Shopify Plus vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud are two leading platforms chosen by large enterprises worldwide to build eCommerce websites. Each platform has its advantages, from the flexibility and user-friendliness of Shopify Plus to the comprehensive solutions offered by SFCC. 

Understanding each system’s differences and strengths is crucial before deciding between these two platforms. Let’s explore and compare the capabilities of Shopify Plus and SFCC in detail to make the most suitable decision.

Read more: Shopify Plus vs Advanced: Which one is right for you?

What is Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus is a premium scalable platform version tailor-made for large enterprises. Launched in 2014, It rapidly emerged as the preferred option for those seeking efficient and adaptable expansion of their online operations. Unlike a fixed pricing model, Shopify Plus is customized according to specific deployment needs.

Pros of Shopify Plus

• User-friendly interface: The user-friendly interface of Shopify Plus allows you to quickly set up online stores with just a few simple steps
• High customization and scalability: You can customize many aspects of the eCommerce website, integrate apps, and expand bandwidth to handle large transaction volumes. However, effective customization requires high technical skills.
• Support for Headless Commerce deployment: Plus provides many tools and features that enable businesses to deploy Headless Commerce effectively. Businesses can build custom Headless eCommerce websites through the Hydrogen solution to deliver a unique customer experience. 
• Shopify B2B: With exclusive solutions, businesses can quickly build B2B eCommerce systems with a simple customer experience similar to B2C systems. 
• Shopify POS: The integrated Shopify POS Pro tool allows Plus merchants to create seamless online and offline shopping experiences. 
• Bán hàng quốc tế: The integrated Shopify Market Pro tool allows Plus merchants to expand operations to global markets and explore new opportunities.

What is Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly known as Demandware) is a robust cloud-based eCommerce platform built on Salesforce’s infrastructure, one of the world’s largest CRM software companies.

SFCC provides a comprehensive system for operating online stores, from building and deploying shopping websites to managing orders, marketing, and customer service. With robust integration capabilities and intelligent analytics tools, SFCC helps businesses create unique online shopping experiences and enhance customer interaction.

Pros of Salesforce Commerce Cloud

• Support for Headless Commerce Deployment: SFCC allows you to seamlessly integrate with your favorite tech stack to develop custom website interfaces to optimize the customer shopping experience.
• Building personalized experiences with AI: SFCC’s Marketing GPT and Commerce GPT enable you to eliminate repetitive tasks, save time in workflows, and provide personalized campaigns and shopping experiences on a large scale.
• Support for Omnichannel Commerce Deployment: SFCC makes it easy for you to develop and maintain multiple effective and consistent sales channels.
• High Scalability: SFCC operates on a cloud platform, allowing you to quickly scale their eCommerce operations without worrying about investing in hardware and software.

Shopify Plus vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Detailed

License fee

• Shopify Plus

The Plus version costs from $2300/month but is not fixed and will be customized based on specific needs. For merchants reaching a revenue threshold of $800,000/month, the Plus usage fee will gradually increase based on GMV (0.25% GMV for months with revenue exceeding $800,000). Merchants often must spend an additional $1K – $5K/month to integrate third-party applications.

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud

There are no exact figures for SFCC, as the cost is determined based on each merchant’s requirements. However, SFCC merchants with revenues around $20 million may have to pay about $200,000 – $600,000/year. Larger-scale enterprises with higher revenues may have platform fees totalling millions annually.

Target audience

• Shopify Plus: It targets large-scale merchants with complex needs, but it’s best for those just starting out and those rapidly expanding their business..
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: It targets large enterprises with complex needs, especially those already using other Salesforce products and services and seeking to integrate e-commerce functionality into their existing systems.

Customization

• Shopify Plus:

+ Customizes unique storefront with Hydrogen.

+ Seamless third-party integrations

+ Ultilize cutting-edge technologies like AI, VR/AR for enhanced customer experience

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud:

+ Offers flexibility for complex customizations

+ Requires expertise in SFCC and specific technical skills

Scalability

• Shopify Plus:

+ Easily scales without slowing down website performance.

+ Provides a clear roadmap with over 100 product updates released twice a year

+ Continuously improves to keep your business ahead in eCommerce

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud:

+ Integrates seamlessly with other Salesforce systems but struggles with third-party apps

+ Updates regularly but at a slower pace compared to Shopify

Features and Functionality

Both platforms have rich features, differing mainly in focus and approach

• Shopify Plus

Plus focuses on flexibility and ease of use, providing merchants with a more intuitive interface than SFCC. This platform is renowned for its seamless integration with various payment options, marketing tools, and sales channels. This flexibility has made Plus attractive and accessible to most merchants.

Additionally, Shopify Plus offers their merchants exclusive and custom solutions to effectively handle various aspects of eCommerce, such as Shopify POS, Shopify Market, Shopify Hydrogen, Shopify Checkouts, B2B on Shopify, and more.

