Unstoppable in E-Commerce: On the Road to Independent Success
At RETAIL NXT 2023, Thomas Adelbauer, Team Lead Application & Data at MediaShop GmbH, presented how his company achieves flexibility and agility in the e-commerce landscape through innovative IT strategies. With a clear focus on Best of Breed, microservices, and internal development teams, he offered insights into transformative technologies that can serve as a blueprint for other retailers.
E-Commerce as a Custom Fit: Why Best of Breed is Crucial
MediaShop deliberately chose not to rely on monolithic systems and instead opted for a Best of Breed approach. In this setup, the IT infrastructure is built in a modular fashion, with each component provided by a specialized vendor. Adelbauer compared this approach to a tailored suit that fits a company’s needs perfectly—unlike an off-the-rack suit.
Advantages of Best of Breed:
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Flexibility: Components can be individually replaced without affecting the entire system.
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Scalability: New technologies can be easily integrated, such as support for new frontends like voice commerce or mobile apps.
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Cost Efficiency: MediaShop has already saved 60% of the cost for one module by replacing it with a better alternative.
Microservices: Agility in Technology
Another central focus was the shift to microservices, which allow individual features or functionalities to be developed, scaled, and operated independently. Adelbauer emphasized that this not only improves performance but also simplifies maintenance.
Advantages of Microservice Architecture:
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Performance Boost: Services can be scaled as needed, saving costs and avoiding overcapacity.
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Reusability: A service can be used across different sales channels such as webshops or call centers.
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Faster Troubleshooting: Errors are easier to locate and fix since they are confined to isolated services.
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Technological Freedom: Each microservice can be developed using the most suitable technology, independent of other systems.
Internal Developer Teams: Retaining Know-How and Control
MediaShop has built an internal development team that is closely aligned with company goals and culture. Adelbauer emphasized the importance of keeping technical know-how within the company to avoid dependency on external partners.
Why Internal Teams Matter:
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Shorter Communication Paths: Direct communication within the team reduces misunderstandings and speeds up processes.
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Identification with the Company: Employees who are proud of their work often produce higher quality results.
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Process Control: Companies can develop their own agile methods tailored to their needs, such as MediaShop’s “MediaShop Method.”
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Cost Savings: When fully utilized, internal teams are often more cost-effective than external agencies.
A Toolbox for the Future
Adelbauer’s presentation highlighted the importance for retailers to rely on flexible and modular IT systems in order to keep pace with rapid market changes. He emphasized that the combination of Best of Breed, microservices, and internal teams enables MediaShop to achieve faster time-to-market and maintain long-term competitiveness.
Key Takeaways for Retailers:
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Modularity is Key: Use systems that can be easily expanded and adapted.
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Flexibility Through Microservices: Develop independent services that are easy to integrate and scale.
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Build Your Own Know-How: Retain technical knowledge in-house to remain independent and innovative.
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Promote Agility: Develop your own methods that are perfectly tailored to your specific needs.
Conclusion: Future-Proofing Through Smart IT Strategies
The challenges in e-commerce are complex, but through smart IT decisions like Best of Breed and microservices, MediaShop has found a way to remain flexible, agile, and efficient. Adelbauer’s presentation impressively demonstrated how retailers can leverage their IT infrastructure as a competitive advantage—not only to overcome current challenges but to act with foresight and resilience.
