Since its foundation in 1994, the KNARR Group, based in Helmbrechts in northern Bavaria, has developed from a pure toolmaking company into a full-service provider for tool and mold making. Supplemented by Vertriebs and Formtechnik GmbH in 2000 and 2020, the group expanded its manufacturing expertise with two central components. A very high stock availability of quality standard parts enables the fastest delivery times. The high level of vertical integration ensures additional flexibility in the processing of special part requests. This innovative combination is appreciated by renowned customers worldwide.
CUSTOMER: KNARR Vertriebs GmbH
INDUSTRY: Machine, tool and mold construction
PROJECT: Webshop with integrated plate configurator including 3D visualization
SOLUTION: B2B e-commerce / configurator / PIM light
TECHNOLOGIES: .Net Core (backend), React (frontend), Plan Software Commerce
At the end of 2020, KNARR Vertriebs GmbH approached us with a specific request: having entered the e-commerce business with its first online store back in 2003, the company was now looking to develop an all-round digital solution against the backdrop of the increasingly fast-paced B2B digital commerce world. This objective was associated with a key challenge. The specific ordering habits of the toolmaking industry had to be kept in mind during development. In addition to the design, the aim was to create a user experience in line with the target group. Alongside the print catalog, which would continue to be used, the store solution was intended to create a digital sales channel that would be widely accepted by the end user and contribute to increasing the company’s market presence.
Thanks to the agile process and close collaboration with the customer, we were able to initiate the go-live of a digital commerce solution that combines a web store and 3D configuration in a user-friendly way within just seven months. The initial project phase allowed us to precisely define the customer’s requirements at a very early stage. Following on from this, the customer-specific product features were worked out in a user experience workshop and a prototype was developed, which formed the basis for the future screen design and the further course of the project. The new webshop portal has a highly functional dashboard that combines everything a customer’s heart desires, from importing parts lists to the invoice overview and order history. Another feature for optimizing the customer journey is the complex rights and roles concept with a stored approval process and the option to create project-related shopping baskets.
It is not only the intuitive configuration tool with accompanying 3D visualization that ensures outstanding usability. The quick search function integrated into the dashboard also enables users to complete their order quickly by entering the article number.
Furthermore, a standardized catalog data interface (Open Catalog Interface (OCI)) was implemented. The product information system (PIM) light, which is directly docked onto the shop, also allows the company to independently adapt and exchange content such as images and product descriptions without the intervention of a service provider. With React for the frontend design and .Net Core the backend construction, state-of-the-art technologies were used to make the online shop fully usable for years.
