Standard product configurator vs. custom

When does a standard solution make sense—and when is custom the way forward?

Standard solution

If you want to get started quickly, test an idea, or simply need a simple solution for a non-business-critical area, a standard solution is a good option. You can often get far without major investments—but you must accept limitations in design, functionality, and integrations.

Custom

If, on the other hand, you have a business-critical process where the product configurator must handle special rules, complex pricing, or retrieve/send data to other systems, then custom is the right solution. It costs more, but you get full flexibility.

Note: When we say “custom” at Morningtrain, we mean that we have a custom framework where we have standardized ~80% of the core logic in a product configurator.

From there, we “only” need to customize the final 20%—the parts of the configurator that must support unique features or particularly complex business logic, as well as integrations with existing systems.

Our product configurator application is built in Laravel and Next JS, and can be connected to virtually any system.

That was the short answer to when to choose one over the other. In the rest of this blog post, we will enrich your decision with a bit more information.

Comparison of good standard solutions

There are actually a handful of excellent standard tools that can be great for getting started. Everyone will run into limitations as soon as their needs go beyond the standard features. But they can be a good way to test your needs and the market.

There are also some heavier “out-of-the-box” solutions that are great for specific industries—but also significantly more expensive.

What should you be aware of with custom?

When you go custom, you move from “plug and play” to a strategic project. This means, among other things:

• Scalability
  The good thing is that you can build on it as needs grow. Make sure the solution is modular, so it is easy to extend.
• Requirements specification
  You must be clear on what is critical to the business. Which rules, data, and flows MUST be handled?
• Integrations
  Does it need to connect with PIM, ERP, CRM, or something else? The more complex the ecosystem, the more important integrations become.
• Maintenance
  Custom requires maintenance. You own the flexibility, but it can also create maintenance needs. Be mindful of what maintenance requires and what technical debt it may create for you.
• The process behind the project
  You suddenly have a project on your hands. So the process for defining the right project and bringing it to life is not trivial. Pay attention to how iterations and changes during the process will be handled—something will 100% come up mid-project that you were not aware of from the start.

Can you build custom configurators in WordPress?

Yes, absolutely—and we are glad you asked. WordPress was originally intended as a blogging system, so you should be mindful of what you build directly into WordPress.

But WordPress is much more than standard solutions and template solutions—and both of the solution approaches below can be built to provide a seamless user experience.

There are two overall solution approaches.

1. Directly in WordPress

Good in situations where product data does not need to be managed and retrieved from external systems, and where the solution will “only” create variations and add-ons.

2. Separate application with integration

Best when you have advanced logic, need to pull data from multiple systems, or want flexibility for a future platform change.

This solution is our clear recommendation, as your business logic is then not built directly into a CMS—which, frankly, is not built for this type of functionality.

If you build heavy custom logic directly into WordPress, you risk tripping yourself up: WordPress is a CMS—not an integration hub. If you need to change your site, you will have to rebuild everything. That is why we often recommend placing the logic in a standalone Laravel and Next JS application and connecting it to WordPress.

Examples of what you can connect to your custom configurator

A configurator only becomes truly powerful when it is an integrated part of your IT landscape and communicates with your other systems.

Here are some typical integrations:

• PIM: Pull product data from a single source so the information is always up to date.
• ERP: Manage order data and pricing centrally so the business logic is always correct.
• CRM: Use the configurator as a “quote generator,” where leads are automatically created in Salesforce, Pipedrive, or Dynamics 365.
• Marketing automation: Trigger flows when a customer has created a configuration, so you can follow up with relevant offers.
• Intranet: Retrieve information, datasheets, and notify staff.

So what does a custom solution cost?

It is clear that the custom solution is the most appealing: it can do more, it looks better, it is seamless, and it gives you all the freedom and functionality you could dream of—so why would anyone choose standard?

Honestly, it is the price…

There is no single answer for what a solution costs, but we can put it like this:

• A custom configurator can start at around DKK 150,000–250,000.
• A complex solution with integrations to PIM, ERP, and CRM, currency conversion, matrix calculations, and many rules (choices that make other choices impossible, etc.) can quickly end up at DKK 0.5–2 million.
  Depending on how much it needs to do.

The price depends on complexity, integrations, and ambition level. If you compare across agencies, you will see roughly the same price range.

A custom solution cannot compete with a standard solution, nor should it. As mentioned, the standard solution is for those who want to test it and gauge the market.

The investment in custom is for those who have a proven business case, or strong demand, and want to scale a business.

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Niclas Johansen

Managing Director – Development, CTO & Partner

[email protected]

+45 42 90 84 28