Are you planning on starting your own online store or company in the near future? If so, then it might be wise for you to start researching about all of the different types of businesses that are available out there. With so many options, it can get overwhelming very quickly! But don't worry – we're here to help you sort through everything by providing some guidance as well as our top picks when it comes to choosing between various kinds of SaaS companies.
First off, let's define what "whitelabel" actually means before we dive into the details surrounding this topic. A word that is often used interchangeably with this term is "white-label". While they sound similar, the difference between them is subtle yet important. In essence, whitelabel refers to the ability of an individual to create his/her own branded version of a software product without needing permission from the original developer. On the other hand, white-labelling involves using someone else’s brand name (or logo) while also retaining the ownership of the source code. And yes, both terms do have slightly different meanings, but if you want to learn more about how they differ, check out our article titled How Do White Labels Differ From Whitelabelled Software? If you're still confused, feel free to use one instead of the other depending on which context sounds better.
Now that we understand the differences between the two words, let's move forward to discuss what exactly a "white-labeled" service entails. Simply put, it's simply another way of saying that you will not need to acquire any licenses or rights to utilize certain programs or applications provided by third parties. Instead, you'll be able to choose whichever solutions work best for you based on the following criteria:
The cost associated with each program
How much time you plan to spend learning how to use said application
Whether you prefer open-source versus proprietary software
Your budget
Let's look at some examples below to illustrate just how easy it can be to find such a solution.
When referring to SaaS products, the most common example would probably be Active Campaign. This is a fairly popular marketing automation tool that allows users to manage email campaigns across multiple platforms including Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, Yahoo!, AOL, etc. It has been around since 2011, and its popularity continues to grow. However, because it was designed primarily as a desktop app rather than webapp, people who wanted to make use of it had to download and install it first before being able to access its functionalities. Now, thanks to the emergence of cloud computing technology, anyone can sign up for an account on Active Campaign's website and begin utilizing its features right away. Moreover, unlike desktop versions, the webapp doesn't require users to pay anything upfront to obtain access to its full functionality. As long as you stay subscribed to the monthly fee, you can continue accessing new updates and features whenever they become available.
Another great example of a white labeled SaaS platform is Weblium. You may already know this particular site as a resource hub where you can browse tons of useful information related to social media marketing and content creation. What makes Weblium stand out among others like HubSpot, Buffer, Hootsuite, etc., however, is its focus on helping small businesses increase their visibility within the digital world. Aside from offering a variety of guides, tutorials, and tips to beginners, the platform offers several features specifically meant for SMBs. For starters, it includes a feature known as “Webinar Pro” that enables customers to host live meetings with hundreds of viewers simultaneously. The platform also provides a wide range of scheduling tools to allow users to set up recurring events such as weekly newsletters, daily blog posts, etc.
While the above definition describes what white labeling is generally speaking, when it comes to specific brands, it's referred to as a "white label" model. Essentially, this type of agreement allows individuals to take over the branding identity of a given company while maintaining complete control over the design elements contained within its user interface. To ensure that no confusion arises, it is imperative that clients always refer to this kind of business arrangement as a "white label license", or something along those lines. After all, even though you won't necessarily need to provide any monetary compensation to the owner of the IP, you will still need to pay him for your usage rights.
Another benefit of going down this route is that you'll be able to offer your prospective customers the same level of customization that they'd receive once they purchase a traditional licensed copy of the software. Since you retain ownership of the software, you'll be allowed to add additional features and customizations to suit your exact needs. Plus, since you only pay for the amount of time during which you use the software, you won't have to shell out money every month like you would if you purchased the standard edition outright. Lastly, it helps promote trustworthiness since you're essentially giving potential customers peace of mind knowing that you've taken extra measures to secure your end goal - ensuring that nobody gets hurt in the process.
As mentioned earlier, the main purpose behind the concept of a white label is to enable individuals to customize existing software packages without having to deal with licensing costs associated with purchasing a fully developed piece of software. That being said, the term itself isn't synonymous with "free." Although you're essentially getting the same thing for free, you are still required to pay royalties to whoever owns the intellectual property. Thus, it's important for consumers to always keep this side of things in mind when evaluating whether or not a certain program qualifies as a "true white label".
