What is the main difference between NextChapter and Shopify?

NextChapter is an e-commerce Suite, complete with a webshop platform, PIM system, Order Management System (OMS), Customer Engagement Solution (personalization technology), and a native iOS/Android app solution.Shopify, on the other hand, is merely a webshop platform. To turn it into a complete e-commerce platform, you need to expand Shopify with additional systems, apps, and plugins. Core modules such as PIM, OMS, and B2B functionalities are not included by default and must be added and integrated separately. With NextChapter, all of this is already included in the Suite. It is one of the few e-commerce solutions that comes this complete out of the box. This provides clear benefits in terms of cost, speed, convenience, and quality.The multiˣ suite from NextChapter can be connected to your ERP, POS, WMS, or even to an existing PIM system if you already have one. This gives you the freedom to grow quickly but in a controlled manner. NextChapter is ideal for MKB+ (mid-sized) businesses that want to scale smoothly without being dependent on a range of separate tools and providers.

What is the main difference between NextChapter and Adobe Commerce (Magento)?

NextChapter and Magento are two fundamentally different e-commerce solutions.First, the scope:NextChapter is a complete e-commerce Suite that includes a webshop platform, PIM system, Order Management System (OMS), Customer Engagement Solution (personalization technology), and a native iOS/Android app solution.Magento, by contrast, is focused solely on the webshop platform and follows a “build-it-yourself” principle. Magento provides a general technical and functional starting point, which you then develop further with a technical agency to create your own e-commerce setup. After that, you still need to choose and integrate additional systems such as PIM and OMS from separate providers. The result is essentially a custom-built platform that you host and maintain yourself.Then, the technology:NextChapter is a cloud-native SaaS platform, whereas Magento is a self-hosted solution.NextChapter operates without versions, meaning you never need to migrate or upgrade. Innovations are automatically released every 2–3 weeks, so you're always using the latest version without even noticing.Magento, on the other hand, is version-based. Upgrading to a new version typically requires a technical migration project, where you may need to rebuild parts of your platform. With Magento, development, maintenance, bug fixing, and innovation are all your responsibility. You’ll often need a technical agency and various plugins, which makes the setup and maintenance complex and expensive.Magento was very popular during the early evolution of e-commerce platforms (around 2015), largely because there were few viable alternatives at the time. Over the years, however, SaaS-based e-commerce suites like NextChapter have ushered in a new era.

How long has NextChapter been around?

The roots of NextChapter go back to 2011. That year, the founders of NextChapter ran a digital agency that built custom e-commerce projects. Within the agency, the idea emerged to create a mobile webshop solution in a SaaS model. Tablets and smartphones were on the rise in 2011, and the timing proved to be perfect: large retail companies quickly adopted the mobile webshop solution. In the years that followed, the product expanded with a desktop webshop, and CMS and OMS functionalities were added. In 2016, the PIM system was introduced, and that same year, NextChapter became an independent company. Since then, NextChapter has gained major clients and evolved into what it is today: an omnichannel e-commerce Suite for retailers and brands/manufacturers.

I wasn’t familiar with NextChapter, how is that possible?

Between 2011 and 2021, NextChapter focused primarily on developing the multiˣ suite, largely outside of the spotlight. Working closely with retailers, brands, manufacturers, and wholesalers, we built out the products in the multiˣ suite. In recent years, NextChapter has gained recognition, and more businesses are discovering the power of the multiˣ suite as a next-generation e-commerce solution.

How is NextChapter able to develop such a broad Suite?

NextChapter develops the multiˣ suite in close collaboration with its clients. By listening carefully, prioritizing intelligently, and focusing on real needs, we build targeted functionality that delivers direct value. This approach results in a powerful and comprehensive Suite that remains relevant and continuously improves.

Is NextChapter expensive or affordable to purchase and use?

NextChapter is more affordable than other solutions in both purchase and ongoing use, especially when comparing it to platforms like Shopify (Plus), Magento, Shopware, or custom-built solutions.Why is NextChapter more cost-efficient? Because it offers the advantages of a Suite: a fully integrated, all-in-one e-commerce solution with all core modules ready to use and working seamlessly together. With other platforms, much more work is required, such as building, integrating, and fixing bugs, which adds to the cost and complexity. With NextChapter, you can run your entire e-commerce operation with a smaller team than on other platforms, allowing you to significantly save on staffing and maintenance costs (TCO).NextChapter has two offerings: Prebuilt Packages and Flex. The Prebuilt Packages offer a predefined suite at a fixed price, based on the full multiˣ suite for multichannel e-commerce with PIM, CMS, OMS, merchandising tooling, a modern conversion-focused webshop template, AI-powered features, access to 1,000+ marketplaces, and a native iOS and Android app. Read more about the prebuilt packagesWith Flex, the multiˣ suite is fully configured to match your specific requirements if they don't fit in a Prebuilt Package. Flex is offered with a custom quotation. Read more about Flex

What types of businesses is NextChapter suitable for?

