Why We've Changed Our Premium Plans

We've made a change to our plan lineup: The Diamond and Titanium plans are being combined, keeping the larger capacity of Titanium and the lower price of Diamond. It's a simplification of our offerings for new shop owners, and a little bonus for existing Big Cartel users. No small print or unpleasant surprises below, we're just here to let you know that we've shuffled things around a little so that shops using our biggest plan are now paying less, and other Big Cartel users are getting an even better deal.

So why the change? It makes more sense if we explain a few of the values that guide our decisions around here.

People Over Profit

We are committed to people’s wellbeing in everything we do, from high-level planning to granular decisions. We want a more just and equitable world, and so we need to play our part. When it comes between making another dollar or doing what's right for our community, we're committed to choosing people over profit.

This sounds like a lofty goal for a private company, but it's an important check for us when deciding between two paths. And because we want to support our shop owners just as much as we support our employees and their families, in this case we're choosing to give them a good product at an extraordinary price.

If someone has a great idea but few funds, we won't stand in their way toward getting their business off the ground. What's right for our community takes precedence over making a few more dollars each month. We want your ideas to soar, so we'll hold you up like we're Patrick Swayze and you're Jennifer Grey and Dirty Dancing is the e-commerce world and... this metaphor is starting to fall apart.

Focus on Utility

Another company value comes into play with this change. Big Cartel thinks about function over form, focusing on the necessary, fostering inclusivity and prioritizing sustainability. We're not trying to look fancier or more important than we are, and so that means we need to charge a fair price. So with this in mind, let's get to the point.

We're sunsetting our Titanium plan, which was previously our biggest plan at $29.99/month, up to 500 products, and all of the bells and whistles we currently offer. But never fear, we've got everyone covered. Now the $19.99/month Diamond plan can hold up to 500 products, and has all of the features the Titanium plan had. It's an equal bang, for fewer bucks.

TLDR: Everybody wins

For existing customers, this boils down to a housekeeping note. None of our shop owners are losing anything, or being charged a higher fee. We still offer our free Gold plan and basic $9.99/month Platinum plan with no changes. Some folks will be charged a lower fee moving forward, some folks will get an upgraded plan without a change in price. And there's nothing you need to do to access the new pricing and feature structure.

For Titanium plans: We've discounted your monthly fee moving forward. Instead of paying $29.99 each month, you'll pay $19.99 each month, without losing any of the features or product count that you're used to. Take that extra $10 and go buy yourself a fancy tea! Moving forward, you'll see your plan is named Diamond, and if we mention "premium plans," we're talking about you.

For Diamond plans: We've upgraded your account with no change to your monthly fee. Moving forward, you can list up to 500 products. Your plan's name stays the same, and if we mention "premium plans," we're talking about you too. It's like your favorite coffee shop gave you a donut to go with your latte, but didn't charge anything extra. Great, now I want a donut!

Prospective customers

Folks not already using Big Cartel will get to choose between three plans at signup: the free Gold plan with limited features, the basic Platinum plan, or the newly upgraded Diamond plan. Folks will no longer be offered the Titanium plan, because, well, they don't need it! The Diamond plan has everything they would have wanted in the Titanium plan, but at an even sweeter price. We've simplified the options without taking anything away.

Is this change a little surprising from a business standpoint? Some people might say so! After all, we've decided to take less money each month from many of our shop owners. But we've spent a lot of time discussing what we think makes Big Cartel great, and how we want to treat our community. This simplified lineup and affordable price feels honest, fair, and right. We hope it feels right to our community, too.