Dedicated BC integration Marketing

[klubjunky]

I am not great at javascript or php, but i'm learning.

In the meantime, I hope to see Business Catalyst on all the integration sites, linked to this and that.. but I never see BC.

In order to get BC in the faces of people - "also called marketing"

There should be a very BIG effort in connecting or creating integrations with other platforms.

CONNECTING is the name of the game right now.

Not only does it give you free marketing to have your logo on another site, it is also a vote of confidence to potential customers/clients.

My suggestion is that Adobe Business Catalyst make this a priority so that Business Catalyst is a better recognized BRAND and simply usable for the new and semi-new developer struggling with API development and integrating.

Not everybody has a team, and not everybody is a javascript/php programmer and able to cope with api YET..

I personally have made it a priority to learn, as it is clearly the 'BIG THING' for the last couple of years.

So please adobe.. get BC integrations happening or at least something to get BC on the integration map.

I would like anyone who agrees with this to please vote it.

And also let me know here how you cope or do some of what you do...

Thanks!

check here on how to vote on things - since this is technically a bc.next feature ( I think )

Reporting features or issues for BC.Next

[Liam Dilley]

I dont to be honest, sorry.

While I do, I do not...

BC needs A LOT sorting internally before you really remotely look at integrations. It is heaps behind everyone with integrations and while that may be the name of the game you need a solid and stable platform first.

V3 API's not only need to be finished they need work to be polished off because they actually end up being harder with more requests being made then the SOAP API at the moment. But this needs to be finished.

Open Platform MAY be the means to do integrations but has several bugs not fixed yet and needs to be also finished with key missing features etc to make it not only easier to make apps but for them to be more effective. Such as middleware.

Before you cross BC lack of features I think there are so many bug's and issues right now features in BC and that it has technically do not exist because they do not work. A lot of effort with some big bug burning is required.

A lot of small things can be done for big gains, these have been covered to death but just even key changes to the admin open up existing features to function and work better for clients and offer more control and options.

With that core features should be worked on when the foundation is sorted. This should have all been done a long time ago for sure but you cant skip the foundation and jump to integrations and core features... It will end up a mess. If the API and open platform is solid and once you address the lack of people using BC then you will have the community making the apps for the integrations people need. It just is not cost effective right now.

Small integrations to facilitate other stuff like offering dropbox/google drive support for example on file uploads (which everyone else has and had like a week after the API's for these came out) can come but bigger integrations IF at all only once the core features are more robost and have the key things missing from a modern SAAS CMS.

[klubjunky]

Hoping for admin changes that are not on any 'to do' list known, and solidifying and perfecting the platform is a nice 'one day'..

I'm talking about bringing more interest to the platform by connecting some shit we need.

If they are not going to build it, at least allow us to connect "EASILY" to others who have.

[Liam Dilley]

Hi Dean,

You not following, but that is ok. It is not about nice features or "one day". Real interest to the platform is not going to come from integrations. And integrations will not work on an unstable base. The features and issues crying out and that have been covered A LOT and the ones not coming that driving people away. You can of course disagree, but integrations before anything else I am positive is not the solution.

I know what your talking about in terms of integrations and you wont really see this on BC. Like I said, with the API for example complete and in a good state will allow developers to build and create those integrations. A platform has to have good status and community and stature before other companies will consider integrations.
"True" Integrations with no medium in between developed through API for example is a two way street. This is a long way off.

[klubjunky]

FYI. I do understand. And to clarify.

Instead of a direct "two way" as you say connection to the BC API.

Perhaps BC would at the VERY least create or give instruction on how to do own 'two way' connections.

It is CLEARLY being done by some who know API and php and javascript and enough to make it happen.. but not ALL of us know how do make it happen. So we sit here getting looked over, not having the ability to do small integrations and then we lose.. and move to other platforms.

You are saying it ain't going to happen soon.. so what is in the middle?

My suggestion is at the very least, can ADOBE BUSINESS CATALYST MAKE A CONNECTION OR TWO..

MARKETING THOSE CONNECTIONS AND GET THE F'ING BALL ROLLLING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!

[klubjunky]

And you are not following me. But that's ok.

Because many people put the cart before the horse.

But we already have a cart, and we have a horse. The problem is each cart owner only seems to care about one horse.

So if BC isn't going to do it, and the community isn't going to do it..

Then who the hell is going to do it?

[klubjunky]

we even have the store to sell a cart and horse.

[klubjunky]

Sorry to add another ..

But the BC APP store, widgets, liquid.. all GREAT!

