will set you back approximately $499.
On top of that, you’ll have the GoDaddy payment processing fees to consider, which start at 2.3% for in-person transactions. There’s another 30 cents added to every transaction fee if you’re processing payments with the same solution online.
To access the full integration options between GoDaddy Payments, your ecommerce website, and your offline store, you’ll need a subscription plan too.
GoDaddy currently doesn’t offer any monthly payment options, instead requiring customers to pay outright for a full year.
Plans include:
Basic: $9.99 per month (annually): Access to GoDaddy’s website builder, marketing tools, and payment processing options.
Premium: $14.99 per month (annually): All the features of the Basic plan, plus online appointment options and enhanced marketing features.
Commerce: $16.99 per month (annually): The features of the Premium plan, plus access to tools for building your own online store, and connecting the POS system.
Commerce Plus: $29.99 per month (annually): All the features included in the Commerce package, with advanced automation features.
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GoDaddy Customer Service and Integrations
One good thing about GoDaddy’s retail solutions is that they can integrate with a wide variety of tools, including:
WordPress
WooCommerce
Squarespace
LiveAgent
You can also use some GoDaddy solutions (like domain names) on virtually any site, including Shopify sites.
When it comes to customer service, GoDaddy has had some negative reviews in the past. However, the company has committed to making its services a lot more reliable in recent years.
GoDaddy offers similar customer support to most competitors, with 24/7 guidance available over the phone.
You can also request support from GoDaddy Guides through email, text message, or chat. Most responses are delivered within the same business day. GoDaddy even received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, which not every competing brand has achieved.
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GoDaddy POS Review: The Verdict
GoDaddy POS is relatively affordable, and you don’t necessarily need to purchase hardware straight away, so you can always test out the service before making your decision.
Of course, there are plenty of rival services still worth considering.
Business owners in search of more advanced features and scalability may want to consider an alternative solution like:
Square POS
Shopify POS
Clover POS
Further reading 📚
Shopify POS Review (2023): Is it the Best Point of Sale System & Retail POS?
Shopify POS Go Review – Everything You Need to Know
Square POS Reviews: Everything You Need to Know (2023)
Clover POS System Review: Transactions Made Easy (2023)
The post GoDaddy POS Review: A Complete Guide to GoDaddy POS appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.
