Speed-to-Market: Implementing

an E-Commerce Platform in Three Months

Contents
Executive Summary

Managed Services or On-Demand:

Choosing the Appropriate Solution
The Marketing Organization
Information Technology (IT)
Merchandising/Product Management
Finance/Analytics

2
4
4
4
4

Steps to Going Live in 90 Days

Phase One: Requirements Gathering/Mapping
Phase Two: Design
Phase Three: Construction
Phase Four: Deployment

5
5
5
6
6

Ensuring Long-Term Success

About ECA Ecommerce Accelerator

A New B2B e-Commerce

Platform In 90 Days?
B2B commerce executives reviewing this paper may
initially believe that three month implementation applies
primarily to B2C organizations.
Its true that deploying B2B e-commerce platform involves
many unique requirements not commonly found in B2C
operations, such as incorporating a complex product portfolio, multiple distribution channels, and integrating with
third party systems
And yet, its possible to complete an initial out-of-the-box
B2B implementation within three months, if all the right
critical path steps are followed. Additional features and
functionality can be added after the initial launch, provided
that the chosen out-of-the-box platform is designed to be
used over the long run.

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

Executive Summary
In todays competitive business climate, speed-to-market is a
top priority for many B2B and B2C organizations. Demand for
rapid deployment of agile e-commerce systems appears to be
growing as quickly as the e-commerce market itself. According to the 2011 edition of Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500
Guide, Sales of the top 500 North American online retailers
grew by 18% to $150 billion in 2010, from $127 billion in 2009.1
Whether the goal is to increase customer loyalty and boost
online sales, or test a new market, executives are being asked to
implement user experience enhancements and new commerce
platforms more quickly than ever. Its now common for organizations to set a goal of implementing a new or next generation
e-commerce solution in 90 days or less.
For commerce organizations operating under these tight schedules, the key question is often: Will this timetable be achievable? Based on the recent experiences of leading retailers and
B2B manufacturers, the qualified answer is yes. Best-in-class
technologies can empower organizations to deploy e-commerce
solutions on the most aggressive deadlines without sacrificing
long-term objectives. Companies should have realistic expectations of the features available at launch, however, a fullyfunctional e-commerce platform can be implemented in three
months.
This paper provides guidance on how B2B and B2C companies
can navigate a variety of e-commerce implementation choices to
accelerate time-to-market. It outlines various platform options
and provides insight on important features that organizations
should look for when evaluating solutions and vendors. It also
suggests what functionality can realistically be incorporated
if a company has only three months to deploy a solution, and
provides guidance on which capabilities should be postponed for
implementation until after the initial 90-day period.

On Premise

Managed Services or
On-Demand: Choosing the
Appropriate Solution
The breadth of todays e-commerce platforms has resulted in
a wide availability of solutions that drastically reduce time-tomarket and meet the diverse needs of both B2B and B2C organizations. Companies evaluating agile e-commerce solutions
typically choose one of three implementation options:

On-premise installations implemented and managed

in-house by internal IT resources, thus offering the most
flexibility.

Managed Services installations identical to on-premise

installations, except they are implemented and maintained
by an outside vendor, reducing or eliminating the need for
internal IT resources.

On-demand Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) installations

involve a vendor running multiple e-commerce implementations on a single installation of software, using pooled
servers and other shared resources. These solutions are
less costly and can be rolled out more quickly and efficiently.
Organizations planning to go live within three months should
rule out an on-premise installation. This option relies heavily
on internal IT resources, which are often scarce. Even when
they are available, existing IT staff members almost always
lack the domain knowledge needed to quickly and successfully
implement a new platform.

Managed Services

On Demand

Gartner Group, Magic Quadrant for E-Commerce, November 3, 2011

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

The most appropriate solution thus becomes a managed services platform or an on-demand, SaaS solution that is capable
of converting to a hosted or on premise solution as business
requirements in the longer run become more specialized. When
evaluating commerce platform providers in a rapid implementation scenario, companies should consider the following:

Integration with other Systems Many B2B and B2C

organizations rely on external systems such as ERP and
warehouse fulfillment software to run their businesses. An
agile e-commerce solution must have the option of integrating these systems into the e-commerce platform after
the initial 90-day launch.

