Which webshop functions do you need?

Before you start developing a new webshop, it is important that you are clear about which webshop functions you need.

Do you sell B2B or B2C? Is there a need to sell variable products where the customer can choose between different product attributes? Should customers be able to create a favorites list? Should prices and discount agreements/codes be differentiated according to customer type? Should a volume discount be automatically given? Should the webshop handle different languages and currencies?

The above is just a small selection of the questions you can ask yourself before choosing which webshop system your webshop will be developed in. We have compiled a list of some of the most popular webshop functions, which may also be interesting for your company and webshop.

Integrations for webshops

When you have a webshop, you can automate a large number of your manual work processes through system integrations. These integrations ensure that data is sent to the relevant systems, so that you do not have to manually update this data yourself. It both saves time and at the same time reduces the risk of incorrect entries.

Some of the most obvious integrations for a webshop are to the ERP system, the financial system (e.g. C5), the PIM system, the CRM system, the freight system, the Business Intelligence platform, the e-mail marketing system, the logistics system, the DAM system, the POS system, etc.

At itpilot, we are passionate about strengthening digitization in companies - and we do this to a large extent through various system integrations. Integrations contribute, among other things, to automating work processes, so you can focus on your core business instead. Read more about system integrations here.

Webshop with integration for C5 

A lot of webshops request an integration for C5, and we understand why. Many companies use Microsoft Dynamics C5 as their financial/accounting program. Therefore, our skilled developers can also help you get an integration from your webshop to C5 – or to other financial programs or other ERP systems.

Webshop PIM

Do you have a PIM system, or are you considering implementing a PIM system? This must of course also be integrated with your webshop. By integrating your PIM system with your webshop, you ensure that your product data is always updated and correct on your webshop.

​There are many advantages to integrating a PIM system with the webshop - among other things, you free up a lot of time that you would otherwise have spent on manual updates of the products on the webshop.

To handle the integration between your PIM system and webshop, we have developed PIMpilot. PIMpilot is a unique cloud-based software application that ensures fast and correct distribution of your product data to your webshop - and to your other, relevant IT systems. Read more about PIMpilot here.

Which webshop platforms can you choose from?

When you have settled on which functions and integrations your webshop must have, we can look at which webshop solutions might be interesting for you. There is a large selection of both open source webshops and hosted webshops.

If you choose a hosted webshop, you get a solution where you are limited to the options that the provider makes available. Examples of hosted webshop solutions are Shopify, Dandomain, ScanNet and others.

What these hosted solutions have in common is that you pay a fixed monthly price to have the shop - and then you are tied to this provider. If you do not want to be tied to one provider, you must choose an open source solution instead.

With an open source webshop you get a solution where you own your webshop. This means you can easily move your webshop solution to another web hotel or to another web agency.

In addition, with an open source webshop, you can get specially developed solutions that suit your exact wishes and needs. Our webshop developers can develop solutions that meet your requirements and that solve a need. Examples of open source webshops are Prestashop, Magento/Adobe Commerce and WooCommerce (WordPress).

Shopify webshop

Shopify has become a popular choice when it comes to hosted webshop solutions. Shopify offers an all-in-one solution, so you get both hosting, CMS, order system, CRM, payment options, etc.

As with all hosted webshop solutions, Shopify also has its limitations in customization options. This applies both in relation to design, but also in relation to webshop functions. However, it should also be mentioned that there is a large selection of apps for Shopify, so it may well be that these apps solve your needs.

Of course, there are also advantages to choosing Shopify. Shopify is a very user-friendly system, and you get everything together in one system.

Read more about Shopify here.

If you want to hear more about whether a Shopify webshop could be something for you, contact us.

Prestashop webshop

Prestashop is an open source webshop solution that has been developed with a 100% focus on e-commerce. Therefore, Prestashop is also a good choice for many companies that do not need a large content universe on their website/webshop.

Because Prestashop is open source, you also get a lot of options in connection with customizing your webshop - both in terms of design and functions. In addition, Prestashop is built with the aim that it should be easy to scale your webshop over time.

