eCommerce Website Maintenance Checklist [Updated 2024]

Ecommerce website maintenance is an ongoing process in which the ecommerce site operates properly and offers a good user experience to all visitors in the long run. 

Your eCommerce website functions without any disturbance in the first few months after going live. However, as time progresses performing regular website maintenance is a must for the best results.

It involves regular updates, addressing security vulnerabilities, and applying security patches to avoid security breaches. 88.5% of visitors say that slow-loading pages are the top reason for leaving a website. 

In this article, we will learn more about ecommerce website maintenance and weigh its pros and cons. We will also give you a complete checklist to keep your store in top condition. But first, let’s start with the basics!

eCommerce Website Maintenance Checklist

Follow the ultimate checklist shared below to maintain your e-commerce store properly.

1. Update WordPress Themes & Plugins

• If you are using WordPress, then you have to keep your themes and plugins updated. With every new release of the WordPress version, the developers offer bug fixes, new features, and patches for security vulnerabilities. 
• If you fail to update to the latest version, then you are positioning your store and its sensitive/personal information at risk. 
• You can miss out on the latest features that can offer better performance. You can perform the updates manually or pick a reliable maintenance partner to enjoy automated updates and reduce the burden off your shoulders.

Also Read–eCommerce Product Page Optimization

2. Monitor Your Store Analytics

Monitor your store’s analytics to ensure that your digital marketing campaigns are giving the desired results or not. Identify the potential issues and gaps and refine your marketing strategies for better results. These analytics can help you improve the performance of your online store.

Here are some tips for using the store analytics for better results.

• If you see a dip in the overall traffic volume, you must check the URLs in the ads and email and make sure that they are correct. Analyze the traffic volume patterns to look for the popular timings of the visitors and schedule your blog posts, product releases, and marketing campaigns for better results.
• Review the keywords and other popular terms that customers are using to find your products and services. Include them in your product descriptions for better results.
• Identify the most popular products and blog posts among your visitors. The marketing team can use this data to suggest the right products to your target audience and create relevant content management for them.
• Analyze the geographical location of your shoppers and offer relevant features to attract new customers. You can provide the facility to buy products in local currency and offer an interface in their local language for better customer experience.

3. Create A Backup Of Your Store Regularly

• Backing up your store data plays a pivotal role in the proper maintenance of your ecommerce store. Ensure that all your sensitive data like customer information, product siting, order, etc., are protected from any unforeseen emergencies like cyberattacks, human errors, server crashes, etc. 
• In any unforeseen circumstance, use the recent backup to restore your store quickly to minimize downtime and potential revenue loss.
• Schedule automated backup for consistency but it is recommended to always perform a manual backup whenever you make major changes in your store. 
• Keep multiple backup versions at different locations like the cloud, local storage, etc., to ensure that you can recover from any incident without any unnecessary hassle.

4. Ensure High Security

There are around 1.9 million unique threats reported by end-users in 2023. So, it is necessary to deploy suitable security measures to maintain a high level of security to prevent any data breaches, malware attacks, or other types of cyberattacks. 

• Audit your store on a regular basis to identify the security vulnerabilities and mitigate them in the least possible time. 
• On top of this, it is necessary to keep the theme, plugins, and software of your store up to date to reduce the chance of hackers exploiting any loopholes.
• Besides using strong passwords, you can opt for advanced measures like firewalls, two-factor authentication, and SSL certificates to add an extra layer of protection.

5. Screen Out The Broken Links

A broken link which is basically a site link that is no longer working. It happens when the webpage is moved to a new address or deleted permanently. You should check your store for broken links on a regular basis. 

• All the visitors will get a 404 error on their devices when they access the webpage through a broken link. This will frustrate the visitors as they will not get the required products or services. 
• Moreover, it harms the SEO of your store. So, it is important to screen out all the broken links and fix them quickly to offer a positive experience to all the visitors.
• There are different ways to handle the broken links. You can remove the broken links, update them, or create suitable redirects for them. Determine the root cause of the issue and take the necessary steps to remove them.

6. Keep A Check On Downtime

More downtime can hurt your ecommerce business in different ways. You can lose potential customers which will reduce the conversion rate and even face huge revenue loss. 

• Monitor your store for any potential issues that can cause downtime like server overload, software conflict,  security breach, etc. Opt for a reliable hosting provider that offers a maximum uptime guarantee.
• Maintaining a high uptime for your online store will allow your visitors to have uninterrupted access to products and services. This will further boost their trust, increase the customer satisfaction level, and improve sales performance.

7. Optimize The Store For Speed

Slow-loading pages increase the bounce rate resulting in a higher cart abandonment rate and lower conversion rate. It can hurt your online ranking on Google as it considers loading speed as a ranking factor.

Here are some ways to make sure that your online store loads quickly.

