Why timely B2B platform updates are critical – DEXIS’ story on moving beyond Shopware 6.4.2

Long periods without updating the system create technical debt, introduce sales risks, and limit further development.

In this article, we outline:

• why post-launch updates are essential rather than simply beneficial,
• how we approached and executed the system upgrade for DEXIS, step by step,
• which real business gains the update produced,
• how to organize similar activities in your own company without facing downtime or the anxiety of system failures.

Our guidance is based on Shopware documentation, market research, and our own practical experience from numerous implementations, including the e-commerce project for DEXIS Belgium.

Implementation is not where things end – a B2B ecosystem stays dynamic

In the B2B environment, the go-live of a new sales system is often perceived as the end of development and the final milestone, though it is truly only the starting stage.

Modern sales platforms are dynamic frameworks that rely on hundreds of libraries, external APIs, and software components. B2B e-commerce functions as a node in a broader, interconnected ecosystem that includes ERP, PIM, warehouse systems, courier integrations, marketing automation tools, and search engines. Several factors evolve over time:

• vendors release new system versions,
• new legal and security obligations come into force,
• customer expectations rise (advanced search, multilingual support, personalization),
• product data grows, increasing overall system load.

For e-commerce directors, CTOs, and IT managers leading digital transformation, understanding the rules behind system updates is essential.

A system left without modernization for years will gradually lose reliability:

a) security patches stop arriving,

b) integrations begin to break,

c) maintenance keeps getting costlier,

d) and new suppliers say outright: “Our tools won’t work with such an old release.”

So while the system may appear stable externally, internal pressure intensifies. Any update can trigger issues, pushing sales scaling aside in favor of constant troubleshooting and damage control.

This article examines the often-hidden costs of technical debt. With the European B2B eCommerce sector rising steadily at 10.2% per year and projected to reach $2.2 trillion by 2027, any company that regards its digital infrastructure as fixed rather than evolving risks being marginalized (Source: Trade.gov).

Regular technology updates and optimization are not merely matters of IT hygiene. They determine how well an organization can stay ahead of competitors, secure its data, and expand its operations.

When technical debt slows ecommerce expansion

Many executives underestimate how fast software ages after deployment. The phenomenon known as “software entropy”, or technical debt, appears as declining performance, shrinking compatibility, and reduced security over time.

Shopware follows a rapid release cycle: one major release per year and regular monthly minor releases. If updates are ignored for 12–18 months, the migration effort grows exponentially. The accumulated code changes mean plugins and themes must be rewritten, making the upgrade far more complex.

Security fundamentals: Understanding PHP’s lifecycle

Shopware, much like other eCommerce platforms, relies on PHP. The language’s official roadmap states exactly how long each version is supported. PHP 8.0 entered End of Life (EOL) status in November 2023. Even earlier, in November 2022, PHP 7.4 (still used by many outdated environments) stopped receiving security support.

For a B2B platform handling sensitive commercial data, relying on an unsupported PHP version creates avoidable and unnecessary risk. Once PHP reaches EOL, new vulnerabilities – even those enabling remote code execution – remain unresolved.

The decision to update should be guided not only by the need to avoid danger, but by the desire to achieve concrete business benefits. New PHP versions offer significant performance leaps. Analyses prove that purchasing platforms on modern PHP handle more requests per second with lower memory usage.

Why long-term implementation partnerships matter

The story of DEXIS Belgium, which we cover later, shows that maintaining a 400,000-product catalogue with complex logistics demands ongoing improvements to code and infrastructure. Agencies that lack solid knowledge of Shopware B2B architecture typically struggle with performance issues as data volume increases. Certified Shopware partners such as Tandemite provide the expertise and resources needed to manage the application lifecycle in a forward-looking, proactive way.

Recommendation: Treat Shopware updates as continuous maintenance rather than a single upgrade. The most effective method is to arrange monthly maintenance with your implementation agency to check and apply all update packages.

DEXIS’ case: How we executed a secure Shopware upgrade

To truly see how technology influences business, it’s worth analysing a concrete case. The project Tandemite completed for DEXIS clearly demonstrates that modernizing an e-commerce platform and making sound architectural choices protect a company from performance disruptions.

In 2025, for their Belgian division, we carried out a major two-stage upgrade of the Shopware environment to ensure the highest possible level of operational reliability.

Stage 1

The starting point was upgrading Shopware from 6.4.2 to 6.4.22, the closing release of the 6.4 line.

We chose this solution because it provided a secure transition, required less infrastructural rework, and created a clean foundation for the upcoming major technological shift.

Stabilizing the system before moving to a new line allowed us to minimize risk effectively.

Stage 2

This stage delivered the key technical modernization: migrating Shopware from 6.4 to 6.6.10 and upgrading PHP from 8.0 to 8.4.

