Connecting and integrating an ecommerce platform with third-party services and solutions can be one of the most costly and time consuming parts of any ecommerce site development.
This week, ecommerce platform maker Demandware launched a new marketplace called LINK, which gives developers and merchants free access to a library of ready-to-use solution integrations. This means that retailers using the Demandware platform should be able to select a ready-made solution that makes adding PayPal’s checkout services; Invodo’s video player; or Bronto’s email marketing tools effortless.
“Integration is an expensive, time-consuming process that can be a barrier to the adoption of available technologies,” said Paul Zaengle, senior director of ecommerce at Columbia Sportswear, adding that his company had already used a LINK solution to add PayPal Express to its site.
Demandware LINK Promotional Video
According to Demandware, “Application integration can be as much as 50 percent of the overall cost and time of an ecommerce implementation.” The company also said that using the LINK library might reduce the time required to add a payment gateway, for example, by up to 92 percent.
“It’s not right that retailers should have to foot a services bill just to make two technologies talk to each other. We think it’s high time that vendors assume this responsibility and deliver pre-built, supported integrations to retailers. Through Demandware LINK and our ongoing partnerships with leading third-party providers, we’re making the pain of integration a thing of the past,” said Jamus Driscoll, vice president of marketing at Demandware, in an official statement.
Any merchant or developer using or working on the Demandware platform may join the LINK community for free. The company also put out an open invitation to service providers that wanted to have their solutions included in the LINK library.
At launch, LINK had 29 ready-to-integrate solutions the following 16 categories.
Address Verification
Advertising
- Adgregate
Analytics
Email Marketing
Marketing
Order Management
- MainStreet Commerce
Payment Solutions
- Amazon Payments
- CyberSource
- Global Collect
- Litle & Co.
- PayPal
Personalization
- Baynote
- Certona
- MyBuys
Product Information Management
Ratings and Reviews
Replenishment Solutions
Rich Media
- Adobe Scene7
- Allurent
- Invodo
Shopping Cart Abandonment Management
Security
Site Monitoring
Social
- Fluid
- Resource Interactive