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NetSuite has created two web apps, NetSuite SuiteCommerce and NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced. These two operate on the NetSuite platform. Their codebases are fundamentally identical, but there are significant changes in the way SuiteCommerce developers may access this code. Therefore, you can view both applications as two independent products.
It's worth noting that the phrase 'SuiteCommerce' is commonly used to refer to both products because of their similarities. We'll be cautious to use each phrase in a specified way for this blog. Let's dive deeper into each of their functions.
NetSuite SuiteCommerce
NetSuite SuiteCommerce has many of the same features as SC-Advanced and is the best option for most NetSuite users. SC is on the same platform as SC-Advanced. Any third-party software integrations that SC customers use should function on SCA, and vice versa.
SC has a responsive design. It uses HTTPS, is SEO-friendly, and has a lot of customization options. Customers that bring a well-thought-out, modern theme to the implementation process with SC may customize their web store to match their brand. They can get their e-commerce up and running right away. Although web store creation from the ground up isn't available, drag and drop features in the back-end tool set exist. This helps make a branded and distinct customer web store experience possible. Even for non-technical staff, these technological innovations make site changes and maintenance simple.
Cross-sell, up-sell, sophisticated and faceted searches, email integration, and discounts are all supported from a marketing standpoint. SC integrates e-commerce with NetSuite inventory and order management, customer service, and financials. This gives NetSuite users a single view of customers, orders, inventory, and other essential business data. This makes adopting an SC e-commerce solution so compelling.
SC looks to have out-of-the-box pricing of $2499 per month. NetSuite developers like the simple solution and the speed at which they can get started.
NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced
Oracle NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced offers premium features that SC does not. It is the perfect choice for NetSuite developers with a distinctive vision for their web store. It is the right choice if you have a bigger budget and a strong internal NetSuite/e-commerce team.
There's no arguing that SCA's capabilities, in terms of customization, are impressive. Customers can create their own web store from the ground up. You can design and tweak almost any aspect in the store since the code is completely accessible to developers. The Commerce Extension Framework from SCA allows third-party web apps to communicate with the core commerce platform. This allows a NetSuite developer to create and deploy new applications with complete extensibility.
To SC's marketing capabilities, SCA adds marketing optimization tools, product evaluations, social sharing, promotion management tools, product comparisons, and pop-up campaigns. A SuiteCommerce developer can implement all of these using the Oracle Bronto Marketing Platform. For selected keywords, you may personalize and configure all URLs and meta tags.
SC-Advanced looks to start at $4999/month out of the box. You can serve individual (B2C) and commercial (B2B) consumers by the same platform.
4 Things to Consider in Choosing Between SC and SCA
Here we will try to see which of the two web apps is most efficient and convenient for your e-commerce business. Let's take a look at things that you should consider.
1. Similarities Between the Two Web Applications
a. Business Analytics
Tools like customizable dashboards allow you to produce reports and get insight into your business. Connectors with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager broaden the breadth of this information.
b. Customer Account
Using several accessible capabilities, this feature allows your staff to provide individualized assistance to consumers. This lets them view purchase history, locations, drop-ship options, and wholesale distribution data. It also allows them to see customer-specific data, personalized catalogs, payment balances, and pay invoices online.
c. Performance
Both have improved performance and speed and as content delivery network (CDN) caching and single-page design. This allows for simultaneous loading of all the JavaScript. These create a seamless shopping experience that stimulates engagement.
d. Purchasing, Payments, and Shipping
This gives consumers purchasing choice. They will have customized prices, terms and credit limitations, channel or volume discounts. As for payment methods, buyers can have credit cards options, promo codes, gift cards, invoicing. The delivery options provide them with a seamless integration experience with carriers for printing shipping labels and automatic tracking information.
e. SEO and Marketing
Both SC and SCA features SEO Friendly Automation. They have customizable H1, title, meta tags, SEO-friendly URL links, and other SEO customizations that help you rank higher on Google. The marketing tools support upsells, cross-sells, related products, social media sharing, and product reviews. These help you reach your customers and drive online sales.
f. Website Management
These web apps help you easily change site content with drag-and-drop tools and extensions. These are used for setting up new features and functionality across various scheduled versions of your site using responsive design themes.
g. Storefront
NetSuite SC and SCA feature responsive themes with pixel-perfect design capabilities. These make your site mobile-friendly. It also supports faceted navigation and elastic site search making it easy for customers to locate, learn about, and buy your items.
2. Locked Bundles vs Unlocked Bundle
The most significant technological distinction is that an SC web stores run on a locked bundle. NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced, on the other hand, works on an unlocked bundle.
