Demandware (Salesforce Commerce Cloud)

What is Salesforce for Commerce

Salesforce for Commerce, also known as Commerce Cloud, is a cloud-based ecommerce platform that is part of the larger Salesforce ecosystem. It provides businesses with a suite of tools to create and manage both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) shopping experiences. The platform originated from the acquisition of Demandware, a leader in SaaS ecommerce solutions, by Salesforce in 2016. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Salesforce integrated Demandware's technology to create a powerful commerce solution that connects seamlessly with its well-known CRM, sales, service, and marketing clouds. The core purpose of Commerce Cloud is to enable companies to build unified, intelligent, and personalized commerce experiences across all customer touchpoints, from web and mobile to social media and physical stores.

Salesforce for Commerce Features

Salesforce for Commerce offers a wide range of features designed for large-scale retail and business operations.

• Unified Commerce Platform: Connects online storefronts with physical point-of-sale (POS) systems and order management. This creates a single view of customers, inventory, and orders across all channels.
• AI-Powered Personalization: Uses Salesforce's Einstein AI to deliver personalized product recommendations, search results, and promotional offers to each shopper, helping to increase conversion rates.
• B2C Commerce Tools: Provides everything needed to run a direct-to-consumer business, including customizable storefront templates, mobile-first design, and marketing tools.
• B2B Commerce Functionality: Built to handle the complexities of business-to-business sales. It supports custom catalogs, negotiated pricing, quick order forms, and managing large, complex orders for multiple accounts.
• Order Management System (OMS): A centralized hub to manage orders from any channel. It automates order routing, provides real-time inventory visibility, and handles fulfillment and returns efficiently.
• Composable & Headless Commerce: Offers an API-first architecture that allows businesses to separate the front-end presentation layer from the back-end commerce engine. This gives developers the flexibility to build custom user experiences on any device or platform.
• Integrated Point of Sale (POS): A mobile-first POS solution that brings customer data, order history, and inventory information to the shop floor, improving the in-store experience.
• Seamless CRM Integration: Natively connects with Salesforce Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, and Marketing Cloud, providing a complete 360-degree view of the customer journey.

Salesforce for Commerce Pricing Plans

Salesforce for Commerce does not offer fixed-price tiers. Instead, its pricing is customized based on the specific needs and scale of each business. The cost is primarily determined by the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), which is the total value of sales transacted through the platform. Businesses must contact the Salesforce sales team to get a custom quote.

• Starter: A bundle designed for businesses launching their direct-to-consumer (D2C) storefronts, often including core commerce, marketing, and service capabilities.
• Growth: Aimed at growing businesses that need more advanced features, scalability, and the ability to handle higher volumes of traffic and sales.
• Enterprise: The most comprehensive offering for large, established enterprises. It includes the full suite of B2C and B2B commerce tools, advanced AI, and the highest level of support and scalability for global operations.

Salesforce for Commerce Free Plan

Salesforce for Commerce does not have a free plan. Due to its complexity and enterprise focus, it also does not offer a traditional free trial that users can sign up for on their own. Instead, prospective customers can request a personalized demo from the Salesforce team to see the platform in action and discuss how it can meet their specific business requirements.

How to use Salesforce for Commerce

Getting started with Salesforce for Commerce is a structured process that typically requires technical expertise.

1. Consultation and Discovery: The first step is to contact Salesforce for a consultation. You will discuss your business goals, technical requirements, and sales volume to determine if the platform is a good fit.
2. Implementation Partner: Most businesses hire a Salesforce implementation partner or use their in-house certified developers to set up and configure the platform. This involves setting up the backend, migrating product data, and integrating with other systems like ERPs and payment gateways.
3. Storefront Development: You can use pre-built templates for a faster launch or opt for a 'headless' approach to build a completely custom front-end experience using the platform's APIs.
4. Manage Operations: Once live, your team will use the Commerce Cloud dashboard to manage products, pricing, promotions, and inventory. The order management system is used to process and fulfill customer orders.
5. Analyze and Optimize: Use the built-in analytics and Einstein AI tools to monitor performance, understand customer behavior, and continuously optimize the shopping experience to drive more sales.

Pros and Cons of Salesforce for Commerce

Pros

• High Scalability: Built to handle massive traffic and transaction volumes, making it ideal for large, global enterprises.
• Powerful AI Capabilities: Einstein AI provides sophisticated personalization and automation that can significantly boost revenue.
• Complete Ecosystem: Seamless integration with Salesforce CRM, marketing, and service clouds provides a true unified view of the customer.
• Robust B2B and B2C Features: Offers deep functionality for both direct-to-consumer and complex business-to-business sales models on a single platform.
• Reliability and Uptime: Known for its stability and high historical uptime, ensuring stores are always available to customers.

