For years, Adobe Commerce (Magento) and Salesforce Commerce have been the heavyweights of enterprise digital commerce - offering deep customisation, scalability, and seamless integrations. But as commerce evolves, newer platforms like Shopify and Optimizely are making their case for enterprise adoption.
There’s no doubt these rising platforms bring value:
- Speed & Simplicity: Shopify’s headless capabilities and Optimizely’s AI-driven personalisation make them attractive for businesses looking to move fast.
- Lower Initial Costs: Many newer platforms promise reduced implementation and maintenance costs compared to legacy enterprise solutions.
- Analyst Backing: Optimizely came out strongest in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms (DXP), further validating its momentum in the enterprise space.
But here’s the real question: Is newer always better?
- The Challenge of Longevity: We’ve seen platforms like BigCommerce gain traction, only to struggle with scaling for complex enterprise needs. Will today’s challengers face the same hurdles?
- Deep Ecosystems Matter – Adobe and Salesforce have spent years building robust partner networks, integrations, and enterprise-grade features - things that take time for newer platforms to develop.
- Innovation at Scale – While up-and-coming platforms focus on agility, Adobe and Salesforce are actively evolving—investing in composability, AI, and omni-channel commerce to ensure businesses aren’t just adapting to trends, but staying ahead of them.
How we see it; Shopify and Optimizely aren’t going anywhere. They’ve carved out strong positions and will continue to push innovation. But with Adobe teasing major improvements to Adobe Commerce at the summit in March, finally moving away from what people still associate with Magento, and Salesforce maintaining its grip with a full-suite offering, the next 24 months will be fascinating to watch.
