Platform Thinking Beyond the Tech Giants – How to Act Like Amazon Without Being Amazon

Part 4 of the series: “How to Win in the Next Arena of Digital Commerce”

In the previous parts of this series, we showed that to succeed in the new competitive arenas, companies need new structures, new processes—and new ways of thinking.

McKinsey describes these arenas as markets marked by rapid shifts in market share, escalating investments, and accelerated innovation. And they make it clear:

“In arenas, the ability to orchestrate dynamic ecosystems is a key source of advantage.”
– McKinsey, 2024

The message is clear: If you want not just to keep up but to win, you must think in terms of platforms—not just run commerce operations.

From Commerce Execution to Platform Logic

Amazon, Alibaba, Shopify—they all do more than just sell products.
They orchestrate ecosystems: of buyers, sellers, brands, services, data, and processes.

But platform thinking isn’t reserved for tech giants.

B2B companies, manufacturers, or specialized retailers can also:

• Orchestrate multiple actors (e.g., customers, partners, suppliers)
• Create reusable services
• Establish scalable structures

Platform doesn’t mean: “I’m building a marketplace.”
Platform means: “I’m building a system that can grow—without starting from scratch.”

Platform = Orchestration + Reusability

McKinsey emphasizes: “In arenas, what counts is how well companies orchestrate actors, services, and data flows.” This only works with platform logic:

• Multi-actor design: A process works for customers, partners, resellers, suppliers—with role-based customization.
• Reusability: A promotion flow can be used across countries, brands, or channels—with minimal adjustment.
• Decoupling: Processes aren’t tied to specific systems but are managed through an Orchestration Layer.

B2B as a Platform—A Real Possibility
In B2B, platform thinking is often harder to implement. Common challenges include:

• Custom pricing and product logic
• Complex role structures
• Legacy ERP or CRM systems

But this is exactly where the strategic value of a modern architecture shines. Composable Commerce allows functions to be flexibly combined, while the Orchestration Layer decouples processes from code, making them manageable. Additionally, Low-Code/No-Code solutions empower business teams without hindering IT.

Platform thinking in B2B isn’t a dream—it’s an architectural choice.

Emporix as an Enabler—Platform in Action

With Emporix, companies can bring this platform mindset to life—even with complex requirements. Real-world examples include:

• Multi-brand management: A corporation manages different brands in various countries—with centralized logic and local nuance
• Supplier integration: Processes like returns or order updates run automatically through connected supplier systems
• Reusable modules: Onboarding, quoting, promotions—defined once, reused many times

And all of this: without deep coding, but through visual, orchestratable process design.

What’s Next

In Part 5, we’ll bring it all together:
What does it mean to remain innovative in an arena—when everyone else is scaling and automating too?

Part 5: “Innovation Without Burnout – How to Keep Up When Competition Escalates”