Why Migrate Your eCommerce Platform?

The decision of whether or not to re-platform your site is a tough one. Many factors go into this decision.

The first step in your Commerce platform migration is determining if the platform you're currently using meets all of your business needs. If not, there are many options available to you when deciding on a new platform. Therefore, all platforms have their features and pros/cons that can help or hinder your business.

With that being said, below are the core reasons you should migrate.

Improper Integration

To further grow your business, you will most likely need to integrate some third-party extensions and plugins. Plugins and software that help you organize your content and track your users' activity in this way push your company to a higher level.

However, some platforms have hard limits. For example, Squarespace gives you room for around 20 apps and addons, while Magento has over 3000. So if you genuinely think you need more add ons, it's time to migrate.

Fixing Things Costs Way Too Much Time and Money

How much time do your developers spend fixing bugs, updating your websites, solving errors and issues? There is a point where investing time and money in keeping your website stable is not worth it. But, on the other hand, maybe you can't keep it on life-support, and what you actually need is a complete overhaul.

Repairing the bugs and the issues caused by a platform with poor software structure is just treating the symptoms, not the disease. If this is the case, if your skilled developers can't fix anything, then the core issue might be the platform, which is a sign you have to migrate.

Restrictions

Is your company growing too fast? Did you hit the ceiling with the number of products, orders, variants you can put on your platforms? Then it is time to think about performing an eCommerce platform migration.

If the platform you are currently using can't handle the volume of orders, products, and services you are willing to offer, you need to change. However, you can't let your platform restrict your company's growth and profits.

Your Website Is Slow

So here's the thing. Around 40% of users will leave a web page if it needs more than three seconds to load. With devices becoming faster and faster, people are unwilling to wait that long for information.

Having your website take ages to load might be an obvious sign that you need to make some changes. Besides people being bored by waiting for your website to load, it also harms your SEO which is very bad because you want to use the full potential of your platform. Keep in mind that Google's algorithms detect slow loading speeds and will hinder your rankings accordingly. Several things can influence the loading speeds of your websites, some of which are tied to your platform.

First of all, your website might have too much stuff, to put it simply. So, too many images or ads or bits of content. Maybe it has particular design elements, like animations, pop-ups, video, or audio. All of these put pressure on your website, tanking loading speeds. You might also be using too many third-party apps, or they just might be outdated. Or, there could be some messy code or some javascript issues in the background.

You Want a Change

The simplest one - maybe you want to change. Perhaps it's the lack of features that is annoying. Everything might be totally fine with your website and the platform you are using, but other platforms are simply better. In terms of time and money, there is no reason you shouldn't migrate if you can afford it.

How to Plan for Re-Platforming

Before you begin your eCommerce platform migration, it's important to plan the project properly. To do so, there are a few steps you need to take.

First, you'll want to start by identifying what needs to be re-platformed and how it will be done. For example, if your current website is built on WordPress and you want to change to Shopify, that's probably the only part of your site that needs to be changed. Instead, if your site is built on Magento and you want to change it over to Shopify, then we're going out on a limb and guessing that most of your site needs to be changed.

Next, make sure you identify all content that will need to be migrated from one platform (WordPress, for example) onto another (Shopify). It would be best to consider other factors like tax rates and shipping costs for both platforms. This way, you'll know how much it will cost before starting the process because there's no turning back!

What Resources Are Available to Me if I Need Help With My eCommerce Platform Migration?

There are plenty of resources out there to help you with your re-platforming project. For starters, take a look at the re-platforming section of the Shopify knowledge base. There, you'll find helpful information about what re-platforming entails and what steps are involved in this process. If you're looking for more in-depth guidance, you might want to try reaching out to an agency to assist you with eCommerce system integration and migration. These experts will guide you through the process and ensure that your site is running well and successfully meets your goals!

Conclusion

A good eCommerce platform migration is a complicated process. It requires a lot of time, energy, and knowledge. But it's worth it! Re-platforming can have a massive impact on your business and your bottom line. Hopefully, we have explained why and when you should re-platform and given you some quick tips on how to start.

When is the Right Time to Migrate Your eCommerce Platform?

Nikola Gorjanac

CTO

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