NextChapter is ideal for mid-sized to large retailers, brands, manufacturers, and pure online players across Europe. Our clients are typically growth-oriented or in search of a more reliable e-commerce solution.Growth-focused businesses choose NextChapter for its scalability — supporting high transaction volumes, multiple channels, countries, product ranges, and order flows. Businesses looking to improve want a solution that runs flawlessly, securely, and can scale, so they can stop worrying about the tech and focus on growing their business.

Is NextChapter suited for B2B companies?

Yes, many B2B companies use NextChapter and benefit from specific B2B functionalities like customer-specific pricing, invoice-based ordering, login-protected pricing, order lists, and volume discounts.The multiˣ suite is especially well-suited for B2B businesses that also operate in B2C and/or D2C channels. These companies use NextChapter as a multichannel solution to serve multiple customer types from a single, centralized platform.

Is NextChapter suited for startups?

Absolutely, with the note that it is especially suited for experienced e-commerce entrepreneurs. You can start small with NextChapter and scale up as your business grows.

Does NextChapter support omnichannel sales?

Yes, omnichannel e-commerce is one of NextChapter’s core strengths. The multiˣ suite includes all essential features for unifying your online and offline channels into a single customer experience — including real-time inventory across stores, loyalty integration, a central "My Account", and delivery options like click & collect. NextChapter connects with your existing systems, such as POS or ERP, to make this possible.

Is NextChapter suited for businesses in the Netherlands, across Europe, or globally?

NextChapter is designed for the European market. Whether you’re a Dutch company active locally or across multiple European countries, or a European business operating within the EU, with or without activities in the Netherlands, NextChapter fits your needs.

Does NextChapter have international clients?

Yes, NextChapter is used by companies operating throughout Europe. The multiˣ suite is built for international e-commerce, supporting multiple countries, languages, currencies, VAT rules, and country-specific requirements.

Does NextChapter support multiple languages, countries, and currencies?

Yes, NextChapter supports all European languages, currencies, and countries.

Is NextChapter scalable?

Absolutely. NextChapter’s technical infrastructure is built to scale automatically with volume, including orders, products, users, countries, and inventory locations.

Are there any limits to the number of webshops, products, orders, or inventory locations?

The name “multiˣ suite” comes from the many “multi” capabilities it offers. NextChapter doesn’t think in terms of limitations, but in terms of scalability and reach. There are no technical limits to the number of webshops, countries, languages, products, orders, customers, or stock locations.

Does NextChapter grow with my business?

That’s always our intention. The multiˣ suite is modular, you only pay for what you use. You can start small and expand by adding more features or sales channels over time. Its robust architecture ensures virtually unlimited scalability and performance.

Does NextChapter offer all the functionality I need?

Yes, NextChapter has been developed over nearly 15 years together with hundreds of clients. We know what businesses need and which features matter. New features often arise directly from client cases and are developed through our customer-driven roadmap.We believe that a missing feature should never be a reason not to choose NextChapter, so we prioritize customer needs.Custom development is also possible, both on the frontend (your webshop) and backend (system integrations or custom tools like product configurators).In short, with the ready-to-go multiˣ suite, a roadmap driven by real customer use cases, and custom development options, NextChapter delivers a complete e-commerce solution tailored to your business.

Does NextChapter also deliver the webshop?

Yes. Webshops are a key part of the multiˣ suite. NextChapter delivers responsive webshops for hundreds of clients.

Am I required to use all modules of the multiˣ suite?

Not at all. In today’s world, we don’t believe in locking you in or forcing you to use everything.You remain in control and can choose the modules you want. All modules are headless and work independently. You can even start with just one (for example, the PIM) and expand later if it fits your needs.Of course, using the full suite brings clear benefits: lower costs, faster go-live, better efficiency, and higher quality.

Can I manage my webshop(s) myself, or do I always need support from NextChapter?

You can manage almost everything yourself within the NextChapter platform.

Can NextChapter handle multiple inventory locations?

Definitely, this is one of NextChapter’s specialties.You can connect multiple inventory locations, such as stores, warehouses, or virtual stock points. Inventory is synchronized in real time, and orders are automatically allocated to the right stock location.You have full visibility and control through the central Order Management System (OMS), one of the core modules of the multiˣ suite.

Does NextChapter work well on mobile devices?

Of course, NextChapter was built from a mobile-first perspective.Its webshops are responsive and optimized to deliver a smooth, user-friendly experience on all mobile devices.

How often is NextChapter updated?

NextChapter is continuously updated, on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, without any disruption.The platform keeps running during releases. The multiˣ suite has no version numbers, and version migrations don’t exist.That’s why one of our promises is: replatforming to NextChapter might be the last replatform you’ll ever need.

Is NextChapter headless?

Yes, the multiˣ suite consists of headless modules that can operate independently of one another.

