AI only works with architecture: watch the masterclass now 
Digital innovation in the building materials trade: AI image search for STARK Germany 
The right system for every application: Medienwerft Demo Days – See for yourself 
End2End solutions from UX to hosting: Benefit from the expertise of the FIS Group! 
Do you fit into our team? Discover all vacancies now and apply now! 
Ready for the shipyard? Find out what you can look forward to as an apprentice at Medienwerft! 
AI expertise in three episodes: Listen to our podcast series now! 
Composable commerce reimagined: Discover Emporix's new strategy now! 
Three use cases: Watch the AI Booster in Retail webinar now! 
An e-commerce storefront for the future: Journey Aware, flexible, high-performance
For our close technology partner Emporix, we developed a technologically independent, fully functional e-commerce storefront that serves as a showcase, design benchmark, and new standard within the Emporix ecosystem.
In just seven weeks, we developed a modular, accessible, and reliable e-commerce storefront that demonstrates how technological freedom and innovative user experience can be combined. What began as a showcase is now a key component of the Emporix overall solution—one that can be used not only by Emporix, but also by its customers and partners worldwide.
CUSTOMER
Emporix
INDUSTRY
Technology solutions in the B2B sector
GOAL
A storefront that is ready to use immediately – easy to integrate and fully configurable
TECHNOLOGIES
- Front-end & back-end development
- UX and UI design
- Accessibility
- CMS integration
Emporix is the first choice when it comes to orchestrating processes in digital B2B commerce. With its modern, cloud-based tech stack, Emporix enables companies to design their commerce landscapes in a flexible and future-proof manner. With an eye to the future, the focus is on value streams and the concept of autonomous commerce – for greater agility, autonomy, and technological freedom in an ever-changing retail world. Find out more at www.emporix.de.
The task
An e-commerce storefront that adapts to change
Developing a completely separate e-commerce storefront in the form of a fully functional B2B shop in just a few weeks – internal project name: Project Phoenix.
A shop that can be customized in every function—every single value stream—with minimal effort. A shop that scales seamlessly, works barrier-free on every platform, and is displayed in the appropriate format on every device. This required not only development, but also our CX team, which was tasked with creating a “most lovable” Emporix design.
Do you have a similar challenge for us? Then feel free to contact us!
The challenge
Growing together in just seven weeks
The biggest challenge in this project was time – because the new storefront had to be up and running in just seven weeks. Nevertheless, there could be no compromises – neither in terms of performance, accessibility, nor usability.
Challenge accepted: While the architecture was deliberately designed to be headless and agnostic, the design created a foundation that can be dynamically adapted: responsive, variable, component-based. Every line of code, every design token, and every interaction had to be attractive, functional, and high-performing at the same time.
How did we do it? Not only do our developments scale with capacity and effort, but so do our teams. The project started out deliberately lean and developed gradually. With each phase, new competencies were integrated—UX, design, development, quality assurance—and just as deliberately scaled back when the focus required it.
The result: a model that we built not only for Emporix, but for all companies that want to set digital benchmarks together.
Our approach
Agile collaboration that makes speed possible
Not only do our developments scale capacity and effort, but so do our teams. The project started out deliberately lean and has developed gradually.
The collaboration with the Emporix experts was particularly influential. They were part of the process from the very beginning – not as an external entity, but as equal partners. The design system, code, and component library developed hand in hand. This type of collaboration made speed possible in the first place: an agile system that adapts to needs, knowledge, and progress just like the architecture itself.
The result
Design that lasts – on an architecture that changes
We started from scratch – on a greenfield site and with the aim of building something that would last, even if everything else changed. The design and architecture system is therefore completely flexible. Every module can be exchanged, every integration replaced – whether CMS, search, or commerce engine.
Thanks to the headless architecture and a platform-independent e-commerce storefront, the system can respond to new technologies, languages, or markets with just a few adjustments.
Multi-channel, multi-market, and multi-brand
One storefront for all markets, brands, and channels—consistent in look and feel, variable in language, product range, and pricing logic.
Plug and Play
The architecture is open, standardized, and compatible. Tools or services work directly with the existing system and can be replaced at any time as needed.
SEO framework with performance
An architecture in which headless structures and server-side rendering ensure fast loading times, efficient data flows, and optimal visibility on AI search engines.
