Foundation · 2 min
What you need to know
Should I build an ecommerce feature or buy an existing solution?
Buy when a supported product meets the need economically; build when the capability is strategically differentiating or requirements cannot be met acceptably.
What should be considered in a build-vs-buy decision?
Compare functional fit, time, lifecycle cost, security, integration, data control, scalability, vendor risk, maintenance and reversibility.
When does custom ecommerce development make sense?
Custom development makes sense for valuable differentiating workflows or constraints that supported products cannot satisfy without worse cost or risk.
When is an app better than custom development?
An app is better when it meets the requirement, integrates safely, is supportable and costs less over the lifecycle than owning custom code.
How should maintenance cost affect build-vs-buy decisions?
Include every future upgrade, defect, security, compatibility and support obligation; build cost is only the opening expense.
How should vendor dependency affect the decision?
Assess portability, data export, contract terms, roadmap, service continuity and replacement effort for both purchased tools and development vendors.
How should strategic differentiation affect build-vs-buy decisions?
Build where unique capability creates defensible value; buy commodity functions, so scarce engineering effort stays on differentiation.
A quick store check
Score one requested feature across fit, delivery time, lifecycle cost, security, integration, dependency and differentiation.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
Does buying avoid implementation work?
No. Configuration, integration, migration, testing, training and governance still requires effort.
Can strategic software still be purchased?
Yes. Differentiation can come from how a supported product is configured and operated.