ECOMMERCE TECH

Negative Impacts of Building an eCommerce Store With Technical Debt

ECOMMERCE TECH

Negative Impacts of Building an eCommerce Store With Technical Debt

In today's digital age, eCommerce has become an essential part of our lives. With the rise of online shopping, building an eCommerce store has become a necessity for businesses to thrive. However, in the process of building an eCommerce store, technical debt is a concern that cannot be ignored. Technical debt refers to the cost incurred by businesses when they choose to take shortcuts in their software development process, which leads to lower-quality code and architecture that needs to be fixed or refactored at a later time.

Screen Recording of a Digital Twin of Shoe with Product Information Rendered Around It

Exceeding the Budget 

Technical debt can cause projects and tech solutions to exceed the budget, leading to additional business costs. When taking software development shortcuts, the code becomes harder to maintain and update, leading to delays in project delivery. In some cases, businesses could incur additional costs to maintain and upgrade their eCommerce store, which can put a strain on their finances. Technical debt can also lead to increased operational costs, as businesses may have to spend more time and resources fixing bugs and addressing issues with their eCommerce store.

Obstacles to Revenue-Driving Initiatives

Technical debt can create obstacles that take away from revenue-driving initiatives. When businesses have to prioritize fixing bugs and maintaining the existing software, they may have less time and resources to invest in new features and functionalities that could drive more revenue. This can lead to missed opportunities for growth and expansion. Additionally, technical debt can lead to a poor user experience, which may result in lower conversion rates and reduced customer satisfaction. When customers have a negative experience with an eCommerce store, they are less likely to return and may choose to shop elsewhere.

Software Entropy

Technical debt can lead to software entropy, where eCommerce software architecture progressively declines over time. As the eCommerce store grows and evolves, the code becomes increasingly complex and harder to maintain. This can lead to slower load times, more frequent crashes, and a poor user experience. When technical debt accumulates, businesses may find it harder to make updates and changes to their eCommerce store, which can limit their ability to adapt to changing customer needs and market trends.

Compounding Technical Debt

Technical debt can compound over time, making it harder for businesses to keep up with changing requirements. Business requirements can influence the obsolete code, leading to compounding technical debt. For example, if a business decides to add new features to its eCommerce store that are not compatible with the existing code, it might have to make changes to the existing code to accommodate the new features. This can lead to a cycle of technical debt, where businesses have to constantly refactor and update their code to keep up with changing requirements. This can lead to decreased agility and flexibility, limiting a business's ability to innovate and compete in the marketplace.

Building an eCommerce store with technical debt can negatively impact businesses. It can lead to exceeding budgets, obstacles to revenue-driving initiatives, software entropy, and compounding technical debt. To avoid these negative impacts, businesses should invest in high-quality software development practices from the outset, such as continuous testing and refactoring, and prioritize code quality over short-term gains. This will ensure their eCommerce store is scalable, maintainable, and delivers a seamless user experience, leading to long-term success and growth.
 

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