AWT Bavaria Ukraine Trio of E-commerce Platforms for BMW Group
Is it possible to create a unified ecosystem of platforms for selling auto parts and accessories for three brands? And do so in a way that each is personalised, allowing users to customise their purchasing experience while making ordering as easy and fast as possible.
Everything is possible if you trust in the hands and experience of our IT wizards. We share the details of the completed project for the official importer of BMW, MINI, BMW Motorrad - "AWT Bavaria Ukraine".
Objective
The existing websites of BMW’s online shops did not meet the client’s needs and had quite limited functionality. Moreover, the lack of technical support hindered development. Hence, the company approached us with a request to develop a new website that would align with the modern technological level of BMW Group brands and cater to both business and user needs.
The new site was to gather the best experiences from the past and significantly expand functionality, offering the end-user a convenient interface, extensive automation, flexible search tools, and purchase options.
Key client requirements for the new site included:
- a single administrative panel for managing three sub-sites with a user-friendly and intuitive interface;
- integration of a parts catalogue for all three brands, featuring over 1 million entries, with user-friendly selection and purchase functionalities for users;
- integration with the client's ERP (DMS) system;
- the ability to connect all dealers to the site, as previously this option was available only to one dealer, while the "AWT Bavaria Ukraine" network is quite extensive;
- a personal cabinet for B2C and B2B partners with a wide range of functions.
And of course, as the Executor, the client expected us to adhere to deadlines, budget, and a high quality of work as per the technical specifications.
Challenges
This project entailed managerial as well as technical challenges, unlike any we had faced before.
The client team involved in the project was possibly the largest we had worked with in our project implementation experience. Thus, to collaborate effectively, avoid miscommunication, and prevent excessive delay, we had to:
- set up a clear communication system – with over 80 weekly planned meetings!
- organise and document all discussion outcomes – resulting in over 200 pages of technical documentation;
- propose optimal solutions not only for technical implementation but also concerning the client's business processes.
This significantly enhanced our team management and business process skills and helped us optimise project work.
Technical challenges included:
- the highest number of integrations with external client systems we had implemented in online shops;
- quite complex business processes, resulting in changes to some of them during both the prototyping and testing phases;
- technical uncertainty regarding some integrations at the initial stage, leading to necessary adjustments to the logic processes in a nearly completed product;
- sometimes the need to reconcile technical tasks and solutions that seemed conflicting at first glance.
Moreover, some technical solutions were being implemented for the first time, adding challenge and excitement!
Solution
We created three websites for the client's B2C and B2B partners with a single administrative panel, but on different domains. The sites essentially became a multifunctional marketplace allowing all B2B partners (dealers) to connect and featuring the largest range of products from BMW, BMW Motorrad, and MINI brands. Over 1 million SKUs, including auto parts, branded clothing, and automotive and lifestyle accessories.
For our client, the new platform provides seamless integration with the dealer's internal CRM and ERP systems, maximally automating order processing, assortment updates, and inventory management processes.
For users, it offers maximum order and proposal personalisation, easy navigation, allowing them to find the necessary products and place orders with minimal effort, just as conveniently and required.
Features
Convenience, personalisation, and purchase automation:
- Automatic suggestion of the dealer closest to the buyer.
- Automatic division of the shopping basket into separate orders, depending on selected products and dealers, payment forms, delivery terms, etc.
Maximum automation of parts search:
- Convenient search for parts by VIN code or car model.
- Possibility to save a list of one’s vehicles and search for parts only for them.
- Mass search for parts using a list from an external file.
Comprehensive functionality of the user's personal account includes:
- Order status tracking, notifications on the arrival of out-of-stock items.
- Viewing selected, favourite items and those for comparison.
- List of available promo codes.
- Delivery address templates: home, office, other.
- Online return request processing – utilising a paperless approach.
- Extensive tools for all B2B partners.
Each of the three sites reflects its brand's visual identity while maintaining a unified approach to functionality and structure.
“This is a dynamic and extensive project with a complex architecture and integrations, which was correctly described in the technical specification from the start and professionally managed by the developer. Full engagement of the development team and a focus on achieving results allowed for launching this project almost on the initially agreed timelines. The high technical expertise of the development team resolved all tasks related to integrations with other systems.Even the BMW central office in Germany does not have such a solution. The technical support service post-project launch and after the end of the Hypercare phase is very important, allowing our team to feel confident and receive timely support or make changes as needed,” as the client evaluated the results of the work.” - this is how the client assessed the results of the work.
And this is the highest praise for us.
