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Choosing the proper eCommerce solution partner is critical for business success in the face of a continuously changing eCommerce landscape. Businesses are being forced to adapt rapidly and frequently due to new technology, fragmented purchasing habits, and shifting consumer expectations.

To thrive in the digital world, you'll need a partner who can lead your digital strategy while you focus on the rest of your company. But where do you look for the right candidate? And how can you be sure you can put your trust in them to make your eCommerce initiative a success? You'll need a clear grasp of your priorities and goals to accomplish this. You'll be able to see which partners are a suitable fit for your company and who have the skills and experience to assist you achieve your objectives.

You've come to the correct place if you're looking for an eCommerce partner but don't know where to begin.

We've compiled a list of crucial points to consider when selecting an eCommerce solution provider.

What Does It Take To Be Successful?

Consider your goals before you start researching and comparing other players in the space. What do you want this partner to help you achieve, and how do you envision this partnership succeeding?

Companies vying for your favor will offer you some intriguing and new ideas, but don't let fancy designs or language divert you from your initial objectives.

Knowing exactly what you want from a partner will make it easier to filter out extraneous information and make the best decision possible.

Is It Necessary For Them To Be Local?

An e-commerce partner does not have to be located nearby. They can be chosen from any part of the globe. In digital marketing, proximity is less important than the capacity to meet deadlines, provide ideas, and deliver. If a portfolio is required, they can simply email or use face-to-face communication tools such as Zoom or Skype.

You have the option of selecting and working with e-commerce providers and specialists who advertise their services on the internet. However, it's a good idea to read through their profile thoroughly and pay attention to how they respond while negotiating offers.

With Whom Has the eCommerce Company Partnered Earlier?

Next, find out what kinds of businesses they work with on a regular basis, or have worked with in the past. Do they often work with businesses that are comparable to yours, such as enterprise or small businesses? Too many businesses rely solely on their websites to provide information about prior customers, but it's critical to ask the question up front.

Inquire about specific, quantitative examples of the provider's success, particularly for companies that face similar difficulties and are at the same point of the life cycle as yours. You want to work with someone who can set attainable, quantifiable goals and has a track record of success.

What Experience To Look For In an eComm Partner?

It may be clear (and it is), but what has your partner truly provided, and to whom? Because of the complexities of eCommerce, you'll want a partner who has proven competence in all aspects of the business. Because if they don't, you can be in for some unpleasant shocks down the road.

So, in addition to your unique objectives, consider whether they've completed projects in B2C, B2B, across industries, and for well-known successful clients with proven results. If you wish to go international, do they have both local and worldwide eCommerce experience? Do they provide a full suite of services that will address all aspects of your digital goals?

Spend some time researching and learning about your potential partner. You're seeking for proof of the aforementioned questions, whether it's in the form of evaluations, case studies, or recommendations. This manner, you'll know if the partner is capable of turning your eCommerce idea into a reality. If you don't have a vision yet, it's just as crucial to have a partner that can help you establish one based on your present digital maturity as well as your goals and objectives.

Do They Know How to Integrate?

To improve corporate efficiencies and improve the consumer experience, the most successful eCommerce projects often include a variety of integrations. PIM, ERP, POS, Order Management, Search, CRM, Payment Gateways, Loyalty Programs, User-Generated Content, and Personalization are just a few of the integrations we've built for customers at Mygento to help them scale and achieve their objectives.

So the major message here is to look for a partner with experience and skills in integrating the technologies you're already using. Integrations have the ability to alter your eCommerce offering, but if done incorrectly, they can wreak chaos with your organization.

What About Their Individual Awards and Qualifications?

Above all else, a partner's success for its clients is the most important factor. However, if you want to delve a little deeper, you can look into their qualifications. To begin, you can look into their standings to determine if they are well-liked by their peers and technology providers. Let's pretend you're considering switching your online store to the Magento Commerce platform. You should think about things like: Is this partner well-known in the Magento ecosystem? And how long have they been providing Magento Commerce eCommerce projects?

There are various awards to consider. Yes, awards aren't everything, but they can at least give you a sense of how capable your partner is. You may observe if the partner's eCommerce projects have received appreciation from their peers and the general public, whether for the partner or its clients.