Our skilled Prestashop developers will also be able to help develop customized functionality or modify an existing plugin so that it solves your challenge - just as we have done for a customer.

There can of course also be some disadvantages for you if you choose Prestashop. This is especially so if you would like to have the opportunity to develop further on the webshop yourself - this requires technical knowledge and skills. A Prestashop webshop is therefore not necessarily the best solution for those of you who would also like to be able to develop further independently of our (or other) Prestashop developers.

Read more about Prestashop here.

If you want to hear more about whether a Prestashop webshop could be something for you, contact us.

Magento webshop (Adobe Commerce)

Magento – or Adobe Commerce, as it is called today – is complex and heavy system. Magento/Adobe Commerce gives you a lot of functions and is a flexible system, which means that you will be able to get just the webshop that you dream of.

Magento/Adobe Commerce is open source, so if there is not already a solution that fits your needs, our skilled Magento developers will be able to help you. Just like with Prestashop, you will get an incredibly flexible system that can also keep up with your growth.

The biggest disadvantages of Magento/Adobe Commerce are that it is a heavy system that requires a lot of technical knowledge to develop and keep up to date. In addition, the system requires a lot of resources, which also places greater demands on your web hotel.

Actually, Magento is often referred to as the best webshop solution available - depending on the size of your company and webshop. If you need a large webshop with many (and complex) products, Magento/Adobe Commerce may be the right choice for you. However, you must also be prepared for the fact that Magento is also associated with greater costs - both in relation to development as well as operation and maintenance. On the other hand, Magento can handle all your wishes – big or small.

Read more about Magento/Adobe Commerce here.

If you want to hear more about whether a Magento webshop could be something for you, contact us.

WooCommerce webshop

WooCommerce is not in itself a webshop solution. In fact, WooCommerce is an e-commerce plugin for WordPress that allows you to add a webshop section to your existing WordPress website. Because WordPress is so widespread and popular, there are also many companies that choose to develop their webshop in WooCommerce.

WooCommerce is (just like WordPress) open source, so it is possible for you to customize the shop any way you want it. This can be done through existing plugins or with the help of our WordPress/WooCommerce developers.

In order to have a WooCommerce webshop, you need a WordPress website. This also means that a WooCommerce webshop is not a 100% e-commerce system like Shopify, Prestashop or Magento. Therefore, you may also run into some challenges along the way - especially if your webshop grows a lot and you get an increasing number of products.

However, WooCommerce can be the ideal solution for many businesses, especially for those who already have a WordPress website and have a limited number of products.

Read more about WooCommerce here.

If you want to hear more about whether a WooCommerce webshop could be something for you, contact us.

Other webshop solutions

As previously written, there are many different options when it comes to webshop solutions. Some are open source, others are hosted solutions. What suits your business best depends on your needs and wishes.

Someone would prefer to be able to develop and maintain the webshop themselves - then a hosted webshop might be the best solution. Others have more complex needs or greater requirements for design and functionality – they may get the best result with an open source solution.

The more options there are, the more difficult it often is to find out which solution to choose. At itpilot, we have a lot of experience in developing webshops for both large and small companies, and we can therefore also advise you on what is the best solution for you.

To be able to advise and guide you as best as possible, it is an advantage if you have already clarified which functions you cannot do without on the webshop. We know from experience that new requests also arise during a development phase – and of course we also take care of those requests. This helps to ensure that you get exactly the webshop of your dreams.

If you have had your eye on a webshop solution that we have not described in this post, we can still advise you on whether it is the best webshop solution for you.

Contact us

WooCommerce vs. Shopify

WooCommerco and Shopify are very different from each other. Shopify is a dedicated e-commerce system developed as a hosted solution, whereas WooCommerce is open source and is a plugin for WordPress. Therefore, the two webshop solutions also offer very different options.

