Built a product catalog CMS and B2B website that cut order processing time by 35 percent
A Strapi-based CMS and React storefront for a manufacturing brand managing a deep technical product catalog, with structured SKU navigation, distributor-facing workflows and search optimised for technical specifications.
Key Takeaways
Ebco is a manufacturing brand with a deep technical product catalog and a B2B distributor base that orders frequently across SKUs. Unico Connect built the product catalog CMS on Strapi and the React-based storefront and distributor portal, with structured SKU navigation, search tuned for technical specifications and an ordering flow integrated with the operational backend.
The result is 35 percent faster order processing and a catalog the Ebco team can maintain without engineering intervention for routine updates.
The Challenge
Ebco operates in a B2B category where the customer relationship runs through distributors, not direct consumers. Distributors order frequently, in volume, across long SKU lists — searching by part number, specification and compatibility, not browsing the way a consumer does. The platform supporting them has to be tuned to that behaviour, not adapted from a consumer template.
The catalog itself was deep and technical, with different attribute models per category, and the old platform did not handle that gracefully. Catalog maintenance was an engineering task rather than a merchandising one, and orders flowed through email and phone into the operational backend, slowing processing and introducing errors at every handoff.
Ebco needed a platform that combined a catalog system the team could own with a storefront and distributor portal tuned for technical B2B ordering — and one that plugged cleanly into the operational backend that already handled order processing, rather than replacing systems that worked.
Our Approach
We structured the engagement around two complementary builds: the Strapi catalog CMS for the merchandising team, and the React storefront and distributor portal for the customer experience.
Key decisions:
Strapi over a custom CMS
For structured technical product data and a team that needed direct control, Strapi gave the data-model flexibility and authoring experience without the cost of a fully custom build.
A flexible per-category data model
Different categories carry different attributes, so the model accommodates each rather than forcing every product into one rigid template — which is what makes the search and filtering work.
Integrate, do not replace
We plugged into Ebco’s existing operational backend rather than replacing systems that worked, keeping scope focused.
The solution we built
A Strapi catalog CMS, a React storefront for product discovery, a React distributor portal for B2B ordering, and integrations into Ebco’s existing operational backend.
Strapi catalog CMS
The Ebco team owns catalog updates, attributes and taxonomy day to day — no engineering for routine changes.
Technical SKU search
Tuned for part numbers and specifications, with category-specific filtering across dimensions, ratings and compatibility.
Distributor portal
A dedicated self-service ordering surface built around repeat B2B ordering across SKUs.
Operational integration
Orders flow straight into the existing backend, removing the manual email-and-phone coordination layer.
Tech stack
Outcomes & metrics
35%
Faster order processing
Self-serve
Catalog owned by the Ebco team on Strapi
B2B portal
Distributor self-service ordering
Frequently Asked Questions
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Tell us about your project
Tell us about your catalog, the distributor base you serve and where you want the platform to be in twelve months. A 30-minute call is the fastest way to find out whether Unico Connect is the right partner.
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