While online communities may seem old-school during the reign of social media, many of them have engaging, fun, and informative e-commerce forums. These e-commerce forums offer useful solutions and honest advice from like-minded experts regarding all things e-commerce. They’re also a great place to find new business ideas, make new connections, and establish yourself as an e-commerce expert.
Though the internet is packed with tons of e-commerce forums, these 13 groups are among the best and should provide the tools and ideas you need to push your business forward.
Shopify E-commerce University
Brought to you by Shopify, E-commerce University features various forums where you can discuss ideas or get advice on anything related to e-commerce. You can also showcase your Shopify store and ask for feedback from community members. This free resource doesn’t even require participants to register as Shopify users before joining the conversation.
BigCommerce Community
Powered by e-commerce software company BigCommerce, the BigCommerce Community is a place to ask questions, find answer, and swap tips. While the community has various groups, check out the Marketing and SEO Advice group for tricks on how to improve your conversion rate and earn additional revenue through your store. For straightforwardly constructive and candid feedback about your site, join the Critique My Site group. While you’re welcome to browse the forum, you must be a BigCommerce customer to access the community.
Web Retailer Forum
WebRetailer is a community for businesses who sell through online marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon. The forum provides members with the opportunity to discuss issues, build industry knowledge, and become more effective sellers. You can also get answers to questions on topics relating to software and selling techniques. The forum is free and you get access to exclusive discounts and extended trials from top software and service providers when you sign up.
e-commerceFuel
Dedicated exclusively to seven-figure plus store owners, experienced online sellers share what’s working in their businesses and offer members tips on how to grow their brands. Joining the forum gives users access to over 10,000 historical discussions, real-time help, invitations to members-only events, and more. This private community is limited to businesses earning a cool $250K in annual revenues.
Warrior Forum
One of the biggest internet marketing forums, Warrior Forum has been a meeting point for internet marketers since 1997. This free e-commerce platform covers drop shipping, wholesaling, and other e-commerce related topics. Warrior Forum also offers a paid membership for internet marketers called the War Room. Priced at $8.08 per month, membership gives you access to Warrior Ask Me Anything events where you get to learn from legendary online marketers like Brian Dean and Rand Fishkin. It also offers digital marketing courses, tools for your business, and much more.
The eBay Community
For best practices, tips, and insights regarding eBay, look no further than the eBbay Community. You can post questions to eBay staff and engage with other sellers. If you’re just starting out on the platform, take a peek at the Buying and Selling Basics Board where community members and eBay staff answer beginner questions. And look out for weekly chats with eBay staff where you can ask questions about all things eBay.
Amazon Seller Central
If you conduct business on Amazon, join Amazon Seller Central to discuss selling techniques and other tips with fellow sellers. Forum categories include fulfillment, Amazon Pay, Amazon sponsored products, and more. There are plenty of sellers looking to share information about selling on Amazon, so feel free to ask questions.
Digital Point Forum
Digital Point’s active e-commerce thread allows members to drop candid advice or pose unique questions for the entire community. Although the Digital Point Forum may seem a bit busy, don’t let that stop you from joining this helpful community.
SEO Chat
SEO Chat is a free forum dedicated to helping beginners and professionals improve their Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge. Here, you can tap into the brains of SEO experts and sharpen your skills. Besides SEO tips and advice, the forum also provides informative posts on other online marketing topics such as keyword research and mobile optimization.
WickedFire
Looking for a fun place to learn about affiliate marketing? Check out WickedFire. This affiliate marketing forum is where you can find like-minded individuals to discuss topics related to the affiliate/publisher game. You can also post affiliate links and banners if you like – but don’t make it a habit. While WickedFire is a cool spot to dive right in and chat, mods and admins are on high alert for those breaking even the simplest rules.
Webmaster Sun
Webmaster Sun is an engaging community for all things web-related. Head to the online business and e-commerce forum for tips and strategies regarding online selling. According to the website, Webmaster Sun gets around 1,900 visitors each day, so show your expertise by guest posting on their blog.
MoZ Q and A Forum
Created by software company Moz, the Moz Q&A forum is dedicated to SEO, but you can ask questions and provide answers to most e-commerce related issues. While anyone can browse the forum, you need to be a pro subscriber or have 500+ MozPoints to get full access to the resource.
The Wholesale Forums
The Wholesale Forums (TWF) is a free wholesale forum for buyers and suppliers. With over 200,000 members from across the globe, the community is a great source of information and advice regarding e-commerce. In the e-commerce advice forum, you can get independent advice on related topics such as setting up an online store, website development, and plenty more.
STM Forum
Formerly known as StackThatMoney, STM is an affiliate marketing community. As a member of the forum, you can view case studies on successful campaigns and get feedback from industry leaders. The forum also has the low down on traffic sources such as native ads, Adwords, and display media. STM costs $99/month, but you can preview the forum to see if it’s a good fit before fulfilling payment.
E-commerce forums are a great place to receive advice for your online business, instead of frustrating hit and miss strategies. It’s smart to join more than one forum for varying opinions on questions or ideas you may have. Whichever forum(s) you decide to join, abide by their rules of engagement, feel free to ask questions, and of course, flex your own knowledge and pay it forward to other members.
