The decision between a complete redesign and optimization is crucial for eCommerce businesses. Each option has its own benefits, costs and risks. At Novatize, we understand the challenges companies face when choosing the best strategy to improve their online presence. As an eCommerce merchant, this article will guide you through the key factors to consider in making an informed decision, highlighting the key elements of our eCommerce platform redesign and optimization support.
If you are a new eCommerce manager in your organization, here are a few essential tips to guide you in your first steps as an eCommerce manager.
When is it time for an eCommerce redesign?
When it comes to improving an eCommerce platform, there are two main approaches: redesigning and optimizing the current site. Redesign involves a complete transformation of the platform, with significantly higher costs and timescales, but which offers a better user experience and potentially a modernization of the brand. Unlike optimization, which is a more cost-effective, ongoing approach, and aims to improve performance and accessibility without the major operational risks associated with a redesign.
Are you looking to tender for an eCommerce redesign and want to ensure its success? Novatize has prepared a free guide to help you.
The advantages and disadvantages of redesign
- Cost and time: A redesign is more expensive and takes several months to complete
- Risk: There is a risk of traffic loss, as migration is the most complex SEO task to do, involving precise redirects and ensuring that all pages are correctly indexed
- Benefit: Improves user experience, modernizes brand and eliminates technical debt
The advantages and disadvantages of optimization
- Cost and time: Less expensive and faster to implement
- Risk: Less operational risk
- Benefit: Continuous improvement in performance and accessibility
How do you evaluate the technical debt of redesign or optimization?
Technical debt is a major factor in the decision to redesign or optimize. An outdated platform or customized technology can lead to high maintenance costs and complex upgrades. Technical debt impacts operational performance, increasing costs and limiting growth. “Technical debt accounts for around 40% of corporate IT balance sheets, and managing it effectively can increase revenue growth by 20%.” (1)
Some points to bear in mind when redesigning or optimizing your site
Align business objectives with digital strategy
When choosing between redesign and optimization, it’s crucial to align business objectives with digital strategy. The profitability analysis must evaluate the financial impact of both approaches against defined objectives, such as increasing visits, improving conversion, expanding the market or strengthening the brand. Technological choices must support these objectives to ensure future growth and evolution in line with market needs.
When companies merge or are acquired, they may need to be redesigned or optimized. Novatize’s specialists can offer you some advice to help you make the right choice for your situation.
Scalability of current solution
The scalability of the current solution is another key factor. A platform must be able to support a significant increase in traffic and transactions. Full auditing, upgrading or re-theming, and regular maintenance are strategies to ensure this scalability. The organizational impact of the choice of technology must also be considered, including technical complexity and the benefits of working with specialized partners.
At Novatize, our teams use the Agile methodology for every mandate, and one of the central phases of the method is the sprint stage. A sprint is a period of time, often between two and four weeks, during which our specialists accomplish a specific set of predefined tasks or objectives. Each sprint begins with planning, and ends with a review and retrospective. By segmenting the work into different short cycles and encouraging continuous reflection, sprints enable our teams to act quickly while constantly improving the project.
The optimal migration process
Migration to a new platform must be well planned and executed to avoid loss of traffic and visibility. A successful migration involves several phases:
- Define and plan the project;
- Establish pre-launch preparation stages;
- Carry out pre-launch testing (example: QA);
- Have a support team on launch day;
- Post-launch follow-up.
Each phase must include specific actions to minimize risks and maximize site performance after migration.
An MVP or MLP approach?
Adopting an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or MLP (Most Lovable Product) approach can influence the success of a redesign. An MVP allows you to quickly validate ideas and adapt your platform according to user feedback, while an MLP is more about captivating and engaging users from the outset.
Here are a few interesting elements to consider during a redesign that will help you keep up with tomorrow’s trends:
- Incorporate elements of sustainable development (example: design for sustainability and ecology);
- Adopt a minimalist design;
- Use augmented and virtual reality for immersive experiences (example: the ability to try on a pair of sunglasses online);
- Adopt ethical use of AI to enhance user experience;
- Optimize your SEO performance.
At Novatize, we recommend an MVP approach for redesigns, since it enables rapid validation and ongoing adaptation. Since this approach puts consumers at the heart of the strategy, Novatize shares some data on the eCommerce consumption trends of the Canadian population.
Ultimately, the decision between a complete redesign and optimization depends on each company’s situation. A meticulous evaluation of technical debt, alignment of business objectives with digital strategy, and the scalability of the current solution are crucial elements to consider. Our specialists can support you in this decision with a thoughtful and strategic approach, based on a thorough understanding of your needs and objectives. Whether you opt for a redesign or an optimization, the key is to maximize the efficiency and performance of your eCommerce platform while minimizing risk. With the right planning and execution, you can improve the online presence of your eCommerce business.
Would you like to talk to a Novatize specialist about your redesign or optimization projects?
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