With over 26.5 million live eCommerce websites, online retail is a flourishing but a dynamic ecosystem. To win in this ecosystem, online businesses continuously strive to stay ahead of the curve. For smaller or larger businesses―at any stage of their eCommerce lifecycle―the need for an optimized competitive edge to lead the pack is a constant strategic imperative.
So whether you are struggling with inadequate legacy eCommerce systems, have come to terms with a marketplace platform solution not realistically suited as initially planned, or simply have outgrown your current systems, the need to look ahead and pivot might be the need of the hour.
In this blog, get a walkthrough on switching your eCommerce marketplace platform why you need it, the steps to execute it, and how we can assist you in this endevor.
Fundamentally, eCommerce platform migration is simply the strategic process of switching your eCommerce marketplace from an existing platform to a new one. Technically, though, the process has a lot to it. It involves careful execution that ensures data integrity, transferring from the existing dataset to the new, streamlining file formats from source to destination, and synchronizing storage devices. Migrating an eCommerce platform is also referred to as platforming.
The eCommerce marketplace platform is the fulcrum of your business. It can be a catalyst for market dominance but at the same time, an insufficient eCommerce platform can drag your business down with impediments. Before you realize it, you start losing ground to other competitors.
That is when you turn to eCommerce migration. It does involve certain considerations. But if you follow the best practices, the eCommerce migration can be seamless. The best place to start is conducting a feasibility analysis of the requirements. Which indicators tell you it’s time to move on from the current eCommerce platform? Here are a few things you should consider.
As the eCommerce ecosystem continues its accelerated advance, eCommerce platforms have been going through a metamorphosis to cater to an industry with growing needs. eCommerce businesses that rely on legacy eCommerce systems have been unable to adjust to the change. Modern eCommerce platforms are extensively capable and yet high-performing. To stay competitive, legacy systems can consider re-platforming to modern eCommerce solutions.
eCommerce features play a key role in the success of a marketplace business. In a time when online businesses scramble to get consumers’ attention, eCommerce platform capabilities foster positive consumer experiences. Moreover, they enhance the efficiency of managing the operations for sellers and the Admin. Hence, an eCommerce platform with rich features promises better consumer traction and operational efficiency.
In a multi vendor eCommerce business, the overall value offered on the platform is a key motivator for online shoppers. Hence, online businesses are often stretching to get a price advantage. To achieve this, it is pivotal to optimize business overheads. That said managing overheads as such is difficult.
Especially for the online businesses that had favored subscription-based SaaS eCommerce solutions to launch. At the time of launch, it may have seemed an easier way to start. However, later on, they realize the never-ending overhead that subscription costs add and that only increase as they scale. Hence, to stay competitive, migrating to one-time payment platforms starts gaining business providence.
Business Agility is imperative to navigate a competitive environment. Hence customization needs are likely to come up throughout the lifecycle of an eCommerce marketplace business. Thus online businesses need a customizable platform and a team to handle the customization. If the current platform lacks customizability or the support of an expert team, it is prudent to migrate to a customizable solution with readily available reliable customization services.
Just like customization, the integration capabilities of the eCommerce platform augment the possibilities for an eCommerce platform. Online businesses would want to rely on an eCommerce marketplace platform that is readily compatible with wide-ranging APIs. This compatibility enhances the ease to build connectors with their eCommerce ecosystem.
Online businesses are held up by poor after-sales support. First inadequacies in the eCommerce platform hold you from getting competitive in the market. If after that, the response from the support team is slow, it does not give you the appropriate solution, the support is very costly, or worse still the team simply lacks expertise, you have serious issues on your way to market success. To circumvent this, migrating to an eCommerce solution renowned for robust after-sales service mechanisms should be a priority.
These were some key scenarios when you should be running a feasibility analysis of switching eCommerce marketplace platform for a more competitive future for your online business.
Before migrating to another eCommerce platform, businesses need to evaluate several factors that will be key to the overall success of the migration process. These factors include:
First, factor in the total budget required for the migration process. The budget can include the cost of the process and the cost of the new platform solution. Based on this cost analysis, better decisions can be made and choosing the right solution to migrate can be better ascertained.
Since eCommerce migration there might be some downtime, but since the eCommerce migration promises a much better ecosystem for your business, it is better to navigate this with proper preparation i.e. everything can be seamlessly managed with proper planning, following a methodical approach, and choosing the right eCommerce solution with quick implementation teams. Moreover, seamless migration services help in mitigating any impact to a minimum.
Another important aspect is the current ranking of your eCommerce marketplace platform on the search engines. While migrating to a more capable eCommerce platform is key to the success of the business, retaining the digital identity of your online presence is equally important. For this purpose, you would want to retain the architecture of the site, page URLs, and the menu structure. Ensure that the setup of the new platform mimics your older asset.