In fact, according to experts on the subject matter, the ideal scenario is for this type of relationship to exist in tandem with a true white label license. In this case, you should expect to pay nothing upfront, but you must also give credit to the creator of the underlying code. Furthermore, you should avoid creating derivative works unless you intend to sell them separately. Otherwise, you could potentially face legal issues later on.
So now that you know what a "white label" really is, why not explore some of the most reputable ones out there today? There's bound to be plenty of choices that fit your personal preferences perfectly. Here's a list of eight fantastic apps worth checking out:
Shift4Shop: Shift4Shop is a shopping cart management system that lets retailers build ecommerce stores easily. Using this application, you can save time and effort by allowing shoppers to buy goods directly from your storefront.
DashThis: DashThis is a dashboard builder that streamlines internal processes within organizations. By making use of this tool, teams can develop customized dashboards that meet organizational goals effectively.
Weblium: Weblium is a powerful social networking suite that gives marketers the power to engage prospects, generate leads, and convert sales effortlessly.
Active Campaign: A comprehensive marketing automation platform that automates customer communication and CRM tasks.
Airtable: A virtual database-like application that facilitates collaboration between team members working remotely.
MailChimp: An email marketing platform that serves as the backbone of virtually any advertising campaign imaginable.
HootSuite: This webbased productivity tool gives customers the freedom to schedule tweets, edit profiles, and monitor conversations happening within Twitter accounts.
Buffer: One of the industry leaders in content curation, Buffer excels at organizing articles, videos, quotes, images, and more.
Which of these 8 apps do you think fits the bill? Or perhaps none of them appeal to you personally? Whatever the case may be, remember that finding the perfect match depends largely upon your personal preference. Ultimately, it boils down to weighing your priorities against the pros and cons of each option. Once you figure out which factors are most significant to your situation, you'll be ready to go ahead and decide which path seems to be best suited for you.
Running your own e-commerce store can be an exciting prospect for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses or improve existing ones. However, if you have no experience in this area, it might seem like a daunting task that could take months of research before launching anything. Luckily, there are some great online platforms where you can find all kinds of solutions to help make running your online shop easier - even without any prior knowledge. These include SaaS (Software as a Service) companies which provide subscription-based products with various features. If you're still confused about how exactly they work, read on!
When shopping at most brick-and-mortar stores, we tend to associate certain brands with particular products due to advertising campaigns and other marketing efforts by those companies. Brands often use different methods such as slogans, packaging design, product names, etc., to create unique identities within the market. While many consumers will always prefer buying branded items over unbranded versions because of the trust associated with them, others may not mind paying slightly more for quality goods rather than saving money. In fact, one study found that people were willing to pay $2 extra for every item purchased when its price was labeled "brand" instead of "generic." The same principle applies online, too. When searching for e-commerce websites that offer private label options, you'll notice that they usually display the word "private" next to the name of the company. This means that these sites don't sell products under their own name, but instead opt to charge customers higher prices for similar items sold by third parties. For example, while Amazon sells its own branded version of diapers and baby wipes, it also offers those products through Walmart's website. It's important to note that not all private labels come directly from competitors. Some brands choose to outsource their production process to third party factories so that they can save time and energy while maintaining high standards of quality.
Nike doesn't actually produce shoes itself. Instead, it outsources manufacturing processes to independent manufacturers located around the world. As far as branding goes, however, the American athletic apparel giant has created a strong reputation among sneaker connoisseurs thanks to its iconic red logo and popular line of sneakers. There's nothing wrong with outsourcing production either since it allows Nike to focus its attention elsewhere, namely developing new designs and strategies.
