Monolithic to microservices eCommerce: Should your B2B business take the leap?

eCommerce architectures have evolved considerably to meet the demands of modern businesses. For years, monolithic architectures were prevalent because of their simplicity and suitability for the technological landscapes of that time. 

But of late, factors like rise in Generative AI usage, cloud computing, digital transformation, the demand for scalability, and increasing concerns about data security have given rise to the development of the microservices architecture. 

A recent report highlights its impressive growth potential, estimating ~20% annual increase to reach $13.14 billion by 2028.

In today’s dynamic market where personalization, scalability, and seamless integrations are crucial, transitioning to a microservices architecture will help manage challenges of handling high SKU volumes, enabling real-time inventory visibility, and delivering tailored buyer experiences in your B2B eCommerce platform. 

This blog dives into the two major eCommerce architectures and examines why microservices might be the key to unlocking sustainable growth for your B2B enterprise.

The Monolithic Architecture

Monolithic systems are defined by their tightly integrated architecture, where the front-end and back-end reside in a single, self-contained codebase. 

This unified architecture has its strengths but also significant limitations.

Monolithic architecture is a strategic choice when there is need for:

1. Shorter Development and Implementation Cycle: With a single codebase, monolithic systems enable faster deployments, making them ideal for small-scale B2B eCommerce businesses or startups with limited resources.
2. Centralized Control: Features, such as bulky product catalogs, order management, and payment gateways are easy to manage because of the unified codebase. This simplifies debugging, as end-to-end testing is faster, and locating issues is quicker.
3. Simpler API Management: Unlike microservices, where numerous APIs are required, a single API in monolithic systems can often handle the same functions, reducing the load on developers.
4. Perfect for Minimum Viable Products (MVPs): If you need a a quick and cost-effective way to test market demand for a product, monolithic systems offer a practical and economical solution.

Where Monolithic may hold you back: 

1. System-Wide Vulnerability: A failure in any one part of the system brings down the entire platform, leading to increased downtime. For B2B eCommerce businesses, this means zero sales and missed opportunities.
2. Complex Maintenance in the Long Run: As additional functionalities are added, the single codebase becomes difficult to manage. Its expansion leads to challenges where updates, bug fixes, and general maintenance become time-consuming and resource-intensive, ultimately affecting team productivity and morale.
3. Limited Scalability: Scaling specific components independently, such as integrating CRM, ERP, or shopping cart features, is not easily doable. Any changes require redeploying the entire system or replacing the entire tech stack, making growth and customization a complicated process. 

The Turning Point: eCommerce giants like Amazon, which had launched their system on a monolithic platform, transitioned to a microservices architecture, leading to unparallelled innovation and scalability. 

If you’re looking for a similar transformation, it’s time to explore microservices.

The Microservices Architecture 

Think of microservices as independent components (services) collaborating to serve a bigger purpose. Unlike monolithic architecture, microservices have multi-code bases which are smaller, modular and standalone in nature, housing their own business logic and database.

Each ‘microservice’ is designed to handle a specific business function and can be independently updated, tested, developed, deployed, and scaled. All of these work together to create the complete application.

Here’s why it is widely preferred for B2B eCommerce: 

Independent Scalability: Each microservice can be scaled independently, which allows for greater adaptability to business growth. For instance, the Order Management System can be optimized or scaled without impacting other services, ensuring uninterrupted performance across the platform. For example, ewiz commerce enables rapid scaling to support high traffic and large product catalogs.

Improved Resilience: Fault isolation ensures that an issue in one service doesn’t disrupt the entire system. For example, a failure in the inventory management system wouldn't affect other critical functions like payment processing.

Polyglot Programming: Developers can maximize the potential of a codebase by using multiple programming languages. This enhances its performance and efficiency, ultimately improving its associated functionality.

Enhanced Agility: With a microservices architecture, you can identify new opportunities and act on them faster. For instance, to add a plugin to your product catalog, you can make changes to just that component or codebase without affecting the rest of your platform.

ewiz commerce’s modular architecture helps you enter new markets with ease with a ready-to-sell B2B online store that goes live in less than 30 days.

Optimized Personalization: Microservices facilitate AI-driven solutions such as dynamic catalogs and real-time product recommendations, elevating the buyer experience on your B2B eCommerce website. 

Minimal Downtime During Updates: With microservices, software updates occur parallelly without disrupting ongoing operations. This ensures minimal downtime, empowering businesses to continue functioning seamlessly while implementing improvements. At ewiz commerce, we have a proven track record of 99.99% uptime so you never get held back.

Streamlined Debugging and Maintenance: Isolated services and independent codebases allow for quicker issue location and resolution, reducing the overall complexity of maintaining the system. 

Navigating the Transition: Challenges to Prepare for: 

While microservices offer significant advantages, the migration process comes with its challenges:

Higher Initial Investment: Setting up a microservices ecosystem requires investments in technologies like containerization (eg. Docker), orchestration (eg. Kubernetes) to manage the distributed nature of microservices.

Skill Requirement: You will need to invest in specialized expertise to manage the distributed systems. 

Increased Network Chatter: As the number of services grows, managing the communication between them becomes critical. Tools like API gateways and monitoring systems can mitigate this. 

Higher Resource Consumption: Since each independent service requires its own set of resources, microservices demand more memory.

Advanced Skill Requirements: Designing, building, and managing microservices requires additional training and a diligent team.

When should you transition to microservices?

Here are some indicators that it might be time for you to migrate:

Scalability Challenges: Your platform struggles to handle increasing traffic or expanding catalogs.

Integration Roadblocks: There is difficulty in connecting essential tools like CRM, ERP, or OMS.

Personalization Gaps: Limited ability to deliver tailored buyer experiences.

Omnichannel Limitations: Difficulty supporting multiple touchpoints such as mobile apps and digital kiosks.

Frequent Downtimes: Operational disruptions due to single-point failures.

If these resonate, a microservices-based B2B eCommerce platform like ewiz commerce can streamline your operations, improve buyer journeys, and future-proof your business.

Architecture Popularity Amongst North American B2B businesses in 2025

Microservices are driving the future of customer-centric B2B eCommerce by providing the flexibility needed to meet diverse and evolving business requirements.

The ewiz commerce platform, built on a robust microservices architecture, is designed for B2B manufacturers and distributors to manage complex buyer journeys, handle high SKU volumes, and enable advanced customizations. Here’s how we address your specific needs:

Dynamic Catalog Generation: Easily manage large product inventories with advanced tools for bulk uploads and customizations.

AI-Powered Insights: Enable smarter buyer journeys with predictive analytics, dynamic pricing, and personalized recommendations.

Seamless Integrations: Connect your eCommerce platform with industry-leading ERP and CRM systems for streamlined operations.

Unparalleled Reliability: Our platform guarantees 99.99% uptime, ensuring uninterrupted business continuity.

Take the Leap with Confidence:

Still uncertain if microservices are the right choice? Let our experts evaluate your current system and provide tailored recommendations. With over 24 years of experience powering B2B eCommerce platforms, ewiz commerce is here to guide your transformation journey.

Contact us today for a free demo and discover how microservices can revolutionize your B2B digital commerce strategy.