How Xano helped Decathlon launch a customer search engine 3x faster

Solutions

Decathlon achieved all three goals with Xano. The platform’s visual backend development enabled their team to build a highly customized and scalable solution. Decathlon worked with Kreante, a low-code development agency, to carry out the project.

Decathlon built the entire backend for their customer-facing search engine with Xano.

The tool allowed customers to navigate through relevant categories and find spare bicycle parts quickly. Once a part was selected, customers were redirected to Decathlon’s online store to complete their purchase.

Key Xano features powered this solution. The team used the API builder to efficiently create and deploy APIs, facilitating fast integration with frontend components. With conditional logic, Decathlon implemented decision trees that dynamically suggested bicycle parts based on users input in the frontend questionnaire.

The team found Xano’s built-in database management tools particularly helpful. They simplified handling complex product codes and relationships, making it easier to manage a wide array of spare parts.

Decathlon completed the project in just four weeks with a team of four.

The team members included a project manager from Kreante, and an internal product owner, frontend designer, and developer. The developer handled both frontend and backend, so a dedicated backend platform simplified development with clear logic separation.

Why Xano?

Xano provided an ideal combination of speed and control. Decathlon needed a solution that aligned with their enterprise infrastructure — so they could prototype rapidly and move forward with confidence.

1. Xano sped up development time — while still providing enterprise-grade flexibility, scalability, and security

   • “We were able to accelerate the development process without compromising on the essential elements of security and scalability,” explained Arthur Anouil, Business Leader at Decathlon. Xano provided the option to deploy on Decathlon’s own cloud and install the platform on their own servers, meeting their strict enterprise security and infrastructure requirements.

2. Xano integrated efficiently with existing systems.

   • Decathlon’s IT team wanted immediate assurance that Xano would work with their current systems. Xano proved its compatibility with their existing frontend, APIs, and data — enabling a fast and efficient proof of concept.

Results

The search engine improved Decathlon’s user experience, providing customers with a guided interface to search for products faster — and a streamlined path to purchase.

Decathlon increased development speed by 3x.

The project was completed in just four weeks. Decathlon estimated that traditional development would have taken significantly longer to achieve the same result.

Decathlon saved 75% over traditional development costs.

By rapidly prototyping with Xano, Decathlon saved on the steep costs of allocating internal IT resources or building a solution from scratch. The quick proof of concept mitigated risk, allowing Decathlon to validate the project before committing to a full-scale rollout.