• Optimize the product images and other media files to reduce their size without compromising the quality. This will improve the overall load time of your store.
• Go for some reliable caching plugins to store the data that is frequently accessed by visitors. This reduces the load on your server and speeds up the page load time for repeat visitors.
• Opt for a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to deliver static content which will reduce the load time for visitors who are accessing the store from different locations around the world.

8. Maintain Accurate Inventory Numbers

Updating the inventory number on time prevents overstocking and missing potential sales even when you have the required product. 

• It will allow you to reflect the right amount of products in your store. 
• It helps avoid disappointing customers who may place orders for items that are out of stock, which can lead to frustration and lost sales. You can opt for automated inventory tracking but manual audits are essential to maintain high accuracy.
• Proper stock levels improve the supply chain management of your online store and allow you to reorder the products on time to meet the demands of your customers. 
• Keep a check on your inventory level to run all the operations smoothly to increase customer satisfaction and support overall business growth.

9. Update The Content Regularly

Fresh, unique, and valuable content is important to keep the existing customers engaged and attract new customers to your store. The outdated product descriptions, old articles, and inaccurate inventory levels can put a negative impression on your visitors and lead to poor user experience.

It is necessary to update the content on your store for proper maintenance. Here are some ways to keep your content up to date.

• Review the product descriptions, pricing, and stock levels on a regular basis. Update all the personal information to maintain accuracy and avoid unnecessary customer frustration that can lead to sales loss.
• Create a content calendar to plan your articles, blog posts, product reviews, FAQs, and other content on your store. This will help you schedule all your content and maintain a consistent flow of fresh content to your store to keep your audience engaged.
• Update your store with new product launches, seasonal promotions, and other sale events to attract customers to buy products from your store.

10. Test The Store Checkout Periodically

• Test the checkout process of your ecommerce store on time to ensure that all the customers enjoy a seamless and error-free experience while purchasing the products. 
• With regular testing, you can screen out the potential issues that can disrupt the entire process like payment gateway error, slow load time, etc. 
• Resolve all the issues immediately to offer a positive experience to your customers. Moreover, test the store to ensure all the functions are working properly on all devices, especially smartphones to drive higher traffic.

11. Test Cross-Browser Compatibility

Testing the store for cross-browser compatibility is another best practice for proper ecommerce store maintenance. 

• You can identify the potential issues on different browsers like Chrome, Firefox, etc., to ensure that the design, performance, and functionality of your store are running smoothly. 
• In case there are some issues like broken buttons, layout disorientation, etc., then you can fix them to reduce the bounce rate.

Top 7 Benefits Of Opting For Regular E-commerce Maintenance Services

A properly maintained e-commerce website can do wonders for the growth of your business.

Great User Experience

• Maintaining your ecommerce site regularly will prevent glitches, broken links, and outdated features that can frustrate your customers. 
• A well-maintained site provides a seamless shopping experience with intuitive navigation, quick load times, and secure transactions.
• With proper ecommerce website maintenance, you can prevent slow loading times on your online presence and offer faster checkouts. 
• Add new features to your ecommerce site to fulfill the specific needs of your prime targets and enjoy better sales.
• Besides all this, proper maintenance of your ecommerce store can help you create a good design to reduce the cart abandonment rate.
• Satisfied customers will offer repeat business to your online shop and even recommend your store to others leading to positive brand marketing.

Better Security

• Web developers and security experts can address security vulnerabilities and mitigate them for the continuous improvement of your brand’s online presence. 
• This can help them prevent data breaches and other security issues to safeguard the sensitive data of the online business and its customers such as contact information, address, credit card details, etc.

Better Website Performance

• Regular eCommerce maintenance services ensure that your website runs smoothly by offering suitable bug fixes, optimizing code, and updating software. 
• You can update the store regularly to prevent any potential issues that can degrade website speed or performance. This will help you offer exceptional customer experience in your store across all touchpoints.
• eCommerce companies can offer a responsive store with advanced features that work on mobile devices to expand their reach and enjoy better sales with proper maintenance services.
• The improved performance enhances the overall user experience, reduces bounce rates, and keeps visitors engaged to increase brand sales.

Easy Business Scaling

• With regular maintenance, you can ensure that your ecommerce platform remains adaptable and scalable in the long run. 
• You can optimize the performance by opting for routine updates so that your online solution can handle increased traffic, product listings, and transactions without compromising its speed or functionality. 
• With everything in check, you can easily scale up by adding new products, features, and other necessary components to grab the untapped opportunities for your brand.

Higher Website Uptime

• Regular testing will reduce the risk of downtime by resolving potential issues on time.  
• Consistent updates and monitoring will help you prevent technical issues with the new changes that can disrupt the normal functioning of your store. 
• Maintaining high website uptime is critical for retaining customers and offering continuous access to your products and services.

Lower Maintenance And Development Costs

• Opting for regular maintenance reduces long-term website maintenance costs by preventing any smaller issue from turning into a major one. 
• You can identify and address minor issues on time to avoid costly repairs. 
• On-time maintenance keeps the software and infrastructure of your ecommerce store updated with which you can prevent any unfortunate downtime and expensive emergency fixes.