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud

SFCC, on the other hand, emphasises enterprise-level features such as integrated sales management tools, advanced search, order management, and promotion creation. Additionally, this platform excels in supporting international sales, advanced customer segmentation and personalization, as well as real-time dashboards and reports.

All of these features help businesses optimize eCommerce operations and drive growth.

When choosing Shopify Plus?

Shopify Plus will be the ideal choice in the following cases:

• Large-scale and fast-growing

Plus is designed specifically for large retailers with high demands for scale. With a range of exclusive solutions developed and continuously updated, this flexible eCommerce platform can effectively meet growth needs, allowing for easy scalability and customization.

• Budget and time limits

With lower license fees compared to SFCC and the ability for quick deployment, Shopify Plus is a suitable option for businesses with moderate budgets or those needing to implement projects in a short time frame.

• Priority on flexibility and ease of use

Plus is known for its user-friendly interface and high flexibility. Its drag-and-drop builder ensures that users of all technical levels can easily and efficiently set up an online store.

• Need for rapid integration with third parties:

Shopify Plus’s infrastructure provides a seamless integration system with third-party applications and tools. This is a significant advantage if you need to integrate quickly with CRM applications, marketing tools, or other online sales channels.

• Focus on customer experience

If customer experience is a top priority, Shopify Plus offers many tools and features to easily and effectively optimize shopping experiences and customer interactions.

When choosing Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

SFCC is a suite of solutions your eCommerce system needs to grow rapidly. If the following criteria apply, SFCC may be the more suitable choice:

• Already using SFCC products and services

If you have already used other Salesforce products and services such as Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, or Service Cloud, choosing SFCC will optimize workflows and integrate customer data across your entire system.

• Requires deep integration and complex customization

SFCC is often the top choice for large enterprises with high deployment demands requiring flexibility in managing online stores. The platform provides powerful tools and features for customizing interfaces, managing complex product catalogs, and integrating with distinct business processes.

• Prioritizes security and reliability

Built on the infrastructure of Salesforce, one of the world’s largest cloud technology service providers, SFCC offers high levels of security and reliability, best for those with important customer data and information.

• Wants to leverage intelligent analytics features

SFCC provides tools to help you better understand customer shopping behavior and optimize business strategies. This enhances the shopping experience and increases sales revenue.

The Final Words

In today’s highly competitive eCommerce landscape, selecting the appropriate platform is crucial for your business success. This article has provided an overview of the top two choices, Shopify Plus and SFCC.

When it comes to making a decision, careful consideration of the specific needs is essential, from scale and goals to budget and technical requirements, to make the most appropriate choice.

Need help making the right decision? Contact SECOMM or call (028) 7108 9908 immediately!

Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce (Magento) are two leading platforms in the field of eCommerce, trusted by many large enterprises. However, both of these platforms have significant differences. 

Let’s explore the important aspects of both with SECOMM to help businesses decide which platform is suitable for the brand’s business needs.

Overview

What is Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

Salesforce Commerce Cloud, formerly known as Demandware, is a cloud-based eCommerce platform. Salesforce Commerce Cloud operates on the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model, providing high scalability and a range of features and capabilities to help businesses create a seamless and effective shopping experience for their customers.

Within Salesforce Commerce Cloud, there are three main editions for building eCommerce websites: Salesforce B2C Commerce, Salesforce B2B Commerce, and most recently, Salesforce B2B2C Commerce.

In the B2C model, there are three solution packages:

• Starter: Based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)
• Growth: Based on 2% Gross Merchandise Value  (GMV)
• Plus: Based on 3% Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)

Similarly, the B2B model is also divided into 2 solution packages, including:

• Starter: Based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)
• Growth: Based on 2% Gross Merchandise Value (GMV)

For the B2B2C model, it will be calculated based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value (GMV).

Related article: Top 10 Websites Built On Salesforce Commerce Cloud

What is Adobe Commerce?

Adobe Commerce (formerly known as Magento) is an open-source eCommerce platform designed under the PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) model, assisting businesses in constructing professional eCommerce websites.

Adobe Commerce can be categorized into two main types:

• On-premise: Installation and management of the website on the company’s servers
• On-cloud: Adobe will host and manage the website for the business

Additionally, Adobe Commerce still supports the Magento Open Source version – a free version that can be downloaded and used by anyone.

Related article: Top 20 eCommerce Websites Using Adobe Commerce (Magento)

In summary, Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce are two leading eCommerce platforms with significant differences.

Cost Comparison

Salesforce Commerce Cloud Cost

The cost of Salesforce Commerce Cloud depends on various factors but largely hinges on the scale of the business. 

