B2B spare parts store with Shopify Plus for Avesco

Avesco Switzerland sells construction machinery and offers a broad service and spare parts portfolio covering the entire life cycle of the machines. Until now, orders were often placed via catalogs, e-mail, telephone or the field service. The aim of the project was therefore to create an independent, centrally controllable online store to complement existing third-party manufacturer stores, which would map Avesco's B2B processes, strengthen data sovereignty and improve the customer experience, especially for spare and wear parts.

In a joint discovery process, Shopify Plus was chosen. basecom was responsible for consulting, project management, software development, UI/UX conception and design as well as web analytics and a basic SEO setup. One focus of the consultancy was on enabling the Avesco team. Admin training and close communication with the team ensured that the new system was handled with confidence.

Spare parts business in the heavy equipment environment is complex: Many machine models and variants, long product life cycles as well as successor and alternative parts make it difficult to quickly identify the right item. Avesco needed a solution that would guide users directly from the specific machine model to compatible spare and wear parts and at the same time map typical B2B requirements such as customer-specific prices, company accounts, role-based ordering processes and efficient fast procurement.

In addition, the new store needed to be seamlessly integrated into the existing system landscape and ensure a continuous flow of data right through to the order flow. Country-specific requirements of the Swiss market - such as payment options, shipping rules, click & collect in stores and the choice between partial and full delivery - had to be taken into account transparently in the checkout. Avesco was already using third-party stores from manufacturers. The company's own online store was to ensure a more manageable digital presence - in terms of content, product range and promotions - and at the same time create a reliable basis for further country rollouts.

Platform selection, project framework & implementation with Shopify Plus

After a joint workshop, Avesco opted for Shopify Plus as a scalable commerce platform. The implementation was carried out with Shopify Liquid on a customized theme, with a focus on time-to-value: a productive MVP for the Swiss market was created in around four months (soft launch in August 2025). The modular approach is based on standard functions that were specifically supplemented with B2B specifics. In this way, the solution minimizes dependencies on third-party stores and also forms the basis for subsequent rollouts in other countries.

Data integration from ERP

Product, price and availability data is actively transferred from Avesco's systems to Shopify. The setup supports price catalogs, customer groups and individual discounts. The focus was on a stable, repeatable process: clean data mapping, consistent identifiers and clear responsibilities between Avesco IT and store operations. Orders are fed back to the ERP, creating a consistent order-to-cash process and reducing media disruptions.

B2B features from Shopify

The online store uses Shopify's B2B functionalities where it makes sense - such as company accounts, organizations, purchasing authorizations (roles/rights in the standard scope) and customer-specific price lists. This means that the basic logic can be operated without custom code, while extended requirements can be added in a targeted manner. There is a clean expansion perspective for more extensive role concepts without impairing the maintainability of the system.

Custom features for the spare parts trade

Several enhancements have been implemented to quickly identify the correct parts: Model-based filters on category pages and in the search lead users directly from the machine model to compatible components. Replacement and alternative parts are displayed on the product detail page so that obsolete items automatically identify successors or suitable alternatives. These functions reduce search times, reduce incorrect orders and support the long tail of the parts portfolio.

Quick ordering for professionals

B2B customers often work with article lists. The implemented quick order function allows CSV/Excel files to be uploaded or multiple article numbers to be entered in a single step. Items are validated and enriched with price, availability and, if necessary, compatibility information. All items can then be added to the shopping cart. This feature speeds up replenishment in day-to-day service and reduces the workload of the back office.

Single sign-on (SSO)

Instead of native Shopify authentication, users log in to the store with existing Avesco accounts. The login is still consciously initiated (no auto-login), guest orders remain possible. SSO reduces account fragmentation, facilitates the assignment of rights at organizational level and improves onboarding for existing customers.

Check-out, payment methods & shipping logic Switzerland

The store supports major Swiss payment methods and offers flexible fulfillment options. At check-out, customers can choose between partial and full delivery; Click & Collect in stores is also possible. Shipping is subject to availability, and the logic is mapped transparently in the check-out. This allows urgent requirements to be prioritized and delivery costs and downtimes to be reduced.

UX, navigation & SEO/analytics

In addition to usability engineering and a store design tailored to Avesco, a navigation system was developed that goes beyond the standard theme: it quickly takes users from the world of machines to the world of parts. This is technically flanked by an analytics setup for usage monitoring and an SEO framework to continuously improve visibility and internal findability (search/filters).

Enablement & operation

A central project goal was the independence of the specialist team. Admin training enables Avesco to maintain content, product ranges and promotions independently. Close, weekly coordination between the project team and Avesco IT ensured that interfaces were stable and that knowledge was anchored in the team so that it could be used for future expansion stages and country rollouts.

Clear responsibilities, a stringent discovery process and a focus on standard-first enabled rapid implementation without compromising on functionality in the B2B core. The model-based filter, the display of spare and alternative parts and the CSV quick order function proved to be particularly effective: they address the needs of day-to-day service and procurement and reduce queries. With SSO, Swiss payment methods, Click & Collect and flexible delivery logic, the store reflects the operational characteristics of the market. The analytics setup creates transparency about usage and conversion hurdles so that optimizations can be prioritized based on data. The soft launch in August 2025 is the starting point for further features and gradual internationalization.