Reifen1+: Interpneu triples B2C sales with a mega multi-store project

IIn Germany, there is a ritual practiced by 37 million people every year, regardless of their background, religion, or denomination. They make their way to a place nearby, spend half an hour in quiet contemplation, and return home with a good feeling. Some affectionately call it “O-to-O” — October to Easter — while others simply call it what it is: changing their tires.

Around 47.5 million new tires are sold in Germany every year, according to Motorzeitung. Put these figures together, and they lead to just one conclusion: the tire market is arguably the most important aftermarket segment in the automotive industry.

At the same time, the tire industry is undergoing major change. Consumers increasingly expect digital convenience when buying tires. Finding the right model, choosing a workshop, and booking an appointment should ideally all be possible online. The challenge? For many tire dealers — often small, independent businesses — implementing this level of digitalization is simply not feasible.

This presented a new strategic challenge for Interpneu Handelsgesellschaft mbH, one of Germany’s leading tire wholesalers: How can you create a convenient digital experience for end customers while at the same time integrating a well-established network of more than 700 workshop partners?

The answer: modernize its own sales and partner network, Reifen1+, migrate it to Shopware, and transform it into a platform that directly involves as many workshop partners as possible.

This case study shows how it works. Representing Reifen1+ are Dominique Perreau, Head of E-Commerce and Digital Processes, and Sarah Sanesi-Manias, Marketing Manager.

A Traditional Industry Meets New Shopping Expectations

To put the initial situation into perspective: Most tire dealers are small businesses. A handful of employees, with the owner still working in the workshop, while the owner’s partner runs the office and handles the bookkeeping. Appointments are booked by phone, or customers simply drop by. Phrases like, “Let me see if we have something suitable in stock,” are part of the daily routine. You can probably already picture the scene.

But customer expectations have changed. Millennials grew up with the internet; they inherently expect to be able to do almost everything online. Researching products, comparing prices, choosing a workshop, booking an appointment — while many workshops have little more than a digital business card.

“Many of our partners simply don’t have the time or resources to build and maintain a professional online presence of their own. Enabling them to do so is an important building block for a strong partnership and long-term business stability.”

— Sarah Sanesi-Manias, Marketing Manager at Reifen1+

As a supplier with a network of more than 700 workshops, Reifen1+ saw not only a clear need for action, but also significant potential. However, the company was missing the right digital infrastructure to make it happen.

An Outdated Custom Solution at Reifen1+

The Reifen1+ store was running on a custom-built system that was more than ten years old. Further development was barely possible and, when it did happen, progress was slow. The complex structures of the network could not be properly represented within the software.

“Looking back, we definitely wouldn’t choose a custom-built solution again today. A platform like Shopware 6 already meets most of our requirements out of the box and allows us to work much more efficiently in our day-to-day operations.”

— Dominique Perreau, Head of E-Commerce and Digital Processes at Interpneu

The goals for the planned relaunch were therefore clearly defined:

• Migrate the entire presence to a modern e-commerce platform
• At the same time, involve the partner workshops as comprehensively as possible
• Create a seamless digital ordering and service process
• Use the new system as a growth engine for the dealer network

The goal was therefore to build more than just a new B2C store. The plan was nothing less than to create a digital infrastructure for the entire partner ecosystem.

The Path to the Goal: Three Key Steps

The journey to the goal was completed in three steps:

1. Choosing the Platform: Shopware 6 as the Digital Foundation

The first and most fundamental decision was choosing the right e-commerce platform. The new software needed to handle the complex B2B processes running behind the scenes, reliably support technical features such as a tire configurator, and, of course, make it possible to fully integrate the partner network.

Internally, a list of potential candidates was compiled, after which all departments were invited to cast their votes. Points were awarded and tallied based on a range of different criteria.

Why wasn’t the decision left to IT alone? Because, ultimately, the entire company would be working with the new system — from marketing to accounting. Involving all departments in the decision-making process is therefore not only democratic, but also makes perfect business sense.

“After the internal evaluation across all departments, it quickly became clear: Shopware was essentially the only viable solution for us.”

— Dominique Perreau, Head of E-Commerce and Digital Processes at Interpneu

In the end, there was a clear winner: The new system for the commerce backend of the planned headless architecture would be Shopware 6.

2. Finding the Right Agency: Strix as a Partner

The second step was finding a partner who could turn an idea into something tangible. Dominique Perreau explains why the choice ultimately fell on Strix:

“What ultimately convinced us was the overall package. Of course, there are several agencies with the necessary IT expertise. But with Strix, we quickly had the feeling that they understood our business as well. They listen, but they also speak up and challenge us when they think we might be heading in the wrong direction.”

