Platform Selection

Platform Selection

Ecommerce platform selection is one of the most important choices for your website, and one that affects every aspect of your business. From ongoing costs and customer engagement through to your company’s growth and long-term goals, this is a decision that should be taken with thorough consideration. With such a wide selection of Ecommerce platforms out there, it is essential that you make the right choice. Finding the platform that is best aligned to your Commercial and operation objectives will enable several tasks and activities to be automated and streamlined, bringing a wealth of financial and operational benefits to your business.
Platform Selection

Steps to Selecting a Platform

We know how difficult it can be to choose an ecommerce platform, this is why we’ve helped hundreds of businesses put together the best tech stack for their needs. It is a decision that relies on you knowing not only your company inside out, but also the strengths and weaknesses of the platforms available. The unique characteristics of each combined with the sheer amount of choice can feel overwhelming – making finding the right solution seem like a daunting task.

This is where we come in. We know that in the world of Ecommerce, one size does not fit all and recognize that every business is unique.

Our team at Williams Commerce have years of experience working with a range of online businesses and can help guide you to the platform that will work best for your company through five considered steps. These include:

The first thing we do is to clearly understand your objectives, ambitions and the problems that you are looking to solve through your ecommerce website.   

To achieve the best results, we need to get as much information as possible about your current situation, as well as your long-term vision.  

This includes questions such as:  

  • What are your commercial objectives 
  • What are your organisational objectives 
  • Who are your customers and what do they need 
  • Do you have an ecommerce team in place? 
  • Do you have a website, or is this the start of your ecommerce journey?  

 We can then move onto questions that help us define your scope.  such as:  

  • What feature and functions on the site are important? 
  • How would you like the site integrate with your business systems? 
  • How can the site remove manual processes or make your customers life easier? 

If you already have a website, we will take the time to review this in detail in including a deep dive of all the associated data.  This will help us make recommendations on how we can support you to define a scope and strategy to support your business objectives. it to establish what features are currently in place, and whether you want them to be included in the next platform.  

When it comes to budget we will work closely with your team to define a scope that aligns to the right amount of investment for the stage of your business growth. 

Budget is a significant consideration and varies from platform to platform but choosing the cheapest one is not always the most cost-effective solution. Our team will talk you through the available options and equip you with the vital knowledge to help you make the best decision.  

For example – if your monthly budget does not include the funds for a licensing fee, then our team will look at Magento Open Source, which is available for free. BigCommerce and Shopify also offer affordable options through their pro platforms.  

However, if your business is growing and expanding and requires a platform with more complex features and functionality, suitable options could be Adobe Commerce or VTEX.  

Whatever stage your business is at, we will take into consideration both your budget and needs to find a cost-effective yet efficient solution.  

It is also worth noting that different platforms use different models for ongoing license fees, some of which may suit you better than others, particularly if you are a B2B first business with larger average order values 

Another important consideration is the type of website you need.  

What works for one business may not for another, so recognizing your business’s needs is crucial. We specialize in a variety of different websites, including ecommerce sites such as marketplace or multichannel, but also work with corporate websites which have a light touch on ecommerce. 

Ecommerce digital agency

Why Williams Commerce

We are an award-winning and full-service ecommerce digital agency specializing in Adobe Commerce/MagentoBigCommerce, ShopifyDrupalCloudfy and Microsoft Dynamics. 

Delivering solutions that help build multi-million pound businesses online is at the heart of everything we do, and we pride ourselves on prioritizing our client’s requirements every step of the way. From understanding how ecommerce business flows and keeping costs down, through to the building, maintenance, and marketing of websites – our team have a vast knowledge of B2B & B2C strategies and will oversee your project from start to finish. 

To find out how we can help accelerate your online business, or to learn more about platforms from one of our ecommerce experts, please contact us here.