Common SuiteCommerce mistakes (and how to avoid them) - Part 1

Is your SuiteCommerce/SuiteCommerce Advanced (SC/SCA) store giving you more trouble than results? You’re not alone. Many businesses experience slow load times, buggy features, and endless maintenance issues long after launch. In most cases, the problem isn’t the platform itself, it’s the way it was implemented.

At BrokenRubik, we’ve helped revitalize dozens of SC/SCA stores. Based on our experience, here are some of the most common mistakes we see during implementations, and, more importantly, how to avoid them.

1. Poorly implemented customizations

Directly modifying core files in SC/SCA may seem like a quick fix, but it creates serious long-term problems.

Example of a mistake: A team modifies a core Backbone.js file like ProductDetails.View.js to add a custom button. Instead of extending it properly, they change the original file, creating fragile dependencies.

👎 Disadvantages:

Upgrade chaos: updates overwrite or conflict with your changes.

Debugging becomes a nightmare.

Even minor NetSuite updates can break the site.

Why avoid this?

Seamless upgrades and future-proofing.

Cleaner, maintainable codebase.

Flexibility to scale without breakage.

👍 Tips:

Use structured extensions and NetSuite’s extensibility layer.

Follow modular patterns to keep custom code independent and reusable.

2. Confusing overrides with extensions

Overriding entire files is tempting but risky. Extensions let you adjust functionality with precision, without duplicating logic.

Example of a mistake: Copying all of Cart.Summary.View just to tweak one method, instead of extending it.

👎 Disadvantages:

Redundant, duplicated code.

Future updates don’t apply to overridden files.

Debugging and collaboration become messy.

Why avoid this?

Leaner, more efficient codebase.

Easier teamwork across developers.

Faster debugging and cleaner upgrades.

👍 Tips:

Use Backbone.View.extend, _.extend, or _.wrap to surgically add functionality.

Document every extension with the why and how.

3. Poor performance due to inefficient code

SuiteCommerce can run smoothly, but inefficient code often drags performance down.

Example of a mistake: A B2B homepage making multiple API calls for every banner image, causing a 10+ second load time.

👎 Disadvantages:

Poor user experience, higher bounce rates.

Lower SEO rankings from Google.

Lost sales and frustrated customers.

Why avoid this?

Faster sites improve UX, conversions, and SEO.

Lower infrastructure costs from optimized code.

👍 Tips:

Audit performance with Lighthouse or Chrome DevTools.

Use lazy loading for images.

Minify JavaScript/CSS and optimize DOM rendering.

Closing

These three mistakes: poor customizations, excessive overrides, and inefficient code, are among the most common pitfalls in SuiteCommerce projects. But they’re not the only ones.

In Part 2, we’ll explore two additional mistakes: underutilizing SuiteCommerce’s CMS and skipping an upgrade strategy, both of which can cripple your store’s growth.