ProStores Review: Value (2 stars)

Transaction Fees and Above Average Monthly Fees Lessen Value

ProStores's packages have higher than average monthly fees and a transaction fee that is charged on every sale you make. The wide range of e-commerce tools might still make it worthwhile for high volume merchants to use this builder, but most other people will find ProStores a costly choice.

Extra Transaction Fees Charged for Every Item Sold – Ouch!

ProStores requires you to pay a transaction fee on the final selling price of anything you sell on your website.  Similar to the eBay model, they charge 1.5% on items sold under the Express Package and a 0.50% under all other packages. While it may seem small, it quickly eats into your revenue. This is Prostores’s way of benefitting from all your hard work. Anyone interested in using ProStores should seriously consider this additional cost, especially when there are many competitive website builders out there that don’t make you pay transaction fees at all.

A Breakdown of ProStores's Packages

ProStores offers 4 packages. If you want extra email address, storage, etc. there is no option to add more within each pacakge.  You have to upgrade your package to get more stuff.

The express package is perfect for merchants selling less than 10 unique items. This plan costs $6.95/mo. and comes with very limited features. Domain name is not included but can be purchased for $8.95/year. ProStores collects a 1.50% transaction fee on the final selling price of sold items.  Email support is free, but you don't get phone support.

The business package is a well-rounded plan perfect for most businesses looking to start an online store. It includes a domain name, phone support, real-time credit card processing, shipping integrations, web analysis tools and unlimited product listings. The monthly fee is competitive at $29.95/mo. and it comes with 50 email accounts plus 5 GB of storage space. There is a 0.50% transaction fee on the final selling price of sold items. This plan is the best value if not for the transaction fee.

The advanced package is able to accept even more payment options (i.e. purchase orders and COD), and recurring billing for monthly subscription products or services. The inventory management system is more robust with advanced promotional tools (i.e. quantity discounts and promotion codes.) This package is expensive at $74.95/mo. It comes with 100 email accounts and 10 GB of storage space. There is also a 0.50% transaction fee on the final selling price of sold items. We only recommend this plan if you are selling subscription-based products or services.

The enterprise package is a merchant solution on steroids. The package offers the ability to create buyer groups and wholesale pricing programs, and allows you to setup an affiliate management system. The package costs a whopping $249.95/mo. but considering the capabilities, it’s reasonable. There is a 0.50% transaction fee on the final selling price of sold items. We recommend this for companies who already have a good client base with an established and successful online store and are ready to go to the next level in their marketing strategies.

One-Month Free Trial

ProStores advertises a one-month free trial on their website but asks for a credit card on signup. The cancellation policy was not clearly stated but we were able to reach customer support by phone to find out that we will not be charged until 30-days later.

Best Value for Merchants but Not so Much for Visitors

ProStores is great value for merchants but it lacks many features for visitors. (Click here to see a list of ProStores’ eCommerce features.)

Helpful LInks

• prostores.com