The challenge
KONI is a well-established name in the automotive industry. Historically, its sales model was fully focused on distributors and workshops. The move towards a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model introduced a fundamental challenge: consumers cannot simply order a shock absorber. Each product must precisely match the vehicle’s make, model, and year.
The required product data was stored within a complex SAP environment, making accessibility and consistency a challenge. On top of that, KONI operates within the strict IT governance frameworks of parent company ITT. Together with Harborn, KONI set out to reduce this complexity and regain control over data, processes, and the customer journey.
Setting a clear digital direction
To support international growth while maintaining control, Shopify was selected as the e-commerce foundation. On top of this, we developed a custom Shopify theme that allows full ownership of frontend logic, performance, and user experience—tailored specifically to the automotive market.
We started with the French market, focusing on simplifying the customer journey. Complex technical choices were translated into an intuitive, conversion-driven flow. This approach served as a digital blueprint for subsequent rollouts in North America and Europe.
