Product Comparison

Native ERP B2B eCommerce Solutions

With the increasing number of B2B eCommerce software providers and vendors in today's market, it is more important than ever for integrations to work seamlessly. Businesses should not only look at their existing partners but also consider new options when seeking out a solution that will best serve them going forward.

Many companies are realizing the benefits of operating without vendor lock-in and using software solutions because of their specialized logic and capabilities. Epicor Commerce Connect (ECC) is an Epicor ecosystem solution developed to complement their enterprise resource planning (ERP) for clients needing B2B eCommerce functionality. If your company uses an Epicor ERP solution, ECC may naturally be on your list of eCommerce software solutions to consider, but it should not be the only option. Companies with eCommerce platforms solely built on the requirements and needs of B2B distributors and manufacturers may offer deeper functionality and ease of use due to their expertise in the market.

An Overview of CSX eCommerce

The CSX eCommerce platform is purpose-built to streamline B2B eCommerce for distributors, manufacturers, and wholesalers. CSX eCommerce is an all-in-one software platform that allows companies to easily integrate with their Epicor ERP system, grow sales, and scale their business with a predictable, annual billing plan. This ensures companies do not have to deal with ad hoc development fees, hidden charges, and third-party management complexity.

Using a fully-integrated, comprehensive eCommerce platform, B2B companies can deliver a modern buying experience for their customers with real-time product information when they need it. The B2B commerce capabilities include a robust eCommerce Product Information Management (PIM) tool, a content management system (CMS), site search functionality, an analytics dashboard, and a mobile app. The eCommerce solution integrates with a variety of backend systems (ERP, CRM, shipping, etc.) to deliver an elegant and easy buying experience for B2B customers.

Proprietary Software

CSX eCommerce is proprietary software or closed-source software. This means that Channel Software retains the intellectual copyright to the CSX eCommerce software platform and the source code is not allowed to be viewed, copied, modified, or distributed publicly. The capabilities of the CSX eCommerce platform are accessed via an annual subscription.

Some of the advantages of proprietary (or closed source) software like CSX eCommerce include:

• Stability - The development team behind the CSX eCommerce platform is solely dedicated to making sure that the platform remains stable and reliable to ensure business growth. Due to this singular focus, the level of stability and reliability exceeds that of open source alternatives.
• Customer Experience –The origin and development of the CSX eCommerce platform is centered on the real needs, concerns, ease of use, and overall functionality required to make distributors and manufacturers successful with their day-to-day eCommerce sales. The software logic, design, and UX features are strictly developed to attract, delight, and maintain B2B online customers.
• Customer service - Investing in proprietary software means you receive highly knowledgeable technical support from the team responsible for its operational success. Instead of obtaining answers from online forums, CSX eCommerce users receive support directly from our technical experts and supporting documentation.
• Reduced maintenance costs - The initial cost of open source software may seem low, but it's important to note that there most certainly will be hidden or additional expenses that can add up quickly and continue to grow. For example, if you need to customize the software, then your expenses will include third-party development support fees running into the hundreds of dollars per hour depending on expertise. Alternately, proprietary software helps you save in the long run – and keeps up with your needs. Customers receive regular software updates, bug fixes, and revised documentation to guarantee high-level performance, plus expert help when needed for maintenance or technical assistance.

An Overview of Epicor Commerce Connect

Epicor Commerce Connect (ECC) is an eCommerce solution designed to facilitate customer orders. ECC is built on an open-source version of Adobe Magento. Because it is an Epicor software product, it is pre-integrated with their ERP products including Eclipse, Kinetic, Vision, and Prophet 21.

Built upon Magento, Epicor Commerce Connect was designed to support the needs of businesses that sell a relatively small product catalog. Commerce Connect offers a straightforward digital storefront with basic eCommerce capabilities and backend integration. It was not originally designed to efficiently handle thousands or hundreds of thousands of products like the catalogs of North American distributors and manufacturers. The majority of these B2B businesses have complicated rules and protocols for ordering, processing, shipping, and delivery. Expanding the functionality of Epicor Commerce Connect necessitates third-party programming to achieve specific B2B eCommerce customer requirements, and in some cases, it may not even be possible.

Open Source Software

Using an eCommerce solution built using open source software involves risks. These risks include lack of software quality due to poor developer expertise and coding practices, long-term sustainability due to lack of maintenance, software licensing issues, copyright infringement, software security flaws, and lack of dedicated support. Additional issues with open source software like Adobe Commerce/Magento point to multiple vulnerabilities that can potentially harm businesses. Recent vulnerabilities have led to remote code execution allowing attackers to run arbitrary code on a remote machine, connecting to it over public or private networks. These vulnerabilities negatively affected businesses of all sizes with medium and large businesses being most exposed to risk.

While there are benefits to open source software, it is important for a business to understand the risks. Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• How will your company manage software updates, tools, and deployment?
• How will you stay current on security risks and vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them?
• How will you manage the privacy and website accessibility risks necessary to minimize legal problems in the future?
• Will you have dedicated support or only online documentation?

ECC Turnkey Constraints

One of the purported advantages is that Epicor Commerce Connect is ready for instant integration with other Epicor software products. Customers have stated that the nature of this turnkey solution limits its functional capabilities for the complex requirements and processes inherent in the B2B distribution and manufacturing business. While turnkey solutions can reduce the time, investment, and resources related to software projects, the downside remains that they often limit the platform with highly templated designs and limited or restricted functionality with little flexibility for the complex business requirements and processes that are fundamental to the B2B industrial category.

Additional Limitations According to Customers

Companies have reported that the feature set of Commerce Connect is more limited than originally understood and some limitations were not explicitly clear when they were researching the solution’s capabilities. The top frustration is that it fell short of a comprehensive solution for distribution and manufacturing companies with more complex B2B eCommerce requirements and processes. These limitations have reportedly cost companies thousands of additional dollars, time, and frustration with their customers and own employees.

Additional constraints of Epicor Commerce Connect that were cited include minimal design themes, limited search configuration options, inadequate product configuration options, minimal to no support languages, and data import limitations.

Consider the fit of Epicor Commerce Connect for your eCommerce business requirements by examining all solution features and contract details carefully. Ensure it meets both your expectations and future needs, to get the most out of this B2B eCommerce platform. Also, while evaluating Commerce Connect, note the functions and features that you require may or may not be included in the subscription level. Some items may require additional professional service at additional costs to implement and configure.

CSX eCommerce vs. Epicor Commerce Connect

Capabilities

A modern B2B eCommerce platform should (a) consolidate and simplify the management of your online commerce sales, (b) increase team and operational efficiency, (c) provide customer order information, customer analytics and sales data, and (d) scale with your company growth.

Open Source Vs. Proprietary solutions

While the initial cost may be tempting with open source software, customizing, or maintaining this type of solution without technical expertise can quickly add up - not including any third-party support you’ll need to source as you go. It's important to weigh up both sides when making your decision. Proprietary software can often be seen as more secure, given that the source code is exclusively maintained by its parent company. On the flip side, open source software's freely available source code could leave it exposed to malicious users.

Investing in proprietary software can bring a variety of long-term benefits. From comprehensive customer support to regular updates that keep your eCommerce platform running smoothly and securely. Depending on the solution, proprietary software may require a larger upfront cost, yet over time, the software company oversees maintaining and enhancing it. Distributors and manufacturers can concentrate on making effective use of the eCommerce software without having to worry about its maintenance and security updates. This represents significant savings over multiple years, let alone worries, headaches and lost productivity.