Drillcut is an independent, family-owned company based in Melbourne, with offices and distribution centres nationwide. From selling drill bits and cutting blades on-site out of the back of an ageing…
Drillcut is an independent, family-owned company based in Melbourne, with offices and distribution centres nationwide. From selling drill bits and cutting blades on-site out of the back of an ageing car in 1988, Drillcut has established itself as the true frontrunner in the building services industry.
It’s a classic story of a family determined to make a difference in an industry dominated by one or two major suppliers over many years. Since its inception, Drillcut has focussed on the principle of “being in the shoes of our customers”. This approach has led to significant new ways for the construction industry to eradicate many expensive ‘pain points’ through constant product and service improvement. With more than 14,000 sku’s, our products are locally sourced as well as Europe and Asia.
Our policy is to source from Australian manufacturers where possible supplying directly to building services contractors with four distinct core customer segments:
Plumbing
HVAC
Fire Services
Electrical
Drillcut’s digital infrastructure had a complex architecture involving multiple systems, which created several technical hurdles:
Multi-System Dependency
Product data originated from EXO (MYOB Mini ERP system (especially for SMEs) ), then synced to Shopify, which was further connected to the React.js frontend using GraphQL APIs. This multi-layered flow created latency issues and complex debugging scenarios.
Checkout Process Limitations
The default Shopify checkout system was rigid and didn’t allow the flexibility required for Drillcut’s custom business logic. Since Shopify hosted the checkout page, it limited control over UI/UX and integrations.
Data Sync & Management Bottlenecks
Since Shopify was acting as the middle layer between EXO and the frontend, syncing orders, inventory, and product data became error-prone and slow. It created a bottleneck in real-time data updates, affecting customer experience and internal operations.
High Dependency on Shopify
Any change in business logic or data structure required updates across EXO, Shopify, and React. This dependency made the system fragile and slowed down feature releases.
To overcome the limitations of the existing multi-platform setup, we implemented several architectural and functional upgrades:
Custom Checkout Built with React.js
We replaced Shopify’s rigid checkout with a fully customized React.js checkout page, providing complete control over design, logic, and customer experience. This allowed us to implement Drillcut-specific pricing, validation, and user flows seamlessly.
Removed Shopify Dependency
To reduce system complexity and improve performance, we decoupled the core logic from Shopify. Product, inventory, and order data no longer rely on Shopify as the source of truth.
Direct Integration Between EXO and Laravel
We built a custom Laravel-based backend to connect directly with EXO. This enabled faster, real-time syncing of product data, order status, and inventory levels—removing the need for Shopify as an intermediary.
GraphQL Optimization
We continued using GraphQL on the frontend, but now the API was powered directly by our Laravel backend instead of Shopify, reducing API latency and improving control over data fetching.
Streamlined Data Flow & Maintenance
With a simplified architecture (EXO → Laravel → React), updates and feature rollouts became significantly faster and easier to maintain.
The technical improvements delivered significant performance and business benefits across multiple areas:
Faster Checkout Experience
Replacing Shopify’s checkout with a custom React.js solution reduced load times and improved conversion rates.
Reduced System Dependency
Decoupling Shopify eliminated multi-layer sync issues, resulting in a 30–40% decrease in data latency across systems.
Real-Time Data Accuracy
Direct integration between EXO and Laravel ensured real-time updates of inventory, orders, and product details—improving both backend operations and customer trust.
Improved Flexibility
Full control over the frontend and backend allowed for faster feature deployment and easier custom business logic implementation.
Easier Maintenance & Scalability
A cleaner architecture (EXO → Laravel → React) simplified maintenance and prepared the system for future scalability without reliance on third-party limitations.
System Simplification Was Critical
Removing Shopify as a dependency significantly streamlined the tech stack and reduced operational friction.
Custom Development = Full Control
Building a custom React checkout gave us the flexibility to tailor the user experience and align with specific business logic.
Direct Integration Wins
Connecting EXO directly with Laravel eliminated third-party sync issues, increased speed, and improved data reliability.
Scalability & Maintainability Improved
The new architecture supports faster feature updates and smoother long-term growth.
User Experience Took Center Stage
Every technical decision was driven by the goal of improving the end-user experience—resulting in a faster, cleaner, and more reliable platform.
EXO (ERP System)
Centralized platform for managing product, inventory, and order data at the core business level.
Laravel (Backend Framework)
Custom backend used to sync with EXO, manage business logic, and serve data to the frontend via APIs.
React.js (Frontend Framework)
Used to build a fully customized and high-performance checkout experience, replacing Shopify’s default flow.
GraphQL
Implemented for efficient data retrieval and communication between the frontend and backend.
Custom Integration Layer
Built to directly sync EXO data into Laravel and React, reducing reliance on third-party systems.
Shopify (Partially Retained)
Still used for product catalog management and syncing product data, but the checkout process was fully migrated to a custom React.js solution.