Deployments for the Belgian and Austrian markets were carried out at different times to better control risk, resolve potential issues more effectively, and reduce any impact on sales activity. The work required close collaboration with external teams, particularly those overseeing infrastructure.

In parallel, we continued other DEXIS initiatives, and after delivering the main upgrade, we implemented around 70 improvements to reinforce stability across integrations, processes, and data. The modernization concluded with a 100% successful outcome and no production-level issues.

What does the update bring in real terms? The business value of Shopware 6.6 for B2B operations

A system update is far more than a technological obligation. It can directly boost revenue, enhance productivity, and support long-term competitive advantage. DEXIS saw measurable results after upgrading. So what changed for their teams and customers?

Stronger performance and a better work environment

1. A faster frontend gives customers a smoother journey: quicker browsing, efficient filters and search, and a lag-free cart.

2. A refined admin panel speeds up administrative work and boosts productivity:

a) The admin panel has been rebuilt in Vue 3. With this upgrade, actions such as editing orders, creating invoices, and updating statuses run more smoothly. Teams responsible for sales and content can now work through product data, discounts, and offers much faster.

b) The Rule Builder module in Shopware is the command center of B2B features. With version 6.6 and its new API, you can create:

• multi-layered discount rules like: “When a customer is marked as VIP, AND their basket includes over 100 kg of ‘Tools’ items, AND delivery is set to Belgium → apply a 5% shipping discount.”
• unique, industry-driven conditions, for example, discounts tied to the real-time LME copper price for cable distributors.

c) A configurable auto-logout function was added, replacing the previously fixed timeout. This matters for B2B users who keep the panel open all day on multiple tabs, protecting them from losing work.

Overall, the performance of the admin panel directly shapes the cost of supporting customers.

Stronger multilingual and market flexibility

Shopware 6.6 adopts a default single multi-language index, replacing the previous feature-flag configuration. Translated fields are mapped as nested objects within a unified JSON document in Elasticsearch. 

This refined indexing boosts search quality in every supported language. The B2B platform also scales more effectively with high product volumes and extensive multilingual data.

Internal Shopware benchmarks report a 6× speed boost in indexing for big multilingual shops. For DEXIS, handling 400k products and three language versions of DEXIS.be, the reduction in indexing time and server usage is highly impactful.

Improved security posture

By updating Shopware and PHP regularly, you gain constant security fixes and keep your platform aligned with audit requirements. This provides a strong argument when dealing with security departments and enterprise clients. In B2B, trust is everything, and outdated software makes building confidence far more difficult.

Modern and future-oriented technology

An upgrade isn’t just repair work. It is not limited to fixing issues or keeping things running. Its biggest advantage is opening the door to new sales options that older versions couldn’t support or would make too costly to develop.

After the update:

• new features can be delivered more easily,
• the system supports modern plugins and integrations that boost B2B sales,
• the dev team no longer maintains outdated code and hacks.

This means shorter delivery times for new sales solutions and room to scale the business without a complete rebuild.

Stability of the ecosystem and predictable budgeting

In a complex setup with ERP, PIM, CRM, WMS, and similar systems, the value of stable, updated foundations cannot be overstated.

Routine updates help stabilize TCO (Total Cost of Ownership). A B2B store that evolves continuously keeps costs lower than maintaining a 6.4 version that needs frequent patches and workaround solutions for incompatible plugins.

In the DEXIS project, our team:

• ensured better alignment with present and planned integrations,
• eliminated workarounds that had existed due to API limits or an outdated system version.

Is it required to pause sales during an update? Does updating always cause a service break?

No. With the right preparation and architecture, the bulk of the update takes place in test and staging environments, away from production. The actual switch can be done during low-traffic periods. A contingency plan can also be created to restore the previous version within minutes if any issues occur.

How to recognize that your platform needs immediate intervention:

• Legacy PHP versions: They indicate a security-exposed environment.
• Performance degradation: Indexing takes too long, and cart load times increase under heavy order volume.
• Incompatibility: New extensions, payment tools, and courier integrations refuse to install on an outdated Shopware build.
• Search performance issues: Drops in Google ranking driven by low Core Web Vitals scores.

Strategic conclusions

Launching Shopware is simply crossing the start line. The real contest continues every day, as your platform processes thousands of requests, fulfills hundreds of orders, and runs smoothly with multiple external integrations.

1. Never compromise on security: operating on obsolete PHP and Shopware versions exposes sensitive data and harms brand credibility.

2. Strong performance pays off: improvements to indexing in Shopware 6.6 offer clear business gains for extensive catalogues such as DEXIS.

3. Technical debt limits growth: delaying updates blocks efficient development and leads to higher costs later.

This daily reliability becomes the base of long-term advantage in Europe’s challenging market. DEXIS Belgium shows that scale and complexity aren’t barriers when technology is guided with professionalism and strategic focus.