Everything You Need To Know About Custom Web Development In 2024

In today's competitive digital world, while design is important, having a website that goes beyond aesthetics is crucial for businesses aiming to establish a strong online presence.

Platforms like Shopify offer convenience and a cost effective solution for initial needs, and sometimes even more advanced needs depending on the business, but for some businesses, they often fall short in providing the complex functionalities and personalised touch that custom websites deliver.

Businesses that invest in these custom web development projects transform not only their online presence but also customer satisfaction, retention, and conversion rates.

In this blog post, we'll take a look at the benefits of custom development, exploring how it offers unparalleled customisation and functionality that sets these businesses apart from the rest, helping them establish a unique online identity.

What is Custom Web Development?

A Custom solution or custom website, is a tailor-made website designed and developed to meet the specific needs and requirements of a business or organisation. Unlike pre-built templates or a generic website builder, custom solutions are crafted from scratch, offering incredible flexibility, functionality, and scalability. These builds are meticulously designed using strategies to align with the unique brand identity, objectives, and workflows of the business, providing a truly bespoke online presence.

Custom development is often considered niche due to several factors that set it apart from more mainstream or standardised approaches to website development. One primary reason is the specialised nature of custom development, which requires a high level of expertise, technical skill, and experience. Custom development involves creating bespoke solutions tailored to the specific needs and requirements of each individual business or organisation. This level of customisation demands in-depth knowledge of programming languages, frameworks, and technologies, as well as an understanding of design principles and user experience considerations.

Two eCommerce Giants With Custom Solutions

Amazon and Apple have totally revolutionised the eCommerce landscape through their strategic use of custom functionality, setting them apart as industry leaders. Let's take a closer look at some of the specific features and solutions that have contributed to their unparalleled success:

Amazon's Custom Online Store

1. Personalised Recommendations: Amazon's recommendation engine analyses user behavior and purchase history to offer highly personalized product recommendations, an achievement made possible by combining search engine optimisation and custom ecommerce development strategies. This custom functionality enhances the user experience by helping customers discover things that they might like, that they didn't know they needed!
2. One-Click Ordering: Amazon's patented one-click ordering system allows customers to complete their purchases with a single click, eliminating the need for multiple steps in the checkout process and exemplifying the best practices in ecommerce development. This streamlined functionality simplifies the buying process, leading to higher conversion rates and improved customer satisfaction.
3. Amazon Prime: Amazon Prime, a subscription-based service, offers members exclusive benefits such as free two-day shipping, access to streaming services, and special discounts. This custom solution enhances customer loyalty and incentivises repeat purchases, driving revenue growth for the company.

Apple's Custom Online Store

1. Seamless Ecosystem Integration: This can be achieved with custom development services, ensuring that the website operates harmoniously within a larger digital infrastructure. Apple's online store seamlessly integrates with its ecosystem of products and services, including iCloud and Apple Pay. This custom functionality allows customers to access their purchase history, manage subscriptions, and make secure payments across devices, creating a cohesive and convenient shopping experience.
2. Augmented Reality (AR) Shopping: Apple utilises AR technology to enable customers to visualise products in their real-world environment before making a purchase. This provides a more immersive and interactive way of exploring products, leading to increased engagement and confidence in purchasing decisions (and probably less refunds!).
3. Customisation Options: Apple's online store offers customisation options for select products, such as iPhones and MacBooks. Customers can personalize their devices with various configurations, colors, and accessories, creating a bespoke product that fits their needs and personality.

The Benefits of Custom Web Development Solutions

Meeting Your Business Logic Requirements

Business logic, in terms of web development, refers to the set of rules and operations that dictate how an system behaves and processes data. In simpler terms, it includes tasks such as calculating prices, managing inventory, authenticating users, and validating input - all in relation to your business objectives and needs. 

Business logic can be both simple and more complex. Simple business logic tasks might involve checking if a user's password matches the stored credentials during the login process. Conversely, complex business logic tasks could include implementing dynamic pricing algorithms that adjust product prices based on various factors like demand and competitor pricing, or developing recommendation systems that analyse user behavior to provide personalised suggestions.

One of the key benefits of custom website solutions is the ability for you to meet your business logic requirements with ease, for optimal business growth. For instance, consider a food delivery website aiming to offer a full menu selection on a weekly rotating basis. With a custom-built website, businesses can implement advanced functionality to facilitate menu rotation seamlessly. This includes developing a dynamic menu management system that allows administrators to schedule and automate menu rotations based on predefined criteria, such as weekly schedules or seasonal offerings. Additionally, businesses can program logic around food selection windows and cutoffs, enabling customers to place orders within designated timeframes while ensuring sufficient lead time for meal preparation and delivery.

