What's So Scary About Replatforming?

The common replatforming headaches

Many business owners have the same worries when it comes to replatforming:

1. Data Integrity and Downtime: Losing customer data or facing extended periods of downtime can feel like the worst-case scenario. The reality, however, is that with thorough planning and expert execution, you can minimize these risks significantly. A robust migration plan ensures that every piece of critical data—from customer records to order histories—makes it safely to the new platform without causing service interruptions.
2. Cost Considerations: The prospect of upfront costs can be intimidating. It’s important to think of replatforming as a long-term investment rather than an expense. The improved functionality, greater scalability, and enhanced customer experience you gain from a modern platform can lead to better operational efficiency and increased revenue down the line.
3. Technical Hurdles: Transitioning between platforms often means tackling technical challenges, such as integration issues or compatibility problems with existing systems. While this can sound overwhelming, a step-by-step approach that includes careful planning, testing, and quality assurance can make the process manageable—even for those who aren’t tech experts.
4. Managing Change: Every replatforming project brings about changes that affect your team’s workflow and your customers’ experience. Adjusting to a new system can be disruptive initially, but with proper training and support, these transitions can be smoothed out, paving the way for long-term improvements.

The Replatforming Process

A well-executed replatforming project is broken down into several key phases. Here’s an overview of how the process typically unfolds:

1. Assessment and Planning:The process begins with an in-depth assessment of your existing system. This stage involves identifying current pain points, evaluating performance metrics, and clarifying your goals for the new platform. At this point, having a detailed migration roadmap is crucial. It serves as a guide to ensure every step is carefully managed, reducing the likelihood of unexpected hiccups along the way.

2. Platform Selection:Next comes choosing the right platform. Many businesses find that upgrading from an outdated system to either SelectCommerce or Shopify brings numerous benefits, including a modern design, extensive integration options, and strong community support. With SelectCommerce we include three months of support, so you won’t be left scratching your head with any of the features.

3. Data Migration:Transferring your data is one of the most critical parts of replatforming. This phase involves moving all essential information—product listings, customer details, and past orders—from the old system to the new one. Using the right tools and best practices, we can safeguard your data throughout the transition, ensuring everything arrives intact and ready for use.

4. Design and Development:Once your data is successfully migrated, the focus shifts to building an engaging storefront that aligns with your brand. This phase is collaborative, involving designers, developers, and key business stakeholders. Whether you’re working with Shopify or SelectCommerce, the aim is to create a site that is both visually appealing and functionally robust.

5. Testing and Quality Assurance:Before the new site goes live, thorough testing is essential. This stage covers everything from functionality checks and user acceptance testing to performance evaluations. The goal is to catch any issues early, ensuring that when your customers visit the new site, they enjoy a seamless experience without any glitches.

6. Launch and Ongoing Support:Finally, your new site is launched. But the process doesn’t end there. Post-launch support is critical to address any unforeseen issues and to help your team adjust to the new system. Continuous monitoring and optimisation ensure that the platform evolves along with your business needs, keeping you ahead in a competitive market, which is why our Select Supreme package includes ongoing search optimisation support as standard.

How can you tell when it’s time to replatform?

There are a lot of things that might point to a need to replatform, but the most obvious one is pretty simple - time. If your site’s not had an update in the last five years, you’ll already be noticing most of the other warning signs.

These include slow performance on both the front and in the background of the website, difficult to manage or even nonexistent integration with your inventory system, and a general lack of helpful functionality.

We all know that technology moves on at a pace, which is why we replace our computers and smartphones regularly, but the same isn’t always true for our eCommerce platforms. Limited scalability and a clunky interface could be costing you both sales and customer satisfaction, so why not set aside the time to investigate?

Grasping the nettle, taking the bull by the horns and biting the bullet

While the thought of replatforming naturally stirs up a sense of apprehension, you can view it as an opportunity rather than a risk. It’s a bit like moving house - the process can be long, and it’s detail heavy, but once completed the possibilities are endless. The temporary challenges are outweighed by the long-term benefits: a more agile operation, improved user experience, and the capacity to scale effectively with market demands.

We’ve guided numerous businesses through replatforming, helping them transition smoothly and confidently into the future. With careful planning, clear strategies, and ongoing support, the shift to a new platform—be it Shopify or SelectCommerce—can be a transformative step that revitalizes your eCommerce operation. Having the right agency at your side (as a partner, not one that sees you as a product) can really reduce the pain. Drop us a message or give us a call today if you’d like to find out how we can help.