Data holds significant value for eCommerce enterprises across all sizes, yet effectively managing and monitoring it is no simple task. Hence, the advent of ERP software emerges as a superior solution, enabling the amalgamation of all business data into a singular database for seamless accessibility, analysis, and oversight.

Nevertheless, to fully unlock the capabilities of ERP, businesses must opt for software equipped with features aligned with their specific business requirements. Recently, six prominent ERP software solutions are widely adopted by many eCommerce enterprises: Oracle Netsuite, Acumatica, Odoo, Sage x3, SAP S/4 HANA, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.

What is ERP?

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning, is a software solution designed to assist businesses in gathering, storing, analyzing, and overseeing all data pertaining to their business operations from diverse internal departments, all within a single database. This data encompasses:

• Business financial data
• Sales and marketing data
• Production, inventory, and supply chain data
• Human resource management functions, and more

Integrating ERP software into eCommerce operations empowers businesses to centrally manage data originating from multi-channel sales and marketing endeavors, encompassing sources like websites, social media, mobile devices, and brick-and-mortar stores.

Types of ERP Systems

On-premise ERP

On-premise ERP software, also referred to as ERP in-house, is installed and stored directly on the business’s servers and internal infrastructure. When utilizing on-premise ERP, the business assumes responsibility for managing hardware, IT infrastructure, software updates, and maintenance.

Cloud-based ERP

Cloud-based ERP software is supplied, stored, and managed by a third-party provider. This allows users to access it remotely from any device with an internet connection and is also known as Software as a Service (SaaS). In this scenario, the provider takes charge of infrastructure management, encompassing servers, storage, data backups, updates, and software maintenance.

Hybrid ERP

Hybrid ERP software is a combination of both on-premise and cloud-based ERP solutions. In the hybrid ERP model, specific modules of the ERP system are stored on-premise, while others are stored in the cloud. This approach enables businesses to leverage advantages from both software models. For instance, critical data or modules can be kept on-premise for control and heightened security, whereas less critical data or modules can be hosted in the cloud for effortless accessibility and future expansion.

Advantages of Using ERP in eCommerce

Single Source of Real-time Data

One notable advantage of ERP software is its real-time integration capability, which consolidates diverse departmental data into a unified database. This consistency streamlines data management, especially considering the substantial volume of data that eCommerce businesses accumulate daily, much of which pertains to purchasing behavior.

As a result, when integrating this data with other business information, enterprises can uncover and implement distinctive approaches to:

• Cultivate brand identity
• Increase sales
• Create marketing campaigns to enhance conversions
• Trim unnecessary operational expenses, and more

For instance, ERP software provides businesses with reports encompassing details about best-selling products, canceled orders, recurring customer lists, cart abandonment rates, interactions with social media posts, and more. In turn, businesses can amalgamate all this data within a shared database to gain a holistic perspective of the current landscape and swiftly make pertinent adjustments for eCommerce expansion.

Multiple Sales & Marketing Channels Management

eCommerce enterprises employing a variety of channels in their sales and marketing strategy will likely need to evaluate sales performance and engagement levels across each channel to gauge their efficacy. ERP software assists businesses in concurrently managing sales channels within a centralized database. 

Through analyzing integrated ERP data from various channels, encompassing social media, websites, mobile apps, eCommerce platforms, and more, enterprises can understand why one sales channel surpasses others and determine which marketing campaigns yield favorable conversions and which ones require enhancement.

Boost Productivity

Insufficiently integrated business data can lead to difficulties in accessing accurate and updated information. This may compel businesses to manually input extensive data, potentially resulting in errors.

Conversely, the use of ERP can facilitate nearly impeccable automated data entry. Moreover, this software supports other automated processes, like invoice generation and marketing campaign automation, among others. This frees businesses from monotonous manual tasks, enabling them to concentrate on pivotal tasks that enhance revenue.

Top 6 eCommerce ERP Software

Oracle NetSuite

Oracle NetSuite serves as a cloud-based ERP solution, delivering a comprehensive set of tools for effectively managing business operations. This software empowers eCommerce enterprises to automate functions across multiple domains, including sales management, marketing, customer relations, financial control, inventory management, and more.

What sets Oracle NetSuite apart is its adaptability and scalability, catering to businesses of various scales and industries. It streamlines eCommerce workflows while enhancing operational efficiency, all facilitated by real-time insights available through a unified dashboard.

Key features of Oracle NetSuite encompass:

• eCommerce Capability: Facilitating efficient management of eCommerce outlets, multichannel sales, product catalog administration, online order handling, and seamless omnichannel shopping experiences.
• Order & Inventory Management: Optimizing order fulfillment processes and live monitoring of inventory levels and control.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Empower businesses with CRM functionalities for overseeing customer interactions, sales workflows, marketing endeavors, and personalized customer experiences.
• Financial Management: Oracle NetSuite aids in financial oversight by providing shared ledgers, budget planning, revenue recognition, and comprehensive financial reporting.
• Real-time Reporting & Analytics: NetSuite integrates real-time analytics and reporting tools into a customizable dashboard, offering support for data-driven decision-making.

Pros:

• Easily accessible on multiple computer and mobile browsers.
• User-friendly and intuitive interface suitable for a wide range of users.
• Real-time reporting capability.
• Easily customizable and expandable to match individual business needs.

Cons:

• Undisclosed pricing, causing challenges in estimating deployment costs.
• Complex deployment procedures.
• Being primarily a cloud-based ERP, Oracle NetSuite might restrict businesses’ control.
• Dependence on internet connectivity.
• While NetSuite allows for customization, there are limitations on the extent of flexibility in these customizations. Hence, complex customization needs might require additional development or alternative solutions.

Cost: Estimated deployment costs for Oracle NetSuite can commence at $10,000. Nevertheless, this is not a fixed price and will be tailored according to each business’s specific deployment requirements.

Acumatica

Acumatica stands as a cloud-based ERP software designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, particularly those in rapid development. It offers adaptable cloud storage alternatives, including both public and private clouds, ensuring convenient access and secure handling of business data.

Prominent features of Acumatica including

• eCommerce Integration: Acumatica empowers businesses to seamlessly integrate with popular eCommerce platforms like Amazon, Magento, Shopify, BigCommerce, and more. The integration process is designed to be swift and smooth, enabling businesses to harness specific eCommerce functionalities such as order management, inventory synchronization, shipping, and taxation.

• Financial Management: Acumatica equips businesses with tools to streamline financial operations, automate accounting procedures, generate financial reports, and manage general ledgers. This ERP solution furnishes real-time insights into financial performance, supporting informed decision-making based on precise and updated financial data.

• Inventory Management: Acumatica delivers an array of tools to efficiently manage and optimize inventory. Moreover, it facilitates real-time monitoring and predictive analysis of inventory, enabling businesses to minimize stock shortages and unnecessary inventory costs.

Pros:

• The flexible modular structure allows businesses to register and use the modules they need, and easily add or modify modules over time based on developmental needs.
• Real-time data delivery anytime, anywhere, and on any device.
• The software can be easily integrated with modern technologies in the future.
• An outstanding solution that meets the specific needs of various industries, including construction, distribution, manufacturing, and eCommerce retail.

Cons:

• The pricing is not publicly disclosed, which makes it difficult for businesses to estimate deployment costs.
• The flexibility in the modular structure can lead to additional costs when the demand for additional modules increases rapidly over time.

Cost: Estimated costs for deploying Acumatica can range from $15,000 to $40,000 per year. However, this is not a fixed price and will be customized based on the specific deployment needs of each business.

Odoo

Odoo is an open-source ERP software in a modular form that can be customized to support businesses in efficiently managing various aspects of their operations, such as customer relationship management (CRM), accounting, inventory management, and more. Odoo provides an optimal solution for businesses of all sizes and industries.

Key Features of Odoo:

Odoo offers a comprehensive set of features and modules ranging from basic to advanced, catering to all business operational needs in eCommerce. It stands out with the following features:

• Webstore Creation: Odoo provides a web builder that enables businesses to swiftly establish and manage their online presence. Businesses can design and customize professional eCommerce websites through drag-and-drop features, utilizing available templates and features such as page creation, content management, integrated blogging, SEO, and more.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Odoo supports effective customer relationship management with features for managing potential customers, interacting with existing customers, handling sales processes, and segmenting customer groups. Moreover, the CRM module can integrate with other Odoo modules for streamlined tracking and operation.
• Product Management: Using Odoo, businesses can efficiently manage their products by creating and organizing product catalogs, defining attributes, managing product pricing, tracking product availability, and overseeing product lifecycle stages.
• Inventory Management: Businesses can utilize Odoo to track inventory movements and optimize order fulfillment. The system also supports features such as barcode scanning, serial number tracking, real-time batch management, and updates.
• Marketing: Businesses can automate marketing campaigns using Odoo. From email marketing and social marketing to SMS marketing, Odoo assists businesses in creating, executing, and automating the monitoring of campaign effectiveness. Additionally, integrating Odoo with social media platforms helps businesses increase their potential customer reach, nurture leads, and achieve rapid conversions.

Pros:

• Complete range of customizable features from basic to advanced.
• Offers a variety of modules spanning from sales management, and marketing, to financial management and inventory control. Modules are integrated and share data with each other.
• Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• Capability to display all detailed information on a single unified database.
• High degree of customization to suit specific business needs.

Cons:

• Complex setup process.
• While Odoo offers customization capabilities, complex customization needs substantial investments in terms of time, costs, and technical expertise.
• Limited customer support.
• Performance and scalability fall short of meeting the demands of large enterprises.

Cost: Businesses receive free usage if they utilize only a single module and there’s no restriction on the number of users. However, if a business uses two or more modules, the pricing structure is determined based on:

• Number of users
• Number and type of modules used

Sage x3

Sage X3 is a hybrid ERP software solution designed to meet the needs of medium-sized and large enterprises in managing and operating business activities across multiple locations or countries.

Key features of Sage X3:

Sage X3 offers a range of features from basic to advanced to support business management and operations processes, with a focus on product management, supply chain management, and financial management.

• Product Management: Sage X3 provides businesses with flexibility in managing product-related processes through solutions such as Bill of Materials (BOM) planning, Quality Control, Shop Floor Control, and Project Management.
• Supply Chain Management: Sage X3 offers comprehensive integration of solutions including Purchasing, Inventory Management, Sales Management, and Customer Service to help businesses capture customer demands and enhance supply chain operations efficiency.
• Financial Management: Sage X3 provides businesses with a set of solutions to monitor real-time financial data, aiding in strategic decision-making. Solutions encompass budgeting and accounting, fixed asset management, and financial reporting.

Pros:

• Real-time data reporting and updates, enhancing financial management processes and decision-making optimization.
• Intuitive and user-friendly interface.
• High scalability and extensive customization options.
• Offers tailored support for specific industry workflows.

Cons:

• Undisclosed pricing complicates cost estimation for deployment.
• Absence of live chat support for direct customer assistance on the website.
• Lack of social media integration.

Cost: Estimated implementation costs for Sage ERP can commence at $128,000. However, this figure is not fixed and will be adjusted based on the unique deployment requirements of each business.

SAP S/4 HANA

SAP S/4 HANA (High-Performance Analytic Appliance) is a leading hybrid ERP software designed for large-scale enterprises. SAP S/4 HANA is considered the next-generation comprehensive ERP solution by SAP, incorporating artificial intelligence technology. It is designed to optimize business processes, cater to specific industry requirements, and support decision-making processes. The software offers solutions in financial management, supply chain management, sales management, customer relationship management, and more.

Key Features of SAP S/4 HANA:

• In-Memory Computing Technology: With this technology, SAP S/4 HANA can process and analyze real-time data while performing calculations and accessing data about 10,000 times faster than current technologies. This enables businesses to instantly access accurate and updated data, ensuring more confident decision-making.
• Consolidated Reporting: This ERP provides a solution for businesses to generate consolidated reports such as balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and cash flow statements. Additionally, businesses can visualize both aggregated and unaggregated financial information using SAP Analytics Cloud.
• On-Cloud and On-Premise Deployment: This offers businesses the flexibility to choose their preferred deployment model. On-cloud deployment promotes scalability, accessibility, and reduces infrastructure costs, while on-premise deployment grants businesses more control over data and customization options.
• User Experience: SAP S/4 HANA offers an enhanced user experience through the modern and intuitive SAP Fiori user interface. Personalized and responsive dashboards allow access to the system across multiple devices.

Pros:

• Real-time data retrieval using in-memory computing technology.
• Streamlined data simplification accelerates processing, enhances system performance, and ensures data consistency.
• Diverse features and industry-specific solutions effectively tackle sector-specific business requirements and challenges.

Cons:

• Due to its comprehensive and advanced nature, deploying it can be intricate.
• Given the modern technologies and features of SAP S/4 HANA, businesses must have relevant knowledge and skills for successful implementation.

Cost: The pricing details for SAP S/4 HANA are not publicly disclosed, though businesses can access a 30-day free trial with certain feature limitations.

Microsoft Dynamic 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 software stands out as a superior hybrid ERP solution tailored for large enterprises. Depending on individual business needs, the ERP system can seamlessly integrate with diverse Microsoft applications to optimize various aspects of business operations, including sales, inventory, and financial management. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is well-equipped to provide effective support for numerous industries such as manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, eCommerce, and more.

