About the Project

Mestores, originally known as Modern Electronics, began its journey in 1970 as a distributor of Sony products in Saudi Arabia. Over the decades, Mestores expanded its portfolio to include a wide range of electronic products and brands. Today, Mestores is a key electronics distributor and retailer within the Al Faisaliah Group, offering products from major brands like Sony, PlayStation, BenQ, Logitech, and Take-Two. Their operations now extensively cover distribution and retail sales across Saudi Arabia.

The Client

Mestores, a leading entity within the Al Faisaliah Group, serves a diverse clientele, including individual consumers, businesses, and government sectors. The company’s comprehensive offerings in consumer electronics and professional electronic products are backed by a robust distribution network and retail presence, ensuring the latest electronic innovations are accessible throughout Saudi Arabia.

The Goal

The primary objective for Mestores was to develop a comprehensive online presence through multiple e-commerce stores catering to both B2C and B2B markets. This initiative aimed to enhance the accessibility of electronics products across Saudi Arabia. Key goals included:

  • Multi-Platform Accessibility: Establishing online stores fully functional across all devices, including desktops and mobile (iOS and Android). Integration of various payment methods such as credit cards and Apple Pay.
  • Bilingual Support: Ensuring the web platforms are user-friendly and accessible in both Arabic and English, broadening the customer base.
  • Integration with SAP System: Seamlessly integrating the online platforms with the existing SAP system to manage stock levels effectively in real-time, ensuring inventory data is consistent across both online and physical stores.
  • Multiple Shipping Options: Providing diverse shipping methods, including fast shipping across Saudi Arabia and store pickup options, to offer convenience and flexibility to customers.
  • Enhanced User Experience: Implementing features like advanced product search, product recommendations, and promotions tied to national events, aiming to boost user engagement and sales.
  • Marketing and Promotions: Utilizing dynamic marketing strategies such as banners and sliders on the e-commerce sites, managed from an admin panel, to promote products and special offers effectively

These goals were designed to enhance the digital shopping experience, expand market reach, and increase sales while maintaining efficient inventory and customer service management.

The Scope of Work

To meet the requirements and address the challenges of the Mestores project, the scope of work involved several key technical implementations and integrations:

Challenges

Implementing the ambitious goals for Mestores involved tackling several significant challenges, particularly concerning system integration, custom plugin development, and maintaining a seamless user experience. Key challenges included:

  • SAP and Magento 2 Integration:
    • Queuing Protocol: Utilize a robust queuing protocol to manage communication between SAP and Magento 2, ensuring updates in SAP are accurately reflected in Magento.
    • Data Synchronization: Continuously update Magento 2 data alongside SAP to maintain consistent and accurate information across platforms.
  • API Development and Enhancement:
    • Existing APIs: Review and update existing APIs' documentation to ensure clarity and completeness. Implement updates using dependency injection for better modularity and maintainability.
    • New APIs for Custom Pages: Develop new APIs specifically designed to support custom page functionalities within the headless Magento setup.
    • API Middleware: Create middleware that serves data from Redis and Elasticsearch directly, bypassing the need to query Magento 2 for every request, thereby enhancing performance.
  • Search Engine and Caching Integration:
    • Search Engine Integration: Integrate and customize a search engine (likely Elasticsearch) with custom mappings to enhance search capabilities and performance.
    • Cache Integration: Implement caching strategies using Redis to speed up data availability and reduce load times for frequently accessed data.
  • Data and Event Handling:
    • Elasticsearch Updates: Ensure any changes in SAP or Magento 2 trigger appropriate updates in Elasticsearch to keep search data current.
    • Custom Cron Jobs: Develop custom cron jobs to automate tasks based on marketing strategies, customer needs, and periodic data updates.
  • Infrastructure and Performance Scaling:
    • AWS Managed Kubernetes: Deploy the system on AWS-managed Kubernetes to handle high traffic with efficient scaling and load balancing.
    • Cloudflare Integration: Implement Cloudflare to reduce latency and enhance security, ensuring fast and secure content delivery.
    • S3 for Assets and Product Images: Use Amazon S3 for storing assets and product images, providing a reliable and scalable storage solution.
  • Continuous Improvement and Upgrades:
    • Continuous Upgrades: Regularly upgrade and enhance the Magento 2 platform and custom integrations to adapt to new requirements and improve functionalities.
    • New Store Creations: Enable the architecture to facilitate easy scaling and creation of new stores as the business expands.
  • Automated Deployments and Rollback:
    • Deployment Automation: Implement automated deployment processes to streamline the release of new updates and features across the Magento 2 and headless frontend platforms.
    • Rollback Mechanisms: Establish robust rollback mechanisms to quickly revert to previous versions of the application if an update fails or introduces critical issues.
  • State Management with Custom Frontend:
    • Seamless State Synchronization: Implement state management techniques to synchronize the custom React/Next.js frontend with Magento 2 sessions.
  • Integration of SAP and Magento 2x:
    • Continuous Synchronization: Ensuring real-time synchronization between the SAP system and the Magento 2x e-commerce platform to keep stock levels updated.
    • Product Configuration Updates: Continuously updating product configurations on the e-commerce platform based on SAP data to ensure availability and store-specific constraints are accurately reflected.
  • Handling Multiple Store Pickups:
    • Conflict Resolution in Cart: Addressing checkout errors due to store conflicts when customers select products available from different stores.
    • Single Store Selection for Pickup: Enabling users to choose products available for pickup at a single store or opt for fast shipping, enhancing the checkout process and user experience.
  • Magento 2 Platform Customizations:
    • Headless Magento with Custom Frontend: Using Magento 2 as a headless CMS with a custom frontend developed using Node.js and React/Next.js.
    • Custom Plugin Development: Developing custom plugins for Magento to support unique features such as custom discount systems tailored to different marketing strategies.
    • System Upgrades: Regular updates and maintenance of the Magento platform to ensure security, performance, and compatibility with new technologies and third-party integrations.
  • Custom Content Management System (CMS) in Magento:
    • CMS for Multilingual Content: Developing a custom CMS within Magento to manage multilingual content, including product banners, video banners, and product sliders.
  • Order Updates on SAP:
    • Post-Order Synchronization: Updating the SAP system based on successful orders to maintain accurate stock counts and order statuses.
  • Diverse Delivery Options:
    • Logistics for Fast Shipping and Store Pickup: Implementing logistics that can smoothly transition between fast shipping and store pickup options.

