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When running an online business, managing multiple systems from front end to back end not only slows down the process but adds to maintenance costs for ongoing integrations. If you’re an existing Oracle NetSuite user or planning to implement one, adding SuiteCommerce may contribute to your business value.
NetSuite SuiteCommerce unifies e-commerce with your core business processes giving a 360-degree view of your order and inventory management, supply chain management, financials, and CRM. It serves as a single e-commerce platform that supports both individual (B2C) and business (B2B) customers. Some key features of SuiteCommerce are that you can easily set it up with its drag-and-drop editing capabilities, SEO functionalities, and responsive design templates that work on any device.
The question is, is it worth it? By publishing this article, we aim to break down the true SuiteCommerce costs so you can decide for yourself!
The Features and Benefits of NetSuite SuiteCommerce
There are different options for e-commerce in NetSuite. SuiteCommerce, in particular, makes your online sales operations a breeze. It directly connects your web store to NetSuite without integration whereas if you were to use Shopify, Magento, or other platforms, integration is required. This gives you direct access to all of your NetSuite data. We’ve listed down its most important features and benefits so you get a better grip on what it can do for your organization:
The Key Features of NetSuite SuiteCommerce
Storefront
Customize your web-based store for reduced lead times and a better customer experience. SuiteCommerce provides a responsive and mobile-friendly web store that ensures a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
Product
Make it easier for product page updates and create custom catalogs with real-time pricing. Using NetSuite's SuiteScript and SuiteBuilder tools, SuiteCommerce allows you to tailor the e-commerce experience to your specific needs.
Site Management
Make it easier to manage content, enhance pages, assign items, and manage categories. SuiteCommerce includes content management tools for easy product catalog management, content creation, and customization of web pages to showcase products and promotions.
Multi-Website Management
Unify your inventory, orders, and shipping data which means fewer manual errors and better visibility. Efficiently manage your inventory levels, track stock across multiple locations, and set up reorder points to prevent stockouts.
Business Insight & Analytics
Capture and store shopper interactions to get valuable insights into your buyers’ behavior. With built-in analytics and reporting tools within SuiteCommerce, it's easier to monitor the performance of your online store and track sales.
The Key Benefits To Your Company
SuiteCommerce is a robust e-commerce solution that provides businesses with the tools to create and manage feature-rich online stores. Here are some of its key features:
Access Anytime, Anywhere
The platform offers a responsive and mobile-friendly web store to ensure an enjoyable shopping experience for your customers whatever device they use.
Streamline Your Order Management
Simplify your order processing, fulfillment, and returns through a direct integration of your web store and NetSuite's order management system.
Reduce Costs
Increase profitability and lower your overall maintenance costs by having a single, integrated platform that streamlines all your business processes.
Scalability
As your business grows, SuiteCommerce can scale with you, ensuring that the platform can keep pace with increased traffic and transactions.
NetSuite SuiteCommerce Pricing: The True Cost of SuiteCommerce
The Subscription Payment Model of SuiteCommerce
There are two main options for SuiteCommerce solutions — SuiteCommerce Standard and SuiteCommerce Advanced, both following a monthly subscription payment model.
Benefits of SuiteCommerce Advanced
SuiteCommerce Standard allows the majority of customizations. However, SuiteCommerce Advanced gives you more flexibility to change the source code. The Commerce Extension Framework from SuiteCommerce Advanced allows third-party web apps to communicate with the core commerce platform allowing developers to create and deploy new applications with complete extensibility.
Take the first step and reach out to us today so we can help decide which version covers all your needs.
What Is SuiteCommerce’s Pricing? (Pricing Rate Chart)
We have created this pricing rate chart to give you a rough idea of SuiteCommerce’s pricing. Of course, the prices may fluctuate depending on the SuiteCommerce version you purchase as well as the extent of customization and customer support you need if you are an enterprise. Regardless, this should give you a good grip on what to expect:
Additional Fees To Be Aware Of Before Buying SuiteCommerce
SuiteCommerce’s Additional Fees and Rates
As your business grows, it can be expected that there are some additional fees and rates associated with long-term usage of the system such as:
- Additional customizations and integrations
- Software upgrades
- Additional features and enhancements
NetSuite SuiteCommerce Implementation
NetSuite SuiteCommerce implementation could range between $15,000 for a SuiteCommerce Standard setup up to around $60,000 for a SuiteCommerce Advanced (SCA) solution depending on implementation cost factors.
