The Digital Merchant Mission
Our mission here at The Digital Merchant is to help you make the best buying decisions for your business tools and to feel more confident in the tools you purchase and use.
Check out our growing YouTube channel where we go deeper into the digital tools we actually use to grow our businesses!
Here are a few key guides to get you started
How to Find the Best Ecommerce Platform for Your Business
How to Find the Best Sales Funnel Tools
How to Find the Best Website Builder
How to Find the Best Data Analytics Suite
How to Find the Best SEO Tools
How to Find the Best Project Management Tools
How to Find the Best Accounting Tools
How to Find the Best Course Building Platform
Purpose:
Help people make smarter choices when choosing the business tools that drive their business.
Values:
Authentic reviews. Real-world testers. Honest reviews. We’ll never endorse a tool we wouldn’t use in our own business and pay for. We are not affiliated with any software or tool.
Why The Digital Merchant?
Every software, service, or other tools we mention on our site are tested by the writer. We aren’t like some sites that look at the sales pages of the products or services and try to figure out which one is best. We get down into the nitty-gritty so you don’t have to.
We created this site because we’ve been there. As digital business owners, we eat, sleep, breathe the online world and when it comes to the tools we use, we are as deeply passionate about our portfolios.
You might be able to relate.
How many times have you spent countless hours researching a new tool, only to sit at the pricing page with fearful hesitation? How much is this going to cost me per month? Should I pay yearly? Will it integrate with my other software and promotion tools? Oh no, I think I have to integrate two parts with Zapier, now how much is Zapier per month again?
This just scratches the surface of how painful making the right digital tool choices can be. We’ve been there. You begin a new promotion, launch a new course, or want to finally track those expenses. Every tool has its pros and every tool has its cons.
That’s why I (selfishly) created The Digital Merchant. Because, I, like you, wanted to help in making smarter choices that I didn’t regret later on. I know how quickly every payment adds up per month and I want to help you make the best choices for your growing online business.
We have a lot of real business owners writing, research, testing for this site. Why? We all have to find that ‘right fit’ when it comes to tools. Some tools are best suited for new businesses online, while more sophisticated digital marketers and larger companies need other software solutions to scale. Whether you are just starting out, or scaling and growing your business to new heights, let The Digital Merchant be your first stop before you invest more money.
Just starting to create your digital presence?
Don’t worry. Our testers have been there and remember the pain points and struggle you have. As much as possible here, we try to give new and small businesses online the very best information and guidance on what they really need. My best advice when starting out, for as long as possible try to use the free or really low cost of tools so you can do your own testing. Only buy the tools that move your business forward and help you achieve your goals. Keep it simple and do your research.
We also discuss, test and talk a lot about the tools that will help your business grow online here. If you are looking to set up an online store, want to start your first promotion, this is the place where we’ll give you the real-deal truth on what works and what doesn’t.
Small to Medium-Sized Businesses
Your needs are a little different than those just starting. You want to scale, grow, make more sales and take care of the money you have coming in. You might be hiring teams, need some lead generation tools — this is a crucial point of your online business and the decisions you make today have a lasting impact.
This is where you make those big decisions — like choosing a CRM! The right CRM can make change your business, the wrong one could cost you thousands and thousands. I’ve personally been through migrations from one platform to another – nobody wants that either. We’ll do our best around here to save you the headaches and help make these big choices easier too.
How I’ve Structured The Digital Merchant
I’ve thought of every relevant tool that you’ll need to grow your business. I created this site for business owners, digital marketers, managers just like me that want to make the best decisions. I’ve tested and tried many of these tools myself and will never recommend something I wouldn’t pay for and use in my own online portfolio.
Some tips on how to choose a business tool.
1. Research and test for yourself before you commit.
Always do your homework. Don’t trust the slick videos and customer testimonials from the software tool site (they want to sell you, remember?) Always check out third-party reviews and watch videos of the tools in action.
2. Evaluate the tools you already have.
Once a quarter, I like to have a rundown of the tools that I’m currently using and I always ask myself the same question — Do I use this tool every day? Yes, keep it! Do I use this tool once a week? Yes. Maybe I need to keep it, or find a new way to use it more often. Can a free tool replace what I actually use this for? If yes, maybe it’s time to cancel.
3. Does the tool integrate with the tools you already love?
This is important because even the best tools out there for someone else might not work for you if you can’t easily integrate. Think about the tools that you use every day, find out (before you buy) if they integrate easily. Any extra setups might mean a clunky buyer experience or tech issues down the line, which could cost you sales. On the other hand, if you find a tool that you might like better, that’s more powerful and you want to invest, it might be worth it to replace the tools you currently use.
About the Founder
Ewen Finser, Head Merchant
About the Awesome Tool Testing Team
Editing Team
Our Contributors
David Borgogni
David Borgogni is a marketing professional with years of experience in the digital marketing space. His advice doesn’t come purely from research because he’s lived the challenges he helps visitors through.