You may get a feel of a partner's capabilities by looking at the eCommerce awards it has won, whether it's for design, innovation, implementation, customer experience, or growth.

Are They Familiar With Omnichannel?

If there's one thing today's customer wants, it's the freedom to purchase when, when, and how they want. They now have the ball in their hands. To meet these higher consumer expectations, your company must be present wherever your customers are. So simply having a website will not suffice.

Today, you must be present on every channel and make channel transitions as seamless as possible. For the smooth and frictionless customer experiences that modern audiences want, you need a partner who knows omnichannel inside and out, from physical shop to app to online customer support to delivery tracking.

Do They Mind Maintenance, Accuracy and all that Security?

OK, this isn't the most exciting aspect of picking a partner, but it is one of the most crucial. In today's digital environment, any downtime has significant financial consequences. Customers will leave if they can't access your site or make a transaction, and they may never return. Then there's the issue of online security, which is only becoming worse. Whether it's data breaches, stolen money, lost productivity, or intellectual property theft, your company's reputation might be ruined forever if your security architecture isn't up to par.

In terms of hosting, maintenance, support, and security, your eCommerce partner should have a committed team and resources. Examine the technology they use to keep your site functioning efficiently and your clients' information safe and secure.

What Is Their Business Culture?

Remember that implementing any digital strategy is no easy task. It will take time and will demand feedback and buy-in from all of your company's stakeholders. So, for the time being, disregard a partner's technical achievements… First and foremost, you must proceed. Because, believe it or not, you'll be interacting with this partner on a frequent basis, perhaps more than some of your coworkers! Depending on the complexity of your project and ambitions, you may be working with this partner for months or even years.

• What does success mean to them?
• What are their business principles/ethics?
• Is this the kind of partner that will listen and consider my suggestions, or will they just go ahead and do things their way?
• Do they have the knowledge and experience to not only build a solution, but also to offer advice and added value along the way?
• Is it possible for me to work with this company and its workers on a regular basis?

How Will All Of It Will Turn Out?

As we've seen, how you feel about a partner is quite important. Results, on the other hand, are unbeatable in terms of cold, hard evidence. And by results, we don't just mean the number of websites they've built… But consider what has transpired as a result of these websites.

So consider how a new solution has impacted the traffic, conversions, sales, customer lifetime value, mobile purchases, growth, and revenue of the solution partner's clients (and any other metrics that are priorities for your business).

This will offer you a better idea of whether or not this partner can translate technology into real-world results for your company.

How Much Is the Fish?

Finally, there's the issue of cost.

And in many circumstances, this will be the determining factor—you've decided on an eCommerce budget and must keep to it.

However, there are a few variables to consider when it comes to pricing.

Depending on the partner, ecommerce solutions have different pricing structures and timelines. You may receive a single price that is based on fixed costs, is completely transparent, and gives you an accurate estimate of what you will pay throughout the project and afterwards. Another partner, on the other hand, may claim a cheaper starting price to close the contract, only to slap you with additional fees during the build and after your site is live.

And it's because of this wide range of pricing structures that straight price comparisons are nearly impossible. Yes, one partner may appear to be the less expensive alternative at first, but what happens when they add other costs later on? When seeking and assessing proposals, it's critical to demand clarity from solution suppliers.

Taking on an eCommerce project is a major step for any company. As a result, you should scrutinize every pricing schedule you come across. Because having a clear, long-term vision of price from the outset will be significantly more important than settling for a price that could fluctuate and shoot up without warning at any time in the future.

Still Undecided? Ask

Tell the possible partner that you're looking at their competition and inquire about what sets them apart. Their differentiators should be focused on assisting you in achieving the goals you set out in the first place - don't get caught up with flashy extras that don't provide value.

And Get Back To the Goal

When choosing who to work with, always consider how your IT partners can assist you in achieving your set goals in a way that makes your life easier rather than more difficult.

Make sure they have the resources to provide you the time and attention you require, as well as the flexibility to work with your current processes and the ability to expand with you as your company grows.

Mygento works with brands, retailers, and manufacturers all across the world to help them succeed in digital commerce. We can provide your company with an end-to-end solution to help you flourish in the digital world, thanks to our expertise in B2B, B2C, D2C, Order Management, integrations, marketing automation, and SLA maintenance.