Sitecore OrderCloud is one of a new breed of ecommerce systems developed in response to complex business requirements and changing customer needs and follows the rules of an modern MACH* architecture.
So far so good, but there are my ecommerce solutions out in the market, what is the difference of Sitecore OrderCloud compared to (most) others?
Most ecommerce solutions (on-premise, SaaS, PaaS, and so on) can’t be fundamentally changed or adapted by their users. You can customise and tweak them around the edges to varying degrees, but they work around the premise that retailers (and their customers) are fundamentally looking for the same things. Sitecore OrderCloud is fundamentally different to other ecommerce platforms. While it doesn’t offer out-of-the-box features, it’s best thought of as a developer-focused framework than an off-the-shelf solution.
Not every retail business (or its customers) has what could be described as ‘standard’ requirements that can be addressed with an off-the-shelf solution. Likewise, B2B requirements for shops are usually complex and can rarely be solved with „out of the box“ solutions. Also becoming increasingly popular are requirements or the business model of F2C (factory to consumer) or D2C (direct to consumer), which are more oriented towards marketplaces.
Sitecore OrderCloud addresses these needs by rejecting a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to solving ecommerce challenges and giving retailers the tools to do things in a fundamentally different way, developing exactly what they need from the ground-up. Instead of providing a single, monolithic product, it provides interfaces to build functionality, as well as headless frontend apps and backend functionality with a Lego-like toolkit of individual software components. This interface-oriented package provides the flexibility and control to build a customized e-commerce platform that adapts to your business.
So rather than starting with a lot of platform features you then need to throw out before changing the architecture and building what you DO need, Sitecore OrderClouds approach aims to provide you with the best foundation for your individual requirements.
What are the benefits of this new approach?
Speed and agility: Sitecore OrderCloud is designed to streamline and simplify the process of developing digital products such as online stores. Its scalable, decoupled architecture allows retailers to build in the fastest possible way around their needs. The framework was built with agility and productivity in mind and aims to give you more time to invest in creating differentiated commerce experiences (time that would otherwise be spent customising an off-the-shelf solution).
Flexibility and control: Sitecore OrderClouds approach offers unrivaled flexibility and control. A user can choose to adopt all, some, or just a few of the components (or just parts of components) to achieve their aims.
Speed and performance: OrderCloud is also hard to beat on performance. Data on orders, stock, and hundreds of other related events is exchanged in an asynchronous and independent manner that eliminates bottlenecks in the system. Individual modules are not dependent on other processes to do complete their work.
Personalised, differentiated CX: The obvious advantage of the OrderClouds approach (aside from all the benefits of having a fast ecommerce store) is that each site user could potentially receive a truly unique, personalised experience based on their needs, without any significant speed penalty thanks to the platform architecture and way data is handled.
Conclution
Sitecore OrderCloud is an inherently technical product and therefore not for everyone. But for top digital brands with strong in-house technical capabilities, or any brand willing to work with an experienced digital partner to help build it, it is one of the most powerful e-commerce tools for creating differentiated customer experiences.
OrderCloud can really come into its own in use cases with complex requirements. For example, when a retailer needs a lot of integrations, bespoke features and complexity in their tech stack, or when a customer has a non-standard business model that is not well served by existing e-commerce platforms. It is certainly possible to build “standard” e-commerce stores with OrderCloud, but that is not really the point, and the lack of an ecosystem could put you at a disadvantage, as very few third-party modules are available for integration with other services (like payment gateways).
Its clients span everything from online pure-play retailers at the top of their game, to large organisations working with complex systems. It can be deployed effectively in any number of different scenarios, and in practically any conceivable application or industry. Consulting is important when considering whether OrderCloud is the right fit for you. Because deciding on OrderCloud (or indeed any ecommerce solution) is a decision that needs to account for your unique circumstances, goals, and strategic direction.
Sitecore OrderCloud is a good fit for businesses that are data-driven and customer-centric, and that see tech as an asset, rather than a cost overhead.
You want to know if Sitecore OrderCloud is a fit for your business?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are there any unusual, unique, or bespoke requirements in my business that are not readily (or easily) served by existing platforms?
- Does my business want or need to take advantage of new channels or features to deliver a competitive edge in my market?
- Does my business need to engage with users in a different way? (For example, what role might IoT or voice play in my user experience aspirations?)
- Does my business truly value technical innovation as the key to business success?
If the answers to those questions are broadly ‘yes’, then that’s a great starting point for considering Sitecore OrderCloud.
* Microservices, API first, Cloud native, Headless
