The core idea of AI Commerce 's SaaS model is to provide customers with continuous, publicly beneficial development without a fixed hourly limit. New customers can generate up to 200 hours of additional development per month during the initial phase, and in total we develop 300–400 hours of new functionality per month, which is shared among all customers. A fixed hourly contract would limit this flexibility and ultimately not serve the customer's best interests.

Why is a fixed number of development hours not in the customer's interest?

Many prospects have asked if they could add, for example, five hours per month of custom development to the contract. In the past, we have called this model an “open check” (SEC), but practice has shown that it does not serve the real needs of the client:

• In the beginning, the need can be significantly greater: When a new customer starts, development ideas and needs can come at once for up to 200 hours in the first few months. A fixed five-hour limit would significantly slow down the implementation of the necessary features.
• In the long run, hours may remain unused: Once the initial major development needs have been met, the customer may not necessarily need new custom development at a later stage. The fixed hour package may then be wasted.
• A blank check would increase the price: If a standard portion of development work is baked into the monthly price, all customers' service fees will increase, even if many do not need that customized development.

Unlimited development for the common good

AI Commerce 's concept is to build on our customers' ideas. New development needs can benefit multiple customers, so we always aim to include these features in the core code if they are generally useful. This way, we can continuously expand the platform's functionality while sharing the fruits of our development with everyone.

• We typically carry out a total of 300–400 hours of development per month, much of which is based on ideas provided by customers.
• Each new customer often brings a large number of development suggestions, and this innovation cycle benefits all of our other customers.
• We release new features practically every day (about ten or so updates per week), and all updates are reflected in our changelog.
• Merchants' own development ideas may diminish over time, but a new customer base always has fresh insights, which also benefit those who joined earlier.

Why is a partner network a better solution for customization?

It is not advisable to implement all development with the core team, especially if it is a company-specific, very specific need that is unlikely to serve others. This is where AI Commerce 's partner network comes into play:

• Partners for customization: A partner can implement, for example, a customer-specific solution on their own server or frontend, without expanding the core code.
• Focus on core development: If AI Commerce team were to spend hours constantly customizing for each individual customer, the progress of core development would slow down. All customers would suffer.
• Pay only for what you need: It's a good idea to buy customized hours when you really need them. A fixed hourly contract often leads to a situation where you pay for nothing or have to wait a long time for development.

Commissioning and documentation

We are constantly offering new tools and features, but merchants don’t always have the time or expertise to take advantage of everything. Partners can help with training or implementation support. Customers also have access to a comprehensive knowledge base and artificial intelligence that guides them through the use of new features. This way, everyone can benefit from the expanding capabilities of AI Commerce as effectively as possible.

Summary

Agreeing on a fixed number of hours is therefore not beneficial for the customer, as it slows down development, especially in the initial phase, and leads to unnecessary payments later on. AI Commerce continuously develops its platform based on all customers' ideas, and customized solutions are directed to a partner network, so that each customer only pays for the development they really need. This provides both unlimited opportunities for development for the general benefit and a flexible framework for customer-specific customizations.