Relocation, Shopify POS and training for the EWE Baskets Oldenburg

Challenge

EWE Baskets Oldenburg is one of Germany's most well-known basketball teams – with a large fan base and diverse requirements for their online shop. Their existing Shopware 5 shop was outdated and needed to be migrated to a high-performance Shopify system. The challenge: complex requirements, a clear corporate identity, and high demands on usability and technology.

"Our fans are just as demanding digitally as they are in the arena – and that should be reflected in the new shop."

Tom zur Brügge, Manager Merchandise / Ticketing

The focus was on two key challenges:

• Seamless migration and POS integration: In addition to the clean transfer of customer and order data, the integration of multiple point-of-sale locations (arena, branch office, online) also had to be implemented smoothly – including team training.
  
  
• Individual requirements for merchandise sales: The shop had to represent both emotional fan products as well as functional configurators and upselling systems – in a clear, brand-compliant design.

Solution

FSR-Media handled the entire technical, design, and procedural transition – from migration and custom development to on-site team training. The EWE Baskets' corporate identity was consistently translated into a Shopify-compatible design system. Challenges arose repeatedly during the implementation of the corporate identity and Shopify POS system.

For example, emotions and design were significantly more important for the EWE Baskets than the data-driven approaches for an online shop that we knew from other projects. Thanks to the clear, detailed communication from EWE Baskets, we were able to translate this feeling into the design and wording together.

During the implementation of Shopify POS, we had to replace both the receipt printers and the terminals together with EWE Baskets. We needed iPads instead of the previous Microsoft Surface devices. EWE Baskets responded very flexibly to this and They reacted in a solution-oriented manner and ordered new equipment accordingly. Shopify POS was then successfully integrated.

• Shop migration: A cleanly structured move from Shopware 5 to Shopify – including 301 redirects, transfer of all customer and order data, and complete SEO preservation. The go-live was achieved within 5 weeks.
  
  
• Custom Development: Development of an individual jersey configurator with live preview, integration of upselling logic on the product and shopping cart pages, and creation of optimized PDF layouts for invoices and delivery notes.
  
  
• POS & Email Marketing: Setup of Shopify POS at three locations including user roles, inventory integration, and reporting. Simultaneously: Integration of CleverReach and training of the internal team on campaign logic and POS functionality.

Results

Thanks to the structured migration and customized features, the new shop was able to go live quickly and achieve initial successes:

• +58%: Higher conversion rate on jerseys
  The live preview configurator provided greater clarity, trust, and conversion rates for customizable products.
  
  
• 3 Locations, 1 System: Shopify POS successfully in use
  Whether arena, office or online shop – all sales now run through a system with shared management.
  
  
• 5 weeks: Complete migration & design rollout
  Only five weeks passed from the Shopware shutdown to the Shopify go-live – including the test phase, content transfer and CI implementation.

"With FSR-Media, we have a partner that brings together technology, brand understanding and sports business – exactly what we need."

Tom zur Brügge, EWE Baskets Oldenburg

We developed the modern design together with the EWE Baskets team. We were in regular contact to ensure all details were considered. In particular, EWE Baskets' emphasis on the fact that sports clubs need a different strategic approach (focusing more on emotions and customer loyalty) was essential for the final result.

This case study demonstrates how ambitious e-commerce projects in the sports sector can be successfully established in the long term with a clear structure, customized development, and a high-performance platform like Shopify. For us, the collaboration with EWE Baskets was very exciting, in addition to our personal connection.

What we have personally learned from working with sports clubs

Our collaboration with the EWE Baskets has shown us that sports clubs operate differently. It's not just about products – it's about emotion, fans, sponsors, timing, and game days. The online shop is much more than just a shop: it's an extension of the stands into the digital realm .

What was particularly formative for us:

• Flexibility and up-to-dateness are crucial. Products must go live quickly, promotions must be time-limited, and matchday merchandise must be available spontaneously.

• Target audiences are extremely heterogeneous. From hardcore fans to casual viewers: a shop has to appeal to everyone without seeming generic.

• Merchandise is about community building. A jersey doesn't sell just because of its design, but because it expresses belonging. The shop needs to convey this emotional connection.

• Technology must relieve the burden on support staff. Clear size guidance, intuitive UX, and simple processes are especially important when a fan shop is heavily frequented during peak hours.