hopware recently presented new innovations and visionary trends on the platform at the annual Shopware Community Days. The focus was on new features for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the integration of 3D models and augmented reality into the shopping experience, also known as spatial commerce. These technologies are designed to make the shopping process more efficient and customer-centred. Shopware also presented several new functions for the fast-growing B2B segment. Strix was a sponsor of the event, which attracted over 1,400 visitors this year.
In his keynote speech, Shopware Co-CEO Sebastian Hamann emphasised the importance of this new strategic product direction: "In the next five years, artificial intelligence and spatial commerce will significantly change the market as core technologies. "We are already making these technologies accessible today so that our users can benefit from them immediately and are perfectly positioned for this new era in e-commerce."
Yann, CTO at Strix, gave a talk on why on-premises monoliths were always the wrong choice and how SaaS solutions are the future.
Most customers believe that their project is unique. But the real question should be: Do we have to reinvent the wheel for every project? Are there alternatives that we can use without unnecessarily complicating the project?
On-premises software vs. SaaS: With on-premises software, everything is hosted on your own servers, while SaaS solutions are hosted and maintained by the provider. These are the two dominant models in the modern online world.
Advantages of on-premises: It enables a high degree of customisation of the project. This allows you to customise your software to your processes instead of the other way round. However, these projects are often expensive and do not always offer the freedom your e-commerce team is hoping for.
Advantages of SaaS: SaaS offers a wide range of ready-made functions without the need for significant investment in time or money. Updates are carried out by the provider and projects can be realised more quickly. However, if you need a specific solution, development can take longer. Core functions cannot be changed and current internal processes often need to be adapted to fit into the new ecosystem.
Shouldn't we be asking ourselves what is really valuable to the customer rather than building something that only suits our company?
If the customer is at the centre, we need to rethink our processes and backend structure. If you use SaaS without considering the simplification of the overall IT structure, you will end up with the same problem: an overcomplicated, technically burdened and expensive IT infrastructure.
From complex to simple: We need to move from complex to simple structures. E-commerce teams should be empowered and enabled to react quickly to market changes.
New features in Shopware
Shopware has experienced significant growth. This year, Shopware was categorised by Forrester as a contender for B2B commerce. During the Shopware Community Days, Shopware gave an update on the strategic direction of the software platform. Several new functions were also presented:
AI Copilot | Text to Image: this feature converts descriptions into attractive images, simplifying content creation.
Scene Editor: Enables the creation of dynamic imagery without the high cost of photo shoots and makes visual merchandising more accessible.
Sales Agent: This function provides a platform that collects all relevant information and makes it accessible at the right time, so that sales teams can work more effectively.
Immersive Elements: An app that engages customers in an immersive way, strengthens brand loyalty and increases conversion rates with 3D model tours, VR cinema, interactive galleries and optimisation for all relevant screens, including VR headsets.
Strix and Shopware
Shopware Community Days 2024 was a valuable event for Strix as Shopware's platinum partner and sponsor of the event. The event provided two days of insightful conversations and valuable knowledge sharing.