Operating as a SaaS solution, businesses pay a monthly fee based on the number of users and the revenue generated by the website. Costs start from depending on the GMV, averaging around $2,500 per month and can increase to tens of thousands of dollars for larger enterprises.

Adobe Commerce (Magento)

The cost of Adobe Commerce (Magento) also depends on various factors, including the chosen version and the monthly revenue of the business. 

Adobe Commerce is a PaaS solution, meaning businesses must purchase software licenses annually and then pay a monthly fee for hosting and support if needed. License costs start from around $22,000, and hosting costs start from approximately $3,000 per year.

It can be observed that the costs of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce (Magento) may vary depending on the business scale, specific requirements, and customization levels. 

For instance, for a business with a GMV of $25 million, the platform usage cost for Salesforce Commerce Cloud might be around $250,000/month, whereas for Adobe Commerce Cloud, it could be approximately $120,000/month.

In general, Salesforce Commerce Cloud tends to have higher costs compared to Adobe Commerce.

Related article: The Cost Of Building An Adobe Commerce (Magento) Website

Architecture Comparison

Adobe Commerce (Magento) is built on an open-source architecture, allowing high customization and flexibility. Users can modify a significant amount of source code, making this platform suitable for complex eCommerce needs.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud utilizes a cloud-native, multi-tenant architecture. While this architecture provides significant customization capabilities, it is less flexible for modifying deep code segments compared to open-source architectures like Adobe Commerce (Magento).

Ecosystem Comparison

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is part of Salesforce, the leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform today. Salesforce is renowned for its CRM services, including sales, customer, and marketing management. 

Consequently, Salesforce Commerce Cloud seamlessly integrates with Salesforce CRM, providing a unified platform for managing and interacting with customers. This tight integration can be a significant advantage for companies heavily reliant on Salesforce for customer management. 

Additionally, Salesforce Commerce Cloud seamlessly integrates with the Customer 360 ecosystem, including business management software like data, AI, or third-party utilities partnered with Salesforce.

On the other hand, Adobe Commerce Cloud is part of the Adobe Experience Cloud, a comprehensive set of solutions for marketing and customer experience. 

Thus, Adobe Commerce Cloud integrates with other Adobe tools to support seamless multi-channel customer experience and marketing. 

Some commonly used utilities in Adobe Experience Cloud include:

• Experience Manager: A comprehensive content management system (CMS) allowing businesses to create, manage, and distribute content across all channels.
• Analytics: A data analytics platform enabling businesses to collect, analyze, and understand customer data.
• Target: An automated marketing platform helping businesses personalize content and experiences for each customer.
• Audience Manager: A customer data platform (CDP) aiding businesses in collecting and combining customer data from various sources.
• Journey Optimizer: A customer journey management (CJM) platform helping businesses create seamless and effective customer journeys.
• Experience Platform: A customer data platform (CDP) providing access, management, and analysis of customer data from various sources.

Moreover, Adobe Commerce Cloud offers various integration options and supports third-party extensions and plugins. This means Adobe Commerce can integrate with a wide range of systems such as CRM, POS, WMS, OMS, ERP, etc.

Feature Comparison

Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce (Magento) are two widely used leading eCommerce platforms in the market, partially due to their incredibly powerful and diverse feature sets. 

Below is a comparison of features between Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce:

Content and Product Management:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Provides robust content and product management tools. Supports managing rich product catalogues with advanced options to optimize the user experience.
• Adobe Commerce: Also has diverse content and product management capabilities, renowned for high scalability and flexible management of thousands of SKUs.

User Experience:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Integrates intelligent marketing platforms to optimize user experiences based on customer data.
• Adobe Commerce: Utilizes Adobe Experience Cloud to create personalized and flexible online shopping experiences.

Order Management and Customer Accounts:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Integrates order and customer account management features to improve the shopping process and customer interactions.
• Adobe Commerce: Possesses powerful order and customer account management capabilities, supporting multi-channel features and comprehensive customer management.

B2B Functionality:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Provides strong B2B customer management with the ability to track and manage business accounts, batch ordering, and tiered pricing.
• Adobe Commerce: Offers powerful features specifically designed for B2B eCommerce operations. Sellers can operate both traditional and online stores from a single admin panel.

Integration and Scalability:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Integrates well with other Salesforce products and provides additional applications through AppExchange.
• Adobe Commerce: With an open-source architecture, allows flexible integration and source code customization to meet specific business needs.

Security and Compliance:

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Ensures high-security standards and compliance with data security regulations.
• Adobe Commerce: Emphasizes security and provides security features to protect customer and business information.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud vs Adobe Commerce (Magento): Which is the most suitable platform?

Salesforce Commerce Cloud and Adobe Commerce (Magento) are both powerful eCommerce platforms. However, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is suitable for large enterprises seeking a tightly integrated eCommerce solution with their CRM system. 