Key Features:

• Supply Chain Management: Enterprises establish an intelligent and automated supply chain by harnessing real-time, in-depth data insights that aid in forecasting, planning, and inventory management.
• Commerce Management: Businesses enable customers to make purchases anywhere, anytime, and on any device by facilitating consistent interactions across online and offline channels.
• Marketing Management: Companies can predict, create, and distribute content through appropriate channels while delivering personalized customer experiences.
• Intelligent Order Management: Streamlining and automating order fulfillment processes using AI technology and real-time omnichannel inventory reporting. Additionally, it proactively addresses order disruptions by restructuring order flows.
• Customer Data Management: Utilizes AI to gather and analyze customer data, revealing new insights while maintaining a balance between personalized experiences and data security. Leveraging these insights, businesses enhance campaigns to boost customer retention and loyalty.
• Customer Service Management: Connects with customers across all engagement channels, addressing inquiries via chatbots and remote portals. Centralizes relevant data on a single dashboard, optimizing costs and enhancing decision-making for future requirements.

Pros:

• Smooth integration with other Microsoft products.
• Seamless operation of interconnected modules, spanning from marketing and commerce to supply chain.
• Automated workflows empowered by AI technology.
• Highly adaptable and scalable, aligning with business expansion needs.
• Cloud ecosystem facilitates effortless connectivity to on-premise systems across devices with internet access.
• Comprehensive reporting and in-depth analysis bolster data-informed decision-making.
• Trial support enables businesses to evaluate suitability before full deployment.

Cons:

• The software’s utilization of AI technology and advanced functionalities demands specific knowledge and skills for successful implementation, contributing to intricate and time-consuming deployment processes.
• Module costs are relatively elevated, ranging from $50 to over $1000 per user per month. Thus, businesses should make the most of the trial version to ensure alignment with needs and budget.
• Storage capacity restrictions might necessitate supplementary purchases, incurring additional expenses.

Cost:

Businesses can avail of a free 30-day trial of Microsoft Dynamics 365. Depending on the module, the software offers two pricing categories:

• First Dynamic 365 app
• Subsequent qualifying Dynamic 365 app

Subsequent pricing is applicable solely to individuals licensed to utilize the first app.

As an example, in the Financial Management module:

• The initial app license cost is $180 per user per month.
• Subsequent pricing for additional apps, for users already licensed for the first app, stands at $30 per user per month.

For detailed pricing information on other modules, businesses can refer to Microsoft Dynamics 365’s pricing page.

The aforementioned is a summary of 6 eCommerce ERP software options tailored for large-scale businesses, showcasing their unique features and respective strengths and weaknesses.

To gain a more comprehensive insight into ERPs and to select the ERP software that best suits your business requirements, contact SECOMM or call the SECOMM Hotline (02871089908) for a free consultation.

In today’s landscape, ERP software plays a pivotal role in the efficient management and operation of eCommerce activities. Among them, Odoo ERP stands out as pre-configured management software, tailor-made for businesses for easy downloading and utilization, providing a range of solutions to support various business facets like sales, marketing, inventory, customer service, and more. The subsequent article aims to elucidate the concept of Odoo ERP and delve into its strengths and weaknesses when integrated within enterprises.

What is Odoo?

Odoo, also known as Odoo ERP and previously called OpenERP, is a versatile open-source business management software. It comes with complete integration and customization capabilities, catering to offer a comprehensive solution for overseeing diverse facets of eCommerce operations. 

Among its noteworthy functionalities are sales and marketing management, customer relations, project oversight, manufacturing, inventory control, accounting, human resource administration, customer service handling, and a plethora of other applications. As a result, Odoo is adept at fulfilling the real-world business requirements of enterprises spanning all sizes and budget ranges, across many industries.

Odoo Versions & Editions

Versions

There are various editions of the Odoo software, with the most recent being Odoo 16; additionally, Odoo 17 is anticipated for release towards the end of 2023. With respect to version 16, the development team has incorporated numerous features and tools to bolster business efficiency, concurrently concentrating on refining a host of existing attributes. Odoo 16 stands as a source of pride, being the swiftest, most visually appealing, and intuitively designed version.

Editions

The Odoo management software is available in two primary editions that every business should thoroughly explore before implementation.

• Odoo Community Edition (Free Version)

This version of Odoo is free for users to download and use. The Odoo Community edition offers a wide range of features and modules that support essential business operations such as sales management, marketing, customer relationship management, inventory management, accounting, and more.

• Odoo Enterprise Edition (Paid Version)

The Odoo Enterprise edition is a premium, paid version with multiple editions tailored to businesses of all sizes. The Enterprise edition is designed to provide advanced features and modules that enhance operational workflows. The cost of the Odoo Enterprise edition is determined by five factors: the number of users, the number of utilized apps, hosting type, deployment services, and integration with third-party systems.

Pros of Odoo

Ease of use

The Odoo interface boasts a simple and intuitive design, with modules logically and systematically organized. As a result, new users will quickly become proficient without investing an excessive amount of time.

End-to-end Features and Modules

Odoo offers an expansive array of features and modules, spanning from fundamental to advanced, to address all requirements for effective business management and operations. These encompass tasks such as sales management, marketing, customer support, accounting, inventory control, and manufacturing. 

As businesses embark on Odoo implementation, they can initially utilize the complimentary Community edition and subsequently migrate to the paid Enterprise edition, unlocking the full spectrum of capabilities, modules, services, and progressive enhancements.

Modules Integration

Previously, businesses used to store information and data within individual department databases, leading to challenges in accessing and sharing information across departments. With Odoo, apart from providing the necessary modules for management and operations, it also aids businesses by integrating and storing data from all departments in a unified database, facilitating quicker and more convenient management and tracking.

Display Complete Data

Besides storage and integration, Odoo also holds the advantage of presenting comprehensive information. For instance, the ability to showcase detailed and complete data assists businesses in effectively managing product inventory levels on a daily or monthly basis, encompassing future shipments that have not yet been recorded. 

Moreover, businesses can better control working capital by gaining insight into their inventory status. Furthermore, the availability of all information in a unified database fosters collaboration and streamlines the accomplishment of complex tasks. This results in improved workflow processes, enabling businesses to effortlessly monitor interdepartmental processes with efficiency.

It Can Be Customizable

Another benefit of Odoo software pertains to its customization potential. Odoo allows users to tailor the software to their requirements without the necessity of writing code. Thanks to its intuitive and user-friendly interface, individuals without extensive programming skills can also make adjustments.

Affordable Costs

Comparatively, the cost of utilizing Odoo is quite reasonable in comparison to other ERPs. For businesses with a single function requirement, there is no charge for using Odoo, allowing for long-term usage. However, when utilizing two or more functions, businesses receive a 15-day trial period, followed by a moderately priced subscription. 

Costs escalate further if the customization and programming of additional modules are aligned with the business’s direction are required. If a business possesses an internal team to perform these tasks, the development costs can be avoided. In practice, businesses will need to seek support from specialized Odoo experts.

Cons of Odoo

Customer Support

Because of constrained resources and a vast user base, Odoo is unable to offer top-notch customer support to every client. Certain customers have found themselves dissatisfied as their concerns weren’t entirely resolved during their initial support interactions. Furthermore, the cost of Odoo training is quite substantial, rendering it unfeasible for small businesses to establish a specialized Odoo support team.

Complex Set-up Structure

Much like other present-day ERP software, Odoo’s structure can pose difficulties during the initial setup for businesses adopting it for the first time. This can result in a time-consuming and effort-intensive process of addressing setup-related issues

Complex Custom

While Odoo provides numerous built-in functionalities, being a universal ERP solution for diverse business models worldwide means that adapting Odoo to a particular business type or a specific country requires customization. 

Odoo does offer customization options, but for highly specific or complex customization requirements, it might necessitate developers with extensive technical expertise and experience. This could potentially lead to extra costs for customization and overall maintenance.

Performance & Scalability

Although Odoo can meet the deployment requirements for a variety of business scales, its performance, and scalability may raise considerations for larger enterprises with substantial transaction volumes. Hence, businesses should strategize their development and assess scalability aspects prior to choosing, ensuring effective operations.

With many years of eCommerce deployment and integration of various ERP systems for numerous global enterprises, SECOMM comprehends the challenges businesses face when implementing the Odoo ERP system. 

Contact SECOMM or call the Hotline (02871089908) now to receive consultation on Odoo implementation.

In Headless eCommerce architecture, the user interface (frontend) is separated from the business logic and database (backend), operating independently and communicating with each other through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The backend of the eCommerce system can be linked to multiple frontends to deliver a seamless omnichannel experience for customers.

This omnichannel capability has driven many businesses to adopt Headless eCommerce to adapt to market trends and attract a large customer base across all potential channels. 

However, from the planning stage to achieving the goals, it’s a long journey with several crucial steps that require dedicated efforts from businesses. Among them, selecting the right platform for Headless eCommerce development is essential. Currently, there are four prominent platforms in the market: Adobe Commerce, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce Enterprise, and Commercetools.

This article will focus on helping you as a business make the right decision by listing the selection criteria and pros and cons of each platform.

Things to Evaluate When Choosing Headless eCommerce Platform

Headless Architecture

You need to ensure that the chosen platform supports the Headless architecture, allowing the separation of the frontend user interface from the backend system. The separation provides omnichannel capabilities, enabling you to deliver seamless and consistent customer experiences across all channels  (e.g., websites, mobile devices, IoT devices, etc.).

API Capabilities

APIs are crucial for integrating with various different user interfaces. Therefore, you should seek a platform with the ability to provide customizable APIs for seamless data exchange. 

Performance & Scalability

Next, you need to consider the scalability of the platform, especially for large-scale enterprises with extensive and complex product catalogs or significant inventory management needs. A highly scalable platform can easily adjust its size based on requirements, handle high traffic, and ensure top-notch performance even during peak shopping seasons. 

The ability to integrate with third-party solutions is also crucial when selecting a platform. Third-party tools serve specific business needs and drive eCommerce efficiency. You can prioritize platforms with strong integration capabilities and compatibility with a wide range of third-party tools and services, including payment gateways, shipping, content management systems (CMS), analytics tools, and more. 

Flexibility & Customizability

Alongside performance and scalability, customization capability holds great significance for any business pursuing a platform to deploy Headless eCommerce. Evaluating the platform’s flexibility in design and user experience becomes crucial, ensuring effortless customization of frontend to meet specific business needs.

Security

Security is of utmost importance for any eCommerce platform. When choosing, you must ensure the platform adheres to standard security measures, such as secure payment PCI DSS, SSL encryption, and more.

Analytics & Reporting

Data analytics and reporting play a vital role in optimizing eCommerce operations and making informed decisions. Therefore, you should seek a platform with powerful analytics and reporting capabilities to provide comprehensive insights into customer behavior, sales effectiveness, conversion rates, and other essential metrics.

Customer Support

Opting for a Headless eCommerce development on a platform that provides valuable support resources like developer documentation, forums, and support communities, or responsive customer service directly from the platform, can bring significant benefits. You should ensure they have access to necessary assistance throughout the entire implementation process.

Total Cost of Ownership

Ultimately, the cost is a determining factor for any eCommerce business’s choice. These costs may encompass licensing fees, hosting, development, maintenance, or integration expenses with third-party services. You must assess these costs in relation to the platform’s capabilities, ensuring they align with your budget and long-term business goals.

By considering these criteria, you can select an appropriate Headless eCommerce platform that meets their business needs, provides a seamless customer experience, and supports their long-term growth objectives.

The Best 4 Platforms for Headless eCommerce Development

Magento (Adobe Commerce)

Magento is renowned as the world’s leading open-source eCommerce platform and currently ranks third in the market share among eCommerce platforms, following WooCommerce and Shopify

Magento has 2 editions:

• Magento Open Source: a free-to-use edition, but users still need to pay for hosting, domain, extensions, and development fees when hiring specialized Magento developers. 
• Adobe Commerce: a paid edition with superior eCommerce solutions, suitable for large businesses with high development and expansion needs. It includes 2 versions: Adobe Commerce on-premise and Adobe Commerce on-cloud. 

Pros

• Being open-source allows you to have complete control over the source code and infrastructure.
• With high flexibility and strong customization capabilities, it meets the needs of complex eCommerce requirements.
• Its excellent scalability is suitable for large-scale business operations.
• The powerful multi-store support enables seamless management of numerous stores across various locations from a single admin panel.
• Unified APIs and technologies across all channels enhance Omnichannel capabilities.
• From fundamental to advanced features, with a wide range of available extensions and integrations, it optimizes eCommerce functionality.
• Magento supports the creation of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) with PWA Studio features

Related Reading: What is PWA? 4 Key Benefits of Developing PWA

Cons

• Complex development, security, and maintenance processes necessitate extensive technical expertise.
• High development costs and lengthy development timelines.

Shopify Plus

Shopify stands out as a leading SaaS eCommerce platform in the market, boasting over 3.75 million active stores in 2022.

Presently, Shopify provides two main editions:

• Shopify: Including standard packages (Basic, Shopify, Advanced) with different fees and features, catering to the requirements of small and medium-sized businesses.
• Shopify Plus: A comprehensive eCommerce solution at reasonable costs, tailored for medium to large enterprises, equipped with advanced features and tools to optimize business operations. 

Pros

• The platform is designed to be user-friendly and accessible even for non-technical users.
• It boasts impressive performance and scalability, effortlessly handling high web traffic and numerous transactions.
• With the GraphQL Storefront API, you can deliver unique customer experiences across various channels like websites, mobile apps, and IoT devices.
• The Shopify App Store offers a wide range of powerful applications, extensions, and integrations exclusively tailored for Shopify Plus.
• Customizing the frontend is made simple with a user-friendly visual editor and direct code access.
• It facilitates omnichannel sales and automates eCommerce processes, resulting in operational resource savings.
• It seamlessly integrates with various third-party tools and systems, including ERP, CRM, CMS, and more.

