In-house e-commerce team or outsourcing? Which is better?

Michał Zabielski doesn’t give one answer to “in-house team or agency”, he splits it into three separate decisions, each governed by its own logic.

Three areas, three different answers

• Project oversight: here he recommends an internal person with real decision-making power and full focus on the project, supported by a consultant, not the other way round. An engaged internal lead gathers requirements faster than any outside team can.
• Development work: early on, it’s worth reaching for outside expertise while building internal capability in parallel. The direction only goes one way, from external support toward independence, with an internal e-commerce manager or product owner keeping things aligned with strategy.
• Maintenance: here the internal team wins, fast turnaround on bugs and day-to-day changes matters more than a lower external rate.

What the decision actually hinges on

The key question is whether e-commerce is a priority for the business or a secondary channel. Companies treating online sales as secondary can reasonably limit internal investment. Those pursuing aggressive growth should build competencies in-house to keep the strategy coherent.

Not sure where the agency’s role ends and your internal team’s begins? Let’s talk about a collaboration model that fits your scale.