On the other hand, Adobe Commerce would be a better choice for businesses with high customization needs and a desire for more control over the eCommerce platform.

The selection of the most suitable eCommerce platform for each business will depend heavily on the core needs of the brand.

Looking for a suitable eCommerce Website Development Solution?

With deep expertise and the development of complex eCommerce systems for clients such as Changi Airport Group (Singapore), Trentham Estate (Australia), and The Warehouse (Vietnam), SECOMM understands the challenges in choosing a platform and deploying eCommerce that businesses are facing.

• Comprehensive Understanding: Providing comprehensive eCommerce solutions from consulting, development, and operation to the growth of eCommerce systems.
• Deep Expertise: Over 9 years of experience in deploying complex eCommerce systems for clients from various countries.
• Customized Solutions: Proposing eCommerce solutions, including technological architecture and a suitable team for each business.
• Flexible Progress: Project timelines and schedules are adjusted according to the specific needs of the business.

Contact SECOMM now or call directly at the hotline number (028 7108 9908) for free advice on the eCommerce website building roadmap!

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a scalable cloud-based eCommerce platform that enables brands to meet growing business demands. 

Below is a list of the top 10 websites currently using Salesforce Commerce Cloud for reference by businesses.

Cotton:On

Cotton:On is a well-known fashion brand from Australia, established in 1991. This brand specializes in youthful and dynamic fashion products suitable for the younger generation, including clothing for men, women, children, accessories, and travel items. 

When using Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Cotton:On quickly built a multi-channel eCommerce website and activated 10 different websites globally within just 12 months.

“Salesforce has helped us scale our multi-channel capability and meet demand for more personal journeys” – Brendan Sweeney, General Manager, Cotton:On Group.

• Website: https://cottonon.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 7.9 million/month
• Ranking: 174 (Australia) and 6,116 (Global)

Versace

Versace is a luxury fashion brand from Italy, founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace. The brand specializes in high-end fashion products, including clothing, footwear, accessories, furniture, and fragrances.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud has helped Versace create an optimized user experience for its eCommerce website, making it easy for customers to search, shop, and make payments. The website is designed to be simple, user-friendly, and suitable for the brand’s upscale customer base.

• Website: https://versace.com/ 
• Industry: Luxury Fashion
• Traffic: 4.2M/monthly
• Ranking: 8,471 (Italy) and 15,009 (Global)

Bvlgari

Bvlgari is a luxury fashion brand from Italy that has used Salesforce Commerce Cloud to build its eCommerce website. This website is designed to provide an enhanced personalized shopping experience for Bvlgari’s customers.

Bvlgari has developed personalized product features that allow customers to create their own profiles and store information about their shopping preferences, purchase history, and delivery addresses. This feature helps Bvlgari better understand customer needs and provide them with personalized product recommendations and services.

• Website: https://www.bulgari.com/ 
• Industry: Jewelry
• Traffic: 2M/monthly
• Ranking: 21,986 (Italy) and 26,258 (Global)

Samsonite

Samsonite is a multinational manufacturer of luggage and travel accessories based in the United States. The company was founded in 1910 by Jesse Shwayder in Denver, Colorado, USA. Since then, Samsonite has become one of the world’s largest luggage manufacturers, with products sold in over 120 countries.

Samsonite has implemented Salesforce Commerce Cloud to enhance user experience, increase online sales, and analyze customer shopping behaviour.

• Website: https://samsonite.com/ 
• Industry: Luggage
• Traffic: 1.3M/monthly
• Ranking: 10,492 (Luxembourg) and 42,507 (Global)

Callaway Golf

Callaway Golf is an American golf equipment manufacturing company established in 1982 by Ely Callaway. The company specializes in designing, manufacturing, marketing, and selling golf equipment, specifically clubs and balls, as well as accessories like bags, gloves, and hats.

Callaway Golf has utilized the product filtering feature of Salesforce Commerce Cloud to help customers easily find products based on their needs. The brand has also employed the product recommendation feature to assist customers in discovering new products.

• Website: https://www.callawaygolf.com/ 
• Industry: Sports
• Traffic: 1.1M/monthly
• Ranking: 12,930 (United States) and 55,697 (Global)

ECCO

ECCO started as a multinational footwear business based in Denmark, founded in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy. The company specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling shoes, bags, and other fashion accessories.

In early 2015, ECCO USA began testing the Endless Aisle, a supplementary feature of Salesforce B2C Commerce, along with other functionalities. This feature helps prevent lost sales by allowing collaborators to place orders based on online inventory.

• Website: https://us.ecco.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 1M/monthly
• Ranking: 1,475 (United States) and 10,696 (Global)

Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo is a luxury fashion brand from the United Kingdom specializing in shoes, handbags, accessories, and fragrances. The company was founded in 1996 by Malaysian-born haute couture shoe designer Jimmy Choo and British Vogue accessories editor Tamara Mellon.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud has helped Jimmy Choo enhance user experience, increase online sales, and analyze customer shopping behaviour. The brand has successfully leveraged Salesforce Commerce Cloud to drive the brand’s growth.

