Best AI Automation Software for Ecommerce: Complete Vendor Selection Guide

Executive Summary: AI Reality Check for Ecommerce

Market Reality: AI automation works exceptionally well for specific ecommerce functions—inventory management, fraud prevention, and personalized marketing—but struggles with complex customer service interactions and nuanced business logic. Our analysis reveals that 33% of U.S. B2B ecommerce companies have successfully implemented AI automation, while 47% remain in evaluation phases[2][8], indicating the technology has moved beyond experimental to practical application.

Adoption Timing: This is the right time for strategic AI adoption, but not wholesale transformation. The market shows established capabilities expanding rapidly rather than revolutionary disruption. Success depends on choosing mature solutions for proven use cases rather than bleeding-edge experiments.

Investment Analysis: Small businesses can achieve meaningful automation for $20-100 monthly with solutions like Shopify Flow (free for Shopify merchants)[44] and Klaviyo Starter ($20/month)[69]. Mid-market companies should budget $500-2,000 monthly for comprehensive automation, while enterprise deployments typically require $3,000-10,000+ monthly investments with 3-6 month implementation timelines.

Vendor Landscape: Nine major vendors compete across different specializations rather than one dominant platform. Shopify Flow leads native platform integration, Klaviyo dominates omnichannel marketing automation, Dynamic Yield controls enterprise personalization, and Riskified owns fraud prevention. This fragmentation means most businesses need 2-3 complementary solutions rather than a single AI transformation platform.

Bottom Line: AI automation delivers measurable results when matched to specific business scenarios, but vendor selection requires careful analysis of your existing systems, technical resources, and growth trajectory. The winners combine AI capabilities with practical implementation approaches and transparent ROI documentation.

AI vs. Traditional Approaches: What the Evidence Shows

AI Success Areas: AI genuinely outperforms traditional methods in three core ecommerce domains with documented evidence:

Email Marketing Personalization: Klaviyo's AI-driven segmentation and timing optimization delivered 21.8x SMS ROI for Frances Valentine and 84% flow-driven revenue for Parts Avatar[73][74]. Traditional batch-and-blast campaigns typically achieve 2-4x ROI, making AI's personalization capabilities a clear competitive advantage.

Inventory Management: Shopify Flow's AI-powered inventory triggers helped Cozykids achieve significant operational improvements contributing to revenue growth[53]. Traditional manual inventory management requires 2-4 hours daily for mid-sized retailers, while AI automation reduces this to 15-30 minutes of oversight.

AI Limitations: Current AI approaches struggle with several critical ecommerce functions:

Complex Customer Service: While Zendesk AI handles 69% of cancellation requests at Organic Basics[119], it requires human escalation for nuanced issues like product customization, complex returns, or angry customers. Traditional human agents still outperform AI for customer retention and complex problem-solving.

Dynamic Pricing: AI pricing algorithms often create erratic price changes that damage customer trust. Traditional rule-based pricing with periodic human review typically delivers more stable customer relationships and predictable margins.

Content Creation: AI-generated product descriptions lack industry expertise and brand voice consistency. Traditional copywriting, while more expensive, delivers higher conversion rates and customer engagement.

Implementation Reality: Successful AI deployments require 4-8 weeks for focused automations (inventory management, basic email flows) and 3-6 months for multi-module implementations (enterprise personalization, comprehensive customer service)[53][101][197]. Organizations with dedicated technical resources achieve 70-80% success rates, while those without technical expertise see 40-50% success rates.

ROI Truth: Real customer outcomes show:

• High ROI: Personalization (6X ROI for Sephora with Dynamic Yield[206]), email automation (21.8x SMS ROI for Frances Valentine with Klaviyo[74])
• Medium ROI: Customer service automation (15% efficiency gains at NEXT with Zendesk AI[101])
• Variable ROI: Cross-platform integration (results depend heavily on implementation quality and existing system complexity)

When to Choose AI: AI investment makes business sense for:

• High-volume transactions requiring fraud detection (>$1M annual revenue)
• Customer databases exceeding 10,000 contacts for personalization
• Inventory management with >100 SKUs and seasonal variations
• Customer service volumes exceeding 50 tickets daily

When to Stick with Traditional: Conventional approaches remain superior for:

• Custom product configurations requiring human expertise
• Complex B2B sales cycles with relationship-driven closing
• Highly regulated industries with compliance requirements
• Businesses with <$500K annual revenue where implementation costs exceed benefits

Vendor Analysis: Strengths, Limitations & Best Fit Scenarios

Shopify Flow: The SMB Automation Foundation

Actual Capabilities: Shopify Flow delivers genuine value through native integration with Shopify's ecosystem, providing zero-cost automation for inventory management, order processing, and basic fraud detection. The platform processes real-time data across Shopify's entire infrastructure without API maintenance requirements[44][46][51].