Cons

• The customization capabilities of Shopify Plus are good, but they still cannot be compared with open-source platforms. For example, regarding payment gateways, it only allows integration with Shopify’s partner gateways such as PayPal, 2Checkout, PayDollar, Skrill, etc. Businesses aren’t permitted to integrate with other gateways outside this list. 
• The eCommerce data of businesses using Shopify Plus is locked into Shopify Plus’s database. This dependency poses risks from the provider (Shopify Plus) and limits the business’s ability to access its entire data.
• While Shopify Plus supports creating multiple stores alongside the main store, compared to Adobe Commerce, the capabilities of Shopify Plus are somewhat limited. The platform restricts the number of stores and locations businesses can add, and businesses cannot manage multiple stores within the same Shopify Plus account.
• The cost is not fixed and increases based on revenue, development, and integration needs.

Usage cost: Starts from $2,000/month and increases based on revenue.

Related Reading: What is Shopify Plus? The Pros and Cons of Shopify Plus

BigCommerce Enterprise

Similar to Shopify, BigCommerce is also one of the leading SaaS eCommerce platforms with notable features that help businesses establish a fast and easy online presence.

The BigCommerce Enterprise edition serves large-scale enterprises with various optimized business operation solutions. Among them, the BigCommerce Headless eCommerce solution stands out, enabling businesses to create a consistent customer experience along with many other supportive solutions that ensure quick website launch and easy customization.

2.3.1 Pros

• An easy-to-use and intuitive platform.
• A powerful API architecture for building custom user interface solutions to meet complex requirements.
• Create and manage multiple headless storefronts within a single dashboard.
• High scalability and fast web performance.
• Robust Headless features that can integrate with frontend frameworks (Next.js, Gatsby.js, and Nuxt.js), CMS, DXP, ORM, etc.
• Capable of handling up to 600 SKUs per product.
• Drive omnichannel sales.
• Excellent support for building PWAs

2.3.2 Cons

• Similar to Shopify Plus, the customization capabilities of BigCommerce Enterprise are good, but still cannot be compared with Open-Source platforms.
• There are limitations in controlling the backend infrastructure and accessing the database.
• The payment process still utilizes the BigCommerce domain, leading to authentication and security issues.
• High deployment costs.

Usage cost: Starts from $400/month and can go up to $20,000/month

commercetools

commercetools is a pioneering platform for Headless eCommerce worldwide. Developed based on MACH principles (Microservice-based, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless), Commercetools supports businesses in building and customizing eCommerce solutions tailored to their needs and their customers’ needs.

Pros

• High scalability and customization capabilities.
• Drive omnichannel sales.
• Powerful features and functionalities: category management, unified shopping cart, order management, machine learning, etc.
• Pre-built building blocks enable businesses to create their own backend structure.
• The API-first approach promotes flexibility and scalability, optimizing development time and ensuring compatibility between functionalities.
• Free 60-day trial.

Cons 

• Requires technical expertise and experience for development.
• Limited advanced features for large enterprises, requiring specific custom development.
• Smaller user base and community support compared to more established platforms, making it challenging to find assistance.
• The initial development cost with Commercetools is quite high and depends on annual revenue, integration needs, scalability, etc.

Usage cost: The pricing is not publicly available, and businesses need to contact Commercetools for further discussion. However, here are some reference points. The implementation cost starts from $300,000, and the licensing fee begins at $200,000 per year.

With extensive experience in advising platform selection and supporting eCommerce implementation for numerous businesses worldwide, SECOMM always emphasizes that choosing the right platform is the first step towards success.

Contact SECOMM or call directly at the hotline number (02871089908) now for a free consultation.

Previously, Traditional Content Management Systems (CMS) were the go-to solution for businesses to develop websites and establish an online presence. However, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) have brought about a redefinition of online presence.

Today, businesses worldwide compete to attract more customers from various digital channels like mobile apps, social media, and IoT devices. They can strive to deliver high-quality content across these channels to enhance the customer experience.

As a result, Headless CMS has gained popularity and replaced Traditional CMS. Headless CMS enables effective multi-channel content distribution, meeting the needs of businesses in the modern era.

This article explains what Headless CMS is and how it differs from Traditional CMS.

What is Headless CMS?

This is a content management system that separates the backend, where the content is stored (the body), from the frontend, the user interface (the head). That’s why it is called Headless. 

Thanks to this separation, developers can use any technology they want for the backend without worrying about affecting the frontend. Meanwhile, marketers can create and store content once and deploy it across any digital channel because the content isn’t locked into a specific channel.

Simply because Headless CMS uses APIs to deliver a set of content across multiple channels, which is why it is sometimes referred to as an “API-first” CMS. Therefore, Headless CMS is particularly useful for implementing Omnichannel strategies to provide a consistent experience for customers. 

Unlike Headless CMS, Traditional CMS architecture tightly links the backend with the frontend. Traditional CMS controls content creation, storage, and display through a single channel, typically a web browser. The tight coupling of the backend and frontend results in content getting intertwined with frontend code, making it challenging to reuse content across channels and significantly impacting the Omnichannel strategy.

Headless CMS vs Traditional CMS

While Headless CMS has gained widespread popularity as a flexible solution for multi-channel content distribution, Traditional CMS still plays a significant role in the business growth journey for many companies

Hence, when making a decision on which CMS approach to adopt, you need to carefully consider their development requirements and weigh the pros and cons of both Traditional CMS and Headless CMS. 

Traditional CMS

Pros

• Simplicity & Ease of Use: Traditional CMS provides user-friendly interfaces and pre-built templates, making it easy for users to create and manage content without requiring in-depth technical knowledge or programming skills
• All-in-one Solution: Traditional CMS will provide a comprehensive set of features, functionalities, and integrated tools for content creation, organization, publishing, and management, including SEO optimization, eCommerce capabilities, and more.
• Rapid Development: Using Traditional CMS can help your business accelerate the website development process by leveraging ready-made templates to quickly create and launch web pages, especially for projects with time or resource constraints.
• Support Community: You will easily find support from a large user community of Traditional CMS platforms, along with abundant documentation and a plethora of plugins and extensions. 
• Content & Design Coupling: For Traditional CMS platforms, the content management backend is tightly integrated with the user interface frontend, ensuring a consistent and cohesive visual experience throughout the entire website. 

Cons

• Limited Flexibility: Traditional CMS platforms limit customization and flexibility. These CMSs provide pre-built templates, features, and tools, so implementing unique designs or complex functionalities would require significant investment in customization and development. 
• Platform Dependency: Developers and content creators working within the ecosystem of a specific Traditional CMS platform may face challenges when transitioning to a different CMS. They would need to migrate content and redesign the website, causing inconvenience and consuming time.
• Content & Design Coupling: This capability is both an advantage and a disadvantage of Traditional CMS platforms, as it poses challenges for content reuse across different channels. This leads to inconsistent content distribution across all channels and impacts the customer experience. 
• Security & Maintenance: Traditional CMS platforms can have security risks if not updated and maintained properly. Issues such as system complexity and hidden bugs in plugins or extensions require businesses to regularly update and maintain. 

Headless CMS

Pros

• Flexibility & Customization: Headless CMS empowers developers to have full control over the frontend development process. They can choose the most suitable technologies and frameworks to meet development needs, enabling them to create flexible and innovative customizations. 
• Omnichannel Delivery: Headless CMS excels in effortlessly distributing content through APIs to various platforms and channels, including websites, mobile applications, social media, IoT devices, and more. This ensures a seamless and consistent user experience across multiple channels.
• Content Reusability: The separation of the backend and frontend in Headless CMS allows marketers to effortlessly reuse previously created and stored content across various digital channels. This saves your time and effort by eliminating the need to recreate content for each specific platform.
• Performance & Flexibility: The separation of backend and frontend enables each component to concentrate on its specific tasks. It enhances performance and scalability, making Headless CMS well-suited for high-traffic websites or applications. 
• Future-proofing architecture: Kiến trúc của Headless CMS được thiết kế linh hoạt và nhanh nhạy, có thể thích ứng với các công nghệ và nền tảng mới. Khi các công nghệ mới xuất hiện, việc tích hợp với Headless CMS khá đơn giản, giúp doanh nghiệp luôn thích nghi tốt trong bối cảnh công nghệ kỹ thuật số không ngừng thay đổi.

Cons

• Complexibility: For non-technical users, the setup and management of a Headless CMS can pose difficulties. Developers and content creators may need to familiarize themselves with modern technologies when working with Headless CMS. Moreover, while Headless CMS offers great flexibility, integrating third-party services, managing APIs, and ensuring data consistency across various platforms and channels can be more complex compared to Traditional CMS platforms. Therefore, for a successful and efficient implementation of a Headless CMS, businesses will require a knowledgeable and technically proficient team or specialized expertise to handle the deployment.
• Maintenance & Updates: Because of the separation between content storage and user interface, the development process in Headless CMS requires the separate management of these two aspects. Therefore, Headless CMS requires regular maintenance and updates to ensure compatibility, security, and system performance.

Who is Headless CMS best for?

Considering the pros and cons of both Traditional CMS and Headless CMS, it is evident that small and medium-sized businesses with simpler data structures, limited technical expertise, and programming skills may find Traditional CMS a better choice.

However, the advent of Headless CMS has provided a boost for businesses seeking to thrive in the digital race and adapt to the trends of Industry 4.0. Therefore, Headless CMS is particularly suitable for medium to large enterprises that deal with substantial content volumes. With Headless CMS, businesses can effectively manage their extensive content repositories, ensuring scalability and performance even under high traffic conditions.

The structured content storage backend allows businesses to reuse content across various digital channels. Furthermore, the API-based content distribution of Headless CMS enables seamless multi-channel content delivery, effectively enhancing the reach of target customers. Additionally, the flexibility and integration capabilities of Headless CMS make it easier for businesses to integrate the latest technologies into their existing systems and maintain robust security measures.

Overall, Headless CMS provides businesses in the digital era with outstanding capabilities for efficient content management, optimized distribution, and flexible adaptation to ever-changing market trends.

With years of experience collaborating with businesses worldwide, SECOMM understands that effectively managing and distributing large volumes of content is a key goal for every eCommerce enterprise.

Contact SECOMM or call our hotline (02871089908) today to receive expert advice on effective multi-channel content distribution solutions, stand out from the competition, and adapt to the Industry 4.0 trends with Headless CMS.

The eCommerce platforms are often considered the “backbone” of any experienced business in the market. To embark on the eCommerce journey, your business needs to choose the right eCommerce platform to build your website. 

In addition to Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, Squarespace, PrestaShop, etcOpenCart become a popular choice for many international SMEs. 

What is OpenCart?

OpenCart is an open-source eCommerce platform based on the PHP programming language, developed by Daniel Kerr in 1998. Currently, OpenCart offers two versions: Free and Cloud Store (Paid).

For the Cloud Store version, you have three solution options to build your eCommerce website: 

• Bronze: €59/month, for small businesses (1 CPU 2GB)
• Silver: €99/month, for medium-sized businesses (2 CPU 4GB)
• Gold: €199/month, for enterprise-level businesses (4 CPU 8GB)

According to BuiltWith, there are over 2,500 websites built on this platform. Some famous brands using OpenCart include WeLoveFine, GT Omega, Arrowfile, and Kleshna.

The Pros of Using OpenCart

Admin Dashboard

OpenCart is a user-friendly platform, even for those without technical experience. You don’t need to invest much time in training staff to manage products, orders, customer information, or other features on the website. 

Themes and Extensions

Over the years, OpenCart’s marketplace has offered more than 13,000 functional modules and ready-to-use themes. You can find suitable themes for any industry along with 3rd-party extensions, payment gateways, shipping providers, marketing tools, analytics, and reporting, which enrich your journey of building an eCommerce system. 

Flexibility

With its nature as an open-source eCommerce platform, OpenCart has the ability to be flexibly customized. Also, you can own and control the entire source code. That said, you’ll customize code components, create updates, or even develop new features within the system based on your needs.

In addition, OpenCart also has good scalability, enabling you to upgrade to multiple languages and currencies for your global expansion goals. 

No Transaction Fee

For eCommerce platforms like Shopify, and BigCommerce, operating on a licensing model. This means they charge fees for platform usage on a monthly/yearly basis. These platforms typically charge an average transaction fee of 1.5% to 2% per transaction. On the contrary, OpenCart’s Cloud Store version charges no fees. 

The Cons of Using OpenCart

Technical Skills Required

OpenCart is an open-source platform built with one of the most complex programming languages — PHP. That means, to successfully develop your own eCommerce website, you should build a skilled in-house team or collaborate with an experienced agency. 

Lack of Scalability

Although OpenCart offers many features, it may not be sufficient for you to manage and operate your complex eCommerce website. It’s different when compared to another PHP-based open-source eCommerce platform like Adobe Commerce (also known as Magento). Adobe Commerce allows you to expand from one website to multiple websites while managing them under the same system effectively. 

Hidden Costs 

It’s worth noting that OpenCart doesn’t charge transaction fees and it’s affordable cost of using OpencCart’s Cloud Store compared to other platforms. However, you need to add up the expenses for integrating various extensions. Each extension typically costs a minimum of $20 per month.

But if you want to create a comprehensive eCommerce website system, you may need at least 10 extensions. As a result, when opting for OpenCart, you should be aware of the potential hidden costs associated with these extensions. 

OpenCart, with its own set of pros and cons, is generally a suitable eCommerce platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, large-sized businesses looking for open-source eCommerce solutions may find platforms like Magento or Shopify Plus more fitting. 

Having in-depth expertise and a track record of successfully developing complex eCommerce systems on Magento, such as Laybyland (Australia, US, New Zealand), Jasnor (Australia, New Zealand), and An Nam Group (Vietnam), SECOMM understands the challenges that businesses encounter when selecting and implementing an open-source eCommerce platform.

Get in touch with SECOMM today or call directly to the hotline at 02871089908 for a free consultation on tailored solutions for your eCommerce system development needs!

Shopify Plus is a platform designed for high-growth eCommerce businesses. Over the years, Shopify Plus has been the top choice for leading global brands such as GymShark, Fashion Nova, Kylie Cosmetics, and more. 

