An ecommerce technology stack, often known as a tech stack, is a set of software solutions that support the many workflows involved in running an ecommerce website or online store.

When developing an ecommerce store, there are numerous software solutions and technological possibilities to select. And, depending on your needs, each component of your ecommerce operation—from payment processing to inventory management and shipping solutions—can employ a distinct software stack.

Platforms, frameworks, tools, apps, and programming languages are common components of ecommerce tech stacks.

Going a step further, your business ecommerce IT stack will have two components:

1. The front-end (facing the client)
2. The backend (server-side)

The tools and languages used to construct and design your website or online commerce are referred to as the front-end stack. The server, application, and database that work behind the scenes to transmit information to the customer comprise your back end stack.

The ecommerce software stack that corporate retailers choose to construct has far-reaching ramifications for their business operations. With so many options, the key to success isn't choosing one tool over another—it's ensuring that you have a solid base from which to explore and scale successfully.

Here are some important factors to consider while developing a winning corporate ecommerce tech stack:

1. Create a platform for managed commerce.

The most effective platforms have a curated set of primitives, workflows, and best practices. Better outcomes and success for people who embrace well-designed opinions.

A well-designed API and opinionated abstraction encapsulate best practices and enable beautiful, scalable implementations. An opinionated templating language, for example, can easily remove XSS and other common client-side security vulnerabilities. Or, at the very least, make these attacks extremely difficult to carry out. A controlled runtime with execution restrictions, caching, retry, and circuit breakers can also create a solid contract and ensure predictable performance under extreme stress.

Great ideas encoded in platforms and SDKs help businesses and their developers. They hide common functionality and needs behind standard interfaces, limit and remove undesirable patterns and choices, shorten the path to value, and reduce development and maintenance costs.

2. Select a modular architecture.

To unleash new commerce possibilities, your ecommerce tech stack should ideally make it simple to install and swap new apps or connectors on demand.

3. Avoid excessive component isolation

Component isolation is a design characteristic that has a significant impact on how engineering teams are organized and staffed as well as how the system scales. In suitable situations, good architecture makes use of component and service separation. Too much of it, which is a typical microservices issue, can result in brittle deployments that are difficult to audit, scale, and troubleshoot.

A scalable and adaptable enterprise architecture requires strong service-level separation and composition, which is best achieved through the use of common shared infrastructure, code primitives, and service contracts.

Finally, the technology stack you select for your company is determined by your specific needs. Smaller businesses are more likely to choose an all-in-one ecommerce platform with extensive end-to-end capability. Larger and more complicated enterprises, on the other hand, may require a more diverse combination of tools and ecommerce technologies—built from numerous independent capabilities, both pre-built and custom-coded—to meet their needs.

4 things to think about while selecting tools for your tech stack

Finally, when selecting tools for your tech stack, there are various variables to consider:

1. Cost
2. Complexity
3. Compatibility
4. Support

The finest option for your firm may not be appropriate for another. Make sure you understand your company's requirements, as well as any third-party services or software solutions you're currently employing. Here are a few things to think about when making your decision:

1. Cost

It's critical to strike a balance between the cost and functionality of your tech stack to guarantee that your online store runs well while staying inside your budget. The scale of your ecommerce brand and the complexity of your operations determine the cost of your tech stack.

The cost of a technology stack can vary depending on your company's specific requirements. It typically runs from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, with more complex tech stacks costing tens of thousands of dollars or more.

Advanced analytics and reporting tools, tailored product suggestion engines, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems are some of the more expensive solutions. A cost-benefit analysis can help you assess whether the investment is right for your company.

2. Complexity

While a large tech stack might provide vast capabilities to serve your online store, it also raises operational costs. This includes extra time and resources for upkeep and updates.

A managed or all-inclusive platform, on the other hand, will include a variety of tools and services such as hosting, software upgrades, security, and technical support. This tech stack may be less expensive, but it may not provide the amount of functionality required by your ecommerce firm. Strive for a balance of intricacy and functionality.

3. Compatibility

It is critical to provide smooth compatibility between your ecommerce technology tools and other tech solutions in your stack in order to enhance your operations. This can be accomplished through direct integration or by third-party services that integrate several tools.

Direct integration implies that your technologies are created to function together easily, with built-in connections that allow for data sharing and communication. Third-party services, on the other hand, operate as external connectors, allowing different technologies to work together even when they lack built-in connectivity.

For example, if you use a third-party shipping provider that does not directly link with your ecommerce platform, you can use a connector service, such as ShipStation or Shippo, to bridge the gap and ensure smooth communication between the two platforms.

When determining compatibility and the feasibility of adding or upgrading to new tools and systems, your present technological stack is the ideal place to start. When your technology stack is constructed using a modular or composable architecture, it is easy to add or replace components as needed. Open-source ecommerce technologies can also offer more customization and incorporation of new features.

However, if your tech stack is tightly integrated or proprietary, it can be difficult to ensure compatibility with future tools without significant web development work.

However, if your tech stack is deeply integrated or proprietary, ensuring compatibility with future products without considerable web development work can be tough.

4. Support

Choosing tools and technology providers that give full support, such as technical help, bug fixes, integration, and custom development, is crucial to ensure that you have the resources to address any issues that may emerge and maximize the operation of your store.

With so many possibilities, it's critical to consider all of the above-mentioned variables, such as cost, complexity, cross-compatibility, and support. Whether you choose a full ecommerce platform or create your own tech stack, choosing the correct combination of tools and software solutions will aid in your ecommerce success.

Now that you have an understanding of how to construct your ecommerce tech stack, you can consider your individual business requirements.

The following are the essential business operations to base your corporate ecommerce tech stack around, as well as best-in-class vendors to consider for each:

• CMS stands for content management system. A software application used to design, manage, and update internet pages without the need for technical skills or programming experience.
• Software for shipping and logistics. If your corporate organization is expanding, you will most likely require more sophisticated shipping and fulfillment systems. Consider integrating a 3PL to outsource your order fulfillment, warehousing, shipping, and other logistical needs to a third-party provider.
• CRM (customer relationship management) software. A platform for managing customer data, tracking sales activity, automating marketing campaigns, and offering customer support to help create and sustain client connections. Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM are a few examples.
• Analytics software. Sales and revenue, consumer behavior, website traffic, user engagement, and marketing performance are all provided by these technologies. This data is then used to guide corporate decisions and propel growth. Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics are two popular analytics solutions.