DER SPIEGEL stands for journalistic quality, reach, and a strong brand. Going forward, that strength should also be reflected in its digital commerce.
Our mission was to build an independent online shop together – one that meaningfully brings editorial content, commerce, and brand into one coherent experience. A platform that doesn’t just sell, but aligns with the publisher’s values: clearly structured, high-performing, and built for the future.
The shop was designed to serve as a reliable foundation for selling products directly, seamlessly integrating operational and editorial teams, and – working closely with OpenSubs – creating a platform that runs smoothly day to day and can be continuously developed with purpose.
The challenge was to build a new online shop that could meet multiple requirements at once. Editorial content, commerce functionality, and brand standards needed to work together seamlessly – and hold up in day-to-day operations.
At the same time, complex constraints had to be translated into a consistent process. Multiple internal teams, different logistics and shipping partners, and central systems for authentication (SSO), tracking, and accounting all needed to integrate reliably – without adding friction. For users, that meant one thing above all: clarity. For the teams involved, it meant stability, reliability, and control.
The ambition was clearly defined: the shop needed to be performant, accessible, and resilient from day one – while still leaving enough room for future development.
We designed the shop together with DER SPIEGEL’s teams – intuitive to use, technically sound, and free of unnecessary complexity.
Shopware 6 served as the technical foundation. With a custom design and targeted adaptations, the shop could be precisely aligned with DER SPIEGEL’s corporate identity and brand requirements.
Specifically, this means:
The foundation is in place – and the shop is being developed with purpose.
SPIEGEL now has an independent commerce channel that integrates seamlessly with the brand, the editorial organization, and existing systems. Stable to operate and maintain, clear in its user experience, and ready for further evolution.
The project showed what’s possible when ambition, structure, and collaboration come together. Decisions were made jointly, solutions implemented pragmatically, and always with the teams’ day-to-day reality in mind.
The next steps are already being planned, with further joint projects in the pipeline.
We’re looking forward to it!
Mission accomplished.
In deep mourning, we take leave of our company founder, friend and mentor
Erich-Michael Klass
April 2021
It was an honor to work with you and to write our company history together with you. You were a remarkable person and a great personality. We all liked you incredibly much.
You are and will forever be on our team and in our hearts. Where you always liked to be and where we always wanted you to be. Where you often said, "Let's go forward!". We will continue to do so in the future, dear Erich. Promise.
Your #mastersteam
