Avoiding website deployment mistakes is crucial for businesses transitioning to e-commerce, as these errors can hinder success in the competitive online market.
Running an e-commerce site, especially during re-platforming or significant upgrades, is no small feat and comes with its own challenges. From hosting issues to payment processing glitches, these pitfalls can cause unnecessary stress for your team if you are not adequately prepared for them.
To help you navigate this journey, we will explore the top 5 eCommerce website deployment mistakes to avoid. But before diving into them, let’s address some common questions about deploying an e-commerce website.
What is eCommerce website deployment?
It is taking an eCommerce website from its development stage and making it available to the public. This process involves configuring hosting, setting up the necessary web server software, and installing the eCommerce platform. It also includes setting up the database and other necessary components. It continues with connecting the website to payment gateways and other third-party services. Finally, the website must be tested to make sure everything is functioning correctly.
Why is website deployment required for an eCommerce website?
Website deployment is necessary for an eCommerce website. It allows the website to go live and become accessible to customers. It is an essential step to ensure that the website works as expected, is secure, and can handle the traffic of customers.
The best way to deploy a website includes setting up necessary features like payment processing, shipping services, and customer support. Without website deployment, customers would not be able to access the website and make purchases. That’s why it’s crucial to avoid eCommerce website deployment mistakes.
How long does it take to deploy an eCommerce website?
The time it takes to deploy an eCommerce website depends on several factors. It includes the complexity of the website, the number of features, and the resources available. The time depends on the size and complexity. Deploying an eCommerce website can take a few weeks to several months.
We hope we’ve answered some of your questions. Now, you should know the importance of eCommerce website deployment. It’s time to learn some of the common eCommerce website deployment mistakes. We will review mistakes such as not having a reverting strategy, not checking payment integration, unplanned deployment, etc. So, let’s get started!
Here are the Top 5 Common Website Deployment Mistakes
- Having less than four development environments
- Not having a reverting strategy
- Unplanned deployment
- Not checking payment integration
- Deploying on the weekend
1. Having less than 4 Development Environments
It’s recommended to have at least four development environments. It gives you the freedom to manage your deployment at different stages. A different developer’s desktop, development server, staging server, and production server make it easier to scale resources as needed. Especially when production demand is higher than expected.
It’s good to have a separate desktop for developers. It reduces the risk of cross-contamination between development and production environments. Not having enough development environment leads to various eCommerce website deployment mistakes.
Separate server environments for development, staging, and production minimize the risk of human error or malicious code being deployed in the production environment.
Having separate environments allows for clear and distinct development, testing, and production phases. Each phase can be monitored and tracked more easily. Different server environments allow different levels of security to be applied. It ensures that the production environment is secure from any vulnerabilities in the development environment. Also, it is easier to debug different environments separately. It saves time when troubleshooting problems.
2. Not Having a Reverting Strategy
Expect the unexpected.
Even though you plan out a perfect deployment, there are always chances that something could go wrong (we hope not). So the question now here is, are you prepared for the unexpected?
You prepare for this situation by making a clear plan to revert the changes, which will get you back to where you started. This will allow you to redo all the mistakes. If something has gone wrong during the development process, you can work on it and deploy it again after making the changes. Not having a reverting plan is one of the biggest eCommerce website deployment mistakes you can commit.
There is an important thing to note. Sometimes, fixing the issues caused by the deployment may be faster than reverting the changes and deploying them all over again. So, before reverting the changes, ensure that the issues are easily solvable and act accordingly.
3. Unplanned Deployment
Unplanned deployment can damage your eCommerce website because it can cause several problems. It includes system crashes, data loss, security breaches, and service disruption. This is one of the common eCommerce website deployment mistakes you must avoid.
If deployment is rushed without proper planning, it results in errors and mistakes. This can take a long time to fix. Unplanned deployment can also lead to costly downtime, as well as damage to the organization’s reputation. Additionally, if the wrong version of a system is deployed, it can be difficult to undo any changes that have been made.
4. Not Checking Payment Integration
Payment integration is one of the most problematic parts of deploying an eCommerce website. It is one of the most difficult eCommerce website deployment mistakes to avoid. It will be challenging to test payment integrations effectively during the build process of an eCommerce website. So, you must perform numerous manual tests before going live.
Software is also available to test payments in a similar production setting. If you’re implementing new payment processes, technology of this kind is essential.
5. Deploying on the Weekend
Deploying eCommerce websites before weekends, like Friday, may seem like a good idea at first, but it can lead to many eCommerce website deployment mistakes. Firstly, it can put too much pressure on the development team to rush the deployment and possibly overlook essential tasks. Additionally, customers may experience outages or slow loading times. This is due to the increased traffic over the weekend. Finally, if there are any problems with the deployment, it can be a challenge to get support over the weekend. It is generally better to deploy at a slower time of day to ensure a successful launch.
Conclusion
As we discussed earlier, running an eCommerce website can be difficult. Especially deploying your eCommerce website can be a headache if not done correctly.
Deploying your website is the most crucial part. Without doing that, customers would not be able to access the website and make purchases.
So you must understand the importance of deploying your eCommerce website. Try avoiding the eCommerce website deployment mistakes that we’ve discussed above. Avoiding these common mistakes can help you save time and resources in the long run.
In conclusion, deploying an e-commerce website can be a complex process. There are many potential pitfalls along the way. You should avoid these five eCommerce website deployment mistakes. This can save you time, money, and resources.
Having a reverting strategy, checking payment integration, having more than four development environments, planning a deployment, and avoiding deploying on weekends will help ensure your e-Commerce website deployment is successful.
Apart from the above eCommerce website deployment mistakes, there are other factors that can affect your deployment. It’s important to have a hassle-free deployment of your eCommerce website. That’s why we recommend you get the best eCommerce development services.
