Why not just use Shopify Plus or BigCommerce Enterprise?

Enterprise platforms are good for scaling standard e-commerce but still have fundamental limitations. If your business model truly requires complex custom pricing logic, unique workflows, or capabilities these platforms don't support, you'll still hit walls. The choice depends on how unique your requirements actually are.

Can you add custom features to our existing Shopify/WooCommerce store?

Often, yes. If you're mostly happy with your platform but need specific custom functionality, we can develop custom apps, plugins, or integrations. This can be more cost-effective than building everything from scratch if the core platform works for you.

How do you handle payment processing?

We integrate with established payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, or your preferred gateway. Your payment data is handled securely by these processors—we don't store credit card numbers. For B2B with invoicing, we can implement invoice generation and payment tracking.

What about PCI compliance?

By using established payment processors, credit card data never touches your servers, significantly simplifying compliance. We follow security best practices for all data we do handle. For businesses with specific compliance requirements, we can discuss additional measures.

Can customers from our existing system be migrated?

Yes. We can migrate customer accounts, order history, and other data from your current platform. The complexity depends on how accessible your current data is, but migration is a standard part of platform transitions.

How do we manage products and inventory?

We build admin interfaces for managing your catalog, or we can integrate with your existing inventory/ERP system for real-time sync. The approach depends on where you want product data to live and how complex your inventory needs are.

Can the platform handle our sales volume?

We architect for your expected volume plus growth headroom. For most businesses, this means handling thousands of orders per day without issue. If you're expecting extreme scale (millions of transactions), we'll design the architecture accordingly from the start.

What ongoing costs should we expect?

Beyond development, expect hosting costs ($100-500+/month depending on scale), payment processing fees (typically 2.5-3% per transaction), SSL certificate (often included with hosting), and optional maintenance/support agreement. No monthly platform fees like Shopify charges.

What if we need changes or new features after launch?

E-commerce platforms typically evolve over time. We offer ongoing support agreements for maintenance and feature additions. Many clients budget for ongoing development hours each month to continuously improve their platform based on customer feedback and business needs.

Custom E-commerce Platform Development Calgary

Beyond Standard E-commerce: When You Need Custom

Standard e-commerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce work great for straightforward retail—add products, set prices, sell online. But what if your business doesn't fit that mold?

Maybe you have complex pricing rules that change based on customer type, quantity, or negotiated contracts. Maybe you need B2B features like quote requests, purchase orders, and net-30 terms. Maybe you're building a marketplace with multiple vendors, or your products require custom configuration before purchase.

These requirements quickly exceed what standard platforms can handle. You end up fighting against the software, installing countless plugins that don't quite work together, or accepting limitations that hurt your business. That's when custom e-commerce development makes sense.

We've built custom e-commerce platforms for Calgary businesses with unique requirements. One example: a fundraising organization needed an online store integrated with donor management, automated tax receipts, and comprehensive reporting. Standard e-commerce couldn't handle the donation tracking and nonprofit-specific features they needed.

Custom e-commerce is a significant investment—it's not for everyone. But for businesses with genuinely complex requirements, it can be the difference between an online presence that frustrates customers and one that gives you a competitive edge.

Custom E-commerce Capabilities

Features we can build that standard platforms struggle with.

✓Complex pricing rules and customer-specific pricing

✓B2B features (quotes, POs, net terms, approval workflows)

✓Multi-vendor marketplace functionality

✓Product configurators and custom options

✓Subscription and recurring billing

✓Inventory integration with existing systems

✓Custom checkout workflows

✓Multiple storefronts from one backend

✓Integration with ERP/accounting systems

✓Automated tax receipt generation

✓Custom reporting and analytics

✓Role-based access for staff and customers

Custom E-commerce Development Process

How we approach building complex e-commerce platforms.

01

Business Model Analysis

We start by thoroughly understanding your business—how you sell, to whom, with what pricing, and what makes your model unique.

