Launching an online store is an exciting milestone for any business. The temptation to rush straight into visual design—picking colours and logos—is strong. However, having built sophisticated e-commerce platforms for clients across London and the UK, we know that the most successful projects start with a boring but essential step: Architecture Planning.
When you use a generic platform like Shopify, you are forced to adapt your business to their software. When you build a custom Django e-commerce site with us, the software is adapted to you. But for that to work, we need a plan. Here is the ultimate guide to planning your build.
1. Define Your "Business Logic" First
Before writing code, we need to map out how your business actually functions. Standard builders handle simple retail well, but they crumble under complexity. Ask yourself:
- Pricing Structures: Do you need wholesale (B2B) pricing for logged-in trade customers and retail prices for the public?
- Product Bundling: Do you sell complex kits (e.g., a "Create Your Own Hamper") where inventory needs to be deducted from individual sub-items?
- Subscription Models: Will you offer "Subscribe and Save" options for recurring revenue?
Defining these rules early allows us to build the logic directly into the Python backend, ensuring your site runs automatically without manual admin work.
2. Map Your Data Structure
In the world of custom coding, data is king. We need to decide how your products are related to one another.
For example, if you sell clothing, you have "Parent" products (e.g., a T-Shirt) and "Child" variants (Red/Small, Blue/Large). If you sell car parts, you might need a "Year/Make/Model" lookup tool.
We use PostgreSQL databases to create robust relationships between your data. This ensures that when a customer filters by "Size 10" and "Red," they get accurate results instantly—something that often lags on plugin-heavy sites.
3. The Payment & Checkout Flow
Friction kills conversions. Planning your payment gateway is critical. At Custom Coded Websites, we specialise in deep integration with Stripe.
You need to decide:
- Guest Checkout: Will you allow users to buy without creating an account? (Hint: You should).
- VAT Handling: Do you need to display prices including VAT for UK customers but excluding VAT for US customers? We can code dynamic pricing based on IP location.
- Fraud Protection: How strict should the security rules be?
4. Shipping Zones and Logistics
Shipping is rarely "one size fits all" in the UK. Shipping a pallet to the Scottish Highlands costs more than a parcel to Shoreditch.
We recommend mapping out your Shipping Zones on paper first. Because we custom code the logic, we can create highly specific rules, such as: "Free shipping on orders over £50, but only if the total weight is under 2kg." Try doing that with a basic Wix template!
5. Future-Proofing and Scalability
A plan isn't just for launch day; it is for next year. Are you planning to expand into Europe? Do you expect a traffic spike on Black Friday?
Using Django and AWS (Amazon Web Services) allows us to build a platform that scales automatically. We plan the infrastructure so that your site doesn't crash when you finally get that viral mention on social media.
Conclusion: The Blueprint to Success
It is cheaper to erase a line on a blueprint than to tear down a wall. The same applies to code. By investing time in planning your data, logic, and logistics now, you save thousands of pounds in "fix-it" development later.
If you have a complex business model that generic templates can't handle, you need a custom architect.
Book a Strategy Session with our developers. We will help you turn your business requirements into a technical roadmap.