Launching Tamron’s new webshop in 18 languages

Headquarters: Köln, Germany
Technology stack: commercetools, Vue Storefront

TAMRON is a world-class camera lens maker with over 70 years of experience. They sell lenses for cameras and photography devices through distributors and online platforms. The company has relied on Webmatch for years. Marketing, sales, export, service, and distribution are managed from the agency's office in Cologne.

By analyzing their customer journey, Tamron found that online sales were growing in Europe. Thus, they needed to transform their website into a webshop where consumers could buy their products. All this was done with the help of Webmatch, who, using Storyblok, helped Tamron create their functional webshop.

The project implementation resulted in a 54% improvement in the platform's Google performance and an 89% improvement in the website's accessibility.

Challenges in powering TAMRON's sales

TAMRON's website was a place where users could only get information about the products. Yet, they weren't able to make a purchase. To do so, they would need to contact one of TAMRON's dealers and distributors, available in nearly 40 countries all over Europe. Alternatively, they could buy their lenses on Amazon. This entailed the need to implement new solutions that would solve the following issues:

• Complex sales process: TAMRON needed to transform their website into a webshop. To do so, the company was searching for an eCommerce platform integration. This move would streamline their sales processes and make them user-friendly.
• Outdated website solution: Before, TAMRON was using Typo3 as their Content Management System. The CMS was not cloud-based and had no eCommerce integration capabilities. This was holding the company back from their eStore implementation.
• The need to implement future-proof architecture: To build a webshop, the right technology stack needed to be in place. TAMRON wanted to find a solution that integrates the latest technologies. They aimed to tell their story and sell online at the same time. It was clear that a headless solution was the way to go.

Storyblok's solutions for TAMRON's future

Webmatch chose a composable and flexible approach to meet TAMRON's needs. They chose Storyblok, which replaced the outdated and ineffective CMS Typo3. It enabled TAMRON to provide product information and integrate an eCommerce solution.

• commercetools was utilized as the eCommerce and a form of PIM system. TAMRON can store all the product data and power sales in one place.
• Webmatch implemented Vue Storefront as the front-end engine. They provided TAMRON with a fast presentation layer to drive conversion and revenue.
• The agency also integrated Algolia as a search solution, which delivers search results of products and content from Storyblok as well.
• Storyblok’s extensive roles and permissions enabled the project implementation in an international context of 16 countries with 18 languages.
• The Visual Editor added great value to TAMRON's content editors. With the tool, they gained control over content creation, seeing the results in real-time.
• Relying on Storyblok, TAMRON could host and display image-rich product pages and the magazine section.

TAMRON achieving eCommerce success with Storyblok

Building both the front end and the back end of the website with Storyblok took less than 5 months. The new website went live in September 2022. The eCommerce layer based on commercetools was launched in Q1 of 2023, finishing the project.

Using Storyblok, Webmatch could easily link commercetools and Vue Storefront with pre-built integrations. Although the team was new to these technologies, they learned how to manage the platform. This was thanks to the Webmatch's help and Storyblok's easy-to-learn nature.

TAMRON: Focus on the Future

Today, TAMRON can seamlessly sell their products on their website. This wouldn't have been possible without commercetools and Vue Storefront integrations, with Storyblok as the main content hub.

The company’s analysis revealed the importance of building solid relationships with their customers. Thus, together with Webmatch, they plan on building a direct channel for their customers. Thanks to this, their customers will experience excellent service through product support and workshops. They believe their technology stack will help them achieve this and more.