We were like the cool new kid on the block who made a few friends with those who saw our potential. Now, we’ve grown into a market leader that everybody wants to hang out with. That’s where our new Partner Possibilities Program comes in.
It’s a pretty great problem to have: too many brilliant companies want to partner up with us. With our rapid expansion, the number of partner requests we’ve received has gone from a trickle to a downpour. And because we’ve always been a partner-first company, it’s vital for us to support those who wish to collaborate with us in the most effective way possible. That’s why we’ve rolled out a brand-new, three-tier partner program, and named it the Partner Possibilities Program – representing all of the possibilities that arise from working with us.
We’re proud to join forces with so many amazing partners on every level of scale – from huge corporations to startups. But no matter who our partners are, they share our commitment to spreading modern commerce solutions to elevate eCommerce experiences across every industry.
The main differentiating factor between our partner program and others out there is that you don’t have to be the biggest company or spend a certain amount to ‘buy’ a partnership level with us. Our partner program levels are based on ability, commitment and success, meaning every partner has the same chance to become a highest-level Premier Partner – demonstrating our ‘Partners First’ commercetools DNA.
VP Global, Partner Management, commercetools
A win-win for us and our partners
Over the years, our partner ecosystem has grown enormously – from eight partners in 2017 to about 110 partners in 2020. Now we’re on track to having an incredible 140 partners in 2021. So what type of companies seek a partnership with us? And what has fueled such a remarkable growth in our partner numbers?
Businesses across a range of B2B and B2C industries have seen the value of forming a mutually beneficial partnership with commercetools, and they typically fall into two service provider categories:
ISVs (independent software vendors) who provide complementary solutions that can be integrated into the commercetools platform.
SIs (system integrators)/agencies are responsible for implementing commercetools for customers and guiding them on their digital journeys.
With all the benefits our partners receive, it’s easy to see why more and more businesses are knocking on the commercetools door. To begin with, our partners are eligible to receive direct referrals from us. We also make them look good by providing their clients with best-in-class commerce solutions based on our cloud-native, headless commerce platform. Plus, our partners can unlock access to top eCommerce experts, as well as extensive training and support to develop and implement commercetools projects, and enhance their own commerce expertise. What’s not to love?
Level up with our 3 partnership tiers
What sets our partner program apart from others is the fact that entry into any of our three tiers cannot be purchased and a company’s placement in a specific level has nothing to do with their size. Companies that enter into the program reach higher levels by meeting specific program requirements. In other words, commercetools values ability over size.
The Registered level is for new partners as they start their relationship with commercetools. Partners at this level are required to meet a base level of program requirements and can profit from a certain number of benefits.
The Select level is for existing partners as they drive their relationship with commercetools further. It enables existing partners to develop their commercetools-related activities and demonstrate industry expertise. There are a higher number of requirements and benefits offered with this tier.
Premier level partners have demonstrated a commitment to developing a long-term relationship with commercetools and have built a substantial commercetools-related practice. Partner requirements at this level are high, but there are also considerable benefits.
With these levels, we hope to support and strengthen our partners. Afterall, we rely on them to build next-generation commerce solutions for our customers. We are, and always have been, a partner-first organization and are passionate to share the journey ahead with the market leaders that we work with.
If you’re interested in more in-depth details, check out our page on the commercetools Partner Possibilities Program and read in part 2 of our blog series how the relationship with our partners was forged.