The Cost of SuiteCommerce Implementation
As for SuiteCommerce, it could range between $15,000 for a SuiteCommerce Standard setup up to around $60,000 for a SuiteCommerce Advanced (SCA) solution which may vary depending on implementation cost factors.
SuiteCommerce Implementation Cost Factors
Implementing SuiteCommerce involves various cost components. Here are some key factors to consider when estimating the implementation cost:
Licensing Fees
This is a primary cost component for SuiteCommerce. The cost can vary based on the edition (Standard or Advanced) and the number of users you need.
Customizations and Development
SuiteCommerce allows for extensive customization and the cost from this can vary significantly depending on the complexity of your requirements.
Integrations
If you have SuiteCommerce integration tasks that require third-party tools or services, integration costs can add up due to development and maintaining data connections.
SEO and Marketing
To drive web store traffic, you'll need to invest in search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing strategies which can include SEO services, pay-per-click advertising, email marketing, and more.
Support Costs
After deployment, it is also important to factor in some budget for ongoing support to patch issues and implement enhancements. The cost depends on the level of support you choose.
Costly Mistakes You Must Avoid: Experience over Price
Inadequate Planning
Not thoroughly planning the implementation process, including defining scope and timeline is a costly opportunity for scope creep. Developing a comprehensive implementation plan with a clearly defined scope and timeline will save you a lot of money in the long run.
Customization Overload
Over-customizing the platform beyond what's necessary leads to higher development and maintenance costs. Consider consulting with experts to strike the right balance between customization and out-of-the-box alternatives.
Neglecting SEO
Failing to optimize your e-commerce site for search engines can impact visibility and organic traffic. It’s always best to implement SEO best practices to optimize your site.
Lack of Expertise
Attempting to implement SuiteCommerce without the right expertise can be counterproductive. By working with the right partners who have experience in SuiteCommerce implementation, you leverage their expertise to streamline the process and minimize errors.
The Factors Affecting The Price Of SuiteCommerce
Business Size
If you are a larger business with more extensive product catalogs, multiple sales channels, and complex business processes, then you may require more customization and thus incur higher costs.
User License and Access Level
NetSuite licensing and subscription affect the price of SuiteCommerce based on factors like the number of users, roles, level of support and training for employees, and the specific NetSuite modules you need.
Customization Requirements
The level of customization you need is another cost driver. The more unique features, integrations, and custom design elements you require, the more you can expect to pay.
The Total Cost Of Ownership (TCO)
Calculating The TCO of SuiteCommerce
There are numerous variables to consider when calculating the TCO for your SuiteCommerce solution — licensing, implementation, integrations, apps/extensions, and support. These costs can further vary depending on factors we have previously discussed — business size, user license and access level, and customization requirements.
Initial Fee Involved in Setting Up SuiteCommerce
When setting up SuiteCommerce, you would need to budget between $15,000 for a SuiteCommerce Standard setup to around $60,000 for a SuiteCommerce Advanced (SCA) solution as an initial cost. This along with customer support, monthly SuiteCommerce license, integration, and app/extension costs are to be considered.
License fee
You will typically need to pay license fees to gain access to SuiteCommerce which can range between $2,500 - $5,000 per month depending on the version.
Long-Term Cost When You Scale eCommerce Business
As your business grows, it can be expected that there are some costs associated with long-term usage of the system such as:
- Costs associated with scaling your SuiteCommerce web store as your business grows (e.g. customizations, integrations)
- Software upgrades to newer versions of SuiteCommerce
- Additional features and enhancements
How To Negotiate SuiteCommerce Fees
Get clear with your needs
Before attempting to negotiate, it’s best to get clear with your requirements. What features, customization, and level of support do you need? Also, establishing a budget can guide your negotiations.
Prioritize core features
What features and functionalities can’t your business do without? Make sure that you negotiate for these essentials first then consider add-on features second.
