Optimizely Configured Commerce, formerly Insite Commerce, is Optimizely’s B2B commerce platform. Forrester’s Q2 2024 Wave for B2B commerce recognized it for strong testing and optimization, a growing partner ecosystem in industrial distribution, and AI-powered tools like predictive cart building. It fits manufacturers and distributors that want an out-of-the-box, best-practice feature set rather than a build-it-yourself stack.
The Forrester Wave: Commerce Solutions for B2B, Q2 2024 evaluates how the major platforms balance features against modern architecture. Here is how Optimizely placed and how the other vendors in the report compare. For context on the platform itself, see my notes on the Optimizely Q2 2023 update and the Optimizely DXP.
How Optimizely placed in the Forrester Wave
One detail worth knowing: Optimizely has two products in the commerce category. The one submitted to Forrester was acquired as Insite Commerce in December 2019, now sold as Configured Commerce. Optimizely did not submit the older product once known as Episerver Commerce.
Strengths
- Innovation: a cohesive DXP with freemium editions of portfolio products like digital asset management and the customer data platform.
- Partner ecosystem: a growing network with real depth in B2B for industrial distributors and manufacturers.
- Testing and optimization: native capabilities that many other vendors do not provide out of the box.
- AI-powered tools: a roadmap that includes predictive cart building and spending-pattern analysis.
Weaknesses and best fit
Reference customers value the breadth of features and customization, but want simpler, more transparent scaling in the core. Configured Commerce is at its best for industrial manufacturers and distributors in sectors like electrical, plumbing, or construction that need a best-practice feature set without heavy custom build.
How the other platforms compare to Optimizely B2B Commerce
- Salesforce: fast to deploy with strong embedded-commerce and AI features, but weaker on order and inventory management. Optimizely offers more specialized native testing and optimization.
- Commercetools: MACH architecture with unmatched API flexibility for digitally mature teams, but it defers reporting and analytics to external tools and lacks native testing.
- Sitecore: cloud-native with fine-grained APIs for highly customized models, but it lacks bundled visual editing and needs more front-end investment. Optimizely scales more simply out of the box.
- Adobe: a broad, integrated suite with AI-powered search, but it leans on pro-code methods for workflow and process modeling. Optimizely’s testing tools are more approachable.
- BigCommerce: a flexible open-SaaS platform across growth stages, but it lacks the advanced account and contract entitlements complex B2B needs. Optimizely is more specialized for industrial B2B.
The short version: Optimizely earns its place in the report on innovation, a strong partner ecosystem, and native testing and optimization, which makes it a good fit for industrial manufacturers and distributors. Each platform suits a different profile. Optimizely’s mix of freemium portfolio features and AI tooling is aimed squarely at industrial B2B. If you are comparing platforms more broadly, I also wrote about Optimizely vs WordPress for enterprise.
Frequently asked questions
What is Optimizely B2B Commerce?
It is Optimizely Configured Commerce, formerly Insite Commerce, a B2B commerce platform aimed at industrial manufacturers and distributors. It offers an out-of-the-box, best-practice feature set with native testing, optimization, and AI-powered tools.
How did Optimizely do in the Forrester Wave for B2B commerce?
In the Q2 2024 Wave, Optimizely was recognized for innovation, a growing partner ecosystem in industrial distribution, and strong native testing and optimization. Reference customers asked for simpler, more transparent scaling in the core features.
Who is Optimizely Configured Commerce best for?
Industrial manufacturers and distributors in sectors like electrical, plumbing, and construction that want a best-practice feature set out of the box rather than building commerce capabilities from scratch.
