Choosing SAAS is saving on IT and investing in your business

Save up to 50 percent on you Ecommerce platform- and IT costs. How realistic is that? This is very realistic with the possibilities of a SAAS solution and cloud hosting. The money you save can be invested profitably. In targeted marketing campaigns, for example. Or in a better design of the customer journey and expansion of your range. This is also called optimization of the business case. An important step precedes: saying goodbye to your current “Old School” IT solution (s) and choosing SAAS platform.

The Ecommerce sector has quickly developed into one of the most successful and fastest growing sectors in the world. What started hesitantly with a handful of platforms in the late 1990s grew into big business. Everyone searches, buys and trades online. The barrier to launching a webshop is low. However, the challenge of keeping it in the air and remaining profitable is growing. If you don't serve an ultra-specific niche, the competition is cutthroat.

The fact that the sector came to fruition so quickly is partly due to the facilitating role of the large, international software and IT companies. They all launched their own systems and promised stability and flexibility in one. This often had (and hangs) a hefty price tag. Not only for the purchase and licenses, but also for the servers you use, maintenance and security. And every functional extension or adjustment costs you a sweet penny without getting guarantees for future-proofing. Choosing SAAS is often the best solution.

Cruise ship or speedboat?

Ecommerce has now entered a new phase. More and more online retailers are choosing SAAS. In fact: SAAS solutions and cloud hosting are increasingly essential for successful Ecommerce activities. It is therefore very worthwhile to release a critical analysis of the Ecommerce system that you are currently using.

Does your current platform meet your wishes and requirements? Do the costs outweigh the minimum capacity, functions and security you need? Can you switch quickly enough? Chances are that you are shocked by the costs and discover that you do not need all kinds of bells and whistles. Then this question is plausible: why do I serve my customers with a log cruise ship, when they are probably better off with a maximum manoeuvrable speedboat that grows according to my wishes in the future?

Less costs, more flexibility

There is an excellent alternative: choose SAAS. Just as many companies are increasingly migrating all or part of their standard IT processes to the cloud, the future of your Ecommerce platform is also there. Well-known and lesser known tech companies offer flexible solutions. The advantage is: you only pay for what you actually use. Moreover, you automatically benefit from the latest technologies, without additional investments in your 'own' IT infrastructure. So: more flexibility and less costs.

Well-known examples are Azure from Microsoft and GCP from Google. With Azure and it Google Cloud Platform you get a scalable IT environment at any time. The infrastructure and the costs move along with the traffic on your application. You get access to innovative data solutions that help you better serve your customers. Amazon also scores high. It's not for nothing that this giant is called the 'king of cloud computing'. With Amazon Web Services, you have the option to accommodate your platform in the cloud in an affordable way, in a way that suits you. There are many options and providers. Of course we put them during a personal interview lined up for you.

Choosing SAAS in the cloud essentially means that you outsource your IT infrastructure, your platform and your software to a specialized party. This can be done at different levels. The main advantage is the unlimited capacity. This guarantees the speed of your Ecommerce platform under all circumstances. Also during peak hours. This is a huge plus, as speed is critical to your platform's performance. Keep your customers waiting longer than a few seconds, because of the busy schedule, then your competitor will run away with the turnover. In addition, the speed of your webshop is an important criterion in the ranking with search engines such as Google and Bing.

Advantages of choosing SAAS

Capacity and speed are not the only advantages. SAAS solutions also provide:

  • maximum global accessibility, including mobile;
  • automatic backups and security updates;
  • maximum scalability if accommodated in appropriate Cloud Hosting;
  • access to innovative functionalities;
  • continuous development of the solution;
  • affordability.

In addition to speed, affordability is indeed one of the greater benefits of choosing the SAAS. You do not have your own IT infrastructure, you do not have to invest in upgrades and you no longer spend money on your IT service provider. You only pay for the capacity and functionalities that you actually use. Saving up to 50 percent in costs is the rule rather than the exception. Investing that money in additional marketing efforts ensures the well-known “flying wheel” and significant business case improvement.