Open Source Ecommerce Software Is not Perfect, But It Is Flexible and Exciting

Open source ecommerce software is like a sculpture garden. You can stop, pause, look at it from different angles, and then come up with your own way of categorizing it based on your needs and your position. How you view it and use it is flexible, depending on your desires and goals. Each individual sculpture may not look perfect to you, just as each application or module for open source ecommerce software, yet it may still be quite exciting.

Open Source Ecommerce Software:  Not Just For the Little Guys

You may be among the growing trend of organizations looking at open source ecommerce software, motivated by cost savings or plans to operate apart from big software vendors. This type of ecommerce technology used to be viewed as the choice for smaller organizations, but today it’s worth another look if you’re mid-sized or a larger organization – especially as its functionality expands to include things like CRM and its costs up-front can still remain low.
What People Say about Open Source Ecommerce Software …
So are the rumors about open source ecommerce software true? Can it solve some common ecommerce challenges, like cost? Mostly yes, with a little part no. You can sidestep traditional vendor-based costs like license fees, annual maintenance and sharing-agreements with vendors with an open source ecommerce software solution, and you can expect most of your expense to be within an as-needed realm once your product has been implemented.

Resource-Intense: That’s Open Source Ecommerce Software

While up-front costs and licensing may be lower with open source ecommerce software, compared to traditional deployments, you may need to prepare for costs related to allocating your internal and existing resources – as well as those related to customizing your integration. The resource-intense integration may involve a series of customized developments, which can erode your cost savings up-front. Some organizations have also noted that once they’ve paid for their custom development, open source technology changes and becomes enhanced – which brings a mixed bag of advantages versus potential disadvantages.

How’s It Work?

Magento remains one of the open source ecommerce software leaders for its high functionality and expertise, used by more than 30,000 merchants worldwide. Niche Retail LLC has acquired designer children’s clothing retailer Estella as a client, and is using Magento’s technology to help the company’s brand skyrocket without having to expend all its energy managing and maximizing its ecommerce solutions. The open source offerings from Magento are expected to expand what Estella is already offering, strengthen consumer brand awareness and provide a jump in rates of conversion.

Customers Will Believe You Know Their Every Need

As you deploy and integrate an open source ecommerce solution, you can hone in on factors you need for special promotions, useful and customized templates or specialized shopping cart functions. From your customer’s perspective, your ecommerce experience can seem more streamlined and more personal; from your budget perspective, some of the expenses related to being highly flexible may take you by surprise. You may choose, for example, to go with a no-cost industry leader, such as osCommerce, but then customize the integration with one of its nearly 6,000 purchasable add-ons.

Not Fully Functioning in All Arenas, but Getting There

Open source ecommerce software vendors like Apache and Magento are moving closer toward offering the full line-up of ecommerce features that traditional vendors offer, like tools for one-click content management and advanced search options. They’re also integrating customer relationship management tools so that you can create more loyal buyers – and though the tools may not be fully present yet, they are expected to fully emerge soon. Meanwhile, your team may choose to close any functionality gaps using your own expertise and perhaps intervention from ecommerce designers.

What’s Next for Open Source Ecommerce Software?

What to look for with open source ecommerce software? More enterprise-level solutions and bigger scale for ecommerce systems. You can also look for more retailers and wholesalers to employ the technology, drawn by its flexibility, ingenuity and cost savings. Also look for better training programs to help you squeeze every ounce of value out of your open source ecommerce software.