It's been over a year for BC APP Store with mediocre (being generous) interest.

Now I guess they have 'sold it'?  whoever is involved with that .. to somebody who can better manage and ADD to it. (chicago digital and the solid sky people) -- from what I can gather.

I think this is hopeful... As I know "well HOPE" they will put some tools in there that we can use as NON expert Devs and teams.

Adobe may have forgot the centuries old.. 'fake it, till you make it'..

Get some people building apps until the thing starts to take better hold..  I'm sure the appstore was not an Adobe thing in the first place.. But it should have been.

[FriscoTX]

A great start, with the abandonment of OneSaaS, might be to enable integration with Zapier, at least for those parts that are stable.

[Liam Dilley]

You need to look at why OneSaaS dropped it. There is no market profit for them any more. There is nothing for Zapier in this space or worth for them to do it. True B2B integrations is dead, API integrations is what everyone is doing and to have a B2B it has to be very appareling and rewarding for both companies. BC needs work to be able to get to that appealing state.

[klubjunky]

OneSaaS dropped it because it was based on OLD info/settings/whatever...

which Adobe changed on them.

Because there was not enough market reason for them to update it, they did

not.

If there was enough users of BC using OneSaas, you can bet they would have

done it. Your right.

But I can tell you right now, that all of these companies are not waiting

for OTHERS to connect for them.

They are making an effort to connect if they are small.

And If they are big, they are 'expected' to connect and either the provider

does it, or a user/community has done it.

However if ADOBE made it a point to make at least a couple of these

connections - YES like zapier.. (one of the market leading connectors)

although I think it does already.. but only for very limited CRM info.

Anyway.. I always bring it back to the Shipping because I want better

shipping for BC in Canada, but sort of like they have with the Shipping...

though they have only bothered to do Australia and USA for the most part,

and Fedex is the only truly worldwide shipping provider available..

So instead of Adobe doing it for everybody, or everybody doing it for

Adobe..

At least pick ONE good middle man and give us some options.

On Mon, Aug 1, 2016 at 8:08 PM, Liam Dilley <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[Liam Dilley]

Based on any online application documents, articles and websites out there. Current discussions around B2B vs API and the actual actions by companies across the web you can actually see in this regard...

It is not me disagreeing with you here just because I do not.. The simple fact is how you feel things are shaped are just not the case.

With anything like Shipping, which applies to what I have said and how companies actually do things these days..

What you would do is implement a new solution (and this has been discussed by BC at Adobe Max and other events before in the past) where you integrate your shipping rules or data for the 3rd party to be able to fire, be it a supplied XML or what ever and then you have a scalable solution using API set rules rather then just having a point to point integration you have to maintain each time it changes.

That is one of the reasons why such things are not viable these days, the efforts and requirements to maintain such integrations is very time consuming.

If BC followed your path they would end up getting bogged down in maintaining and updating the integrations rather then working on your platform. And again, a number of platforms like that have taken that decision and developed scalable API solutions instead.

Part of the OneSaas decisions not with just BC in what they did were indeed based around this as well.

I know your end goal, your not wrong in what you want but this is not the solution for it.

[Kenya Sullivan]

I agree, most Saas providers are not providing dedicated integrations, but developing a solid platform, with good functionality, and a strong API. For example Shopify out of the box has mediocore functionality, but it's the developer community and the ability to develop against the Shopify api and then sell that functionality which makes the platform strong. If BC works at creating a good API, and make it beneficial for developers to create apps (e.g. a marketplace  good revenue sharing) they can grow the platform exponentially. , otherwise it's too expressive and too time consuming for Adobe to maintain the platform and the functionality businesses expect.

[klubjunky]

So what is?

learning how to do API myself?

or is there something like a cheap version of mulesoft's anypoint?

i don't happen to have 50k

[JayDTLA]

From my perspective, I have to say that the alternative is basically, keep learning what you can and from there, you do find work arounds. They're not ideal. I wouldn't have designed a UI as adobe has BC as I've found that it isn't the most intuitive for clients. That said, the thing that really works for my clients is the low monthly cost of BC compared to say, SalesForce. I love SalesForce as a CRM tool, however, it's incredibly expensive for SMBs. For under $40/mo. for some, I really have to say that BC does a lot of things that are 'okay.' It isn't the best/most versatile solution, however, it works for what many businesses need.

