How DataChef helped CarNext.com build a data layer following Data Mesh principles
Who is CarNext?
CarNext.com is a platform that sells used cars, where people are able to buy a car from the comfort of their own couch. CarNext originally started inside LeasePlan in 2017. It managed to raise a €400 million investment and went independent in July 2021. In October 2021, Constellation group acquired CarNext, intending to become the leading pan-European used-car digital marketplace. The company’s goal is to take away the stigma around used cars by ensuring that all cars have gone through exhaustive quality checks before they end up for sale.
Why were we there?
When building an online marketplace for cars where data is used to fuel all kinds of decision-making, it is vital that the right data is available at all times. CarNext needed to have a data layer that is capable of scaling with future demand so that the experience of the customer will only be improved.
How we helped CarNext?
We found Data Mesh to be the solution to CarNext needs. We helped them by designing a highly modern data layer following the principles of data mesh.
By arranging data ownership in line with who actually works on the product that generates the data, we promoted the ability to scale up while keeping the data with the domain experts.
By viewing data as a product instead of an asset, we required the data to embody certain characteristics, such as being discoverable and having high quality. This ensures a delightful experience for the data consumers and reduces the cost of using data as there will be less time spent on data preparation.
The impact we made
As the result of our efforts CarNext.com is now able to:
- Sustain agility while growing
- Drive the business through data-driven decisions
- Provide the best customer experience through personalization
- Expand its business by being able to identify leads
Technologies we used
AWS, TF, Scala, Python, Kafka, GitLab, Prisma Cloud, Nexus, SonarQube