Best Practices in eCommerce Platform Selection

When businesses evaluate eCommerce platforms, much of their attention is focused on the software companies behind the platforms. I can picture a team bouncing ideas around: Which is better—Magento or Shopify? Should we look at Adobe Commerce or Shopify Plus? What are the differences? I’ve heard BigCommerce is good for B2B—should we consider that too?

This approach puts too much emphasis on platforms that, at a high level, offer broadly similar functionality—while neglecting a critical factor: the agency responsible for implementing and supporting the platform of choice.

Rather than viewing the eCommerce platform as the deciding factor for digital success, the most resilient and scalable businesses focus their efforts on four interconnected components:

1. A strong agency partnership where the agency provides informed, unbiased guidance and the client invests appropriately in the services needed to support the scale and complexity of their eCommerce operation.
2. A platform that fits stakeholder needs—whether that’s a solo web manager or a mix of marketing, sales, creative, operations, and IT.
3. A clear roadmap for future work—covering both growth-driving enhancements and critical maintenance.
4. Leadership alignment on priorities and limitations—balancing needs vs. wants, understanding what the platform can and cannot do, and making trade-offs between ease of use, customization, cost, and long-term flexibility.

A capable agency can support each of these areas, translating business goals into realistic plans and long-term ROI. A weak agency can take even a solid platform and turn it into a costly liability.

This article will help merchants understand how to evaluate both the software and the agency behind it. The two are closely linked—and long-term success depends on getting both right.

eCommerce Platforms Have Limited Differentiation

One of the most common traps in platform selection is overanalyzing feature lists. Businesses often line up options—Magento, Shopify, BigCommerce, Adobe Commerce—and begin comparing functionality: product variants, checkout customizations, promotions engine, CMS flexibility, API coverage. While those details can matter, they’re rarely the deciding factor in long-term success.

The reality is that most leading platforms cover the same baseline requirements. They support product catalogs, flexible pricing, secure transactions, integrations, and mobile responsiveness. There are differences, yes—but they’re often more about how features are implemented, extended, and maintained than whether they exist at all.

According to a 2023 report from Future Commerce, 43% of merchants said there is no significant differentiation between eCommerce platforms when it comes to core capabilities¹. This isn’t because platforms are identical—it’s because, from a functional standpoint, many businesses could operate on multiple platforms with few meaningful limitations.

The deeper challenge isn’t picking the platform with the longest feature list. It’s understanding which capabilities matter most to your business and how the chosen platform will evolve alongside it. And that’s where your agency comes in—translating functional needs into practical platform implementations.

Agency Partners Drive Project Outcomes

Once a platform is selected, most of the real work begins: design, configuration, integration, testing, deployment, and long-term support. The complexity of these efforts varies depending on your business—but in nearly every case, the agency leading the work has a greater impact on success than the platform itself.

A capable agency helps you translate business goals into digital execution. They offer realistic assessments of what the platform can do, guide decisions on third-party tools or extensions, and design solutions that support long-term growth. They also flag risks early—whether technical limitations, budget constraints, or organizational gaps—so surprises are reduced and course corrections are possible.

According to the same Future Commerce study, 58% of merchants said their platform choice was significantly influenced by their agency’s partner certifications¹. That’s not necessarily a problem—but it raises the question: Is the recommendation based on what’s best for your business, or on what’s best for the agency’s relationship with the platform vendor?

Strong agencies don’t just know how to implement software. They understand the business behind the technology. They bring objectivity, clarity, and structure to complex decisions.

Essential Criteria for Evaluating Agency Partners

Choosing the right agency isn’t about picking the largest firm, the flashiest portfolio, or the one with the most certifications. It’s about finding a partner who can bring clarity to complex decisions, align with your business model, and guide your team toward sustainable success. Here are five criteria that help separate strong agencies from the rest:

1. Strategic Alignment
   Look for an agency that demonstrates a clear understanding of your business model, not just your website. They should ask good questions, challenge your assumptions, and connect their recommendations to your short- and long-term goals.
2. Objective Expertise
   Vendor certifications have value, but they don’t guarantee objectivity. Agencies that only recommend platforms where they have a formal partnership may limit your options unnecessarily.
3. Transparent Pricing and Support
   One of the most common frustrations merchants face is unexpected costs. Make sure your agency is upfront about licensing implications, integration costs, support models, and ongoing maintenance.
4. The Case Study Conundrum
   Case studies are often presented as proof of success. But they’re usually snapshots—highlighting launch metrics, design wins, or short-term gains. They rarely reflect long-term platform stability, ongoing performance, or the work required post-launch.
   
   Even a case study from a company in your industry, with similar customers and catalog size, may not reflect your specific constraints. Internal processes, tech stack maturity, team structure, and digital priorities all affect outcomes in ways that case studies can't capture.
   
   If you're reviewing case studies, ask for the full story: what worked, what didn’t, and how the relationship evolved over time.
5. Client References That Go Beyond the Highlights
   If you're seriously considering an agency, ask to speak with past or current clients—and ask better questions:
   
   • How did the agency handle changes in scope?
   • Were timelines realistic?
   • Did they flag technical or strategic risks early?
   • Has their support continued to add value post-launch?
   According to Future Commerce, 51% of merchants see it as a red flag when agencies don’t demonstrate curiosity about the client’s business¹.

Illustrative Scenario: Good vs. Bad Agency Outcomes

To see how much the agency partnership matters, consider two companies—similar size, similar industry, similar platform choice. But their outcomes look very different.

Company A: Works with an agency that takes the time to understand their business. Before development begins, the agency runs discovery sessions with stakeholders across departments. They recommend a phased roadmap, balancing short-term wins with long-term flexibility. Resource requirements and likely challenges are flagged early, budget and timelines are shared transparently, and the project delivery meets the shared expectations for success.

Company B: Chooses an agency based on partner certifications and a low price. Discovery is minimal. Critical business processes don’t map cleanly to the platform, leading to custom workarounds and mounting technical debt. Launch is rocky, internal adoption is low, and the costs keep mounting.

The difference wasn’t the platform—it was how the agency approached the project.

Summary Steps for Choosing an eCommerce Agency

Here are five steps to help you choose the right agency:

1. Build a Cross-Functional Evaluation Team: Include voices from marketing, operations, IT, customer service, and finance to capture different priorities.
2. Evaluate the Agency as Critically as the Platform: Ask about post-launch support, their approach to discovery, and how they manage scope changes and setbacks.
3. Insist on Scenario-Based Conversations: Ask how they’ve solved real-world challenges for similar clients. Look for thoughtful trade-off analysis—not just "yes" answers.
4. Look Past Certifications: Ask for stories about what went wrong and what they learned. Strong agencies don’t hide complexity—they help you plan for it.
5. Define Success Together: Be clear on what success looks like and make sure your agency is aligned around those goals.

Your Platform Is Only As Good As Your Agency

Platform selection is rarely the silver bullet many expect it to be. Features matter. Costs matter. But over the long haul, what matters just as much—often more—is the quality of the agency responsible for turning that platform into a functional, sustainable part of your business.

A strong agency brings structure to ambiguity, catches problems early, and helps your team make smart trade-offs. They guide decisions not just on what can be built, but what should be built. And they remain a steady partner as your needs evolve.

If you’re investing in a new platform or rethinking your current one, don’t treat the agency as an afterthought. The agency and the platform are a package deal—and success depends on getting both right.

Read next: Custom vs. Prescriptive: A Framework for Choosing the Right eCommerce Platform

¹ Future Commerce Insights Report, "The Honest Truth: Unmasking the Software Selection Charade," 2023.