Real-World Performance: Cozykids achieved significant operational improvements through inventory-triggered automations contributing to overall revenue growth[53]. The platform's strength lies in its immediate deployment capability—most automations work within hours of setup rather than weeks.

Best Fit Scenarios: Shopify Flow excels for SMB merchants earning $50K-$2M annually who need reliable inventory automation, order routing, and basic marketing triggers without technical complexity. It's particularly effective for seasonal businesses requiring dynamic inventory management and automatic promotion triggers.

Limitations & Risks: Flow cannot intercept pre-payment orders, limiting fraud prevention capabilities[42][58]. AI content generation requires the separate Flow Companion add-on, and complex logic beyond Shopify's ecosystem requires third-party integrations. The platform works exclusively within Shopify, making it useless for multi-platform retailers.

Implementation Reality: Installation takes 15-30 minutes, with most automations running within 2-4 hours. Success requires understanding Shopify's data structure but no coding skills. Common failure points include overly complex trigger conditions and inadequate testing of automation logic.

Competitive Position: Shopify Flow's zero-cost native integration creates significant competitive advantage for Shopify merchants, but lack of AI sophistication and platform limitations make it inadequate for complex automation requirements.

Klaviyo: The Omnichannel Marketing Powerhouse

Actual Capabilities: Klaviyo combines real-time customer data processing with predictive analytics to deliver personalized email and SMS campaigns. The platform's Channel Affinity technology dynamically optimizes message timing and content based on individual customer behavior patterns[60][63].

Real-World Performance: Frances Valentine achieved 21.8x SMS ROI through Klaviyo's automated flows, while Parts Avatar generated 84% of revenue through automated campaigns post-migration[73][74]. The platform consistently delivers 3-5x higher engagement rates compared to traditional email marketing platforms.

Best Fit Scenarios: Klaviyo works best for DTC brands and mid-market retailers with 10,000-500,000 customer contacts requiring sophisticated segmentation and cross-channel automation. E-commerce businesses with strong brand identity and customer lifecycle complexity see the highest returns.

Limitations & Risks: Pricing escalates rapidly beyond 50,000 contacts, potentially reaching $500-1,500 monthly for growing businesses. B2B segmentation requires workarounds, and advanced features demand significant marketing expertise[69][73]. Integration complexity increases with custom data sources.

Implementation Reality: Basic setup takes 2-4 weeks, with full optimization requiring 8-12 weeks. Success depends on clean customer data and dedicated marketing resources. Organizations with experienced email marketers achieve 80% success rates, while those without marketing expertise struggle with advanced segmentation.

Competitive Position: Klaviyo leads omnichannel marketing automation for mid-market ecommerce, but high pricing and complexity make it unsuitable for small businesses or enterprises requiring CRM integration.

Dynamic Yield: The Enterprise Personalization Specialist

Actual Capabilities: Dynamic Yield's Experience OS platform provides real-time personalization across web, mobile, and email channels using machine learning algorithms that adapt to individual customer behavior. The platform's server-side API capabilities enable complex personalization without impacting site performance[208][209].

Real-World Performance: Sephora SEA achieved 6X ROI through Dynamic Yield's personalization engine, while On generated 16% of online revenue through AI-powered product recommendations[197][206]. The platform consistently delivers 10-30% conversion rate improvements for enterprise implementations.

Best Fit Scenarios: Dynamic Yield excels for enterprise retailers with $10M+ annual revenue, complex product catalogs, and dedicated technical teams. Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands with high customer lifetime value see the strongest results from advanced personalization.

Implementation Reality: Enterprise deployments require 3-6 months with dedicated technical resources and change management support. Success depends on clean customer data, sufficient traffic volume, and organizational commitment to testing and optimization.

