10 Reasons Open Source Cart
is Better Than Proprietary Cart

If you have an e-commerce platform already or have been doing your research, getting ready to start one, it is likely you have crossed the threshold of the debate between the open source cart and proprietary cart. Even if you have garnered your own opinion, it is worth learning more about the benefits of the open source cart versus the proprietary to make the best decision.

1. Cost

The first and possibly most important benefit for many companies is the cost. The difference in cost between the open source and proprietary cart is not even close; open source wins hands down. This can be a rather important factor in a large number of small to medium-sized businesses, especially those that are just starting out. The lower your overhead is, the higher your profits might be.

2. Access to Open Source 

Open source means the program is community driven. This could quite possibly provide the highest level of support that is available for any e-commerce solution. There are many experts who have the ability to assist you with customizations, tweaks and fixes remotely. This enables you to achieve the functions you want without knowing any programming yourself – you simply rely on the experts, such as those at i95Dev. In contrast, the proprietary cart has no customizations available, and there are no tweaks that can be done. What you see is what you get with proprietary, which can lead to many disadvantages for companies that are trying to gain the competitive edge in their industry.

3. Security

Security is a major issue for all businesses given the high level of pertinent information that is provided. In the open source format, you have many eyes and ears watching for security breaches, enhancing the amount of security any given company experiences while using this software. The proprietary software, on the other hand, has one company or one department handling the security, making it possible for one or more security breaches to slip through the cracks.

4. More Functions

No two companies are exactly alike, even those in the same industry. This means out-of-the-box software that is rigid in its operation will not provide the customizations they might need to get what they want out of their e-commerce platform. Why settle for less than what you want for your store? The open source cart is able to use many customizations and plug-ins to provide you with the perfect platform to achieve the goals for your e-commerce store.

5. Active Community 

An open source cart means you have the capabilities of customizing your cart as much as you deem necessary. Without proper support, this could lead to disaster, which is why the active community that is involved in the open source cart is an immensely valuable resource.

6. Easy Integration 

Third-party applications are easily integrated with the open source format. Whether you need to integrate accounting solutions or an order management system, it is easy to integrate it with the support of the open source community or your developer.

7. Have Control

One of the biggest issues many businesses have with any new application they add to their e-commerce business is the lack of control they have over various applications. With an open source cart, you have complete control. If you want to change various functions or add customizations, you can have the changes performed for you. There is no right or wrong with an open source cart; it is a solution that meets your exact needs and can implement different plug-ins for incredible customization.

8. Reduced Developmental Cycles

When a new product is being developed, it can take a long time to create it, especially when the input is limited to the few individuals involved in its development. With open source applications, you don’t have just one or two developers working on the product; you have an entire community that not only imparts their opinions but also helps get the product out faster. Any bugs that appear could be realized faster and a solution can be created just as quickly.

9. Avoid Vendor Lock-In

With open source carts, you are not locked into one vendor. You have the freedom to move from vendor to vendor whenever the need arises. Whether the needs of your organization changes, the vendor changes its prices or you want more choices, there are many vendors vying for your business, giving you the opportunity to maximize your opportunities.

10. Transparency Is Best

If you have ever bought an application off the shelf and felt frustrated with it, wanting to look inside its code, you understand the benefit of the open source cart. There is no lock on the code, giving you, your community or your developer the ability to tweak it as necessary. In addition, you have the ability to try the product to its fullest capacity to see if it will be the best solution for your business.
If you are looking for experts in open source e-commerce software, the professionals at i95Dev can help you realize your goals for your e-commerce store. Whether you are just starting out or you are migrating your existing software from proprietary to open source, our experts are happy to help you reach the level of success you desire. Email us at info@i95Dev.com for more information.