E-commerce Solutions: A Complete Guide to Modern Digital Sales

E-commerce solutions play a crucial role for companies wishing to sell digitally and remain visible in a time where customers expect accessibility, fast processes and flexibility. Whether it involves selling tickets, physical products or booking events, the right solution is essential for both operations and customer experience.

What Are E-commerce Solutions?

E-commerce solutions include platforms, systems and technologies that enable the sale of products or services online.

They can range from simple webshop modules to advanced SaaS platforms with deep integration to other systems.

A good solution handles payments, order flow, customer data and delivery of the product – digital or physical.

Why Is It Important to Sell Online Through E-commerce Solutions?

Online sales give companies access to a broader audience, increase accessibility and make it possible to scale without being limited by physical presence.

Modern SaaS solutions make it easier to get started and reduce the need for technical maintenance. At the same time, they ensure better control of customer data, flexibility for campaigns and the opportunity to automate processes.

For many companies, the majority of their revenue comes from online sales – it is easy and convenient for consumers, who can order and pay whenever it suits them.

Examples of E-commerce Solutions

E-commerce solutions can be specialized according to industry and need. Some are designed for ticket sales, others for physical goods or booking. Below we review some of the most relevant categories.

Solutions for Ticket Sales

There are 2 different options when you want to sell tickets online. You can sell from your own website – this is often easier and cheaper than expected – or you can sell through an external partner.

In-house Sales from Your Own Website

When a company sells tickets via its own website, it gains significantly better control and flexibility. You can choose between open-source solutions or SaaS systems (Software as a Service). Here we focus on SaaS, as open-source often brings challenges such as ongoing maintenance, technical limitations, insufficient GDPR compliance, insecure third-party plugins and increased security risks. SaaS systems update automatically, deliver new features continuously, improve SEO and user experience – and because the solution is shared by many customers, the price today is often comparable to or even lower than open-source.

An example of a dedicated ticketing system with an integrated webshop and card system for season passes and annual passes is the Flex4B system (Flex4Business ApS). Here you get a complete solution at a fixed monthly price that handles ticket sales, upselling, validation, annual passes and much more.

Advantages of SaaS – In-house Sales:

• Full ownership of customer data and better options for targeted communication.
• SaaS models provide ongoing updates, security and stable operation without technical burdens.
• Deep integration via API makes it possible to connect ticket sales with POS, accounting systems, access control and marketing tools.
• Consistent branding and full control over the customer journey.
• Better economics without high commission-based models.

Disadvantages:

• Requires more involvement in setup than using an external partner.

Although the setup requires some preparation, large parts are automated, and SaaS providers typically assist with efficient onboarding. The extra time is therefore usually well invested.

Sales Through an External Partner

When using an external partner for ticket sales, you hand over the platform, sales, data management and customer journey to a third party.

Examples of such solutions include

• Ticketmaster
• Billetlugen
• Eventim

Advantages:

• Quick setup without major technical requirements.
• Large platform that often has an existing user base.

Disadvantages (and why it is often a bad idea):

• Lack of ownership of customer data, limiting marketing and customer relationship opportunities.
• High fees and commission models that can erode profits.
• Limited flexibility in design, branding and customer journey.
• Dependence on a third-party platform and its rules.
• No possibility for deep integration with the company’s other systems.
• Your own tickets etc. often disappear among everyone else’s during busy periods – which can lead to lost sales.

Solutions for Selling Goods (Physical Products)

When selling physical goods, specialized webshop platforms are often used to handle inventory, shipping and payments.

Examples:

• Shopify
• WooCommerce
• Magneto

Advantages:

• Ability to sell and ship physical products globally.
• Integrations for shipping, payment systems and inventory management.
• Flexibility in design and setup.

Disadvantages:

• Handling returns and shipping can be resource-intensive.
• Physical products require inventory, logistics and customer service.
• Some open-source solutions require technical maintenance.
• Open-source systems like WooCommerce and Magento are often developed outside the EU and may not comply with European regulations.
• Open-source systems like WooCommerce and Magento rely on many insecure third-party plugins developed worldwide, including in countries such as Russia, China and North Korea.

Solutions for Selling Events (Booking)

Booking solutions are used for reservations, scheduling and event planning – but not for ticket sales or subscriptions. Examples include:

• Calendly
• Acuity Scheduling
• SimplyBook

Advantages:

• Efficient administration of time slots, resources and capacity.
• Ideal for simple bookings without the need for tickets or access control.
• Can integrate with SaaS ticketing systems via API.

Disadvantages:

• Not suitable for ticket sales, annual passes or complex product structures.
• Often limited to calendar management rather than true e-commerce functionality.

If you need both ticket sales and booking, a dedicated ticketing solution like Flex4B can easily integrate with booking platforms.

POS Solutions (Not E-commerce Solutions – But Relevant)

POS systems are physical cash register systems that handle payments and in-person sales. Although they are not e-commerce solutions, they are important when combined with online sales.

Advantages:

• Stable offline sales and easy operation for staff.
• Good inventory management and financial overview for physical stores.
• Can integrate with SaaS ticketing systems via API for unified operations.

Disadvantages:

• Not suited for online sales without integration – although some systems offer this, it is often very limited as the focus is on POS.
• Not suited for ticket sales – and even if some systems include it, it is usually very limited as the focus is on POS.
• Dependency on hardware and local installations.

If you need both a POS system and an e-commerce solution for ticket sales, the two can easily be integrated via API. The Flex4B system, for example, offers plenty of integrations, and new ones are inexpensive to develop.

How to Choose the Right E-commerce Solution?

The choice depends on the company’s needs, customer type, resources and level of ambition.

A SaaS-based solution often offers the best opportunities for scalability, security, integrations and stable operation, while open-source solutions may require technical knowledge and maintenance and may pose risks concerning regulations and third-party plugins.

The right solution should support both current needs and future growth potential.

Integrations as the Key to Smarter E-commerce

Modern e-commerce works best when systems collaborate. API integrations make it possible to connect webshops, ticketing systems, POS, accounting, CRM and marketing automation – creating a more streamlined setup and better customer experiences.

Whether you sell tickets, products or bookings, e-commerce solutions are a central part of a future-ready digital strategy.

FAQ About E-commerce Solutions