“The tire industry comes with a number of very specific requirements, from the logic surrounding vehicle data to the integration of retail and workshop services. Strix understood this very quickly and took these requirements into account throughout the implementation.”

— Dominique Perreau, Head of E-Commerce and Digital Processes at Interpneu

Sarah Sanesi-Manias adds:

“We realized that we had made the right choice during the implementation at the latest. With our previous partner, it often took ages to get even a response to an email. Every single request had to be escalated all the way to senior management. With Strix, we have dedicated points of contact who are always available and take care of every request quickly.”

3. Implementation: A Platform That Goes Far Beyond B2C Commerce

The e-commerce platform was selected, the agency was on board: Together with Reifen1+, we developed a platform that goes far beyond a traditional B2C store. At its core is a digital model that intelligently connects end customers, wholesale operations, and workshops:

For End Customers: An Efficient Customer Journey

When customers visit reifen1plus.com, they are guided step by step through the purchasing process. They can select their tires using a configuration tool, by entering their vehicle model, or directly through the online store.

They then choose a partner workshop nearby based on location, available services, and appointment availability. In the final step, they book an appointment online and, if required, add additional services such as tire storage or minor repairs.

The entire process — from product selection to appointment booking — takes place digitally. The workshop visit itself is the only physical touchpoint.

For Wholesale: Seamless Synchronization with B2B

Every order placed through the B2C store automatically triggers a B2B process in the background. The selected tires are ordered from the wholesaler at the terms agreed with the respective partner workshop and delivered directly to the workshop.

Delivery times and workshop appointments are synchronized, eliminating the need for manual coordination. For the workshops, this removes a large part of the communication that previously took place by phone or email. At the same time, they remain a central part of the value chain, as installation and services continue to be provided on site.

For Workshops: Their Own Merchant Shop

Workshops can take their integration into the Reifen1+ ecosystem one step further by booking their own online store on the central platform. This gives each dealer an individual presence on the web, which they can manage through the purpose-built Merchant Center:

• Customize their branding with logos, colors, and content
• Define individual pricing rules
• Configure services such as tire fitting or storage
• Publish job vacancies

This completely eliminates one of the biggest pain points for workshops: building and managing their own professionally designed website.

The stores are search-engine optimized, already populated with relevant content, completely maintenance-free, and cost less per month than a Bundesliga subscription.

“The Merchant Shops have given the entire network a noticeable boost. They increase the visibility of individual businesses and create additional customer touchpoints for everyone involved.”

— Sarah Sanesi-Manias, Marketing Manager at Reifen1+

Technologically, the entire platform is built on a headless architecture consisting of:

• Shopware as the commerce backend
• Storyblok for the frontend and CMS
• DooFinder for product search and navigation

This setup makes it possible to efficiently manage, maintain, and coordinate several hundred Merchant Shops from a centralized data foundation.

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Results: Turning Digital Transformation into Measurable Success

What looks good on paper would ultimately be meaningless if it didn’t deliver tangible results. So the most important question is: What did migrating the Reifen1+ platform to Shopware actually achieve?

The results can be measured both quantitatively and qualitatively.

The Reifen1+ Migration: Facts and Figures

50% of the tire dealers in the partner network signed up for their own store on the Reifen1+ platform within the first year. In absolute numbers, that means more than 350 stores that require virtually no work from their owners while simultaneously serving as beacons and multipliers for Reifen1+.

B2C sales tripled. A cumbersome and outdated process has become a digital channel fully tailored to the expectations and needs of end customers: fast, online, and intuitive. Customers who have experienced how effortlessly they can order new tires online will not expect anything less in the future.

For Reifen1+, the move to Shopware and the headless setup also provide significantly greater strategic independence. The company no longer needs agency support for every minor frontend change. This means new ideas can be implemented quickly, and the online presence can be adapted to changing requirements and market conditions.

“Thanks to the headless setup, we can now make many adjustments ourselves without needing external support every time. This makes us significantly faster and more independent in our day-to-day operations.”

— Sarah Sanesi-Manias, Marketing Manager at Reifen1+

Overall, the platform serves as an important tool for expanding the partner network. Reifen1+ benefits from the appeal and visibility of the offering and is recommended by tire dealers to other businesses. At the same time, workshops gain a professional online presence at an affordable cost, helping them attract more customers.

A win-win situation for everyone involved.

Your Future with Strix

If you are interested in bringing your own Shopware idea to life with us, we would be happy to tell you more about your options and our services.

If you are still looking for inspiration and advice, discover what is possible with Shopware — and what we have already made possible for our clients.

By now, you should have a little more time to explore. Because we now know one thing for sure: you can take care of your next “O-to-O” tire change online in no time at all.

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This project is built with our technology partners: