Template Or Custom: Which Ecommerce Approach Does Your Business Need?

Whether you are a brand new entrant into the eCommerce market or an old player, at some point, you must have sought an answer to this question-

"What kind of eCommerce site will suit my business needs?"

No matter at which stage of eCommerce transformation you are, making the right decision for the development method is the first step towards making it big. And the first-ever decision you have to make is the approach you need- template or custom-built eCommerce?

Let’s explore this initial dilemma a bit, shall we?

Template Vs Custom Development: A War Of Priorities

In the world of development, both templates and custom development have their foes and allies. Some love the ease template development affords them, while some love the level of flexibility that comes with custom development. However, you have to make this decision based on your requirements, not the popular opinion around the internet.

So before jumping into the priorities section, here’s a brief description of both types of eCommerce website development approach-

1. Ecommerce Web Development With Templates 

Templates are ready-made sets of pages anyone can use by plugging in their content. These offer easy development and fast launch of the eCommerce platform. Bonus points: such themes are better for the startup budget.

2. Custom Ecommerce Web Development

Custom development is indeed more time consuming, but the flexibility of this approach is unmatched by its rival. With a custom approach, you can make the site stand out in a competitive market without any hassle.

Now, as we mentioned already, both approaches have their pros and cons. However, it is crucial to recognize the unique requirements before making a choice. So, let’s start with a clear perception of some eCommerce requirements.

The Priorities You Need To Look After

The choice here need to be based on business priorities. Whether you require custom eCommerce solutions or a basic and easy to make a template site depends upon the business goals.

Here’s a brief look at some of the basic eCommerce development requirements you need to pay attention to.

1. Are You Looking For Visibility?

First things first- site visibility!

Whether they are looking for a random product or a very specific service, the online shopping journey for any consumer commences with a simple Google search. And this search window is the perfect opportunity for the site to get noticed.

However, the matter of visibility rests on a few pillar points, and the eCommerce software development approach is one of the impactful factors.

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The template approach might be easy but its effect on the site's online visibility can be detrimental. On the other hand, with a custom approach, you can pay extra attention to Google's strict ranking rules and tailor the site accordingly, and boost visibility for the site. 

And that is why if you need visibility for the site, then choosing a custom eCommerce website development will be the favorable option.

2. Niche Or No-Niche: The Uniqueness Of The Product You Are Selling

Not all products are the same. A portal selling construction products have different requirements than a platform selling cosmetics. And this is why before choosing between template and custom, you need to measure what kind of site the product needs.

A template site works perfectly when you are selling something that requires little customization and description for people to learn what the product does. However, if the product serves a distinct niche, the site will require increased customization.

Source: <a href='https://www.freepik.com/vectors/template'>Template vector created by pikisuperstar - www.freepik.com</a>

When shopping online for a service or a product, buyers want a complete description. A lack of it will raise suspicion about the credibility of the site. If the product is a specialized product that serves a unique market niche, partnering up with any eCommerce website design agency in a city like New York will provide you with the desired results.

3. A Study In Market Competition

The severity of industry competition determines many aspects of business strategies. And the type of eCommerce website development you need might just get affected by this factor as well.

If the competition is low, and there are no specific market rivals, then choosing a template-based solution seems like the easiest way out. But considering the popularity of online shopping, chances are, you’ll have to deal with a medium to high number of competitors to come out on the top place.

To stand out in such a crowd, a much-used template might not be good enough. The site needs a unique look and feels to make the best of online presence, and for that, the assistance of custom eCommerce web design services is necessary.

4. What Does The Populace Want?

At the end of the day, the site is created for the target demographic. The crowd you are serving has a lot of influence over the development approach.

Based on the consumers, you need to decide on the unique features, UI/UX requirements, and the look and feel of the eCommerce portal. And the best way to understand consumer demands and the newest eCommerce trends is to conduct a user persona study.

Source: Photo by Dogancan Ozturan on Unsplash

The variety of consumer demands is the reason why any experienced eCommerce website development company begins the development process with complete research and understanding of the user demands, their mental models, and how it affects the UX development.

Remember that at the end of the day, Google rewards the sites that have top-notch UX. So ensure that your eCommerce software development decision meets the special requirements of the consumers perfectly.

5. How Important Is Security?

Ecommerce security is of utmost importance. When you are dealing with sensitive data of numerous users, it becomes a prerequisite to integrate the best security practices within the platform to keep that data secure.

Source: <a href='https://www.freepik.com/vectors/technology'>Technology vector created by stories - www.freepik.com</a>

when it comes to security matters, a custom-built eCommerce is the best approach. The protection aspects of the site need to be continuously monitored and updated to reflect the best practices of data security. A template, however, lacks the kind of flexibility that is needed to make the site safer.

Moreover, hackers can hack template-based sites with only a few lines of code. And that’s why you need to think about the security aspects of the site and make the right choice.

6. How Long & How Much To Launch?

How much are you ready to invest in the development process?

Custom eCommerce web development takes a lot of time and costs more than template sites. However, depending on the specific requirements as well as the best practices, investing more time and resources into the process might be just what you need.

If you want to focus on becoming a market leader, then it is advisable that you choose a custom approach. But if you are in a time and budget crunch, a template approach makes more sense.

In case you are still unsure about the kind of development approach you need, then don’t hesitate and consult with experienced eCommerce web development services, they will be able to guide you in the decision making process with expert insights.

Wrapping Up: Whichever Choice You Make, Make It Wisely!