expert Warenvertrieb GmbH is one of the largest retail cooperatives for consumer electronics in Germany. With approximately 400 stores, just under 200 shareholders, and internal revenue of over two billion euros, the company plays a central role in the German electronics retail sector. A key differentiator that sets expert apart from its competitors is its exceptional commitment to service and customer advice. Since 2012, expert has relied on REMIRA Order Management Software for its online retail operations and benefits from a stable, highly customized solution that optimally maps the company’s complex structures.
In addition to approximately 400 brick-and-mortar stores, expert operates the central platform expert.de—which is connected to major marketplaces such as OTTO, eBay, and Kaufland—as well as over 250 individual specialty store websites. This makes expert the second-largest electronics retailer in Germany. Each order is automatically assigned to the appropriate specialty store or retail location and picked there according to the “ship-from-store” principle. This is precisely where the strengths of REMIRA’s order management software come into play: The tool centrally maps all processes, from order acceptance through payment interfaces, order fulfillment, shipping, and tracking, all the way to returns management.
“Without the REMIRA software, our complex processes would be completely unmanageable. We need a single point of truth where all information converges,”
explains Marcus Willbold, who has been Head of Marketing and E-Commerce at expert for 14 years. Picking operations vary greatly depending on shipment volume across the 250 different picking stations, so employees interact with the system at different frequencies. For Willbold, this means that intuitive usability of the order management software is essential. “The system must be high-performing and easy to use. It mustn’t be too complex for employees,” says Willbold.
Stable processes—even with a high degree of customization
expert does not use the REMIRA order management software as a standard solution, but rather in a highly customized configuration. This is particularly evident in the integration with major marketplaces such as OTTO, eBay, and Kaufland. The complex requirements of the individual platforms demand tailor-made processes and a high degree of flexibility in technical implementation. Susanne Gerbas, Project Manager at REMIRA, emphasizes the importance of close collaboration:
“We’re pleased to be able to support expert with highly customized processes for marketplace integration and to expand these even further in the future. Our long-standing and close collaboration with the customer is a key factor here, and together we’re constantly working to identify and tap into further optimization potential.”
For expert, these adjustments are of great importance. If you take a look at the integration with OTTO.de, for example, the listing process there is automated and takes the relevant commissions into account. In this way, the system minimizes the operational burden on the shareholders. Labeling is also handled by an external service provider coordinated through REMIRA. According to Willbold, interface communication runs smoothly—an important factor, as any disruptions would immediately affect the entire shipping process. Precisely because expert places great value on personalized advice and reliable service, a stable process chain is essential. This is exactly where REMIRA lays the foundation for ensuring that customer service remains tangible even in online business—for example, by ensuring customers reliably receive information, confirmations, and shipment tracking updates.
Automation, transparency, and efficiency
The added value that expert achieves through the REMIRA Order Management Software is clear: The software enables centralized control of all online processes despite the decentralized retailer structure and ensures a high level of process reliability through automated ordering, shipping, and returns workflows. Through reliable process execution, REMIRA also lays the groundwork for expert to deliver on its service commitments in the digital environment. Furthermore, the software reduces the workload for shareholders through automated marketplace listings and provides stable interfaces to payment providers, carriers, and service providers.
With approximately 60,000 listed products and a hybrid customer journey—in which customers can research and order online or seek advice and make purchases at specialty stores or retail outlets—reliable order management is business-critical for expert, says Willbold:
“Working without such an order management tool would be absolutely unthinkable for us as a medium-sized company, because we wouldn’t be able to guarantee service and availability.”
A partnership spanning over a decade
expert and REMIRA have been working closely together since 2012; such a long-standing partnership is anything but common in the industry. According to Willbold, this is an important mark of quality, based on high satisfaction. Through its collaboration with REMIRA, expert has been able to significantly streamline its processes. The company has relied on the REMIRA Order Management System ever since it launched its own online store. Since 2017, expert has also been using the provider’s spot inventory software to streamline its inventory processes digitally and efficiently.
expert continues to pursue the goal of continuously optimizing processes—not only in the back office but also on the sales floor. To achieve this, marketplace integrations, automation, and the ongoing digitization of all relevant processes remain indispensable. REMIRA’s order management software provides a stable foundation for this and will continue to support expert in its implementation efforts in the future.
Are you interested in our order management software? We’d be happy to advise you—with no obligation!
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