Can our internal technical team or agency build integrations between NextChapter and our ERP/POS systems?

Absolutely. NextChapter provides a comprehensive and well-documented API, allowing your team or agency to build integrations themselves. Alternatively, NextChapter Agency can develop the integration for you.

Does NextChapter offer an API, and how extensive is it?

Yes, the REST API is very robust and supports nearly all functionalities of the multiˣ suite. Find the full API documentation here: https://nextchapter-api.readme.io/

Does NextChapter offer integrations with providers like payments, email marketing, reviews, personalization, loyalty, POS, CPD, ERP, iPaaS, and others?

Yes. NextChapter has an extensive ecosystem of systems, services, and tools that are already natively integrated. This makes it easy and cost-effective to expand the multiˣ suite with additional services.More information is available at:NextChapter Integrations & Partners

What AI functionalities are available in the NextChapter multiˣ suite?

NextChapter offers a range of AI-powered features, such as:Automated content enrichment within the PIM systemAI-assisted translationsBroad personalization and hyper-personalization for tailored product offerings in webshops and email newslettersNextChapter’s development team is continuously working on new AI-driven capabilities.We closely monitor AI developments and implement them selectively, ensuring that innovations deliver real, practical value for your business.

How does the multiˣ suite perform?

At NextChapter, performance is more than just speed and uptime; it’s the result of deep knowledge, experience, and focus. The average Time To First Byte (TTFB) ranges from 50–100 ms, and the average response time of a request is just 30–50 ms.If that doesn't mean much to you: it’s blazing fast.The platform has an uptime of over 99.99%. Even tenants with large volumes (over 1 million SKUs or more than 20,000 orders per month) experience consistently high performance without slowdowns.

How secure is NextChapter?

Security is a top priority at NextChapter. In today’s digital landscape, it’s absolutely essential.NextChapter makes no compromises when it comes to security — we apply the highest standards to protect sensitive data, transactions, and infrastructure.Key security measures include:Encrypted communication via HTTPS (TLS 1.2+)Advanced password protectionAutomated monitoring and alerts for suspicious activityRegular penetration testing and security auditsIsolated environments for development, testing, and productionStrict access control policiesSecure data storage compliant with GDPR/AVGReliable, PCI-DSS compliant payment processors such as Buckaroo, Mollie, and AdyenStrict internal protocols for workplace security, audits, and controlsNextChapter continuously invests in maintaining and improving platform security.

How does NextChapter guarantee the quality of its platform?

NextChapter follows a strict zero-bugs policy: the platform must run error-free, and any new issues are resolved immediately.

Is NextChapter compliant with legal and regulatory requirements?

Yes. NextChapter complies with all relevant laws and regulations, including:GDPR (AVG) for data privacyWCAG guidelines for digital accessibilityFiscal regulations, such as accurate storage of order and transaction dataCompliance is built into the platform by design.

How do I know if there is a service disruption at NextChapter?

You can check the live status of the NextChapter multiˣ suite 24/7 via the official NextChapter Status Page and sign up for automatic notifications: status.nextchapter-ecommerce.com

How long does it take to go live with NextChapter?

On average, between 2 and 6 months.

What kind of support does NextChapter provide during implementation and beyond?

NextChapter has its own in-house Agency that implements the multiˣ suite and delivers it pixel-perfect. After launch, the Agency continues to provide support.Any new work, from small adjustments to major projects, is also handled by the Agency.The day-to-day management of your platform is in your hands; you won’t need NextChapter for that.

Can I switch from NextChapter to another platform in the future?

Of course. If you decide to move on, we’ll support you in that transition. Your data is yours, and you can easily export it from NextChapter.We believe in transparency and maintaining healthy client relationships, even when those relationships evolve.

Does NextChapter handle online marketing for me?

NextChapter offers various tools and features for online marketing within the multiˣ suite*, but it is not a digital marketing agency.We do have trusted agency partners and can introduce you if needed, or you're free to choose your own agency.*Features include:SEO optimizationProduct, search, and email personalizationPromotion moduleMerchandising toolsProduct feedsIntegrations with external marketing platforms

Does NextChapter provide strategic advice?

NextChapter does not offer formal strategic consulting programs, but we actively contribute ideas during our collaboration.With over 20 years of e-commerce experience, we’re happy to share practical knowledge and insights.

Levert NextChapter ook maatwerk?

Yes, almost all businesses using NextChapter have some level of customization in their final solution.This does not involve modifying the SaaS functionality of the multiˣ suite itself, but rather:The frontend (such as webshop design or using a configurator)The backend (such as system integrations)In addition, innovations and new features are continuously added to the multiˣ suite roadmap — often based on client needs. We rarely deliver features as custom work; instead, we integrate them into the suite as SaaS features for all to benefit from.

Does NextChapter have in-house UX designers?

Yes, NextChapter has in-house UX designers who create user-friendly, conversion-optimized interfaces.We’re also happy to collaborate with your own designers or agency.