Challenging the Hype: A Contrarian View on Composable Commerce
Does composable commerce = faster time to market?
Here’s one thing that’s broken about the whole composable commerce idea.
The flagship benefit says composable commerce = faster time to market.
Yet 69% of respondents to the report “The State of Composable Commerce 2023: Are You Unlocking The Opportunities?” confirmed that implementation took more than six months.
Some even said it was over a year.
Something is wrong here. Let’s try to find out what.
Many Think That Composable Commerce Allows Faster Implementation
But that is not true.
Composable commerce allows more flexibility, but more flexibility means more complexity.
And more complexity means more difficulty.
When something is more difficult, it is not going fast.
This may be the reason why so many talk about long implementations.
Will it always be like that? Not necessarily.
It Will Be Easier To Adopt Composable Commerce In The Future
Why is it difficult now? There may be a few reasons.
1) Knowledge And Experience
Many customers follow the trend and decide to use a composable commerce solution. But they need to understand what it is and how it works.
Often, they lack mature digital teams. This causes friction during implementation and makes it longer and harder.
Once people know composable commerce and its pros and cons, they will make better decisions and be ready to adopt it.
2) Integrations
Most of the work in composable commerce involves building integrations. Customers often need to build the integrations themselves, which takes time.
Over time, providers will add more integrations. Customers won’t need custom code, which will definitely shorten the implementation time and make it easier.
3) Technical Burden Of Migration Projects
Implementation time may also vary depending on the approach to adopting composable commerce.
Composable commerce’s advantage is that it can be adopted in stages. A client with an existing ecommerce solution can select a small part of the functionality. They might choose the cart and checkout and implement only this part. They can leave the rest of the system in place.
For clients who want to adopt it piece by piece, this often also means changing the surrounding systems.
Returning to our example: a client may need to change the storefront, product management system, or any backend.
This can generate a significant amount of work.
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Migrating from a monolithic to a composable commerce solution piece by piece may be more complicated and take longer than greenfield implementation or building a new system.
Once the number of migrations to composable commerce decreases, we will observe less long-lasting implementations.
Composable Commerce Isn’t Just a Tech Upgrade
It’s a complete strategic realignment.
Adopting a composable commerce solution may not guarantee faster time to market, especially at the beginning.
The initial investment of time, resources, and brainpower can be overwhelming.
This is especially true when you move from a one-size-fits-all solution to one where you can tailor every aspect of your ecommerce platform to your needs.
This requires specific skills. You’re no longer looking for a jack-of-all-trades. Instead, you want specialists who can navigate the nuances of various components
Integration is another major hurdle. It’s the glue that holds your composable architecture together. Getting it right requires a deep understanding of each module and its interaction.
The road might be rocky, but the destination promises a brighter, more dynamic future for your ecommerce business.
Get Ready To Unlock The Power of Composable Commerce
Yes, it’s a significant undertaking, and you must be prepared to pay the initial price. But when you reach the end, your business will be more agile, responsive, and better equipped to meet customer needs.
So, how can you prepare to embark on composable commerce?
Elevate Your Knowledge Of Composable Commerce
Refer to available resources for information about composable commerce.
Make sure you understand the idea of composable commerce. Weight the benefits with the price of adopting the composable commerce approach. Is it worth it?
Ensure Your Organization Is Digitally Mature Enough
Ensure you have the proper skills and robust technical team to handle the complexity of composable commerce solutions.
Find The Right Solution For You
Not all components of a composable commerce solution provide the same functionality. Make sure the parts you pick provide the functions you want. They should also be scalable enough to support your business.
Create A Solid Plan
Remember to consider the complexity of implementing composable commerce solutions. When moving, assess all needed efforts. This includes system parts that need changes. Do this to set the right expectations.
Everything You Need To Know About Composable Approach
Composable commerce is based on the concept of composability, a system design principle that allows you to select and assemble (“compose”) components in many ways to meet business requirements.
The term “composable commerce” was first used by Gartner's analyst.
Composable commerce refers to design principles applied to ecommerce solutions. These principles are flexible, customizable, scalable, and innovative, and they can greatly help businesses in many industries.
Conclusion
The journey might be tough, with all the complexities and the need for a more robust technical team.
Even if you don’t initially see the benefit of “fast time to market”, the promise of a brighter, more dynamic future for your ecommerce business is encouraging.
Composable commerce is a relatively new approach. Customers will have to do less technical work once it is more mature and has more integrations and accelerators. Implementing a composable commerce solution will be easier and faster.