Higher Search Engine Visibility

• Companies that focus on maintaining their website performance and keeping their content and features up to date often drive higher organic traffic. This promotes their online rankings in search engine results.

Consequences Of Neglecting The Proper Maintenance Of Your eCommerce Store

Given below are some of the issues you can face if you don’t maintain your ecommerce store properly.

Poor User Experience

• Customers usually complain of bad user experience if you fail to maintain your ecommerce store. 
• Outdated design elements, slow load time, and broken links can affect the customer service of your store increasing the frustration level of all the visitors. 
• This will force them to look for other alternatives which leads to a lower conversion rate.
• It is necessary to maintain your site on a regular basis to encourage customers to repeat business and offer a better user experience.

Decline In Online Rankings

• Neglecting the maintenance of your online store results in a lower search engine ranking, reducing the visibility of your store and leading to revenue loss due to a reduced conversion rate. 
• Outdated content, technical errors, and several other issues can affect the SEO performance of your store which will further push it down the search results on popular search engines.
• You can opt for regular optimization to screen out all the potential users and improve your search engine rankings. This will drive higher traffic to your store and offer better growth opportunities.

Inaccurate Sales And Inventory Data

• You can face inaccurate inventory and sales data without consistent updates and maintenance checks. The outdated system will reflect the wrong stock level which can lead to overselling or underselling. 
• Your customers may order products that are no longer available in the inventory or they may not see the products overstocked in the inventory. 
• These issues will reduce the customer trust level which can hurt your store’s reputation.
• Periodic maintenance will sync the updated data of the inventory with the storefront and ensure you prevent costly errors in the long run.

Keep Your eCommerce Site Well-Maintained With Klizer

You must have understood how professional eCommerce maintenance services can help your business maintain smooth operations. Klizer has a top-notch dedicated support team that offers excellent customer service to all its clients. You can trust us with your site maintenance responsibilities and focus on other business development tasks. 

Our eCommerce experts handle all the maintenance tasks properly to keep your site up-to-date and fully functional. Schedule a call with our team today to avail hassle-free eCommerce maintenance services from Klizer’s eCommerce experts.

FAQs

How to select the right ecommerce maintenance platform?

Choosing the best e-commerce maintenance platform can depend on several factors.

1. Identify your needs: Think about your site’s complexity, the amount of traffic it gets, and any other special requirements. This will help you figure out what features you need in a maintenance platform.
2. Scalability: Always go for a platform that can grow with your business needs. It will easily handle higher traffic and more transactions as your website expands.
3. Ease of use: Pick a solution with a simple and user-friendly interface. You should be able to easily navigate and complete your maintenance tasks.
4. High-end Security features: Make sure the platform has strong security measures in place to protect customer data and your online store.
5. Frequent updates: Opt for a platform that regularly updates with new features and security fixes to protect against the latest threats.
6. 24/7 support: Choose a platform that offers round-the-clock customer support via phone or chat that ensures quick help to avoid costly downtime.

What is the cost of Klizer’s expert website maintenance checks?

At Klizer, the cost of website maintenance checks starts at $40K. The cost mainly depends on factors like the site’s complexity, size, and business type. A basic website might need maintenance only once a month or quarterly, while a complex site with high traffic and frequent updates could require weekly maintenance checks. Schedule a call with Klizer’s experts to audit your website for maintenance and get your full cost breakup.

Can I perform maintenance myself, or go for professional eCommerce maintenance experts?

Most of the basic maintenance tasks like updating content, checking for broken links, or minor plugin updates can be done on your own. However, you can opt for eCommerce experts at Klizer for more technical tasks such as backups, security updates, or troubleshooting errors. These professionals will handle everything with finesse and prevent any security risks or downtime issues. 

What should I do if my site crashes during the eCommerce maintenance process?

If your site crashes during maintenance, follow the given steps:

1. Restore a Backup: Use your most recent website backup to quickly restore the eCommerce site.
2. Check Error Logs: Review the error logs to identify the cause of the crash.
3. Contact Hosting Provider: Reach out to your hosting provider for assistance in resolving the issue.
4. Disable Any Updated Plugins: It’s important to disable any recently updated plugins or software temporarily as they may have caused the problem.
5. Ask Professionals for Help: If you’re unsure how to fix it, contact an eCommerce expert to troubleshoot the issue in real-time and prevent future crashes.

What are signs that your ecommerce website needs maintenance?

The key signs of e-commerce maintenance include poor site performance which means slow loading time, security glitches/issues, not updated HTML/CSS, and a lot of broken links. Also, this results in low SEO rankings and high-security vulnerabilities.

Other indicators are poor user experience on mobile devices and frequent error messages that disrupt normal functioning. Also, if customers are frequently reporting issues during checkout or while displaying the product pages, this clearly means that the site maintenance is overdue.