The Rise of Retailer-Built Commerce Platforms and What Enterprise Leaders Need to Know
Most runners chase quick times and burn out early. The smart ones have a plan for consistent performance over decades. They understand that sustainable success comes from proven methodology, not flashy tactics. We basically put in the hard work.
The same principle applies to commerce platforms. While most emerge from pure technology companies learning retail, there's a different approach gaining momentum. What happens when successful retailers productize their proven technology instead?
This question becomes more urgent when you consider what's actually happening in the market. SCAYLE Commerce Engine 2025 US Shopper Survey reveals a sobering reality: 81% of American shoppers abandoned a brand they previously purchased from within the last year. The reasons aren't dramatic platform failures - they're operational friction points that quietly break the customer journey.
Product quality issues topped the list at 40%, followed by long delivery times (29%) and bad online shopping experiences (27%). Perhaps most telling, 83.5% of shoppers will abandon their cart entirely if their preferred payment method isn't available. These aren't edge cases - they're systematic operational challenges that require platforms built by people who understand retail operations, not just retail technology.
When retailers who've solved these problems at multi-billion euro scale decide to commercialize their solutions, it signals something fundamental is shifting in enterprise commerce.
The Scayle Emergence Story
In August 2023, the ABOUT YOU Group made a strategic move that signals a fundamental shift in enterprise commerce. They spun off their internal commerce technology into an independent entity called Scayle, taking their battle-tested platform to market.
"We are convinced that the strategic step to position SCAYLE as a separate legal entity will accelerate its success story even further," says Tarek Müller , Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the About You Group. "SCAYLE's success to date and the continued high demand in the market for a state-of-the-art shop system is a testament to its bright perspective."
The numbers behind this confidence are substantial. About You generates €5 billion in annual sales revenue, handling 400,000+ products from 2,000+ brands across 26 European countries. The technology powering this operation wasn't theoretical - it was proven at enterprise scale before becoming a commercial platform.
"The technology that underpins About You was spun out to create Scayle, providing a PaaS solution to other retailers including Deichmann, Otto Group and Depot. Targeted at larger retailers with a GMV of £100m+, the platform has already proven its capability at scale," explains the Inside Commerce podcast analysis.
By the time Scayle launched as an independent entity, they had 300 employees and were already powering billion-euro retail operations. More importantly, they entered Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Digital Commerce in 2023 as a new market entrant - a significant validation for any platform, let alone one fresh to market.
The Operational Philosophy Difference
What sets retailer-built platforms apart isn't just their origin story - it's their operational philosophy. Daniel Fertig , SCAYLE's Head of Partnerships, articulates this difference when discussing customer experience fundamentals.
"If I want a particular product in a certain size and color, the best websites let me filter down to exactly what I need. When those tools aren't available, or they return the wrong options, it sends a signal that the experience isn't customer-centric," Fertig explains.
This isn't academic UX theory - it's operational reality from running a major retail business. Fertig continues:
"I want to see what the item looks like on a model, in different environments, and even imagine what it might look like on me. The absence of these touchpoints makes a purchase feel uncertain, and drives consumers to competitors who can close that gap."
The platform's approach to personalization reflects this retailer mindset.
"The smartest companies are using AI behind the scenes," Fertig notes. "It's not about flashy features, it's about powering intelligent operations that make the customer journey smoother, more intuitive."
When it comes to economic pressures affecting retail, Fertig's perspective shows deep market understanding:
"Regardless of income or demographics, shoppers want to feel like they're getting value, and like they're being valued in return. That might come in the form of loyalty programs, exclusive subscriber perks, or smartly timed offers that align with customer needs."
On omnichannel operations, his insights reveal operational sophistication:
"You get the customer into the store, and an associate can help them exchange for a better fit or offer real-time support. That physical interaction can turn a disappointing moment into a positive one, if the infrastructure supports it."
Market Validation From Enterprise Customers
The proof of concept extends beyond leadership vision to actual enterprise adoption. Scayle has achieved a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Gartner Peer Insights from 45+ verified enterprise customers - outrating established players like commercetools (4.6), Shopify (4.5), and Salesforce (4.5).