While both brands and private labels refer to specific types of products, a few terms are used interchangeably. Private labels are simply another term for non-branded products, and their popularity has been growing steadily over the years. With the rise of e-commerce, shoppers now expect retailers to stock several variations of the exact same item, especially if they have limited budgets. Thus, many companies began offering private label alternatives to increase sales, and customers appreciate the variety offered by each individual site. Another reason why private labels become increasingly popular today is due to the increasing competition among online merchants. Since sellers cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on fancy ad campaigns, they rely heavily on promotional discounts and coupons to attract potential buyers. To keep up with demand, many vendors started selling generic products using private labels instead of investing into expensive advertisements.
The Internet has made it possible for anyone to launch their own online storefronts regardless of whether they possess technical skills or capital funds. One way to get started quickly is by signing up for SaaS (software as a service) providers which allow users to access multiple prebuilt apps for free. You just need to log in once to set up your account and then forget about managing everything yourself. Most of these platforms let you customize elements such as colors, fonts, images, layouts, etc., so that you can change the entire look and feel of your webstore according to your preferences. Additionally, you can add additional functionality to your app including customer support, payment processing, email automation, analytics tracking, advertising placement, etc. So long as you follow all rules set forth by the provider, you can enjoy full control over your store's content, layout, and appearance.
In order to ensure your online store looks professional and attracts visitors, it's imperative that you hire a reputable designer or freelance writer to do the job. Otherwise, things could go south very fast. Fortunately, some SaaS platforms enable you to integrate external plugins to streamline tasks such as image editing, data entry, SEO optimization, and more. They also give developers the option to create custom extensions called widgets that extend core functionalities. By taking advantage of these features, you can build a solid foundation for your e-commerce venture while spending minimal amounts of cash. And although many people believe that creating your own platform is the only practical solution, it's not ideal for everyone. White labeling gives you the chance to tap into established systems without risking any resources, thereby allowing you to test new ideas before committing large sums of money.
1. Salesforce
Salesforce is one the best software companies today, offering cloud computing service. It's also known for its excellent customer support team. Most people consider Salesforce to be very reliable because of its reputation.
Platforms: Platforms: Enterprise Cloud, On Demand, Force.com, AppExchange, Mobile Apps, Data Driven Pages, Community Builder, Analytics & Insights, Marketing Automation, Workflow, Social CRM, Chatter, Communities, Lightning Experience, Flow, API, Charts
Users: More than 200 million users worldwide
Number of apps: 1 billion+
Number of developers: 50 thousand +
Price per user: $5/user/month
If you've never heard of Salesforce, it offers a suite of applications such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Financials, Human Capital Management, Project Management, Security, Messaging, etc., used by over 200 million individuals around the world. The company has been providing enterprise level solutions since 1999. Its main office is located in San Francisco (California).
You can use Salesforce to manage sales, marketing, finance, human capital management, social media, data analytics, project management, security, and more. You can also create custom apps using its platform, customize them according to your needs, then sell them through its app marketplace. With over 100,000 apps available, there are plenty of options to choose from when looking at what type of solution will best suit your business.
As a Salesforce licensee, you receive access to Salesforce’s entire ecosystem – including the core application, mobile
Are you planning to start an online store or e-commerce website but don't have enough funds for it? Well, this could be the perfect time to use one of many popular white label solutions which are available in the market today.
White Label Solutions (WLS) refer to those that allow businesses to utilize third party applications without being forced to pay for them directly. The benefits of WLS include access to better features at lower prices while maintaining control on your own branding and design. You can even choose between different payment methods depending upon your preference.
However, before we delve into the details of each service, let's first understand the difference between black label and white label solutions.
Black labeling refers to when companies purchase licenses or subscriptions from other vendors who provide them with custom branded apps. These apps may not be free as they come with a price tag attached to them. However, by using such solutions, customers gain more flexibility over choosing the right app based on their needs.
On the contrary, white labeling allows you to take advantage of various products offered by companies like Active Campaign, Weblium, Shift4Shop, DashThis, and others without having to spend money upfront. This means that you get all the apps' functionalities for free. In addition, there will be no restrictions on how much customization you want to make to the product itself.
For instance, if you decide to use ActiveCampaign, then you'll need to shell out $10 per user per month. But with white labelling, you can just select any plan and upgrade whenever needed. On top of that, you can easily manage users through ActiveCampaign dashboard and integrate it seamlessly with your existing systems.
