Milwaukee Tool, renowned as the “Ferrari in the Power Tools world,” is a global leader in manufacturing. While its innovative products dominate the industrial landscape, its online presence in Asia lagged, restricted to a basic WooCommerce catalogue. Recognising the need for a robust e-commerce platform to match its market dominance, Milwaukee Tool Asia partnered with DTN E-commerce Solutions for a comprehensive Magento 2 migration.

The result? A cutting-edge e-commerce solution tailored to multiple Asian markets, driving sales growth, customer loyalty, and operational efficiency.

Challenges

Milwaukee Tool Asia needed to address these issues:

• Scaling the platform for multiple countries with varying languages, currencies, and local requirements.
• Providing consistent experiences for customers, including product recommendations and easy navigation.
• Improving backend processes for inventory tracking and order handling to lower costs.
• Connecting online sales to in-store operations via point-of-sale systems.
• Handling B2B needs, such as custom pricing and bulk orders for dealers.

Our Solution

DTN built a Magento 2 platform tailored to Milwaukee’s operations. This included data migration from WooCommerce, covering thousands of SKUs and past orders. A multi-store setup allowed for region-specific settings, such as local currencies and promotions. In September 2023, the site for Milwaukee Japan switched to the Hyvä Theme to improve loading speeds.

Core Platform and User experience

DTN developed a bespoke theme aligned with Milwaukee Tool’s branding. The platform features a custom Magento 2 theme designed for mobile use and quick access. Product pages include search tools, detailed descriptions, and media like images and videos. The content management system lets teams update promotions and pages easily. Checkout supports guest options and region-appropriate payment methods, with options for shipping estimates.

B2B Commerce enhancements

To support Milwaukee’s dealer network, DTN added B2B features based on customer groups. This includes dynamic pricing tied to buyer profiles.

• Pricelist Logic: Pricing varies by customer group. For example, a retail customer sees a price of $200 for an item, while a dealer in the group sees $180. The correct price appears during order placement, based on the user’s account and backend rules.
• Customer Portals and Segmentation: Dealers access dedicated portals with their own catalogs, reorder lists, and request-for-quote options. Features include net-30 payment terms and order approval steps. Integration with CRM systems tracks purchase history.
• Bulk Ordering: Tools for handling large orders include minimum quantities, bundles, and electronic data interchange for supplier updates. Pricing adjusts for regional taxes, and alerts notify users of stock levels.

These elements help manage wholesale sales while keeping the B2C side simple.

POS Integration

The platform connects to Milwaukee’s mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) app to link online and in-store sales.

• Inventory Synchronization: mPOS pulls current stock data from Magento, updating in real time to avoid overselling.
• Customer Data Sharing: Users can link online and in-store accounts for consistent pricing and order history.
• Offline Support: The mPOS app works without internet and syncs later, with reports on sales across channels.

This setup supports buy-online-pickup-in-store options and improves stock management.

Technologies and Implementation

The project used:

• Magento 2 for the core platform.
• Hyvä Theme for frontend performance.
• Custom extensions for B2B pricing and mPOS links.
• APIs for ERP and payment systems like Stripe.

Implementation followed phases, starting with Japan and expanding to other markets.

The current Homepage of Milwaukee Tool Hong Kong (English language)

Results

The Magento 2 platform led to:

• Higher sales conversions from better design and checkout processes.
• Increased customer engagement and repeat purchases through recommendations.
• Broader reach in Asian markets with localized sites.
• More efficient operations, including faster order fulfillment and lower costs from inventory integration.
• Improved site performance, with top scores on Google Lighthouse after the Hyvä Theme update.

Milestone: Transition to Hyvä Theme

In September 2023, Milwaukee Japan transitioned to the Hyvä Theme, further enhancing site speed and performance. This upgrade boosted the platform’s user experience and achieved top-tier scores on Google Lighthouse reports.

The Homepage of Milwaukee Japan before and after the Hyva go-live, scored by Google Lighthouse Report

A Long-Term Partnership

Milwaukee Tool Asia’s partnership with DTN has spanned multiple successful projects. From the initial Magento 2 migration to ongoing optimisation efforts, DTN’s ability to deliver results has strengthened this collaboration.

Client Testimonial:

“We have a very awesome PM, Suri. She’s invaluable. She takes care of things for us. She communicates clearly with our team and developers, ensuring our projects run efficiently.”

Kevin Wu – Web Team Lead

“The ability of the team to take on tasks has exceeded our expectations.”

– Terrance Lam Hok Wing, Mobile Developer Lead

Milwaukee Tool Asia project team members

Conclusion

Milwaukee Tool Asia’s Magento 2 journey showcases how innovation and expertise can transform an e-commerce presence. From enhanced sales and customer loyalty to expanded market reach, this collaboration with DTN demonstrates the power of Magento 2 in driving success across diverse markets.

Are you ready to transform your e-commerce platform? Contact DTN today to unlock Magento 2’s full potential for your business.