Viskan’s view on composable commerce – flexibility without losing control

Composable commerce has become a hot topic in e-commerce. The idea is simple: combine the best solutions from different vendors into a tailored ecosystem for your e-commerce operation. Used well, it gives you huge flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly to market demands. But adding more systems and integrations also brings risks – higher costs, more complexity and unclear ownership of your data.

So how do you get the benefits of composable without falling into those traps?

What are the benefits of composable commerce?

Composable commerce gives you three main advantages, which is why it appeals to businesses that want to stay ahead:

Flexibility in system choice. You can add or replace services as new needs arise. When you choose to integrate third-party solutions for things like ratings & reviews or user-generated content, you get a service from a company focused entirely on its speciality and offering genuine expertise.

Faster innovation. Specialist vendors in areas such as user-generated content, ratings and reviews, or AI-driven shopping assistants develop their systems faster than an all-in-one platform can. This is a smart approach for simple integrations that are not especially complex or architecture-critical.

Step-by-step scalability. You can build gradually instead of replacing your entire platform. The strength of composable is that each system has core functionality optimised to do its job as well as possible.

That is why many e-commerce businesses see composable as a way to stay ahead and respond quickly to changing customer behaviour.

What challenges come with composable commerce?

Composable commerce also brings challenges that you need to manage if you want it to work. Every integration you add increases both complexity and cost.

The challenges with composable usually appear when too many parties become part of the core architecture. For composable commerce to be powerful and work smoothly, every system needs to work seamlessly together in a well-defined architecture where it is clear which system is the source of truth and how all parts fit together.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

Unclear data ownership: Who is the master for product information, stock levels and order flows? Without a clear architecture, critical data can be overwritten or end up in conflict.

Fragmented architecture: The more systems you build into the core, the harder it becomes to maintain the full picture and overall stability.

Spread too thin on competence: More systems also mean your team needs to master more technical environments. For smaller e-commerce teams, it can be difficult to maintain the right level of expertise over time. The risk is that you become heavily dependent on external consultants to hold everything together. That can make your organisation less flexible and increase costs over time.

Hidden costs: Licences, integrations and maintenance across lots of smaller systems can easily end up costing more than a consolidated solution.

So succeeding with composable takes more than technology. It takes a clear strategy and strong governance.

An expert view on composable challenges

Serkan Selcuk, Product Owner at Viskan, explains what can happen when a composable architecture becomes too messy and there is no clear owner of the master data:

"If an e-commerce business has an e-commerce platform and connects an ERP, POS system, product information system and perhaps another source for image assets, a few important questions come up. Where is the source of truth? Where does the data start, and how is it passed between the different systems? If it is not clear who owns the master data and which parts are only allowed to make changes, someone might write a product description in the product information system only for it to be overwritten because someone else owns the master data. Or stock discrepancies can arise if stock levels are adjusted in the ERP while another part of the setup also updates stock levels, but it is unclear how they connect in the flow. There has to be clarity across all parts and flows to avoid ending up in those situations."

Serkan also highlights how important it is to keep a close eye on cost versus value in your composable architecture:

"Every system and integration you add increases both complexity and cost. Think carefully about what actually creates value, and make sure the systems you integrate add real value to your business."

Viskan’s way of composable commerce

At Viskan, we have worked with e-commerce for more than 25 years, and we have seen both the successes and the pitfalls of different architectures. Our experience is clear: you need both stability and flexibility.

That is why we have developed Viskan’s way of composable commerce. Our platform gives you:

A stable core: The market’s fastest e-commerce engine with ready-made core functionality for CMS, PIM, OMS and order flows. That gives you a flexible and scalable foundation you can build on based on your business needs.

Open architecture: Through Viskan open API, you can connect third-party solutions where they genuinely make a difference, such as robotic warehousing, payment services or AI-driven recommendation engines.

Seamless integrations: We already have ready-made integrations with many of the market’s most in-demand systems, which reduces both cost and lead time.

A customer-driven ecosystem: We continuously develop new integrations based on what our customers need and what we see in the market.

In short, we combine the security of a strong platform with the freedom to tailor your e-commerce setup.

How do you succeed with composable commerce?

If you are considering composable commerce, or already working with it, here is Serkan’s advice on how to create value without getting stuck in complexity:

Map out your system landscape. Create clear diagrams of your flows and master data. It saves both time and problems as your organisation grows.
Evaluate the value. Only connect systems that deliver real business value. Avoid integrations that do not contribute to sales or the customer experience.
Prioritise stability in critical flows. Payments and order management must always be reliable. Build for stability in the back office, and be more flexible in the front end.
Think long term about cost. What looks cheap and flexible at the start can become expensive as complexity grows.
Put the customer at the centre. Technology is only a means to an end. What matters most is strengthening the buying experience.
Make sure your team can meet the competence requirements. Every new system requires knowledge and ongoing management. In smaller teams, it can be difficult to maintain broad technical expertise over time, which risks making you too dependent on consultants. So choose an architecture that matches both your needs and your resources.

Conclusion on composable commerce

Composable commerce is not a quick fix. It is a strategy that requires the right balance between innovation and control. If you choose a stable core platform and build on it with well-considered integrations, you can create a flexible and future-proof e-commerce setup.

With Viskan, you get the best of both worlds: the security of a proven core and the freedom to grow on your own terms.

Ready to take the next step towards more flexible e-commerce? Let’s talk about how Viskan can help you build a composable architecture that stands the test of time.

Serkan Selcuk – Product Owner, Viskan

Serkan Selcuk is Product Owner at Viskan with more than 17 years of experience in e-commerce solutions. He is an authority on developing scalable e-commerce platforms and strategic third-party integrations that meet modern B2B and B2C e-commerce needs. Serkan combines deep technical expertise with commercial understanding to help businesses optimise their e-commerce strategy and build future-proof solutions.

Serkan’s areas of expertise include:

E-commerce platform strategy for growth
Smooth integrations with ERP, PIM and logistics systems
Development of scalable systems for high traffic volumes
Customer-centric solutions for an optimal user experience (UX)