Going composable is a smart move – but not a silver bullet

"Evolve or die" is a strong statement – but nonetheless a true one for businesses. Companies are under constant pressure to be future-proof, which means you need to be adaptable to changing market demands and customer needs.

During the last few years, "going composable" has often been given as the only way to succeed in commerce in the long run. Here's the thing: it typically does make sense to opt for a more flexible and adaptable commerce architecture that allows companies to quickly adapt to what the market demands in terms of being relevant in the world of digital commerce.

What should be questioned is the sense of urgency placed on businesses that are still running platforms seen as monolithic. While moving toward a composable commerce landscape is very much a valid path, it doesn’t make sense to rush into blowing up your existing commerce architecture before at least pausing to consider a few different perspectives.

1. Change your perspective on CX first – from e-commerce to portals

The push towards composability often overlooks the value of your existing commerce architecture. While legacy platforms might not offer the same level of modularity as composable systems, they may still serve your business needs well, especially if they’re already deeply integrated with your operations.

Instead of abandoning your current system entirely, consider how it can evolve and expand. We're seeing many B2B companies that want to pull as much value out of their existing commerce solutions as possible – for example by expanding a spare part shop for their assets into a one-stop shop providing everything that their customers need. Granted, this in itself is typically a step towards a more composable architecture, but you don’t necessarily have to re-platform to achieve this.

The rise of B2B portal initiatives is something we've been witnessing for the past few years. While in some cases, it makes sense to switch from one e-commerce platform to another when building a portal, there are many cases in which what you already have is what you need. The e-commerce platform is just one piece of the architectural puzzle.

2. Incremental evolution > revolutionary overhaul

Related to point 1, it makes sense to think in phases. Rather than embarking on a massive re-platforming project, companies can focus on incremental evolution. This means assessing the areas where composability could add value – like specific customer experience touchpoints or back-end processes – and integrating new solutions in a phased, manageable way.

For example, if your e-commerce platform lacks personalized product recommendations, consider adding a specialized AI-driven recommendation engine as an external service rather than rebuilding your entire e-commerce stack. Over time, as business needs evolve, additional composable components can be integrated, allowing for a more gradual transformation without the risks associated with a full overhaul.

3. Composable and layered?

B2B companies face unique challenges that often make a purely composable approach insufficient. Unlike B2C, where front-end flexibility and personalized customer experiences drive sales, B2B commerce relies heavily on complex back-end processes that include deep integrations with ERP systems. Many B2B-specific use cases – such as customer-specific pricing, contract-based negotiations, bulk ordering, and real-time inventory visibility – are performance-intensive when pulling data directly from an ERP.

One of the biggest limitations of a fully composable architecture in B2B is the reliance on real-time data retrieval from multiple sources. A typical ERP system is not designed to handle high-frequency API calls at the speed modern e-commerce platforms require. When every product price, discount, or inventory check depends on real-time ERP queries, the result can be slow performance, latency issues, and even system crashes under heavy load. In many of our global B2B commerce implementations, we use our microservice layer to tackle these aforementioned challenges.

The bottom line: take a step back

The digital commerce landscape is evolving, and the need to stay ahead of the curve creates pressure. However, before jumping onto the re-platforming bandwagon, take a moment to evaluate the full scope of your needs, capabilities, and resources.

Remember, the goal is to create a seamless, efficient, and customer-focused commerce experience – whether you’re operating in B2C or B2B. No matter if you achieve that through composable solutions or by enhancing your existing systems, it’s crucial to make decisions grounded in your unique business context, not just the latest vendor pitch. By taking a deep breath and considering all options, companies can move forward with a more thoughtful, strategic approach to digital commerce transformation.

We have over two decades of experience in designing and building winning B2B commerce architectures. More often than not, these also entail a microservice layer specifically designed for B2B use cases. We'll go into more detail about our own commerce API in the next few months.