Our Adobe Commerce site is slow. Does this mean the platform is no longer suitable?

Not necessarily. Site speed issues often stem from poor configuration, unoptimised code, inefficient hosting, or excessive third-party extensions. A performance audit by experienced Adobe Commerce engineers can identify the root cause and propose targeted optimisations, often without requiring a replatforming. It's a common issue we address in rescue projects.

When is it more cost-effective to replatform than to fix an existing Adobe Commerce instance?

Replatforming becomes more cost-effective when the existing codebase is severely outdated, heavily customised in an unmaintainable way, or when the core platform no longer aligns with fundamental business requirements. If the cost of ongoing maintenance, security vulnerabilities, and upgrading outweighs the benefits, or if the platform is hindering business growth rather than enabling it, a replatforming discussion is prudent. Initial assessment focuses on whether the effort of upgrading is less than a full rebuild.

Can we move to a different platform and still get the same B2B features?

While other platforms offer B2B capabilities, Adobe Commerce's B2B module is comprehensive. Replicating the full extent of features like custom catalogues, tiered pricing, and complex company account structures often requires significant customisation on alternative platforms. A mapping exercise of essential B2B features to alternative platform capabilities is crucial before considering a move.

Our current agency isn't delivering. Is that an Adobe Commerce problem or an agency problem?

Often, it's an agency problem. Adobe Commerce is flexible, but it requires specific expertise. Poor communication, missed deadlines, or a lack of proactive support from an agency can lead to project stagnation and technical debt, incorrectly attributed to the platform itself. Evaluating technical proficiency, communication cadence, and a track record of successful Adobe Commerce deployments are key when selecting an agency.

What is the primary indicator that our business has outgrown Adobe Commerce?

The primary indicator is when the platform consistently impedes business growth, rather than supporting it, despite continuous investment. This could manifest as recurring performance bottlenecks, inability to integrate new strategic tools, escalating maintenance costs for basic functions, or a lack of crucial features for future expansion that are available out-of-the-box on other platforms better suited for simpler use cases. It's about a mismatch between business needs and the platform's core offering, not just technical issues.

Talk to an expert

Issue 037BenchmarkAdobe CommerceRef 127

How to know when Adobe Commerce still makes sense

Adobe Commerce offers a broad feature set, but it requires significant investment and internal capability. We outline key criteria for determining if it remains the right platform for your B2B or B2C enterprise.

Andrew Pemberton· Development Director

26 Jul 20255 min readReviewed July 2025

"The long-term viability of Adobe Commerce depends on a disciplined assessment of its TCO against its strategic value and your organisational capability."

Written by

Andrew Pemberton

Development Director

19 years at iWeb

LinkedIn →Speak with Andrew about your brief →

Andrew leads the development practice at iWeb and owns the delivery runbooks behind large commerce migrations. He writes about release governance, deployment sequencing, parallel-run strategy, and the engineering decisions that reduce operational risk during complex transformation programmes. Focused on stable delivery, observable systems, and migration approaches that avoid unnecessary disruption to trading.

Next step

Take this conversation private.

If this note matches the brief on your desk, the version we'd write for your platform, sector and trade-account model is the work itself. Send a short brief and a senior lead replies inside 48 hours.

Talk to an expert Back to The Record →

Operational notes worth reading next.

When to keep Magento 2 past end-of-life: a defensible position, not a default one

Why composable commerce can become expensive chaos

Why "headless" is not a strategy

A regular round-up of new notes.No content marketing.

Take this conversation private.

A regular round-up of new notes.
No content marketing.