Custom e-shop or boxed solution I

Main Differences Between Off-the-Shelf and Custom E-Shops

The biggest differences between the two solutions can be summarized in four points:

• Time
• Cost
• Scope
• Client Involvement

At the same time, we will tell you:

• What to consider before requesting a custom e-shop
• When you should choose a custom e-shop

Time: In a Month or Within a Year?

Off-the-Shelf

You can launch a new off-the-shelf e-shop over a weekend (max. within 1 month). How is this possible? You just need to complete 4 steps:

• Select a template
• Set up the e-shop
• Fill it with content
• Launch it

Custom Solution 

Developing a custom e-shop at PUXdesign generally takes several months.

• A basic solution can be developed within 1 month.
• From the first business contact and inquiry, even for a small solution, expect a delivery time of at least 3 months.
• For really complex solutions, we recommend completing the website delivery within a maximum of 1 year. If you already know that you will exceed this deadline, consider optimizing the delivery method of the e-shop (for example, by using agile project management methodologies).

Always plan for a time buffer. Suppliers typically have their developers divided among other projects that must be completed. Therefore, discard the ideal that they will start working on your project immediately. Also, keep in mind that before the actual development of the e-shop, it is necessary to complete additional preparatory phases. We will get to that later.

Scope: Specific Features or Pre-Made Modules?

Consider what functionalities your e-shop should have. You can easily create a basic overview of e-shop functions by reviewing the offerings of off-the-shelf solutions. The second step awaiting you at this stage is to decide whether you want a template-based e-shop or one with a unique touch.

Box

We recommend that newcomers to the field avoid custom e-shops if their requirements can be met by a boxed solution. This will save them time and money, and they can start operating the e-shop in a short period. All of this is invaluable experience and will pay off multiple times during the subsequent realization of a custom e-shop in the future.

Custom Solutions

Is a box not the right fit for you? In that case, a custom e-shop is an option. However, be prepared for the necessary collaboration with developers during its creation.

Price: a few hundred to thousands

Total costs consist not only of the initial development of the e-shop but also its subsequent operation and growth.

Package

Package = monthly rental + modules for carriers/payments/marketing

In this case, the price is based on a predetermined list of functionalities that you require. Amounts start from the most basic packages at 320 crowns per month. However, this is also an individual offer depending on the provider (Shoptet, Upgates, Webnode, or Solidpixels).

Custom Solution 

Custom e-shop = initial analysis + solution design + technical implementation + content fulfillment + web hosting + marketing

The initial investment in a new custom e-shop is never small, so it is essential to calculate the return on the entire project right from the start. Remember that development does not end there. 

• Consider operational costs as well.
• Larger solutions include a service contract that ensures, for example, response times and developer capacities for repairs and further development of the e-shop.
• Include expenses for PR and marketing.
• And running the e-shop itself also costs some money (for example, internal employees or associated third-party services).

The price of a basic custom solution starts from 100 thousand crowns and up. The final amount primarily depends on the scope of the solution.

Collaboration: lend a hand

Time, requirements, and price go hand in hand with your collaboration in creating the e-shop. Development cannot proceed without the client's assistance (that is, you).

Package

Compared to custom development, in this case, you only need to:

• Choose a template.
• Fill it with content and products (this depends on the amount of data and your skill).
• Set up the necessary parts of the purchasing process (e.g., communication with third parties – with carriers or payment gateways).
• And you can launch, measure, test, and optimize.

Custom Solutions

Client involvement in the entire process is absolutely essential during custom development. Throughout the development, you practically become part of the supplier's team. Assign this task to someone who has the capacity to dedicate a quarter to half of their time solely to the new e-shop.

When should you choose a custom e-shop?

1) Transitioning from an existing box solution

The decision will be easiest for you if you have had a box solution and have outgrown it. What does this mean? You started with it, successfully used it for several years, but this solution is no longer sufficient for your current business goals.

2) Unsuitable template or graphic display

Be careful here; this is a very subjective reason, and we recommend making decisions based on analytical data. Consider:

• Does your template have specific shortcomings? (For example, a poorly structured purchasing process that results in a low conversion rate)
• Would it be enough to simply replace the template with another one or make partial adjustments?
• Are there specific graphic elements or content with real business benefits that you need to incorporate into the e-shop?

At PUXdesign, we usually first look for a way to solve the problem together with the client without the need to change the platform – for example, by simply integrating with specialized third-party services.

