Placemakers logo.
Photo of Placemakers Mt Wellington branch.

Building digital foundations for the hardware trade.

Problem

Fletcher Building had an ambitious vision: launch New Zealand's first end-to-end online hardware store with same-day delivery to building sites.

The catch? They needed it fast, and it had to work seamlessly with their existing SAP systems. This wasn't just about building an e-commerce site – it was about proving digital could work in a traditionally offline industry.

Solution

Speed met strategy in this project. We chose Shopify for its robust e-commerce capabilities and built custom integrations with their SAP ERP. The focus was on creating an optimized user experience that would make sense to builders and DIY enthusiasts alike. React.js powered the front end, ensuring smooth performance even with complex product configurations.

MakerTech purple 3D crop 1.

Results

Snappy.co.nz went live in just four weeks, becoming New Zealand's first online-only hardware store. The experiment paid off – within months, it grew into a seven-figure business. But the real success story? The project became the blueprint for Placemakers' main e-commerce platform, showing how starting small and proving concepts can lead to bigger transformations.

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Technologies

React.js logo.
Shopify logo.
SAP Hybris logo.
Microsoft Azure logo.