Determine high-level project goals and requirements

Gain sufficient executive leadership approval for the project

Depending on organization, this may include formal documentation.

Create Long List Platform

Include as many candidate solutions as possible.

Create Short List

Determine top candidate solutions by ruling out solutions which don't meet high-level requirements. Four to six is typical.

Create RFP

Define business, functional, and technical requirements.

Create Evaluation Matrix

Sophelle uses a spreadsheet with scoring for each response.

Contact Shortlist Vendors

Invite shortlisted candidate solutions to participate in the selection project.

Send RFP

Receive RFP

Complete Evaluation Matrix

Share Evaluation Matrix Results

Determine Finalists

Develop Demonstration Goals and Scripts

Document specific business processes all vendors should demonstrate in order to understand differences in key areas. Allow each vendor to highlight their solution's competitive advantages.

Schedule Demonstrations

Hold Demonstrations

Score Demonstrations

Determine Winner

If sufficient agreement isn't attained, additional discussions and potentially even additional vendors may be required.

Negotiate Contracts

Consider all aspects of the agreements including price, terms, schedule, service level agreements, and involvement of specific team members. eCommerce SaaS and service agreements are complicated. Engage experienced legal counsel in the process.

Execute Contracts

Many agreements have steep penalties for termination. Make sure all previous approval steps were conducted propoerly before signing.

Notify Other Vendors

Each of the vendors has likely invested significant time, effort, and expense in this process. And they're people with whom you're likely to cross paths with in the future, at your current or future companies. Providing constructive, timely feedback the the vendors who didn't win the project, if done properly, should be very warmly received and appreciated.

Contact Sophelle to to help guide you through your ecommerce selection process.

Contact our experts