What is Technical Debt?

Technical debt in the context of eCommerce development refers to the accumulated consequences of taking shortcuts or making compromises in the software development process. It occurs when developers choose expedient solutions to meet immediate requirements, sacrificing long-term quality, scalability, or maintainability. 

In simple terms, technical debt is similar to incurring financial debt — where the greater your debt, and the longer you wait to pay it off, the more it will cost you when you decide (or are forced) to settle up.

In eCommerce, technical debt can arise from various factors such as time constraints, budget limitations, poor code quality, or the pressure to release features quickly. Examples of technical debt in eCommerce development include using inefficient coding practices, neglecting proper documentation, bypassing testing or quality assurance measures, and delaying necessary system upgrades or refactoring.

The consequences of technical debt in eCommerce include:

• Slower website performance
• Increased maintenance costs
• Higher risk of security issues
• Difficulty in implementing new features or integrations
• Greater customer support demands

All of these consequences contribute to the ultimate degradation of customer experience, conversion rates, and sales growth.

Common Examples of Technical Debt in eCommerce

1. Choosing the wrong platform: One way that is certain to incur technical debt is choosing an eCommerce platform that is not well-suited to your business. If you choose a less compatible solution, you will be forced to either adjust your business practices to address the technical limitations, or spend excessive resources working around the platform limitations to develop the functionalities and integrations you need. The best way to avoid this problem is to take the time for comprehensive requirements gathering and functional matching, and to work with a strong eCommerce consultant to help you select the right platform for your business.
2. Quick and dirty development solutions: In many cases, a business feels a sense of urgency to get development work done. Whether it is new functionality, a new extension, or an integration with a back end system, this urgency can influence poor development. When time is limited or there is a great deal of pressure from management, developers may opt for “quick and dirty” solutions. For example, instead of conducting a proper functional discovery and designing a robust and scalable solution, your developer may choose to use custom scripts or plugins that lack proper documentation and may not adhere to best practices. Over time, this approach can lead to increased complexity, reduced system stability, and difficulties in maintaining or updating the website — which is a perfect example of technical debt.
3. Deferred upgrades: eCommerce platforms, integrations, and extensions frequently release updates, patches, and security fixes to improve performance, address vulnerabilities, and introduce new features. However, businesses often delay these upgrades due to budget constraints and the fear of disrupting their online business. Deferring upgrades, may cause technical debt in the form of security vulnerabilities, compatibility issues, and out of date functionality.

In these examples, technical debt accumulates due to short-term considerations that prioritize short-term, and seemingly budget-friendly options over long-term solutions that may take more time and money up front, but will ensure greater optimization, stability, and scalability in the long run.

What are the Best Practices for Reducing Technical Debt?

To address technical debt, it is essential for eCommerce development teams to:

• Prevent it from occurring in the first place
• Identify areas where technical debt exists
• Allocate the resources necessary to properly address the areas of technical debt
• Give your developers the time they need to properly assess the challenges and the solutions, employ development and code management best practices, and to launch new code after  performing necessary code QA and user acceptance testing.

By proactively managing technical debt, eCommerce businesses can ensure a more stable, scalable, and sustainable software ecosystem.

Here are seven best practices eCommerce merchants can employ to mitigate the risk of creating technical debt in the development and maintenance of their eCommerce website — by following these best practices, eCommerce merchants can proactively mitigate the risk of technical debt and maintain a stable, scalable, and efficient eCommerce website.

1. Planning and Documentation: Prioritize proper planning and documentation before starting development. This includes creating a clear roadmap, outlining requirements, and documenting design decisions. Thorough planning reduces the chances of rushed development and helps maintain a structured approach throughout the project.
2. Agile Development Methodology: Adopt an Agile development methodology, such as Scrum or Kanban, which emphasizes iterative and incremental development. Agile practices promote regular communication, collaboration, and adaptability, enabling developers to address issues and make necessary adjustments early in the development process, reducing the accumulation of technical debt.
3. Code Quality and Testing: Emphasize code quality and thorough testing practices. Enforce coding standards, conduct code reviews, and prioritize automated testing. By investing time and effort in ensuring clean and robust code, merchants can reduce the likelihood of introducing bugs and improve the maintainability of the system.
4. Continuous Integration and Deployment: Implement a continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipeline. CI/CD automates the process of building, testing, and deploying software updates, enabling frequent and controlled releases. This reduces the risk of large-scale deployments and allows for quicker identification and resolution of issues, minimizing the accumulation of technical debt.
5. Regular Maintenance and Upgrades: Schedule regular maintenance activities and stay up to date with platform upgrades, security patches, and software updates. By consistently addressing system maintenance and upgrading dependencies, eCommerce merchants can prevent the accumulation of technical debt caused by outdated or vulnerable software components.
6. Version Control and Code Repository: Utilize a version control system, such as Git, and establish a code repository to manage and track changes to your eCommerce website's codebase. Version control allows for better collaboration among developers, tracks code changes over time, and provides the ability to revert to previous versions if necessary. By using a code repository, you can maintain a clean and organized codebase, easily manage different branches of development, and reduce the risk of introducing unintended changes or conflicts, thereby minimizing the potential for technical debt.
7. Selecting the Right Partner Development Agency: Choose a reputable and experienced development agency with the requisite skills and expertise in eCommerce development. Look for agencies that have a track record of successfully delivering eCommerce projects and have a deep understanding of best practices and industry standards. A reliable agency will have proficient developers who can design and develop your eCommerce website with scalability, maintainability, and long-term goals in mind, reducing the likelihood of incurring technical debt from subpar development practices. Thoroughly assess the agency's portfolio, client testimonials, and expertise before making a selection to ensure a successful and sustainable partnership.

Recognizing and addressing technical debt is crucial for the long-term success of an eCommerce business. Technical debt may seem like a necessary compromise in the face of tight deadlines or resource limitations, but its consequences can hinder growth, diminish customer experience, and increase costs in the long run. 

By implementing best practices such as thorough planning, code quality control, regular maintenance, and selecting the right development partners, eCommerce merchants can mitigate the risks associated with technical debt and build a robust and sustainable digital platform. Prioritizing the reduction of technical debt ensures a solid foundation for innovation, scalability, and adaptability, enabling eCommerce businesses to thrive in an ever-evolving digital landscape.