• Website: https://www.jimmychoo.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 928K/monthly
• Ranking: 68,776 (Egypt) and 23,540 (Global)

Brunello Cucinelli

Brunello Cucinelli is a luxury fashion brand from Italy founded in 1978 by Brunello Cucinelli. The company is known for its cashmere sweaters, tailored suits, and other high-end fashion items.

Brunello Cucinelli has utilized Salesforce Commerce Cloud to build an eCommerce website with features supporting user experience and boosting online sales.

• Website: https://shop.brunellocucinelli.com/ 
• Industry: Fashion
• Traffic: 515.1K/monthly
• Ranking: 55,035 (United States) and 93,310 (Global)

GODIVA

GODIVA is a premium chocolate brand from Belgium, established in 1926 by Pierre Draps. The company specializes in high-quality chocolate made from the finest ingredients and crafted using traditional methods.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud has helped GODIVA analyze customer shopping behaviour. This data is utilized to enhance the customer shopping experience, develop new products and services, and optimize marketing strategies.

• Website: https://www.godiva.com/ 
• Industry: Confectionery
• Traffic: 494.6K/monthly
• Ranking: 20,816 (United States) and 112,662 (Global)

Toys”R”Us

Toys”R”Us is a leading retailer of toys, games, entertainment, and educational products in Asia. Headquartered in Hong Kong, the company operates over 470 stores with more than 10,000 members across Asia, including Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Tim Halaska, Regional Manager for Digital Strategy at Toys”R”Us Asia, acknowledges that traditional stores will always have a certain place in the company. However, COVID-19 and changes in consumer preferences have led to a more significant focus on eCommerce.

The Salesforce Commerce Cloud solution has helped Toys”R”Us streamline online sales and provide a unified experience that caters to consumer needs across Asia.

“Our challenge now is to capture the magic of that in-store experience and bring it online.” – Tim Halaska, Regional General Manager Of Digital Strategy, Toy”R”Us Asia.

• Website: https://www.toysrus.com/ 
• Industry: Toys
• Traffic: 440.7K/monthly
• Ranking: 29,973 (United States) and 124,603 (Global)

Above are the top 10 websites built by Salesforce Commerce Cloud that have achieved success in both brand recognition and revenue. This success serves as inspiration for other businesses seeking the most suitable solutions to compete in the market.

Looking for a suitable eCommerce Website Development Solution?

With deep expertise and the development of complex eCommerce systems for clients such as Changi Airport Group (Singapore), Trentham Estate (Australia), and The Warehouse (Vietnam), SECOMM understands the challenges in choosing a platform and deploying eCommerce that businesses are facing.

• Comprehensive Understanding: Providing comprehensive eCommerce solutions from consulting, development, and operation to the growth of eCommerce systems.
• Deep Expertise: Over 9 years of experience in deploying complex eCommerce systems for clients from various countries.
• Customized Solutions: Proposing eCommerce solutions, including technological architecture and a suitable team for each business.
• Flexible Progress: Project timelines and schedules are adjusted according to the specific needs of the business.

Contact SECOMM now or call directly at the hotline number (028 7108 9908) for free advice on the eCommerce website building roadmap!

According to Builtwith, Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a platform used by over 12,000 eCommerce websites worldwide. This number has consistently increased over the years, reflecting the platform’s growing popularity. 

Here is an analysis of the number of websites using Salesforce Commerce Cloud in different regions:

• North America: 6,437 (48%)
• Europe: 3,512 (26%)
• Asia-Pacific: 2,271 (17%)
• South America: 864 (6%)
• Middle East and Africa: 331 (3%)

The United States is the largest country, with over 2,106 websites utilizing this platform.

What is Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that helps businesses drive online sales and large enterprises. 

This platform provides a comprehensive set of tools to manage every aspect of eCommerce business, from product catalogue management and order fulfilment to marketing and customer service.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud Architecture

All static content (JS, CSS, and images) is distributed through CDN and eCDN (Embedded Content Delivery Network). Additionally, the platform can be configured to use external CDNs through the capabilities of the native platform. This ensures that platform resources are not consumed for static content. The remaining information and data will be handled by Salesforce servers. Data centres are distributed globally, placing them physically closer to end users.

In terms of structure, in such data centres, Salesforce can maintain multiple PODs (Point of Delivery). PODs allow for sharing and providing additional resources to stakeholders if there is a sudden surge in demand for those resources. PODs include firewalls, switches, load balancers, computing power, and file systems.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud Usage Costs

Salesforce Commerce Cloud has two main versions for building eCommerce websites: Salesforce B2C Commerce and Salesforce B2B Commerce, and more recently, B2B2C.

