Lawrence Regional Technology Center

LaGarde Intros New E-Commerce Pricing Model
By Devin Comiskey, Managing Editor

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Contrary to what most e-commerce hosting providers offer, LaGarde, makers of StoreFront, an e-commerce platform for small and medium-sized businesses, has decided to shake up things by introducing a pricing model used elsewhere in the software industry. On Tuesday, it announced at the Shopper.org convention in Las Vegas the availability of its new "Optimum Choice" software licensing program.

"The new pricing model is the e-commerce industry's first program that allows merchants to choose the licensing model that best fits their financial needs. Merchants can choose from perpetual, subscription or utility-based pricing options. The added flexibility of multiple StoreFront pricing plans allows merchants to match technology costs directly to their cash flow or other business objectives," says a LaGarde statement.

Most providers, like Affinity or Interland, offer fixed monthly fees for most e-storefronts. LaGarde's subscription-based model is similar to software vendors like Microsoft or IBM that offer various pricing structures for its operating system software.

Three pricing models are available under the StoreFront Optimum Choice licensing program:
• Perpetual Licensing—merchants pay a one-time, up-front license fee
• Subscription Licensing—merchants pay a fixed rate per month, quarter or year
• Utility Licensing—merchants pay on a "per transaction" basis

"LaGarde recognizes that many different considerations affect the financing of business software investments," says Bob LaGarde, Founder and CEO of LaGarde. "We believe that a merchant shouldn't have to select their e-commerce platform based on the financing. With our Optimum Choice program, merchants can have the best technology available in the industry and leverage a licensing model that best fits their financing objectives. All at a cost that is much less than our competitors."

StoreFront software and turnkey e-commerce solutions include customizable software, technical support, software design, installation and setup, and integrated solutions for many point of sale and accounting systems.

For more information: www.lagarde.com.