Your eCommerce platform is the difference between success and failure.
In the world of eCommerce, there’s no such thing as riding steady. If you’re treading water then you’re stagnating.
Whatever platform you’re using for your brand may be working now, but it isn’t guaranteed to work in the future. The cost of procrastination can also be heavy.
A $143k mistake
Gymshark, a British apparel company that's become a fitness industry powerhouse, started from humble beginnings in a garage. Founded in 2012 by Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan, they quickly pivoted from bodybuilding supplements to designing their own popular sportswear and accessories.
Gymshark was initially founded on Shopify. However, shortly after the business started to experience strong growth they needed to pivot. After consultations internally, the team decided to move their eCommerce website to Magento.
The launch of the site took so long, that by the time it was ready, Gymshark had already outgrown the website. After hundreds of thousands of pounds of development, the website was ready to launch in time for Black Friday (unfortunately).
However, their Black Friday would be far from smooth. Due to a website crash on the biggest eCommerce day of the year, Gymshark lost out on around $143k in sales. The reason for the crash was a bug in an application that was not even being used alongside Gymshark’s Black Friday campaign.
After losing $143k in sales, Gymshark were only able to do two things - apologise to their loyal customer base and find the best eCommerce platform for them.
The importance of scaling
Scaling is crucial for any eCommerce store that wants to achieve long-term success. Without the space for scale, your business is limited and vulnerable to changes in the market. Here's why:
Accommodates growth
eCommerce businesses ideally aim for growth. Due to the nature of an eCommerce business, this growth won’t be restricted by the physical limitations that affect brick and mortar stores.
Scaling ensures your systems and processes can handle this growth, whether it's a surge in traffic during a sale period, or a steady increase in customers. A scalable business can handle more orders, more visitors to the website, and more product offerings without crumbling under pressure.
Maintains customer experience
Customer experience is the lifeblood of any eCommerce business, and during periods of high traffic like sales, it can be make-or-break. If a would-be customer logs on to your site to find a sluggish, unresponsive website, they may be too frustrated to complete their purchase and head to a competitor instead. This can impact both sales and brand image.
A slow, crashing eCommerce site during a sale or inaccurate inventory information can frustrate customers and damage your brand reputation. Scaling ensures your site can handle high volumes and your information is accurate, providing a smooth customer experience that keeps people coming back.
Adaptability
The world of eCommerce is constantly changing. What was big last month is small next month. For businesses to stay ahead of the curve, agility is key. This is where scalability becomes a game-changer.
Scaling your business ensures that you avoid these pitfalls. It allows for the seamless integration of new features and tools, like cutting-edge marketing automation platforms or innovative payment processing systems, without disrupting ongoing operations. Imagine the ability to quickly adopt a new social commerce platform to capitalise on a growing trend, or effortlessly integrate a popular customer relationship management (CRM) tool to personalise the shopping experience. This agility ensures your business can capitalise on new opportunities, address emerging customer needs, and stay competitive in a dynamic market. Scalability empowers you to not just survive change, but to thrive within it.
Prepare for the unexpected
A well-executed marketing campaign or a product catching the public eye can send traffic soaring and orders flooding in. Without a scalable foundation, this surge in demand can quickly turn into disaster.
Imagine a viral social media post resulting in a tenfold increase in website traffic, only to have your server crash under the pressure, leaving potential customers frustrated and abandoning their carts. Similarly, an unexpected product launch that takes off can leave you scrambling to fulfil orders if your inventory management and fulfilment systems aren't equipped to handle the jump.
Scalability acts as a safety net in these situations. By having the infrastructure in place to accommodate unforeseen spikes in traffic, orders, and data, you can weather the storm and capitalise on the opportunity. In essence, scalability empowers your business to not only dream big but also be prepared to chase those dreams without fear of unforeseen roadblocks. Ultimately, it's the key to achieving smooth growth, seamless adaptation, and a consistently positive customer experience – the holy trinity of long-term eCommerce success.
Need support with your eCommerce?
At Refuel Creative, we have the tools and experience to get your Australian eCommerce platform running to its full potential.
Learn more about how we can unlock your potential with innovative eCommerce solutions below.
