The context
The group was launching a range of natural cosmetics and household products, sold online and relayed by a network of ambassadors. Two requirements from the start: a multilingual store, and stock that stays accurate — the group's ERP remaining the reference for products and orders.
The difficulty is not the store itself, it is keeping two systems consistent when they describe the same product with different models.
What I built
Full catalogue
simple products, variants and bundles, categories with their own VAT, tags and customer reviews.
Checkout funnel
cart, coupon codes, online payment and order tracking.
Product subscriptions
recurring orders for regularly consumed items.
Ambassador programme
linking consultants to customers and tracking their activity.
ERP synchronisation
products, stock and order statuses kept aligned.
Content and internationalisation
blog, FAQ, menus, carousels and product content translation.
Delivery
shipping methods, zones and shipment tracking.
Architecture & technical decisions
Translation applies to the data, not just the interface: every product content has its language versions in the database, with a fallback when one is missing. It is the only way to get correct SEO in each language rather than a superficially translated site.
VAT is attached to the category rather than the product: rates vary by type of good and change by regulatory decision — attaching them one level up avoids mass updates on every change.
ERP synchronisation is the delicate part. The ERP is authoritative on stock and orders, the store on presentation and the buying journey. Each system keeps its area of responsibility, and exchanges are explicit rather than continuous.
The front-end is a server-rendered application with language-prefixed routes, essential for the SEO of a multilingual merchant site.
Technical challenges
Shared stock. Two systems decrementing the same stock eventually diverge: writes follow a defined direction, with scheduled reconciliation.
Variants and bundles. A bundle made of existing products must decrement each of its components, which complicates availability calculation.
Multi-country VAT. Selling abroad involves different rate rules depending on destination and the nature of the good.
Subscriptions. A recurring order must handle payment failure, stock shortage and customer modification without rebuilding the cart.
Translation consistency. A partially translated catalogue must stay presentable: systematic fallback rather than displaying missing keys.