In short, it can be said that "white" labels are paid versions of black labels. While both offer similar results, some people prefer to go with white labels since they're less expensive than paying up front.
Furthermore, unlike black labels, white labels give you full rights over the application so you won't face any limitations. Additionally, you can also customize the appearance according to your liking. Also, as mentioned above, you won't need to worry about monthly payments anymore because you can always upgrade whenever necessary.
As stated earlier, a white label solution refers to those that allow businesses to utilize third party applications without being forced to pay for them directly. It doesn't matter whether they’re paid or free, in fact, most of them cost nothing at all. For example, if you opt for ActiveCampaign, you'll receive its complete functionality for absolutely zero dollars. And, if you wish to add new features later on, you can simply do that too.
Additionally, white labels often come with additional perks that aren't found in black labels. Such perks include unlimited phone support, priority updates, and discounts among others. Furthermore, you can also create personal profiles where visitors can view information regarding your company.
A white label brand is basically another name for a white label solution. So, if you see someone mentioning 'brand X', chances are he/she might be referring to a white label solution.
Now that we've understood what exactly a white label is, here are several notable examples of famous brands that use this strategy to sell their products online.
1. Zendesk - An IT helpdesk system used by tech giants including Twitter, Slack and Airbnb. If you're wondering why I'm talking about Zendesk, well, it's because Zendesk was acquired by Salesforce last year.
2. Hubspot - A CRM tool made specifically for small businesses. Some of its key features include lead management, email marketing, sales automation, etc.
3. Shopify - Probably the world's biggest digital storefront platform used by thousands of entrepreneurs around the globe.
4. FreshBooks - Another accounting software used by millions of freelancers worldwide.
5. Hootsuite - One of the most widely known social media management platforms.
6. Stripe - A simple yet powerful way to accept credit cards online.
7. Buffer - It's an easy-to-use scheduling tool designed solely for bloggers.
8. MailChimp - Email marketing has become increasingly important nowadays.
So, now you know everything you need to know about white label solutions. Hopefully, after reading this article, you gained valuable knowledge about this subject. Now it's time for you to explore some amazing alternatives!
Here are 8 awesome options that you should consider:
Shift4Shop - Designed exclusively for creating beautiful websites, Shift4Shop offers a wide range of templates ranging from basic to premium ones. Each template comes with hundreds of unique designs, fonts and colors. Moreover, you can edit the text content and change images anytime you want.
Weblium - With Weblium, you can quickly build professional looking blogs. Not only that, it also includes tons of useful plugins and themes. What makes it even cooler is that you can use it completely free for life.
DashThis - As the name suggests, DashThis is a web analytics tool that helps businesses track their traffic data. To be clear, it's neither a blog nor a site builder. Instead, DashThis provides real-time statistics pertaining to your website performance.
Shift4Shop + Weblium = Best WordPress theme suite for designers & developers!
Active Campaign - An email marketing provider offering multiple plans starting from $19/month. Apart from sending emails, Active Campaign also lets you schedule automated followups, send newsletters, set up autoresponders, and create landing pages.
DashThis + Active Campaign = Easy integration of your website stats with your email database.
Hootsuite + Active Campaign = Get automatic notifications every time someone mentions your account in any post.
Buffer + Active Campaign = Create stunning posts instantly without writing code.
Mailchimp + Active Campaign = Send bulk emails to any list automatically.
Shopping Cart Hero - Shopping cart building is quite challenging especially if you don't have prior experience doing that. Fortunately, the folks behind ShippingCartHero came up with a great alternative called ShoppingCartHero. It's very easy to install and setup, plus it gives you plenty of room to grow.
Conclusion
If you already have a solid understanding of the differences between black label and white label solutions, then you shouldn't feel intimidated anymore! There are numerous viable choices out there. Just pick whatever works for you and enjoy running your business smoothly.
But remember, never forget to check out our guide on how to find the best deal for your shopping cart software. It contains helpful tips and tricks to save you hours of research.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.