The best way to approach a key activity is via following a methodical and measured approach. It is the same for migrating your eCommerce platform. Discussed below is a step by step process which can help you in migrating your eCommerce platform.
Based on your eCommerce strategy, you may need a list of functionalities and integrations in the eCommerce platform. Before initiating the migration process, make a list of all these functionality and integrations. Observe, which of these are covered out of the box by your chosen eCommerce solution. Those not covered will have to be customized into the eCommerce solution.
Be specific about your goals. For instance, if you want a conversion-centric UI/UX. List this down. Consider both expected positive outcomes while being mindful of any potential negatives that can arise. Highly rated eCommerce marketplace solutions are built to offer exceptional outcomes. This brings us to the next step.
After planning and setting goals, the next step is selecting the eCommerce solution that will power your new platform. Your decision to replatform is based on an inadequate current platform situation. Take note of all things that are impeding your progress. Based on this, select an eCommerce solution with the right mix of technology, features, flexibility, TCO, and support from a reliable team.
There are many types of eCommerce solutions available. But for a successful eCommerce business, you can consider self-hosted for lower TCO. Furthermore, evaluate a rich feature set and integrated APIs. Additionally, after-sales support will be equally crucial. These are some of the leading eCommerce solutions:
1. Yo!Kart: Self-hosted multi-vendor marketplace solution for online retail platforms
2. Growcer: Self-hosted marketplace builder for hyperlocal platforms.
3. Adobe Commerce: Open-Source eCommerce software
4. BigCommerce: SaaS eCommerce solution
5. Sharetribe: SaaS eCommerce marketplace software.
Your eCommerce platform data is precious. Before proceeding with the migration process, create a data backup. In this step, export all the data regarding products on sale, sellers, and buyers of the eCommerce marketplace platform. Next, include all the data related to the marketplace orders.
Also, ensure you create a duplicate copy of the website’s content. This should include all the images and the website’s database. Lastly, secure any custom code or scripts.
The actual migration process will vary from one eCommerce solution to another. Before commencing, understand the process thoroughly and proceed. Alternatively, the very best eCommerce solutions are also available with migration services. You can outsource this crucial step to the migration team.
As mentioned earlier, the data to select would be products, buyers’ and sellers’ data, orders, media files used by the CMS, any static pages, and marketing collaterals like a blog. Migration is an extensive method of mapping and then transferring data, functionalities, and integrations. To do that first the current system is analyzed, and then a migration plan is curated. Next, custom scripts are developed to execute the data transfer.
Some methods of migration include:
After completing the migration, you need to test the new eCommerce platform. Log in under various user names on the eCommerce platform and test all the workflows. Import a small amount of data and evaluate whether it has been seamlessly transferred. To do that also check the accuracy and arrangement of the data. Lastly, ensure that the URLs, media files, and SEO data have also been accurately transferred.
If your new eCommerce platform solution is a white label solution, the next step is to personalize it to align with your business needs. Upload your brand logo, and make other changes to tailor the solution as per the branding needs. Additionally, you need to activate the integrated APIs with keys provided in the documentation of the new platform solution.
The user experience your eCommerce platform delivers is key to business success. Audit the website to check page loading times are efficient. Check out for all product listings added. Make sure you offer a frictionless browsing and seamless checkout processes.
Finally moving to getting the new eCommerce platform up and running in the market i.e. launching the eCommerce platform. The solution is deployed on the servers for on-premises or self-hosted eCommerce platforms. Before proceeding, test the eCommerce platform in the live environment to conduct a final round of tests. Once that is done, move on to the next step.
After the eCommerce marketplace has been successfully replatformed, it is important to notify all the users and the stakeholders of the eCommerce business. Use multiple communication channels like emails, social media messages, and banners on the eCommerce platforms to communicate the status of the eCommerce platform.
Including FAQ on the eCommerce website’s page is another way to help users effectively navigate the transition. Ensure that you include all platform participants in the messaging. This can include stakeholders, partners, sellers, suppliers, and customers.
Your decision to migrate to a new eCommerce platform is based on improving certain aspects of your online business. Whether it’s newer functionalities, better platform performance, or simply improving the cost-effectiveness of the products, the migration process would have brought in something better for the eCommerce business.
Make sure that you take advantage of the improvement and market it to the target user base. For higher impact, consider giving out promotional discounts or rewards to encourage users to experience the new eCommerce platform. Additionally, marketing methods like email marketing to target inactive users can be implemented.
