Bespoke Ecommerce Solutions

What is a bespoke ecommerce solution?

A bespoke ecommerce solution is a custom built online shopping platform that has been developed to meet the unique requirements of a specific, online business. Whilst there are many out of the box ecommerce solutions that work perfectly well for some businesses - Shopify or WooCommerce for example - a bespoke platform is designed and built from scratch meaning it can be tailored to fit the specific workflows, branding and/or functionality of the organisation in question - a distinct differentiator in an online space that is jam packed with the same old templated storefronts.

That being said, not every company needs an entirely custom built platform for their online store. A bespoke solution can also refer to individual custom components integrated into an existing system whether that be bespoke or off-the-shelf. These components allow businesses to create a unique online experience within the structure of an existing platform, providing the benefits of customised features and functionality with the support and reliability of an established ecommerce system.

Custom integrations or fully custom solution?

Deciding between customised off-the-shelf platforms and fully bespoke ecommerce solutions depends on a number of factors including budget, complexity and long term goals. Here, we will take a look at the pros and cons of both of them.

Off-the-shelf platform with custom integrations

This approach involves using a ready built platform like Shopify, WooCommerce or Magento and then adding custom built integrations and features that tailor it to an organisations specific requirements.

The Pros:

• Faster setup - Online stores can be set up quickly
• Lower upfront costs - Upfront costs are much lower due to not needing development resource to set up
• Ongoing support & updates - Online platforms offer regular security patches and feature upgrades inclusive in the cost (usually!)
• Reliable infrastructure - Existing platforms such as Shopify have solid hosting, payment security and uptime standards in place.

The Cons:

• Limited flexibility - Off-the-shelf platforms do still have constraints that businesses must work within regardless of whether they introduce custom elements
• Reliance on plugins - Having too many third party add ons can cause performance issues and businesses are at the mercy of the third parties should anything go wrong with the plug ins.
• Subscription fees - Whilst lower fees upfront, these platforms generally charge monthly fees which do of course, add up over time
• Non ownership - Businesses do not fully own the platform meaning they have no control over price rises, policy changes or the speed at which changes are made (if they're made at all)

Best for: Small to medium sized businesses that need a functional store quickly but still want some custom elements.

Fully bespoke ecommerce solutions

As covered above, a fully bespoke ecommerce platform is built from scratch to a business's own specification meaning they have unlimited flexibility and complete control over the features, design and integrations of the system.

The Pros:

• Fits exact requirements - There is no need to compromise on what to include or how to include it - skys the limit (almost anyway...)
• Scalable - Bespoke ecommerce platforms can be designed in a way that allows to grow, adapt and evolve in line with an organisation's future ambitions and expectations
• Optimised performance - There is no unnecessary bloat from unused features or plugins
• Full ownership - The purchasing company has full ownership of their platform and can make changes at their own discretion rather than relying on a third party

The Cons:

• Higher upfront costs - Developer resource is required to design and build the solution, therefore, upfront costs will be higher than off-the-shelf
• Longer development time - Following the above, custom development takes time so it's not a simple case of plug and play with bespoke software solutions - there will be a wait. How long you ask? How long is a piece of string? (we hate that phrase too)
• Ongoing maintenance - The purchasing organisation is wholly responsible for their own updates, hosting and security

Best for: Businesses with complex needs or those that want complete control over their platform’s future.

Bespoke ecommerce features

A bespoke ecommerce system can include one, multiple or all of the following features. Some businesses operate just fine with a ready built platform and maybe a few tailored modifications, whilst others - particularly large and complex corporations - require a fully customised solution.

Either way, here are some popular custom components that may be present in an ecommerce system.

How can we help?

Here at Cool Code Company, we've developed a number of fully bespoke ecommerce solutions as well as many custom components for existing ecommerce systems. Whether you need our help creating a solution from the ground up or just some help to make your existing system function better by adding in some individual components - we're well placed to help!

And, if you'd like to see a real example of our ecommerce experience in action, why not check out the Westermans International Testimonial.

Further reading

A Handy Guide to Bespoke Ecommerce Integrations

Custom Reporting for the Ecommerce Industry