A secure online store for IT magazines

Alongside the sale of IT magazines such as c't and iX, specialist books, e-books, digital magazines and gadgets, heise Shop is a very important sales channel for subscriptions and additional editorial offerings from Heise. Due to the end of the life of Magento 1, which was the previous technology base of the online store, Heise decided on a relaunch. To continue to offer a reliable store in the future that combines the previously separate sales processes for different products into a uniform shopping experience, Heise asked us for advice on a new technical solution after we had already successfully supported the store relaunch on Magento.

More structure for a wide range of products

The previous heise Shop was regularly confronted with efficiency losses. This was caused by the complex IT system, which used different systems for sales processes and the management of product data directly in the store system. The store became increasingly difficult to maintain. For example, attributes accumulated over time, some of which were no longer used. The store had to communicate with various interfaces, including when importing and exporting product data. This dependency on Magento 1 and specific in-house developments, such as an additional payment module for subscriptions or interfaces to ebook service providers, made updating and maintaining the product data particularly complicated. By migrating to a new store system, Heise intended to simplify its system architecture and introduce centralised data management with the help of a product information management system (PIM). This step was intended to simplify data maintenance and enable smooth integration into the existing technology landscape in order to optimise processes in the long term.

Powerful functionalities and user-friendly content management with Shopware 6

In consultation with Heise, we decided against migrating to OpenMage or Magento 2 and instead opted for a complete replacement of Magento 1 with a technical and content relaunch. The choice was Shopware 6 Enterprise, an e-commerce system that impresses with its comprehensive standard functions and modular design. Shopware offers an "API-first" approach and, with its headless commerce capacities, is ideally suited for integration into Heise's IT landscape. The Shopware experience, including the creation and management of CMS pages and the associated content editor, promote a close connection between editorial content and product offerings. In addition to the technical renewal, the product range, the navigation structure and the customer approach were optimised for SEO and customer needs, supported by a responsive and appealing UI design for all end devices.

Shopware PIM for the digital upgrade in publishing

Dealing with a diverse and partly digital product range is one of the daily business challenges at Heise. Centralised data management using a product information management system with a connection to Shopware was an efficient solution to this problem. As part of our future-oriented strategy, we have completely renewed the infrastructure with a relaunch. We implemented Akeneo PIM as the core for Shopware, which replaces in-house developed database solutions and Magento 1 and is suitable for managing new products in large quantities, as is the case with magazines and subscriptions. As the existing third-party Akeneo Shopware connectors did not meet Heise's specific requirements, we developed a customised connector that ensures an optimal link between the two systems.

Improved usability and more efficiency with Shopware and Akeneo PIM

With the relaunch of the Heise online store through the integration of Shopware 6, the publisher now has a modern online store that prepares it for the future. Customers experience a r°evolutionised shopping experience. End customers also have the option of managing their subscriptions directly via their customer account on Heise.de without needing to access the store. This means that digital products, such as e-books, can be accessed both by e-mail and via a customer account. This improvement is a milestone in customer centricity and usability. Shopware 6 opens up new dimensions of content integration with its platform experience and the content editor. It enables the rapid creation of landing pages, thematic focuses or special offer pages. Thanks to an optimised search overlay with an appealing UI design, existing customers will find what they are looking easier and faster in the future. The consistent, holistic approach to all content and structures gives the heise Shop even better visibility to attract new customers in a targeted manner.

The integration of Shopware PIM in combination with Akeneo optimises product management. It serves as a single point of truth for product data and enables an agile and strategic repositioning of Heise. This integration provides a modern, unified look and feel that works seamlessly with Shopware 6, enabling centralised processes and more efficient management of product data. This allowed us to react quickly to new market requirements during the PIM project phase. Shortly after the start of the project, an additional channel was connected to the Shopware PIM and filled with information using our Akeneo Shopware Connector, which was developed in-house and specially adapted to the requirements.