Chapter 5: Exploring E*commerce
Timeless principles. Real-time signals. The thinking stays the same, the tools don't.
Core Principle: Your Platform Should Enable Growth, Not Limit It
Chapter 5 breaks down the three core e-commerce models: hosted, open-source, and multichannel. The right choice depends on your technical capabilities, growth goals, and resource constraints.
🏪 Hosted E-commerce Platforms
Shopify Plus - Enterprise-grade hosted solution
Why now: Handles 80% of e-commerce needs without technical complexity
Use case: Scale rapidly without worrying about server management or security
BigCommerce Enterprise - API-first hosted platform
Why now: Headless commerce capabilities without the technical overhead
Use case: Create unique front-end experiences while maintaining hosted simplicity
🛠️ Open-Source Solutions
WooCommerce - WordPress-based flexibility
Why now: Complete customisation control with a vast plugin ecosystem
Use case: Build complex B2B workflows or unique customer experiences
Magento Commerce - Enterprise open-source platform
Why now: Advanced B2B features and multi-store management
Use case: Large catalogues with complex product configurations
🌐 Multichannel Management
ChannelAdvisor - Enterprise marketplace management
Why now: Managing multiple sales channels manually doesn't scale
Use case: Sell across 20+ marketplaces from one central system
Zentail - Automated multichannel operations
Why now: Inventory sync across channels prevents overselling disasters
Use case: Scale marketplace presence without increasing operational complexity
💳 Payment Infrastructure
Stripe - Developer-friendly payment processing
Why now: Global expansion requires flexible payment method support
Use case: Accept payments in 135+ currencies with local payment methods
Adyen - Unified commerce platform
Why now: Omnichannel experiences require unified payment data
Use case: Consistent payment experience across online, mobile, and in-store
📊 Platform Analytics
Google Analytics 4 - Cross-platform customer journey tracking
Why now: Privacy changes require first-party data strategies
Use case: Understand customer behaviour across all touchpoints
Mixpanel - Product analytics for e-commerce
Why now: Platform optimisation requires granular user behaviour data
Use case: Optimise checkout flows and reduce cart abandonment
Platform Selection Framework
Technical Requirements
How much customisation do you need?
What's your team's technical expertise?
Do you need a headless/API-first architecture?
Business Needs
What's your projected traffic and transaction volume?
How many products will you manage?
Do you need B2B features?
Growth Considerations
Will you sell internationally?
Do you plan to sell on marketplaces?
How quickly do you need to scale?
Platform Evolution Trends
Composable commerce allows best-of-breed tool combinations
AI-powered personalisation is becoming a standard platform feature
Voice commerce integration for hands-free shopping experiences
AR/VR capabilities enabling virtual try-before-buy experiences
Sustainability tracking for environmentally conscious commerce
Quick Platform Health Check
Can your platform handle 10x your current traffic?
Are your page load times under 3 seconds?
Can you easily add new sales channels?
Is your checkout optimised for mobile?
Do you have redundancy and backup systems?
