Third-Party Vendors Add-Ons

Setting up and maintaining an ecommerce store can be a challenging task for many new businesses. To begin, the very first dilemma you will face will have to do with building your website. Do you build your very own ecommerce website or should you select a third-party ecommerce platform?

Using an ecommerce platform provider like Shopify, Magento, or Bigcommerce may seem like the inexpensive way to go. It’s probably the quickest solution if you do not have the resources and time to build your own ecommerce website, which may require hiring engineers and designers. 

However, with third-party vendors you inherent the mistake in assuming the more integration you do to your base platform the higher conversion rates you will achieve, but it’s usually a trap for payments and will only diminish your return on investment. Shopify usually includes platform transaction fee, and add-on fees with consistently more expansive month to month fees than a self-hosted ecommerce website. In addition, there are many add-ons to the base platforms for open platforms like Shopify and Magneto, but eventually you will end up with diminished returns. Vendors will keep selling you other add-on features that include various costs, integration, and maintenance. Because plug-ins are written by different third-party providers, compatibility between them may be lacking. Custom programming is often required to fix coding malfunctions, often creating disappointing results. In the long run, you will have to ask yourself if these add-ons are really making your products better, or is your focus better spent on something else?  

Regardless of what you are selling on your ecommerce website, ensure that you take the time to research your options and make an informed decision. Identify your business’ needs and ensure that you build and deliver your ecommerce website effectively to maximize your return on investment.