What was actually wrong
World of Books needed cleaner product data and a more maintainable catalogue so the Retail & home business could trade with confidence.
This was not a brochure storefront. Buyers arriving for a specific item needed enough product information and context to identify it with confidence, while stock, account pricing and purchase history had to support the same buying decision.
Product information, catalogue structure and supplier feeds were likely sources of operational friction, with editorial and trading teams working around fragmented data.
The commerce layer had to sit cleanly alongside Multiple Commerce Sales Channels and Patchworks iPaaS, without turning every operational dependency into a launch risk.
Self-serve buying has to behave predictably at peak without leaking edge cases into the order pipeline.
A new commerce surface had to land cleanly inside an operating business, not as a standalone project.
The platform change also depended on product information being structured, enriched and governed well enough to support the catalogue. Product data was a major workstream within the wider commerce delivery, not a separate outcome claim.
What was at stake
Unclear product, pricing or fulfilment information can create friction before an order is placed.
Most relevant to Retail & home teams running B2C and D2C operations and weighing similar platform decisions.
If catalogue and operational data drift, buyers can lose confidence in product information, pricing, stock and purchase history. That can delay or abandon an order, while internal teams absorb the uncertainty through manual checking and customer service.
For repeat buyers and trade accounts, uncertainty creates friction every time an order is placed again. Wrong-part risk, unclear account terms and a harder repeat-order path can frustrate buyers and move the burden back to account teams and support.
Friction in the buying flow does not show up as a complaint. It shows up as quieter weeks and a slow erosion of intent.
Five things, in order.
- 01Mapped the buying journey before the interfaceStarted with how customers actually order on this site, then let the journey shape the interface decisions, not the other way round.
- 02Rebuilt the commerce foundation around how the business operatesRebuilt the commerce surface inside the operating business, not as a standalone project.
- 03Connected the systems that the storefront cannot work withoutThe commerce layer had to sit cleanly alongside Multiple Commerce Sales Channels and Patchworks iPaaS without coupling the launch to every system on day one.
- 04Brought product data into one governed workstreamProduct information, enrichment and catalogue structure were treated as a delivery workstream that enabled the commerce change. Technical data and downloads had to remain connected to the product context buyers used to identify the right item.
- 05Scoped the rules per audience, not per platformAccount-led ordering and self-serve buying were shaped as distinct journeys on the same foundation.
Platforms and integrations
Difficult parts
Results
In the client's words
Partnering with iWeb for our custom integration of Akeneo PIM has revolutionised our operations at World of Books. Their expertise and seamless execution have streamlined our processes, allowing us to efficiently manage our vast inventory of used books. iWeb's innovative approach has not only enhanced our internal workflows but has also improved the overall experience for our customers, ensuring they find the books they love easily and affordably. Their partnership has been instrumental in our mission to promote sustainability through the reuse and recycling of books.”
Ongoing support
The project did not end when the platform went live.
Support mattered because the retail and home still depended on parts data, pricing imports, account behaviour, inventory feeds, integrations and customer-facing information after launch.
Keeping the build decisions and system ownership visible gave the support team a clearer basis for tracing issues and maintaining the connected trading system after launch.
Projects with a similar shape
A British luxury-for-less homeware brand built on Shopify Plus and Akeneo PIM.
DUSK's bedding, furniture and home accessories catalogue governed in Akeneo and traded on Shopify Plus.
A fashion PIM project built around product data quality, digital assets and retail channel activity.
Fashion product data updated across Shopify Plus, sales channels and internal catalogue workflows.
A sports equipment PIM project built around product data, launch speed and catalogue accuracy.
Product launches supported by cleaner data, better completeness and less manual product work.