Technology Stack

AWS

Magento

SAP

Node JS

Git

Linux

MySQL

Next JS

PHP

JavaScript

Customer Interaction and Functionality

For Mestores’ e-commerce system, the interaction and functionality were designed to offer a seamless and dynamic user experience. Key features included:

  • Homepage:
    • Promotional Content and Recommendations: Dynamically updated content featuring admin-recommended products based on promotional strategies and top-selling products.
  • Search and Category Navigation:
    • Enhanced Search Capabilities: Advanced search functionalities powered by Elasticsearch, allowing customers to find products quickly through keywords, partial matches, or custom filters.
    • Intuitive Category Navigation: Clear and logical structure for product categories, enabling effortless browsing.
  • Cart and Checkout Process:
    • Streamlined Checkout: Simplified checkout process to enhance customer satisfaction and reduce cart abandonment.
    • Integration with Magento 2: Ensured real-time data accuracy for pricing, availability, and promotional discounts.
  • Delivery Options:
    • Store Pickup and Fast Shipping Options: Flexible delivery options, including fast shipping and store pickup.
    • Multiple Store Support: Enabled customers to select products from multiple stores or streamlined the selection to one preferred location.
  • Payment Methods:
    • Diverse Payment Options: Various payment methods including credit cards, digital wallets, and installment payment plans.
    • Installment Payments: Facilitated installment payment options for higher-priced items.
  • Notifications:
    • Real-Time Alerts: Implemented a notification system for order status updates, promotions, and product updates.

Results

The Mestores e-commerce project achieved significant milestones and outcomes:

  • Efficiency Improvements:
    • Streamlined Operations: Integration of SAP with Magento 2 enhanced operational efficiency with real-time inventory and pricing data.
    • Automated Processes: Minimized manual intervention through automated deployments and synchronization between systems.
  • Enhanced Collaboration:
    • Vendor and Partner Integration: Optimized resource management and decision-making processes.
    • Real-Time Data Sharing: Facilitated real-time data sharing among stakeholders.
  • Scalability and Performance:
    • Cloud-Based Infrastructure: Provided a scalable and high-performance platform using AWS-managed Kubernetes and cloud services.
    • Adaptability: Supported scalability for easy expansion of online presence.
  • User Satisfaction:
    • Enhanced User Experience: Dynamic and responsive user interface with advanced search capabilities and personalized shopping experiences.
    • Personalization: Tailored product recommendations and promotional content based on user behavior.
  • Technological Advancement:
    • State-of-the-Art Technology Stack: Leveraged technologies like Elasticsearch, Redis, and Cloudflare for performance enhancement.
    • Continuous Innovation: Commitment to regular upgrades and integration of cutting-edge technologies
Accurate Digital Solutions
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