"Should we buy Logo Tiger, or have custom software built?" We've heard this question from more than 15 clients in the last two years. Most of them were starting from the wrong question.
The right question is: "How standard is my process, really?"
Decision Criteria
Three main criteria drive the ERP decision:
1. Process Uniqueness
Do the 10 competitors in your industry all work the same way you do? If yes, an off-the-shelf ERP makes sense, because that box product already encodes the standards of your sector.
If no, if your order flow, inventory management, or customer relationships are genuinely your own, trying to bend an off-the-shelf ERP to fit your process takes years and usually fails.
2. Volume and Scale
Under 100 orders per day: an off-the-shelf ERP is enough, probably more than enough. Between 100 and 1,000 per day: consider a hybrid approach. Over 1,000 per day: a custom system or enterprise-grade platform (SAP, Oracle), though if you're reading this, you're probably not in this category.
3. Internal Technical Capacity
Who's going to manage the ERP? Do you have an IT department? Can you budget for a system administrator role?
Off-the-shelf ERP isn't "click and run." A Logo Tiger setup, configuration, and training cycle can take 2-6 months.
Real Case: Our E-Commerce ERP Project
A client came to us taking orders across 4 marketplaces (Trendyol, Hepsiburada, N11, and their own site). They were using Logo Tiger, but stock updates were manual, twice a day.
Weekly stock conflicts: 3-4 incidents. Each conflict meant a customer complaint, a return shipment, and a hit to their reputation.
Adding an integration module to Logo Tiger was technically possible, but the adaptation cost was higher than building a custom solution. After a 6-month process: event-driven stock synchronization plus custom ERP modules.
Result: manual workload dropped by 93%, and stock conflicts went to zero.
The best solution often isn't "either/or." Logo Tiger for accounting, custom modules for operational processes. Connecting the two with an API layer creates real value.
Decision Tree
Choose an off-the-shelf ERP if:
- Your industry has widely adopted standard processes
- Daily order volume is under 100
- Your team has the time and skills to manage an ERP
- Your budget is uncertain and you want to start quickly
Choose custom software if:
- Your processes meaningfully differ from your competitors'
- Multiple channels or systems need to be integrated
- You have a long-term growth plan and scale is critical
- You've grown tired of bending an off-the-shelf ERP to fit your process