Big Cartel is a website platform that provides tools for building and managing websites. While Big Cartel offers various features for creating websites, it does not include a native community forum or discussion feature.
That's where Website Toolbox comes in. You can embed a fully featured discussion forum directly into your Big Cartel site, or simply link to your forum from your site's navigation. Either way, you get user accounts, moderation tools, and real-time conversations.
This works really well for:
- Business websites with customer communities
- Blog reader discussions
- Online course discussions
- Customer support forums
- Feedback and feature request boards
- Private member groups
- Coaching and membership sites
- SaaS product communities
This step-by-step guide walks you through the process:
Step-by-Step: Add Your Forum
- Visit www.bigcartel.com and log in to your account. If you don't have one, click Get Started to create an account.
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You'll need your Website Toolbox forum URL or embed code:
- Log in to your Website Toolbox account or create a new forum if you don't already have one.
- Copy your forum URL for the linking approach.
- For embedding, go to Integrate Embed → Embed your forum and copy the embed code.
- Option A: Link to the forum: In Big Cartel, go to Design → Edit Custom Pages. Create or edit a page and add a link to your forum URL.
Option B: Embed the forum: Go to Design → Edit Code. Navigate to the page template and paste your Website Toolbox embed code into the HTML. - Click Save and preview, then publish.
- If embedding, copy the URL of your published Forum page.
- If you chose the embedding approach, go back to the Website Toolbox Integrate → Embed → Embed Your Forum section and paste your Big Cartel Forum page URL into the Where is the forum embedded? field.
Single Sign On
Website Toolbox offers a custom SSO integration service starting at $199.
How to purchase custom SSO integration:
- Log in to your Website Toolbox account.
- Go to Integrate → Single Sign On.
- Under Your Website Builder, select Other from the dropdown.
- Follow the prompts to complete your purchase.
What Your Members Can Do
Once your forum is connected, your members get a full-featured community experience. Website Toolbox includes many more features beyond what's listed here. Visit the Features Tour to see everything that's available.
For Members
- Create and reply to discussion threads
- Like posts
- Upload images and files
- Receive email notifications
- Customize their profile
For Admins
- Moderate posts and comments
- Ban users
- Create categories and pin topics
- Customize the forum's appearance
- Manage member permissions
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Big Cartel have a built-in forum feature?
No, Big Cartel does not currently have a native forum feature. However, you can easily add a forum to your site using Website Toolbox, either by embedding it directly into a page or by linking to it from your navigation.
Should I embed the forum or link to it?
Both work well. Embedding keeps users on your Big Cartel site and integrates the forum seamlessly into your page layout. Linking is simpler to set up and opens the forum in its own page, which can be a better experience on mobile devices. Choose whichever fits your workflow.
Can I customize the look of my embedded forum?
Yes. Website Toolbox provides a theme editor with a variety of themes you can choose from to match your Big Cartel site's design. You can customize colors, fonts, layout settings, and more to create a seamless look.
Can I make the forum private or members-only?
Absolutely. You can restrict forum access to logged-in users, create invite-only communities, or charge for access with subscription plans. Your forum members will use the Website Toolbox login system to access the forum.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Big Cartel provides a user-friendly interface for adding custom content. You just paste the embed code from Website Toolbox and Big Cartel handles the rest. No coding knowledge is required.
Will the forum work on mobile devices?
Yes. Website Toolbox forums are fully responsive and work great on phones, tablets, and desktops. If you embed the forum, the iframe adapts to the container size automatically. Website Toolbox also offers a mobile app so your members can participate from their phones.