What I’ve Discovered about Ecommerce Platforms
I’ve labored with many ecommerce platforms over time, together with BigCommerce, Shopify, and Magento. I’ve realized that not all platforms match each enterprise.
The advantages of the fitting platform embody improved efficiencies, higher shopper engagement, and better conversions. However migrating from one platform to a different is a ache. The method is usually messy and costly. The fallacious alternative can tank a whole enterprise.
Thus the choice requires a lot analysis and due diligence. Listed here are questions to think about.
Not each platform suits each enterprise. BigCommerce is a well-liked alternative, as is Magento, Shopify, SAP, Miva, and lots of others.
5 Platform Questions
What does your online business want? Platform gross sales reps will typically declare they’ve the proper answer for your online business. They could spotlight options and stats and inundate your inbox. I as soon as met with representatives from SAP, the platform. Their focus was to supply “options” with out understanding what I wanted. Lots of these options weren’t related to my circumstance.
Earlier than discussing options, a very good rep will ask, “What do you want our platform to do?” If the rep can’t clarify in 30 seconds how his platform addresses your wants, it doubtless gained’t.
Are you able to handle it? Even when the platform has the fitting options, are you set as much as handle it? Do you’ve gotten the interior assets to keep up and scale it?
An in any other case good platform is pointless when you don’t have the time to make use of it.
What assets are wanted? Contemplate the onsite and offsite assets required now and sooner or later. Should you rent a third-party growth agency? I’ve labored with inner and exterior developer groups — with success and failures. I as soon as managed an exterior crew skilled in a single system however inexperienced with our new one. I’ve additionally fired developer corporations that lacked initiative.
Strive envisioning what assets can be wanted for a possible platform, recognizing the wants will doubtless change when you’re reside.
Is it scalable? Can the platform simply help an ever-growing enterprise? In 2020 I launched Lighting Reimagined, my present employer, on BigCommerce. An enormous attraction was the platform’s minimal, open-API construction that synced with many third-party apps, facilitating simple optimization and enhancement. Positive sufficient, inside a yr, we had acquired buyer suggestions for conversion enhancements, which we applied through BigCommerce’s app retailer.
One other scalability issue is the influence in your operations. Right now I’ll generate 1,000 orders in every week. However what about 5,000? Will the system help that quantity? Will its servers deal with the visitors? Will my cart web page lock up with out warning? A platform with “99.99%+ up time” sounds enticing till you attain the 0.01% when your website goes down.
What’s my price range? It is perhaps final on the checklist, however your price range is arguably an important. How a lot cash are you able to spend on the platform? Companies that may barely pay for Shopify can’t afford Magento or SAP.
All stakeholders have to agree on a price range. Beginning with a minimal viable product and scaling it has saved a ton of cash for me over time. That’s what I did with Lighting Reimagined on BigCommerce. I spent what we would have liked once we wanted it as a substitute of paying for performance up entrance that we could by no means use.