Speed Executives evaluating managed services should

ensure their vendor of choice has a product which is designed for rapid deployment. The more seasoned a vendor
is, with a successful track record of managed services
implementations, especially in the organizations specific
industry, the more likely they will be able to deliver this option successfully, on a tight deadline.
Whether an organization leverages a managed services or
SaaS platform, it is unlikely an initial out-of-the-box e-commerce platform will include every item on their wish list. There
are a number of features which should be deferred until after
the initial implementation, or omitted completely, especially in
the case of a SaaS implementation where customization options are limited. Below are features which must be part of an
out-of-the box solution, and others that can wait until later.

Agility of the Solution When considering SaaS implementations, one should assess both the breadth and depth of
what is available in a vendors offering. Companies should
evaluate the long-term viability of the platforms they are
considering. After the 90-day implementation is complete,
the winning solution should allow for additional features
and functionality to be added to fulfill longer-term requirements. The chosen vendor should have a clear path to
migrate from SaaS to managed service or on-premise, and
ensure the business does not lose its configurations.

Must-Have Features
Out of the Box
Branding
Simple Promotions
Multi-Language/Multi-Currency
Robust Search and Navigation
Customer Accounts Capability
Basic Mobile Storefront
Simple Analytics
Integration with Fulfillment System
Integration with a Payment Provider

Features that can Wait

Globalization/Internationalization While evaluating their
needs to go live quickly, B2B and B2C organizations must
consider their plans for future global expansion and ensure
the platform they select has been built from the ground up
to support multiple languages, multiple currencies, and
other internationalization requirements.

Site Redesign
Personalization
Ratings and Reviews
Complex Promotions
- Multiple Stores/Domains
- Complex Products
- Complex Sales/Pricing Rules

Other Integrations:
PIM, ERP, Financial Systems

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

To achieve a successful e-commerce deployment, every

department of an organization must work in lockstep. From
marketing to operations to IT and finance, each functional area
has to invest in the implementation to reap the rewards of the
new platform. Every department must be clear on what the
initial implementation will deliver, and which capabilities will
be out of scope and added later.
The following sections outline the possibilities and the sacrifices for key departments which interact with e-commerce
systems.

The Marketing Organization

Branding and promotions are the two aspects of an e-commerce platform which are most relevant to the marketing
group. Style sheets are an integral part of most solutions, and
make it possible for marketing to dictate the aesthetics of the
platform. In the first 90 days, the marketing team will be able
to control the color palette, basic branding and general layout
of the site.
An advanced, strategic site redesign, with an outside design
firm engaged, is not generally possible on an accelerated three
month schedule.
From a promotions perspective, the marketing group should
expect the platform will support basic promotions such as
percentages, flat discounts, and buy-one-get-one-free offers.
More complex promotions will be out of scope until after the
initial launch.

Information Technology (IT)

Merchandising/Product
Management
The companys merchandising or product management department can expect to have control over the online product
catalog and pricing at launch. In a three month implementation, as noted above, it might not be possible to integrate the
e-commerce platform with an external product information
management (PIM) or product content management (PCM)
system. This limitation may require that product information is
kept in two places, perhaps in both a PIM and an ERP system
for example, for an interim period.
The rapidly deployed e-commerce platform might not support
the complexities of the companys current product taxonomy
until further development and integration take place. But
downstream, enhancements can be made to provide full functionality. By making these relatively minor compromises, the
90-day launch deadline can be met.

Finance/Analytics
Sales and finance departments will have to interact closely
with the new e-commerce platform. An initial implementation
will provide basic sales reports from online channels, restocking information, and the popularity of viewed items (items
viewed most often, even when they arent purchased). However, there are many features an agile implementation will not
offer, such as integration with existing financial, ERP or CRM
systems. Integration with these systems is driven by complex
rule sets, and it might be necessary to exchange data manually
for an interim period.

In an e-commerce implementation, the IT groups primary role

is in integrating the platform with other systems. With a 90-day
schedule, IT can expect to integrate the platform with payment
services and fulfillment systems. These tasks are easier if the
platform has been previously integrated by the vendor with
other instances of those systems.
In some cases, companies may choose to change the additional systems theyre using, to reduce complexity. For example,
some e-commerce platforms pre-integrate with specific payment service providers, and companies may consider changing
their payment vendor to one of those, to expedite implementation.
There are some integrations, especially for B2B companies,
that cant be completed in three months. Integration with an
external product information management (PIM) system or a
customer information system (CRM) will probably have to wait.
Information can still be exchanged and entered manually until
further integration phases have been completed.

