Harnessing Commerce Replatform Implementation for Digital Transformation

The right commerce platform is pivotal to shaping business success and growth. As your organization is looking to boost operational efficiency and facilitating digital transformation, undertaking a replatform journey is a strategic decision that needs to align with your broader goals.  

The process can be complex; however, the benefits are transformative. It can lead to enhanced processes, improved customer experiences, and substantial revenue growth. To ensure a smooth and successful transition, it's essential to follow key principles that promote collaboration, uphold morale, and keep everyone working together toward shared objectives during the implementation.

Core Principles for a Successful Replatform

The journey to successful replatforming begins with strong internal buy-in, the right technology platform, and a skilled implementation partner. To learn more about how to accomplish this, read our previous blog, “Building Internal Support for Your Commerce Replatform.”

Now it's all about execution. Here are five core principles that lead to a successful commerce replatform implementation:

• Periodic In-Person Meetings: While a hybrid working environment is common, it poses challenges. At the onset of the implementation project, it's essential to prioritize in-person meetings. Engaging face-to-face with vendors and implementation teams strengthens collaboration, clarifies roles, increases idea generation by up to 20%, and sets clear expectations for the project's trajectory.
• Celebrate Incremental Wins: Everyone wants to hear good news. Acknowledge and celebrate small milestones throughout your project to build trust, reduce complexity, and inspire your team. These celebrations can increase overall team performance by 20%,  and are vital for navigating modular and complex integrations while mitigating risks.
• Hero Culture for Wins and Losses: Large projects will have some bumps in the road that require problem-solving. It’s important to foster a culture of openness where team members feel safe to self-reflect and report issues. This environment encourages accountability, and motivates team members to creatively solve problems, and exceed expectations.
• Efficient and Agile Communication: Communication is key, but it is important to evaluate who needs to participate or be informed at a given time. Streamline communications and adjust meeting structures to boost efficiency by 20-25%. Make sure to involve the right people to avoid unnecessary meetings to enable quick decision-making.
• Enjoy the Ride: Embrace the transformation process, despite its challenges. Celebrate victories–both large and small– and take pride in the collective achievements of your team.

Key Replatforming Metrics to Measure

“If you can’t measure something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it.” ― H. James Harrington

Understanding the impact of a replatforming initiative is critical for assessing ROI and improving processes. Align goals and metrics to effectively measure success.

Key metrics to track:

• Revenue Metrics: Focus on customer lifetime value, revenue from traffic, conversion rates, and average order value. Additional indicators like customer churn, email engagement, and site performance metrics are also valuable.
• EBITDA Metrics: Evaluate operating performance through gross margin, customer acquisition costs, and general and administrative costs. Consider factors such as return rates, logistics costs, and service efficiency.
• Contribution Margin: Calculate this metric to understand how sales growth influences profit growth. Analyze contribution margin by selling and marketing channels for strategic insights into profitability and efficiency.

Choose 20-30 KPIs to track the initiative's impact, optimize processes, and explore opportunities for improvement. By understanding these metrics, leaders can ensure the strategic and financial success of their commerce replatforming project.

A Commerce Replatform Success Story

Bounteous x Accolite partnered with fabric to create a complete digital transformation for a leading women’s fashion retailer. The retailer was looking for a complete digital overhaul to build loyalty and engagement within their community of fashion stylists. Their existing ATG (Oracle/Advanced Technology Group) platform was outdated and unable to support their growth objectives.  

Together, we re-imagined their omnichannel commerce strategy. This remarkable 12-month journey culminated in a modern headless solution that enables agile, continuous development.

How did we do it?

We followed the core principles for a successful replatform, including:  

• In-Person Collaboration: Periodic in-person meetings ensured smooth execution and promoted teamwork.
• Hero Culture: Celebrating wins fostered trust and accountability, driving improvement.
• Focused Communication: We streamlined meetings for effective, meaningful interactions.
• Accountability: Committed team members propelled our project's success.
• Leadership: Strong leadership inspired the team throughout the replatform.
• Clear Goals: Defined goals with executive buy-in ensured accountability and engagement.
• Partnerships: Collaborating with Contentstack and Akeneo enhanced product launch speed and scalability.

The Results

• Migrated the retailer's four digital commerce websites to fabric.
• Achieved a 30% lift in conversions thanks to the new commerce experience.
• Projected to help the retailer reach $1 billion in digital revenue by 2025.

Strategic Replatforming: Your Path to Future Success

Implementing a successful replatforming initiative involves a strategic approach, careful planning, and detailed execution. By fostering open communication, celebrating incremental achievements, and focusing on the right metrics, you set a solid foundation for the project's success. Measuring the initiative’s impact through well-chosen KPIs ensures that every effort contributes towards achieving the strategic objectives of both efficiency and innovation. As you navigate this transformative journey, remember that committing to the process and getting dedication from leadership is as pivotal as technology, ensuring an organization's resilient and competitive future.