Why Understanding MACH Architecture Is Key To Nailing Omnichannel Commerce

As technology evolves and the level of consumer expectations continues to rise, there's additional pressure being heaped on retailers to keep up. One of the essential things that retailers are now using to maintain an edge in this competitive environment is MACH architecture. But what makes MACH so transformative for omnichannel commerce? Well, let’s take a look.

Monolithic Limitations

There was a time when monolithic architectures were the gold standard. In basic terms, it’s where a software platform is entirely self-contained, with every feature and function built independently of anything external.

This style of systems architecture is large and hard to manage, but has until relatively recently been the backbone of many retail systems. But as the demands of eCommerce have grown to keep pace with market demands, it has become clear how much this style of development is more roadblock than runway.

Let’s say you want to launch a pop-up site for an exclusive product release or expand your operations across multiple e-commerce marketplaces. The time, resources, and costs involved in making these adjustments with a monolithic system are high – super high, actually. That’s where MACH comes in.

The MACH Difference: Embracing Composable Commerce

MACH stands for Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless. Rather than being chained to the restrictions of a one-size-fits-all solution, MACH allows for flexibility, in fact, it encourages it. By decoupling the front-end of your site (the bit the user sees) from the back-end (where everything is managed), retailers can now use any number of specialist solutions, no matter how the rest of their solution is built. It’s all about getting the 'best of breed' solution for every function you want to fulfill.

With composable commerce, retailers have the freedom to combine various systems tailored to their unique needs. Wolfpack's Omnichannel Retail Platform (ORP) is of course built to MACH principles (just thought we should mention that). That means any retailer who wants the opportunity to manage orders, product content, and stock across diverse sales channels, creating a fluid omnichannel experience for consumers, can do so.

Navigating The Build Vs. Buy Conundrum With MACH

While there's a consensus about the advantages of MACH over monolithic structures, another question always raises its head: should retailers build MACH-based solutions internally or seek external expertise?

Simple retail setups might find it feasible to build in-house. But considering the intricacies of today's retail environment, there's an undeniable merit in leveraging external expertise. MACH-specialist providers, having honed their skills, offer refined, risk-free solutions. What’s more, collaborating with vendors who are already MACH-proficient means retailers can harness best practices and avoid pitfalls.

Retailers embarking on their MACH journey can benefit from specialists dedicated to continually advancing the architecture. The goal is to add tangible value to your business, enhancing your eCommerce capabilities, and in turn your omnichannel presence, without the extended learning curve and development challenges.

eCommerce will continue to expand, it’s pretty much a guarantee at this point, and so the importance of adaptable, efficient systems that can continually meet consumer needs cannot be overstated. MACH architecture is the only way to make that happen and with platforms like Wolfpack's ORP, the promise of a seamless omnichannel experience becomes a tangible reality.

Ready to transform your omnichannel offering? Tap into the power of the best-of-breed omnichannel retail platform today by teaming up with Wolfpack.