Cons

• High Total Cost of Ownership: The platform is very expensive, with pricing based on a percentage of your sales, making it inaccessible for small businesses.
• Complex Implementation: Setting up and maintaining the platform requires specialized knowledge and often the help of certified developers or partners.
• Steep Learning Curve: The backend is powerful but complex, requiring significant training for merchandisers and administrators.
• Less Flexibility for Small Teams: The platform is not designed for small teams who need a simple, easy-to-manage solution.

Salesforce for Commerce integrations

Salesforce for Commerce integrates with thousands of applications through the Salesforce AppExchange, its official marketplace. It also has robust APIs for custom integrations.

• Salesforce Sales Cloud integration: Syncs customer data and order history for a complete view for sales teams.
• Salesforce Service Cloud integration: Provides customer service agents with order details and history to resolve issues faster.
• Salesforce Marketing Cloud integration: Enables personalized marketing campaigns based on shopping behavior and purchase history.
• Payment Gateways: Integrates with major providers like Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, and Adyen.
• Shipping and Logistics: Connects with services like FedEx, UPS, and various third-party logistics (3PL) providers.
• ERP Systems: Can be integrated with enterprise resource planning systems like SAP, Oracle NetSuite, and Microsoft Dynamics 365.

Salesforce for Commerce Alternatives

• Shopify Plus: A leading SaaS platform that is generally easier to use and faster to implement. It is a strong choice for high-growth D2C brands that prioritize simplicity and a rich app ecosystem.
• Adobe Commerce (Magento): A highly flexible and customizable platform available as open-source or a managed cloud service. It is powerful but also complex, appealing to businesses with unique requirements and development resources.
• BigCommerce Enterprise: A strong competitor that offers a balance of powerful features, a lower total cost of ownership, and a strong focus on headless commerce. It is often seen as a more accessible alternative to Salesforce.
• SAP Commerce Cloud: Another enterprise-grade platform, often chosen by large corporations that already use other SAP products like their ERP system. It offers deep B2B and B2C capabilities.

Salesforce for Commerce API

Yes, Salesforce for Commerce provides an extensive set of APIs. The platform's 'Composable Commerce' strategy is built on an API-first foundation, allowing developers to build custom experiences. It offers REST APIs for nearly every function, including product data, inventory, customer management, and order processing.

To get API access, developers must have access to a Salesforce Commerce Cloud instance, often called a 'realm'. API keys and client IDs are managed within the Account Manager of that instance. Access is not publicly available for free; it is part of a paid subscription to the platform.

Example API Call (Conceptual):

This is a conceptual example of how a developer might fetch product details using the Salesforce Commerce Cloud API (OCAPI).

const fetch = require('node-fetch');

async function getProduct(productId, accessToken) {
  const apiUrl = 'https://your-instance.commercecloud.salesforce.com/s/SiteGenesis/dw/shop/v22_10/products/' + productId;

  const response = await fetch(apiUrl, {
    method: 'GET',
    headers: {
      'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${accessToken}`,
      'x-dw-client-id': 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID'
    }
  });

  if (!response.ok) {
    throw new Error(`API call failed with status: ${response.status}`);
  }

  const productData = await response.json();
  console.log(productData);
  return productData;
}

// Usage would require obtaining an access token first.
// getProduct('25592825M', 'your-valid-access-token');

For official documentation, developers should visit the Salesforce Developer portal for Commerce Cloud.

Salesforce for Commerce Affiliate program

Salesforce does not offer a traditional affiliate program where individuals can earn commissions by placing simple referral links for Commerce Cloud. Instead, it operates a comprehensive Salesforce Partner Program. This program is designed for companies that provide services related to Salesforce products, not for individual content creators or influencers.

There are different types of partners:

• Consulting Partners: Companies that implement, configure, and manage Salesforce solutions for clients.
• AppExchange (ISV) Partners: Companies that build and sell their own applications on the Salesforce AppExchange marketplace.

To join, companies must apply through the Salesforce Partner Community portal. The program involves meeting certain criteria, paying program fees, and achieving certifications. It is a business partnership rather than a simple affiliate relationship. If you are interested in becoming a partner, you should research the Salesforce Partner Program directly on their website.