The Definitive E-Commerce Capability Map
A comprehensive, platform-agnostic reference framework that maps the full spectrum of B2C e-commerce capabilities. Built for solution architects, analysts, and technology leaders evaluating, comparing, or specifying commerce platforms.
Comprehensive Coverage
Spans the full e-commerce stack from catalog management and search through to deployment infrastructure and security compliance.
Platform Agnostic
No vendor terminology or bias. Describes capabilities in neutral terms so you can evaluate any platform — Salesforce, Shopify, Magento, or custom — against the same framework.
Site Walkthrough Mapping
Every capability area is mapped to the real-world pages and touchpoints where an analyst would encounter it — enabling structured, page-by-page site assessments.
15 Functional Domains
Every aspect of B2C e-commerce, from catalog and search to security and infrastructure, organised into a clear four-level hierarchy.
Catalog & Product Information
The master record of what the business sells — product structure, attributes, pricing, inventory, and content.
Search, Browse & Discovery
How shoppers find products — search engine capabilities, navigation, faceting, merchandising, and SEO.
Promotions & Campaigns
How the business creates commercial incentives — promotion types, coupon mechanics, stacking rules, campaigns, and gift card / store credit.
Merchandising & Personalization
How the business influences what shoppers see — recommendations, segmentation, A/B testing, targeted experiences, and AI-driven discovery.
Content & Experience Management
How content is authored, published, and delivered — page building, content components, asset management, and headless delivery.
Storefront & Channel Experience
The customer-facing interface — pages, global UI components, product display, accessibility, performance, and multi-channel support.
Customer Identity & Account
Who the customer is and what they own — authentication, registration, profile, address book, wishlist, gift registry, loyalty, and self-service.
Cart, Checkout & Payment
The transaction layer — basket management, checkout orchestration, shipping, tax, payment methods, fraud, and order placement.
Order Management & Fulfilment
What happens after the order is placed — order lifecycle, fulfilment operations, carrier management, returns, customer service, and subscriptions.
Localisation & Multi-Site
How the business operates across geographies, brands, and markets — multi-site architecture, languages, currencies, and regulatory requirements.
Integrations & Ecosystem
How the platform connects to the wider technology stack — PIM, ERP, ESP, CDP, payments, tax, fraud, search, reviews, logistics, and marketplaces.
Analytics, Data & Insight
How the business learns from customer behaviour — behavioural tracking, reporting, performance analytics, data export, and consent governance.
Merchant Administration & Operations
How the business manages the platform day-to-day — back-office tooling, site configuration, user management, workflow automation, and data operations.
Security, Compliance & Privacy
What the business must protect and comply with — authentication security, application security, payment security, data privacy, and regulatory compliance.
Platform & Delivery
How the platform is built, deployed, and run — infrastructure, CI/CD, monitoring, caching, and extensibility. Scoped to what is relevant for solution architect discovery, not a full DevOps specification.