Simply because the platform successfully provides its customers with exceptional features to optimize the customer experience and enhance the effectiveness of sales and marketing strategy. 

Here are the top 6 core Shopify Plus features that benefit enterprise-level brands in eCommerce website development. 

Related Readings: Top 10 Most Successful Shopify Plus eCommerce Websites

Multi-store management

For retailers targeting sales in the global market, Shopify Plus is the go-to choice platform. 

The platform provides a multi-store feature that allows businesses to create up to 9 additional stores in 20 different locations apart from the main store to track inventory and fulfill orders. 

Each additional store will have its own domain, design, products, and customer data which can be managed from a single Shopify Plus account. This means businesses can easily switch between stores and manage everything from a single dashboard. 

Omnichannel Capabilities

Not only Shopify Plus supports businesses in building a comprehensive eCommerce website while also facilitating Omnichannel implementation. The platform also allows businesses to provide their customers with a consistent shopping experience across channels, including websites, mobile apps, online marketplaces, social media, and physical stores. 

The Shopify POS feature helps seamlessly integrate sales points from online to offline. Businesses can use Shopify POS to track orders and inventory at all active sales channels.  

Automatic Workflows

Shopify Flow

Shopify Flow is an eCommerce automation solution encouraged by Shopify for business implementing Shopify Plus. 

Shopify Flow helps businesses handle repetitive tasks such as inventory management, fraud prevention, setting up loyalty programs, and fulfillment management quickly and automatically. This allows businesses to focus more on their core operations. 

With Flow, businesses can rapidly build customized eCommerce automation workflows using visual, code-free blocks called triggers, conditions, and actions. 

For example, an automated workflow to add customers to a loyalty program could unfold as follows:

• Trigger: An order has been placed
• Condition: If the order is equal to or exceeds $500
• Action: Tag the customer as VIP

LaunchPad 

LaunchPad allows businesses to set up and automate the essential processes for organizing promotional events, flash sales, and product launches. 

Using LaunchPad, businesses can:

• Create, and schedule automated tasks such as product uploads, price adjustments, image changes, and banners tailored to specific events. 
• Set up complex scripts, such as providing free gifts with certain items, offering free shipping based on the type and value of the order, and evaluate sales performance between different periods and making adjustments to achieve set goals. 
• Monitor campaigns to compare, analyze, and evaluate sales performance between different periods and make adjustments to achieve set goals. 

Customize Checkouts Experience

If standard Shopify businesses need to leverage apps or alternative solutions, Shopify Plus businesses have access to Shopify Scripts. 

This feature is exclusively available for Shopify Plus merchants and allows for personalized customer experiences at the cart and checkout stages. Businesses can use the Script Editor app to gain more control over how customers interact with their eCommerce website by creating special offers, and discounts, adding upsells, cross-sells, and customizing the checkout experience. 

With Shopify Scripts‘ high level of autonomy, businesses can freely experiment to deliver unique experiences for their customers.

Three types of scripts include

• Line Item Scripts: These scripts can adjust the price of a specific product whenever it is added or removed from the cart.
• Shipping Scripts: These scripts can be used to modify shipping methods and fees.
• Payment Scripts: These scripts can rename, hide, and reorder payment gateways and will run every time a customer accesses the payment method page during checkout. 

Here are some examples of scripts that can be customized:

• Percentage (%) discount for products.
• Dollar ($) discount for products.
• Bulk discounts.
• Buy One Get One (BOGO).
• Modify shipping fees.
• Rearrange payment gateways.
• Hide payment gateways.

Advanced Security

Shopify Plus meets the highest standards of online security, and all Shopify Plus businesses have SSL certificates used to encrypt sensitive information, such as credit card details. 

Moreover, Shopify Plus provides two-factor authentication and account recovery features to protect websites from unauthorized access.

In particular, businesses can obtain an Extended Validation SSL certificate, which offers the highest level of protection available on Shopify Plus. In this case, a green padlock icon will be displayed in the browser’s address bar, assuring customers that the business’s website is secure to use.

Shopify Plus also offers fraud analysis tools that allow businesses to monitor their website for detecting any suspicious activities. For example, when any fraudulent orders are detected, the tool will flag them for the business to decide whether to cancel or fulfill the order.”

B2B Support

Shopify Plus offers a range of features to support B2B eCommerce operations, including:

• Flexible payment options
• Order and reorder management
• Customized pricing
• Integration with ERP, OMS, and CRM systems.

Additionally, businesses can set up wholesale channels to cater to customers with bulk purchasing needs.

Those are the 6 core features of Shopify Plus that you can leverage to boost your business operations efficiency and give your customers the best shopping experience.

Contact or call directly to the SECOMM hotline (02871089908) for a free consultation.

Shopify Plus is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms tailored for large-scale enterprises experiencing rapid growth. Currently, there are more than 27000 live webstores based on this platform. 

Below, we highlight 10 brands that have achieved remarkable success in captivating customers through their online shopping experience by deploying eCommerce websites using Shopify Plus.

Kylie Cosmetics

The success of the Kylie Cosmetics brand lies on the fame and influence of Kylie Jenner on social media along with the smart business strategy that focuses on leveraging the power of eCommerce. 

The brand chose to build their eCommerce website on Shopify Plus platform with a design that emphasizes simplicity, using pink and white as the main color tones. In addition, their website only displays products from the collection that they are currently promoting. This is also their core business strategy – they limit the quantity of products sold to target the customers’ FOMO mentality.

• Website: https://kyliecosmetics.com/
• Industry: Cosmetics
• Traffic: 572.7K/month
• Ranking: 23,944 (USA) & 89,414 (Worldwide)

GymShark

Another famous brand that deploys their Shopify Plus eCommerce website is GymShark. Established in 2012, the brand specializes in providing accessories and sportswear, with an initial value was around 1 million USA. Over the years, GymShark ultimately becomes a billion-dollar brand and makes their presence known in over 131 markets.

The GymShark website showcases an extensive product catalog for men, women, and children, offering a wide range of styles and sizes. Moreover, the brand integrates Instagram into their website to reach and engage with the growing users of this social media platform. Also, GymShark leverages their Instagram account to create outfit mix-and-match inspiration, using their own products, thereby encouraging purchases.

• Website: https://us.shop.gymshark.com/
• Industry: Sportswear
• Traffic: 8.2M/month
• Ranking: 2,706 (USA) & 4,927 (Worldwide)

Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova is a well-known fashion brand in North America and Europe, offering a wide range of fashion products and accessories for men, women, and children, with diverse styles, colors, and sizes that conform to the US-UK. fashion standard. In 2018, Fashion Nova topped the list of the most searched fashion brands on the internet.

Their eCommerce website is based on the Shopify Plus platform, enabling it to handle a massive amount of traffic, approximately 25.5 million visitors per month. The website features all the necessary functionalities with a distinct design specific to the fashion industry. Furthermore, Fashion Nova regularly releases new seasonal collections accompanied by enticing promotions to attract customers to shop on their website.

• Website: https://www.fashionnova.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 25.5M/month
• Ranking: 349 (USA) & 1,471 (Worldwide)

Cettire

Cettire is one of the leading online retailers of luxury fashion in Australia. The brand specializes in providing clothing, footwear, and accessories from over 1300 renowned luxury brands worldwide, such as Saint Laurent, Prada, Balenciaga, Gucci, and more. In 2020, Cettire was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with a total revenue of 124 million AUD for the fiscal year 2021.

The brand built their eCommerce website with the Shopify Plus platform. This helps the website attract the attention of fashion enthusiasts everywhere, not only because it is a destination for online shopping of luxury fashion brands but also because of its minimalist yet modern design with captivating videos and graphics.

• Website: https://www.cettire.com/
• Industry: High-end fashion
• Traffic: 4M/month
• Ranking: 7,189 (USA) & 11,333 (Worldwide)

Decathlon Viet Nam

Decathlon has a vast product catalog that can meet every need for sports training, ranging from gym clothes, running shoes, swimming goggles, and camping tents, to hiking backpacks. Therefore, it’s not surprising that Decathlon chose Shopify Plus to develop its eCommerce website to leverage the platform’s flexible customization and high scalability.

To keep up with the digital transformation trend, Decathlon places special emphasis on two sales channels: the website and the app, offering attractive promotional programs exclusively for customers who make purchases through these channels. Additionally, Decathlon integrates multiple payment methods and utilizes SSL encryption to ensure a safe and efficient online shopping experience.

• Website: https://www.decathlon.vn/vi
• Industry: Sportswear and accessories
• Traffic: 461M/month
• Ranking: 1,873 (Vietnam) và 91,416 (Worldwide)

Supersports

Supersports is the next sportswear and accessories brand on the list that uses Shopify Plus for its eCommerce website. It is a reliable shopping destination for genuine fashion items from major brands such as Puma, Under Armour, Fila, Crocs, Adidas, Nike, and more.

The brand regularly offers attractive promotional programs for customers shopping on their website. Also, Supersports dedicates a page on their website for customers to easily check ongoing promotional activities at their outlets. To ensure customers don’t miss out on any shopping deals, the company implements an exit popup that encourages customers to sign up and receive information about new products, special offers, and vouchers via their email.

• Website: https://supersports.com.vn/en
• Industry: Sportswear and accessories
• Traffic: 866.7M/month
• Ranking: 1,266 (Vietnam) & 63,546 (Worldwide)

Durex Viet Nam

No one is unfamiliar with Durex. In addition to focusing on enhancing their presence on social media platforms, Durex has also invested in developing their eCommerce website meticulously on the Shopify Plus platform to enrich the online shopping experience for their customers.

• Website: https://www.durexvietnam.vn/
• Industry: Health Community
• Traffic: 113,6M/month
• Ranking: 10,716 (Vietnam) & 494,850 (Worldwide)

Swee Lee Viet Nam

Swee Lee is one of the leading music instrument brands in Vietnam. The company’s eCommerce website is built on Shopify Plus, equipped with all the core features to operate and provide customers with the best shopping experience.

Swee Lee implements an exit popup to collect user emails for email marketing campaigns. The products available on the Swee Lee website are diverse, ranging from guitars, ukuleles, to pianos, with various attributes (e.g. models, prices, and brands).

• Website: https://www.sweelee.com.vn/
• Industry: Music Instruments
• Traffic: 33M/month
• Ranking: 27,269 (Vietnam) & 1,221,800 (Worldwide)

Skechers Viet Nam

The renowned American shoe brand, Skechers, also leverages Shopify Plus to build its eCommerce website. Skechers develops high-quality and comfortable product lines that align with current fashion trends. In addition to footwear for men, women, and children, the brand is also expanding its range to include clothing and accessories.

To encourage customers to shop more on the website, Skechers Vietnam consistently launches attractive promotional programs along with various gifts and vouchers.

• Website: https://www.skechersvn.vn/
• Industry: Footwear
• Traffic: 40,6M/month
• Ranking: 7,568 (Vietnam) & 340,941 (Worldwide)

Trollbeads Viet Nam

The website of Trollbeads, a renowned jewelry brand, is using the Shopify Plus eCommerce platform. As a pioneer in the world of exquisite gemstone jewelry, Trollbeads offers their customers luxurious and intricately crafted high-end jewelry pieces. Both men and women can customize their jewelry, including bracelets, rings, necklaces, and earrings, to suit their preferences, personalities, and individual stories.

Furthermore, on special occasions, Trollbeads showcases appropriate products on the website to facilitate easy selection for customers. Clear product images presented from multiple angles allow customers to observe the intricate design details and exquisite patterns of each jewelry item. Furthermore, the website has a dedicated section sharing the craftsmanship of artisanal handicrafts, the stories behind the gemstones, and jewelry care.

• Website: https://www.trollbeads.vn/
• Industry: Jewelry
• Traffic: 5.1M/month
• Ranking: 1,237,901 (Vietnam) và 14,795,357 (Worldwide)

SECOMM has listed out  10 successful eCommerce websites using the Shopify Plus platform, which have conquered customers and become leaders in their respective fields.

Related article: Shopify Plus vs Adobe Commerce: Key differences 2023

With years of experience successfully implementing eCommerce solutions for clients in multiple countries, SECOMM specializes in providing consulting services with comprehensive eCommerce deployment solutions.

Contact SECOMM or call our hotline (+842871089908) today to receive free support and consultation.

commercetools is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that provides a multi-channel approach, supporting businesses to build and manage eCommerce websites, mobile applications, and other sales channels seamlessly. Moreover, commercetools is a pioneer of Headless eCommerce.

Therefore, as businesses focus on enhancing multi-channel marketing and sales efforts to meet the increasing customer shopping experience demands, commercetools becomes particularly prominent.

Here are 10 brands that have utilized the commercetools platform to actualize their revenue and customer experience goals.

Chronext

Chronext is a renowned global brand specializing in buying and selling luxury watches, boasting a collection of over 7,000 products. Offering a wide array of watches, including new, pre-owned, and classic pieces, Chronext’s expert watchmakers thoroughly inspect each watch before sale and provide a 24-month warranty.

Chronext has implemented an eCommerce website using commercetools, contributing to a 300% increase in page loading speed, a 40% boost in SEO ranking, and a 10% increase in conversion rate. As a result, Chronext has achieved a solid reputation in the luxury watch industry, becoming a trusted destination for watch enthusiasts

• Website: https://www.chronext.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 161,7K/month
• Ranking: 377,247 (USA) & 302,679 (Global)

Promod

Promod is a French brand established in 1975, specializing in providing ready-to-wear fashion for women. This brand is currently present in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Malta.

Promod has utilized commercetools to develop an exceptional eCommerce website, aiming to achieve the expected revenue level and deliver a seamless shopping experience for customers.

