The Role of Ecosystems and Alliances in Advancing Composable Commerce
Helping buyers understand composability and how turning to MACH technologies can help them overcome the challenges they’re facing.
We’ve covered the evolution of MACH and composable, the new narratives around composability, and bridging the legacy-to-composable gap. And each of those pieces connects to what I want to talk about today: The technology ecosystem as a whole.
Composable commerce's success depends on strong ecosystems and alliances that provide frameworks, standards, and collaboration. Seamless integration, data connectivity, and system interoperability are crucial for growth. It's vital that the community continues to build on these foundations together.
Understanding Composability: It’s Already Happening
I touched on this briefly in Building Trust, Establishing ROI, and Proving Business Outcomes, but I want to dig into it further: a lot of companies are already doing composable commerce. They’re integrating best-of-breed solutions, using APIs to connect different systems, and adopting a modular approach. They might not be calling it composable, or even realize that’s what they’re doing, but it’s already happening at most enterprise organizations.
“The early adopters of composable commerce were very technically mature organizations,” noted Kelly Goetsch, CSO at commercetools and one of the founders of the MACH Alliance. “And now we're seeing that this is just mainstream. This is what everybody does, which is great.”
As Goetsch notes, this is a good thing. Being able to point out to new clients that they’re already engaging in this way can jumpstart conversations. Kristin Naragon, Chief Strategy Officer at Akeneo helped explain the advantage of that at MACH 3 in June.
“Perhaps an organization is not yet ready—or able, frankly, for whatever reasons—to fully rip out any legacy, monolithic-style solutions,” she said. “But I think the beauty of composability is just that: Being able to latch onto and integrate with the legacy stack to be able to then plant that first seed of composability.”
The organic adoption of composable solutions still harbors the need for a more structured approach to integration, to help brands optimize the technologies. This is where the core principles of MACH come in.
MACH: Connecting with Buyers Where They Are
In the U.S., the journey to adopting MACH principles often begins with establishing a foundational understanding of composability. As businesses become more familiar with the concept, MACH serves as a guide for how to implement it effectively.
Gurdeep Dhillon only joined Contentstack as their CMO earlier this year, but he’s no stranger to finding the right ways to connect with buyers. And when I spoke with him, he pointed out the necessity of meeting buyers where they are.
“It's easy for them to understand the business benefits of a composable approach,” said Dhillon. “It orients people, regardless of their persona, on the right core message. I think sometimes we muddy the waters a little bit for the end customer by not being clear.”
MACH provides the ‘how’ for companies that are already doing the ‘what’. It offers a clear framework for how to implement composable architecture in a way that maximizes the benefits and minimizes the risks. This approach helps to bridge the gap between where businesses currently are and where they need to be to fully leverage composable commerce.
As Naragon stated, “To make MACH successful we need to tailor the approach to the given organization and their readiness for it.” By positioning MACH as the practical, achievable strategy behind composability, businesses are more likely to see it as a viable path forward.
“Business buyers want the ability to change, to innovate, to swap things in and out. They want those abilities, even though it's not necessarily articulated as such,” said Goetsch. “And many times they're just talking about flexibility, for example, that's kind of a code word that's often used. And the technical nuances of how that's done doesn't really matter all that much.”
The Importance of Interoperability and Shared Go-to-Market Strategies
One of the cornerstones of MACH and the broader composable commerce movement is interoperability— it’s what makes composability possible. Without it, you’re just swapping one monolithic system for another. That means the components of a stack need to work together seamlessly, which requires both technical compatibility and a shared vision among vendors and partners.
“The overarching trend that we're seeing is that buyers are reassessing their technology stack and putting a fine tooth comb on what's actually been adopted,” said Naragon. When it comes to making an investment, businesses need to see proof that it works as a stand-alone solution and as part of the greater whole.
To achieve this level of interoperability, shared go-to-market strategies within the MACH ecosystem are essential. It’s not enough for vendors to just build products that technically work together; they need to collaborate on how they bring those products to market. That means aligning sales motions, marketing strategies, and support services to provide a unified experience for the customer.
“The MACH Alliance has created a group of like minded companies and individuals that can come together and rally around a common set of problems, a similar technological approach to solving those problems,” noted Dhillon. “It's really powerful.”
When vendors in the MACH ecosystem work together in this way, it simplifies the buying process and makes it easier for businesses to adopt composable solutions. Alongside the Alliance, SIs play a key role in this process, as Naragon highlighted:
“What we find with system integrators, is that they're a trusted source in an evaluation process. And it's beautiful. It's like one of the top three places where brands and retailers go to really get the lay of the land, the best ways to approach a project and problem solve for their given opportunity that's in front of them.”
Goetsch also noted the role of SIs in supporting brands on their journey to composability. “In some cases, folks just say, 'This is all too much, we're not sure we can handle this organizationally.' And to counteract that, I like to say bring in an Orium or [any] qualified, competent SI to help you,” said Goetsch. “Because this is change, and any change can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be.”
Lowering the Barrier to Entry: Pre-Composed Solutions and Accelerators
While the benefits of composable commerce are clear, some businesses—particularly those in newer industries or more risk-averse sectors—may be hesitant to make the leap. For these companies, the idea of assembling a technology stack from scratch can be daunting. The MACH ecosystem has helped encourage more pre-composed solutions, accelerators, and productized integrations to dramatically lower the time and cost of adoption.
Pre-composed solutions and accelerators are designed to make composable commerce more accessible. They are essentially ready-made packages that combine multiple MACH components into a single, integrated offering and provide a starting point for businesses that might not have the resources or expertise to build a composable architecture from the ground up. These tools reduce the complexity and risk associated with composability, making it easier for companies to take that first step.
For many businesses, especially those in newer industries, pre-composed solutions offer a way to get up and running with composable commerce faster and with less risk. And being able to speed up and simplify the implementation process by providing pre-built templates, workflows, and integrations can be the difference in adoption for many.
The Future of Composable Commerce: Collaboration and Innovation
As composable commerce continues to evolve, delivering results for customers is about more than technical compatibility. It’s about driving innovation and creating new opportunities for businesses to thrive in the digital age. In this new era, the success of composable commerce will depend on the strength of these ecosystems and the willingness of all parties to work together towards a common goal.
The future of composable commerce is one where vendors, partners, and customers work together to push the boundaries of what’s possible. MACH provides the foundation, but it’s the ecosystem that will bring it to life. By fostering collaboration and interoperability, we can create a digital landscape where businesses of all sizes can benefit from the flexibility, scalability, and speed that composable commerce offers.
Jason Cottrell
Founder and CEO, Orium
Jason Cottrell is the CEO & Founder of Orium, the leading composable commerce consultancy and system integrator in the Americas. He works closely with clients and partners to ensure business goals and customer needs are being met, leading the Orium team through ambitious transformation programs at the intersection of commerce, composability, and customer data.