NetSuite is in charge of source code upgrades and updates. When new code becomes available, Oracle Netsuite distributes it out to bundle accounts. This is what distinguishes the SC edition from the SC-Advanced version as a "software-as-a-service" offering.
For a SuiteCommerce developer, this implies that in an SCA webshop, you may alter all of the source code. You cannot do this in an SC web store. It has typically been good practice not to do this since the release of The Extension Framework and Extensibility API. It is typically preferred to layer your alterations on top of the source code rather than making direct customizations to it.
3. Benefits of Developing on SuiteCommerce Versus SuiteCommerce Advanced
The major advantage of running SC as a locked bundle is that during the release of a new version, it updates automatically. This makes it an excellent alternative for those who value having the most up-to-date core features.
Web stores using SCA bundles, on the other hand, does not have automatic version upgrade. Some users like this feature since it gives them more control over the code that operates their website. SC web shops are so considerably closer to a SaaS (software-as-a-service) paradigm. You can consider SCA web stores as a PaaS (platform-as-a-service) model.
Keep in mind that we're only talking about web store bundles here. Certain new features that may affect web stores are provided through other channels. You can find them in NetSuite application core code, NetSuite extensions, and other third-party modifications. Most of the new features, enhancements, and bug fixes are supplied via a bundle update or one of the other channels. This requires you to update your web store's bundle.
4. Limitations SuiteCommerce Developers face on SuiteCommerce Versus SuiteCommerce Advanced
The extensibility API is the primary method for bringing JavaScript-powered changes to a SuiteCommerce Advanced website. This API covers a lot of the site. It has a lot of methods and cancellable events, but there are things that it doesn't cover. This may be restrictive depending on your customization requirements.
At this stage, a SuiteCommerce developer can be tempted to make changes that affect essential modules and classes. Because of the SaaS nature of the product, we consider this unacceptable practice for SC sites.
Because SC sites automatically update, you run the risk of your modifications (and maybe your entire site) malfunctioning after a code upgrade. For example, imagine a SuiteCommerce developer adds a new method to a core module and modifies how that module operates. The customization may no longer perform as planned. An auxiliary feature stops working in the best-case scenario. In the worst-case scenario, the site stops working.
SuiteCommerce developers have greater control over how and when the core code is changed on a SuiteCommerce Advanced website. This provides them more time and space to make essential adjustments to avoid a malfunction.
SC clients appreciate a hassle-free approach to their site. They prefer SuiteCommerce developers' interactions to be restricted to the greatest extent feasible. A developer's regular labor to test and maintain hazardous modifications at each release might drive up expenses.
While the limits in SC may be challenging for developers, we want to express that they are in place for a reason. They guarantee that these types of sites run well and are upgradeable.
Tips on Choosing Which Web Application Suits Your Business Best
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Reasons why you should choose SuiteCommerce:
- There is a single domain for shopping and checking out.
- You can quickly launch a full-featured internet store.
- There's no need to keep track of hardware, software, or security regulations.
- The SC Website is both fast and scalable
- It's less expensive because it's a lighter version of SCA.
Reasons why you should choose NetSuite SuiteCommerce Advanced:
- You have unrestricted access to the source code.
- You can have integrations across several channels.
- SuiteCommerce Website performance and speed have improved.
- Upsell, cross-sell, and faceted navigation are all examples of additional merchandising features.
- You want manual SuiteCommerce Advanced Website Upgrades.
- Multiple sites are possible (micro-sites)
What are some examples of source code changes that require NetSuite SCA?
- Every order placed through an e-commerce platform should be submitted as a Purchase Order rather than a Sales Order. This would need a source code modification.
- Customers should be able to go into "My Account" and make changes to orders that they have previously placed. This would need a source code modification.
What are some examples of customizations that don't require SC-Advanced?
- You don't need SC-Advanced when you simply want to alter the theme of SC. Assume you dislike your theme and hire a graphic designer to create a new mock-up to fit. This mock-up features a fresh layout and color scheme. This is not a source code modification. With SuiteCommerce Standard, you get access to HTML and CSS work.
- When an add-on (such as an engraving option) is selected, you can construct an extension that adds a new line item to the cart. You can use JavaScript but do not need any modifications to the original code.
Key Takeaways
- Both versions have completely responsive themes, Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager integration, and multi-currency, tax, and shipping pricing support.
- All of the traits found in SCA are also found in SC. The most essential distinction, though, is the degree of control you have over them.
- SC does not have access to the source code, and version upgrades are installed automatically rather than manually.
- SCA, on the other hand, allows you ultimate control over your website. Flexibility, complete server-side scripting, and a more robust search engine are all advantages.
