BigCommerce Enterprise-grade? Does it deliver?

When you consider a SAAS platform for your Enterprise, there is a lot at risk since your requirements will have high expectations to which many vendors will not meet. So when a SAAS Platform claims to be "Enterprise-grade" you immediately set the bar and challenge that platform to those requirements. Shopify Plus (another SAAS platform) has been put to the test. What are these requirements? where do the bars sit? What categories do they fall into? Will it deliver for your Enterprise-level business?

Best of Breed

A lot of eCommerce Platforms claim "Best of Breed" when it comes to features, UX/UI, Apps, web development, and their online store builders. When looking at the BigCommerce solution, you have the native eCommerce features and interface to work with and if you need an additional feature - the Nest of Breed BigCommerce App is ready for you to pick out. If that does not satisfy your needs, picking out a BigCommerce Expert to build your Custom App might be the next step. However, what's even more critical is lurking "under the hood" of the SAAS Architecture, the underpinnings that give you an edge over other platforms:

• SKU variant flexibility limit at 600 (vs. Shopify Plus at 100)

• Product Option variation limit at 250 (vs. Shopify Plus at 3)

• SEO: Fully Customizable URL's for best in class SEO (Shopify Plus limits the user to "/collections/", "/pages/", "/blogs/" and "/products/" to do weird redirect/workarounds to achieve their funnels)

• SEO: Full access and ability to edit the Robots.txt file (A Shopify Expert would have to do complex workarounds in the Shopify Theme to achieve the same goals)

• SEO: Google AMP is there by default where (Shopify App for AMP is required for the same functionality).

• API: API request limit is 400+/minute (Shopify is 2/min and Shopify Plus at 4/min)

• Feature Parity: Base BigCommerce features = Shopify +30Apps

• B2B: BigCommerce is built for B2B, Shopify can achieve basic B2B via a Shopify Custom App.

• One Domain: For internationalization, one domain is enough for the BigCommerce platform, while in Shopify subdomains are required.

• Custom Checkout Flows: BigCommerce has SDKs to allow for custom checkouts which is crucial for B2B (store line of credit and other payment methods).

• Custom Facets for searching large catalogs.

• Internationalization: Via headless architecture, fast API - multi-lingual, multi-currency, and multi-brand is all within reach.

An Open SAAS architecture requires a robust API as an enabler for best-in-class vendors to adopt the platform's architecture and submit their App for review and be placed into the BigCommerce store. The "robust" implication of the API has ramifications in many departments in SPEED: BigCommerce Apps, Easy and fast migrations, product updates, reports, financial and ERPs interconnectivity, web applications, real-time shipping rates at checkout, and social media integrations.

Large Catalogs

BigCommerce's architecture is flexible and allows for complex and large catalogs of products and best of all, conditional products. The BigCommerce platform has a traditional "catalog tree" where you have categories and sub-categories where your URLs will reflect this making it easy for SEO. Shopify on the other hand has a restriction to Collections and Tags with applying conditions would require a Shopify App. With its efficient API, a product edit of 25,000 would take about 1minute with the BigCommerce API, while it would take 2hrs with Shopify Plus, and 4hrs with Shopify. Having the tools to manage your business/products is crucial so as to implement the interfaces that your processes require to interface with the system - where the IT department's requirement will be high on their list.

BigCommerce App Store

While the BigCommerce App store is populating with best-in-class Apps, Shopify has the lead in variety and capabilities. But don't be thinking that's a sign that it is an advantage to have a plethora of Apps since each one carries a cost: Per month cost, cost of maintenance, more points of failures/lower page speeds with more apps. With BigCommerce integrating so many more features in its architecture, most of the common-sense features are already at your disposal, with key BigCommerce partners at the ready for your eCommerce website. Bigcommerce development does not require fancy programming languages like "liquid", therefore your front-end developer will have ease in refining the user experience in your web design without needing to require a special App do that task.

Does BigCommerce deliver to the Enterprise businesses?

You can look at BigCommerce as a big Content Management System (CMS) that is enabled to be selling products. Sure, their online store can sell online with a variety of credit card payment options, and with a bit of website design you can set up shop. No, this is a serious platform with very deep capabilities and open API architecture for your IT department to interface process/procedures/access for business departments to do their job efficiently without the maintenance of the core engine. The abilities built-in by default in BigCommerce take you well above and beyond Shopify Plus in many departments in just the basic free trial account, so BigCommerce Enterprise is definitely up to the task. Additionally, the BigCommerce B2B Edition is specifically tailored for the B2B market. It isn't just an opinion, the capabilities and the work behind BigCommerce, its web developers, and BigCommerce Experts all vouch for its capabilities - if you are looking to streamline your Enterprise-level eCommerce, feel free to reach out to us and explore the possibilities at wish@thegenielab.com.