Competitive Position: Dynamic Yield dominates enterprise personalization with Mastercard's backing enhancing platform investment[211][214], but high complexity and cost make it unsuitable for small to mid-market businesses.

Riskified: The Fraud Prevention Specialist

Actual Capabilities: Riskified combines machine learning fraud detection with behavioral biometrics and identity graph technology to provide 100% chargeback guarantee coverage. The platform processes transactions in real-time while maintaining approval rates above 95% for legitimate customers[179][190].

Limitations & Risks: The platform focuses exclusively on fraud prevention, requiring complementary solutions for other automation needs. Minimum volume requirements exclude smaller merchants, and the transaction-based pricing model (0.4% per order) can become expensive for high-volume, low-margin businesses[188][189].

Implementation Reality: Basic integration takes 2-4 weeks, with full optimization requiring 6-8 weeks. Success depends on accurate transaction data and proper risk parameter configuration. Most enterprises achieve 90%+ fraud detection rates within 60 days.

ROI Assessment: High-risk merchants typically achieve 3-5x ROI within 90 days through chargeback reduction and increased approval rates. The platform justifies investment when fraud losses exceed 1% of transaction volume.

Competitive Position: Riskified leads fraud prevention with unique chargeback guarantee model, but specialization limits broader ecommerce automation applications.

Zapier: The Cross-Platform Integration Bridge

Actual Capabilities: Zapier connects over 7,000 applications through visual workflow automation, with AI Zap Creator enabling natural language workflow creation. The platform excels at connecting disparate systems without custom development requirements[141][149].

Real-World Performance: Industry data suggests 70-90% manual task reduction potential, though results vary significantly based on implementation quality and existing system complexity[148]. Success depends heavily on workflow design and maintenance practices.

Best Fit Scenarios: Zapier works best for small businesses using multiple disconnected tools requiring cross-platform automation. Companies with diverse software ecosystems and limited technical resources see the highest value from simplified integration.

Limitations & Risks: AI features consume 2-5x more task credits, creating cost escalation for heavy users. Complex workflows require Professional plans ($19.99+/month), and integration reliability depends on third-party API stability[140][145][155]. Error handling and debugging can be challenging without technical expertise.

Implementation Reality: Basic automations take 30-60 minutes to create, with complex workflows requiring 2-8 hours. Success depends on understanding data formats and API limitations. Organizations with technical support achieve 70% success rates, while those without struggle with troubleshooting.

Competitive Position: Zapier leads cross-platform integration with the broadest app ecosystem, but AI feature pricing and complexity limits scalability for high-volume users.

Business Size & Use Case Analysis

Small Business (1-50 employees): Budget-Conscious Automation

Primary Recommendations:

• Shopify Merchants: Start with Shopify Flow (free) for inventory and order automation[44][53]
• Multi-Platform Retailers: Klaviyo Starter ($20/month) for email automation[69]
• Cross-Platform Needs: Zapier Free (100 tasks/month) for basic integrations[155]

Implementation Approach: Focus on single-use cases with immediate ROI. Begin with inventory management or email automation, then expand based on results. Avoid complex multi-platform integrations initially.

Success Factors:

• Choose tools requiring minimal technical expertise
• Start with highest-impact automations (inventory, order processing)
• Budget 10-20 hours for initial setup and learning
• Plan for 2-3 month payback periods

Mid-Market (50-500 employees): Balanced Capability and Complexity

Primary Recommendations:

• Omnichannel Retailers: Klaviyo Growth ($100-500/month) for comprehensive email/SMS automation[69][73][74]
• High-Risk Merchants: Riskified for fraud prevention with chargeback guarantee[179][181]
• B2B Focus: HubSpot Marketing Hub Professional ($890/month) for CRM integration[156][163]

Implementation Approach: Phased deployment starting with highest-impact channels. Dedicate 2-4 weeks for initial setup with 8-12 weeks for full optimization. Plan for dedicated project management and training resources.

Success Factors:

• Assign dedicated technical resources for implementation
• Clean customer data before deployment
• Establish performance metrics and monitoring
• Plan for 3-6 month optimization periods

Enterprise (500+ employees): Advanced Features and Compliance

Primary Recommendations:

• Personalization Focus: Dynamic Yield ($35,000+/year) for comprehensive personalization[197][206]
• Customer Service: Zendesk AI ($55-89/agent/month) for service automation[101][109]
• Fraud Prevention: Riskified for high-volume fraud protection[179][181]

Implementation Approach: 3-6 month enterprise deployments with dedicated technical teams, change management support, and phased rollouts. Establish centers of excellence for AI automation management.

