CHAMPION - Store opening on a multi-boutique site

At the beginning of June 2020, the CHAMPION Group opened its 32^e store just a few kilometers from the Soledis headquarters in Vannes! Two weeks later, the www.champion-direct.com/vannes was born with all the associated services: click & collect, in-store promotions, store presentation page, dedicated payment brick, stock flow management, associated carrier account for deliveries... Discover the e-commerce behind-the-scenes of a store opening!

CHAMPION, 100 years of existence and a network of 32 DIY and hardware stores

CHAMPION is one of France's leading B2B DIY and hardware retailers, with 35,000 part numbers, 2 central logistics platforms and 32 stores in France and Switzerland. This Paris-based family business, which has just celebrated its 100th anniversary, has missed nothing of the e-Commerce shift that has taken place in its sector. Its objective is clear: to put digital technology at the service of its network of physical stores, its core business.

CHAMPION is a member of the COFAQa group of independent distributors specializing in DIY. In 2017, it was the first member to benefit from a new network offering: the development of an online sales site. Prestashop turnkey.

As a partner of COFAQ on this e-Commerce component, SOLEDIS supports the network's members in digitizing and opening up the e-commerce sales channel, in a way that is adapted to their B2B environment. This is how the CHAMPION-SOLEDIS collaboration began back in 2017.

In the back office, the complexity of a multi-boutique site

The structure and growth of the CHAMPION group (store openings and product catalog enrichment) call for a very specific approach to digitalization. CHAMPION has a network of stores, some of which are grouped into separate legal structures. This has a very real impact on the back office of an e-commerce site, particularly in terms of B2B customer service.

The opening of the Vannes store, for example, requires the customization of the secure payment system linked to this store.

In the front office, this means customizing the price and delivery time according to the product's availability, size and weight, and also according to the store chosen by the web-consumer.

This specificity of the CHAMPION structure concerning carrier accounts required the adaptation of the Chronopost module by the SOLEDIS studio team. That's the beauty of working with an Open Source solution.

Connection between merchant site, ERP and PIM

Soledis usually offers this connection via an Open Source solution: SoConnector, website connector with your ERP/CRM/PIMBut on the Champion-direct.com website, it existed before the CHAMPION-SOLEDIS collaboration began. Soledis consolidated the existing connection and continues to improve it today. New CHAMPION products are created in the PIM and orders placed on the e-commerce site are processed in the ERP. The management of flows between these different components of CHAMPION's IT infrastructure is therefore vital. It is essential to ensure that they function smoothly, despite changes in each of them. Soledis guarantees this connection, even as the e-commerce site evolves.

" We recently created a quotation request module for CHAMPION. We had to develop this functionality while allowing the CHAMPION teams to maintain their ERP quote management habits. Our teams are accustomed to managing these development specificities. Even if CHAMPION decides to change ERP, we know how to avoid completely overhauling this complex flow management. "

Jean-François, SOLEDIS project manager

Customized e-commerce functionalities for each type of customer

Buyers, users, key accounts, entrepreneurs... customer segmentation to personalize the user experience is one of the essential functions of a BtoB e-commerce site. Soledis is accustomed to implementing this segmentation, and to planning all possible customizations in the back office to adapt the purchasing tunnel to each of these customers. On the Champion-direct.comThis feature is particularly accomplished.

Pricing, ordering and delivery conditions are customized according to customer type, and can be further adapted according to the store or group of stores with which each customer is affiliated. For example, the teams at the new Vannes store can set up a promotion for their affiliated professional customers. Soledis has even developed the e-Commerce site https://www.champion-grandscomptes.com which can only be accessed by large corporate customers. It's a closed site, accessible by password, offering specific products with specific pricing conditions. This store is designed to manage markets, with all the associated specificities (rights management, approvers, quotations, product range restrictions, etc.).

Continuous integration, long-term collaboration

The website is constantly being adapted for both practical (ERP integration) and business reasons (adaptation to B2B customer uses and expectations). Soledis' work is continuous. For this reason, Soledis has adapted its mode of operation by offering CHAMPION a continuous cycle of specification-development-testing-integration-delivery. This means that in the Soledis studio, there is always a new feature under development, while the previous one is being tested or delivered! Each new development is recorded with GIT, with a view to rigorous versioning. So, since going live, Soledis has been available not only for the usual support (see our blog article on the support from the ecommerce agency Soledis) to keep the site running smoothly over the long term, but also to respond to requests to upgrade the e-commerce site's functionalities.

" It was important for us to work smoothly with CHAMPION, to avoid wasting time on administrative tasks. The most important thing was to respond technically to their requests for website upgrades. Follow-up with the customer is extremely rigorous, with weekly meetings and quarterly COPIL meetings. This works perfectly well, thanks to a customer relationship based on trust. "

Yoann, SOLEDIS General Manager

Challenges & skills development

" CHAMPION is a customer who makes us grow. Many of their requests are challenges that our teams are proud to take up. Certain specific developments or sometimes simply anticipating the side effects of hyper-customization of their site pushes back the limits of the complexity of our profession. They, too, have had to develop their skills thanks to us: they've had to understand Prestashop and how we work. It's a real vote of confidence to work with us on a time and materials basis. "