How to Choose a Cloud Ecommerce Platform

Brightpearl



WHICH ECOMMERCE PLATFORM IS RIGHT FOR ME?



Brightpearl provides a multichannel ecommerce platform and is often asked by its clients to recommend a webstore engine for them to choose. They have developed a set of questions they ask to establish what would be right for their client and they are sharing it here.



CUSTOMISATIONS

Magento is fully customisable but you will need to either be

technical or have a developer to make the customisations.



Bigcommerce and Shopify lets you customise its templates by giving you access to and html but not change features or edit the platform code.



Add-ons, features,

transaction fees



Magento being fully customisable has as many features and add-ons as you are prepared to integrate but it is less 'out-of-the-box�۪ than the other two.



Bigcommerce comes with a lot of features built in with the initial pay plan so you are ready to go straight away.



Shofy is missing a number of standard features so you will need to buy some add-ons and on lower tariffs a 25% transactional fee may apply.



Open Source



Magento is open source which means that you get more flexibility and full ownership of your site, you will not be locked in to somebody else's development cycle. However, the responsibility is on you to maintain and support and there is little recourse if there are bugs with the system etc. There is a large community around Magento that can help you.



Bigcommerce and Shopify are SaaS apps, they develop, maintain and support the software for you. It will continue to improve without you needing to lift a finger.



However, you have little control over what gets developed and when.



Your choice of

ecommerce engine



Remember this is a rough guide to get you started. All of these solutions have their fans and detractors and it really is worth trialling each of them. Magento gives more freedom in how you build it at the cost of requiring or hiring more technical talent. Bigcommarce and Shopify take a more templated approach, building beautiful options but at the risk of looking like another company using the same template.



Managing many

channels

Each of these ecommerce choices come with plug���ins and add-ons and a variety of tools to help you list and manage each one. The problem for a business though is that when they grow and add channels or volume how do they manage ALL of them as opposed to EACH of them?



That is the stage where it makes sense to technology at the back and to act as a central hub.



How TECHNICAL Are you?



VERY



Do you need to be able to customise everything?



YES --- NOT



Can you afford to hire a developer?



YES

I want to edit the code



NO - I'm happy to just work with pre-built features



YES - Are you happy working with an open-source product?



NO - Would you prefer a more each month for all features or pay separately for add-ons or transactions later on?



YES - Absolutely open source all the way



NO - I'd prefer the cost was all-in



NO - I'd rather have a lower starting cost and add later



Magento Bigcommerce Shopify



Do you also sell on other channels like eBay, Amazon, phone or perhaps In a store?



Yes, and in large volume -> YES

No, but I'd like to -> NO

NO <- No, we only have our website



YES - Invest in a central management system



NO - Use the inventory and listing tools provided by the ecommerce vendors



www.brightpearl.com Brightpearl WHICH ECOMMERCE PLATFORM IS RIGHT FOR ME? Brightpearl provides a multichannel ecommerce platform and is often asked by its clients to recommend a webstore engine for them to choose. They have developed a set of questions they ask to establish what would be right for their client and they are sharing it here. CUSTOMISATIONS How Magento is fully customisable but you will need to either be technical or have a developer to make the customisations. TECHNICAL Are you? Bigcommerce and Shopify lets you customise its templates by giving you access to CSS and html but not change features or edit the platform code. Add-ons, features, transaction fees VERY NOT Magento being fully customisable has as many features and add-ons as you are prepared to integrate but it is less 'out-of-the-box' than the Do you need to be able to customise everything? YES Can you afford to hire a developer? other two. Bigcommerce comes with a lot of features built in with the initial pay plan so you are ready to go straight away. Shopify is missing a number of standard features soyou will need I want to edit the code I'm happy to just work with pre-built features YES NO NO to buy some add-ons and on lower tariffs a 2% transactional fee may apply- Open Source Magento is open source which means that you get more flexibility and full ownership of your site, you Would you prefer a more each month for all features or pay separatey for add-ons or transactions later on? will not be locked in to somebody else's development cycle. However, the responsibility is on you to maintain and support and there is little recourse if there are bugs NO with the system etc. There is a large community around Magento that can help you. Are you happy working with an open-source product? Bigcommerce and Shopify are Saas apps; they develop, maintain and support the software for you. It will continue to improve without you needing to lift a finger. However, you have little control over what gets developed and when. I'd rather have a lower starting cost and add later Absolutely open source all the way I'd prefer the cost was all-in Your choice of ecommerce engine Remember this is a rough guide to get you started. All of these solutions have their fans and detractors and it realy is worth trialling each of them. Mac - Magento gives more freedom in how you build it at the cost of requiring or hiring more technical talent. Bigcommerce and Shopify take a more templated approach, building beautiful options but at the risk of looking like another | Magento S shopify Bigcommerce company using the same template. Doyou also sell on other channels like eBay, Amazon, phone or perhaps in a store? Managing many channels Yes, and in No, but l'd No,we only have ourwebsite Each of these ecommerce choices large volume YES NO NO like to come with plug-ins and add-ons and avariety of tools to help you list and manage each one. The problem for a business though is that when they grow and add channels or volume how do they manage ALL of them as opposed to EACH of them? Invest in a central managment system Use the inventory and listing tools provided by the That is the stage where it makes sense to technology at the back ecommerce vendors end to act as a central hub. www.brightpearl.com