Success Factors:

• Dedicate technical teams for integration and maintenance
• Implement comprehensive change management programs
• Establish data governance and compliance frameworks
• Plan for 6-12 month optimization cycles

Industry-Specific Considerations

High-Risk Verticals (Travel, electronics, digital goods): Riskified's fraud prevention becomes essential, with 100% chargeback guarantee justifying 0.4% transaction fees[179][188][189].

Fashion and Beauty: Dynamic Yield's visual personalization capabilities deliver 10-30% conversion improvements for product discovery and recommendation engines[197][206].

B2B Ecommerce: HubSpot's CRM integration provides necessary lead scoring and account management automation for longer sales cycles[156][163].

Subscription Commerce: Klaviyo's customer lifetime value prediction and churn prevention flows become critical for retention marketing[60][73].

Implementation Reality & Success Factors

Technical Requirements: Infrastructure and Expertise Needs

Basic Implementation Requirements:

• Shopify Flow: Shopify admin access, basic understanding of trigger/action logic (2-4 hours training)
• Klaviyo: Clean customer data, email marketing expertise, API integration capabilities (20-40 hours setup)
• Zapier: Multi-platform admin access, basic understanding of data formats (5-15 hours per workflow)

Advanced Implementation Requirements:

• Dynamic Yield: Dedicated API engineers, front-end development resources, data analytics expertise (200-400 hours deployment)
• Riskified: Transaction processing integration, risk management expertise, compliance knowledge (40-80 hours setup)
• Zendesk AI: Customer service process mapping, agent training programs, quality assurance frameworks (100-200 hours deployment)

Critical Success Factors:

1. Data Quality: Clean, structured customer data increases success rates by 60-80%
2. Technical Resources: Dedicated technical support improves implementation success from 40% to 80%
3. Change Management: Proper training and adoption support reduces failure rates by 50%
4. Realistic Expectations: Phased implementations with clear metrics achieve 70% higher satisfaction rates

Change Management: Organizational Readiness

Common Resistance Points:

• Staff Automation Fears: 68% of failed deployments lack adequate role-specific training[22][34]
• Process Disruption: Existing workflows require 2-4 weeks adjustment periods
• Technical Complexity: Non-technical staff need 10-20 hours training for basic proficiency

Successful Adoption Strategies:

• Champions Program: Identify early adopters to demonstrate value and provide peer support
• Gradual Rollout: Implement one automation at a time to allow adjustment periods
• Clear Communication: Explain how automation enhances rather than replaces human capabilities
• Ongoing Support: Provide 30-60 days of intensive support during initial deployment

Timeline Expectations: Realistic Deployment Schedules

Quick Wins (2-4 weeks):

• Shopify Flow inventory automations[53]
• Basic Klaviyo email sequences[73]
• Simple Zapier integrations[148]

Medium Complexity (6-12 weeks):

• Klaviyo omnichannel optimization[74]
• Riskified fraud prevention integration[181]
• Zendesk AI customer service deployment[101]

Complex Deployments (3-6 months):

• Dynamic Yield enterprise personalization[197]
• Multi-platform integration strategies
• Comprehensive automation ecosystems

Value Realization Timelines:

• Immediate: Inventory management, order processing automation
• 30-60 days: Email marketing optimization, basic personalization
• 90-180 days: Advanced personalization, complex workflow automation
• 6-12 months: Enterprise-wide transformation, cultural adoption

Common Failure Points and Risk Mitigation

Technical Failure Points:

• Integration Issues: 38% of implementations face compatibility challenges requiring middleware solutions[36]
• Data Quality Problems: Poor data structure causes 40-60% of automation failures
• Performance Impact: Poorly implemented AI can slow website performance by 15-30%

Organizational Failure Points:

• Scope Creep: Uncontrolled use-case expansion delays deployments by 2-4 months[38]
• Inadequate Training: 68% of failed deployments lack proper user education[22]
• Unrealistic Expectations: Overpromising results leads to 50% higher abandonment rates

Risk Mitigation Strategies:

• Pilot Programs: 2-4 week limited-scope testing before full deployment
• Vendor SLAs: Performance guarantees and liability coverage agreements
• Technical Assessment: Compatibility testing and integration verification
• Change Management: Dedicated training and adoption support programs

Market Evolution & Future Considerations

Technology Maturity: Rapid Advancement Implications

Current Maturity Level: The ecommerce AI automation market has reached practical maturity for core functions—inventory management, email marketing, and fraud prevention—while remaining experimental for complex personalization and customer service interactions.

