'Net Features : wix

Wix’ Ecommerce Inspirations and Aspirations

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Web-publishing platform Wix has announced a partnership with ecommerce solution Shopify which enables the Wix user base to integrate the popular ecommerce solution from Shopify into their websites.

“Together Wix and Shopify will propel entrepreneurs and small businesses to new levels,” said Wix Co-founder and CEO, Avishai Abrahami. “The web enables small business owners to play in the same field as huge corporations. By adding a Shopify ecommerce solution into our App Market and thereby into Wix websites we set out to bridge the gap even more. Through this partnership, we’re providing small businesses with advanced, affordable and professional tools that heighten their competitive edge.”

A Shopify ecommerce App is now available through the Wix App Market. Combining the two solutions is a good fit for those with limited coding experience, but an active interest in building a basic ecommerce web presence. Wix currently serves 27 million users worldwide while Shopify counts 35,000 online retailers as its own.

“This partnership is a great example of how technology is helping to democratize small business and retail,” said Harley Finkelstein, Chief Platform Officer, Shopify.com. “Combining Wix’ industry-leading HTML5 website builder with Shopify’s best-in-class ecommerce platform will give entrepreneurs and SMB’s the most seamless, easy-to-use and scalable website and ecommerce package imaginable. The partnership of Shopify and Wix is an absolute game changer for small businesses."

Wix Publishing Opens App Market

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 18:45:00 GMT

Web publishing platform Wix has launched an app market for developer integrations. The new Wix SDK (software development kit) will provide an opportunity for developers to access the company's 25 million-plus users.

Apps available for Wix, much like any app for third-party integration, are designed to enhance the functionality of deployment. The market is launching today with 25 apps including those from Instagram, Tumblr, DaPulse (community forum) and RumbleTalk - to name but a few.

“Serving the Wix website owners is our number one priority," said Avishai Abrahami, Wix co-founder and CEO. "Our goal is to offer a wide choice of apps that provide the popular and niche features Wix users have been asking for or that address current and future market trends. By enabling developers to share their creative genius with our users, the Wix offering becomes dramatically better and the developers gain access to millions of new users for business growth.

“There are hundreds of thousands of talented developers out there already working on innovative apps that will change the way people experience the Web, and we are excited about having some of that talent be part of the Wix experience.”

HTML5 Sites Take Over the Web

Allison Howen — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:00:00 GMT

More than 1 million HTML5 websites have been added to the ’Net thanks to DIY Web publishing platform Wix.com.

This number is huge, especially considering that Wix launched its HTML5 website builder in late March 2012. The platform includes 170 website templates that cater to a variety of industries and doesn’t require users to have knowledge of coding skills in order to leverage the platform.

"Until now, HTML5 was a buzzword to describe the 'future' of the web. With Wix' 1 millionth HTML5 site built this month, it's clear that individuals and small businesses have decided it is the present and where the web is destined," says Avishai Abrahami, CEO of Wix.com. "No longer in the dark or stuck with having to outsource, the Wix HTML5 platform answers a wide market need. We provide our users with the hammer and tools to build their online real estate, and we're working 24/7 to deliver an HTML5 website builder with unmatched features flexibility and customization."

According to analytics from websites that have been created through the Wix platform, 92 percent of Wix users prefer to customize website templates rather than create a site from scratch. However, stats show that U.S. and Brazilian users are the ones who are customizing the templates to fit their specific needs the most – by adding design features, optimizing their SEO settings, embedding external add-ons and social elements to create content-rich websites.

The Wix HTML5 editor is still in beta, and has already seen a series of feature improvements, with other major product announcements expected in the coming weeks.

Why Did Web Builder Wix Drop IE8 Support?

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:30:00 GMT

In what I consider a rather bold move, HTML5 Web publishing platform Wix announced that it will no longer support Internet Explorer 8, citing a general lack of support for its emerging HTML5 product.

While IE commands approximately 20-percent share of the browser market globally (according to StatCounter), Wix analyzed its 20 million-strong userbase and found that only 12 percent were using IE8. Couple that metric with IE8's widely known inability to handle HTML5's interactive elements, and the decision was likely not a difficult one to make for Wix.

But how do Wix clients feel about the decision?

Apparently, 89 percent of Wix users support the addition of HTML5 features to the website builder over the continued support of IE8. Enough said.

