How To Sell CBD Online In 2023 & Find The Best Platform For Success

Note: We are focusing on payment processors before eCommerce platforms because many eCommerce platforms cannot process CBD sales. Many platforms have partnered with third-party payment processors to handle sales in order to resolve this payment issue.

Square Features

Square has payment processing, web building, and POS features, including:

• Free online checkout link generator
• Free online store builder with customizable templates
• Subscription sign ups
• Facebook, Instagram, TikTok integrations
• Age confirmation
• In-store & curbside pickup
• Shipping label printing
• Shipping discounts
• Automated tax settings
• Abandoned cart recovery (Performance and Premium plans only)
• Customer loyalty program (starting at $45/month)
• Coupon generator
• Email marketing (starting at $15/month)
• Integrations with other eCommerce tools and store builders

Unfortunately, Square does not support dropshipping at this time.

Square Pricing

• Free: $0/month
• Professional: $16/month, or $12/month if billed annually
• Performance: $29/month, or $26/month if billed annually
• Premium: $79/month, or $72/month if billed annually

Hardware Costs

You can supplement your online CBD sales by attending trade shows, events, or opening your own physical storefront with the help of POS hardware.

Square POS card readers range from $0 (free Square Reader connected to your mobile device) to $799 (Square Register).

Payment Processing Costs

• 3.5% + $0.10 per transaction for in-person (card-present) transactions
• 3.8% + $0.30 per transaction for online and in-app transactions
• 4.4% + $0.15 per transaction for keyed-in and card-on-file transactions

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

There are no long-term commitments or monthly subscription fees required to start selling CBD online with Square.

If Square finds out that you are violating or potentially violating any CBD-related laws, the company may freeze or terminate your account at their sole discretion.

Where Square Really Shines For Selling CBD

Square’s CBD program allows you to sell most CBD products online and in person, without restrictions outside of federal laws. The transparent pricing structure is a refreshing take on CBD payment processing, especially for small businesses that need to carefully monitor their spending.

Plus, Square’s POS and eCommerce store builder integrations give you the freedom to sell any way you want.

SMB Global Features

SMB Global offers high-volume CBD merchants:

• Offshore merchant accounts, so you can avoid cross-border fees
• Dynamic currency conversion, so customers can pay for their CBD products in their local currency
• Free credit card terminal for POS transactions
• Recurring billing
• Chargeback prevention suite
• High-risk business loans, for when you can’t get a regular loan

Since SMB Global is not a fully functional eCommerce solution, the company does not have features like store builders or shipping tools.

SMB Global Pricing

SMB Global does not offer concrete pricing information on its website. You must apply for a high-risk merchant account online to get a quote.

Nontransparent pricing is very common when it comes to high-risk merchant accounts. Fees are often influenced by the amount of time you have been in business, your sales volumes, the amount of financial backing your company has, and your amount of cash flow.

Hardware Costs

SMB Global currently offers one free countertop terminal or mobile card reader with each account.

Payment Processing Costs

SMB Global does not give any firm numbers in terms of payment processing. This is because the company partners with many offshore banks to get you a merchant account suitable for global selling.

You do need to make at least $50,000 per month or have a great financial history in order to qualify for an offshore account, which seems to be the only way you can process online CBD sales with SMB Global.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

SMB Global will most likely require you to sign up for a three-year contract when you open your account, and your contract will include an automatic renewal clause. The company may also impose an early termination fee if you cancel your account before your term is up.

Always read into your contract before signing off on it, and research the competition to see if you can find a better deal somewhere else.

Where SMB Global Really Shines For Selling CBD

SMB Global is a great option for established CBD sellers who want to enter the eCommerce sphere on a global scale without running into a lot of laws and regulations. Offshore accounts and dynamic currency conversions allow you to sell without incurring extra cross-country and currency conversion fees.

The payment processor also integrates with most eCommerce platforms. There is no specific list of compatible platforms, though, so make sure to ask a customer service rep before choosing an online store builder.

Shift4Shop Features

• No transaction fees
• Optimized one-page checkout
• Customizable web page templates
• Subscription sign up (starting at Pro plan)
• Product reviews and Google customer reviews
• Manual and automated tax rules
• Real-time shipping rates from different carriers
• Automated and manual product segmentation
• Unlimited product variants
• Coupons, discounts, gift cards, daily deals
• Reward points loyalty program (starting at Plus plan)
• Affiliate program
• Abandoned cart saver (starting at Plus plan)
• Email marketing newsletter (starting at Plus plan)
• Dropshipping support
• Age verification (paid add-on)
• Social media integrations

Shift4Shop Pricing

• End-to-End eCommerce: $0/month (only available for US-based merchants)
• Basic Store: $29/month, or $26.10/month if billed annually
• Plus Store: $79/month, or $71.10/month if billed annually
• Pro Store: $229/month, or $206.10/month if billed annually

Note: You must use Shift4, Shift4Shop’s in-house payment processor, on the End-to-End eCommerce plan. Shift4 will not process payments for certain CBD products.

