Mastering B2B ERP Transitions with Composable Commerce

As global supply chains become increasingly complex and B2B customers demand seamless digital experiences, companies face immense pressure to move forward or risk being left behind. Nowhere is this challenge more pronounced than in the monumental task of migrating from aging ERP systems like SAP to dynamic solutions such as Slize ERP and CPQ. It’s a high-stakes journey where disruption can ripple through operations, customer satisfaction, and revenue streams. So, how do you turn this upheaval into an opportunity for growth? The answer lies in a strategic playbook for composable commerce, a blueprint for agility, continuity, and accelerated digital sales.

The Intricate Web of B2B Complexity

Unlike standard retail, B2B commerce often involves a labyrinth of specific requirements:

Ensuring Continuity During ERP Transitions

A significant concern for large enterprises is maintaining business continuity during major system overhauls. When a company moves from SAP to Infor ERP, the risk of disrupting customer-facing experiences and internal operations is high. This is where a modular and composable B2B e-commerce platform proves invaluable.

Slize was built with this challenge in mind. It’s a platform specifically designed to operate effectively even during ERP migration phases when multiple ERP systems might be active simultaneously. It functions as a unified commerce platform, seamlessly connecting existing enterprise systems, such as ERP, CRM, and PIM, and consolidating relevant information into an accessible interface. This approach ensures that while your backend systems evolve, your customer-facing experience remains stable, consistent, and performs optimally.

A prime example of this capability is Vargus, a company that used Slize while running five different ERPs across various countries. This demonstrates Slize’s proven ability to ensure continuity and manage complexity during transitions, thereby preventing the operational delays and internal data readiness issues that can plague such projects.

Composable Unified Commerce Approach from Slize

Slize stands apart from generic e-commerce platforms and traditional ERP plug-ins by offering a composable, modular, and scalable e-commerce solution specifically designed for industries with complex requirements.

Composable Architecture, True Flexibility

Slize is API-first, meaning clients can integrate their preferred tools (PIM, ERP, CMS, authentication systems) via APIs without vendor lock-in. This means you can swap technologies as needed, ensuring a future-proof architecture. This contrasts sharply with monolithic systems or custom ERP portals that are often hardcoded and inflexible.

Industry-Specific Intelligence at its Core

Born out of a real wholesale challenge witnessed by Slize founder  Brian Fink at Damstahl, the company was purpose-built for the complexity of B2B commerce in industrial sectors. It natively supports:

• Complex units (kilos, meters, bundles).
• Logistics intricacies (multi-warehouse, cutting services).
• Visibility into leftover materials, certificates, and full traceability.
• Functionalities like contract products, where reserved product lines are visible only to select clients at fixed prices.

Unified Commerce for Seamless Journeys

Slize advocates for and enables a single, cohesive web experience where marketing content (storytelling, brand mission) and e-commerce functionalities are combined on a single domain. This eliminates the need for customers to jump between platforms, streamlining the journey from product discovery to order placement.

Simplifying Product Configuration

Slize’s platform empowers B2B companies to offer highly configurable products and services online with ease:

• Flexible Front-End Architecture: Clients can utilize Slize’s default storefront or opt for a fully customized front-end that supports reusable UI components and responsive design.  Weinmann Aach, for instance, chose a modern, no-scroll interface with a drawer layout, prioritizing efficiency over visual storytelling, which is crucial for fast, precise ordering in industrial settings.
• Configurable Pricing and Services: The platform supports quantity-based pricing brackets and project-specific multiple baskets. It offers a wide range of services, including cutting, galvanizing, sandblasting, stamping, and packaging, enabling customers to create customized product packages easily.
• High-Performance Product Catalog and Search: With Slize, businesses get immediate category filtering, real-time product and price updates integrated with ERP systems, and optimized search performance.  Damstahl, a large client, handles 11 million requests per day with unmatched speed, leading to endorsements from partners like Microsoft.

Mastering Logistics Complexity

Beyond product configuration, Slize provides deep capabilities for managing logistics:

• Advanced Logistics Customization and Automation: Slize’s configurable logistics logic handles multi-warehouse support with client-specific fulfillment rules. As seen with Damstahl, background automation selects optimal delivery combinations, reducing manual effort, optimizing costs, and improving fulfillment speed.
• Smart Delivery Optimization: The platform provides intelligent delivery date recommendations based on a client’s delivery history and warehouse availability. It also includes options for individual versus combined delivery to reduce costs and built-in logic to help clients reach “free delivery” thresholds.
• Real-time Stock Visibility: Customers can view inline stock levels and multi-warehouse availability directly on list pages, enabling faster and more informed purchasing decisions.