Spryker has entered the digital commerce world, earning its place as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant. With an API-first platform born in 2014, they've surged ahead, while platforms like Magento 2—launched in 2016—are already showing their age.
Meanwhile, familiar European faces like:
SAP, Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly Demandware), commercetools, and fellow German player Shopware have been fixtures in Gartner's Magic Quadrant, Spryker's leap into the Leaders quadrant is saying "Vorsicht vor den Deutschen, sie kommen!"
It's like Berlin's cool kids just crashed the party with their whole crew—and they mean business. (Yes I wrote that). On top of clinching a spot as a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant, Spryker also topped Gartner Critical Capabilities for Digital Commerce in 2024, ranking highest in 3 out of 5 Use Cases. If you hadn't heard of Spryker before, it's time to pay attention.
Born in 2014, Spryker is a disruptor to its core. While legacy platforms patched up outdated systems, Spryker went composable, API-first, and future-ready.
Now, with an eye on the US, Spryker is poised to disrupt a market dominated by aging giants. The timing couldn't be better – the US e-commerce scene is overdue for a shake-up.
(I used People, Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and more to research this section)
Spryker's Disruption: Adobe's offering is a strong contender in the digital commerce space because of its comprehensive suite of tools. However, its monolithic architecture feels like it's stuck in a past era—the biggest problem is no out-of-the-box frontend solution. It has to be purchased from a third party or custom-developed. (Or of course build a website designed in 2010)
Spryker, with its modular, API-first architecture that offers unmatched flexibility and scalability. While Adobe struggles to keep up with the ever-changing demands of digital commerce, Spryker helps businesses pivot and adapt with ease—making Adobe feel like the flip phone of platforms.
Adobe's slower pace of innovation (Or can I say no innovation) is a significant drawback for enterprises looking to stay ahead of the curve.
Spryker's Disruption: Salesforce has built its empire on CRM dominance and deep integration across its ecosystem. But when it comes to commerce, that same ecosystem functions as golden handcuffs for businesses looking for independence or diversity in operations.
While Salesforce leans heavily into integrations, Spryker shines with its ability to seamlessly handle B2B, B2C, and even the complex demands of B2B2X, all on a single composable platform. For businesses tired of the CRM-first approach dictating their e-commerce journey, Spryker hands them the keys to freedom and flexibility. The US market is increasingly demanding flexibility and interoperability and have the tools at hand without an integration is a big benefit.
Spryker's Disruption: commercetools, like Spryker, embraces a composable commerce strategy. While commercetools has gained traction in the US market with its API-first approach, it often requires significant development resources to build out full-featured solutions.
Spryker's focus on specific complex use cases like B2B2X and enterprise marketplaces gives it an edge for businesses that need these capabilities out-of-the-box, reducing time-to-market and development costs.
Spryker takes it a step further by focusing intently on handling the specific complexities of multi-model commerce, such as enterprise marketplaces and modular B2B workflows.
While commercetools excels at providing a foundational platform, Spryker's laser-sharp attention to solving intricate business use cases puts it ahead when it comes to the needs of enterprises tackling diverse models and large-scale transactions.
Spryker's Disruption: Shopify remains the go-to platform for mom-and-pop shops and small businesses looking for ease of use.
Shopify's recent efforts to move upmarket with Shopify Plus have had mixed results in the US enterprise space. Many large businesses find that Shopify's simplicity becomes a limitation when they need to implement complex business logic or integrations.
Spryker's enterprise-focused approach and ability to handle intricate business models make it a more suitable choice for large-scale operations in the US market.
When it comes to the big leagues—enterprise-level customization, multi-market expansion, and support for advanced models like subscriptions or digital marketplaces—Shopify starts to crumble. Spryker offers a playground for enterprises to fully customize their operations without hitting a brick wall. While Shopify thrives as the king of simplicity, Spryker reigns supreme where flexibility and complexity meet.
Spryker's Disruption: SAP has long been associated with enterprise-grade solutions, but its legacy status comes at a cost: years-long implementations, bloated budgets, and rigid systems that can't keep up with today's fast-moving markets.
In the US, SAP Commerce has a strong presence in large enterprises, particularly those already using other SAP products. However, the market is shifting towards more agile solutions that can be implemented and updated quickly.
Spryker's modern architecture and faster implementation times are particularly appealing to US businesses looking to accelerate their digital transformation without the lengthy timelines typically associated with SAP projects.
Spryker flips that script, offering a much more agile, scalable, and faster-to-implement platform. Think of SAP as the giant ship moving at a snail's pace, while Spryker races ahead in a speedboat, reaching its destination in a fraction of the time (and cost).
Spryker is redefining the e-commerce landscape with:
The US market has been yearning for a truly agile, composable solution, and Spryker has answered with a resounding "YEEHA"
Is Spryker poised to claim the throne in the Gartner Magic Quadrant?
Given its fast rise and laser focus on enterprise-grade, composable commerce, don't be surprised if Spryker soon finds itself not just in the Leaders quadrant but vying for the top spot. And what would that mean?
It would signal a shift in the e-commerce platform landscape, validating Spryker's approach and potentially forcing the old guard to radically rethink their strategies.
A top position in the Magic Quadrant isn't just a fancy title—it's a beacon for Fortune 500 companies looking for the next big thing in e-commerce. It means Spryker could become the go-to platform for enterprises seeking to future-proof digital commerce strategies.
So, place your bets: Will the US e-commerce market embrace Spryker's European finesse, or will they cling to their digital status quo?
Which tech titan will be the first to feel the sting of obsolescence in the face of this Berlin-born revolution?
As Spryker charges forward, one thing is clear: the e-commerce platform wars are heating up, and the old rulebook is being rewritten in real-time.
The question isn't if the industry will change, but how quickly—and whether the established players can adapt before they become cautionary tales in the annals of digital commerce history.
Let the next phase of the e-commerce evolution begin. May the most innovative platform win—and may your digital strategy be ever in your favor.
Checkout my podcasts featuring Spryker
After reviewingAdobe's strong Q4 and FY24 results, I was impressed by their innovation in AI, generative...
Remember when typing "best pizza NYC" into a search bar was the height of technology? Those days are fad...