For the B2C model, it is further divided into three solution packages, including:

• Starter: Based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value, around $2,500/month
• Growth: Based on 2% Gross Merchandise Value, around $5,000/month
• Plus: Based on 3% Gross Merchandise Value, around $25,000/month

Similarly, the B2B model is divided into two solution packages, including:

• Starter: Based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value, around $2,500/month
• Growth: Based on 2% Gross Merchandise Value, around $5,000/month

For the B2B2C model, it will be calculated based on 1% Gross Merchandise Value.

Key Features of Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides a range of powerful features to help businesses grow their eCommerce ventures, including:

Headless Commerce

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is one of the rare platforms that supports Headless Commerce by integrating with popular technologies and frameworks such as React, Angular, and Vue.js. This enables businesses to develop custom user interfaces tailored to the specific needs of the brand.

Related article: 

• 4 Leading Platforms For Headless eCommerce Development
• Top 10 Best Enterprise Headless CMS Platforms (P1)
• Top 10 Best Enterprise Headless CMS Platforms (P2)

AI-Based Personalization

In mid-2023, Salesforce introduced two new-generation AI products, including Marketing GPT and Commerce GPT, at the company’s Connections conference.

Marketing GPT and Commerce GPT empowers Salesforce’s Marketing Cloud and Commerce Cloud, allowing businesses to eliminate repetitive tasks, save time in their workflows, and deliver personalized campaigns and shopping experiences on a large scale.

With Marketing GPT, businesses can automatically generate more personalized emails and create smarter audience segments. With Commerce GPT, brands can provide personalized shopping experiences and customized promotions tailored to customer needs, utilizing the dynamic shopping journey provided by GPT.

Omnichannel

Salesforce Commerce Cloud supports Omnichannel, meaning you can provide a seamless shopping experience across all channels, including websites, mobile apps, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Zalo, etc), and eCommerce marketplaces (TikTok Shop, Shopee, Lazada, Sendo, etc). 

This allows businesses to easily sell on multiple channels without the need to build and maintain separate solutions for each channel.

Scalability

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is built on a cloud platform, making it easy for businesses to scale their eCommerce operations without worrying about investing in hardware and software. Salesforce Commerce Cloud also provides features and tools to help businesses efficiently manage traffic and performance, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for customers.

Brands Using Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is utilized by numerous large retailers and B2B enterprises worldwide to create and manage eCommerce websites, reaching a wider customer base.

Hugo Boss

Hugo Boss is one of the world’s leading premium fashion brands from Germany, established in 1924, with a widespread retail network including stores, distributors, and an eCommerce website. Hugo Boss employed Salesforce Commerce Cloud to build its eCommerce website in 2021. 

The platform provides features that help Hugo Boss create a seamless shopping experience, including synchronized product catalogues, cross-channel payments, and shipping and returns. Additionally, Hugo Boss’s website offers personalized features, such as product recommendations based on customer shopping history.

Bvlgari

Bvlgari, a luxury fashion brand from Italy, has utilized Salesforce Commerce Cloud to develop its eCommerce website. The website is designed to enhance a personalized shopping experience for Bvlgari’s customers. 

A notable personalized feature on Bvlgari’s new eCommerce website is the “My Bvlgari” feature, which allows customers to create their own profiles and store information about shopping preferences, purchase history, and delivery addresses. This feature helps Bvlgari better understand customer needs and provides them with tailored product suggestions and services.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren is a premium American fashion brand founded in 1967, specializing in luxury fashion products for men, women, and children, including clothing, footwear, accessories, and fragrances. 

Salesforce Commerce Cloud assists Ralph Lauren in synchronizing its product catalogue across all channels, including the website, mobile app, and physical stores. This ensures that customers can easily find the products they want to purchase, regardless of the channel they are using.

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a powerful and flexible eCommerce platform, particularly well-suited for large enterprises to conduct online business more efficiently.

Related article: Top 10 websites built on Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Looking for a suitable eCommerce Website Development Solution?

With deep expertise and the development of complex eCommerce systems for clients such as Changi Airport Group (Singapore), Trentham Estate (Australia), and The Warehouse (Vietnam), SECOMM understands the challenges in choosing a platform and deploying eCommerce that businesses are facing.

• Comprehensive Understanding: Providing comprehensive eCommerce solutions from consulting, development, and operation to the growth of eCommerce systems.
• Deep Expertise: Over 9 years of experience in deploying complex eCommerce systems for clients from various countries.
• Customized Solutions: Proposing eCommerce solutions, including technological architecture and a suitable team for each business.
• Flexible Progress: Project timelines and schedules are adjusted according to the specific needs of the business.

Contact SECOMM now or call directly at the hotline number (028 7108 9908) for free advice on the eCommerce website building roadmap!

