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Josh Fisher
Location: Richmond, Virginia
About Josh Fischer (3:07)
In this episode, Tim Rodman hosts Josh Fischer to discuss the integration of Shopify’s B2B platform with Acumatica Cloud ERP. Fischer, originally from Western Maryland, shared his unique journey that began with studying digital art at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Over time, his passion for art transitioned to building websites, which eventually led him to explore the e-commerce sector during its nascent phase around 2008.
By 2010, Fischer was deeply involved in making Shopify sites for clients, recognizing early the importance of e-commerce and its inevitable need for integration with ERP systems. This realization led to the owner of an open-source ERP business buying Fischer’s digital agency and refocusing his team on an integration between his ERP and Drupal Commerce.
After a few successful years, in 2018, Fischer’s expertise caught the attention of Acumatica. This led him to spearhead their Retail Commerce Edition and further explore integrations, including a significant collaboration with BigCommerce. As Fischer reflects on his journey, he acknowledges that there’s much more to come in the world of e-commerce and ERP integrations.
Exploring Platforms for Manufacturing E-commerce (9:11)
Next, Tim inquires about Fischer’s experiences in dealing with different e-commerce platforms for the manufacturing industry, and whether his early work influenced his later endeavors with Acumatica. Responding, Fischer delves into the nuances of the e-commerce platforms he worked with.
While Shopify is a significant player in the market, Fischer emphasized his extensive work with Drupal. It’s an enterprise-focused content management system comparable to WordPress. His team favored Drupal for its organized structure and its open-source module called Drupal Commerce, which Fischer likened to Magento in terms of flexibility.
Given the needs of manufacturers during that period, Fischer and his lead developer utilized their expertise in Drupal Commerce to create a customized distribution of Drupal. This tailored version was aligned with the shared requirements of multiple manufacturers and integrated seamlessly with their respective ERP systems. Their primary aim was to enhance the customer experience, ensuring that buyers could efficiently communicate detailed specifications for their manufactured orders.
Why Manufacturers Need to Get Online (11:12)
Tim delves into the reasons why many manufacturing firms, some being Acumatica customers, haven’t fully transitioned to online order placements and still rely on traditional methods like phone calls. Josh highlights the reluctance of some manufacturing leaders to embrace online platforms due to perceived complexities in their products and the emphasis on relationship-driven sales. However, he underscores a crucial reality: a significant majority of B2B buyers prefer online research and procurement. These buyers want the convenience of quickly sourcing the information they need, desiring to do around 80% of their research independently before possibly interacting with a salesperson. By providing online platforms, manufacturers can transform their sales process, saving their salesforce time from repetitive tasks and allowing them to focus on deepening customer relationships and acquiring new clientele.
In addition, Tim discusses an Acumatica customer’s unique approach wherein the salespeople are motivated to direct their clients towards the company’s e-commerce site, treating the website as a “sales assistant.” Josh resonates with this concept, viewing the website as a tool that complements the sales process. Such platforms not only streamline the transactional aspect but also offer valuable data analytics on buyer behavior, allowing businesses to refine their strategies based on real-time insights. Fischer emphasizes the wealth of marketing information, like heat maps and customer journey data, that can be gleaned from an online platform, which is not possible with traditional phone call transactions.
How Manufacturers Can Get Started Online (17:24)
Fischer emphasized that while platforms like Drupal, WordPress, and Magento might appeal to cost-conscious manufacturers due to their “free” open-source nature, they will likely lead to unanticipated costs, complexities, and security issues. Instead, he recommended SaaS platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce. These platforms, although potentially more expensive upfront, provide better security and are more user-friendly, enabling even those without extensive digital knowledge to set up an online storefront quickly.
Furthermore, Fischer highlighted the importance of content in digital marketing. He suggested manufacturers partner with digital agencies if they’re unsure about creating content or navigating the intricacies of online marketing. These agencies can guide manufacturers in producing relevant content, tapping into tools like Google’s keyword analysis to drive organic traffic. Direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies were also discussed as a beneficial approach for manufacturers, establishing relationships with consumers and fostering brand loyalty, which leads to recurring revenue streams.
The Difference Between Shopify and Shopify B2B (28:50)
Tim and Josh next delve into the distinctions between Shopify and its B2B counterpart. Josh explains the fundamental difference between B2C and B2B E-commerce platforms in general. In B2C, the requirements of most merchants tend to be uniform, making platforms like Shopify effective as they can cater to the majority of these needs. On the other hand, B2B merchants often have more unique and varied requirements. For instance, many B2B merchants expect features like customer-specific pricing, which demands a more flexible and configurable platform.
Shopify B2B starts with the foundational, intuitive interface of Shopify but integrates additional features and configuration tools to accommodate these diverse B2B needs. The conversation also reveals that Shopify B2B is a recent venture, officially announced only a few months before the podcast. The development of Shopify B2B was influenced by experts in the B2B commerce field, and Shopify actively sought feedback and input from these professionals, including the team at Acumatica. Fischer believes that this tailored approach to B2B e-commerce will be transformative for the industry, providing a bridge for manufacturers that want an accessible entry into online sales without the complexity of more robust platforms.
Acumatica’s native integration with Shopify (40:58)
Tim next asks about Acumatica’s integration progress with Shopify B2B. Josh confirms that while the integration is ongoing, they’ve had a proactive collaboration with Shopify’s team to ensure seamless alignment between the platforms. Their joint discussions revolved around specific use cases to optimize interoperability. The tight relationship with Shopify has helped Acumatica gain an advantageous head start. Josh reveals that some features are already set for the 2023 R1 release, with the intention to incorporate more as Shopify rolls out new tools.