"We wanted a long-term partner with the performance, flexibility and forward-thinking product vision to match our ambitions. With Scayle, we have found the solid foundation to scale faster with greater control and confidence," reports one customer from a 10-30 billion USD retail company.
The performance validation is particularly telling:
"SCAYLE delivers a scalable platform designed to handle high traffic volumes during peak seasons, ensuring a seamless client experience," notes another enterprise user.
One customer emphasizes the operational impact:
"SCAYLE simplifies our day-to-day operations and frees up resources to focus on strategic growth. Things that truly differentiate."
The Strategic Timing and DNA Advantage
The platform launched during challenging ecommerce market conditions in 2023, yet achieved strong growth while others struggled. As the Otto Group press release notes:
"Despite the challenging market conditions in e-commerce, SCAYLE's business performance has developed strongly. The business unit completed various go-lives of complex migration projects."
The timing intersects with a critical market inflection point. Enterprise retailers are increasingly frustrated with platforms that promise simplicity but can't handle operational complexity. They're seeking alternatives to legacy systems that weren't built for modern headless commerce architectures.
What makes Scayle different is its retail DNA - the deep operational knowledge that comes from running a successful multi-billion euro retail operation. This isn't a technology company learning retail; it's successful retailers sharing proven technology.
"We faced challenges with our product drops due to high traffic, but SCAYLE provided the infrastructure we needed to ensure smooth performance. This reliable support allowed us to shift our focus toward strengthening our core brand strategy," explains one banking industry customer.
The platform's research-driven approach further validates this operational expertise. Their 2025 US Shopper Survey, conducted with YouGov Public Opinion Research , reveals insights that pure technology companies might miss.
"As a leading eCommerce platform provider, we partnered with YouGov to survey shoppers in the United States about why they abandon brands and what keeps them loyal. What we found wasn't just practical - it was eye-opening."
What This Means for Enterprise Commerce
Three strategic implications emerge from Scayle's market entrance:
First, retail DNA matters more than pure technical innovation. When enterprise customers consistently praise a platform for understanding their operational reality, it suggests that industry expertise trumps feature velocity. Successful retailers building platforms have operational credibility that pure technology companies must earn over time.
Second, the timing signals a broader market shift. Enterprise commerce is at an inflection point where legacy platforms struggle with modern architectural demands. Platforms built with modern architecture from day one, proven at enterprise scale, have structural advantages over retrofitted solutions.
Third, this changes platform evaluation criteria. Enterprise buyers should consider not just what a platform can do, but whether it was built by people who understand what they're trying to accomplish operationally, not just technically.
The rise of retailer-built platforms represents more than a new vendor category - it's validation that operational expertise combined with modern technology creates competitive advantages that pure-play tech companies struggle to replicate.
For commerce leaders evaluating platforms in 2025, Scayle's emergence suggests the market is rewarding operational expertise over pure technical innovation. Whether you choose their platform or not, that trend is worth understanding as the enterprise commerce landscape continues to evolve.
The marathon runners who focus on proven training over quick sprints usually cross more finish lines. The same principle may be reshaping enterprise commerce platforms.
Want deeper analysis of commerce platforms and their strategic positioning? I provide in-depth platform intelligence that helps enterprises make informed technology decisions. If you'd like your platform featured in future analysis, reach out to me directly.
Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=brentwpeterson
References
🏃 Brent W Peterson Love this take! I’ve moved clients to retailer built platforms, and operational headaches fell away...checkout and fulfillment improved, churn dropped.
K
Appreciate you showing us love, 🏃 Brent W Peterson! Let me know if you’ll be at shoptalk fall next week!
It's a very good platform for large enterprise. It's similar to a headless BigCommerce or Shopify except with much richer localization and organizational management features and architected for massive front end scale.
Billion-dollar companies rating it so highly really shows that experience-driven platforms deliver real value where it matters.