Hardware Costs

Shift4Shop has its own POS system, Harbortouch, offered for free to merchants who use Shift4 Payments. However, some CBD sellers are not eligible to use this hardware, as you need Shift4 payment processing in order to use it.

You can integrate Shift4Shop with POS hardware from CBD-friendly payment processors like Lightspeed Retail.

Payment Processing Costs

Shift4Shop will process payments for certain CBD products, like CBD oils, via Shift4, Shift4Shop’s in-house payment processor. Read our Shift4 Payments review for more info on their payment processing costs.

Shift4Shop store owners who do not qualify for Shift4 can integrate their store with third-party payment processors such as PaymentCloud and PayKings. Many payment processors specializing in high-risk ventures use tiered and interchange-plus pricing models. These companies do not often offer transparent pricing.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

Shift4Shop will not process payments for Kratom, CBD capsules, edibles, Delta 8, CBD flowers, or glass pipes/vapes. If you want to register for Shift4Shop’s free End-to-End eCommerce plan, you cannot sell these items.

Where Shift4Shop Really Shines For Selling CBD

Shift4Shop is well-known for having a fully functional free plan, which CBD oil sellers can take advantage of.

If you don’t qualify for the free plan, all Shift4Shop plans still give you an impressive number of features, so you won’t need an extensive number of paid add-ons. Even the Basic plan includes an optimized one-page checkout to remove the kind of friction for buyers.

BigCommerce Features

BigCommerce is one of the first eCommerce platforms that started offering CBD-specific eCommerce services and features in addition to their standard plans. These features include:

• Integrations with POS systems from CBD-friendly payment processors like Square and Vend
• Partnerships with hemp-friendly shipping carriers and product fulfillment services
• Customizable online store templates
• Product ratings and reviews
• Shipping rules
• Stored credit cards (starting at Plus plan)
• Abandoned cart saver (starting at Plus plan)
• Facebook and Instagram integrations
• Coupons, discounts, and gift cards
• Age verification (paid add-on)
• Dropshipping functions (paid add-on)
• Manual and automated tax rules
• Email marketing integrations
• Custom return policy

BigCommerce Pricing

• Standard: $29.95/month
• Plus: $79.95/month
• Pro: $299.95/month
• Enterprise: Ask for pricing

Plus and Pro plans are 10% off if you sign up for an annual plan.

Hardware Costs

BigCommerce does not have its own POS system. The company has partnered with several payment processors, including Square, that offer both hardware and payment processing services.

Payment Processing Costs

BigCommerce cannot currently process payments, but the company has partnered with payment processors like USAePay to provide payment processing services.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

BigCommerce requires store owners to follow federal and local CBD sales guidelines.

Where BigCommerce Really Shines For Selling CBD

BigCommerce has an entire suite of resources specifically made for CBD sellers and has partnered with several CBD-friendly shipping services to help you get a legally-compliant, fully-functional CBD store up quickly.

The platform has no transaction fees and offers several selling tools at a competitive price. BigCommerce is a great option for CBD sellers looking for a holistic eCommerce solution with minimal fees or additional paid add-ons.

Shopify Features

Shopify offers the following features for all Shopify store owners:

• Free and paid store templates, with drag-and-drop page editor
• Over 4,200 free and paid add-ons available on Shopify App store (some apps may not be available for CBD sellers)
• Excellent inventory and shipping management systems
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Social media integrations with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, WhatsApp, etc.
• Subscription sign up (paid monthly plan or transaction fee-based apps available)
• Coupon, discount, gift card creation
• Shipping discounts with CBD-friendly shipping carriers
• Shipping rules based on location
• Extensive dropshipping support
• Shipping label printing
• Email marketing apps (some free apps available)
• Global selling, including language translator
• Age verification
• Tax settings based on location

Shopify Pricing

You cannot use Shopify Lite to sell CBD. You can build an online store on the following plans:

• Shopify Basic: $29/month
• Shopify: $79/month
• Shopify Advanced: $299/month
• Shopify Plus: Ask for pricing

Shopify offers a 10% discount on annual plans and a 20% discount on biannual plans when you purchase your plan upfront.

