Scaling Success: How Acorn Solutions Engineered a Future-Ready E-Commerce Experience for B2B Excellence
About the Client
As Australia’s leading manufacturer of food service products, our client supplies an extensive and diverse portfolio to restaurants, cafés, and hospitality businesses nationwide. Renowned for its commitment to quality and reliability, the company embarked on a strategic digital transformation—aiming to establish a high-performance e-commerce platform tailored to the complex needs of its B2B clientele and positioned to enable scalable growth.
The Challenge
The client’s continued market dominance was constrained by a legacy digital infrastructure that presented several critical challenges:
- Sub-optimal Performance: The existing website was slow to load, particularly on mobile devices, leading to frustration for B2B customers who relied on a quick and efficient ordering process.
- Infrastructure Inadequacy: The platform’s monolithic architecture and outdated systems struggled to handle peak traffic during major seasonal campaigns, leading to instability and lost revenue opportunities.
- Fragmented Digital Experience: Disparate user journeys for different customer segments, combined with a non-responsive design, created an inconsistent and often difficult experience across various devices.
- Legacy Security Risks: The aging system had vulnerabilities that failed to meet modern cybersecurity standards, posing a risk to customer data and operational integrity.
Solution: Challenge → Solution → Result Mapping
Challenge | Solution | Result |
Slow page loads & high bounce rates. | Engineered a custom headless e-commerce platform with server-side rendering (SSR) and a robust API layer. | A 70% improvement in page load speeds, directly boosting user engagement. |
Inability to scale for peak demand. | Deployed a scalable cloud-native architecture leveraging microservices, containers, and a content delivery network (CDN). | Ensured 100% platform stability and reliable performance during high-traffic periods. |
Disjointed B2B/B2C user experience. | Designed and built a single, intuitive platform with tailored dashboards and features for both B2B and consumer clients. | A 45% increase in mobile conversions and a simplified ordering flow for B2B customers. |
Outdated security & compliance. | Implemented a modern security framework with robust authentication, role-based access control, and continuous security monitoring. | Enhanced security posture, ensuring customer data protection and regulatory compliance. |
Core Features Implemented
- Custom B2B Ordering Interface: Enabled bulk ordering, recurring subscriptions, and personalized account management for institutional clients.
- Real-time Inventory & Order Tracking: Provided customers with live updates on product availability and shipment status, reducing support inquiries.
- Dynamic Product Catalog: A high-performance search and filtering system for navigating a vast and complex product catalog.
- Mobile-First Responsive Design: A streamlined and intuitive user interface optimized for seamless browsing and purchasing on any device.
- Secure User Authentication: Implemented a secure and flexible authentication system to protect customer data.
Technology & Architecture
Frontend: React, Next.js, TypeScript Backend: Node.js, Express.js Database: PostgreSQL Cloud & DevOps: AWS (ECS, S3, CloudFront), Docker, Kubernetes API Layer: RESTful API Integrations: Third-party logistics (3PL) providers and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
Measurable Results / ROI
- 70% improvement in page load speed, leading to enhanced user experience and reduced bounce rates.
- 45% increase in mobile conversion rates, unlocking a critical growth channel.
- Reduced operational overhead by automating manual ordering processes and decreasing support tickets.
- A future-proof digital platform capable of supporting international expansion and new business models.
- Enhanced security and data protection in line with modern compliance standards.
Why Acorn Solutions?
Acorn Solutions delivered a comprehensive solution that not only addressed the client’s immediate challenges but also provided a future-proof foundation for continued growth.
- Scalable Architecture Expertise: We migrated the client from a rigid, monolithic platform to a flexible, cloud-native architecture built for sustained high performance.
- Results-Driven Partnership: Our agile and collaborative approach ensured that every feature delivered a measurable impact on key business metrics, from conversion rates to operational efficiency.
- Holistic Digital Transformation: We didn’t just rebuild a website; we provided a complete solution that integrated seamlessly with existing enterprise systems, empowering the client to lead their industry into the digital future.