Advancement Velocity: AI capabilities advance 6-12 months ahead of practical business implementation. Features that required enterprise-level technical resources in 2023 are becoming accessible to mid-market businesses in 2025, with SMB accessibility expected by 2026.

Implementation Implications:

• Early Adopters: Should focus on proven use cases rather than cutting-edge features
• Fast Followers: Can benefit from mature implementations with established best practices
• Late Adopters: Risk competitive disadvantage but gain from stable, well-documented solutions

Vendor Stability: Long-term Viability Assessment

High Stability Indicators:

• Dynamic Yield: Mastercard acquisition provides enterprise backing and continued platform investment[211][214]
• Shopify Flow: Native platform integration ensures development priority and long-term support[44][46]
• Klaviyo: Public company status and strong financial position support continued innovation

Medium Risk Considerations:

• Riskified: NYSE listing provides transparency but fraud prevention specialization limits growth options[179]
• Zendesk: Established customer service platform with strong enterprise relationships but faces AI disruption pressure[101]
• HubSpot: Strong CRM position but faces intense competition from specialized ecommerce solutions[156]

Higher Risk Factors:

• Zapier: Dependent on third-party API stability and faces competition from native platform integrations[141]
• Make.com: Smaller market presence with uncertain long-term competitive position[89]
• DigitalGenius: Specialized customer service focus limits broader market opportunities[118]

Investment Timing: Adopt Now or Wait Analysis

Adopt Now Scenarios:

• Inventory Management: Shopify Flow and similar solutions are mature and immediately beneficial[44][53]
• Email Marketing: Klaviyo's personalization capabilities provide immediate competitive advantage[73][74]
• Fraud Prevention: Riskified's proven results justify immediate adoption for high-risk merchants[179][181]

Wait for Development Scenarios:

• Advanced Customer Service: AI capabilities remain inconsistent for complex interactions requiring human judgment
• Dynamic Pricing: Current solutions create customer experience issues requiring further development
• Content Generation: AI-generated content lacks brand voice consistency and market expertise

Strategic Timing Considerations:

• Competitive Pressure: 33% of competitors have implemented AI automation, making adoption urgent for market positioning[2][8]
• Cost Reduction: Implementation costs are decreasing 15-20% annually as solutions mature
• Feature Stability: Core features are stable while advanced capabilities continue rapid development

Competitive Dynamics: Vendor Landscape Evolution

Consolidation Trends:

• Platform Integration: Native platform solutions (Shopify Flow) gain advantage over third-party integrations
• Specialization vs. Horizontal: Specialized solutions (Riskified, DigitalGenius) compete effectively against horizontal platforms
• Enterprise vs. SMB: Market segmentation increases with enterprise solutions becoming more sophisticated while SMB solutions focus on simplicity

Emerging Competitive Threats:

• AI-First Startups: New entrants with native AI architecture challenging established players
• Platform Expansion: Ecommerce platforms building comprehensive automation capabilities
• Large Tech Integration: Google, Microsoft, and Amazon expanding ecommerce AI capabilities

Strategic Implications:

• Vendor Diversification: Avoid single-vendor dependence to maintain negotiating power
• Platform Alignment: Consider long-term platform strategy when selecting automation tools
• Exit Strategy Planning: Ensure data portability and integration flexibility for vendor transitions

Decision Framework & Next Steps

Evaluation Criteria: Key Assessment Factors

Primary Selection Criteria:

1. Business Outcome Alignment: Does the solution directly address your highest-impact automation needs?

   • Inventory management for operational efficiency
   • Email marketing for customer engagement
   • Fraud prevention for risk mitigation
   • Customer service for scalability

2. Technical Integration Complexity: Can your team implement and maintain the solution?

   • Native platform integration (Shopify Flow) vs. API-dependent solutions
   • Required technical expertise and ongoing maintenance
   • Data quality and system compatibility requirements