• Website: https://www.promod.com/en/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 82.9K/month
• Ranking: 38,707 (France) & 310,507 (Global)

Ulta Beauty

Since opening its first store in 1990, Ulta Beauty has evolved into the largest cosmetics retailer in the United States and a premier beauty destination for cosmetics enthusiasts. The brand offers over 25,000 products from around 500 beauty brands, including its own Ulta Beauty Collection with attractive pricing.

With the need for rapid-scale expansion and the flexibility to implement changes to the platform, Ulta Beauty chose commercetools for its Headless eCommerce solution. In 2022, Ulta Beauty officially launched an entirely new eCommerce website, enabling the brand to manage an extensive product portfolio with over 1.3 million SKUs. This upgrade enhanced the shopping experience with features like the Buy Online, Pickup In-Store (BOPIS) solution.

• Website: https://www.ulta.com/
• Industry: Cosmetics
• Traffic: 34.8M/month
• Ranking: 241 (USA) & 1,214 (Global)

66°North

Since 1928, 66°North has been providing protective clothing for Iceland’s rescue teams, and this successful collaboration has driven the company to continue developing outdoor clothing and accessories with diverse designs. Today, 66°North has become a leading global brand in producing protective workwear suitable for all outdoor activities.

The 66°North website employs commercetools to transition from a monolithic model to a more flexible microservices-based system, tailored to the specific needs of 66°North. This collaboration has led to a 35% increase in average order value, a 75% repeat purchase rate, and a 50% increase in transactions per minute for the 66°North eCommerce website.

• Website: https://www.66north.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 141,8K/month
• Ranking: 557 (Iceland) & 304,892 (Global)

Danone

Danone is a leading global food and beverage company operating in four main business areas including Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters, and Nutritional Products for infants and patients. Danone currently sells products in over 120 markets.

During the crisis period of the Covid-19 pandemic, Danone accelerated its Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) eCommerce strategy and transitioned to a MACH model using commercetools to address shortages of infant formula in Europe. This move also aimed to adapt to sudden supply chain changes and local consumer demands. The addition of cart functionality to the brand websites helped customers access products more swiftly. Furthermore, this strategy allowed the company to expand its web capacity without encountering issues due to the sudden increase in access traffic.

• Website: https://www.danone.com/
• Industry: eGrocery
• Traffic: 362.7K/month
• Ranking: 34,589 (France) & 126,173 (Global)

Tamron

Anyone with a passion for photography is likely familiar with Tamron – a global leader headquartered in Japan. This company specializes in supplying camera lenses of varying focal lengths, catering to all types of cameras. Their products are distributed through a network of partners, local agents, and online platforms such as Amazon. 

As part of their strategy to explore new markets, the company embraced Headless eCommerce through the utilization of commercetools on their subsidiary’s online store in Europe, operating under the name Tamron Europe and based in Germany. The beauty of Headless eCommerce lies in its ability to decouple the user interface (frontend) from the underlying data storage (backend), allowing Tamron Europe to construct and personalize their online store to meet both present and future requirements.

• Website: https://www.tamron.eu/en-GB
• Industry: Manufacture
• Traffic: 121,5K/month
• Ranking: 44,336 (Germany) & 337,575 (Global)

Emma The Sleep Company

With over 2 million mattresses sold and revenue exceeding 645 million euros in 2021, Emma The Sleep Company has become one of the fastest-growing sleep brands in the world.

Emma chose to partner with commercetools to develop a large-scale eCommerce platform to accommodate high traffic volumes. To encourage customer shopping on the website, the company introduced various attractive sales policies such as 0% financing, free shipping, free returns, and a 365-day trial period. Additionally, Emma’s eCommerce website is integrated with Instagram to interact more with customers by encouraging them to share images of their product experiences and tag Emma. As a result, the brand has attracted a considerable number of potential customers.

• Website: https://www.emma-sleep.com/
• Industry: online retail
• Traffic: 160,8K/month
• Ranking: 67,098 (Germany) & 326,056 (Global)

John Lewis & Partners

John Lewis & Partners (formerly known as John Lewis) is a renowned British retail brand with a rich history spanning over 150 years. The brand has utilized commercetools to aim towards the goal of transitioning from its legacy eCommerce platform to a microservices-led cloud service and flexible API-first approach.

The new John Lewis website offers a wide range of high-quality products, including clothing, household appliances, electronics, and beauty products. John Lewis provides a seamless shopping experience from offline stores to the app and eCommerce website. Through quality products, excellent customer care, and optimized payment policies, John Lewis has gradually established itself as a leading and trustworthy retail brand in the United Kingdom, catering to the diverse multi-channel shopping experiences of its customers.

• Website: https://www.johnlewis.com/
• Industry: eGrocery
• Traffic: 21.3M/month
• Ranking: 87 (UK) &1,986 (Global)

Kmart

Kmart is a renowned discount retail store chain in Australia, founded in 1969. To date, Kmart has over 200 stores across Australia and New Zealand, recognized as one of the most profitable discount retail chains in the land down under.

Kmart has undergone a transformation to a cloud-based platform – commercetools, leveraging serverless capabilities with a microservices architecture. By embracing this new technology, Kmart can flexibly customize and expand its eCommerce website to provide the best online shopping experience for customers, while also driving its digital transformation strategy.

• Website: https://www.kmart.com.au/
• Industry: eGrocery
• Traffic: 24.4M/month
• Ranking: 32 (Australia) & 2,013 (Global)

Express

Express is one of the world’s most renowned fashion brands, specializing in clothing and accessories for both men and women across various segments. Recognizing that the monolithic platform posed challenges to its growth, Express turned to Commercetools for a flexible, agile, and highly scalable eCommerce solution to adapt to market trends and the ever-changing shopping preferences of customers.

With a focus on stylish fashion products, Express’s website is designed with a minimalist yet modern and elegant aesthetic. Alongside a diverse range of promotional programs, Express offers customers multiple payment solutions to enhance their shopping experience, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), Buy Online, Pick Up In Store (BOPIS), and Express credit card.

• Website: https://www.express.com/
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 13.3M/month
• Ranking: 629 (USA) & 3,337 (Global)

Above are 10 businesses that have developed eCommerce websites with commercetools and achieved success in both branding and revenue. This success has become a source of inspiration for other businesses seeking solutions to elevate their business operations and enhance their competitive edge in the market.

With extensive experience deploying eCommerce solutions for clients in various countries, SECOMM understands the difficulties and challenges that businesses face during the implementation process.

Contact SECOMM today or call our hotline number (02871089908) directly for a free consultation.

Selecting the right platform to build an eCommerce website is always the first and foremost step in entering the billion-dollar market of online business. 

According to Builtwith, there are more than 200 eCommerce platforms for building websites, with popular ones like Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, and Wix leading the pack. Among them, there is one platform that many enterprise-level businesses favor, and that is Commercetools. 

Since September 2021, Commercetools has raised a total of $308.1 million through six rounds of funding. In 2022, the platform achieved a net revenue milestone of $39.1 million, demonstrating its growth potential in the eCommerce industry. 

What is Commercetools?

This is a cloud-based eCommerce platform built on MACH architecture (Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless), allowing you to tailor your eCommerce experience to fit the exact needs of your business and customers. 

Beyond this, Commercetools is the creator of Headless Commerce solution, which enables you to customize and intercharge the backend and frontend without affecting each other.

Due to years of investment in eCommerce technology, it has been recognized as a ‘Leading platform’ by reputable consulting firms such as Gartner Magic Quadrant, Forrester B2C Commerce Solutions Wave™, and IDC MarketScape: Headless Digital Commerce. 

Some well-known brands that are using the platform include Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Qantas, and more

How does Commercetools work?

Microservices-based

Microservices-based is a software development architecture where applications are divided into smaller and independent components. In an eCommerce system, each microservice takes responsibility for a specific function and can undergo independent development, deployment, and management, separate from other microservices.

The Microservices-based architecture enhances flexibility and scalability, enabling developers and admins to easily maintain and update system components without affecting other parts.

This approach allows Commercetools to deploy frontend and backend components independently, resulting in faster, more reliable, and responsive performance compared to traditional approaches. 

API-first

API-first is a software design approach that focuses on building Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) before developing an eCommerce system. Instead of developing the system first and then building corresponding APIs, API-first requires developers to define the necessary APIs upfront and then use these APIs to develop the entire eCommerce system. 

This approach enhances system flexibility and scalability, reduces development time and ensures the compatibility and interaction between various functionalities.

Currently, Commercetools provides over 300 separate APIs that you can use to build your eCommerce website.

Cloud-native

Cloud-native is a development and deployment architecture designed to leverage the cloud features such as flexibility, availability, security, and automation. 

This architecture typically involves using distributed applications, microservices, automation and integrating extensions to achieve high readiness and scalability. 

Commercetools leverage a cloud-native approach hosted on Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services (AWS), both well-known brands are widely used in certified data centers across Europe, the US, and APAC (Asia-Pacific).

Headless

Headless Commerce is an architecture where the user interface (UI) and the backend are decoupled and operate independently. In headless architecture, the UI is designed solely to focus on displaying content and interacting with users, while the backend is responsible for handling business logic, data storage, and providing APIs to interact with other applications. 

The architecture provides high flexibility and scalability, allowing developers and admins to focus on a specific part of the system without having to change the entire architecture. It also enhances the application diversity and compatibility, as different UI software can be used to display content for users. 

As a pioneer in Headless Commerce technology, Commercetools offers an open and decoupled environment that enables unlimited customization across all eCommerce channels.

The pros of Commercetools

Flexibility

Commercetools has its ability to be flexible with the API architecture, making it compatible with any system and app. This allows you to easily integrate and expand your eCommerce system according to your specific needs. 

Omnichannel

Commercetools supports Omnichannel including eCommerce websites, mobile apps, eCommerce marketplaces, social platforms, brick-and-mortar stores and more. This enables you to reach customers across multiple channels, boosting your conversion rates and revenue. 

Scalability

Because Commercetools is built on MACH architecture, it has an ability to flexibly scale by adding or removing distinct functions as needed. This facilitates easy adaptation to the ever-changing market trends. 

Personalized experience

Commercetools provides you with a personalization feature to improve your customer experience. This way, you can segment your customers based on their behaviors and preference, then offer them personalized promotions or product recommendations.

The cons of Commercetools

Lack of qualified developers

Commercetools is a highly customizable eCommerce platform, which requires a team of technical-skilled developers to deploy and maintain the eCommerce system. 

Moreover, Commercetools is a relatively new platform compared to other popular ones like Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce, and more, so there may be fewer experienced agencies and developers available for you to choose from. 

High costs

The cost of using Commercetools is quite high and will depend on your business’s total revenue, along with the development cost and the cost of integrating third-party plugins or apps. 

If your business has a maximum annual revenue of around 100,000,000 USD, you would have to pay approximately 120,000 USD as an annual licensing fee for using Commercetools. 

Commercetools is a platform that extensively applies advanced technologies to help businesses build highly complex eCommerce websites. However, it is primarily suitable for enterprise-level businesses, with substantial budgets to implement their specialized systems. 

Related article: Top 10 eCommerce Websites Using Commercetools Platform

With years of experience implementing eCommerce solutions for various businesses around the world such as Changi Airport Group (Singapore), Laybyland (Australia), Vinamilk (Vietnam), Jasnor (Australia), My Market (Hong Kong), and more. SECOMM understands the potential of Commercetools for improving business operations, as well as the impediment involved in the development process. 

Contact or call directly our hotline (+842871089908) to the SECOMM hotline for a free consultation.

Shopify represents a trustworthy name in eCommerce development and is the choice of many SMEs. However, for enterprise-level businesses with rapid growth, the standard Shopify plans may not meet their needs sufficiently, in addition to incurring high operational and website maintenance costs. Therefore, Shopify Plus emerged to address these aforementioned issues.

What is Shopify Plus?

Introduced in 2014, Shopify Plus is an enterprise-level eCommerce platform provided by Shopify. Shopify Plus is designed for large businesses with an annual GMV exceeding $1 million and high growth rates.

Simply put, Shopify is for SMEs, while Shopify Plus is designed for mid to large-sized enterprises. Some notable global companies implementing Shopify Plus include Gymshark, Kylie Cosmetics, Redbull, Fashion Nova, Fenty Beauty, and more. In Vietnam, leading brands such as Durex Vietnam, Skechers Vietnam, Trollbeads Vietnam, Supersports, Swee Lee, and others have chosen Shopify Plus.

Key differences between Shopify and Shopify Plus

The Pros of Shopify Plus

Ease of use

Due to its nature as a SaaS eCommerce platform, Shopify Plus is designed to be user-friendly, allowing businesses to quickly build and operate their websites with no coding knowledge required.

Moreover, by using Shopify Plus, businesses won’t worry much about server management, security, or website updates and maintenance. The platform helps them save a significant amount of time and focus on more critical tasks such as sales, marketing, and customer service. 

Customer support

Shopify Plus provides top-notch customer support 24/7 and a dedicated account manager, which can help businesses address any queries through email, chat, and a hotline. It is great as large enterprises may have complex needs and require personalized support. 

Built-in tools 

The built-in tools are another advantage of Shopify Plus which supports businesses in building and operating their eCommerce websites. Among them, product management, inventory tracking, payment processing, shipping, tax calculation, advanced analytics, and more are notable. 

Additionally, Shopify Plus offers numerous customizable templates and apps, allowing businesses to create modern, professional, and feature-rich eCommerce websites without the technical skills required. Shopify Plus also enables businesses to easily scale as their needs change over time.

Furthermore, Shopify Plus gives businesses full access to Shopify’s exclusive programs such as the Merchant Success Program, Shopify Plus Academy, Shopify Plus Partner Program, and the Shopify Plus community on Facebook.

