A brief exploration into the importance of having an integrated tech stack when running an eCommerce business.
The world of eCommerce is a large place with a lot going on, and by the looks of how people purchase products in the modern age, it’s not slowing down anytime soon!
In 2020 a recent study showed that online sales accounted for nearly a third of overall retail sales made in the UK. In this growing industry, companies are faced with the stark reality of updating their methods of commerce to fit into an ever-changing retail landscape or face being left behind! Many companies chose the former and embraced this new rush for eCommerce capabilities head-on – yet found it hard to understand where to start. This is where the importance of technology came into play to offer a helping hand!
With this new age of online retail bearing heavy on companies’ shoulders, a wave of new technology has emerged to make this new digital space easier to navigate, making processes smoother, more efficient and user friendly. A combination of these technologies is known as a tech stack and is incredibly subjective to the retailer and its market. Engineering the right tech stack is a delicate process that can either make or break an eCommerce retailer!
Delicacy and technology are two words that don’t usually crop up together in the same sentence, but in this case, they go hand in hand. Ensuring the best-suited technologies are chosen to suit the retailers’ demands is vital because many eCommerce solutions are designed to solve specific problems within the retail ecosystem.
The reality is that it’s near impossible for a company making the transition into the eCommerce space to know what works and what doesn’t, leaving them with two options.
Option 1: independently try and test different solutions until you are satisfied with the results.
Option 2: Find guidance through an eCommerce Agency to help navigate the eCommerce world.
Option 1 may be seemingly more cost-effective, but Option 2 ends up being the better deal in the long term. By employing the expertise of an eCommerce Agency, they apply their knowledge of the industry to create a bespoke tech stack perfectly suited to the culture and vision of the transitioning retailer. In the long run, this option saves the retailer valuable time, resources and money.
The customisability and personalisation of a tech stack is vital, but perhaps more important is making sure the tech stack is integrated from end to end. Having all parts of a retailer’s tech stack fully integrated allows for an authentic omnichannel experience. Furthermore, having this ecosystem of integrated solutions running through the spine of a business can radically streamline their business processes, allowing for more time to be spent focusing on critical areas of company growth and data analysis.
Implementing an ecosystem of solutions connected via robust integrations encourages automation of everyday tasks to become the norm, a useful practice that’s paramount for scaling a retail business. As businesses grow and an increased workload emerges, the need for a company’s technological capabilities to perform tasks that “do the heavy lifting” becomes ever more important in the long run.
With more companies jumping into this new and exciting eCommerce space, the ecosystem of resources available to them has grown exponentially. This has been fuelled by an increase in demand and technological advances within the market. Even though this boom is an excellent thing that’s raising the standard of the eCommerce industry, it doesn’t come without its complexities and challenges. This is where the help of an eCommerce agency, like ourselves, comes in handy to make sure your tech stack is done right!
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING AN INTEGRATED TECH STACK INTO YOUR RETAIL BUSINESS THEN SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS TODAY!