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

Steps to Going Live in 90 Days

Companies faced with a challenging deadline to implement an e-commerce solution quickly will need to employ a great deal of discipline to launch successfully. Even before a vendor is selected, an effective go-to-market strategy should be solidified.
Organizations should reach an internal consensus on the basics. What are they going to sell, how are they are going to source products and services, and how will sales be fulfilled? In addition, companies should decide whether theyre going to manage the implementation themselves or work with a professional services team that has deep experience in rapidly implementing the e-commerce
platform of choice.
Once this foundation is in place and a vendor is chosen, the three-month implementation cycle can begin.

Month 1

Month 2

Month 3

On Site Discovery &

Business Requirements
Gathering Phase

Design Phase

Construction Phase

Deployment Phase

Phase One:
Requirements Gathering/Mapping
(Duration: Two to Three Weeks)

Phase Two:
Design (Duration: Two to Three
Weeks)

The most important platform requirements must be identified

and analyzed before a final vendor decision can be made. Then,
less significant needs should be compared to the capabilities of the e-commerce platform the company has selected.
Implementation team members should familiarize themselves
with best practice recommendations from the vendor, and map
those to the organizations unique business processes.

Once requirements have been gathered at the detailed level

and mapped to the best practice sets (those features which
can be delivered out of the box, or with minimal development),
the next step is to build functional specifications, which may
be best accomplished by an implementation partner. This
involves documenting complex data flows, planning what can
be achieved by simple configurations within the platform,
and determining what elements will require development or
integration.

Organizations should consider identifying some of the unique

business processes which can be standardized to reduce the
necessity for interim manual processes and later customization, when a relatively small amount of change management
could make a significant difference.
Category managers should determine how products are
displayed and how much product data is needed to optimize
the relevance of search results. Marketing managers should
evaluate the promotional capabilities available out of the box,
and decide which of those will initially be used.

In parallel with building functional specifications, implementers should begin creative development at this stage. Most
often, this means gathering the aesthetics of an existing online
presence or website and dividing them up, so they can be rendered into the new e-commerce platform.

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

Choosing an Implementation
Partner
Out of necessity, most companies decide to work with an
independent third party consulting firm, or the consulting arm of their e-commerce platform developer, to
implement the new solution. The reason for this is intuitive. Most internal IT departments are heavily scheduled
with numerous projects already in the pipeline. Internal
IT people will have little or no experience with the new
platform, and will face a steep learning curve which
could endanger the 90 day deadline.
Here are some of the qualities organizations should look
for when choosing an implementation partner:

Recent Experience with the E-Commerce Platform

An external implementation partner must have
in-depth experience with the platform of choiceand
preferably, recent experience, since e-commerce
platforms can change dramatically in just a few
months.

Experience with the Companys Industry/ Segment

An implementation partner needs to be familiar
with their clients industry and be able to adapt the
implementation process accordingly. Learning the
peculiarities of a new industry can greatly slow down
the implementation.

Cultural Fit This is a characteristic which can easily

be overlooked, but it is a crucial element. The organization needs to ensure that their implementation
partners delivery methodology fits the corporate culture to ensure good communication, speeds delivery,
and prevents technical headaches.

Scope Fit The implementation partner needs to

have experience in working with companies similar in
size to the client. If an implementation partner regularly works with Fortune 500 companies, they might
not be as efficient working with smaller, venturebacked firms and vice versa.

Phase Three:
Construction (Duration: Four Weeks)
The functional specifications become the blueprint for what
happens next. During the construction phase, the functionality developed during the design phase is delivered. Frequently,
work is completed in one-week to ten-day sprints. The functional users of the e-commerce platform should be heavily
involved in reviewing the work at the end of each sprint, so
development and rollout stays on track and within budget.
The construction phase is also when the user interface and
integration work is done. During this time, multiple miniprojects must be undertaken simultaneously. For example,
four teams might be simultaneously configuring the product
catalog, tweaking the user interface to accurately reflect the
companys brand, integrating with a payment service provider,
and developing new mission-critical functionality.
QA testing is an important element of phase three, and it can
become a full time job for the IT team. It is advisable to include
key business users in the QA testing to avoid some of the
pitfalls described in phase four, below. With only four weeks
available to complete phase three, all team members must
be highly organized and ready to start at the end of the first
sprintotherwise too much time may slip by.