Unlimited Bespoke Functionality

The second biggest and most exciting benefit of using a custom website solution, is the advanced functionality that can be crafted just for your business and target audience. Here's some of the big custom features and functionalities that can be made:

1. Custom booking systems streamline appointment scheduling, service bookings, and reservations for your business with custom development services designed to ensure that the website meets your unique operational needs. They offer real-time availability, saving you the headache of negotiating with your customers over the phone; automated reminders and customisable booking forms to really enhance the efficiency of end-to-end services. Booking systems can also leverage reporting and analytic which offer invaluable insights for further optimising your business model.
2. Integrations with third-party systems is another perk of the custom build. Third party systems are really just any system that is outside of your main platform, including payment gateways, shipping providers and marketing automation. By integrating these systems, businesses can streamline their operations, improve data accuracy and enhance the overall functionality of their website - which delivers a better user experience for the customer.
3. Advanced discounting systems can be created to adjust discounts based on factors such as purchase history, customer segmentation, and inventory levels. Additionally, you could create complex discount rules and conditions, such as tiered discounts based on order value or product bundling promotions. Custom-built websites also enable businesses to integrate loyalty programs seamlessly, offering rewards and discounts based on customer loyalty and engagement. 

With an off-the-shelf platform, website builder, or website template you are often restricted to what is available through marketplaces and app stores. This more often than not always limits who you can integrate with depending on what platform you've opted to choose.

With a custom website design built for your business needs, you have unlimited potential to integrate with any vendor so long as they have a public "API" (this is how two websites talk to each other).

Inventory Management Solutions And ERPs

For eCommerce stores, one significant advantage of using a custom web build lies in the seamless integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Inventory Management Systems (IMS). With a custom build, eCommerce websites can effortlessly synchronise their website with back-end systems, streamlining inventory management, order processing, and financial reporting. Moreover, custom-built eCommerce platforms empower businesses to implement advanced functionalities such as restricting stock availability to specific customer segments and enabling exclusive access to certain products or promotions.

Additionally, these websites allow for the implementation of personalised pricing strategies, dynamic product recommendations based on customer behaviour, and targeted marketing campaigns to enhance customer engagement and drive conversions. This is the majority of our own clients are converted to custom solutions that are built for their specific needs and goal - because it gives them a personal touch, their own voice, and a killer online presence within their respective industries.

Unlimited Flexibility

Flexibility is a cornerstone of success in the digital world, and custom-built websites offer unparalleled adaptability to businesses and developers alike.

Take the case of "Smith & Co.," a small boutique furniture store based in Melbourne, Australia. Initially, Smith & Co. launched their online business with a basic eCommerce platform to showcase their unique furniture pieces. However, as their business expanded, they encountered challenges in managing inventory across multiple locations and providing personalised customer experiences.

With a custom-built website solution, Smith & Co. gained the flexibility to tailor their online platform to their evolving needs. They implemented advanced inventory management features, allowing them to track stock levels in real-time and offer accurate product availability information to customers. Additionally, they integrated a custom product configurator, enabling customers to customize furniture pieces according to their preferences, a prime example of custom development enhancing ecommerce engagement.

This level of flexibility not only enhanced Smith & Co.'s online presence but also improved customer satisfaction and boosted overall sales. By leveraging the adaptability of a custom-built website, Smith & Co. transformed their online store into a dynamic and competitive eCommerce platform, driving growth and success in the Australian furniture market.

Your Data, Your Terms

'Your Data, Your Terms' is crucial for businesses due to several reasons. Firstly, data privacy and security are paramount, especially in industries handling sensitive information such as healthcare, finance, and e-commerce. By controlling how and where data is stored, businesses can mitigate the risk of data breaches, protecting customer trust and loyalty. Additionally, regulatory compliance mandates strict adherence to data protection laws, and businesses must ensure that their data management practices align with these regulations to avoid hefty fines and legal repercussions.

Unlike off-the-shelf website platforms that offer limited customisation options, a custom build enables businesses to tailor data storage, encryption, and processing protocols according to their specific needs and compliance requirements. Businesses can implement advanced encryption mechanisms, establish secure data flow architectures, and integrate with third-party systems while maintaining full ownership and control over their data.

One great example of 'Your Data, Your Terms' in action is by taking a look at OzHealth Pharmacies, a leading Australian pharmacy chain. With a custom-built website, OzHealth Pharmacies can meticulously control their data management practices, ensuring compliance with strict regulations while prioritising data security and leveraging custom ecommerce development to secure patient transactions. Leveraging features like customisable encryption levels and tailored data flow architectures becomes a key factor during the website development process. For instance, OzHealth Pharmacies deal with sensitive patient information and must comply with stringent healthcare privacy regulations, underscoring the need for custom development in maintaining high standards of data security. By opting for a custom-built website, they have the flexibility to design their data storage and processing protocols according to their specific needs. They implement advanced encryption protocols to protect patient records and prescription details, ensuring confidentiality and integrity. Additionally, they deploy customised data flow architectures to seamlessly integrate online orders with their inventory management and prescription fulfilment systems, ensuring efficient operations while safeguarding patient privacy. 

