DEEPER THAN BLUE LTD

eCommerce Design and Development

DeeperThanBlue delivers scalable eCommerce services using Shopify, BigCommerce and HCL Commerce, including headless commerce architectures. We design, build, integrate and support secure, high-performing digital commerce solutions that improve customer experience, streamline operations and support long-term growth across B2C, B2B and hybrid models.

Features

• Platform strategy and selection across leading commerce technologies
• Bespoke eCommerce design, build and deployment services
• Headless commerce architecture using API-first approaches
• Integration with ERP, CRM, PIM and back-office systems
• Migration and replatforming from legacy commerce solutions
• Multi-store, multi-region and multi-channel capability
• Ongoing managed support and platform optimisation

Benefits

• Faster delivery of digital commerce capabilities
• Flexible architecture supporting future change
• Improved customer and user experiences
• Reduced manual effort through integrated systems
• Reliable performance during peak demand
• Secure platforms aligned to compliance requirements
• Lower long-term operational costs
• Continuous improvement through managed services

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at chris.booker@deeperthanblue.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 15

Service ID

359413694744972

Contact

Chris Booker
0114 3992820
chris.booker@deeperthanblue.co.uk

About your service

• Service categories:

  Applications

  Customer relationship management

  • Digital commerce
• Multi cloud support: Yes

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
• What software services is the service an extension to: Application Development; Analytics and Business Intelligence; Systems Integration; Website Development; Application and Systems Moderinsation
• Cloud deployment model:
  • Public cloud
  • Private cloud
  • Hybrid cloud
• Service constraints: Cloud Services are designed to be available 24/7, subject to maintenance. Client will be notified of scheduled maintenance.
• System requirements:
  • Internet connection & web browser
  • Can be deployed on AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud
  • Can be deployed on premise

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support response times: Our standard SLA for normal office hours: Level 1 - Business Critical: Response within 1 hour Level 2 - Urgent: Response with 4 hours Level 3 - Normal: Response within 16 hours Level 4 - General Enquiry: Response within 24 hours
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 24 hours, 7 days a week
• Web chat support: Yes
• Web chat support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA
• Web chat accessibility testing: None
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: DeeperThanBlue provides comprehensive Support and Managed Services to ensure stability, performance, and security of critical business systems, priced from £850 to £3,575 monthly including incident hours.; ; Our support model offers a choice of coverage levels, allowing customers to select the service window that best fits operational needs, from standard business hours, extended business hours, and full 24×5 availability through to 24×7 support for always‑on environments. These options ensure organisations can depend on consistent access to skilled support specialists whenever incidents arise. ; ; Two service tiers are available: Standard and Premium. Both provide structured incident categorisation with defined response times, while Premium delivers faster responses for high-severity issues. Incidents are prioritised by impact and urgency: Level 1 (production system outages) through Level 4 (general enquiries). Response commitments range from one-hour for critical Premium incidents to 24-hour for low-severity queries across both tiers. ; ; Our Managed Services are delivered by experienced engineers who monitor, diagnose, and support system operations proactively. By combining flexible coverage options with clear and measurable SLAs, DeeperThanBlue ensures customers benefit from reliable technical support, reduced downtime, and consistently high service quality. This approach enables organisations to maintain optimal performance while focusing on strategic objectives.
• Support available to third parties: No
• AI chatbot: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: Onsite and online training can be provide as required (charges apply).
• Service documentation: Yes
• Documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• End-of-contract data extraction: This will depend on the eCommerce platform selected. DeeperThanBlue will support the client to manage their data at the end of the service.
• End-of-contract process: At the end of the contract services continue to run but the user will be prompted to add a new payment method or sign a new contract. Access via the UI will be disable but services continue to run and there is no immediate data loss.
• Documentation accessibility standard: WCAG 2.2 AA

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
• Application to install: Yes
• Compatible operating systems:
  • Android
  • IOS
  • Linux or Unix
  • MacOS
  • Windows
  • ChromeOS
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The desktop service may integrate with other enterprise applications. This may be more limited on the mobile device.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.2 AA
• API: Yes
• What users can and can't do using the API: This is dependent on the eCommerce platform selected.
• API documentation: Yes
• API documentation formats:
  • HTML
  • PDF
• API sandbox or test environment: Yes
• Customisation available: Yes
• Description of customisation: We work within the platform design frameworks or can deploy in headless environments for full customisation.

