ifm

The challenge: An eCommerce platform reaching its limits 

ifm’s on-premise eCommerce platform was approaching the end of its lifecycle, making further development increasingly difficult. Updates were time-consuming, the user experience no longer met expectations, and the platform limited ifm’s ability to introduce new features and technologies, which was especially crucial for AI adoption.

The challenge extended beyond the shop itself. ifm’s complex system landscape included a large number of interconnected systems that all needed to remain operational throughout the migration. The transition had to be as seamless as possible, with no disruption to customers or day-to-day business.

At the same time, ifm needed a more modular architecture that could bring systems closer together, reduce data silos and provide the flexibility to integrate new capabilities. The goal was to create a stable, future-ready foundation for its international eCommerce business without compromising the existing customer experience.

The solution: Building a future-ready commerce foundation 

ifm set out to build a flexible eCommerce platform that could evolve with the business, support digital sales, increase automation and enable AI-powered services. Modern commerce architecture provided the foundation, with the ambition to generate 50% of group sales through the platform over time.

commercetools was selected as the core commerce platform because it could integrate into ifm’s broader system landscape rather than operate as a standalone shop. Connecting commerce more closely with CRM and other systems enables better data synchronization, greater automation, and faster access to individual conditions and personalized recommendations.

The transformation was a joint effort between ifm, commercetools and implementation partner diva-e. Strategy workshops and a Proof of Concept shaped the future architecture, with diva-e joining in 2024 to drive MVP implementation.

Austria and the Netherlands went live in March 2026, providing strategically relevant pilot markets with manageable transaction volumes. The teams continue to expand the platform through further integrations, including OCI/cXML punchout and ongoing feature development, creating a foundation that can evolve alongside ifm’s international business.

The biggest challenge was not the shop, but connecting the many systems already in use at ifm. commercetools did not only make this possible, but also smooth and painless, enabling us to fully accommodate our requirements for business processes and customization.

Marc Wefelnberg

Director Web Development, ifm

The result: Scaling eCommerce for global growth 

The migration to commercetools is already delivering measurable business value for ifm. With the first markets successfully transitioned, the company has increased operational efficiency, strengthened collaboration between systems and created a scalable foundation for its cross-border eCommerce strategy.

Early results include:

• 6 of around 50 countries live.
• 10,000+ orders processed.
• €13 million+ in revenue generated.
• 4.6/5 rating for data synchronization between commercetools and Salesforce.
• 75% of respondents report spending less time working in the shop system.
• Around 30 minutes saved per day for every second Customer Service employee surveyed in the pilot markets of Austria and the Netherlands.

The migration was completed without disrupting day-to-day operations and remained almost invisible to customers. At the same time, the new setup is helping ifm work more efficiently and provides the flexibility to continuously improve the digital customer experience, including an AI-powered product advice solution.

The first rollouts have confirmed the approach from a business, functional and organizational perspective. ifm is now building on this momentum, with 11 country go-lives planned for 2026 and 20+ additional go-lives planned for 2027.