Internet Retailer - Site performance managing a multi-faceted challenge

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Internet Retailer - Site performance managing a multi-faceted challenge

How fast a retail web site responds today depends on outside service providers and the consumer’s browser, as well as on the performance of the retailer’s data center. Performance experts can provide crucial support for this complex undertaking.

Retailer web sites are more complex than ever. They often rely on outside companies to provide such applications and content as shopping carts, video and customer reviews, and on the consumer’s web browser to assemble the content and render it properly. At the same time, e-commerce sites must mesh flawlessly with back-end technologies, such as inventory and order management systems. Making all those parts come together in a few seconds is no small challenge.

Retailers depend on their online presence to convert visitors to shoppers and ultimately into repeat customers. Site performance plays a key role in creating a unique brand presence for the retailer and building customer loyalty and a sense of community among site visitors.

While the content on a retail site may come from several sources—including e-commerce vendors, web analytics and product reviews providers, and other third parties—it is the retailer’s responsibility to make sure key store functionality is working well for consumers at all times. This includes landing pages, home page, search functionality, shopping cart, authentication and checkout. If any of these elements perform poorly, it is the retailer’s brand consumers will remember, not the third-party provider of those services.