Search Engines and Organic Traffic

Most templates or off-the-shelf website templates, depending on the platform, are not built with performance, speed, and proper SEO markup in mind to help drive traffic to your website.

It's not to say that Google or Bing prefer custom websites or custom website development, but it's simply that building something from scratch, means you can develop with these points in mind.

This approach helps your website rank better because it will be fast on both desktop and mobile, and have the proper markup to indicate what your website is, and properly highlighting any FAQ data so it can be shown within Google or other search engines.

A Unique And Personalised User Experience. 

A custom-built website offers a huge range of benefits for customers, combining to become a personalised and streamlined user experience that significantly enhances their online interactions. In today's digital age, where online presence is crucial for businesses, having a custom-built website is essential to stand out from the competition and foster growth.

A key advantage of a custom-built website is its ability to provide tailored solutions that meet the specific needs and preferences of customers. Unlike generic templates or off-the-shelf solutions, custom-built websites can incorporate advanced features and functionalities designed to optimise user engagement and satisfaction. For example, a custom-built eCommerce website can offer personalised product recommendations based on customer browsing history and preferences, enhancing the shopping experience and increasing the likelihood of conversions. By providing a personalised experience, businesses can create a unique and memorable online presence that sets them apart from competitors and fosters brand loyalty among customers.

Moreover, custom-built websites prioritise responsive design, ensuring seamless access and optimal viewing experiences across various devices and screen sizes. With more consumers accessing the internet and making purchases via mobile devices, responsive design is essential for delivering a consistent and user-friendly experience across all platforms. By optimising for mobile responsiveness, businesses can reach a wider audience and enhance their online presence, attracting and retaining customers regardless of the device they use to access the website.

The personalised experience offered by custom-built websites plays a crucial role in shaping customers' perceptions of the business. Research has shown that customers value personalised interactions and are more likely to engage with brands that tailor their experiences to their individual preferences and needs, highlighting the importance of custom development in creating such experiences. According to a study by Accenture, 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide relevant offers and recommendations. By leveraging data analytics and personalisation tools, custom-built websites can deliver targeted content and promotions that resonate with customers, fostering a positive perception of the brand and driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Ultimately, the personalised user experience provided by custom-built websites not only enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty but also influences the business's online presence. A positive online experience encourages customers to share their experiences with others, leading to word-of-mouth referrals and positive reviews that boost the business's reputation and visibility online. Conversely, a poor online experience can damage the business's reputation and hinder its online presence, leading to lost opportunities for growth and customer acquisition.

Downsides To Custom Web Design

Costs

Developing a custom solution will certainly cost you more than using a powerful website builder like Shopify or Squarespace. This is because all functionality will need to be custom developed for you. This includes things like: product pages, navigations, checkouts, admin panels, etc.

You'll also more than likely have to hire a digital agency that specialises in custom web design or have an internal team that can manage and then you'll need to spend time having it developed.

However, while getting a website template might be affordable in the beginning, it's worth considering the on-going monthly costs of running it. A content management system (or CMS) like Shopify or WordPress that have store functionality built in have monthly costs that are required as your business scales. You'll also most likely have costs each month through the plugins you use to add extra functionality to the store.

A custom website only has to deal with the up-front cost of developing the functionality after which, there are no monthly costs to have that functionality run on the website.

Time Consuming

Developing a digital strategy or even multiple digital strategies can take a lot of time but is it ultimately a requirement so the development team or agency can properly estimate and scope out the amount of work required to bring the solution to life.

How Do You Know If Custom Is The Way To Go?

When it comes to choosing whether you should opt for a custom website, or an off-the-shelf template or product, you'll have to take a couple of things into consideration, as well as all of our points above.

Know Your Businesses Goals

You should always have a list of goals you need for your website. This will quite often come from your digital strategy if you've done one. These goals will quite often more than not make this decision for you as some functionality just can't be added to these solutions.

What's Your Budget?

More than anything, your budget also helps to dictate whether this is a viable option for you or not. We will not sugar coat this. A custom solution can cost over $100,000 for something complex (Check out our work to see what we've done) or can cost only $10,000 - $20,000 for something very basic.

The Final Word

Go through the list of benefits and downsides above and compare them against your business goals. We ultimately always recommend a digital strategy as that drives your digital decisions, and helps to keep you on track to hit those goals.

It will definitely cost more than an off-the-shelf product, but what you lose in cost, you gain in a tailored experience for your staff and customers.

We craft custom solutions for a living, literally. Get in touch with us to organise a digital strategy session and let us tell you what you need.