Because Shopify has been developed as an e-commerce platform, you also get a lot of webshop features. This can also be done in WooCommerce, but here it will require additional plugins. However, WooCommerce has far more plugins to choose from when adding new features compared to Shopify's apps. In addition, our WordPress developers can develop custom solutions for WooCommerce webshops if there is not already a plugin that meets your wishes.

If you choose a Shopify solution, you are bound to Shopify's price structure. This applies both to the package solution you choose and to their fees for transactions.

If you choose WooCommerce instead, you will still have to pay transaction fees, but you have the freedom to choose which provider you want. In addition, there are no costs associated with WordPress/WooCommerce per se - however, you must have a web host. Here, too, you have the freedom to choose the provider, and you can also choose to change provider later without having to build the webshop from scratch.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. The best webshop solution for you therefore depends on what requirements you place on your webshop. If you want to have a smaller webshop and a content universe, WordPress/WooCommerce will most likely be the right choice for you. If, on the other hand, you want a webshop solution where you can develop further yourself and add new functionality, Shopify is probably the right choice for you.

We have extensive experience with both WooCommerce and Shopify, so take us for advice when choosing your webshop solution. Contact us.

Prestashop vs. Shopify

Prestashop and Shopify are both developed as e-commerce systems. The difference between the two systems is primarily that Prestashop is open source, while Shopify is a hosted solution. In terms of price, it will therefore be the same comparison as for WooCommerce vs. Shopify.

As with WooCommerce, Prestashop offers more options for customizing layouts and features compared to Shopify. However, Prestashop will require more technical knowledge in order to develop and maintain the webshop.

If you just need a standard webshop where you are satisfied with the templates and apps available, Shopify can be a good solution for you. On the other hand, if you have greater demands on appearance and functions, Prestashop may be the best solution for you. If there is no plugin or app that can solve a specific task, our programmers can develop a solution for Prestashop. This is not possible with Shopify.

Prestashop and Shopify are two strong webshop solutions, so whether you choose one or the other largely depends on your needs to be able to handle (smaller) development tasks yourself in the long term, as well as your finances and budget. With Shopify you get a fixed monthly subscription for the solution (and apps), where with Prestashop you will have the biggest cost in connection with the development. After that, it will primarily be costs for the web hosting that you have to pay for, which will typically be cheaper than the monthly Shopify subscription.

We have extensive experience with both Prestashop and Shopify, so take us for advice when choosing your webshop solution. Contact us.

Preatashop vs. WooCommerce

Although Prestashop and WooCommerce are both open source, they differ greatly from each other. As previously described, WooCommerce is a plugin for WordPress and therefore WooCommerce is not a dedicated e-commerce system like Prestashop is.

With both webshop solutions, there is plenty of opportunity to adapt the layout and design, just as there are many different plugins that can expand the functions of the webshop. Both webshop solutions require a little technical knowledge to develop, but once the webshop is running, you will easily be able to handle orders and everything that goes with it, regardless of whether you choose Prestashop or WooCommerce.

Whether you should choose WooCommerce or Prestashop therefore largely depends on how your website/webshop should function. If you focus on e-commerce, and the webshop is the absolute main part, Prestashop may be the best solution for you.

If your website is much more than "just a webshop", WooCommerce may be the right solution for you. WordPress/WooCommerce is ideal for building a content universe. If you therefore want to have blog posts or static pages about your other services, WordPress has been developed to handle this.

We have extensive experience with both Prestashop and WooCommerce, so take us for advice when choosing your webshop solution. Contact us.

Do you need help finding the right webshop solution?

At itpilot, we have many years of experience in developing webshops. We can help develop the right solution for your company, regardless of whether you sell B2B, B2C or both. We help you develop a solution that meets all your requirements and wishes - including those that arise during the development phase.

We don't have one favorite webshop platform that we try to get you to choose. Instead, we listen to your needs and requirements - and based on that, we advise you on which platform best meets your needs. If you choose a platform other than the one, we recommend, we will listen to your arguments - and of course we will also help you develop the solution you dream of.

Contact us if you want to have a non-binding chat about your options. Call us on +45 87 25 07 87 or fill in the contact form.