This project focused on the migration of a complex B2B e-commerce multi-tenant platform from Magento 2 to a customized Laravel-based solution. The decision to redevelop was made to create a flexible, maintainable platform that meets the requirements of a highly customized e-commerce system. The new Laravel platform offers higher performance, better extensibility and optimized integrations for SAP, Akeneo and Algolia, making it suitable for long-term use and continuous development.
Functionalities in detail
Replacement and customization of existing Magento 2 features
The migration was carried out because the Magento 2 platform had deviated significantly from the core due to numerous customizations - only around 20% of the original standard functions were still being used.
However, a number of user-defined modules could be extracted from Magento 2 and transferred to the Laravel platform with minimal adjustments, as both frameworks are based on PHP and JavaScript.
SAP and Akeneo integrations for real-time data
The interfaces to SAP and Akeneo have been completely redeveloped to ensure high performance and stability.
The platform performs real-time queries in SAP for availability and price information so that customers always have the latest data available.
Algolia as a search and catalog solution
Algolia has been integrated as an external search service and acts as a central catalog navigation solution.
Optimized updating and indexing logic keeps operating costs low.
The Algolia integration ensures fast, accurate search results and a seamless user experience for customers.
One-page checkout for fast orders
The checkout has been optimized to a one-page checkout, allowing customers to complete orders with minimal clicks, speeding up the checkout process and increasing conversion rates.
Special access rights for employees and sales staff
Employees and salespeople can log in via Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) using single sign-on and have access to special customer support functions.
These access rights make it possible to prepare orders, provide customer support and generally improve the B2B customer experience.
Different functions for B2B customers and employees
The platform was designed for two user groups with different functions:
- B2B customers: Get a user-friendly shopping experience with advanced B2C-like features that simplify the buying process.
- Employees: Have additional functions for customer management, support and order preparation.
Performance optimization through Varnish Cache
A customized Varnish Cache has been implemented to keep the platform performing during peak times without having to scale horizontally. This saves server costs and ensures fast loading times.
Long-term future-proofing with Laravel
With Laravel as the basis, the platform is better equipped for future further developments and adaptations. In contrast to Magento 2, Laravel offers a more flexible and maintenance-friendly structure that enables long-term use and further development.