Why many e-commerce agencies reach their limits when scaling their projects - and how they can overcome them

The scaling of e-commerce projects presents many agencies with enormous challenges. While smaller projects often run relatively smoothly with manageable teams, the complexity quickly becomes apparent as the order volume grows. To be at the forefront of expansion, e-commerce agencies need a clear strategy and the right solutions at their side. But what are the main causes of these difficulties and how can they be overcome?

1 Complexity of system integration

One of the biggest obstacles in adapting to new requirements and growth-related changes in e-commerce projects is linking different systems. E-commerce platforms often need to be connected to ERP software solutions, CRM tools, payment gateways and marketing solutions. These systems use different technologies, protocols and data formats, which makes integration difficult and often leads to long development cycles. Without a clear strategy for integrating interfaces or suitable no-code/low-code middleware that simplifies these processes, agencies quickly run out of time.

2 Lack of automation and standardization

Many agencies invest a lot of time in programming their clients’ workflows themselves or rely on external developers to synchronize orders and stock levels across different systems, for example. While these processes are still easy to implement for smaller projects, they quickly exceed the available resources for larger projects. This impairs the productivity of the agencies and makes scaling more difficult.

3 Inadequate technological infrastructure

An outdated or inadequate technology infrastructure can be one of the biggest hurdles to expanding e-commerce projects. Agencies faced with these growing demands often encounter performance issues or system failures when their infrastructure is unable to handle the increased load. E-commerce systems regularly change the requirements for connecting to their interfaces. Middleware providers quickly adapt their connectors during updates to ensure smooth integrations. In addition, audits must be passed in order to obtain or extend approval for interface use.

4 Optimization of data management and integration

As an e-commerce project grows, so does the volume of data - from orders to customer and product data. Without middleware, these data streams have to be processed through separate, often error-prone and high-maintenance interfaces. The cleansing, adaptation and optimization of data feeds requires considerable development effort. Especially with complex product data tables, error-free processing is very cumbersome and tedious.

Middleware, on the other hand, simplifies integration considerably and reduces sources of error. It provides a single point of truth - a central data source that can be accessed by all systems. Flexible data record mappings speed up data processing considerably, eliminate Excel work and enable faster system integration. Using middleware, agencies can connect more systems more quickly and reuse already implemented processes for other customers, which saves time. The reduction of error sources and the freedom gained promote faster project processing and support the scaling of the company.

5 Security and compliance requirements

E-commerce agencies must ensure that the tools they use are not only efficient, but also secure. Data protection regulations such as the GDPR place high demands on the protection of customer data. Any neglect can have significant legal and financial consequences. It is particularly important to check the location of the data center where the data is processed and stored. As the amount of stored information is constantly growing, the risks to agencies and their reputation from inappropriate handling of sensitive data are also increasing. Data protection and compliance are therefore key issues that e-commerce agencies and IT professionals must constantly address.

6 Insufficient communication

Clear and open communication between teams and stakeholders is crucial to the quality of an agency’s work. Without clear communication structures, misunderstandings and delays in collaboration quickly arise. Another stumbling block is complex programming languages and source code, which are often difficult for non-technical people to understand. This makes both internal communication within the team and the exchange with customers, who increasingly want to be more involved in the development process, more difficult. It is therefore crucial to visualize processes and make them comprehensible. The modular system of a no-code middleware simplifies communication between technically experienced and less tech-savvy team members as well as with customers.

A performance mindset: Successful scaling through API strategies, middleware and automation

Middleware solutions and no-code/low-code tools play a central role here by speeding up integration processes and significantly reducing the complexity of linking systems. Automated workflows and specialized tools enable e-commerce agencies to react quickly to new requirements. Agencies have the flexibility they need to keep pace with the challenges of growth in the long term. Agencies can train their internal teams and rely on DIY solutions and dispense with external experts. They can simply take the connection of interfaces and data feeds into their own hands.

Conclusion:

The key to successful scaling lies in the combination of automation, standardization and a well thought-out API strategy. Those who invest in the right tools and expand their expertise will be able to remain competitive in the long term and expand their portfolio.

Download our checklist now and start your next project with a clear strategy!

The checklist is designed to help you develop and expand your expertise in the areas of interfaces, APIs and automation:

• Analyze your workflows and develop a clear automation plan step by step
• Make the right choice when evaluating and planning your integration platform

Download checklist now