Shopware 6 as a digital platform for an online art gallery

In recent years, online art sales have become a key distribution channel. For online gallery owners wishing to operate a digital sales channel, choosing the right e-commerce platform is of considerable importance.

Shopware, in its version 6, offers a reliable, robust, and scalable foundation for online sales. This modern solution offers numerous advantages compared to other shop systems. However, due to the five-figure initial investment and monthly fees in the upper three-figure range, Shopware 6 is less suitable for individual artists and small galleries, while larger galleries have compelling arguments for choosing this software.

We took a closer look Shopware 6 agency  Kenner Soft

What is Shopware 6?

This is the e-commerce platform developed in Shöppingen, Germany. It is powerful yet user-friendly, and successfully used by more than 50,000 globally recognized brands (Toyota, Philips, Fischer Sports, Melitta). Shopware 6 offers excellent shopping experiences and a suitable service package for every need. The open-source shop system can be used for projects of all sizes. It provides numerous extension options , a multilingual website, and enables easy design creation through its integrated template system.

Here is the promotional video from the software provider itself:

Key features of Shopware 6

The latest version is versatile and feature-rich. It offers a wide range of standard functions but can be extended as needed. The created online shops can be adapted to individual requirements. The main features of Shopware 6 are:

• Rule Builder . This function automates business processes and creates personalized offers. It allows you to create various conditions and rules, taking into account customer behavior, order value, and product type.
• Content Management & Design . To enable shop owners to create content-rich and appealing websites themselves without specialist knowledge, there is a feature called Shopping Experiences .
• Marketing automation . Flow Builder is a feature for automatically sending emails and notifications to customers.
• Internationalization features . Shopware 6 enables sales on an international level, can be adapted to legal requirements and shipping options for different markets, and can use different currencies and languages.

Extensions and plugins

When scaling, the standard functions are often insufficient. It's possible to integrate the required features into the shop plugins  CRM systems, can be easily connected for small businesses.

Shopware 6 vs. Shopify vs. WooCommerce

Shopify vs. Shopware 6 – a comparison

In this video, Daniel from the Eshop Guide directly compares two of the most well-known online shop systems:

Shopware vs. WooCommerce – eBakery Online Shop System Comparison

In this eBakery online shop system comparison, Shopware and WooCommerce head-to-head. Find out how Shopware fares against the shop system of the world's most popular CMS in this video:

Specific advantages for online galleries

Visual presentation: The best setting for your art

The way art is presented is a key aspect of sales. Shopware 6 offers great options here:

The "Shopping Experiences" editor allows you to present artworks in atmospheric and emotional environments, like a virtual gallery tour. You can create layouts for different art styles or artists without writing a single line of code.

The high-quality image display with zoom function allows potential buyers to see details of the artwork, which is a must-have, especially for paintings, sculptures, or limited editions. Automatic optimization ensures that your artwork looks great on all devices.

360-degree views are the ultimate solution. This way, collectors can view their future artworks from every angle.

Storytelling: Telling the story behind the art

Art isn't sold solely because of the images; it's bought for the stories behind them. Shopware 6 offers ample opportunities to tell these stories:

• You can add specific information to each artwork using the "custom fields" . This can include the story behind the work, the techniques used, and biographical information about the artist.
• The "Emotions" allows you to create the right mood and atmosphere for different art forms and styles. An abstract painting series requires a different kind of presentation than sculptures or photographs.
• The integrated blog feature allows you to regularly write about artists, exhibitions, or art trends. This is a great way to build a community and showcase your gallery's expertise.

Flexible product structure: as versatile as art itself

Every art gallery offers a wide range of works over the course of its career. Shopware 6 has the right level of flexibility:

• You can elegantly present different versions, formats, or frames of a work of art using the "Advanced Variants" feature . This is especially useful for limited editions that are available in different sizes or versions.
• "Product sets" allow you to group thematically related artworks together. This is a helpful feature for collectors or curated exhibitions.
• Dynamic attribute management allows artworks to be sorted according to any criteria, including period, style, material, or technique. This makes it easier for art lovers to find what they are looking for.

International focus: Art knows no borders

The multi-store function allows you to serve different markets separately, with different prices, languages, and content. For example, you could treat the Asian market differently than the European market.

The many translation options ensure that artist biographies and art descriptions can be displayed in different languages ​​without losing emotional impact.

When it comes to the international shipping integrated tax and customs administration takes care of all the paperwork for you.

Unique shopping experiences for collectors

Customer Streams technology makes it possible to offer VIP customers special benefits, such as early access to new works or private conversations with artists. Established art collectors will love this personalization.

You can also use the "Rule Builder" to set up complicated pricing plans, such as giving discounts to returning customers or setting special rules for museums and other institutions.

video call consultation appointments make it easier to receive personal customer service, almost like visiting a gallery.

Future-proof technology: a strong foundation

Shopware 6 offers modern optimization and caching techniques to improve loading times and user experience. This contributes to the smooth operation of the online shop, even under high traffic.

The new version includes special features for shop security (rate limiter, storefront IP whitelisting, HTML sanitizer to prevent XSS, API-enabled fields, write protection for entities, SameSite cookies, Shopware 6 security plugin, captcha).

Shopware 6 is very flexible and future-proof because – as mentioned above – it uses an API-first architecture. This makes it easy to add new technologies like augmented reality to place artwork in customers' homes.

A large number of certified partners and developers are active within the Shopware ecosystem. Regular development and security updates can be reliably installed via a service contract. This ensures that the digital showroom is always technologically up-to-date.

The cloud options also allow for scaling as needed at any time. This could be quite relevant for larger art galleries during busy periods such as art fairs or special exhibitions.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.

www.kunstplaza.de