Migrating to a new eCommerce platform doesn’t have to be risky. Discover how composable commerce helps businesses overcome migration challenges, ensuring a smoother, more flexible transition.
More often than not, migrating to a new eCommerce platform is a necessary step for businesses to stay competitive and offer superior customer experiences — especially for companies stuck on prehistoric legacy platforms. However, the road to replatforming is not without its challenges.
But here’s the good news: Composable commerce offers a solution that helps minimize these risks while setting up your business for long-term success. In this post, we’ll explore the common challenges of eCommerce migration and how composable platforms like commercetools can help overcome them. We’ll also include a handy infographic to summarize key data about migration challenges from our recent Migration Report, so let's get started!
Unpacking the benefits of migrating to composable commerce covers the benefits of migration leveraged from the Migration Report.
Why is platform migration important?
Replatforming is about more than upgrading your tech stack. It’s about enabling your business to scale, adapt and innovate faster. In a market where customer expectations are constantly evolving, sticking with outdated platforms can lead to lost opportunities. Limited scalability, inflexible systems and the inability to customize your user experience can hold your business back.
According to our report, 83% of those surveyed saw significant improvements in their ability to compete after switching to a modern eCommerce platform. The need for a better customer experience was the number one driver for migration, followed by the need for customization, advanced functionality and improved scalability.
But while the benefits are clear, many businesses are reluctant to take the plunge, often because of the perceived challenges and risks involved.
Common challenges with eCommerce replatforming
Migrating to a new eCommerce platform isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It’s a process filled with technical hurdles — from moving vast amounts of data and integrating complex systems to ensuring customer experience remains unaffected. Let’s break down some of the top technical challenges:
Moving large sets of customer and transactional data is like relocating a business with countless delicate items. Data errors can result in lost information, incorrect orders and compliance headaches. Still, 90% of migrators report improved sales and revenue post-migration, a testament to the rewards after this step.
Integrating new technology with legacy systems often feels like disassembling a Jenga tower: A complex process that needs a delicate hand to avoid business disruptions.
Poorly managed migrations can disrupt page loads, break URLs and impact SEO — all of which can hurt the customer journey and brand reputation.
The migration dilemma: Pain points and perceived hurdles
Our survey shows that though many potential migrators seek to improve their eCommerce, many feel they’re falling behind with their current vendor — so much so that 77% express a sense of urgency to make the switch within the next year. As a matter of fact, only 14% are satisfied with their current eCommerce platform.
Current pain points that respondents have with their current commerce platform include limited scalability (35%), delayed implementation (31%), low-quality customer support (31%), poor end-user experience (31%) and a lack of advanced features (31%).
However, several perceived hurdles prevent organizations from taking the leap:
Concerns about vendor reliability
A staggering 40% of potential migrators cite vendor reliability as their primary concern. Choosing the right partner is crucial; organizations seek assurances of credibility, financial stability and quality support. As one Global eCommerce Director noted, many prefer established brands over newer startups, which highlights the importance of proven success in a fast-moving market.
Data security and integrity
At 36%, fears surrounding data security and integrity are the second most commonly cited hurdle. Although some potential migrators worry about vulnerabilities during the transition, recent switchers report minimal issues, with only 3% feeling their data was insecure.
Choosing a trusted vendor that prioritizes security throughout the migration can help alleviate these concerns. As one IT Director emphasized, effective platforms are designed to mitigate risk, allowing organizations to make informed decisions.
Potential business disruption
With 34% of businesses worried about interruptions to operations during migration, ensuring a smooth transition is essential. Organizations must carefully strategize to minimize the impact on ongoing activities while upgrading their systems.
Time required for implementation
For 29% of potential migrators, a lengthy implementation process is a significant drawback. Companies often fear that extended timelines could delay the benefits of switching platforms, so finding ways to streamline the transition is crucial.
Time required for training
Finally, 25% of organizations view the onboarding efforts required for a new system as a considerable challenge. Investing in effective training programs is vital to ensure teams can fully leverage the new platform, ultimately supporting a successful migration.
How to mitigate the risks of replatforming
So, how do you handle these challenges (perceived or otherwise) while minimizing risk? Here’s where composable commerce comes in.
1. Gradual, modular migration
One of the key advantages of composable commerce is its modularity. Instead of uprooting your entire system at once, you can migrate individual components — like your checkout process or product catalog — over time via the strangler approach. This method reduces disruption and allows you to focus first on high-priority areas.
2. Flexibility and scalability
With composable commerce, you can choose and integrate only the services you need, allowing you to scale without unnecessary complexity. This flexibility also means you can continuously evolve your platform, ensuring it always meets the latest customer demands without massive overhauls every few years.
3. Data migration solutions
Composable commerce solutions like commercetools Platform offer robust data migration tools to help manage the complexity of transferring data. This reduces the risk of errors or downtime during the switch. Additionally, having data housed in flexible APIs rather than rigid structures makes it easier to adapt and integrate.
4. Customer experience assurance
Composable commerce allows you to maintain the quality of your customer experience throughout the migration. Since you’re only changing what needs to be changed, disruptions are minimized. And, because many composable platforms prioritize performance and scalability, your website will continue to deliver fast, reliable experiences even as you migrate.
While the challenges of eCommerce replatforming can be significant, adopting a composable commerce approach can make the process smoother, more flexible and less risky. As our report shows, businesses that have made the switch are already seeing the rewards. So, if your business is still on the fence about replatforming, now might be the time to embrace composable commerce. The journey may not be without its hurdles, but the long-term gains are more than worth it.
Now, let's take a look at our infographic, which provides a visual breakdown of the challenges of migration.
There's even more great stats in the report! Get all the results of our survey by downloading the full Migration Report.