E-Commerce Platform Selection – Painting by Numbers - Page 8

Examine Your Organization

*Several less quantifiable questions removed

What typical e-commerce leadership roles are present in your organization?

a)     One or two overburdened people filling all roles – 1

b)     A dedicated e-commerce team, but small (1-2 people) – 1

c)     A dedicated team with all major roles filled (4+ people) – 2

d)     An entire department dedicated to e-commerce – 3

What is your operational capacity?

a)     We’re not all that familiar with e-commerce operations – 1

b)     We can do the basics, but much of the technology is over our heads – 1

c)     Our team is experienced in operating e-commerce websites – 2

d)     We have dedicated in-house marketing, operational, and development staff – 3

How custom is your business logic?

a)     Simple e-commerce flow – 1

b)     Registration is optional and we have some proprietary logic – 2

c)     We require registration and have an account-specific rule set – 2

d)     We have complex logic baked in to our business model – 3

What is your budget to establish your platform?

a)     < $5,000 – 1

b)     < $10,000 – 1

c)     < $30,000 – 2

d)     > $50,000 – 3

Now, average your score for this section.

Point Total 1.0 – 1.75: Your team, operational capacity, and budget aren’t likely to support more than a SAAS model platform can provide.

Point Total 1.76 – 2.5: Your organization has skills or a budget that may make operating an Open Source or Managed platform feasible.

Point Total 2.51+: Your organization is interested in a major splash in the market. Support, development and operational resources, as well as a defined roadmap are likely necessary. A Managed platform is your likely e-commerce platform target.