Ecommerce software: ready to upgrade?
Ecommerce software: ready to upgrade?
Indi's plans to replace her shopping cart guided by Ernie Schell
Indi thinks she's outgrown her ecommerce package, and unsure how to choose the upgrade, seeks help from Ernie Schell after listening to him speak at ECMOD in London. Known on both sides of the Atlantic for teaching companies how to specify and select systems - and seeing in Indi an earnest student - Ernie agrees to guide her.
Follow along as Indi is challenged by the first 5 questions any retailer should answer when considering an upgrade. The self-assessment continues as Ernie asks Indi's company Jaivi to identify their skillsets, revealing a bias that shies away from technological "plumbing." So before a real software selection process can begin engaging vendors, Indi learns there are important staff capabilities she needs to address first.
You'll learn how to:
- Ensure your team's capable of evaluating a new system to your advantage, not the vendor's.
- Increase utilization of your existing platform in ways that might defer an upgrade.
- Identify which of the 3 stages of merchants you're in, and thereby screen out some vendors.
- Avoid the biggest mistake made by companies when overhauling their IT system.
- Manage your software platform life cycle, optimizing the timing of your next upgrade.
Thanks to Ernie's guidance, Indi finds herself equipped with a framework for decision-making that’s useful to any size merchant. Her confidence in managing her ecommerce software grows, even as she comes to question the timing of her next upgrade.
"In planning an upgrade, we've been pre-occupied with feature comparisons and prices, but now we've learned there's something more fundamental - and it begins in-house..."
| File Type | Name |
|---|---|
 | 1.
Indi reaches out to direct commerce system specialist after chance London meeting |
 | 2.
Thinking it's time to replace her ecommerce software, Indi's on the hunt. But for what? |
| 3.
Schell's signed on as her guide, and asks Indi to answer 5 key questions |
 | 4.
Ernie & Indi's dialog yields 3 key points; plus the danger of 'jack of all trade' suites |
| 5.
Ernie's direction to Indi includes pegging her at Stage 1, and suggesting the next step... |
| 6.
Ernie's latest email sets it out plainly for Indi's 2 next steps... |
| 7.
A follow-up voice mail to Indi elaborates on the risk of over-confident, tech-newbie owners |
| 8.
When offered a stark choice, Ernie explains why one is better than the other |
| 9.
Phone consultations with Indi lead Ernie into matters of who, when, and why |
| 10.
In reply to an email from Indi, Ernie explains trade-offs of all-in-one versus best-of-breed |
| 11.
Drawn to adopting a bundled suite of products, Indi learns merchants' biggest common mistake |
| 12.
Indi asks what her expectations ought be for the lifetime of a new platform |
| 13.
Jaivi's team gets an update from their fearless leader |
| 14.
Hearing the story of a fellow merchant, Indi comes back to Ernie with questions |
| 15.
SAVE THIS. Ernie's replies on the ideal inter-play between vendor & merchant |
| 16.
My list of questions for a merchant to answer, all things considered |
| 17.
Ernie delivers a classification of vendor & system types, plus a guide to their assessment |
| 18.
Ernie's follow-up: a list of functional issues to ask of any vendor |
| 19.
My forecast for how Indi's platform upgrade plans will unfold... |
| 20.
Links, resources, and stuff I want to save from this lesson... |
- Array