The first step in the strategy for building and developing an eCommerce website, a crucial consideration for business owners in various sectors, is selecting an eCommerce platform that aligns with their business requirements.

The Baby eCommerce industry is no exception to this rule. So, what is the ideal choice? The following article outlines and clarifies the pros and cons of the top five eCommerce platforms for the development of Baby eCommerce websites.

Magento

Magento (now owned by Adobe), is an open-source eCommerce platform that grants businesses full authority to develop and manage their online store

For large enterprises in the Baby eCommerce industry with complex requirements for building and developing eCommerce websites, Magento’s high degree of customization and scalability, along with its wealth of outstanding features and extensions, can effectively cater to their needs. However, to fully leverage Magento’s capabilities, businesses should invest in both a specific budget and a requisite level of technical expertise.

Currently, Magento offers two primary versions:

• Magento Open Source: a free version
• Adobe Commerce: a paid version with two options, on-premise and on-cloud.

Key Features:

• Multi-brand solution: Supports multiple languages, currencies, and stores for various business models (B2B, B2C, B2B2C, D2C).
• MSI – Multi-source inventory: Enables the shipment of a single order with multiple products from different warehouses while ensuring delivery times.
• Headless eCommerce: Utilizes the separation between Frontend and Backend for easy customization and website development.
• B2B feature: Provides support for B2B customers, including category sharing, creating business accounts, quick ordering, and customer group creation.
• PWA – Progressive Web App: A mobile application built on web technology, easily discoverable and downloadable from a web browser.

Pros:

• Feature-rich system from basic to advanced, tailored to specific industry needs.
• High customization and scalability compared to SaaS platforms.
• No limits on sales volume.
• Wide range of extensions.
• High security.

Cons: 

• High implementation costs.
• Lengthy implementation time, ranging from 6 months to 1 year.
• Requires a certain level of technical expertise and understanding of Magento.

Pricing:

Brands built their Baby eCommerce websites on Magento including Kids Plaza VN, Bibo Mart, Children Salon, Mothercare VN, Aden+Anais, Hornby, v.v 

Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC)

Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC) is a cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that helps businesses build their eCommerce websites. This platform enables businesses to integrate all their sales channels, delivering a seamless shopping experience for customers.

SFCC offers two key solutions:

• Salesforce B2C Commerce Cloud: A solution for building websites and enhancing the overall shopping experience for retail customers.
• Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud: A solution for building websites and providing a shopping experience for customers engaging in large-volume transactions.

Key Features:

• AI Einstein: Offers personalized search and product recommendations with Einstein Product/Search Recommendations. Provides personalized experiences across all channels with Einstein Recommendations API. Gathers customer insights to boost revenue with Einstein Commerce Insights.
• Headless Commerce: Build headless e-commerce websites and enhance user experiences using SFCC’s Open Commerce API or any developer’s preferred APIs.
• Marketing & Merchandising: Supports design, scheduling, and automated marketing campaigns, optimize SEO to increase traffic, and manages multi-store, multi-language, and multi-currency capabilities from a centralized dashboard.
• Omnichannel: Enables multi-channel sales and provides a consistent customer experience.
• Localization: Allows businesses to create multiple separate websites with different languages, currencies, and strategies for specific target markets.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface.
• Strong support from AI tools during implementation.
• Diverse tools and features.
• Automation of order processing and promotional campaigns.
• Exceptional analytics and reporting capabilities to capture customer insights.
• High security.
• 24/7 customer support service.

Cons:

• The license fee is not publicly disclosed, making it challenging to estimate exact expenses.
• Limited seamless integration with third parties.
• Limited customization and scalability. For high customization needs, businesses may incur additional costs.
• Being a SaaS platform, it carries inherent risks from the provider, and data access limitations cannot be entirely avoided.

Pricing

For Salesforce B2C Commerce Cloud, businesses are offered three solution packages: Starter, Growth, and Plus, and they need to contact Salesforce for specific consultations and pricing.

For Salesforce B2B Commerce Cloud, businesses should get in touch with Salesforce for specific price levels and implementation details.

The cost of developing an eCommerce website using the SFCC platform can range from $2,000 to $500,000, depending on each business’s requirements.

Some Baby brands that have developed eCommerce websites on the Salesforce Commerce Cloud platform include Carter’s, Hanna Andersson, OshKosh B’gosh, Chicco, Crayola, Toys “R” Us, Melissa & Doug, and more.

Shopify

Shopify is a SaaS platform known for its diverse features and themes that cater to businesses of various industries and scales, facilitating the rapid and effective development of eCommerce websites.

Shopify offers three standard solution packages (Basic, Shopify, Advanced), tailored for small and medium-sized businesses. Meanwhile, the Shopify Plus solution is aimed at medium to large businesses with elevated development and customization requirements.

