Every e-commerce company eventually runs into the limits of its current platform. Perhaps you're using a solution that has become technologically outdated.

A typical example is the end of support for Magento 1 in June 2020, which forced many retailers to migrate to a more modern system.

Rapid business growth can also be a strong reason for change. If your current platform can no longer handle a surge in orders or international expansion, it’s a clear signal you need a stronger foundation for future scaling.

Similarly, if you face functional limitations that hold your business back (such as missing advanced features, lack of ERP/CRM integrations, or limited customization), it’s worth considering a more robust platform.

Magento 2, including the enterprise version Adobe Commerce, makes sense when you no longer want to compromise and are looking for a solution that can grow with you.

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It’s important to remember that replatforming is not just an IT project—it’s a strategic decision that involves both business and tech teams. Marketing and sales teams focus on UX, customer experience, and campaign effectiveness. The IT team ensures performance, security, integrations, and data stability. The decision to change platforms should therefore be a joint one.

With the right timing and a well-thought-out migration plan, this change can become an opportunity to not only fix problems but elevate your e-shop to the next level.

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Mapping Risks and Concerns Before Migration

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Platform migration naturally comes with concerns. Let’s look at the most common risks e-commerce leaders worry about and how to mitigate them:

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1. Downtime Risk

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‍Fear of service interruption and lost revenue during the launch of the new system is valid. Every hour of downtime can mean significant financial loss. The solution lies in meticulous go-live planning and choosing an experienced partner.

Deployment during off-peak hours, gradual traffic rerouting, and 24/7 monitoring post-launch greatly reduce the risk.

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2. Budget and Timeline Overruns

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Migration projects can get expensive or delayed—especially when new requirements emerge mid-project. This is not uncommon and not necessarily a problem, but without good project management, it can destabilize the plan.

Minimize this risk with detailed initial analysis, realistic planning, and regular scope reviews.

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3. Data Loss or SEO Impact

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Losing data like orders, customer accounts, or product catalogs—or dropping in search engine rankings—are common fears. Prevent them with careful migration planning and a thorough SEO audit. Data can be transferred seamlessly, and URLs can be redirected to retain both search engine ranking and user context.

Prepare your redirect plan and on-page SEO before launch.

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4. Internal Resistance to Change

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New platforms often bring new tools and processes. Your team may be unsure: "Will the system be manageable? Will it slow us down?"

Early access to a test version, team involvement, and training sessions can help smooth the transition and increase adoption.

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Migration Plan: Best Practices

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Migrating an e-shop is complex. Here's a proven step-by-step approach that reduces risk.

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Audit & Platform Selection

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Start with a system audit. What isn’t working? Which features must be preserved? Choose the right platform based on your business needs, scalability, and budget. Magento 2 Open Source offers a strong base, while Adobe Commerce Cloud provides enterprise-grade features. Your technology partner should help tailor the right solution and architecture.

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Infrastructure Preparation

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Set up development, testing, and production environments. Magento is powerful but requires optimized servers. Decide whether to host in the cloud (e.g., Adobe Commerce Cloud, AWS, Azure) or on-premise. Implement CI/CD pipelines to automate deployments. Load testing environments will help verify performance under stress.

For instance, in our project with ProEx, we implemented a cloud-based infrastructure and frontend built on Nuxt.js. This resulted in one of the fastest-performing e-shops in its segment.

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Parallel Development & Data Migration

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While developing the new platform, prepare to migrate product catalogs, customer data, and order history. Initially, migrate a bulk of data to the test environment. Then, just before launch, migrate the remaining updates.

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Clearly define what needs to be preserved (e.g., active accounts, addresses) and what can be archived (e.g., old logs, legacy statistics).

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Comprehensive Testing

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Test functionality, UX, integration, and performance thoroughly. Go beyond technical QA—perform user acceptance testing (UAT) with employees or a pilot customer group. Also test third-party integrations (ERP, payments, warehousing) and simulate peak traffic scenarios like Black Friday.

Ensure all products, users, and orders are visible and functioning correctly.

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Go-Live Plan

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Plan the go-live schedule precisely. Redirect old URLs, set up database backups, prepare customer support, and ensure everyone is ready. Launch outside peak hours and monitor the site closely in the first days.

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Use a checklist

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freeze changes on the old platform, back up databases, configure DNS, implement redirects, and send out customer communications if needed.

Reinforce your support team to handle early-stage questions.

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The Role of a Partner in Migration

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Migration is a demanding project. Mistakes can lead to data loss, SEO drops, or revenue hits. It pays to have experienced experts on your side.

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Key focus areas:

• Preserving customer accounts and passwords
• Mapping and replacing outdated modules
• Tuning infrastructure and performance
• Full testing of integrations with ERP, logistics, payments
• Ensuring compliance with security and legal (e.g., GDPR, accessibility)

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A reliable partner helps you make critical decisions—from choosing the platform to optimizing UX and business features—so you can focus on your business objectives.

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Conclusion: Change as an Investment

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Replatforming isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a chance to shift direction.

Migrating to Magento 2 gives you a high-performing, stable, and scalable foundation. If your current system no longer meets your needs, don’t view migration as a necessary evil. See it as a strategic investment in your growth.

A well-executed migration brings better performance, new features, stronger security, and more freedom to grow. Whether you’re expanding in your domestic market or entering new ones, a modern platform lays the groundwork.

With a good plan and the right people by your side, migration can be a catalyst for your next business leap.