Like most off the shelf software products, Ecommerce packages, whether proprietary or open source, can be very affordable and feature rich in comparison to entry-level custom developed solutions. The compromise with these packages however, is inflexibility in both design and process and usually an overwhelming management interface.

Are standard eCommerce package features appropriate for all types of eCommerce websites?

To their credit, these commercial or open source eCommerce packages do make powerful features very accessible to small businesses and are usually well built on the front-end; taking advantage of interface patterns we are all familiar with from sites like Amazon.com. Unfortunately, most businesses starting out on the web do not require the advanced administrative or customer capabilities offered, nor have the product range necessary to make an interface like Amazons at all useful.

Because packages have been created to try and cater for almost every kind of online business, they usually provide a surplus of unnecessary features and it becomes very difficult for an administrator (or shopper) to find their way around tasks which should be very basic. And if the management interface is not simple to use, then administrators will be unlikely to give their system the attention it will need to be successful.

Further to this, a well crafted internet strategy may often involve site structures, processes and interface elements that are not provided within package defaults. When provided with a rigid structure, it is inevitable that your strategy will be defined more by what is most feasible and less by what is most appropriate.

Is the saving in cost worth it?

This depends of course on how much you are paying. As a ballpark estimate, I would  recommend a budget of about USD 10,000 to build a customised eCommerce website with standard components such as product catalogue, shopping cart, order management and credit card payment processing. It could certainly be done for a lot cheaper, but this budget would allow for a lot of creativity and design. This investment could go up 10 fold for more advanced custom systems, but for the average new online e-tailing venture, somewhere in the region of USD 10,000 is reasonable.

Let’s put our recommendation next to the alternatives and compare prices and flexibility. Note that flexibility is inversely related to the cost of growing the system if it moves out of the base structure provided – making custom changes to a complex system is expensive.

(These guidelines are estimates based on our current experience in the industry.)

	eCommerce Website Type	Investment	Flexibility
1	Custom Developed Solution	Highest >USD10k	Very High (Easy to change)
2	Open source implemented by designers.	Medium >USD3k	Low (Expensive to change)
3	Commercial hosted/rented package.	< USD 200 per Month	Very low (Expensive to change if possible at all)
4	Open source implemented internally.	No cost (Time only)	Low (But no external cost)

It is hard to compare these very different solutions but the above table does give some idea.

• Option 4 (Open source eCommerce package implemented internally.) does give low flexibility, but this is less significant where internal employees (or a one man band) can spend hours working on the system as the cost is far cheaper than outsourced development. This does however require a broad skill set in order to get strategy, copy, design and development implemented well.

• Option 3 (Commercial hosted/rented eCommerce package.) is one that seems the most affordable outsourced solution, but it is also the least flexible from our understanding.

• Option 2 (Open source eCommerce package implemented by designers.) seems to be very popular among small South African businesses who outsource the customisation of these systems. Many of these sites stagnate or require re-investing in new custom systems where the business’s strategy has been compromised by a rigid structure.

• Option 1 is our recommendation for most small businesses with a focused product range or for larger companies who need their online storefront to tie in closely with their existing business processes.

Concluding this eCommerce website comparison

Understandably, new online businesses usually have very little money to invest in their website design and setup and are looking to start off small. Unfortunately, ‘small’ has got to be ‘big enough’ in order to make an initial impact and win over your customers trust.

Although sometimes a business may find it’s ideal solution within the structure of a commercial or open source eCommerce package, and even when there is compromise the cost saving might outweigh the inflexibility, we have found that in our experience bundled eCommerce packages require more customisation and ‘breaking’ than it would require to build a focussed solution from the ground up.

Perhaps what is most significant is that new businesses deciding to implement a standard eCommerce package will not usually put sufficient thought into designing a customer experience suitable for their specific products and process. This is often because they adopt the standards provided with the package. The role of expert consultation and careful consideration of your customers’ online experience with your brand, is essential for companies that are serious about taking their business online.