Shopmacher take stock: these are the ten biggest weaknesses of online stores

The platform specialists at Shopmacher know the code behind commerce: in their audit report, they name ten typical weaknesses that prevent growth – and show how retailers can fix them.

A modern store system is not a static construct, but a living ecosystem. However, many technical weaknesses remain invisible in everyday life – until they cost revenue. In their store audits, the Shopmacher, specialists in platform architectures, repeatedly come across ten blind spots in online shops that every online retailer should regularly check.

1. Complex tool ecosystems lacking strategic integration.

Many online shops do not consist of one system, but of a network of shop software, ERP, PIM, CRM, CMS, payment gateways and marketing tools. However, these tools were often added as required – not according to plan. The result: confusing interfaces, duplicate data maintenance and error-prone synchronization.

Recommendation: Regularly record and evaluate the entire system landscape: Which tools are really necessary? Where does data pass through several stations unnecessarily? A strategic integration architecture creates transparency, reduces complexity – and saves a lot of effort in the long term.

2. Data models that do not fit together

When product information, editorial content and commerce functions are created in separate systems, inconsistencies creep in – from incorrect filters to contradictory prices.

Recommendation: Define a common semantic data model, bundle content responsibility and coordinate technical and editorial structures.

3. Obsolete code bases block further development

Many shops contain code from the early days – with improvised workarounds, never-documented in-house developments and libraries that are no longer maintained. These legacy issues make updates risky, block new features and make it difficult to train new developers.

Recommendation: Make technical debt visible and systematically reduce it. This means regularly refactoring code, removing unnecessary components and documenting critical areas. This creates a code base that not only runs – but can be further developed.

4. Hosting without foresight

Even strong brands underestimate how much strain campaigns, seasonal peaks or internationalization can put on hosting. A lack of scaling strategies then leads to loading times, downtime or high costs.

Recommendation: Agree load tests with the hosting partner, have resources scaled dynamically and use monitoring solutions for early detection of bottlenecks.

5. Sluggish pages despite powerful servers

Even with sufficient hardware, performance often falls short of expectations. The cause is then not the server – but complex rendering processes, unoptimized assets or unclear caching strategies.

Recommendation: Make page speed measurements routine, analyze rendering cascades and implement well thought-out caching for content and images.

6. Changes without safety net

Updates that go live on demand, manual reset processes and a lack of tests: many shops work operationally – but not robustly. Errors then quickly end up with the customer.

Recommendation: Establish automated deployment processes (CI/CD) with rollback function – supplemented by staging environments for risk-free tests.

7. Critical functions without reliable tests

Does the checkout really work reliably? Are all payment methods displayed correctly? Without sufficient test coverage, these questions remain unanswered – until support gets in touch.

Recommendation: Establish test strategies for all business-critical areas – from automated regression tests to regular exploration checks by the team.

8. UX optimization based on gut feeling

Home page teasers, filter logic, checkout route – many things are changed on instinct, rarely measured. The result: untested assumptions instead of well-founded decisions.

Recommendation: Make data-based UX a habit: Define a KPI framework, carry out A/B tests regularly and enrich findings with qualitative user feedback.

9. Security as a one-off measure instead of a process

Many shops rely on occasional penetration tests or framework specifications. But attackers are evolving – protection mechanisms have to keep up.

Recommendation: Establish security as a continuous process: Regularly check and secure authentication, role models, API access and input validation.

10. Accessibility as a nice to have

Although required by law, digital accessibility is a niche issue in many companies. Yet it doesn’t just affect a marginalized group – but millions of potential users.

Recommendation: Think about accessibility as early as the design process, check it with WCAG checklists or browser tools and ideally evaluate it with those affected.

Conclusion: If you want to grow, you have to look into the technology

Online retail is becoming more complex – both technically and in terms of regulation. Those who only focus on the front end are overlooking key risk factors and potential. “Stores typically operate on a day-to-day basis, but there’s more to their operations than meets the eye.” says Shopmacher CEO André Roitzsch. “If you want to be successful in the long term, you have to manage technology just as strategically as the brand, product range or pricing.”

Together with TÜV Austria subsidiary TÜV Trust IT, Shopmacher have developed their tried-and-tested Health Check into a comprehensive store audit. The audit model comprises over 60 technical test dimensions in the areas of backend, frontend and security. The audit sends a clear signal, particularly in the area of security: the tests are carried out directly by TÜV auditors.

Companies not only receive a neutral status report, but also reliable recommendations for further technical development – regardless of the store system used.

“A technical audit is not a know-it-all exercise with a raised index finger,” emphasizes Roitzsch. “It’s an opportunity to regain clarity on the basis of standards that were developed together with TÜV – and to work specifically on the future viability of the store.”

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