7 signs that your eCommerce store needs replatforming

Article topics

1. You’re spending more and more time updating your site
2. You’re spending more money on your eCommerce site
3. You’re getting customer complaints
4. You’re losing sales to your competitors
5. You feel like you’re not evolving or growing
6. You’ve had a security scare
7. Your eCommerce platform provider has gone quiet

Think of your eCommerce website like you would a car. A brand-new or nearly new car will serve you well for several years and get you where you need to be.

However, the time will come when you no longer get the mileage you once did, or it costs an exorbitant amount to get your car through its MOT.

The same logic applies to your website in that after a while; it will no longer perform how it used to.

Replatforming is when you move your existing eCommerce store to a brand-new platform. This means you can take advantage of new technologies that can help your business grow and fulfil more customer orders.

There are many benefits to replatforming your eCommerce store, but the question is… how do you know when it’s time to take the plunge?

Here are seven ways to tell that your eCommerce website is ready for replatforming.

Download the ultimate checklist for replatforming your eCommerce site

1. You’re spending more and more time updating your site

It’s time to update the products on your website. This only took you a couple of minutes to do back in the day. However recently… it feels like it takes hours.

Websites become slower and less responsive over time. Bloated code, unoptimised extensions, and several years’ worth of overly large files mean it takes longer to carry out client and server-side tasks.

It’s estimated that the average employee in the UK spends over five hours a week on repetitive tasks that don’t need to be done. So by replatforming to a new eCommerce site, you don’t just increase sales; you save a lot of valuable time.

Not only does a replatformed site run more quickly, but many tasks can be automated. For example, modern eCommerce platforms can schedule tasks, send out emails, manage inventory, and offer cross-selling, all while you work on taking your business to the next level!

2. You’re spending more money on your eCommerce site

There are a lot of low-cost and no-cost eCommerce platforms out there, perfect if you want to launch a brand new business but don’t have much of a budget.

When your website costs are eating into your store profits though, it might be time for a rethink.

While some platforms are free and cheap, you may have to pay extra money for integrations and extensions. For example, some of the more expensive WordPress extensions can cost up to $99 (£83) a month!

Replatforming can mean the plugins you use to pay through the nose for now come as standard, bringing your website spend down. Think of your new site as a return on investment; while there is an initial outlay, you’ll save money in the long term.

Another thing to consider is how often you need to fix problems. If your IT team is on speed dial or your web developer budget is starting to climb, replatforming could significantly lower your bills.

3. You’re getting customer complaints

We all dread those late-night and weekend messages on Twitter and Facebook from once-loyal customers… ‘I’ve tried to order something on your website, but it’s just not working.’

When your eCommerce site loads slowly, looks bad on mobile, or is hard to use, your customers will quickly let you know about it. And while some might be willing to stick around while you try and make things better, most will start abandoning their shopping carts.

88% of shoppers are less likely to return to a site after a bad user experience, meaning you have to spend extra time and money trying to win them back.

So if your team notices more negative feedback from website users, whether by email, social media, or chatbot, replatforming can help keep your best customers around.

4. You’re losing sales to your competitors

So you’ve established that your customers have stopped buying from you. The big question is… where are they going?

If you’re finding your nearest rivals are growing while your eCommerce store is fading into the background, it’s likely that they’re stealing your customers away with a shiny new website.

The eCommerce sector is highly competitive, with 84% of decision-makers saying the market is tough or very tough. With this in mind, replatforming can bring you back into the game.

Here’s our top tip – if you want to find out which eCommerce platform your competitors are using, this website can give you the information you need.

5. You feel like you’re not evolving or growing

Have you ever been in a team meeting where someone has uttered the words: ‘if only our website could do this’, or ‘I wish our website had this functionality’?

If the answer is yes, it may be time to upgrade your site.

When you’re looking to scale and grow your business, you need a website that can keep up with your rapidly increasing goals and ambitions.

For example, let’s say your eCommerce platform of choice only allows customers to place a set amount of orders within a 24-hour time period. When you’re hitting this number every single day, replatforming isn’t just something that’s ‘nice to do’; it’s critical to the survival of your online store.

Not sure which eCommerce platform is the right one for you? Check out our guide and download your free cheat sheet!

6. You’ve had a security scare

Ecommerce stores contain a wealth of payment and sensitive customer data, a fact that unscrupulous cybercriminals know only too well.

It’s estimated that a third of all eCommerce businesses have experienced cybercrime in some shape or form, whether malware, phishing, or a brute force attack.

If your eCommerce store has been affected by a cyberattack, you can provide your staff and customers with peace of mind by replatforming.

Replatforming can help with security in two ways. Firstly, newer platforms are more likely to have frequent security updates (and some SaaS platforms can even apply them for you automatically). Secondly, there is more functionality that can help combat the threat of cybercrime, like multi-factor authentication, enhanced user access control, and secure checkout processes.

7. Your eCommerce platform provider has gone quiet

When you first launched your website, your eCommerce platform provider was more than happy to answer all your questions and queries. And if you had a problem, a friendly rep was only an email or phone call away.

However, as time passed, it took them longer and longer to answer your messages, until they just disappeared altogether.

Versions of eCommerce platforms are only around for a finite amount of time, until the next development is ready to be rolled out. When this happens, support and updates for the old platform are gradually withdrawn so providers can make way for the next big thing. Alternatively, eCommerce platforms can be discontinued entirely.

As an example, take ProStores. Bought by eBay in 2005, ProStores was designed as an eCommerce platform especially for small businesses. The platform’s unique selling point was that users could manage eBay listings from their own websites.

However, in 2015, the platform closed down, meaning businesses had to scramble around to find new eCommerce hosts.

If you know your eCommerce platform is at the end of its life and you want to take the opportunity to introduce new functionality, replatforming could be the answer.

Xigen: your replatforming experts

We specialise in helping eCommerce businesses identify and migrate to the eCommerce platform that best suits their needs.

Our team of replatforming specialists will work with you to understand your requirements and goals, creating a bespoke plan of action to ensure you can replatform quickly and without downtime.

By working with us, you will get a high-spec website that accommodates your needs, scales as your business does, and, most importantly, drives revenue.

Contact us today, and let’s work together to boost your eCommerce business.