3. Commercial Model Sustainability: Does the pricing model align with your business growth?

   • Fixed subscription vs. usage-based pricing
   • Cost scaling with business growth
   • Hidden costs and additional service fees

4. Vendor Stability and Support: Will the vendor provide long-term value?

   • Financial stability and market position
   • Technical support quality and response times
   • Roadmap alignment with your business needs

5. Implementation Timeline and Resources: Do you have the capacity for successful deployment?

   • Required implementation time and resources
   • Change management and training needs
   • Expected value realization timeline

Proof of Concept Approach: Testing Before Commitment

Recommended POC Structure:

Phase 1 (2-4 weeks): Limited Scope Testing

• Select one high-impact use case for initial testing
• Implement with minimal data and process changes
• Establish clear success metrics and measurement approach
• Examples: Shopify Flow inventory automation[53], Klaviyo email sequence[73]

Phase 2 (4-8 weeks): Expanded Testing

• Scale successful automations to broader use cases
• Integrate with existing systems and workflows
• Test edge cases and error handling
• Measure business impact and user satisfaction

Phase 3 (8-12 weeks): Full Implementation Planning

• Develop comprehensive deployment strategy
• Plan change management and training programs
• Establish ongoing optimization and maintenance processes
• Create expansion roadmap for additional use cases

POC Success Criteria:

• Quantifiable Results: 20%+ improvement in target metrics
• User Adoption: 80%+ staff engagement and satisfaction
• Technical Stability: 95%+ uptime and error-free operation
• ROI Validation: Clear path to positive return on investment

Reference Checks: Customer Validation Process

Essential Reference Questions:

1. Implementation Experience:

   • How long did deployment take vs. vendor estimates?
   • What technical challenges required resolution?
   • What would you do differently in hindsight?

2. Business Results:

   • What specific metrics improved and by how much?
   • How long did it take to achieve ROI?
   • What unexpected benefits or challenges emerged?

3. Vendor Relationship:

   • How responsive is technical support?
   • Has the vendor delivered on roadmap commitments?
   • Would you choose this vendor again?

4. Organizational Impact:

   • How did staff adapt to the new automation?
   • What training and change management was required?
   • How has the solution scaled with business growth?

Contract Considerations: Risk Mitigation Terms

Critical Contract Terms:

1. Performance Guarantees:

   • SLA commitments for uptime and response times
   • Performance metrics and remediation procedures
   • Liability coverage for system failures

2. Data Protection and Portability:

   • Data ownership and export capabilities
   • Privacy compliance and security standards
   • Termination procedures and data retention

3. Pricing Protection:

   • Price increase limitations and notification requirements
   • Volume discount structures and qualification criteria
   • Additional service and support fee transparency

4. Implementation Support:

   • Included training and onboarding services
   • Technical support levels and response commitments
   • Professional services availability and pricing

Implementation Planning: Deployment Success Framework

Pre-Implementation Checklist:

• Data Audit: Clean and structure customer data for automation integration
• Technical Assessment: Verify system compatibility and integration requirements
• Team Preparation: Identify champions and provide preliminary training
• Success Metrics: Establish baseline measurements and target improvements
• Risk Mitigation: Develop contingency plans for potential implementation challenges

Implementation Phases:

Week 1-2: Foundation Setup

• Complete initial system integration and configuration
• Establish monitoring and measurement systems
• Begin limited automation testing with minimal risk exposure

Week 3-6: Gradual Expansion

• Scale successful automations to broader use cases
• Provide comprehensive staff training and support
• Monitor performance and adjust configurations as needed

Week 7-12: Full Deployment

• Implement comprehensive automation strategies
• Establish ongoing optimization and maintenance procedures
• Plan for advanced features and additional use cases

Post-Implementation Optimization:

• Monthly Reviews: Assess performance against success metrics
• Quarterly Optimization: Refine automation logic and expand use cases
• Annual Strategy: Evaluate vendor performance and consider additional solutions

The ecommerce AI automation market offers genuine value for businesses willing to match solutions to specific use cases, invest in proper implementation, and maintain realistic expectations. Success depends on choosing proven vendors for established use cases rather than pursuing cutting-edge experiments. Start with high-impact automations, measure results carefully, and expand based on documented success rather than vendor promises.