Scalability

Unlike the standard Shopify plans, Shopify Plus has become a popular choice among large enterprises due to its high scalability. The platform can easily scale up or down depending on the business need which helps deal with increased website traffic and surges in orders during busy shopping periods. 

Customizability

Another significant advantage of Shopify Plus lies in its high level of customization, allowing businesses to tailor their eCommerce websites to specific needs such as customizing templates, apps, payment integration, and more. As a result, the eCommerce website is built with uniqueness and creativity, highlighting the brand image and providing customers with an excellent shopping experience. The platform’s customizability has made it a powerful tool for driving online sales and sustainable growth. 

Security

Security is a top priority for eCommerce businesses, especially for large enterprises. Shopify Plus is a PCI-compliant platform that meets the data security standards of payment cards, ensuring that all payment transactions processed through this platform are secure. All customer data is encrypted using SSL to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access. Additionally, Shopify Plus integrates a DDoS protection feature, safeguarding against dangerous attacks that can disrupt website traffic and accessibility.

The Cons of Shopify Plus

Limited content management

Content management is not a strong suit of both Shopify and Shopify Plus compared to other platforms, especially WordPress. First is the limited blogging functionality, which makes it difficult to create and manage blog categories on the website. Moreover, if the content is a core element of the marketing strategy, this limitation should be carefully considered as it can significantly impact SEO optimization. Another limitation is the lack of control over the URL structure of product pages, which poses challenges in optimizing URLs for search engines.

Overall, while Shopify Plus provides many features for businesses to build and manage eCommerce websites, if content management is a priority, it may be worth considering other platforms that offer more advanced content management capabilities.

Platform dependency

If businesses build their websites based on an open-source platform, the platform migration is relatively simple and they can fully own the source code and all data. 

On the contrary, Shopify Plus is a SaaS platform, and the entire website system of the business is hosted on Shopify’s servers, which means ownership and control of the source code and data belonging to Shopify Plus. This means that data related to eCommerce activities on the website is tightly locked-in to Shopify’s database. This leads to two issues:

• Vendor risk:

Suppose Shopify goes bankrupt or faces unforeseen risks. In that case, the entire business operations on this platform would be lost, and it would not be possible to retrieve all the latest data. However, this risk is unlikely to occur.

• Data export:

In the event of discontinuing the use of Shopify and switching to another platform, the business can export data to a CSV file containing information such as product details, customer accounts, inventory, orders, etc. However, the data that Shopify allows to be accessed and exported is not comprehensive but only a portion of it.

High expertise required

Although Shopify Plus is considered user-friendly and suitable for users with strong technical skills, large enterprises need a certain level of expertise to effectively implement eCommerce with Shopify Plus. Because it is a highly customizable platform, businesses will need to have some understanding or collaborate with experienced developers to maximize the platform’s features and capabilities.

Pricing

The cost of using Shopify Plus will be based on revenue. Initially, each business will pay a minimum of $2000/month for standard setup and integration. Once the revenue reaches $800,000/month, Shopify Plus will charge the business based on revenue, at a rate of 0.25% of the monthly revenue. However, the fee will not exceed $40,000/month or $480,000/year

Advantages 

At first glance, this may seem like a large amount of money but for enterprise-level businesses, this pricing is reasonable because Shopify Plus provides a robust eCommerce platform that helps businesses operate more efficiently compared to standard Shopify plans. 

• Reason 1:

As mentioned, the main advantage of Shopify Plus lies in its scalability and customizability but it is limited in standard Shopify plans. A growing business will need an eCommerce platform that can meet the demands of expansion and development. Shopify Plus is designed to handle high sales volumes and can support 10,000 transactions per minute. Additionally, businesses can customize their eCommerce website and leverage built-in features and tools to optimize their operations and sales.

• Reason 2:

Another advantage of Shopify Plus is that businesses do not have to pay for hosting, bug fixes, maintenance, or updates. The additional fees that businesses need to pay are transaction fees, specifically:

Credit card transaction fees that businesses have to pay to Shopify Plus will vary depending on the country but typically range from 1.5% to 2.5% per transaction.

In addition, Shopify Plus will charge a small fee of approximately 0.15% for transactions with third-party payment gateways, but this fee is waived if the business uses Shopify Payments as a payment method.

Compared to the three standard Shopify plans, the credit card transaction fees of Shopify Plus are still relatively low, with the following differences:

• Basic ($29/month): 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction
• Shopify ($79/month):  2.6% + 30 cents per transaction
• Advanced ($299/month): 2.4% + 30 cents per transaction
• Shopify Plus (starting from $2000/month): 2.15% + 30 cents per transaction (fee applied for the US market)

→ It can be seen that compared to the highest-tier standard Shopify plan – Advanced, the credit card transaction fees of Shopify Plus will save businesses 0.25%.

Now look at the transaction fees with third parties:

• • Basic: 2% per transaction
  • Shopify: 1% per transaction
  • Advanced: 0.5% per transaction
• Shopify Plus: 0.15% per transaction

→ The difference in fees for transactions with third parties is evident, and Shopify Plus is a better choice.

• Reason 3:

Shopify has a vast app store with over 6000 apps developed by Shopify and third parties. In Particular, there are many apps developed specifically for Shopify Plus. Depending on each business’s needs, the cost of installing apps can range from $0 to a few hundred dollars or several thousand dollars per month.

The basic setup of the Shopify Plus platform is sufficient for businesses to operate their websites. However, to deploy more effectively and provide a better customer experience, businesses may need to install additional Shopify apps, which incur costs. Naturally, with the investment in these apps, businesses will gain equivalent benefits.

Disadvantages

Due to its nature as a SaaS eCommerce platform, businesses will not own the source code and website data, which leads to cost disadvantages. Businesses that have reached the level of using Shopify Plus will have a demand for utilizing features, apps, and tools or integrating with third parties. In addition to the fixed monthly cost of using Shopify Plus, businesses also have to pay monthly additional fees based on their needs. This makes it difficult for enterprise-level businesses to manage their cash flow. 

On the other hand, for most open-source platforms, although deployment costs are high and deployment time is long, businesses can make a one-time payment and own the source code, data, and long-term features. Therefore, using open-source platforms will help enterprise-level businesses manage their cash flow more efficiently.

Related article: Shopify Plus vs Adobe Commerce: Key Differences 2023

With many years of experience implementing eCommerce solutions for numerous businesses in different countries, SECOMM understands the potential of Shopify Plus to empower eCommerce operations as well as the challenges and difficulties they may encounter during the initial stage.

Contact SECOMM today or call our hotline (+842871089908) to receive a free consultation.

Shopify Plus and Adobe Commerce are platforms that mid to large-sized companies consider when it comes to eCommerce development due to the customizability and scalability of the two. 

Still, there are some major differences between Shopify Plus and Adobe Commerce that business owners should be aware of before making a start.

Overview

What is Adobe Commerce?

Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento Commerce) is an open-source eCommerce platform for medium, large, and enterprise-level businesses with high growth rates and customization demand. Adobe Commerce offers two versions:

• Adobe Commerce on-premise: a self-hosted version
• Adobe Commerce on-cloud: a hosted version

Both are paid-for versions, which provide unlimited website development and customization opportunities. The difference is the on-premise version doesn’t provide hosting, while the on-cloud does. In addition, the on-cloud version provides a certain level of automatic updates, so the cost is higher compared to Adobe Commerce on-premise. Therefore, you can decide based on your specific needs. 

Beyond this, there’s a free version offered, Magento Open Source, which comes with many essential features.

What is Shopify Plus?

This is considered an upgraded version of the standard Shopify plans specifically for mid to large-scale businesses with rapid growth. Due to its nature as a SaaS platform, Shopify Plus is designed to be easy to use, allowing businesses to quickly implement it without the technical skills required.

Relating Article: The Pros and Cons of Shopify Plus

KKey differences between Shopify Plus and Adobe Commerce

Pricing

• Shopify Plus: 
  • License fee: Start at $2,000/month and the charge will turn into a revenue-based model after you reach $800,000/month in sales. This means you have to pay Shopify Plus 0,25% of your monthly revenue. However, this percentage will not cross $40,000/month or $480,000/year. 
  • Transaction fee: Credit card processing fee will range between 1,5% to 2,5%/transaction. Third-party payment processing fee like PayPal, 2Checkout, and Skrill is 0,15% on every transaction but if your business uses the Shopify Payment service, this fee is waived.
  • Hosting fee: the platform fee you pay to Shopify Plus includes a hosting fee, so you don’t have to pay any extra fee for hosting, maintenance, updates, or security as it is Shopify’s responsibility. 
  • Development fee: Typically, you can use Shopify’s built-in themes to build your eCommerce website ranging in price from $0 to $180. In reality, you need to seek solutions that maximize the customization and scalability of Shopify Plus. So, the costs, based on your specific requirements, will range from $10,000 to $250,000. To streamline your development cost, you should consider your needs and wants for the eCommerce website.
• Adobe Commerce:

• • Platform fee: For the on-premise version, the fee will range from $22,000 to $125,000 per year. For the on-cloud version, the fee is from $40,000 to $190,000 per year. 
  • Transaction fee: It depends on the payment service providers you intend to use, ranging from around 2,9% per transaction. However, you should contact Adobe for more details.  
  • Hosting fee: For the on-premise version, you have to find a hosting provider yourself and the fee depends on your provider. For the on-cloud version, the hosting will be provided to you at prices ranging from $500 to $10,000 per month and the fee will vary based on your business scale and customization demand. 

Development fee: Building a website on open-source platforms typically incurs higher costs compared to SaaS platforms. Therefore, the development costs with Adobe Commerce are higher than Shopify Plus, ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 per project, but it offers more scalability and custom features.

Customization & Scalability

• Customization:

Adobe Commerce is an open-source platform, meaning developers can access the source code and easily customize it. This allows you to create specific features and custom integrations to meet your needs.

Shopify Plus also offers high customization with a wide range of available themes, plugins, and apps. However, as a SaaS platform, Shopify Plus doesn’t have the same level of customization as Adobe Commerce. 

• Scalability:

Both platforms have scalability and can handle huge traffic and transaction volumes. However, Adobe Commerce has higher scalability than Shopify Plus, especially for businesses with large, complex product catalogs or extensive inventory management needs. 

The robust Adobe Commerce platform enables businesses to scale easily, handle increased website traffic and achieve high sales volumes. Moreover, Adobe Commerce provides you with a lot of advanced features to manage product catalogs, pricing, and promotions. This way, it benefits large-scale businesses. 

In general, Adobe Commerce offers higher customization and scalability compared to Shopify Plus but its development process is complex and requires technical expertise and experience.  On the other hand, Shopify Plus is known for its easy-to-use platform, allowing businesses without strong technical skills to quickly deploy their websites.

Multi-store support

The ability to support multiple stores is a crucial factor for many large-scale eCommerce businesses operating in multiple locations when choosing a platform.

Shopify Plus offers up to 9 additional stores to track inventory and fulfill orders in different locations based on the main store, with a maximum of 20 locations. This means you can manage all stores from a single dashboard that contains all user data, staff accounts, sales analytics, etc.

On the contrary, Adobe Commerce allows you to manage an unlimited number of stores on a single admin panel. You can synchronize inventory and share product catalogs among the stores. The platform also allows you to freely make changes at different levels as well as set up ranges to manage product attributes at a local or global level. These features make Adobe Commerce a popular choice for multinational corporations and global B2B, B2C retailers.

Therefore, the choice between Shopify Plus and Adobe Commerce for multi-store support depends on the business model, scale, and specific development needs.

Hỗ trợ triển khai Omnichannel

Adobe Commerce offers two main options for implementing Omnichannel:

• Order management: This helps you manage orders, shipping, returns, and inventory across numerous channels
• Third-party extensions: The platform provides a range of third-party extensions and integrations to implement Omnichannel strategies effectively. 

Shopify Plus also supports businesses to implement Omnichannel. One notable feature of Shopify Plus is its robust point-of-sale (POS) system called Shopify POS, which seamlessly integrates sales points across various channels, from online to offline.

In a nutshell, Shopify Plus is for mid to large-sized businesses with rapid growth and a demand for highly customizable and scalable solutions. However, Adobe Commerce offers even more flexibility, scalability, and customization than Shopify Plus. In fact, the more flexible and customizable platform, the more complex and costly the implementation process becomes. As a result, you should consider your business scale and development needs to make the right decision. 

Contact or call the SECOMM hotline (02871089908) to get a free consultation.

According to data compiled by Statista, over 82% of retail sales take place in brick-and-mortar stores. Within that, more than 81% of customers have spent time researching products online before deciding. This demonstrates both online and offline business activities must be aligned for the optimized overall operation. That means you, as a business, need to consider implementing an O2O commerce strategy in line with your business goals and capabilities.

Define objectives

To establish objectives, it’s important to determine your vision for O2O commerce implementation. It represents the future look that you aim to achieve, and then you will set specific and measurable goals. You can also use SWOT to make sure you understand your strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats. 

Clear objectives will keep you focused on what is important, minimize risks, and achieve O2O commerce success.

Plan the strategy

Next is to work with your team to develop O2O strategies to achieve the established objectives. 

You can use performance analysis software to measure and analyze, identifying pain points and touchpoints throughout the purchasing journey. This way, you can determine which O2O model to implement and which channels are suited for the chosen model. 

After choosing your business model, you will select resources to facilitate O2O commerce. 

Here are 3 great ways to pool resources:

Number 1. Plan to build your in-house team for both online and offline sales channels

Pros: You can manage and shape your team to develop the business the way you want

Cons: It requires significant costs and time to recruit and train your in-house team, making your market entry to be slower than the competition. 

Number 2. Collaborate with an O2O-experienced developer

Pros: You can learn a lot from your partner

Cons: It’s not easy to find trustworthy and professional partners with expertise that suits your needs. 

