Launching a new product?
Here are some ways to ensure your eCommerce platform is primed and ready for the incoming spike in digital traffic.
Any business that trades online understands; the ability to seamlessly bring new products to market is a testament to supply chain efficiency that can elevate the purchasing experience of their customers. So when a new product launches – especially one that has been highly hyped (e.g. Iphone XYZ, Xbox 5, etc), problems with the launch can have a significant impact on financial performance, along with reputation.
Get it wrong and the effects can be disastrous.
For example, 82% of consumers polled in the thinkTRIBE Perma-Peak report said that if they had a poor online experience during Black Friday, they would be less likely to shop with that retailer again over the Christmas period.
In the new era of customer demand-driven eCommerce, platforms need to be in a constant state of readiness in case an unexpected peak should arise, or should a foreseen peak exceed expectations. With the much anticipated release of the Sony PS5 on the horizon, here’s a few points to consider when ensuring your eCommerce platform is primed and ready for your new product launch.
Eight ways to ensure your eCommerce platform is primed for peak trading
Walk a mile in your customer’s shoes
Test as your customers would experience it – use a live site, script real behaviours on a variety of realistic end-to-end journeys. What percentage of your customers drop-off? Have you any data from previous events that you can use?
Beware the stealth bugs eating sales conversions
Just because your website hasn’t alerted you to bugs doesn’t mean you don’t have them. Be proactive – effective web performance means hunting for problems, regularly testing and using realistic monitoring.
Three’s a risk
Third-party plugins are great – right? We all like a bit of personalisation, but on-going use of third-parties requires ongoing monitoring if you’re to be sure you won’t suffer any surprises. (Remember when World Pay went down Black Friday 2018!)
Think ‘testing first’
Factor-in testing from the moment you create your eCommerce solution.
How do your customers engage with you?
Mobile? Desktop? Tablet? App? Test holistically and optimise everything – certainly not just desktop.
Who’s marking the homework?
In-house devs, agency devs – fantastic builders, but how impartial are they? Will they have the technical expertise, to fully test your complex eCommerce platform?
Take testing 3D
Look at every angle – consider local peak trading triggers, time differences, cultural difference around customer journeys and the full range of shopper behaviour.
Break it to make it
Don’t fear site flaws – fear finding none. Errors show your testing and monitoring regime is working.