Acumatica and BigCommerce (42:42)
BigCommerce has been proactive in addressing the B2B market’s online needs, incorporating B2B features since around 2016 or 2017, starting with customer-specific pricing. Recognizing the evolving needs of businesses, they also introduced a multi-storefront configuration, which enables users to manage a product once and then decide on which stores it appears. This is especially beneficial for umbrella companies overseeing multiple brands selling identical products. Recently, BigCommerce has invested in B2B significantly, even establishing a dedicated division for it. With recent acquisitions and the addition of experienced team members from the B2B sector, the platform’s B2B capabilities are poised for further enhancement.
How to Choose the Right E-commerce Platform for Your Business (44:51)
Tim now asks about the differences between B2B on Shopify and Big Commerce. Josh emphasizes that both are robust platforms, with the choice largely dependent on a company’s specific needs and employee comfort. He notes that while there are differences, many are minute and businesses need to decide which features and functionalities suit them best. For instance, product category structures are handled differently on both platforms.
Fischer underscores the role of digital agencies in guiding businesses, explaining that they listen to a company’s needs and advise based on experience. Moreover, Fischer mentions the significance of Acumatica VARs that have integrated agencies, highlighting their ability to provide intelligent insights on both ERP and e-commerce platforms. Tim agrees, pointing out that if businesses are associated with a VAR, it’s better to progress with the VAR’s guidance. Both emphasize the importance of involving VARs early in the decision-making process because of their understanding of Acumatica, especially when integrating e-commerce because digital agencies won’t be able to foresee problems on the ERP and database side of the project.
The Benefits of Acumatica’s Extendible E-commerce Connectors (49:46)
Tim raises a question: Why has Acumatica formed multiple e-commerce relationships rather than focusing on just one, as NetSuite did? Josh responds by highlighting concerns about the longevity of NetSuite’s e-commerce platform. He goes on to explain that Acumatica’s approach is rooted in flexibility. They have a dedicated team that works on integrations with external platforms.
While external Integration Platform-as-a-Service (IPaaS) systems are suitable for certain scenarios, Acumatica offers native integrations. These integrations work with platforms like Shopify, Big Commerce, and Amazon. He emphasized the open nature of their connector framework, which allows partners to access, duplicate, and extend the framework for various needs, including customization. The conversation also touches on the technicalities of extending the framework. Josh notes that the Shopify and Big Commerce connections sit atop the connector framework, allowing for easy adaptability and integration.
Solutions Rather than Technology (56:12)
Josh highlights his passion for understanding unique business structures and figuring out how to make them successful online. We hear about Josh’s experiences with the rise and fall of Adobe Flash, and he recounts Adobe’s clash with Apple and Steve Jobs, leading to Flash’s eventual decline and the rise of JavaScript and HTML5. Both Josh and Tim agree on the significance of not being overly reliant on one technology, but instead focusing on the broader goal of solving problems.
Successful Acumatica E-commerce Implementations (1:01:20)
Josh shared an enlightening story of an e-commerce company that began selling products from their garage through Shopify and expanded into a multimillion-dollar business. These digital-native entrepreneurs were adept at using web-based tools to grow their business but lacked knowledge of supply chain, distribution, and ERP systems. When the company faced challenges during the COVID-19 supply chain disruption and outgrew their QuickBooks system, they approached Acumatica for a solution. Unlike typical Acumatica customers who engage with VARs for the implementation process, this company decided to implement Acumatica themselves, using VARs only as a support system. Surprisingly, within just four months, they successfully integrated Acumatica with Shopify and began scaling their business even more rapidly. This success story has prompted Josh to consider how similar “do-it-yourself” digital natives can be coached by VARs to achieve the same results.
In another instance, a manufacturer who began its journey with Acumatica in the early days of 2019-2020 demonstrated how flexible the system could be. This large company had complex products and wanted to sell them online, a move not common in their industry. While they implemented the back-office functionalities of Acumatica within months, the e-commerce integration took longer due to the owner’s vision for a perfect customer experience, requiring significant custom development and rigorous testing. Drawing parallels with Apple’s iPhone approach, the owner was reluctant to launch until every aspect of the system was flawless. Though the two-year implementation process was longer than typical, once they went live, they revolutionized their industry by offering online, customizable orders using mobile devices. This ambitious approach emphasized the capabilities of Acumatica in catering to diverse business needs and setting new industry standards.
Wrapping Up (1:17:53)
In the concluding portion of the podcast, Josh and Tim offered generalized insights into the realm of e-commerce. They emphasized the challenges and opportunities that have arisen, particularly during the pandemic. They discussed the importance of businesses, irrespective of size, having the agility to adapt to the digital landscape. They highlighted how Acumatica has been instrumental for numerous enterprises in navigating these changes by seamlessly integrating e-commerce and ERP functionalities.
The podcast highlighted the transformative role of Acumatica in the e-commerce sector. Through varied experiences and insights from different businesses, it was shown that Acumatica’s adaptability and comprehensive integration capabilities are invaluable assets for businesses keen on thriving in the digital age. Whether for budding entrepreneurs, established manufacturers, or emerging enterprises, Acumatica offers a promising pathway to digital success.