Decoded: How to Buy Software Well: The Digital Commerce Software Conundrum

Keeping up with the Jonses isn’t just for your neighbors next door, it’s everywhere in eCommerce businesses. Companies buy software based on what they see others in their industry purchasing. Formal RFP processes create a lengthy and expensive buying process, so eCommerce companies are more open today than ever before to the idea of composable commerce. In Episode 5 of Decoded, Phillip & Boris discuss how to purchase digital software well and some key considerations in decision making. Listen Now!

Keeping up with the Joneses

• There have always been and will always be fads and fashions driving purchases. This is no different when it comes to companies purchasing software.
• Companies tend to copy purchasing patterns when they see their peers and competitors successfully implementing software.
• B2B Sales are irrational. The buyer of the software is rarely, if ever, the user of the software. How can B2B companies take the irrationality out of this process?
• Business owners need to look at an issue in their business and ask themselves if they should be involved in the decision making process for purchasing specific software and to what degree they should be involved. - Boris
• If you want to extract value out of a software purchase, the people who will actually be using the software should be involved in some manner in the buying process.
• Be very explicit and specific about the problems your business is trying to solve. Don’t just buy software.
• You want to aim for a long-term relationship with your software. Try before you buy is a MUST in order to build sustainable processes.
• Examining the RFP cycle: by its very nature, the RFP introduces risk, despite its sole purpose being to mitigate it. - Phillip
• What do we mean by “scalability?” An enterprise software isn’t scalable in the same way that Shopify is, nor should it be. They’re two different products solving for two different issues. It’s better to ask what the approach to scalability is.
• “The SaaSification of the industry is actually leading to many developers losing skills.” - Boris

Associated Links:

• Learn more about Boris Lokschin and Spryker
• Check out Episode 1 of Decoded on the Developer to Consumer!
• Check out Episode 2 of Decoded on our new composable world!
• Check out Episode 3 of Decoded on Social Commerce!
• Check out Episode 4 of Decoded on High-Complexity vs. High-Commodity environments.

Have any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on Futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

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