Staying ahead of the curve in e-commerce is critical – it’s so competitive, you always need to be at the forefront of tech and processes. Ensuring that you have the right e-commerce solution for your business is a big part of that. So, if you have a sense that your existing setup isn’t the best, what should you be looking for when making a change?

It's not always easy to know when it's time to make a change. You get caught up in the day-to-day and stop evaluating how you’re working, as well as which platforms are best for your business. Today, we’re running through the key signs that you need to change your e-commerce solution. If any of them jump off the page – make sure you take note.

Front-end

First and foremost, the front-end of your current setup might not be up to scratch. This is a big deal because it is the driving factor that impacts conversions; and if your e-commerce site is not visually appealing or doesn’t have a user intuitive flow, you risk losing potential customers. If you notice that your bounce rate is high, or if users aren’t spending much time on your platform, then it's time to take a closer look at your front-end.

Complexity

When you have doubts about the speed of feature developments, that is often a sign that your e-commerce solution is over-engineered – pay attention. Sometimes, in an effort to create a perfect solution, businesses end up over-engineering their e-commerce platform. This can result in a complex and confusing system that is difficult to maintain and update, resulting in long delivery times for features and fixes. Typically, we see this in DIY solutions or ones that use obscure tech that lacks broader integrations with mainstream platforms. 

QA & testing

The way Quality Assurance (QA) is implemented might be poor, resulting in more bugs and issues than necessary. If you find that your platform is difficult to maintain or update, or if QA issues are happening regularly, it's time to consider a more streamlined solution.

Best practices in customer data protection

Are you sure your current provider is handling data protection properly? 

e-commerce platforms handle sensitive information like personal and financial data, and it's your responsibility to ensure that information is secure at all times. If you find that your current platform isn’t built and operated on industry best practices surrounding security, it's time to think about a change. It should go without saying, but a secure platform builds trust with your customers and protects your business. 

Ask yourself/ your provider the following:

- Do you know which data is stored in your e-commerce solution and why?

- Is data access limited only to those who should have access? 

- Do you use password management tools? What are your security standards?

The right fit

It's important to assess whether your e-commerce agency is adding value whenever they deliver projects and updates. If you find that their work is not meeting your expectations or adding value to your business, ask yourself this – is there a better way? There are tons of e-commerce agencies out there, and it's important to find one that truly understands your business and is able to help you translate that into a prioritized backlog.

This point is about cooperation and mutual understanding. Mutual understanding by working as one team with your agency ensures that the features with highest value are created in the most efficient way with no rework. qualitative, but if every delivery ends in rework, it’s time to find something new. If you feel your agency is not challenging you on solutions at times, it’s time to experience real partnership and commitment.

Whether it's a lackluster front-end, over-engineering, bloated teams, a lack of best practices, or an agency that just doesn’t fit the bill, it's so important that you find an alternative. By finding the right e-commerce solution for your business, you can ensure that you stay competitive, continue to grow and ultimately thrive in the ultra-competitive world of e-commerce.

Want a better solution from a better provider? CoreConnect with rb2 might be just what you are looking for.