Gather competitive bids
If you're an existing NetSuite customer, don't hesitate to request a quote from other NetSuite partners. Having a good idea of how much other competitors charge can give you leverage as NetSuite partners may offer different pricing structures or incentives.
Don’t hesitate to request discounts
If you are a long-term customer or have been purchasing multiple NetSuite products or services, you know it wouldn’t hurt to ask for discounts or promotions, especially after establishing a good relationship with your partner.
Renegotiate as you grow
As your business grows, consider revisiting your SuiteCommerce fees. Negotiate with NetSuite to ensure your pricing remains competitive and aligned with your evolving needs.
Should You Get a SuiteCommerce Implementation Partner?
Working with the right partner is crucial especially when you are looking to save thousands of dollars from the SuiteCommerce implementation. Going for a well-established partner with a proven track record in SuiteCommerce projects gives you the expertise to maximize out-of-the-box resources and offer eCommerce solutions that are just right for your needs.
How To Find The Right NetSuite SuiteCommerce Implementation Partner
Types Of NetSuite Partners
There are 3 common types of NetSuite Partners each with a specific role and focus:
NetSuite Alliance Partners
NetSuite Alliance Partners often involve end-to-end implementation collaboration covering all aspects of the business starting from sales, marketing, consulting, implementation, and integration, all the way through support.
NetSuite BPO Partners
NetSuite BPO Partners are partners that provide outsourcing services related to specific business processes by leveraging NetSuite's capabilities to optimize and manage these processes for their clients efficiently.
NetSuite Solution Providers
NetSuite Solution Partners are partners that specialize in providing more tailored, industry-specific NetSuite solutions to enhance the existing functionality and capabilities of NetSuite to address relevant business issues.
How To Choose The Best Partner
Extreme Ownership
You would want to be with an Alliance Partner who aims for nothing but a successful NetSuite implementation with you. A successful partnership strives to understand your needs, align the implementation with those needs, and continuously engage with you to ensure that your expectations are met.
Proactive Consulting
Another key factor to a successful Alliance Partnership is when your chosen partner proactively understands not just your business needs but also the industry dynamics to anticipate future requirements. This foresight helps in designing a flexible NetSuite setup that accommodates growth and changing needs that go beyond the implementation timeline.
Superb Credentials
When selecting a NetSuite partner, it is essential that you consider their credentials to ensure the perfect fit. NetSuite's Alliance Partner Program includes a network of certified partners that specialize in SuiteCommerce migration and implementation — Seller Universe included!
As a leading NetSuite SuiteCommerce Partner, SellerUniverse is excited to help you expand your business and turn the e-commerce website of your dreams into a reality!
If you already have an existing platform but are looking into the SuiteCommerce experience, our e-commerce experts can help you migrate your e-commerce store to the powerful NetSuite platform effortlessly and with ease.
4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Your SuiteCommerce Implementation
Choose the right implementation partner
Choosing the right implementation partner is crucial. It's often more cost-effective to pay a bit more for a well-established partner that can deliver with efficiency and minimize project delays with a proven track record in e-commerce and SuiteCommerce projects.
Define your requirements clearly
By defining your project's scope and requirements early on, you avoid scope creep. Before embarking on the implementation process, it's crucial to have a clear understanding of your specific requirements and stick to the budget.
Maximize out-of-the-box features
Limiting customization to what's essential decreases development time and costs. SuiteCommerce offers comprehensive out-of-the-box features and templates to meet your needs without extensive customization.
Clean up your data
Migrating a large amount of data can be time-consuming and costly. Prior to implementation, ensure your data is clean and structured. Consider historical data archiving to keep your database size manageable.
Getting The Best Rate For SuiteCommerce For Your E-commerce Business Needs
Up for a good deal? At Seller Universe, we are not just a team of NetSuite experts, we are SuiteCommerce experts fully equipped to unlock your business’ potential with NetSuite’s SuiteCommerce at the best possible rates.
With multiple implementations across various industries, our specialty group allows you to connect with other eCommerce store owners and developers to work through the prime issues — product searchability, order searchability, custom interface, and more!
