Every entrepreneur agrees that your choice of deployment model has an impact on the success and profitability of your business in the long run. However, choosing the right ecommerce platform can be tasking given the many solutions in the market and what every vendor has to say about their products.
All the deployment models have their advantages and disadvantages, but cloud-based SaaS solutions are becoming increasingly popular with entrepreneurs for several reasons.
One of them is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). SaaS model is significantly cheaper in the long run because the third-party vendor hosts and manages the software for your company, and they also take care of any ongoing maintenance.
The upfront costs of SaaS models are also much lower compared to other solutions. For example, you do not incur large expenses for development as with on-premise solutions because you are not building the platform from scratch. Implementing a SaaS solution reduces your expenditure on technology, and lets you invest your resources in other areas of your business such as marketing.
Other advantages of SaaS ecommerce platforms include:
PCI compliance and Security
Safeguarding your customers’ payment information is one of the requirements you must fulfill in ecommerce and meeting these regulatory standards can be a time-consuming and expensive undertaking for retailers. However, with SaaS deployment models, your provider handles all the compliance issues for you and they monitor the security of your platform to ensure that you stay up to date with any bug fixes or patches. The patches and updates happen automatically, and no effort is needed on your part.
Reduced downtime
With a record of 99.99% uptime, SaaS platforms outshine other models when it comes to the consistency and quality of user experience. SaaS digital commerce platforms are managed by professionals who work round the clock to minimize outage risks and ensure that your online store is up and running.
Traffic handling
SaaS host providers like Amazon (AWS), where VTEX servers are located, can handle massive amounts of traffic effectively without going out of service as is the case with most self-hosted solutions. For example, during the holidays when consumer traffic is high, the internal networks of self-hosted platforms struggle to keep up with the demand leading to downtime. SaaS models are dynamic and easily scalable upwards at no extra cost, which gives you an edge over your competitors who use other platforms.
Easy integration and process automation
SaaS platforms come with powerful APIs which make them easier to integrate with other systems. For example, you can integrate your shopping cart with 3PL, POS, ERP, or any other financial software. This enables you to automate your business processes by synchronizing inventory, customers, orders, and items.
Launching your business in minimal time
If you settle for self-hosted solutions, it may take you several months before you get to plan and develop your website, upload content and products and launch it. With SaaS ecommerce platforms, however, this process may take you just a few weeks since the provider does all the technical work for you and leaves you to worry about branding only.
Access to knowledgeable and professional support staff
SaaS providers hire the best talent to manage your digital commerce platform and ensure the smooth running of your online store. Also, they have experienced account reps who are knowledgeable on commerce and can inspire you with insight on how to leverage the platform.
