Why Should and Shouldn’t I Use Off the Shelf Software?

Companies around the world rely on different software solutions to make routine operations easier. Every software fulfills different goals, right? So when your company is looking for software to automate day-to-day tasks – there are two ways to go about it.

First, buy off-the-shelf software with a monthly subscription. Second, outsource a company for customized software development. Deciding on what to choose can be very challenging, but I am here to simplify the decision process for you. Just keep reading till the end. 

I can totally vouch that buying a software product is super confusing. The entire process of scrutinizing, shortlisting, and making a final purchase is somewhat intimidating – not to mention the costs that follow. Raise your hand if you agree! 

But still, no matter how daunting the process is, you have to make sure that you buy and implement the right system. Because we all can agree that one wrong move can lead to unfavorable outcomes, such as a negative impact on performance and productivity – initially not anticipated. Therefore, making a well-thought-out decision is super salient.

So, the best way forward is to take your time, undergo a thorough software screening process, weigh the pros/ cons, and then decide. Because understanding the good and bad of every solution can help you align your business needs with your goals.

In this blog, I will share the off-the-shelf software advantages and disadvantages compared to custom-written software and the best way forward. But before anything else, let’s have a look at what the fuss is all about.

What are Off the Shelves Softwares?

The characteristics of off-the-shelf software are pretty self-explanatory – something that is not made to order. Rather, you can buy it from the existing available items ready to use.

Similarly, uses of off-shelf software are designed to fulfill the needs of a broader market, readily available on purchase, and optimized for commercial use. It is an alternative to bespoke customized products and is built from the ground up. It’s pretty straightforward!

Advantages of Using Off the Shelf Software

Off the shelf application software products always look fancy. Let’s identify the core advantages of off-shelf software: 

Initially Not Very Costly

One of the advantages of off-the-shelf software is that — it is usually more suitable for small-sized businesses since they offer a cost-effective option with all the basic features to get the job done. Also, they are pre-made solutions developed for large audience clusters.

Hence, the development costs are shared among multiple users who buy the product. As a result, you pay much less than you would for custom software.

Speaking of which, custom bespoke software is tailor-made and built from scratch to fulfill the needs of a specific company therefore, the cost is high – depending on the feature list, complexity, development time, ongoing maintenance engagement model, and level of expertise. 

Easier Implementation

One of the primary off the shelf software advantages is easier implementation. All you need to do is register yourself on the platform. If you are managing a team, you can send your team members invite links via emails to sign up and join.

For example, Trello is one of the off-the-shelf software examples that allows users to track their productivity and task status.

It’s super easier to use too. Once the team lead has signed up and created a board on the platform to keep track of work progress, he simply needs to send out invites to his team members to join. No need for developers to install or configure the software. However, technical support services can always come in handy with any assistance.

Online Reviews

As mentioned earlier, off the shelf solutions are developed for the mass market. Therefore, you will find many customer reviews, either positive or negative, to evaluate the product yourself. There are many forums, review sites, and social media, et al. talking about the issues people might have faced.

While other companies are already using the product, they can help you understand the product as well.

Additionally, not having errors or bugs in software is inevitable. Through reviews, you can familiarize yourself with the issues that companies often try to conceal to maintain their reputation.

Last but not least, you can get insights into the reliability and authenticity of the product and whether you are getting value for money or not. Period. 

Free Trials

The best part of off the shelf software benefits is you get free trials to check the product, its features, and functionalities. No contract or deposits are required. But the downside of free trials is that you only get to try the basic features and to use the premium features, you are obligated to opt for a subscription package. 

Maintenance and Updates

Last, in the list of advantages, off the shelf software comes with automatic updates; all you have to do is install them when you get a notification. Just like how we update our Android or iOS applications.

The system gives us a shout, and all we have to do is click the ‘accept update’ button. Also, all the software maintenance and upgrades are handled from the backend, so it does not incur any additional costs for you. 

Disadvantages of Off the Shelf Software

These limitations of off-the-shelf products will make InvoZone’s custom off the shelf software look all the more attractive. 

No Customization

One of the biggest issues with off the shelf products is that it is built to cater to a larger audience and not you alone. It may have a lot of gaps and loopholes in the features or functionalities.

Even though off-the-shelf application software features fulfill basic needs but may not be suitable for tracking, executing, or automating complex processes over time. Simply put, they may not align with your business objectives.

It may not have all the features you need, even if there are customization options available – it will cost you extra. So what’s even the point? Having customization options is one of the most important aspects of making your purchase worthwhile.

On the other hand, bespoke solutions not only complement your way of doing things but are also flexible. It means you can add or remove features however and whenever you like. If something’s not working out for you, you can easily adjust it. 

Costs May Increase Over Time

Now, this is one of the biggest disadvantages of commercial off the shelf software! Free trials sound good, and so do the basic subscription packages to cater to the needs of smaller teams. But with time, team size grows, and then you might need to change your subscription package to premium.

Because an increase in the number of users means additional costs to your initial annual expense budget. Where the custom software is concerned, you only have to pay once. You can even budget your lifetime costs – no surprises. 

