Case Study: Transforming John Hardy’s Ecommerce Experience with Drupal

The Challenge

Luxury retail demands more than a standard online store. John Hardy required:

Real-time inventory visibility across multiple global warehouses.
Seamless integration with ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics NAV, formerly Navision).
Tax compliance across international jurisdictions.
Robust returns and order tracking workflows.
A premium customer experience, aligned with their brand identity.

On top of these, the solution needed to support scalable growth and adapt to evolving technologies without disrupting day-to-day operations.

The Solution

Avatar implemented a custom ecommerce platform on Drupal, leveraging Ubercart as the foundation and extending it with a suite of integrations tailored to John Hardy’s business operations.

John Hardy E-Commerce

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Key Integrations

Microsoft Dynamics NAV (Navision)

Integrated product data feeds and synchronized order status with the ERP system to ensure alignment between back-office operations and the ecommerce platform

Real-Time Inventory Management

Built XML Gateway and cron-based retrieval scripts to ensure accurate stock levels across online and physical channels

Avalara Tax APIs

Integrated tax calculations at checkout for accurate and compliant global transactions, including handling refunds and returns

Payment Gateway Integration

Enabled secure credit card transactions and PayPal processing, ensuring compliance with industry standards.

G4SI Web Services

Implemented real-time shipment tracking, giving customers visibility into delivery progress while automating updates in the admin panel

Traverse & Returns System

Automated order posting and return workflows, streamlining exchanges, refunds, and restocking

Store Locator

Added a geolocation-based store locator, enhancing the omnichannel shopping experience.

Results & Impact

The Drupal-based ecommerce platform delivered by Avatar produced measurable benefits:

Operational Efficiency

Automated data synchronization between Navision, Avalara, and the ecommerce system reduced manual workload and errors.

Improved Customer Experience

Customers benefited from accurate stock information, transparent tax calculation, and reliable order tracking.

Faster Order Processing

Real-time updates across order status, returns, and shipment tracking minimized delays and kept customers informed.

Scalability

The flexible architecture allowed John Hardy to expand product lines, introduce promotions, and adapt to changing market needs without costly redevelopment.

Industry Recognition

Interactive Media Awards: "Best in Class" for Fashion