For growing eCommerce brands, changing your tech stack isn’t just inevitable, it’s strategic. Base caught up with Real Agency to dig into the real-world considerations around replatforming, scaling, and future-proofing your business.
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Why Replatform? Because Growth Demands It
As your eCommerce business grows, your needs evolve. Replatforming is not just about moving from one platform to another. It’s about making smart, future-ready decisions that reduce friction, boost performance, and support scale.
We spoke to Real Agency, an expert eCommerce development team, about what brands get wrong (and right) when it comes to replatforming. Here’s what we learned.
Growth Is the Trigger: How to Know It’s Time to Switch
For many brands, the signs appear gradually until suddenly, your platform feels like a roadblock.
- You’re relying on workarounds and third-party plugins
- International expansion feels out of reach
- Your platform can’t support the next phase of your business
It’s almost always about growth, if your setup is limiting ROI or slowing you down, it’s time to rethink.
says the team at Real Agency
Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf: No One-Size-Fits-All
Should you build a custom platform or choose a SaaS solution like Shopify or BigCommerce?
- Off-the-shelf options work well for straightforward eCommerce journeys like browse, cart, and checkout.
- Custom builds are ideal for more complex models such as subscriptions, marketplaces, or configurable products.
You’re either product-led or tech-led. If your product is the focus, SaaS works brilliantly. But if tech drives the experience, custom gives you the freedom to innovate.
says Real Agency
The Hidden Costs Most Brands Miss
Replatforming costs more than just development hours. The two areas most often overlooked are:
- Data migration: Transferring customer accounts, product catalogues, and historical orders
- SEO: Preserving rankings and redirecting legacy URLs
“A data cleanse before migration is essential,” advises Real Agency. “Clear out dead products, outdated content, and inactive accounts. It reduces dev time and protects your SEO.”
Technical debt refers to the accumulated cost of workarounds or legacy tech that slows you down over time.
Choose for the Future, Not Just Today
A smart replatforming decision should solve for your future operations.
Questions to consider:
- What will your business look like in three to five years?
- What integrations will you need?
- Are you planning international expansion or new product lines?
Don’t just compare feature lists. Make sure the platform aligns with your commercial strategy.
Content: The Silent Migration Killer
Tech is only part of the equation. Many brands overlook the content side of replatforming.
From product descriptions and filters to page structures and imagery, a new platform often requires significant content revision.
The number one delay in migrations is lack of content readiness. We build the structure, but the content still needs to be populated. Most teams underestimate the lift.
Is Headless Commerce Worth It?
Headless is a popular term in eCommerce, but it isn’t right for everyone. “Unless you’re turning over £100m and swapping out your backend stack regularly, headless just adds technical debt,” explains Real Agency.
Headless allows for front-end flexibility but introduces complex integration and ongoing maintenance. For most mid-sized brands, the cost-benefit equation doesn’t add up.
UX and Performance: The Silent Conversion Drivers
Strong UX removes friction quietly. Yet many brands focus on design over functionality.
“Bad UX is obvious. Good UX should be invisible,” says Real Agency. “If you’re not using tools like GA4, Hotjar, or running UX tests, you’re leaving easy wins on the table.”
Performance matters too. Fast, responsive sites lead to better conversions and improved SEO.
Going International? Get the Tech Right First
Going global isn’t just about translating your homepage. You’ll need to consider:
- Currency and tax logic
- Local shipping and fulfilment partners
- Market-specific content and operations
Start with one territory, get the foundation right, and then scale. And don’t underestimate the internal content lift. Localisation is a big job.
Omnichannel Isn’t About Your Platform Alone
Can a single eCommerce platform future-proof your business for omnichannel growth?Not entirely.
“You don’t want a full-service solution. You want best-in-class tools,” says Real Agency. “Think marketing automation, CRM, ERP, and fulfilment systems. Work with specialists.”
The most effective stacks are modular, not monolithic.
What to Look for in a Development Partner
The success of your replatforming project hinges on more than the platform itself. The right development partner can make or break the experience.
“We call ourselves Real for a reason,” the team says. “We’re focused on honest, embedded partnerships that prioritise growth. That means clear feedback, transparency, and using budget where it actually matters.”
Real Agency’s Quick Replatforming Checklist
- Clean your data before migration
- Plan SEO redirects early
- Prepare all content in advance
- Choose platforms that align with future plans
- Avoid headless unless you’re a high-turnover enterprise
- Work with specialist partners, not generalists
Final Thoughts
Replatforming isn’t just a technical move. It’s a strategic investment in the future of your business.
Whether you’re clearing tech debt, improving UX, or preparing for global scale, success comes down to smart planning and the right people. That’s where Real Agency shines. Contact them today to talk about your platform goals: [email protected]
