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How to evaluate a Commerce-as-a-Service partner: 12 questions to ask

Commerce as a Service covers a wide range of models: growth agencies that added marketplace teams, logistics companies that added marketing, resellers that buy your inventory, and operators that run the whole division. Whichever you are considering, these twelve questions will tell you what you are really buying.

Scope and accountability

  1. Which parts of the P&L do you own? Marketing only, operations only, or the whole division? Who is accountable when results slip?
  2. Who leads my account, and how senior are they? Ask to meet the person, not just the sales team.
  3. Does customer service sit inside your model? Support is where many outsourcing setups break.

Incentives and pricing

  1. How are you paid? Retainer, percentage of spend, percentage of revenue, inventory margin, or a share of profit? Each creates different incentives.
  2. Do you mark up media, software or fulfillment? Pass-through at cost should be the standard.
  3. If there is a performance fee, what is it measured on? Revenue-based fees can reward unprofitable growth. Look for margin-based measures with a profit gate.

Control and ownership

  1. Who owns the accounts, data and creative? The answer should be you, without exceptions.
  2. Do you take ownership of inventory? If so, understand how pricing and the customer relationship change.
  3. What decisions do I keep? Get approval thresholds for pricing, promotions, spend and policy in writing.

Execution and exit

  1. How do you use AI, and where are humans in the loop? Ask for the approval rules and how agent actions are logged.
  2. What does the first 90 days look like? A credible partner can describe onboarding, baselines and early priorities in detail.
  3. What happens if we part ways? Look for short terms after an initial period and a documented handover.

Our answers

We publish ours. Go Virtual owns as much or as little of the division as you choose, charges a base fee plus a Growth Share gated on contribution margin, passes all third-party costs through at cost, never holds inventory, and moves to month-to-month after 90 days. Read how we compare and our pricing.

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