Hardware Costs

Shopify offers a free POS Lite app for Shopify merchants on every pricing plan that requires no hardware, just a tablet and/or mobile device. There is also a paid POS Pro plan for CBD businesses with multiple physical locations.

You cannot use any hardware that requires Shopify Payments, as CBD sellers do not qualify for this service. You also need to use an external card reader from your chosen third-party payment processor.

Read our full Shopify hardware post for more information on what Shopify hardware to get for your business.

Payment Processing Costs

Shopify will not process CBD sales. The company has partnered with DigiPay, Pinwheel, and Authorize.net to fulfill your payment processing needs.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

You must review and submit an Attestation for the Sale of Hemp and Hemp-Derived Products to Shopify. This attestation confirms that you understand Shopify’s requirements for selling CBD online, which includes following all FDA, state, and local laws concerning the sale of CBD products in the US.

Where Shopify Really Shines For Selling CBD

Shopify is a highly versatile eCommerce platform that will meet the needs of online CBD businesses, no matter how large or small. There are excellent inventory listing, management, and shipping functions built into all Shopify merchant dashboards. The company’s POS solution is also an affordable and flexible solution for store owners who want to sell online and in person.

WooCommerce Features

WooCommerce is a store builder plugin for sites built with WordPress. The core plugin is free, but there are thousands of plugins available to give your store just about any feature you want, including:

• Highly customizable online store templates
• Custom code injection
• Optimized one-page checkout
• Dropshipping functions and rules
• Subscription sign up
• WooCommerce shipping suite
• Tax rules
• Age verification (free plugin)
• Social media integrations and post automations
• Discounts, coupons, gift cards, loyalty programs
• Standalone email marketing as well as email marketing integrations

WooCommerce Pricing

WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress users, which means you have to pay for site hosting and security. You may also need to purchase WooCommerce extensions if you want to offer subscriptions, one-page checkout, etc. Extensions can cost between $0 and $300.

To spend your money effectively, only pay for plugins you really need. You can also do some research to find which free plugins work best for WooCommerce stores.

Hardware Costs

WooCommerce does not offer dedicated hardware. There are free and paid POS plugins you can use for in-person shopping that only requires a tablet, desktop, or mobile device.

You will probably need to acquire an external card reader from the third-party payment processor you decide to use.

Payment Processing Costs

WooCommerce has specifically partnered with Square to process online CBD sales.

There are other third-party payment processors you can integrate with WooCommerce if you don’t want to use Square.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

WordPress will not host CBD sites. Many other hosting providers, including WooCart, a WooCommerce optimized web hosting provider, will host CBD stores. Do your research before you sign up for (or transfer) your website host.

Where WooCommerce Really Shines For Selling CBD

WooCommerce is hands-down the most flexible, customizable online store builder on the market right now. There are thousands of developers building WooCommerce-specific plugins, as well as WordPress plugins, which will also work for WooCommerce stores.

Do keep in mind that with great flexibility comes the potential for extra work to get your store up and running.

Wix Features

Wix’s eCommerce plans are not as comprehensive as some of the other competitors on this list, but they have many features that are appealing to smaller sellers, such as:

• Pricing plans, recurring billing, and subscriptions included in every Wix Business plan
• Customer account creation, including saved payment methods, shipping information, etc.
• Abandoned cart recovery included in every Wix Business plan
• Automated sales tax (starting at Business Unlimited plan, with monthly sales transaction limits)
• Social media integrations with Facebook and Instagram
• Dropshipping functionalities (starting on Business Unlimited plan, with monthly product shipping limits)
• Loyalty program (starting at Business VIP plan)
• Wix App Market with 250+ free and paid apps

Wix Pricing

• Business Basic: $28/month
• Business Unlimited: $27/month
• Business VIP: $49/month

Hardware Costs

You cannot use Wix POS products for CBD sales. You will need to integrate your Wix store with a third-party POS hardware provider.

Payment Processing Costs

Wix has partnered with Square, Pinwheel, and Evergreen Payments Northwest so you can process online CBD sales.

Contract Requirements Or Warnings

Your business must be managed from a state where Wix supports the sale of CBD products. You must submit a Declaration for Selling CBD Products and adjust your shipping regions to ship only to US states that allow CBD sales.

It’s also very difficult to migrate a Wix site to another eCommerce platform. Consider your long-term needs before signing up for a Wix Business account.

Where Wix Really Shines For Selling CBD

Wix allows merchants to sell subscriptions for free on all eCommerce plans. Customers can also create accounts so they can check out faster in the future.

The eCommerce platform’s free and low-cost email marketing and social media posting functionalities are also very appealing for small business owners who don’t have the time or budget for more focused marketing efforts.