Phase Four:
Deployment (Duration: Four Weeks)
At the start of this fourth and final phase, bugs and requirement gaps should already have been resolved. Users in each
functional area of the company should complete a rigorous set
of acceptance tests. This is the time for internal users of the ecommerce platform to be thoroughly trained. This is also when
production data is loaded into the platform.
Four weeks should be planned for the deployment phase,
although it is common for the construction phase to take
longer than anticipated, causing the deployment phase to
be crammed into three weeks. Its not unusual for additional
critical requirements to be discovered during this final phase.
Thats another reason to impose a firm, four-week cap on the
duration of the construction phase.

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

Ensuring Long-Term Success

To improve the likelihood that the investment in the new ecommerce solution provides immediate ROI and future financial
success, companies must take time to anticipate future needs.
What works during the early days might not be sufficient in the
future.
Organizations operating under an aggressive deployment deadline should choose a platform vendor who offers SaaS, managed
services, and an on-premise version of their platform without
locking the customer into any single one of those. This enables a
company to bridge the gap between initial needs and long-term
requirements. When this is done successfully, it becomes less
likely that integrations with third party software and fulfillment
systems will have to be abandoned. Future global expansion will
be easier, and will not require a separate, discrete system.
Selecting a vendor who offers agile deployment options to meet
the needs of fast-paced B2B and B2C commerce organizations
helps future-proof e-commerce investments. After deploying a
SaaS or managed services platform, a company can evaluate the
effectiveness of the platform in meeting its business goals, and
adopt more functionality over time and as the business matures.
Over the long run, this flexible approach will save time, resources and money.

About ECA Ecommerce

Accelerator
ECA is one of the premier hybris multi-channel commerce
integrators in North America. Our deep technical experience
with the hybris multi-channel commerce framework, agilebased development approach and proprietary tools, deliver a
true end-to-end multi-channel commerce solution customized
to the needs of every client.
As a hybris Gold Partner, we have solid experience with complex multi-channel commerce solutions. We are focused on
helping our clients deliver consistent customer experiences
across every channel to drive customer acquisition, retention,
average order value, revenue and profits.
Our client experience includes brands such as BJs Wholesale
Club, Cisco, Overstock.com, Gildan, Whitefence, Thomson
Reuters, Super Supplements and Latham International.
For more information about multi-channel commerce integrations or to learn about the rapid client launch discussed in this
white paper, please contact us.

Email: amartin@eaccel.com
Web: www.eaccel.com
USA: +1-201-389-3339

Expert Counsel from the Field

To accelerate your next multi-channel commerce

project, visit the following link:

Domenico D'Avirro is VP of Services at ECA/Ecommerce

Accelerator, a professional services firm that has assisted dozens of companies in implementing e-commerce
platforms.

www.ecommerceaccel.com/technology/hybris-integration/

Were faced with tight timelines in almost all of our

e-commerce implementations, D'Avirro explains. So
we inevitably recommend a template-based platform
such as an accelerator that allows us to move more
quickly and deliver on time. In addition, we work closely
with customers to clearly identify what features we will
launch with, and which functionality we will move to a
separate phase. Ideally, we will go with a hosted option,
which allows for an easier implementation and better
scalability going forward.
These kinds of solutions and customer communications have enabled us to get our clients up and running
and ready to sell faster and more efficiently, D'Avirro
advises.

Speed-to-Market Whitepaper

About hybris, an SAP Company

hybris helps businesses around the globe sell more goods, services and digital content through everytouchpoint, channel and device. hybris delivers
OmniCommerce: state-of-the-art master data management for commerce and unified commerce processes that give a business a single view of its
customers, products and orders, and its customers a single view of the business. hybris' omni-channel software is built on a single platform, based on open
standards, that is agile to support limitless innovation, efficient to drive the best TCO, and scalable and extensible to be the last commerce platform companies
will ever need. Both principal industry analyst firms rank hybris as a leader and list its commerce platform among the top two or three in the market.
The same software is available on-premise, on-demand and managed hosted, giving merchants of all sizes maximum flexibility. Over 500 companies have
chosen hybris, including global B2B sites W.W.Grainger, Rexel, General Electric, Thomson Reuters and 3M as well as consumer brands ToysRUs, Metro,
Bridgestone, Levi's, Nikon, Galeries Lafayette, Migros, Nespresso and Lufthansa. hybris is the future of commerce. www.hybris.com | sales@hybris.com
Version: October 2013 Subject to change without prior notice hybris
Whitepaper
hybris is a trademark of the hybris Group. Other brand names are trademarks and registered trademarks of theSpeed-to-Market
respective companies.