E-commerce isn't just technology; it's enabling your specific way of doing business online. We need to understand the nuances of how you operate to build the right solution.

02

Platform Architecture

We design the technical architecture—database structure, integrations, payment flow, and how all the pieces connect.

This is where we solve the hard problems on paper before writing code. Complex pricing logic, inventory rules, and customer workflows are all mapped out.

03

Core Commerce Build

We build the foundation—product management, shopping cart, checkout, and payment processing.

The core commerce functionality needs to be rock-solid. We build this first, test it thoroughly, then layer on the custom features that make your platform unique.

04

Custom Feature Development

We implement the specialized features that make your platform different from standard e-commerce.

This is where the custom pricing rules, B2B workflows, integrations, and other unique requirements come to life. You'll see features develop and provide feedback throughout.

05

Integration & Testing

We connect to external systems and thoroughly test all scenarios—especially edge cases in pricing and checkout.

E-commerce bugs are expensive. Incorrect pricing, failed payments, or inventory errors damage customer trust. We test extensively before going live.

06

Launch & Optimization

We launch your platform and monitor closely, then optimize based on real customer behavior.

E-commerce platforms improve over time based on data. We track conversion rates, identify friction points, and make refinements after launch.

Custom E-commerce Timeline

Custom e-commerce platforms are significant undertakings. Expect 3-6 months for most projects, though simpler custom requirements on top of existing platforms might take 2-3 months.

The timeline depends on complexity—how many products, how complex the pricing, how many integrations, and how unique the checkout flow. We'll provide a realistic estimate after understanding your requirements.

Why Build Custom E-commerce

Benefits that justify the investment in custom platform development.

Your Business Model, Not a Template

Standard platforms force you into their model. Custom development means the platform fits your business exactly—your pricing, your workflows, your customer experience.

B2B Capabilities Built In

Proper B2B e-commerce needs features consumer platforms don't support well—custom pricing per customer, quote workflows, purchase orders, credit terms, and multi-user accounts.

Seamless Integrations

Connect directly to your inventory system, ERP, accounting software, or other business systems. Real-time sync, not CSV exports and manual updates.

Complex Pricing That Works

Volume discounts, customer-specific pricing, contract rates, bundle pricing, time-based promotions—whatever your pricing model, we can implement it correctly.

Differentiated Customer Experience

Offer features your competitors can't match because their platforms don't support them. Custom configurators, unique checkout options, or specialized account features.

No Platform Limitations

Stop hitting walls where your platform says 'we don't support that.' With custom development, the only limitations are what makes business sense to build.

When Custom E-commerce Makes Sense

Custom e-commerce development is a significant investment. Here's when it's worth considering versus standard platforms:

Consider Custom When: Your pricing model is genuinely complex (customer-specific, negotiated, volume-based with unusual tiers). You need B2B features that consumer platforms handle poorly. You're building a marketplace with multiple sellers. You need deep integration with existing business systems. Standard platforms require so many plugins they become unstable. Your checkout process has unique requirements.

Stick With Standard Platforms When: Your pricing is straightforward (fixed prices, simple discounts). You're primarily selling to consumers with standard checkout. Available plugins meet your needs. You're just starting out and validating your market. Budget doesn't justify custom development.

Consider Platform Customization When: You're 80% satisfied with a standard platform but need specific custom features. A plugin or custom code addition could solve your problem. You want to keep the platform's ecosystem while adding unique functionality.

Not sure which approach fits your situation? Let's talk through it. We'll give you an honest assessment—including if custom development isn't the right choice for you.

Custom E-commerce FAQ

Questions businesses ask when considering custom e-commerce development.

Custom e-commerce platforms typically range from $20,000-$100,000+ depending on complexity. A focused platform with specific custom features might be $20,000-40,000. Full-featured platforms with complex pricing, B2B features, and multiple integrations can exceed $50,000-100,000. We provide detailed quotes based on your specific requirements.

Have a question that's not answered here?

Call us at (403) 829-1452

Custom E-commercePlatform Development