Helping business owners choose the right marketing tools comes easily to David, and he’s here to share his insights with The Digital Merchant readers.
Tarryn Menzies
Tarryn Menzies is a Project Management Professional (PMP)® and AgilePM® practitioner with over nine years of experience delivering technology solutions across industries like software, SaaS, IT, and financial services.
Specializing in both traditional and agile methodologies, she has a proven track record of managing complex projects from inception to delivery. Tarryn excels in leading Microsoft Office 365 migrations, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory compliance, and data governance projects. With expertise in system migrations, document management, and compliance assessments, she bridges technical possibilities with business needs to deliver measurable value.
In addition to her technical acumen, Tarryn has worked extensively in recruitment, testing HR tools to enhance employee development and hiring processes. She brings her expertise to The Digital Merchant, testing, reviewing, and sharing insights on business tools.
Teddy Smith
Teddy Smith is an e-commerce founder, consultant, and creator helping makers turn their passion into a full-time income. A former Senior Ecommerce Consultant at Accenture, he’s spent over 13 years guiding enterprise and small brands to scale on Amazon and other marketplaces, delivering more than 3,000 hours of hands-on consulting.
Teddy specializes in Amazon growth strategy, handmade product optimization, and affiliate marketing systems that drive consistent revenue for creators and brands alike. He shares practical insights for building and scaling handmade businesses through TeddyAGSmith.com, his YouTube channel, and his course Amazon Makers.
Teddy also hosts The Publishing Performance Show and is developing AI-powered advertising tools for authors. Now, he’s here helping others navigate the platforms, tools, and strategies that power modern ecommerce.
Jonathan Reich
Jonathan Reich is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with deep expertise in taxation, financial systems, and strategic business advising. He supports a diverse portfolio of businesses, including restaurants, bookstores, property management companies, and a thriving construction firm.
Known for his no-nonsense approach and hands-on leadership, Jonathan blends real-world experience with technical precision—whether he’s streamlining accounting workflows, optimizing tax strategies, or forecasting financial performance.
Outside of the numbers, he’s a fitness enthusiast who trains in his home gym before sunrise and has a knack for marine aquariums, construction projects, and keeping things humble—no flashy titles needed.
Francis Walshe
Francis Walshe is training in Irish law and has spent several years working in legal and business environments, where he gained firsthand experience with financial regulations, compliance, and operational strategy.
He studied law in Ireland and is on the path to qualifying as a lawyer there. With a sharp eye for how regulations, investment platforms, and financial tools work in real life—not just on paper—Francis now brings his insights to investigate and test financial tools here at The Digital Merchant.
Barbara Kephart, PMP
Barbara Kephart, PMP is the founder of Projects Pivot and a UC Berkeley-certified project manager with a PMP from the Project Management Institute. With decades of experience leading complex initiatives across industries, from IT, M&A, and medical research to agriculture, global distribution, and startup accelerators, Barbara knows how to drive results in just about any environment.
She’s worked across sectors to streamline operations, improve processes, and bring long-term strategies to life. At The Digital Merchant, Barbara brings her expert eye to the latest product and project management tools, along with the practical strategies that actually help teams get things done.
Denine Walters
Denine Walters has experience with SEO and content management. Working in these fields for years has allowed her to see many different digital marketing tools and to be able to understand what’s good and what’s not-so-good.
Denine specializes in reviewing photo manipulation tools as well as website builders so visitors can create the best look and function for their brand.
Alison Warlitner
Alison Warlitner is the founder of The Rebel Assistant, where she helps business owners turn chaos and bottlenecks into streamlined action. With over a decade of experience in marketing leadership, finance, and operations, she’s led everything from high-stakes marketing campaigns to building financial systems that keep complex businesses running smoothly.
Whether she’s creating custom client intake workflows, managing affiliate programs, or untangling the back end of a growing company, Alison thrives on bringing order to the moving parts that drive growth.
At The Digital Merchant, Alison shares her behind-the-scenes expertise on the tools and systems that help entrepreneurs work smarter, stay organized, and scale with confidence.
Joseph Bischof
Joseph Bischof is a media and technology professional with over 20 years of experience helping enterprise organizations, broadcasters, sports leagues, clubs, and venues, as well as content creators and digital businesses, modernize their workflows.
His background spans roles at Cisco, EVS Broadcast, and Thompson Reuters, where he guided clients through cloud migrations, IP-based production upgrades, and digital transformation initiatives. Today, he combines technical insight with storytelling—writing about the tools, trends, and upgrades that help teams work smarter and scale sustainably.
Lacey Jackson
Lacey Jackson spent years working behind the front desk of a busy salon, using a wide range of software tools to manage real client bookings, staff schedules, and day-to-day operations. At The Digital Merchant, she brings that hands-on knowledge to her reviews—offering clear, practical insights into which platforms actually work for salon and spa teams.
Outside of her professional experience, Lacey is a longtime fitness enthusiast who’s passionate about helping others understand how to move and train smarter, something she brings to her approach with both people and products.