3) Necessary custom development

You will need a custom e-shop when you know that you require functionality that no module within box solutions offers.

And since there are indeed many, we have selected the most common:

a) Configurator

A configurator is necessary if your products and services are not basic or defined solely by variants, but the composition of the product is much more sophisticated. We have previously written about the types of configurators we can produce – from simpler to truly complex pieces –  before.

Configurator for shirt manufacturers UTY with a database of up to three thousand photos for presenting all offered design variants.

b) Integration with third-party systems

• ERP and CRM
  • Warehouse and accounting system to ensure internal processes in planning, inventory, purchasing, sales, marketing, finance, or human resources.
  • We have experience integrating with systems such as Helios, MS Dynamics NAV, Pohoda, Money, IFS, or I6. We are also not afraid of Karat, QI, Oracle, or K2.
• Payment gateways and carriers
  • To ensure a convenient online shopping experience, various online payment methods and integration with carriers that can deliver orders to customers as quickly as possible are essential.
  • The most commonly integrated payment gateways include GP Webpay, GoPay, or Comgate. However, we can also implement The Pay, PayU, Paypal, or Twisto and installment systems like Cetelem (Hello bank).
  • Technically, we are not limited by any payment method. We are currently eagerly awaiting our first clients interested in implementing Google Pay and Apple Pay.
  • Among carriers, we most frequently implement Zásilkovna, Uloženka, Balíkobot, TopTrans, DPD, and many others.
• Integration with other third-party systems
  • This usually involves systems for managing email campaigns or newsletters and various online marketing automations.

Integration with third-party systems in the form of an option to send orders via the Zásilkovna service for the client Ajala.

c) B2B systems and other special functionalities

Other specific conditions often relate to customer segmentation.

• Advanced pricing and discounts
  • Assignment of multiple price levels or special price lists for specific customers
  • Setting specific discounts such as sales in packages, sets, promotions 2+1, and others. Often combined with additional conditions (for example, "application of the given discount only if the user is in a selected customer group or role").
• Extended stock availability
  • Loading products and information about their availability from multiple warehouses.
  • Loading data from various external suppliers.
• Loyalty systems
  • Collecting points in the customer account according to specific rules.
  • For every 100 CZK, the customer receives 1 point, which can then be used for purchases like money.
  • These systems often include additional conditions specific to the given e-shop (for example, the possibility of redeeming points only on selected products or the inability to combine money and points within a single order).

Creation of a partner zone for the client LAC.

3 Tips Before Requesting Custom E-Shop Development

1) Don't Look for the Perfect E-Shop, but for a Solution Adequate to Your Needs

Technically, such a solution is referred to as a “MVP” or Minimum Viable Product. This is a product, in this case, an e-shop, with the minimum functionality necessary to be fully usable and to quickly gather feedback from customers for further development and optimization. This approach is crucial in custom e-shop development and is sometimes incorrectly confused with so-called standard solutions.

NOTE: Developing or doing things to MVP standards does not mean doing them poorly, but doing them as efficiently as possible. Some may interpret this approach as the classic Pareto principle (80/20).

2) Standard E-Shop Does Not Exist

The term standard defines the most common or widely used solutions for most online customers. In the Czech market, we can consider e-shops like Alza.cz or Mall.cz as such. Yes, based on overall revenue, they are the e-shops with the highest traffic and number of orders, but functionally, they are certainly not standard. Behind the development and especially the growth of these e-shops are substantial teams of developers who work daily on improving individual functionalities and optimizing the processes of the entire solution.

For reference:1 month of work from 1 developer at an hourly rate of 1,000 crowns would cost 160,000 crowns for a typical full-time position. And that would indeed be a very expensive standard.

3) Have a clear vision and don't be afraid to show it

A specific assignment is fundamental. Instead of building castles in the air, developers will appreciate specific proposals and examples of solutions from other reference projects. Such processing of a Proof of Concept will certainly not be a disadvantage. Let's not reinvent the wheel; some things simply work in a certain way, so let's not invest our energy where it's not needed and save it for other parts of the project.

RECOMMENDATION: Repetition is the mother of wisdom. Therefore, constantly recalculate. How are you doing with time, money, and the internal capacities of responsible people? Have you clarified the business return of the entire project?

Now you know the most important things. Wait for the continuation of the article, where we will show you the steps leading to a new e-shop. We will also reveal what you will get in the basic package or, conversely, in the complete e-shop solution. If you don't want to wait, just write or call us  and we can discuss the options together.