Little to No Control

Since you have not built the solution yourself, you simply don’t own it – meaning you have no control over the changes, updates, or upgrades. You can not just raise your wand and expect it to happen. The vendors who are the real owners of the product can upgrade.

However they see fit, and the updates may or may not suit you in the long run.

Maybe they remove the features that are most useful or valuable to you just to give you something extraneous to deal with. However, if it’s custom-built, you can make untimely changes to the solution, and no one would pay heed.

Off the shelf applications are inflexible products that are prone to become obsolete over time. I don’t know how it’s relevant, but I used to love Twitter’s layout before it was refurbished, and now I don’t even feel like using it because it does not appeal to me as it used to.  

Compatibility Issues

Okay, let’s take the worst-case scenario to highlight off the shelf software disadvantages.

Suppose your company works with Windows 98 systems (I know it’s highly unlikely considering the advancements in technology, but some workplaces still may use windows 98 or not— anyway) and recently, you found a perfect compatible software to manage your tasks. But then Apple took over, and the majority of workplaces are flooded with iMacs and Macbooks.

The vendor upgraded the system’s compatibility to match the trends. However, they forgot to consider your system compatibility needs. Now the software that you are trying to run on Windows 98 is glitching, crashing, and burning all the time.

Eventually, it will negatively impact your team’s productivity. That’s what happens when you buy an off-the-shelf solution. 

In contrast, if you had customized software, you would still deliver rewarding work on Windows 98. Get it? 

On the other hand, if you decide to transition from Windows 98 to Macbook Pro finally – chances are that customized software will allow you to scale 100%. 

Customer Support

Alright, so I am not an enemy of buying software off the shelf – I mean, I love Trello, Asana, Slack, and all the other amazing solutions available in the market. Some solutions provide excellent online support, some have configured chatbots for an exciting hello, some take 24 hrs to reply, some 5 business days, and others forever.

What if you have a project due earlier than you thought, all the specifications are in the project management tool you are using. But you can’t seem to access it. You know it has nothing to do with the internet. You have checked your WiFi connection twice already, but it’s still not loading or working out for you.

Now, you furiously start typing your concern to customer support, but all you get is an auto-responder saying, ‘Thank you for your query. Our customer support team will get back to you within 5 business days, so hang in there.'

Ouch! You did not see that coming, did you? But when you have your own software and in-house tactical, I mean technical support team, you need not worry about any unforeseen circumstances. 

Integrations 

Integrating different useful tools with your one main platform can come in handy. Let’s say you want to integrate Zoom video meetings into your internal chat communication software, which is bought off the shelf.

So you went to their website to check the list of integrations just to find out that they don’t offer the integration with the tool that you are eyeballing. 

Bam! All your hopes were flushed down the toilet.

On the plus side, you can integrate all sorts of tools into your bespoke tailor-made solutions without question. Viola, problem solved.

Not Much Competitive Advantage

In order to surpass your competition, you need to have some kind of leverage or competitive edge in the market. But when all your competitors, including you, are using the same software, how are you planning to achieve it?

It becomes challenging, I know.

Now you know what I am going to say next, so let’s just skip ahead instead. But I would say this and only this —- value addition and uniqueness to stand out from the crowd are all you need.  

The Bottom Line

I have clearly mapped out all the possible pros and cons of implementing off-the-shelf solutions, but at the end of the day, it all depends on your business needs and budget. Even though highly customized solutions can turn out to be costly initially, they are quite valuable in the long run.

So it is very crucial to understand both the positives and negatives of off-the-shelf and custom retail software for finding the right and fulfilling fit for your business. Make sure to list down all the factors influencing your buying decision.

However, if you are still not sure about your decisions, how about we help you? I mean, no, we don’t despise off-the-shelf tools, but our super cool team will definitely help you to develop cost-effective and custom on-the-shelf software tailored to meet your business goals. 

Hire Developers to Build a Customized Software

Based in the USA, InvoZone is your trusted software product development company. With over 7 years of experience and counting – our expert team of developers has built more than 100 cutting-edge software solutions to help businesses grow and thrive in today’s highly competitive world. Not only this, our team is the epitome of innovation, with a 100% project success rate. 

Therefore, delivering on the promises of our software development services is a breeze.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is off-the-shelf software and examples?

Software off the shelf is ready-made products that are available to everyone and come with a license fee to use its features. 

What is the purpose of off-the-shelf software?

The purpose of off the shelf application software is to provide a pre-existing solution addressing many business problems, allowing users to immediately perform their tasks without making huge investments in custom software development. 

What are off-shelf and on-shelf software?

Off the shelf products refer to pre-packaged software applications widely available for purchase and use by the general public. They are typically developed for a general audience and are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of users.

Examples of off-the-shelf application software include Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and QuickBooks.

On-the-shelf software, on the other hand, refers to software specifically developed and customized for a single customer or organization. It is designed to meet the specific needs and requirements of that customer or organization and is not generally available for purchase by the general public. 

Why would you choose off-the-shelf software?

You can choose off-the-shelf application software because they have low implementation costs and are immediately available.