Are you considering switching to a new eCommerce platform? You're not alone: A study by Digital Commerce 360 found that 51% of eCommerce respondents in their 2021 budget prioritize replatforming or replacing their eCommerce platform. This does not only apply to retailers. Manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors are also focusing on eCommerce platform technology.
When should you switch eCommerce platform? What are the main reasons for replacing it? From time consuming maintenance to poor customer experiences and a lack of B2B features, learn which six signs indicate you should consider replatforming.
If your webshop is slow or you often experience downtime, this almost certainly means loss of income. Corporate e-commerce customers are impatient, as are all retail shoppers. A delay of a few seconds can already cause you to lose your customer.
Speed and stability are important in the B2B shopping experience: when your customer is looking for a solution to his problem, he does not want to take too long. But even if you have just invested in a radio or TV commercial, you naturally do not want your potential customer to be confronted with an unstable webshop.
Problems with the performance of your e-commerce platform often occur during peak times. So especially at the times when the need for a fast, stable and safe webshop is greatest. Does it take more than two seconds to load a new page? Then you have already lost your visitor as a potential customer.
As an eCommerce company, you have to tell the same story online and offline, convey the same brand message and have the same product information. That is not easy: as a company you need one single source of truth. Even when you consider your ERP as a source, you must be able to link this with your eCommerce platform. This is the only way to reach your customer, your webshop, marketplaces, your sales colleagues, your warehouse and the transport company at the same time and in a uniform manner.
The degree to which you integrate ERP with your eCommerce platform can mean the difference between a best-in-class eCommerce experience or one plagued by workarounds and functional shortcomings.
In our whitepaper The 9 key benefits of ERP-driven eCommerce you will discover why such an integration is inevitable.
What really makes for a good shopping experience? Speed, convenience, consistency, friendliness - and a personal touch. Does your customer find it difficult to navigate through your webshop? Then it does not matter how much work you have put into it, but you will irrevocably lose it. Your customer wants to find what he is looking for within the first ten seconds of the website visit.
The choice for your eCommerce platform is decisive for this. If you have big ideas for your webshop, but keep finding limits and cannot add certain functions, it is really time to switch to a different eCommerce platform.
Do you want to expand your services? Then your eCommerce platform must grow with your organization. For example, a platform limited to one country may be unsuitable for the international market. Then you really have to start thinking about replatforming your eCommerce. In addition, you want to make sure that the new eCommerce platform is scalable and flexible enough to meet your ambitions for the next five years. Otherwise, you run the risk of outgrowing the platform again.
Another practical reason to ensure that your eCommerce platform can last for a while is the payback time of your investment. So really consider scalability and your own ambitions when choosing to replatform your eCommerce.
The maintenance of your website takes time and therefore money. Whatever platform you use, you will always have to update regularly. You also pay for the renewal of your licenses. The amount of these costs depends on your current eCommerce platform and supplier. Is your license period ending? Then it may be wise to compare functionalities, service and prices of eCommerce platforms.
Even if you pay more at party X for hosting, for example, switching to another eCommerce platform can ultimately still result in cost savings and higher turnover. While comparing, don't forget to check forums and online communities to find out whether or not the platform delivers what they say.
According to Forrester Research, 57% of B2B executives say their main planned technology investment is an e-commerce platform. But deciding which platform can be an overwhelming process. You simplify that process by looking for functionalities that are a must-have for you. Those ecommerce features are critical to your success in digital commerce. They help you attract new customers and grow.
When you have the right B2B functionalities you can offer your customers a better online customer experience. But it also helps you speed up ordering processes, be more accurate and less dependent on online support teams.
Replatforming your eCommerce is an investment that determines the future of your business. You have to find the right balance between your budget, performance and the size and ambitions of your company.
All the problems mentioned here cost time and money. By replatforming your eCommerce, you can give your customer a better shopping experience. In addition, you improve the satisfaction of your employees, because you also optimize the back-end processes.
But you don't just start replatforming your eCommerce. It must be done thoughtfully, carefully and at the right time. That is a labor-intensive project, because you actually upgrade your entire company. But rest assured: the investments you make in replatforming your eCommerce are worth it.
To exploit the growth potential of your organization, you need to switch to a new eCommerce platform. But what should you pay attention to during the orientation process? How do you build a convincing business case? How do you involve your organization and customers in this process? And is your organization structurally and culturally ready for replatforming? You will find the answers to these and other questions in our whitepaper.
In this white paper you can read 6 steps that are important during a replatforming project.
Download whitepaper
EN
Nederlands 