BaseLinker vs. Custom Solution

If you run an online business and use BaseLinker to manage multiple sales channels, you might wonder whether this tool still meets your growing company's needs. While BaseLinker offers a wide range of integration features, its universal approach may not always align with the specific requirements of your business. In such cases, investing in a custom-built system tailored to your needs could be worthwhile.

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BaseLinker vs. Custom Solution

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BaseLinker

BaseLinker is a popular integration platform that enables centralized sales management across multiple channels. It offers integrations with numerous e-commerce platforms, marketplaces, and courier services, allowing for streamlined sales processes. One of its advantages is quick implementation and access to many pre-built integrations, making it an attractive solution for small and medium-sized businesses entering the e-commerce market.

However, using a universal tool comes with limitations. Standard features may not fully accommodate your company’s unique business processes, and modifications can be difficult or impossible to implement. Additionally, as your business grows, subscription costs can rise significantly, especially if order volume or revenue thresholds are exceeded.

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Custom Solution

A custom solution is a tailor-made system designed specifically for your company’s unique needs and processes. This approach allows for full customization of features, integration with selected platforms, and adaptation to specific operational requirements. Although the initial investment in a custom system may be higher than implementing a ready-made tool, in the long run, it offers benefits such as process optimization, reduced operational costs, and the elimination of subscription fees.

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Cost Comparison

BaseLinker Platform:

• Subscription fees: Based on the number of active listings and completed orders.
• Rising costs with business growth: As transaction volume increases, monthly fees can become significantly higher.
• Threshold exceedance: Exceeding certain thresholds, such as 5,000 orders per month or 1,000,000 PLN in revenue, results in automatic migration to a higher subscription plan, increasing costs.
• No downgrade option: Once upgraded to a higher plan, returning to a lower one may be impossible, leading to permanently higher operational costs.

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Custom Sales Management System:

• Higher initial investment: Development and implementation costs.
• No subscription fees: No ongoing monthly payments after implementation.
• Process optimization: Tailoring the system to the company’s specific needs results in long-term savings.
• No risk of price increases: No dependency on external service providers and unexpected subscription fee hikes.

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Example:

Investment in a custom system starts at 500,000 PLN, depending on the scope of functionality. With a monthly revenue of 5,000,000 PLN, the return on investment could be achieved in approximately 11 months, eliminating the need for continuous subscription fees. In the long term, this allows for greater control over operational costs.

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How a custom system helped Trada Meble reduce costs by 90% and speed up order fulfillment by 20% compared to BaseLinker

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The Challenge

Trada Meble, a family-owned furniture manufacturing business, faced rising costs and limitations with tools like BaseLinker and Apilo. While these tools provided basic functionalities, they lacked the flexibility required for the company's expanding operations. As order volumes increased, the company needed a solution that could automate order management, optimize delivery route planning, and enhance customer communication—all while reducing operational expenses.

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Our Solution

We developed a custom order management system (TRADA SYSTEM) that fully digitized the company’s processes. The system was integrated with Google Maps and Mapy.cz, enabling automatic delivery route planning. It was also connected with e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Allegro, Kaufland, and PrestaShop, allowing for efficient order, logistics, and fleet management. Additionally, the system featured automated SMS and email notifications, improving customer communication.

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Benefits

• Cost reduction: TRADA SYSTEM replaced expensive subscription-based tools like BaseLinker and Apilo, cutting operational costs by 90%.
• Faster order fulfillment: Order processing time was reduced by 20%.
• Scalability: The system is flexible and can be easily adjusted to the company's evolving needs, supporting future growth.
• Automation: Automated delivery route planning and integration with Comarch Optima ensured smoother and more efficient operations.

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“Thanks to a solution tailored to our needs, we can process orders faster and more efficiently. The project fully met our expectations.”

– Marzena Walczak, CEO, Trada Meble