Driven by data, ready for AI
A storefront that is directly linked to AI agents and business logic – for smart, data-driven interactions across all touchpoints.
Inversion of Control
It is not the code that determines the sequence of events—the architecture orchestrates it. The result: more freedom, less dependency, and a tech stack that grows as new systems are added.
Truly Digital Accessible
The Journey Aware Storefront combines technology, design, and user perspective to enable access for everyone—regardless of device, ability, or context, whether human or AI.
Technological sophistication
An e-commerce storefront that brings modular orchestration to life
For the front end, we deliberately chose React in combination with Next.js.
Not because it is currently state of the art, but because features such as server-side and partial rendering, seamless client-server transitions, and the broad community behind it provide a solid technological basis for further development.
The backend of the NextJS system reflects the concept of modularity.
Does customer data come from SAP or Salesforce? Are prices calculated live by the ERP or directly by the Emporix commerce system? Does inventory come from merchandise management or a dedicated warehouse solution?
An inversion of control system makes it easy to exchange the actual integrations independently of the presentation layer.
With Tailwind CSS, design is defined where it originates—directly on the element. Instead of getting lost in endless stylesheets, the code precisely describes what happens on the screen.
Building on this, the shadcn Component Library provides structure and speed. It provides proven UI building blocks—from lists to tables—while remaining fully extensible.
The result is a system that grows from individual modules, not dependencies. Defined grids, spacing variables, and typo sets become a modular component library that makes every element—from buttons to product cards—available as a reusable unit.
Autonomous Commerce Execution
Emporix (ACE) – a platform where processes, data, and intelligence converge
The Emporix Autonomous Commerce Execution (ACE) platform is the first AI-native solution developed specifically for autonomous commerce. It combines process control, artificial intelligence, and automation – the result: a fast, flexible, and future-proof commerce platform.
The ACE platform combines process control, artificial intelligence, and automation. It provides the basis for AI-based autonomous commerce and is characterized by agility, speed, and effectiveness.
Its central components for process and data control are: commerce orchestration, agentic commerce intelligence and the semantic data layer.
The complexity of commerce is reduced by orchestrating processes via value streams and using AI agents (agentic commerce intelligence).
This enables the simplification of processes, the reduction of integration efforts (Embedded iPaaS), and the flexible implementation of adjustments via No-Code Logic during ongoing operations.
The architecture of the ACE platform offers clear operational advantages:
- Agility: Processes can be adapted in real time to respond flexibly to market changes.
- IT efficiency: The effort required for programming, testing, and maintenance is minimized.
- Control: The clear separation of front end (Journey Aware Frontend), back end, and logic ensures maximum transparency and flexibility in operation.
Storyblok CMS
Content
that builds relationships
Content is most compelling when it is created with the user in mind. With Storyblok, we can design content the way it is experienced—directly in the context of the design. We let Storyblok speak the same language as our Figma design system: components, structures, spacing—everything works together. This means that content is no longer a static block of text, but a living element of the customer experience.
For the new Emporix Journey Aware Storefront, this means: fewer dependencies, shorter release cycles, and content that works in every language and every market.
Digital accessibility
Content that reaches everyone
Project Phoenix was designed to be completely accessible. The design system was designed from the ground up for usability, performance, and accessibility and is based on clearly defined contrasts, scalable font sizes, sufficiently large click areas, and semantically clean code. Every UI element meets WCAG standards and has been tested for compatibility with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and different devices.
This ensures that everyone can understand and use the content equally, regardless of their abilities or the device they are using.
Search engine optimization
Content that can also be found by AI
AI is the search engine of the future – with this in mind, we have equipped the new storefront with the best prerequisites for being named or cited by AI. To achieve this, we combine the latest SEO/GEO strategies with modern UX design.
This is particularly evident in the Emporix case: by using headless architecture and server-side rendering, we were not only able to achieve excellent loading times, but also significantly increase visibility in search engines and AI-supported platforms.
Conclusion
Collaboration that sets standards
Our Phoenix project resulted in an e-commerce storefront that redefines efficiency, scalability, and user experience. In just seven weeks, we created a system that combines technological freedom with accessible design and international performance. The result is more than just a showcase. It is the cornerstone for future solutions such as self-service portals or B2B shops with integrated AI applications. The Journey Aware Storefront marks the beginning of a new phase of development in digital B2B commerce, and we look forward to continuing on this path together with Emporix.
