SuiteCommerce Performance & Platform Upgrade: Cutting LCP in Half While Modernizing
DiscTech.com
When DiscTech.com came to us, their SuiteCommerce site had a speed problem. A legacy MontBlanc installation from 2015 was delivering 6-second page loads. That's more than double what Google considers acceptable, and it was hurting both user experience and search rankings.
The situation was urgent. Customers were leaving before pages finished loading. Google's page experience signals were dragging down their organic visibility. And the outdated platform turned every new feature request into a maintenance headache.
They needed a partner who could upgrade their platform to SuiteCommerce 2024.2, cut page load times in half, and keep all their custom functionality intact. Without any downtime.
Key Metrics
Site Comparison
The Performance Audit
We started with a full performance audit. Using Chrome DevTools, Lighthouse, and Google's CrUX data, we mapped out exactly where time was being lost.
The findings weren't surprising for a 2015-era SuiteCommerce site. Largest Contentful Paint averaged 6 seconds on product pages. That's double Google's 2.5-second threshold. Interaction to Next Paint (INP) was at 150ms, which meant noticeable lag whenever users clicked buttons or navigated the site.
We also found structural issues. The MontBlanc codebase had no schema.org markup, so DiscTech was invisible in Google's rich results while competitors were showing up with star ratings and product info. Images loaded at full resolution regardless of screen size. JavaScript bundles included modules that most pages didn't even use.
The upgrade to SuiteCommerce 2024.2 added another layer of complexity. Years of customizations needed to be preserved: custom checkout flows, specialized product displays, third-party integrations. Any regression would hit revenue directly.
The Transformation
Instead of a risky all-at-once approach, we designed a phased strategy. This let us deliver measurable wins quickly while building toward the full platform modernization.
Each phase built on the previous one, compounding performance gains while cleaning up technical debt along the way.
Week 1: Quick Wins
Performance audit to identify the biggest bottlenecks. Removed unused modules, applied quick optimizations, and delivered immediate LCP improvements.
Months 1-2: Deep Optimization
Comprehensive Core Web Vitals work: image lazy loading, JavaScript bundle splitting, CSS optimization, and caching strategies. Hit sub-3-second LCP and sub-100ms INP.
Months 3-5: Platform Modernization
Full migration from SuiteCommerce MontBlanc to 2024.2 with zero downtime. All custom functionality preserved and improved. Added schema.org structured data for Google Rich Results.
The Impact
- 50% reduction in LCP, from 6s to under 3s (verified in CrUX)
- 33% improvement in INP, from 150ms to under 100ms
- 85+ Lighthouse performance scores on all Product Detail Pages
- Zero-downtime migration to SuiteCommerce 2024.2
- All customizations preserved and improved during upgrade
- New features added while maintaining performance gains
- 100% schema.org coverage enabling Google Rich Results
- Better Google rankings and stronger search visibility
Technologies & Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is LCP and why does it matter for e-commerce?
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the main content of a page to load. For e-commerce, slow LCP directly impacts conversions. Studies show that every second of delay can reduce conversion rates by 7%. Google also uses LCP as a ranking factor, so poor performance hurts both user experience and search visibility.
Can you optimize SuiteCommerce without upgrading the platform?
Yes. You can get significant performance improvements on older SuiteCommerce versions through image optimization, JavaScript bundle splitting, caching strategies, and removing unused modules. That said, platform upgrades often unlock additional performance features and security improvements that optimization alone can not achieve.
How long does a typical SuiteCommerce performance optimization take?
Quick wins can be delivered within the first week. Comprehensive Core Web Vitals optimization typically takes 4-8 weeks depending on site complexity. Full platform migrations like MontBlanc to 2024.2 require 3-6 months to ensure zero disruption to live operations.
Will my customizations survive a SuiteCommerce upgrade?
With proper planning and execution, yes. We audit all customizations before migration, rebuild them using modern SuiteCommerce architecture, and test thoroughly in staging environments. The goal is always zero regression on existing functionality.
Ready to optimize your SuiteCommerce performance?
Let's discuss how we can improve your Core Web Vitals, upgrade your platform, and deliver measurable performance gains just like we did for DiscTech.