It’s no secret that e-commerce is growing in popularity. Because of the vast number of online stores aimed toward consumers, it’s tempting to believe that the B2C sector accounts for most of the industry. The B2B e-commerce business is expected to be worth more than six times the size of the B2C market.
The B2B open source platform you use is critical for growing your B2B eCommerce business or transforming your B2C store into a hybrid that sells to companies.
B2B open source solutions are more budget friendly
It’s critical to know why you’d want an open-source B2B eCommerce platform and how it differs from the competition.
When users and publishers have access to the source code of an open-source software (OSS), they can customize or modify it as they see fit. Open-source software, on the other hand, allows developers to make changes and updates to the source code to create their ideal B2B platform.
Learn more about source code
In computer programming, the phrase “source code” refers to the fundamental code that programmers may update to alter how a program (or application) performs. They don’t need to contact the program’s developer to make changes, add features, or fix bugs.
Take a look at advantages and disadvantages of proprietary platforms vs. b2b open source
Proprietary: You’ll have more control over your whole e-commerce ecosystem because you’ll be talking directly with the platform’s developers while using a proprietary solution. You’ll have a lot more power and stability if you have a single point of contact for all your needs, from design to training to hosting. Dealing with any difficulties that develop as a result will be considerably more straightforward and faster. This feature is critical for sites that process a high volume of orders and deal in considerable sums of money. Take a look at a few advantages below:
- Privately owned software sites are more secure because they are built in a controlled atmosphere by a focused team working toward a single goal, guaranteeing that the code base is appropriately secured.
- The source code is only accessible to members of this team.
- Having a thorough understanding of one’s code makes it much easier to integrate third-party programs.
- The vendor handles all system updates.
As a result, they are more likely to have total control over the fundamental code, allowing them to make system upgrades and additions according to their client’s specific requirements.
Now, here are a few drawbacks for proprietary solutions:
- The organization has the power to lock down the code, making it vulnerable to alterations from outside sources. In contrast, some companies allow local developers to update the code.
- You receive greater flexibility, security, and functionality in exchange for a higher price, continued innovation and scalability, ongoing training and support, and a decreased necessity for technical skills.
- If you need to relocate, which is more often than not the case with open-source software, you’ll need to start afresh rebuilding/re-platforming projects.
B2B Open source: For e-commerce, open-source software has various advantages, including minimal entrance costs, a vast library of third-party plug-ins, and a large number of developers Check out these advantages:
- In principle, purchase costs are more budget-friendly.
- Open-source systems can be administered in-house if the requisite resources and technical personnel are available.
- Several agencies and developers have worked with a wide range of technology stacks, and can offer valuable resources..
- A plethora of add-ons and plug-ins are available for free or for a bit of cost (quality may vary considerably, though)
Here are some drawbacks:
- You may need to manage many agencies/third-party suppliers for database, web-server, and application-level components, or you may need to handle them all in-house, which might significantly increase expenses.
- A website with too many plug-ins may become cumbersome and laggy.
What’s the ROI?
Using open-source technologies, you may build your own B2B e-commerce platform. Use the source code in whatever method works best for your application. Put another way, the only constraints you face are those you place on yourself, such as time, abilities, and resources.
Further, because everything is open source, you can share your customized version of the e-commerce platform with other users for free or for a fee.
Save on expenditures
Although open-source software isn’t always free, the vast majority of the time it is a cost-effective option. At the very least, establishing a B2B e-commerce platform from scratch is more expensive. To top it all off, open-source software is less expensive to run and maintain than proprietary software. If you need help, you have a broad variety of options because it is available to everyone. You’ll save money on repairs and time as a result of doing this.
► Advantages for your organization:
Our b2b open source solutions are well-known for their openness. When you make all of your code public, you obtain the following advantages:
- There are no admissions requirements. The code is visible at every stage of the route.
- The software is entirely trustworthy due to the help provided by both the company and the developer community.
- All users can keep a lookout for defects and hackers in the code. A flaw in the system is promptly recognized and fixed.
- It’s easier to be creative when you have the flexibility to do things your way. Build on the work of others in your community or develop your solutions.
► The benefits to the framework include:
- Copious documentation, and training tools make it easy for new and experienced users. Often, the framework is simple to use.
- The framework’s developer community ensures that it is secure and evolving all the time.
Related: 15 Best Ecommerce Tools to Increase Ecommerce Sales
► Benefits incorporated into the tech stack:
- The right data structure employs an in-memory dataset for optimal efficiency in caching applications.
- It may offer a message broker and scalable job consumers are used for background processing.
- You can get a search index that is fast, scalable, and highly customizable, as well as fuzzy search features and control over field boosting and relevance (weight).
- The apps may be compatible with the majority of web servers, including Apache and Nginx.
- If the solution comes with PostgreSQL or MySQL relational databases, then they assure application data is stored effectively.
