Bauhaus + Magnolia
“The agile and close cooperation with IMS Software and Magnolia has massively accelerated the development time.”
BAUHAUS Fachcentren AG, based in Belp, Switzerland, bundles various specialist ranges covering tools and other products for home and garden. Their product portfolio includes more than 160,000 quality items, which can be found in 15 departments in the specialist centers.
The BAUHAUS success story began in 1960. The company was founded by Heinz-Georg Baus as the first DIY store in Germany. In the following years, BAUHAUS expanded, first in Austria in 1972 and then further throughout Europe. The brand now operates more than 290 specialist centers in 19 European countries, and with them, numerous websites in different languages.
The challenge
Extensive user experience requirements
The content management system that BAUHAUS previously used was no longer being properly supported. At the same time, the requirements for content management have increased continuously in the recent years. The experience for both end users and editors had to be improved. According to the company's motto "If it has to be good", BAUHAUS had to create a project for future-proof content management with a new technological basis. The vision: the new CMS should be more user-friendly, simple and multilingual, as well as offer the possibility to develop tailored components.
The solution
Easily integrate and build an eCommerce CMS
IMS Software, which was commissioned with the implementation of a new CMS for BAUHAUS, evaluated various systems. The decision was quickly made to select Magnolia, as it offered optimal conditions for integration into the existing Java ecosystem. In addition, the platform can be flexibly expanded with Java-based software via REST interfaces, which was a key requirement for BAUHAUS. A fully tailored CMS for eCommerce could be set up without any challenges. For example, a PIM system and the existing shop system were simply connected to Magnolia's content platform. Magnolia is now operated as a Docker container in order to collect, maintain and publish content from a central location on the www.bauhaus.ch website.
The result
With Magnolia to higher efficiency, security and flexibility in content commerce
With Magnolia, BAUHAUS can now easily and efficiently combine content and commerce. The product categories and other eCommerce data are imported into Magnolia and can be used to create rich, content-driven shopping experiences. Thanks to a role-based approval process, content is published in a controlled manner. Two public instances ensure uninterrupted installation of new releases. This combination of role-based approval process and public instances increases security in content management.
Light modules round off the flexibility of the platform: with them, both IMS Software and BAUHAUS teams can easily make customizations and extensions at any time. This way, they can easily develop and integrate new tailored components. If necessary, the website design can also be flexibly changed with the help of Magnolia. The new content - commerce platform supports a future-proof BAUHAUS website and gives BAUHAUS customers a great shopping experience.
IMS Software
With experts in the areas of conception, development, architecture and infrastructure, IMS Software's goal is to find the best solution for their customers' sustainable business success. IMS Software is independent and belongs to the BRIM Group AG with headquarters in Ittigen near Bern. IMS Software develops their customers' individual software exclusively in Switzerland and supports them as an IT partner with all their experience, competence and enthusiasm for efficient, unconventional and outstanding software solutions.
“The agile and close cooperation with IMS Software and Magnolia has massively accelerated the development time.”
“Magnolia offered us the optimal conditions: It could be easily integrated into the existing Java ecosystem and flexibly expanded with Java-based custom software via REST interfaces.”
