BridgeOnline – Magento Curtains & Blinds
BridgeOnline is a leading retailer specializing in high-quality fire-retardant (FR) curtains and blinds.
Task
Build a custom e-commerce platform for BridgeOnline that integrates their fire-retardant curtain and blind catalog with CCM ACE's estimating API to enable real-time pricing for made-to-measure window treatments.
The Challenge
Bridge Contract Interiors, a leading supplier of fire-retardant curtains and blinds to the UK contract market, faced the complex task of digitizing their traditionally phone and email-based ordering system. Their clients—hotels, care homes, schools, and public buildings—required a sophisticated online platform that could handle the intricacies of made-to-measure products while maintaining the precision and reliability of their existing service.
The challenges were multifaceted:
- Complex Product Configurations: Unlike standard e-commerce, each curtain order involves multiple variables—exact window measurements, choice of heading styles (Pencil pleat, Eyelet, Double pinch pleat), lining options (lined/unlined), and specific FR-compliant fabrics. Traditional e-commerce platforms couldn’t handle this level of customization.
- Real-Time Dynamic Pricing: Prices couldn’t be pre-calculated as they depend on fabric type, exact dimensions, pattern repeats, and additional accessories. The solution needed to integrate seamlessly with their existing CCM ACE estimating system to provide instant, accurate quotes.
- Massive Product Catalog Management: With thousands of fire-retardant fabric options from multiple suppliers, each with technical specifications, test certificates, and compliance documentation, manual product management was becoming unscalable.
- End-to-End Automation: Orders needed to flow automatically from the website to their curtain manufacturing facility with zero manual intervention, including all specifications and custom requirements.
Our Approach
We chose Magento 2 as the foundation for this project due to its flexibility and robust B2B capabilities. However, the unique requirements necessitated extensive custom development. We created a comprehensive suite of custom Magento modules that work together to deliver a seamless experience:
1. Automated Product Import System
We developed a sophisticated CSV transformation engine within Magento that revolutionized their product management. The system intelligently processes supplier data files, automatically creating product hierarchies with all necessary variations for heading styles and lining options. Products are organized by supplier and collection, with automated image handling that manages multiple views per fabric. What previously took days of manual data entry now completes in minutes, enabling the team to update thousands of products simultaneously.
2. Real-Time Custom Ordering System
The centerpiece of the platform transforms Magento’s standard product pages into dynamic configurators. Customers can specify exact measurements, select from various heading styles, and choose their preferred lining options. Every configuration change triggers real-time communication with the CCM ACE estimating system, returning accurate pricing within seconds.
The system also manages a comprehensive range of coordinating accessories:
- Curtain tracks and poles that calculate pricing based on required lengths
- Matching cushions in various sizes with fabric-based cost calculations
- Coordinating tie-backs with appropriate quantities
- All dynamically priced according to the selected fabric and specifications
We implemented advanced customizations throughout Magento’s cart and checkout flow to ensure that each bespoke order maintains its unique configuration, pricing, and specifications from initial selection through to final purchase.
3. B2B-Focused Features and Account Management
Understanding that commercial clients have different needs than retail consumers, we developed specialized features tailored to professional buyers:
Digital Asset Library: We created a secure portal within the customer account area where registered trade customers can access technical documentation. The system organizes resources into logical categories—datasheets, test certificates, fire compliance documents, and BIM models for architects. Documents can be associated with specific products, ensuring customers always find relevant technical information.
Streamlined Professional Interface: We refined Magento’s standard customer account area by removing consumer-focused features and implementing a clean, professional design that builds confidence with commercial buyers. The interface focuses on what matters to trade customers—order history, reorders, technical downloads, and account management.
4. Manufacturing Integration and Automated Fulfillment
Perhaps the most innovative aspect of the platform is the seamless integration between the Magento storefront and Bridge’s manufacturing operations. When an order is confirmed and payment processed, the system automatically transmits comprehensive manufacturing instructions to the CCM ACE production system. This includes all fabric specifications, exact measurements, heading and lining choices, accessory requirements, and delivery details.
The integration maintains complete traceability, logging all communications between systems. It also synchronizes customer data between Magento and the manufacturing system, streamlining repeat orders and ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
Technical Implementation Details
The Magento implementation required careful attention to several technical aspects:
- Custom Attribute Architecture: We created a comprehensive set of curtain-specific attributes that capture all technical requirements while integrating seamlessly with Magento’s catalog system
- Real-Time Price Calculations: AJAX-powered updates ensure customers see accurate pricing instantly without disruptive page reloads
- Unique Product Identification: A sophisticated SKU generation system ensures every custom configuration is uniquely identifiable throughout the order lifecycle
- Dynamic Pricing Override: We developed mechanisms to bypass Magento’s standard pricing in favor of API-calculated values while maintaining full compatibility with promotions and discounts
- Data Persistence Strategy: Custom configurations and pricing remain intact throughout the entire customer journey, from initial product selection through order completion and into manufacturing
The Result
The completed platform has transformed Bridge Contract Interiors’ operations with impressive outcomes:
- 24/7 Availability: Customers can now place complex custom orders at any time, expanding beyond traditional business hours
- Instant Quote Generation: What previously required phone calls and manual calculations now happens in seconds
- Dramatic Efficiency Gains: Product catalog updates that took 3-4 days now complete in under an hour
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Professional buyers have access to all technical documentation in one place
- Zero-Touch Order Processing: Orders flow automatically from website to manufacturing floor, eliminating manual data entry errors
- Scalable Infrastructure: The modular Magento architecture allows easy addition of new suppliers, fabrics, and features
- Improved Order Accuracy: Automated SKU generation and data validation reduce ordering errors by over 90%
- Professional B2B Experience: Streamlined interface builds confidence with commercial buyers
The platform successfully demonstrates how Magento’s flexibility can be leveraged to solve complex B2B challenges. By combining custom module development with third-party API integration, we created a solution that makes ordering bespoke fire-retardant curtains as simple as buying standard products online, while maintaining all the technical precision required for commercial compliance.