Key Features:

• Shopify POS: This feature is available in all solution packages and allows seamless integration of point-of-sale from online to offline, supporting order and inventory management across retail locations, online stores, and other active sales channels.
• eCommerce automation: Automates marketing processes and order execution. Available in the Shopify and Advanced packages, while Shopify Plus businesses have Shopify Flow and LaunchPad.
• Shopify Hydrogen: Allows Shopify Plus and standard Shopify businesses to build custom storefronts using the React-based Hydrogen framework, which can then be directly integrated with the Oxygen in-house hosting. This is Shopify’s new solution for businesses building and developing Headless websites.
• Abandoned cart recovery: Automatically sends email with discount codes to customers in cases of cart abandonment during the checkout process, leaving the website with products in the cart but unpaid, or viewing products without adding them to the cart.
• International commerce: Supports multiple languages, multiple stores, and multiple currencies. However, tax calculation at checkout is only available for the Advanced and Shopify Plus packages.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface.
• Reasonable initial costs.
• Diverse integrated apps and themes.
• 24/7 customer support service.
• Support both online and offline sales.
• High security.
• Ideal platform for opening dropshipping stores. Some Baby dropship stores using Shopify include Posh Peanut, Baby Boxco, Happiest Baby, and more.

Cons:

• Costs increase over time.
• Limited customization and scalability when compared to open-source platforms.
• Limited blogging features and content management capabilities.
• Restrictions on free themes.
• Risks associated with the provider and data access limitations.

Pricing

Shopify serves as the choice not only for Baby dropshipping stores but also for numerous well-known Baby brands that have used this platform to build their online store, including HATCH Collection, Motherhood Maternity, 4moms, Maclaren, Manhattan Toy, Tegu, and many others.

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another platform worth considering for Baby eCommerce businesses due to its ease of use and its ability to cater to the eCommerce website-building requirements of businesses across various scales and industries.

Furthermore, BigCommerce is recognized as a SaaS platform that includes a wide array of features within its solution packages (Standard, Plus, Pro, Enterprise) aimed at fostering eCommerce growth.

Key Features:

• Built-in blog: Enhances SEO rankings and provides an engaging content experience through a blog.
• Professional reporting tool: Offers professional analytics and reporting tools that help businesses evaluate operational performance for informed adjustments.
• Real-time shipping quotes: Provides real-time, accurate shipping cost estimates from various carriers.
• Google customer reviews: Allows businesses to collect and display customer reviews on Google from those who have purchased their products.
• BigCommerce mobile app: Monitor performance, track and update orders, and manage customer journeys with the BigCommerce mobile app. The app is available for direct download from the App Store or Google Play.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface.
• Richly integrated features.
• Diverse solution packages with reasonable usage costs.
• Offers 65 popular worldwide payment solutions with integrated transactions fee-free.
• A variety of themes and extensions tailored for the Baby industry.
• High security.

Cons:

• Sales volume limits.
• Increasing implementation costs over time.
• Limited customization capabilities.
• Provider risks and data access limitations.

Pricing

Brands built their eCommerce websites with BigCommerce: Le Petit Kids, Scentos, Nature’s One, Kids Furniture Warehouse, See Kai Run, Feltman Brothers, v.v

Shift4Shop

Shift4Shop is a SaaS eCommerce platform that equips businesses with the essential tools and features to build and customize eCommerce websites. It presents a range of free and premium themes suitable for marketing Maternity and baby products.

Shift4Shop provides three paid plans (Basic, Plus, Pro) and one free plan, subject to a minimum monthly revenue of $500, designed for U.S. sellers under the End-to-End category.

Key Features:

• Built-in tools: Integrated tools for blogging, SEO optimization, social media integration, etc., aid businesses in enhancing the effectiveness of their marketing strategies.
• RMA system: This feature simplifies the product return and refund process.
• Shopping cart: Allows customers to quickly view and customize their shopping carts. Customers can also choose one-page or three-page checkout options.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Various integrated features
• Reasonable initial cost
• No transaction fees
• 24/7 technical support service

Cons:

• Limited customization and expansion capabilities
• Increasing deployment costs over time, even for the End-to-End package
• Volume limits for paid plans
• Limited and basic selection of free themes
• Vendor risks and data access concerns

Pricing

Brands built their Baby website with Shift4Shop: eLeMeNO-Pee, Sugar Babies, Nicki’s Diapers, Enfant Style, Ideal Baby & Kids, v.v

The above are the top 5 platforms that have been preferred by the majority of Baby businesses for establishing their eCommerce websites. 

After years of eCommerce implementation across various countries, SECOMM has accumulated invaluable insights to expedite the process of website development and growth for Baby businesses.

Get in touch or directly call SECOMM‘s hotline at (02871089908) for immediate guidance on platform selection and eCommerce implementation today