"By freeing the Wix platform from the constraints IE8 places on its users, Wix will continue to lead the advancement of HTML5 Web design features that aren't supported by outdated browsers today," says Avishai Abrahami, Wix CEO and Co-founder. "The Wix user demands more variety and a consistent stream of new features which will benefit their website in the long run. Advanced HTML5 Web design and IE8 support cannot co-exist."

No Coding Needed, Wix Unveils HTML5 Web Design

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:27:00 GMT

DIY website design solution Wix released a new website builder which supports HTML5.

Wix, best known for its Flash-based platform, launched in 2006 and millions of users have flocked to the system since. As the Web has evolved, Wix was obviously forced to evolve as well. Newer digital media channels such as mobile/tablets and Facebook don't support Flash which threatens to make solutions such as Wix all but extinct.

Support for HTML5 exposes a whole new digital world of possibilities for Wix and digital designers. The new tool enable users to create cross-platform compatible websites and benefit from faster loading time, better interactivity and simplified integration with other tools/platforms.

"The Web, mobile and tablet channels are highly dynamic spaces where opportunities to connect with mass audiences are endless, and people shouldn't be left out of that wave because they cannot write website code. With Wix, our HTML5 product offers unlimited opportunity to those who want the most beautiful HTML5 websites without all the technical headaches," said Avishai Abrahami, Wix' CEO and Co-founder. "Building a website should be as effortless as everything else the Web now offers, and Wix is about giving you the freedom to design the website you want with great looking results. It's your personality, with a professional quality."

Recent WM Coverage of Wix:
- Five Free Website Builders

Create Facebook Fan Pages with Wix

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:06:00 GMT

Website building platform Wix has released a Facebook application for the creation of Web pages that can be embedded inside Facebook Fan and Community pages. For those without any familiarity with the Facebook Markup Language (FBML), the application could prove quite useful.

The application essentially adds a "My Site" tab next to your business' Fan Page Wall and includes a fully functional and interactive version of a website (built through Wix). A demo can be viewed on the application’s own Fan Page, WixYourPage. (Click the “My Site” tab to see an example.)

Wix is developing templates specifically for the app currently and it's desperately needed. A review of a few of the example sites reveals that while there is certainly potential for embedding full websites into Facebook, and that Wix is immensely well positioned to do so, most websites simply don't work well within the allotted space.

Wix, however, certainly believes in the viability of the offering. “The implications of this are nothing short of revolutionary. It allows users to take full advantage of the benefits already offered by Facebook as a powerful promotional resource for business owners,” said Ido Rabiner, Wix’s Product & Project Manager of the Facebook app. "We are bringing the uniqueness of Wix to the largest social network… keeping all our features and advantages available to all.”

While it might not be revolutionary, the Wix application is an ideal solution for those that don't want or don't have the time to develop a custom Facebook page.

Related Reading on Wix

- Wix Launches Video Feature

- Free Flash eCommerce Website Builder

Wix (Web Design) Goes Premium

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Wix, an online application that allows anyone to develop Flash-based websites that Website Magazine has covered in the past here and here, has debuted their premium version. At a cost of $9.90 per month, the premium version offers features including hosting, connecting to your own domain, as well as keeping the site free from advertising and promotional links.

"For the average small business, making a professional website is as a complex and costly as it was in 1998 said Allon Bloch, co-CEO, Wix. "I can't think of any other fundamental Internet technology that has changed so little in the last decade."

Wix (which also announced an additional $3.5 million in funding from Mangrove Venture Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners bringing the total funding to $8.5 million) launched in June 2008 has grown rapidly. Over 1,500 new websites and 600 widgets are created daily at Wix.

Wix Flash Web Sites - SEO Friendly?

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:16:00 GMT

If you're looking to create flash websites or widgets, then recently launched online application Wix may be worth looking into (especially if programming and design are not your strengths).

Wix is essentially an online editing platform that enables users to design web content such as audio, video, images, music and text and publish it anywhere in virtually any format - as standalone websites or social networks and weblogs. Users can do an amazing amount of things with the solution; for example, import files from YouTube and Flickr. What is most intriguing is that content created though Wix is search engine friendly. Unlike many websites rendered in Flash, Wix uses an SEO friendly XML structure to make the content created crawlable.