When deciding whether to buy or build your B2B eCommerce platform, there’s a lot to consider. Do you have the time and talent to build something yourself? Do you have the financial resources to buy a big software package? How about something in the middle?
Because Four51’s OrderCloud allows you the best of both worlds - a cloud-based platform built on a Rest API that allows you to build and customize within the app that you’ve purchased - we thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast these two methods of purchase based on three key questions:
1. How unique is your business?
Unless your business is highly unique, there are likely solutions that meet a large portion of your needs. If you can't find one that does, building may be the right choice for you and potentially give you a competitive advantage. However, if you can find a pre-built solution that covers 80% of your needs, its likely, the remaining 20% can be met through code changes and modifications that are specific to your business. If this is the case, look for a solution like Four51’s OrderCloud that can be easily customized to fit your unique and changing needs.
**Four51 stands out among other packages because of our extensive data model. We have been building our platform for 15 years and have dealt with many, many complicated scenarios. Because of this, the amount of true customization required for our clients is relatively low. Think less than 5%.
2. What is your budget and timeframe?
Building your own eCommerce solution typically has lower upfront costs since you avoid licensing fees. However if you account for the total cost of ownership for all aspects of the build, support, training and maintenance, you will surely find yourself spending a greater amount than you initially thought. Pre-built eCommerce solutions have a much faster deployment than do-it-yourself solutions because of all the economies of scale that have been created by the software vendor.
**Four51 stands out among other packages because it is much faster to implement than other solutions because of 1) Our data model that only requires configuration, not customization. 2) Our fast deployment tools that you don't need a developer for. 3) Our cloud-based infrastructure allows customers to be turned on very quickly. Likewise, faster implementation with less technical resources translates into lower cost to implement.
3. What is your company's technical proficiency?
Development, Maintenance, Training, Support? All of these require proficiency and have an associated cost that adds up quickly. Theses costs are greater with a solution you build yourself because you own every aspect of the system. Likewise, technical resources can also be significant with an out-of-the-box eCommerce solution, especially if you are looking at an on-premise solution vs. cloud based. Hosting and maintaining software create significant costs that can be avoided if you opt for a solution that is hosted in the cloud.
***Four51's OrderCloud eliminates the need for technical proficiency. We allow business users to solve their problems without creating IT overhead.
For more eCommerce tips like this one, sign-up to get our emails.
What is your biggest determining factor in deciding whether to buy vs. build your eCommerce platform?
