How Website Crashes Impact Customer Loyalty and Brand Reputation

In the last few years we have seen some of the biggest website crashes due to heavy traffic,  and the amount of money lost each time is appalling. 

• During the Super Bowl in 2022, Coinbase’s site crashed due to the high traffic generated by their ad. The crash likely cost them upwards of $10 million5.
• In 2018, Amazon’s site crashed for 15 minutes during Prime Day, potentially costing them $72 million in lost sales
• Also during Prime Day in 2018, Macy’s site crashed for several hours, potentially costing them $11 million in lost sales
• In 2019, Target’s site crashed for several hours during a big sale, potentially costing them $5.8 million in lost sales
• In 2023, The Wolfcast reported that an outage may have cost digital platforms up to $150 million in lost sales for just one hour of offline time

It’s important to note that the exact amount of money lost during these website crashes is difficult to determine and may vary depending on the source. Additionally, website crashes due to heavy traffic can happen to any company, big or small, and can result in lost sales, damage to reputation, changes in IT budget planning, and frustrated customers.

A study by Thinkwithgoogle1 found that 53% of mobile site visits are abandoned if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load. This means that website crashes that result in slow loading times can lead to customers leaving the site and potentially never returning.

Furthermore, 5 reports that website crashes can potentially cost companies millions of dollars in lost sales. For example, Amazon’s site crashed for 15 minutes during Prime Day in 2018, potentially costing them $72 million in lost sales. Macy’s site also crashed for several hours during the same event, potentially costing them $11 million in lost sales.

In addition to lost revenue, website crashes can also damage a company’s reputation. According to, customers may view the company as unreliable or unprepared if website crashes happen frequently or during important events. Negative social media attention can also result from website crashes, as frustrated customers may take to social media to express their dissatisfaction

Overall, website crashes can have a significant impact on customer loyalty and brand reputation. Slow loading times, lost revenue, and damage to reputation are just a few of the consequences of website crashes. Here are some more

Customer frustration: When a website crashes, customers may be unable to complete their transactions or access the information they need. This can lead to frustration and a negative experience with the brand

Loss of revenue: Website crashes can result in lost sales and revenue, particularly during high-traffic events such as sales or product launches

Damage to reputation: A website crash can damage a company’s reputation, particularly if it happens frequently or during important events. Customers may view the company as unreliable or unprepared

Decline in search engine rankings: Website crashes can also impact a company’s search engine rankings, as search engines may view the site as unreliable or unresponsive

Negative social media attention: When a website crashes, customers may take to social media to express their frustration. This can result in negative attention for the brand and damage to its reputation.

To minimize the impact of website crashes on customer loyalty and brand reputation, it’s important to take steps to prevent crashes due to high traffic spikes from happening in the first place. This can include implementing a queue system, optimizing site speed, using a reliable hosting provider, and monitoring site performance. Additionally, having a backup plan in place can help minimize the impact of a website crash if it does occur