How to choose a tech partner for your next composable project

You’ve outgrown your old e-commerce solution. Now you’re looking for something faster, more reliable and flexible. You are tempted by integrated one-size-fits-all solutions but in the end, the benefits of composable commerce are convincing. But rather than finding one solution you will now be faced with the challenge of implementing an entire ecosystem of components that will evolve with you as your business grows and changes.

At Cone Digital we’ve developed e-commerce stores for the past decade. We’ve been testing and integrating a garden variety of constantly evolving systems. We know how difficult it can be to decide on providers. It all boils down to your needs but even so there is a jungle of solutions out there. Here are three questions we think you should ask yourself when embarking on your composable journey.

How easily can I migrate from the solution I’m choosing?

Even if the solution seems to check all the boxes, the challenges you face as a brand today will likely change tomorrow and if you are stuck with a niche solution that doesn’t scale, you risk a vendor lock-in that will limit your choices and ultimately raise costs.

Does the provider have a proven track record?

Case studies are like that one book on your shelf that you never actually read, but you keep telling people you will. But when looking for tech partners, case studies can be your best guide through the jungle -- especially those with hard metrics. Try to find cases that resonate with what you’re trying to achieve, compare the metrics with your own to calculate an ROI. Reach out to the quoted customers to see what additional and nuanced insights they might provide.  

What tech synergies are to be found?

Look up what supported technologies and integrations the vendor is providing. If your goal is to have a completely composable setup then ideally the vendor should be building on the MACH architecture. Maybe the vendor already has integrations in place with the technologies you have currently built, which can highly reduce implementation costs.

Where do you go from here?

Even if you’ve done your due diligence, choosing a tech partner isn’t easy.  But the comforting fact here is that going composable is a great way to avoid vendor lock-in. Even if you’ve made the wrong choice, or if another solution emerges as a better option,you will be able to move to that solution without considerable investment.

And, as always, if you feel like you're down the creek without a paddle, Cone Digital is only an email away!

Get in touch with Elias Frösell if you want to discuss further.

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