Signs It's Time to Transition to a New E-Commerce Provider

n the fast-paced world of ecommerce, it’s crucial that your platform and agency are helping—not hindering—your growth. After all, your ecommerce provider should be a driver of efficiency, innovation, and scalability, not a source of frustration and limitations. But how do you know when it’s time to make a change?

Well, that's exactly what Darin and I talked about on the episode of Commerce Today that we just finished livestreaming - look for the edited video to be live on the Commerce Today page and the Creatuity YouTube channel in the next week!

In the meantime, though, for those of you that prefer reading to listening or watching, I'm going to share the insights from the episode in this article.

We’ll explore the red flags that signal it might be time to transition to a new ecommerce provider, whether that’s your platform, your agency, or both. We’ll also walk through the steps for making a smooth transition and discuss the long-term benefits of moving on.

Red Flag #1: Frequent Downtime or Site Instability

The first major sign that it’s time to look for a new provider is site instability. If your website crashes frequently, that’s a problem that’s costing you both money and customer trust. One of the most common questions I get from potential clients is, “What’s your on-call policy when our site crashes?” My answer is always, “Your site shouldn’t be crashing in the first place.” Frequent site outages are usually a sign that either your platform or agency isn’t up to par—or both.

When your site is down, you’re losing money with every minute that passes. It’s also a big hit to your SEO. Google doesn’t appreciate finding an offline site, and your rankings will take a dive as a result. To make things worse, customers lose trust. If they hit your site during an outage, there’s a good chance they’ll bounce and never return.

If your site isn’t stable, you’re likely facing one of two issues: either your business has outgrown the platform, or the agency responsible for building or maintaining it didn’t set it up right. And the more complex your business becomes, the more critical it is that your platform and agency can keep up.

Red Flag #2: Not Keeping Up with Growing Traffic

Another telltale sign that it’s time for a change is when your ecommerce provider can’t support growing traffic and transaction volumes. With Black Friday around the corner, this is something we’ve already been working on with our clients. If your platform and agency aren’t talking to you about capacity planning for peak times like this, they’re probably not doing their job.

I’ve seen businesses assume that every website struggles on Black Friday. The truth is, that’s not the case for everyone. If your site is going down during these critical sales periods, it’s a clear indicator that something’s wrong—either with your platform or your agency.

When it comes to traffic surges, proactive planning is everything. If your ecommerce provider isn’t engaging in those conversations, they may not be equipped to help you scale efficiently.

Red Flag #3: Lack of Innovation

Innovation is the lifeblood of ecommerce. If your platform or agency isn’t keeping up with new technologies, you’re falling behind. This could mean slow adoption of tools like AI or lack of support for automation that could save your business time and money. For example, we recently worked with a client to integrate OpenAI’s GPT into their operations. The result? Thousands of dollars in monthly savings by automating previously manual tasks.

A strong provider should always be looking at ways to innovate and improve your ecommerce operations. If they’re not keeping up, they’re actively holding you back. I’ve seen too many platforms and agencies resist change because they’re comfortable or too focused on their existing customer base. But the moment your provider stops innovating is the moment you should start looking elsewhere.

The Impact of Staying with an Underperforming Provider

Sticking with a provider that isn’t serving your business well will have long-term negative consequences. Let’s break it down:

1. You’ll Lose Money This one’s a no-brainer. If your site is unstable, slow, or lacks key features, you’re going to lose out on potential revenue. Every second of downtime or poor performance is money lost to your competitors.
2. You’ll Fall Behind Ecommerce is a competitive space. If your competitors have a better user experience than you, customers will choose them over you every time. That’s why falling behind on technology can hurt your business long-term. I’ve seen companies in competitive verticals go through waves of replatforming, and those that move quickly can leap ahead of the pack.
3. You’ll Waste Time and Resources An inefficient platform or agency can cost you in ways you might not even realize. Manual processes, lack of automation, and poor workflows add up. If you’re spending time on things that could be automated, you’re wasting resources. One company I worked with had to call a developer every time they wanted to add a product to their site. Not only was that incredibly inefficient, but it also cost them time and money that could have been better spent elsewhere.

Making a Smooth Transition to a New Provider

So, you’ve decided it’s time for a change—what’s next? Transitioning to a new ecommerce provider can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan ahead. Here are the steps to ensure a smooth migration:

1. Know Your Contracts Whether you’re switching platforms or agencies, the first thing you need to know is when your current contracts are up. I’ve had clients come to me wanting to migrate, only to realize they’re locked into another year on their current platform. Know the renewal dates and plan your transition timeline accordingly.
2. Minimize Downtime If you’re working with a good agency, they should be able to handle the platform migration with minimal downtime. I’ve seen cases where sites were down for days during a switch, and that’s just not acceptable. With proper planning, the transition should be smooth and invisible to your customers.
3. Legal Considerations One major issue I’ve encountered is when clients realize they don’t actually own the code for their site. If your agency has locked you into a proprietary system or you don’t have full ownership of your code, you may need legal assistance to make the switch. It’s critical to understand the terms of your current contracts before making any changes.
4. Communication is Key Keep internal stakeholders informed throughout the transition process. If you don’t clearly explain why the change is being made, you’ll run into resistance. It’s also important to prepare your customers, especially if a platform change will require them to reset passwords or take other actions. But be careful: avoid messaging that might make customers expect a bad experience. You want them excited about the new platform, not dreading potential issues.

Long-Term Benefits of Transitioning to a New Provider

Switching providers is a significant effort, but the long-term benefits can make it all worthwhile. Here are a few reasons why making the change is worth the investment:

1. Improved User Experience A modern platform or more experienced agency can improve your site’s performance and user experience. Faster load times, better mobile optimization, and a smoother checkout process all lead to higher conversions.
2. Increased Efficiency A better platform will streamline your operations, reducing manual processes and saving time. When you optimize workflows, you’re not just cutting costs—you’re freeing up resources to focus on growth.
3. Future-Proofing Your Business Moving to a modern platform means you’ll be better equipped to handle future growth and changes in the ecommerce landscape. You’ll be able to adopt new technologies quickly and stay competitive.

Final Thoughts

If you’re seeing red flags with your current ecommerce provider, don’t wait to take action. The cost of staying with an underperforming platform or agency far outweighs the effort required to make a switch. By planning ahead, communicating effectively, and choosing the right partners, you can ensure a smooth transition that sets your business up for long-term success.

If you want to chat about your current ecommerce setup or explore whether it’s time to make a change, feel free to reach out to me here on LinkedIn. I offer free 30-minute problem-solving sessions where we can dig into your specific challenges and find a path forward - you can book those directly on my profile.

Remember: the right ecommerce provider isn’t just about today’s needs. It’s about building a foundation for the future.