Number 3. Facilitate the O2O commerce with an expert developer along with building the in-house team to maintain it.

Pros: You can quickly develop the O2O system and control it in the long run

Cons: It takes time to find a trustworthy vendor, as well as the costs to recruit and train your in-house team.

Those approaches can help you in effectively outlining your O2O commerce plan, encompassing aspects such as budget allocation and implementation timeline.

Optimize the offline commerce system

Typically, businesses that implement O2O strategies are those that already have an existing offline business system. However, to effectively fulfill O2O orders you must optimize your offline commerce capabilities. The optimized offline system will strengthen your O2O operations with some management software such as POS, CRM, ERP, and PIM instead of using manual management processes relying on paperwork or Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, OneNote, Access, etc).

POS (Point of Sale) is where the buying and selling transactions take place. A POS system combines hardware and software to create a complete transaction process. Some popular POS systems include Magestore, mPOS, VNPAY, and KiotViet. 

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is software that helps plan and manage all operations of a business. Some world-renowned ERPs include Odoo, Sage, TomERP, Oracle, and SAP. 

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a software that allows you to manage information and interaction of your existing and prospective customers. CRM helps you to collect, store, and analyze customer data to improve customer interactions and enhance sales capabilities. You can use CRM tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, Zoho, and Pipedrive. 

PIM (Product Information Management) is a system used to store and manage your business’s product information in a centralized manner. Product information includes technical specifications, descriptions, images, videos, size and color information, multilingual product descriptions, and other relevant information needed by marketers or sales staff. There are some popular PIM solutions including Pimworks, Salsify, Akeneo, and Inriver.  

Depending on the current level of digitization in your offline operations, you can consider upgrading existing systems, transitioning to different platforms, or implementing additional suitable software solutions. 

Develop the online commerce system

Select platforms

Typically, building the online commerce system including websites, and apps, you can choose between 2 types of platforms: SaaS and Open Source.

SaaS (Software as a Service) platform is a service delivery model where the website system is provided as software. In this model, data is stored on the provider’s server, and the platform is responsible for handling technical issues for the business.

Some popular SaaS platforms:  Haravan, Shopify, and BigCommerce.

• Pros: Easy to use, quick development time, high security, 24/7 customer support
• Cons: Increasing development costs over time, businesses have limited ownership of source code and data, limitations in functionality and customization, and scalability.

The SaaS platform is often a popular choice for startups or SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) due to its reasonable cost and implementation time. 

The Open Source platform refers to software with publicly available source code that can be used by anyone free of charge. Open-source platforms are the optimal choice for businesses to develop comprehensive websites and apps. 

Some notable Open-source platforms include Magento, WooCommerce (a plugin for WordPress), and OpenCart. 

• Pros: High customization and scalability, diverse critical features and utilities, you have ownership of source code and data. 
• Cons: Not user-friendly, high development costs, lengthy implementation time. 

The Open-source platform is the perfect choice for enterprise-level businesses requiring complex customization due to its high flexibility and scalability.

In addition, you can also build your store on popular eCommerce marketplaces such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Sendo, and Amazon. Marketplaces give you a great opportunity to reach out to a wide pool of potential customers and increase sales. Moreover, using eCommerce marketplaces helps you save costs on ads, shipping, and customer relationship management (CRM).

To succeed on marketplaces, you will need optimized store pages and an effective strategy. It’s easier said than done, however, relying on eCommerce marketplaces in the long run may result in a loss of control over customers and their data. Marketplaces will have their own policies regarding customer data management and contact information making it difficult for you to directly access their customers and may lose these potential customers to your competition. 

Overall, to effectively implement O2O commerce, you can choose to develop an online system alongside your offline system or proceed with it after getting the offline system done. 

Create UI/UX design

After choosing the platform to build the O2O e-commerce website and app, you will create the UI/UX design that aligns with your brand’s characteristics. 

There are 3 recommended approaches:

• Using pre-built themes: This helps you save theme costs. Both SaaS and Open-source platforms offer a variety of themes ranging from $300 to $500.
• Customizing based on pre-built themes: This approach allows you to customize the theme to suit your development needs. 
• Create the UI/UX design from scratch: This helps you to develop your brand image uniquely and creatively compared to the majority of competitors. It may incur higher costs compared to using pre-built themes but the “tailored” design will meet the market needs and your business’s requirements. 

Develop critical functions for the digital system

After you’ve done with your design, it’s time to develop some critical functions for both eCommerce website and app implementation. Below are a few suggestions:

• Catalog Management: involves managing categories, functions, prices, and product images/videos to optimize your operations.
• Sales Management: focus on managing order information, and being aware of customer shopping behavior.
• Marketing Management: integrating features such as URLs, meta tags, and internal links to optimize SEO, and combine with other effective marketing campaigns to boost sales. 
• Content Management: All about generating and optimizing engaging content for CMS, including text, images, banners, widgets, templates as well as blogs, and branded content, v.v
• Customer Management: All about storing, managing, and analyzing customer data and segmentation to boost your marketing strategy and optimize the customer online experience.
• System Management: All about managing and assigning permissions to administrators to operate, secure, and maintain the eCommerce system. 
• Store Management: All about using inventory management tools at main stores, branches, and warehouses to ensure an efficient supply chain. 
• Cart and Checkout Management: All about the shopping cart and payment information.
• Analysis and Reporting: All about analyzing and measuring the performance of the eCommerce system to help you make decisions based on data. 

Testing

Testing serves as a vital undertaking to help you uncover any lurking bugs that may emerge within a website and app, all in the pursuit of aligning the entire system seamlessly with the precise demands of your business. By doing testing, you will not only grant a comprehensive overview of your project but also provide the means to evaluate targets and even proactively manage risks as you navigate the realm of eCommerce.

There are several testing methods:

• White-box testing: In white-box testing, the code and algorithms are examined. Testers access the source code to perform the tests. 
• Black-box testing: This method tests the system’s functionality based on specific requirements.
• Gray-box testing: It combines black-box and white-box testing. 

In general, conducting testing based on test scenarios is an important step that helps you ensure quality and provides a solid foundation for a smooth operation.

Legal Registration and Launch the app

Declare with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade

The final step to developing the online capabilities is to complete the legal procedures to make sure your eCommerce operation is legit. You can follow the step-by-step guide in the eCommerce Management Portal. 

This is a mandatory requirement set by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade for individuals or organizations having online businesses to fulfill their obligation to register/notify within the specified timeframe. 

Publish the app on Google Play and App Store

To publish the applications on these platforms, you need to follow these steps:

1. Register a developer account on the App Store and Google Play
2. Create your developer profile and register the app
3. Create and submit the app, including necessary information such as name, description, images, videos, and other features. You must ensure the app complies with the regulations and requirements of these platforms.
4. Check and confirm the app registration. When the app is approved, you can start promoting and managing it on the platforms. 

By pushing the app to Google Play and the App Store, you take one closer step to mobile users.

Measure performance

After facilitating your O2O commerce system, it’s time to take a look at the collected data to measure its performance for further critical decisions. Several tools can be integrated into your business system such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, TikTok Tracking Pixel, and more.

Moreover, you can integrate BI (Business Intelligence) tools, which are intelligent management reporting systems, to gather large amounts of data from various sources and use them to make predictions. Some popular BI tools include Magento Business Intelligence, Tableau, Power BI, and Looker.

Optimize customer experience

Having the analysis and reports in place, you can now develop appropriate strategies to optimize customer experience. Some popular strategies include Loyalty Program and Omnichannel.

The Loyalty Program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop associated with the program. This enriches customer shopping experience and keeps them engaged with your brand. 

Omnichannel is a multichannel sales approach that focuses on providing a seamless shopping experience by marketing and selling on all channels where potential customers are present, from mobile devices, social media, and eCommerce websites to brick-and-mortar stores.

O2O Commerce Solution at SECOMM

Established in 2014, SECOMM is a company specializing in providing O2O commerce solutions. Over the years, SECOMM has accumulated a vast portfolio of O2O commerce projects with large domestic and international clients such as Annam Gourmet, Trentham Estate, and much more.

Regarding O2O commerce solutions, SECOMM offers a diverse range of services to help businesses enhance their competitive capabilities and dominate the retail market in the digital age. These services include Solution Consulting, Team Development, and O2O System Development including:

eCommerce System

Developing an O2O commerce system to provide a comprehensive experience for customers:

• Deploying eCommerce websites on platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento, etc
• Building eCommerce Apps using platforms, technologies, and frameworks such as Flutter, NodeJS, ReactJS, Ionic.
• Building and managing online stores on popular eCommerce marketplaces such as Shopee, Lazada, Tiki, Sendo, and Amazon.

Management system

Deploying and integrating management tools and software to efficiently operate business activities for the enterprise.

• ERP: Odoo, Sage, TomERP, Oracle, SAP, etc.
• CRM: Salesforce, Hubspot, Zendesk, Zoho, etc.
• POS: Magestore, mPOS, VNPAY, KiotViet, etc.
• PIM: Pimworks, Salsify, Akeneo, Inriver, etc.

Customer Experience System

Building and integrating platforms to support businesses in enhancing customer experience.

• Mobile Applications: Flutter, NodeJS, ReactJS, Ionic, etc.
• Loyalty Programs
• Omnichannel Commerce

Data System

Integrating tools to support the analysis and reporting for the business operations.

• Data analysis and reporting: Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, Tiktok Tracking Pixel, etc.
• Business Intelligence: Magento Business Intelligence, Tableau, Power BI, Looker, etc.

To learn more about the O2O commerce model as well as the best solutions to conquer the retail market, please contact SECOMM today for a free consultation.

In 2021, The Vietnamese eCommerce market size reached 13.7 billion USD, which means the industry is growing rapidly and playing an important role in Vietnam’s economy. 

It forces business owners to find ways to make their businesses stand out and connect with customers.

One of the effective approaches is to implement an Omnichannel eCommerce strategy. This is a marketing method aimed at providing a consistent customer experience across multiple channels. It may be confused with Multichannel eCommerce, where brands sell on various channels but provide different customer experiences on each channel. Although customers can shop on social media, eCommerce websites, physical stores, etc, their experience across these channels could not be seamless. There is also the Single-channel eCommerce model, where a brand only uses one channel for sales. 

Retailers globally recognize the potential and impact of Omnichannel eCommerce on their business operations. According to Report Linker, the market for multi-channel retail platforms reached 5 billion USD in 2020 and is projected to reach 14.5 billion USD in 2027. Industry analysts and experts also emphasize that Omnichannel is the future of eCommerce and is a great way to attract customers and provide them with true value. 

Here are 6 tips to help you, as a business successfully build an Omnichannel eCommerce strategy.

Tip 1: Understand the target audience & their shopping behavior

Tip number 1, regardless of any business strategy, you have to know who your target customers are and their shopping behavior. You can start by gathering relevant data about demographic information, purchase history, etc from various sources, including eCommerce websites, social media platforms, physical stores, etc. Then, you will analyze how they interact with the brand across different channels and create detailed buyer personas. 

This helps identify effective approaches for each customer segment and tailor messages for each channel. For example, if a significant portion of your customers prefers shopping on mobile devices, you can optimize your suitable marketing campaigns alongside improving the website to attract more customers. Or, you can invest in developing mobile applications to enrich the customer shopping experience and drive conversions.

Tip 2: Map the customer journey

Tip number 2 is to map out the customer journey to visually understand the process that a potential customer goes through when interacting with your brand. It helps you clearly understand their needs, buying motivations, and so forth. When developing an Omnichannel eCommerce strategy, mapping the customer journey allows you to proactively provide personalized customer experiences across channels. It not only enhances cross-selling, and upselling but also improves customer intention and loyalty. 

There are typically 5 stages in the customer journey: Awareness, Interest, Purchase, Retention, and Advocacy. 

Here are the basic steps to create a customer journey map:

• Set clear goals for the map
• Identify buyer personas and define the target customers
• Determine the stages and objectives for each stage
• List out the touchpoints
• Collect data and feedback
• Identify areas that need to be improved

Tip 3: Develop a brand image & messaging

Another valuable tip is to develop a consistent brand message and image across channels. It requires you first to identify and understand the brand values, vision, and mission. For example, you can use consistent elements such as colors, fonts, etc, to help customers easily recognize your brand. Moreover, you need to train your staff on the brand message and image to ensure they understand and communicate the message properly across all channels. 

This tip not only helps increase brand recognition and customer loyalty but also creates a seamless customer experience.

Tip 4: Engage customers on social media

Next, you can incorporate social media into your Omnichannel eCommerce strategy and focus on engaging with customers on social media platforms alongside other effective marketing channels. With over 3.6 billion social media users globally, building your brand presence in these places is no longer an option but an imperative measure  to effectively connect your brand with customers.

Leveraging social media enables you to engage with customers by responding to inquiries and addressing concerns through messaging or interactions on the news feed in a friendly and approachable manner. In addition, social media provides you with great space to deliver brand messages and voices to customers in a quicker and more intimate way to enhance brand awareness. You can create your own ideas and content or collaborate with influencers. 

To tightly integrate social media with other channels in the Omnichannel eCommerce strategy, you can, for example, encourage users to like, comment, and share posts to receive attractive discount codes for purchases on websites or physical stores. 

Tip 5: Optimize the shopping experience

Tip number 5, for a seamless omnichannel experience, you need to ensure that customers can make purchases through any channel they interact with, such as eCommerce websites, marketplaces, social media platforms, and physical stores.

Additionally, to keep up with mobile commerce trends, you should optimize mobile-friendly and responsive websites as well as user-friendly mobile apps for easy navigation and usage.