I completely agree with Liam's first post—BC needs to fine tune what's already there. It does plenty of things, it just doesn't do any one thing outstandingly well. Sure, you can add a bunch of API integrations, and at the same time, you're also likely to find that due to the lack of structure, as well as those seemingly small things that don't actually make sense (like, oh... autopopulating of addresses...) I'd much rather see adobe iron out the current flaws in BC.

I worked for a software company for several years, and recently, the employees have all quit. The problem is that this is also a 'all in one' SaaS service... that has been developed and programmed exclusively by one person who is among those that left. It is precarious enough that because the CEO insisted on the development of certain modules that were not actually designed with overall/smooth functionality in mind, but rather quick dollars, it's like a lynch-pin. If this one piece breaks, there are going to be some disastrous results. After that experience, I can't say I would want a shaky platform. If the platform is brought up to par, frankly, there's a decent chance that at least some of the problems some of us experience now would be resolved. I know quite a few of mine that likely would be...

[Shane_McG]

hey guys, we do have a team of API developers and are constantly creating new integrations.

I am keen to hear what API connections people want and if they are prepared to pay for them?

Insites | Extensions

Insites | Integrations

[klubjunky]

easypost.com

Integrate with easypost

So we can use other shippers. It's a one shot integration and you get a ton of shippers.

None of this having to spend thousands on each shipping integration BS!

And since BC is OBVIOUSLY not doing anything to extend the shipping situation, this is a prime integration.

EASYPOST is cheap, 3cents per item or something.

so if you make a reasonably priced app, you should do well.

[JayDTLA]

Stamps.com.

That one is a huge one for my team. That said, it depends on the cost of an API. As it stands, we've spent a good portion of our budget re-designing the website, however, if it was a 1 time fee and it was reasonable, it would definitely be a welcome item.

[Shane_McG]

I'm curious to understand what people think is a reasonable price. As API integrations really do take quite a bit of time and server set up.

[Stephen_Blignault1]

If integration were cheap, the whole world would be automated by now

Or at least that's what I keep telling my clients.

[klubjunky]

Depends on what the integration is for, what it does, and if it does it for

more than one client at a time.

If one app can serve all clients you have, then that could be an expensive

app.. but if people only want to use it for one or two clients, then

pricing it for every client is not reasonable.

If a monthly cost, is more than it costs to run the site, then it is

unreasonable. - unless it is making money.

I am NOT a fan of monthly fees for apps. They are often over priced for

what they do offer.

If you look at it like a business, there is a 'how much money does it cost

over 2 years'.

Reasonably priced means it makes sense to purchase it.

That can mean anything to anybody, yes.

I would pay up to $500 for a proper shipping application. (one time) -

maximum and only thinking of one client.

but I would be hard pressed to pay $30/month per client for the same thing.

($360/year)

(reason being - is that as soon as monthly fees go over $60-$70 a month, it

becomes cheaper to use other platforms that have proper shipping

integration already)

so reasonable. means priced right for the market, priced right for the

purpose, priced right for competition.

Selling a product is not the same as selling a website.

If you think your time is worth too much, then don't waste it doing an

application that people might not buy.

If you think people need something, and will want it, then maybe they will

buy it.

There are no promises in application development, unless somebody pays you

to make it.

WHICH I WOULD ALSO DO by the way, except that I have only been given "we'll

build it, but we own it" offers which is like saying I'll pay you to build

me a boat and you can sail away on it. No thanks.

On Sun, Sep 4, 2016 at 8:36 PM, Stephen_Blignault <forums_noreply@adobe.com>

[JayDTLA]

Klubjunky is correct in terms of the approximate pricing. And frankly, I'm better able to get a 1x fee through my CFO than I would be an additional monthly fee—especially if that integration was more than we paid for the platform.

From a dev aspect, I really do understand how time consuming this stuff can be. I worked for a SaaS company for quite some time. That said, I think that for SMBs, which are the businesses with whom I most frequently interact, it's a hard sell. When you're operating with a staff of less than 10 people, there's such a fine line between how much needs to be integrated that will save a significant amount of money vs. an integration that would speed things up, but may not be cost effective enough to make it worth the money... if that makes sense.

We don't need to automate everything... Adobe has actually enabled one business to really improve with online sales... But like anything, it's not perfect. I almost never use wordpress for sites, but we're doing just that with a smaller, single product company. It's also not ideal with all those plug ins, however, for a start up, it's easy, quick and we figured we'll deal with plugins until we have some real capital in it.

[Liam Dilley]

I would say you look at Kentico, has the features you want - Look at the cost.

That is all that really needs to be said, IF you want to pay that much, actually look at enterprise solutions.