Choosing an ecommerce package can be a daunting decision. It’s easy to spend months pulling your hair out looking for the perfect ecommerce solution for your specific needs and wants only to choose something that you feel comes up short. Recently we’ve experienced a sudden surge of enquiries surrounding ecommerce. As always we listen and digest information before recommending a solution or platform. Generally there are three options; Open Source, licensed or bespoke.

Open Source ecommerce

Open Source is computer software that openly available on the web to download. There is no formal, commercial support provided by the originators of the software however there is a large community of users and resources online  which ensures the software is constantly improving and evolving and crucially, enables us to study, change, and even improve the software to best suit our individual needs. Typically these solutions will cost less money and will also benefit from a rapid development cycle. Open Source is ideal for start-ups or small businesses that require the standard features you’d expect in any effective ecommerce solution.

We’ve always kept an eye on open source software but it’s only in the last year or so that we’ve felt that some of it is now mature enough to start using in a commercial capacity – previously we always had a (maybe a slightly misguided) feeling that we could always provide a better solution if we simply code it ourselves!  Bespoke coding will always have a place for any website with any given specific requirements, however it can become too restrictive for some users, mainly due to constraints in either timings or budget. There is no doubt that Open Source is quicker to put together and therefore the associated costs are lower but of course there are some compromises to be made in terms of flexibility - but in the current economic climate clients are ready to make these.

After a huge amount of research, trials and demos we have now settled on offering just one solution for Open Source ecommerce. Magento is the absolute rising star of open source ecommerce. Google it, review it, watch the videos and then ask us about it. We’ve looked at everything else out there and there’s nothing even close to it. Added flexibility allows you to upgrade from the Community edition to the Professional or Enterprise edition as your business develops online. The main difference between the editions is the level of support you receive from their dedicated team of support engineers and some really cool online marketing tools to help drive traffic and conversions.

Magento ... the rising star of Open Source ecommerce.

Licensed ecommerce

This is a bit of a half-way house; it’s not Open Source and it’s not bespoke. The core solution is developed by a trusted resource and is purchased for use by MVG on a license. This enables the client to save money and increases the development cycle, similar to the Open Source option. However this comes with commercial support and we’re not at the mercy of a ‘community’ to answer any issues that we might run into during the development or after launch. We take delivery of all of the source code so the system can be modified as much as needed to achieve your goals.

This solution offers more functionality than Open Source and has much more powerful general CMS tools.

Bespoke ecommerce

Bespoke is the only way to go if you have very specific requirements for your ecommerce solution. If you are a niche business that needs something more than the typical tools (categories, products, cross selling, basket, checkout etc.) then you need to go bespoke. Costs are naturally higher and timings are longer, but you will not be disappointed with the results. You will get exactly what you want and need to run your business successfully online.

So what is the right solution for you?

Here’s ten things to consider when choosing an ecommerce platform:-

• Compatibility with existing resources:  Ensure that the product you choose is fully compatible with your existing hardware, Web server software and operating system.
• Ability to import existing data:  If you already have a large product database, you will need the ability to transfer this data easily to your Web store’s database.
• Look and feel: Cheap ecommerce solutions have a habit of looking ‘templated’. Don’t opt for a solution that prevents you standing out from the competition.
• Quick and easy to manage:  Much of your time will be spent managing the content on your website. Make sure administration is as painless as possible so that you can quickly manage categories, products, offers etc.
• Sales tax and shipping cost calculation:  Often overlooked, this feature is a vital part of any good ecommerce software package.
• Range of payment methods supported:  Although the majority of payments in web stores are made through traditional credit card transactions, you need to be in a position to accept payment in as many ways as possible in order to maximize your sales.
• Stock control:  Make sure the stock control facilities is sophisticated enough to stop you selling stock that you don’t actually have!
• Special promotion management:  Once your store is built, you may need the ability to run special promotions. You should be able to quickly change a price or be able to offer discounts for volume purchases or to special customers.
• Detailed reporting:  Often missing from entry-level packages, detailed reporting of customer activities in your store is vital.
• Share your vision with MVG Media: Plan everything. Know your customers and how they purchase online. Develop user journeys if necessary to create an online experience that makes your products accessible and delights your customers.
• Consider the above and then discuss it with a professional team of web developers – ideally MVG Media ? We would love to help develop your businesses and leverage the internet to get maximum returns online.