Innovative and flexible shops engineered to deliver SMBs rapid retail success

ePages builds microservices architecture to transform capabilities for SMB retailers

Hamburg, 21 September 2017 – ePages (www.epages.com) an innovation leader for online shop software, and 1&1 (www.1and1.com), one of the world’s leading web hosting providers, today unveiled a new range of 1&1 eShop packages, powered by ePages’ cloud-driven ecommerce platform. Available now in six markets across Europe and the Americas, the shop packages deliver SMBs everything they need for retail success, and are strongly positioned to satisfy the enormous demand for rapid ecommerce success.

Online shopping continues to surge globally, with total online shopping revenues worldwide now amounting to $2.3 trillion, and set to rise to $4.5 trillion by 2021 (Statista).  An important proportion of this growth is the rise of SMB retailers, as millions of companies optimize and evolve with transactional websites.

1&1 is the first multi-national provider to offer shop packages based upon a new software from ePages – called ePages Now.  The cloud-based solution is designed to deliver accelerated ecommerce success via rapid and easy deployment, powerful shop functionality, and compelling, fully-responsive shop designs.

The new 1&1 shop range is as of now available in 6 countries – Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, United States, and Canada.  Italy and Mexico will follow within the next weeks.  The shops further enhance the diverse range of innovative services that 1&1 delivers to millions of SMBs to help them compete and thrive online.  The feature-set uniquely addresses both modern shopper demands across sales channels, and also merchants’ needs for efficiency and growth.

Robert Hoffmann, CEO 1&1 Internet, comments, “Business success in the digital world is above all driven by speed and flexibility – thus SMBs must constantly adapt their business according to the high expectations of their customers in order to remain competitive. This applies especially to the ecommerce sector. With our revised eShop portfolio, we offer ‘ecommerce for everyone.’ Using the 1&1 eShop based on ePages technology, SMBs can sell fast and easily on all channels. At the same time, they can concentrate on their core business – we will take care of the rest.”

ePages CEO, Wilfried Beeck, adds, “Our next generation eShop technology is perfect for startups and ambitious online retailers who are pressed for time and require an all-inclusive solution that is sleek and easy to use.  Combined with 1&1’s excellent service and support it‘s a strong proposition for many use cases.”

ePages makes building an online store speedier and more enjoyable than ever.  Users select from a number of attractive layouts, and edit with a drag-and-drop design editor – meaning rapid set up of a compelling, modern shop that is fully responsive for all devices.  Elements can be added to pages rapidly using blocks, saving merchants time every day.

The powerful commerce cockpit equips SMBs to create product content once in a central location and sell it across multiple sales channels, such as marketplaces or comparison shopping engines – fully synchronized and inventoried.  Reliability, security and speed are guaranteed via 1&1’s industry-leading hosting and high-speed infrastructure.

Next generation ecommerce built today

Today at Commerce Summit in Hamburg, ePages set out its technical direction and roadmap for its software.  The company’s next generation commerce software leverages a microservices based architecture, meaning greatly enhanced performance and deployment of new functionalities for merchants.

The new development environment means ePages users will benefit from many highly flexible, modular services accessed via a super responsive back-end.  Developers create and integrate many new features for ePages users, that synchronize seamlessly with systems such as accounting or ERP software.  In practical terms, microservices means ePages shops will be ‘future proof’ by remaining agile, on-trend with consumer needs and more competitive online.

Beeck added, “Our investment in a microservices architecture with an API-first approach comprises a transformational change – not only for us as a platform provider, but for the thousands of SMBs whose online success we share.”

Press contact

Richard Stevenson

Head of Corporate Communications

ePages Software Inc.

press@epages.com

About ePages

ePages (https://www.epages.com/) is a global leader for online shop software. 140,000 companies in 75 countries run professional online shops based on ePages products; complete with up to 15 languages, search engine optimisation, individual design and optimised for tablets and smartphones. Thanks to regular updates, ePages online shops are always up-to-date with the latest eCommerce trends. The company collaborates with more than 80 technology partners such as online marketplaces, comparison shopping websites, payment providers and ERP vendors. Sales partners are hosting providers as well as logistics, telecommunications, and yellow pages companies who provide best of breed eCommerce solutions to their SMB customer base. Both ePages partners and customers benefit from over 20 years of experience. The company headquarters is in Hamburg with additional subsidiaries in London, Barcelona and New York.