Embrace the paradigm shift: How low-code development platforms are transforming retail and apparel
Your IT team is drowning. Every week brings new demands from the business: integrate this system, build that feature, connect these platforms. So they do what makes sense: find point solutions that solve immediate problems.
Here’s what nobody warns you about: each integration makes the next one harder. Before long, you’re trapped in what industry specialists call “a vicious cycle of technical debt.”
Smart retailers are taking a different path. Instead of quick fixes, they’re building for reuse. Instead of hard-coding everything, they’re using low-code development platforms. Instead of “lift and shift” cloud migrations, they’re going cloud-native from the start.
Why retail IT teams are overwhelmed
Marketing needs a customer data platform. Operations wants inventory tracking. Sales demands better lead management. Each department gets their tool, IT builds the connections, everyone’s happy.
Then the problems surface. System A can’t talk to System B without custom code. Updates break integrations. Simple changes take weeks because everything connects to everything else.
The better approach builds with modularity from the start. When you need to add something new, it connects cleanly instead of requiring custom integration work.
Two ways to move to the cloud
Most companies choose “lift and shift” cloud migration. This approach moves existing systems to cloud infrastructure quickly and with minimal changes to the current architecture.
Building cloud-native from the ground up takes a different approach. Take it in phases. Redesign as you go. It takes longer upfront, but you get automatic scaling, better security, and lower long-term costs. Cloud-native applications can deploy flexibly across different cloud environments.
See why phased cloud migration beats lift-and-shift:
One app, every device
Your customers switch between mobile, desktop, and in-store experiences seamlessly. Your employees should too.
Building separate apps for each device means different code, different teams, different timelines. Everything’s slightly different, so training takes forever and updates are a nightmare.
Design once, deploy everywhere. One codebase that adapts to phones, tablets, desktops, whatever. Your team learns one interface, and it works the same way on every device they use.
Building apps with low-code development platforms
Traditional development means hiring expensive programmers who write thousands of lines of code. Want to change something? Find a developer, wait for their schedule to open up, hope they understand your requirements.
Low-code development platforms work differently. Instead of writing code, you drag and drop components. Need a form? Drag in form fields. Want it connected to your database? Draw a line between them.
The result looks the same to end users, but development teams report building applications up to 10 times faster. When you need changes, your business team can make them directly instead of filing IT tickets.
These platforms can integrate with existing systems: your ERP, manufacturing tools, e-commerce platform using information that’s already available in your current setup.
Modern PLM for fashion and apparel
Most product lifecycle management software feels outdated. Clunky interfaces, rigid workflows, and customization requires expensive consultants.
Mendix DLM takes a different approach because it’s built on low-code platforms from day one. Cloud-native architecture, visual development, single codebase for every device are built right in.
The system handles complex fashion workflows from initial design concepts through 3D modeling to final production while integrating with your existing systems. You get PLM functionality designed for how fashion and apparel companies actually operate.
Making the transition to low-code development platforms
When New York removed the last payphones from Times Square, it wasn’t because payphones stopped working. Better technology made them irrelevant.
The same thing is happening with traditional development approaches. Point-to-point integrations, hard-coded applications, lift-and-shift cloud migrations still work, but there’s a better way now.
The question is whether you’ll lead the change or get dragged along by it.
Watch the Preview Trailer – See what’s possible in just 1 minute
But there’s more to this transformation than just technology choices. The complete strategy – including the shift from traditional monolithic systems to composable architecture, the benefits of cloud-native deployment, and practical approaches to embracing modern development – reveals how organizations can break free from technical debt cycles.
See the complete transformation strategy. Learn about the shift from hard-coded monolithic systems to visual development models, understand the cloud-native vs. cloud-deployed distinction, and discover how multi-experience capabilities work with single codebases. Plus, see how Mendix DLM brings these benefits to fashion and apparel PLM.
Watch the Full Expert Session – See the complete strategy and real examples
Access MENDIX DLM resources and information – Get the full transformation insights
Want the details? Here’s what’s in the full session:
- Why composability matters: See the difference between modular and monolithic approaches
- Cloud strategy that works: Learn why phased beats lift-and-shift every time
- Mendix DLM in action: Watch actual demonstrations of 3D design, visual commerce, and integration capabilities
Stop letting point-to-point integrations create more problems than they solve. See the complete approach to building technology that scales with your business.
Frequently asked questions
What is Mendix and how does it help retail companies?
Mendix is a low-code application development platform owned by Siemens that helps companies build apps 10 times faster using 70% fewer resources.
For retail and fashion businesses, Mendix:
- Accelerates digitalization initiatives
- Streamlines product development
- Lowers operational costs
- Connects siloed processes and data
This is especially valuable for fashion companies dealing with rapid market changes and IT backlogs that grow beyond capacity.
Can you build retail apps without coding using no-code app builders?
Yes, no-code app builders let retail businesses create applications through visual interfaces instead of programming. You can build inventory systems, customer portals, and workflow apps using drag-and-drop components.
For complex retail operations with multiple integrations, low-code platforms like Mendix offer more flexibility by combining visual development with custom coding capabilities when needed.
How do low-code/no-code platforms work for enterprise retail systems?
These platforms provide pre-built components and visual tools that connect to your existing systems through APIs. This means you can:
- Integrate with ERP, manufacturing, and commerce systems
- Build applications without extensive custom coding
- Let business users configure workflows and interfaces
- Handle complex technical infrastructure automatically
What is a low-code application development platform and why do retailers choose it?
Low-code development uses visual modeling tools and pre-built components to create applications with minimal hand-coding. Retailers choose this approach because it enables faster development cycles, reduces dependence on scarce technical resources, and allows business teams to directly contribute to application development. In the fast-moving retail industry, low-code development helps companies respond quickly to market changes, seasonal demands, and new customer expectations without waiting months for traditional development projects.
What problems can a low-code application development platform solve?
Low-code application development platforms connect siloed systems to unlock the power of data and improve business decision making. They enhance collaboration across globally-distributed teams, reduce rework with built-in tools for feedback loops and revision tracking and speed up development to help get solutions to market faster. Low-code solutions automate processes and increase risk visibility to help safeguard supply chains against disruptions.