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Internal rules and measures separate data processing, such as inserting, modifying, deleting, and transferring data, according to the contracted purposes.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: Yes
• Metrics types: Billing & Usage metrics, Application logs & performance metrics, User login & API events.
• Reporting types:
  • API access
  • Real-time dashboards
• Resource tagging: No
• FOCUS resource tagging: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Reseller providing extra support
• Organisation whose services are being resold: BigCommerce, Shopify, HCL Commerce

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Staff screening not performed
• Government security clearance: Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations:
  • United Kingdom
  • European Economic Area (EEA)
• User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 4.0)
• Penetration testing frequency: At least once a year
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest:
  • Physical access control, complying with CSA CCM v4.0
  • Physical access control, complying with SSAE-18 / ISAE 3402
  • Physical access control, complying with another standard
  • Encryption of all physical media
  • Scale, obfuscating techniques, or data storage sharding
  • Other
• Other data at rest protection approach: BigCommerce is compliant to the PCI Data Security Standard. It also uses Reflectiz, a third party cybersecurity platform to protect the online store. 2FA employed. BigCommerce is complaint with GDPR and partner with Cloudflare for platform security and performance with SSL termination and DDos protection. Shopify have PCI and SOC security standards, GDPR compliance.
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v4.0, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation / Secure Erase

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: Export capabilities depend on the specific eCommerce vendor selected.
• Data export formats: Other
• Data import formats: Other

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
  • Other
• Other protection between networks: BigCommerce is compliant to the PCI Data Security Standard. It also uses Reflectiz, a third party cybersecurity platform to protect the online store. 2FA employed. BigCommerce is complaint with GDPR and partner with Cloudflare for platform security and performance with SSL termination and DDos protection.; ; Shopify have PCI and SOC security standards, GDPR compliance.
• Data protection within supplier network:
  • TLS (version 1.2 or above)
  • IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: Both BigCommerce and Shopify advertise approximately 99.9–99.99% uptime. At enterprise level (BigCommerce Enterprise and Shopify Plus), they offer formal Service Level Agreements backed by service credits, not cash refunds, if uptime targets are missed.; BigCommerce:; - Markets 99.99% uptime; Enterprise clients get a 99.9% SLA; - Breaches trigger service credits against future fees; - Exact credit structures are in the Enterprise contract, not publicly detailed; ; Shopify Plus:; - Offers 99.99% uptime SLA with financial credits for breaches; - Standard Shopify plans have high uptime but no granular SLA with defined credits
• Approach to resilience: Available on request
• Outage reporting: Email notifications for scheduled changes

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication:
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)
  • Username or password
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: Role based access restricts access to management interfaces and support channels. Roles include developer, manager, auditor and billing manager. Different roles see different interfaces.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
  • Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
  • Identity federation with existing provider (for example Google Apps)

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
• How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
• Access to supplier activity audit information: Users contact the support team to get audit information
• How long supplier audit data is stored for: At least 12 months
• How long system logs are stored for: Between 1 month and 6 months

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards:
  • ISO/IEC 27001
  • Other
• Other security governance standards: Both BigCommerce and Shopify are PCI DSS Level 1 certified and maintain robust security standards. BigCommerce holds multiple ISO certifications (27001, 27701, 22301, 27017, 27018). Both platforms provide encryption, SSL certificates, regular audits, and GDPR support. Merchants build on certified environments while retaining configuration responsibilities.
• Information security policies and processes: Both BigCommerce and Shopify are PCI DSS Level 1 certified and maintain robust security standards. BigCommerce holds multiple ISO certifications (27001, 27701, 22301, 27017, 27018). Both platforms provide encryption, SSL certificates, regular audits, and GDPR support. Merchants build on certified environments while retaining configuration responsibilities.
• Software Security Code of Practice: Yes

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Supplier-defined controls
• Configuration and change management approach: Core platform components run through an automated pipeline to evaluate security impact of the change.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: We deploy live monitoring of installations.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: We automate monitoring of systems.
• Incident management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Incident management approach: DeeperThanBlue provides flexible, enterprise‑grade Managed Services with defined service levels tailored to customer needs. Support is available across Standard and Premium tiers, with coverage options ranging from business hours to full 24×7 service. We prioritise incidents by severity, ensuring fast and effective response times, from critical Level 1 issues, where systems are unavailable, through to general enquiries. Our SLAs guarantee rapid response, with Premium support offering enhanced targets for high‑impact incidents. This structured approach ensures consistent, reliable service management that keeps essential systems stable, secure, and fully supported.
• Post-quantum cryptography secure: No

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Supplier-defined process

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Pricing

• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)

• Less than £250,000: 0%
• Between £250,000 and £500,000: 0%
• Between £500,001 and £1,000,000: 0%
• Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000: 0%
• Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000: 0%
• Over £5,000,001: 0%

Non-mandatory Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: No
• ISO 28000:2022 certification: No
• ISO 9001 certification: No
• Quality management systems (QMS): No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number: 172fc5f8-b27f-4d3b-8e17-7491b529e4be
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Please provide your Cyber Essentials Plus Certificate Number: A62e3614-9846-4de9-90f3-0c032387c640
• Other security certifications: No

Social value

• Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery:

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority

    • New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
    • Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
    • Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
    • Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
    • Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
    • Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
    • Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
    • Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
    • Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
    • Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
    • Volunteering opportunities for staff
    • Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
    • How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain

  • Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.

    Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.

    • Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
    • Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications

  • Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.

    Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.

    • Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
    • Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at chris.booker@deeperthanblue.co.uk. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.