The eCommerce migration is an important endeavor in the lifecycle of your eCommerce business. Once you have accomplished this, there are a few things to consider. Discussed below are some things to consider after the replatforming:
eCommerce platform migration requires you to be careful about some aspects. There are certain challenges, but employing best practices for eCommerce migration can give you the solution to these challenges. Here preparation is the key. With a systematic approach, you will be able to navigate this process.
Challenge: Data loss during migration
Solution and best practices: Data loss is a common pain point of eCommerce migration. Since data is invaluable, ensure that backups are created with care. Double-check the backups to confirm their integrity. Additionally, accurate data mapping is essential; therefore, partner with an expert team to execute the migration process, particularly one that is well-acquainted with the new eCommerce solution.
Challenge: Downtime during the Migration
Solution and best practices: Due to the unavoidable downtime associated with eCommerce migration, the timing of the migration will need to be planned accordingly. Prioritise off-season times for this process. The time when the expected user traffic is at the lowest. Additionally, sending out notifications, and alerting your users in advance will also lead to an overall seamless transition.
Challenge: Less knowledge of the new platform
Solution and best practices: The knowledge associated with a new eCommerce solution are maximized by detailed demos and elaborate documentation provided by the migration partner’s solution. An adept eCommerce migration team will also assist in ironing out any initial hiccups in your eCommerce journey.
Challenge: SEO loss during transition
Solution and best practices: The way to navigate this is to have a robust SEO strategy for eCommerce migration. For a start, try to keep the on-page changes to a minimum. You can use canonical URLs to direct the pages that have received the most updates. Additionally, avoid indexing if you have any dynamic pages. Resolving 404 issues with a custom brand 404 page helps. Lastly, keep performing link and backlink audits to identify any loose ends. But most importantly, choose an eCommerce platform solution that offers comprehensive SEO-ready features from the word go.
FATbit technologies is a leading eCommerce services and solutions provider since 2004. Having worked with Fortune 500 companies, SMBs, and small scale startups across the globe, FATbit has delivered for a diverse range of requirements and challenges. Among other eCommerce services, FATbit also offer eCommerce migrations.
However, key to these services are FATbit’s turnkey solutions. The company has a range of ready to use versatile eCommerce solutions. These solutions cover a 360 degree of all industries. For the retail industry it has Yo!Kart.
A leading turnkey marketplace software, Yo!Kart offers a holistic solution for online businesses of varying sizes. For this reason, Yo!Kart is an ideal solution for mid-cycle eCommerce businesses considering replatforming to more holistic and reliable eCommerce solutions. Some highlights of Yo!Kart are:
While starting, many eCommerce businesses are prone to not choosing the best-suited eCommerce platform solution. However, a bad start does not mean the end to means. Over the years FATbit has empowered such companies with seamless migration services and robust eCommerce solutions, that mitigates the challenges, and injects fresh competitive advantage for these businesses to lead the eCommerce market.
For these reasons, FATbit has been highly rated for both its migration services and its rich-featured eCommerce solution, Yo!Kart. Find below some exemplary reviews by FATbit clients on the leading review platform, Capterra.
eCommerce is a competitive space, where sustained dominance hinges a lot of consumer experiences, operational efficiency, and value that your eCommerce business offer. The eCommerce platform is the focal point between all this. If the platform impedes you moving forward, it may be the time your should consider pivoting.
That said, eCommerce migration is a tedious process, that if not correctly followed, can have challenges. In this guide on how to switch your eCommerce platform, you have a roadmap to go about this process. That said, for a seamless transition, trust experts to help you sail through this. Moreover, rely on a mordern eCommerce solution that gives your business a competitive edge.
Q 1. What is eCommerce migration?
Ans: The process when you switch from using one eCommerce platform to another. All data regarding products, orders, sellers, customers, and others is transferred from the older platform to the new one.
Q 2. What are the key considerations when creating an eCommerce migration plan?
Ans: The key considerations for eCommerce migration plan are as follows:
Q 3. When do I plan eCommerce platform migration?
Ans: The decision to switch eCommerce platform depends upon the answer to following questions:
Q 4. What are the solutions to challenges in eCommerce platform migration?
Ans: The following eCommerce platform migration best practices help you in mitigating the risks
Q 5. What are the 10 steps of eCommerce platform migration?
Ans: The 10 steps for eCommerce platform migration are as follows:
All innovation starts with an idea to solve real-world problems. At FATbit Technologies we are passionate about driving digital transformation to prepare businesses for a digital-first tomorrow. Let’s discuss your BIG idea NOW.
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Rohit Gulati is a Mechanical Engineer with an ardent passion for writing. With 14 years of entrepreneurship experience, he shares his valuable insights into business management through his write-ups. When not writing he loves to travel or listen to a number from U2
