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The eCommerce landscape is constantly evolving. If your current platform can’t keep up with the goals and needs of your site or your site isn’t performing up to expectation, it might be time to consider migrating to a new eCommerce platform to serve your business best.

Understanding Platform Migration

What is a platform migration?

eCommerce platform migration, or replatforming, allows eCommerce retailers to move their site from one eCommerce platform to another. This process includes transferring critical site data, content, and information to be excised from the original platform and transplanted onto the site hosted by the new platform. Some of the content and data in the replatforming process include product data, systems, integrations, design elements, and customer data. 

Site replatforming is becoming increasingly common in the eCommerce industry. In fact, 61% of B2B eCommerce retailers are considering a site migration over the next 12 months.  To stay competitive in an increasingly saturated market, retailers that remain on a platform that no longer suits their needs risk a site that underperforms and sends clients running to competitor sites. 

A site migration might seem like a daunting and overwhelming task to take on for your business. Site replatforming is certainly a complex process. So when it comes to deciding to stick with your current platform or migrate to another, there are a few factors to consider. It is critical to know what to look for when deciding if it’s time to replatform your site. 

Why consider eCommerce platform migration?

There are many reasons to consider taking on a site migration for your eCommerce site. Customers are faced with infinite options when it comes to shopping online. If your site doesn’t live up to customer expectations you face lost business and ultimately lost revenue for your site. 

So what are some reasons to consider replatforming your site? eCommerce site migrations are tough work, that’s a fact. But it also provides an opportunity for growth and evolution for eCommerce merchants willing to put in the time and effort. 

Common reasons for migrating eCommerce sites to a new platform include outdated technology that can’t keep up with business needs and operations, diminished user experience, and the necessity for greater integration capabilities. Though site migrations can seem daunting, eCommerce retailers who are frustrated with their current site performance should weigh the benefits provided by a site migration for their business and consider taking that step.

Migrating your eCommerce site to a new platform creates opportunities for growth and scalability. A more powerful platform with enhanced tech capabilities allows you to expand your business and evolve daily operations to support you and your customers’ needs. A more powerful platform offers potential benefits for your site including more power, a deeper level of customization, improved functionality, and faster performance. 

If any of this sounds like it applies to your eCommerce business it might be time to consider a site replatform.

Preparing for eCommerce Platform Migration

Conduct A Needs Assessment

Before committing to a full migration of your eCommerce site, it is critical to conduct a needs assessment to completely and thoroughly outline, understand, and ensure the site migration meets and achieves your needs. 

When it comes to conducting a needs assessment, here are some criteria to consider

  • Audit your current platform to see where it falls short and identify issues and limitations that create the need to switch platforms.
  • Identify goals you hope to achieve with this re-platforming process.
  • Understand the costs involved and if your team can take on this project or will need an agency partner to tackle the migration.
  • Evaluate potential options and the features, functionality, and integrations each option offers.
  • Develop a timeline for completing this project.

Once you have conducted a needs assessment, it's essential to involve the stakeholders to gather input and analyze the needs of your business. Additionally, it’s critical to consider your target customer base and their expectations and needs. Including the important players in the decision-making process ensures you conduct a needs assessment and a plan that best fits your business and will ensure a positive future for your eCommerce site. 

Choosing the right platform

After you have completed the needs assessment and determined that a site migration is the right step for your business, you can begin to tackle one of the tougher steps in the re-platforming process: choosing the right platform. 

Several factors must be considered when choosing the right eCommerce platform to migrate your site. 

When selecting your platform, compare various options and how they align with your needs.

  • Features
  • Scalability
  • Cost
  • Ease of use

Additionally, assessing how each option compares and aligns with your business goals is critical. For example, eCommerce businesses that sell in restricted verticals, including firearms, cannabis, or other regulated goods and services, must carefully examine platform options to ensure they have the infrastructure to host and support buying and selling in restricted verticals. Ensure that the platform you select can perform at the optimal level to achieve your goals, comply with standards and technical requirements, and fulfill your business objectives. 

Check out our guide on "Working With an eCommerce Agency: Everything You Need to Know" >>

Platform Migration Strategy

Set Clear Goals and Timelines

As previously discussed, the best way to tackle a project as extensive as a site replatform is to set clear goals and timelines. If you choose the agency route, setting these goals and timelines ahead of time helps the team establish a proper course of action to choose a platform that meets your needs and delegates time and resources effectively without wasting money. 

To be proactive, don’t wait until your site is a sinking ship to plan for your migration. Be proactive by setting a target migration date and developing a detailed timeline for each necessary step to achieve a timely launch that isn’t a drain on your resources. Create a detailed strategy that accounts for everything involved with the site migration, including accounting for customizations, store complexity, required extensions, and required data migration. 

It is also crucial for businesses to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments during the migration process. Red Deer Shooting Centre faced this during their migration process. To hit their target launch date, RDSC worked quickly with Smart Solutions as their agency partner to achieve an end result that made them and their customers happy. Though they ran into some bumps during the project, they were ultimately able to achieve the site they wanted and yielded great results that increased sales and conversions for RDSC. 

Data Backup and Security Measures

Data backup is one of the most crucial elements of the migration process. The goal of re-platforming an eCommerce site is to develop the most seamless transition possible to move all content from an underperforming platform to a platform that can meet business needs without loss of data or content. Conducting a data backup before the migration ensures minimal data or content loss risk and acts as a safety net for customer data and information the business already possesses. 

Hand in hand with the data backup is ensuring proper infrastructure is in place for data security during this transitional period. Implement encryption software that keeps your business compliant and protects customer data as you migrate your site. 

Conclusion 

If your site is underperforming and your current eCommerce platform no longer suits your needs, it might be time to consider an eCommerce site migration. Conduct a needs audit to identify goals and create a strategy that identifies the platform that best suits your needs and allows for growth. Customers are faced with an infinite amount of options for eCommerce. If your site isn’t keeping up, then you’ll fall behind. Find an eCommerce platform that allows growth and evolution and supports the necessary functions for your site. 

eCommerce site migrations are tricky, but with careful planning and strategic execution, you can understand, prepare for, and execute a replatform for your site with a seamless transition that prepares your eCommerce business for growth and success. 

When you’re ready to conduct a successful site migration, It might be time to find an eCommerce agency partner with proven experience with eCommerce site migrations to implement a flawless replatform that allows your eCommerce business to thrive. Smart Solutions knows eCommerce and demonstrates a wealth of experience with platform migrations. Let’s book a call and kick off your migration strategy. 


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