Since Omnichannel eCommerce emphasizes consistent experiences across all channels, content and customer-related information such as login credentials, payment details, and shopping carts should be synchronized. This enables customers to move seamlessly between channels and devices while preserving the items in their shopping carts or without the need to spend time logging in or re-entering payment information. Moreover, you can leverage data analytics to personalize product recommendations for each customer, displaying relevant or complementary products based on their behavior and purchase history across channels to increase cross-selling and upselling opportunities.

Tip 6: Measure & analyze the outcome

Tip number 6 is measuring and analyzing the results of the strategy. During the implementation process, you can utilize data analysis tools such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Facebook Pixel, and others to check, track and analyze customers across all channels. It helps identify which channels generate the most traffic, level of engagement, and sales revenue, and identify areas for improvement. In addition, you can gather customer feedback to enhance and optimize your strategy. The work should be conducted to make appropriate adjustments and achieve desired results. 

Contact SECOMM now for a consultation on building an Omnichannel eCommerce strategy.

Loyal customers contribute significantly to the profitability and development of eCommerce businesses. Therefore, as a business, you need to focus on strengthening relationships with customers and encouraging repeat purchases. Among the methods available, building and convincing customers to participate in Loyalty Programs is an effective strategy.

Below is the ultimate guide to successfully build and implement an eCommerce Loyalty Program. 

Related Readings: Everything To Know About eCommerce Loyalty Programs

Set Objectives

The first step of the process is to establish the goals of the eCommerce Loyalty Program, which includes identifying the objectives (e.g. increasing customer retention rates, promoting repeat purchases, attracting new customers, increasing CLV). These objectives should align with the overall development strategy and business goals. 

In addition, as a business, you need to clearly define the target audience of the Loyalty Program by analyzing the demographic and psychographic characteristics of those audiences to design a suitable program that meets their expectations. 

You also can research the Loyalty Programs of competitors, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and then create your own program to differentiate your business and provide unique value to customers. 

Develop eCommerce Loyalty Program

Determine types of Loyalty Program

Currently, there are various types of eCommerce Loyalty Programs, but the most popular ones are point-based programs, tiered-based programs, and subscription-based programs. 

• Point-based Loyalty Programs

This allows customers to earn points for each purchase or specific action and redeem them for rewards once they have accumulated a certain number of points. You should pay attention to the value of the rewards customers will receive and the reasonable time to redeem them to make the programs attractive. 

• Tiered-based Loyalty Programs

This program encourages customers to strive for higher tiers to receive higher-value rewards and benefits. It will require customers to invest their time and money in shopping and engaging with your brand, meaning the more they spend, the more benefits they receive, and the higher their loyalty to your brand.

• Subscription-based Loyalty Programs

This Loyalty Program requires customers to register as members and pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee, depending on the terms of each program. Because of that, customers are more likely to commit to engaging with the brand, which is higher than other types of programs. Typically, these programs will have a trial period for customers to decide whether or not to join, and this is also an opportunity for you to convince them that the value they will receive is worth every cent. 

The choice of Loyalty Program type depends on the budget, resources, and overall strategy of your business. 

Choose rewards meaningful to customers

After choosing the right type of eCommerce Loyalty Program, you will want to select rewards that are suitable for that program. For point-based Loyalty Programs, common rewards include:

• Discounts on the next purchase;
• Free shipping;
• Free gifts;
• Priority support;
• The opportunity to join exclusive events 
• The latest product updates.

The SHEIN Bonus Point Program is a typical point-based Loyalty Program, where customers will earn 1 point for $1 spent. In addition, customers can also earn reward points by taking specific actions such as verifying their accounts, reviewing products, etc. When reaching the required number of points, customers can redeem them for discounts of up to 70%.

For the type of tiered Loyalty Program, the tiers will determine the equivalent benefits that customers will receive and require effort to maintain or upgrade. Therefore, rewards will be designed to reflect the brand’s characteristics and personalized for each customer at each specific tier. This makes the customer’s efforts worthwhile. 

For example, Aldo Crew is a tiered Loyalty Program from the famous fashion brand – Aldo, with 3 main tiers: Crew, Plus, and VIP. The program offers customers attractive and personalized benefits such as special pricing, free birthday gifts, birthday discounts, 20% off handbags when purchasing shoes, exclusive privileges and surprises, and account sharing with friends.

Most membership programs are applied by leading and well-known businesses worldwide due to their credibility, product value, and high-quality service that make customers trust them to spend their money to sign up. The rewards of this type of program tend to be exclusive, only available at the brand and for registered members. 

For example, customers who register for the Walmart+ membership program will receive benefits such as product discounts, shipping policies, gas service, and movie watching with Paramount+ that non-members cannot receive.

Depending on what Loyalty Program you choose, you will select rewards that are appropriate for both your customers and your business. However, you should consider the cost of each reward as well as the benefits it brings to the business before applying it to the program. Providing valuable rewards can not only increase customer retention and loyalty but also boost sales and increase the CLV. 

Choose Loyalty Program Software

Next, you will need software to develop,  and manage eCommerce Loyalty Programs, track customer activities, and distribute rewards. The choice will be based on some factors such as ease of use, integration with eCommerce websites, and the price of the software. There are some popular Loyalty Program software on the market today, including Smile.io, Loyalty Lion, Yotpo, S Loyalty, and so forth. These softwares can be easily integrated and work effectively with eCommerce platforms such as Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. 

Design the program rules

The next step is to design the rules of the program. You need to ensure that the rules and conditions for participation are presented clearly, easy to understand, and easy to follow.

For example, the Sephora Beauty Insider program is based on a tiered system where customers earn one point for every dollar they spend, and the conditions for participation and advancement are clearly presented.

Again, with Walmart+ as an example, customers easily recognize the benefits they will receive for joining the program as a member, and the cost of $12.95/month after a 30-day trial as well. 

In addition, the registration process should be easy to execute. Typically, brands will require customers to create an account on their website or fill out a registration form, or even simpler, just log in with Facebook to participate. These actions are quick and easy to execute.

For example, in the Sephora Beauty Insider program, customers can click “join now”, fill out the form, and join the Insider tier. Or, if they already have an account, they need to log in to see their points balance and tier.

For the Aldo Crew program, customers need to fill out a registration form on the website or log in with their Facebook account to start.

In addition to ensuring the clarity and understandability of the program rules, you also want to ensure that the conditions set are appropriate for customers to quickly earn rewards and maintain the attractiveness of the program, while also bringing profits to the business.

For example, the Amazon Prime membership program offers customers a 30-day free trial and a range of pricing options. The most noteworthy are the monthly payment plan at $14.99/month and the annual payment plan at $139/year. The majority of customers are likely to choose the annual payment plan ($139) to save money, which is also Amazon’s intention as the profits they earn will be higher.

Implement eCommerce loyalty Program

Integrate the program to eCommerce website

To implement a Loyalty Program, you will need to integrate the program into your eCommerce website and display the point balance and rewards on the Shopping cart page.

Taking Sephora as an example again, the Profile page displays the customer’s current membership tier and current point balance.

Train the team

For the success of your eCommerce Loyalty Program, you have to educate your team about the program, including participation requirements, point accumulation methods, rewards, and more. 

Moreover, you want to ensure that your team knows how to answer customer questions about the program and handle any arising issues. This activity should be done regularly along with the changing of your Loyalty Program to fit market trends. 

By providing effective training, your team is able to promote and manage the program accordingly. This contributes to the success of your eCommerce Loyalty Program.

Launch & promote the program

When launching your Loyalty Program, you will want to make it popular so promotion is necessary. To do it effectively, you can prominently display the program on the Homepage and Navigation menu of your website. Also, you can promote the program on social media or use eye-catching graphics and compelling content for email marketing. 

An Influencer marketing campaign is an effective way to increase the program’s awareness and engagement. Referral Marketing is also a commonly used marketing strategy in Loyalty Programs today, encouraging customers to refer new members to the program to expand the customer base.

Popular Loyalty Programs such as Sephora Beauty Insider, Amazon Prime, Walmart+, Aldo Crew, and eBay Plus all have referral programs. When someone signs up for the Loyalty Program through a referral link, both the referrer and the referee will receive a small bonus of $1-$10 or a discount on their next purchase. 

Measure outcomes & keep customers engaged

You will need to track and measure the results of the Loyalty Program to ensure the objectives are achieved and make adjustments if necessary. 

You can use KPIs like customer retention rate, repeat purchase rate, or average order value of members compared to non-members. Moreover, you can collect and analyze customer feedback and reviews on their satisfaction with the program to identify what to improve.

You also need to keep your customers engaged by regularly improving, updating, and promoting the program. At the same time, you should provide personalized rewards and experiences based on their interests and behavior to increase customer satisfaction and interaction.

In addition, you can consider building a community of members by providing online and offline events and special offers exclusively for program members. Again, Sephora does this well, they offer exclusive events for all Insider, VIB, and Rouge members in addition to other incredible experiences. This gradually creates a community of loyal Sephora customers who love beauty.

Retention isn’t about convincing customers who were going to leave to stick around. Instead, retention is about providing so much value to your existing customers that they never go anywhere else and become your strongest benefit.

Therefore, enhancing your customer experience through attractive Loyalty Programs is an effective way to increase customer retention and loyalty.

Contact SECOMM now for a free consultation on developing a comprehensive eCommerce Loyalty Program.

Amidst the fierce competition in eCommerce, businesses of all sizes are striving to find breakthrough solutions to enhance customer experience and boost engagement. Among the numerous options available, PWA (Progress Web App) is considered a promising solution that can change the way users interact with an eCommerce website. Although PWA has been in the market for a while, its popularity has only recently surged in recent years. 

What is PWA?

A Progressive Web App (PWA) is a type of web application built using standard web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but can provide users with a similar experience and features to a native app, including push notifications, offline availability, etc. 

Native apps, what do they actually mean? They are software applications built on a specific programming language for a particular platform or operating system such as iOS or Android.

Because of the differences between the two types of applications, businesses usually rely on their needs and resources to make a suitable choice.

Related Readings: Native App vs Hybrid App: Key Differences

Key Differences: PWA vs Native App

Native apps are typically built using a programming language specific to each particular operating system, such as Objective-C/Swift for iOS and Java/Kotlin for Android. Meaning that developers must have a certain level of experience and expertise to write and develop apps that are suitable for each operating system. Additionally, maintaining and updating app versions must be done regularly, which can be time-consuming and costly. 

On the other hand, when developing a progressive web app, developers can use a shared codebase to develop apps for all platforms, making development and maintenance faster and easier than with a native app.

To use Native apps, users need to access app stores such as the Apple’s App Store or Google Play to download and install them, while with progressive web app, users can install them directly from their web browser onto their device without going through an app store.

Although PWA can provide good performance and user experience, it is still generally not as good as native apps. Native apps offer a more seamless and richer user experience than progressive web app because they are designed specifically for a particular platform and can maximize the use of hardware and software features of the device. 

Summary:

Benefits of PWA

Currently, PWA is becoming very popular and is being chosen by many businesses everywhere in the world for the following benefits:

Cost-saving in development

This is the biggest advantage and the main reason why many businesses are turning to PWA. The cost to build and maintain PWA is relatively low compared to native apps because it doesn’t require developing separately for each platform. Moreover, after installation, PWA functions like a native app with no compromise on performance and user experience. Therefore, for businesses with budget constraints, PWA is a worthwhile option to consider in order to save costs and time to launch the product. 

Increase customer reach

Since PWA is designed to work efficiently on various devices and platforms such as smartphones, tablets, desktops, laptops, etc., users can access the app through a web browser and install it directly onto the home screen without downloading it from the app store. Therefore, PWA can reach a wider pool of potential customers, allowing businesses to expand their customer reach.  

Boost brand recognition and interaction

The “add-to-home-screen” feature of PWA enables customers to easily add the app to their device home screen directly from the web browser. In reality, customers only click on this feature when they browse and find the app interesting and useful for them. Once the app has been added to the home screen, users will easily see and remember the brand. This way, businesses can use targeted marketing methods to encourage customer interaction. 

Enhance user experience

Similar to native apps, PWA can also provide a quality user experience with fast page loading time, smooth navigation, and stable performance. In addition, it is capable of quickly responding and operating well on many devices with various screen sizes, helping users view content and products on any preferred device. PWA is developed based on web technologies, which means businesses can track and analyze user behavior in real-time and make data-driven decisions to enhance user experience.

PWA real-world example

Lancôme

Lancôme, the leading high-end cosmetics brand in the world, launched a PWA in 2017 to enhance user experience and improve mobile web interaction. The Lancôme PWA provides features such as an icon on the home screen, push notifications, offline mode, and more. This allows customers to quickly access Lancôme’s website with just one touch, and the company can use push notifications to inform customers about the latest products, promotions, and special offers. In addition, the offline mode allows customers to continue browsing Lancôme’s website even without an internet connection.

Spotify

The famous online music platform – Spotify, developed and launched their own PWA in 2018 to provide a fast, seamless, and engaging user experience for their customers. Similar to Lancôme, Spotify also offers prominent features including offline music and podcast playback, which helps to ensure an uninterrupted user experience. The Spotify PWA has received positive reviews and feedback from users for many years.

Tinder

Native app of Tinder has been very effective on many different operating systems and is particularly loved by users. However, with the desire to expand and conquer new markets as well as protect its position as a leading online dating platform, Tinder has built a PWA.

The page loading time of Tinder PWA has been reduced to 4.69 seconds compared to 11.9 seconds before, which significantly increases interaction and surpasses Tinder native app in terms of the number of swipes, profile edits, and time spent per user.

In addition, there are many famous companies in the world that have implemented PWA: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Uber, Pinterest, Starbucks, Aliexpress, etc.

With years of experience implementing eCommerce solutions for numerous clients in various countries, SECOMM understands the importance of developing PWA to cope with the competition in the billion-dollar technology industry as well as the challenges that each business faces when building and developing PWA. 

Contact SECOMM now for a free consultation!