Obut: The new game is played on PrestaShop
As the world leader in pétanque boules, Obut has transitioned its ecommerce interfaces to PrestaShop to centralize its complex catalog and customize customer journeys for various audiences: individuals, competitors, resellers, associations, and event organizers. This strategic revamp was carried out in partnership with Antadis, as ecommerce now represents 70% of direct sales. The selected solution proved to be the most appropriate: flexible and efficient, it supports the brand's universe while controlling costs to facilitate future developments.
Obut. The brand instantly evokes warmth and joy, reminiscent of a game of pétanque among friends or family, spanning generations, in a backyard or a village square shaded by plane trees. The game of boules dates back to the time of the conquest of Gaul. It is a popular pastime as well as a competitive sport, ranking eleventh in France by number of licensees, boasting over 300,000 players and nearly 6,000 official clubs.
A family adventure behind an iconic brand
Behind this emblematic brand lies a family story. In 1958, the Souvignet family, experts in metallurgy, sought to diversify their business. They partnered with Frédéric Bayet and Antoine Dupuy, creators of the young brand Obut, and began producing playing boules. Since then, the legacy has been passed down through generations, centered around a 100% French production tool. In 2023, Romain Souvignet, representing the fourth generation, took the helm of the company after collaborating with his father for several years.
Based in Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, Loire, near Saint-Étienne since 1955, the company now employs 98 people and serves as a reference for both enthusiasts and professionals. It operates in a stable niche market, yet one sensitive to seasonality... and weather. The repurchase rate remains low. Most casual players keep their boules for life. Only seasoned competitors, who play several times a week, renew their sets three to four times a year.
To continue attracting new players, Obut is launching numerous initiatives: workshops, a directory of playing locations, as well as textiles and accessories. With a clear goal: to keep the spirit of pétanque alive year-round.
A multichannel distribution strategy: direct sales, resellers, and ecommerce
Obut combines direct and indirect distribution. The brand relies on a robust network of resellers, both in France and internationally, as well as direct sales through three stores, two mobile trucks present at competitions and public events, and two distinct ecommerce sites for BtoC and BtoB.
At the heart of this ecosystem, ecommerce plays a central role. It accounts for 70% of direct sales, which constitute 30% of total revenue. These interfaces are therefore strategic. However, their siloed operation had become an obstacle. The public-facing site, developed on Magento, was managed by the marketing department, while the reseller extranet, purely transactional, fell under the IT department.
"We had two separate platforms with no coherence in tone or user journey. A redesign was necessary. We needed to rethink everything on a common foundation that could adapt messages and embody our brand territory." Fanny Tallon, Digital Manager at Obut
Which partner for the ecosystem overhaul?
To successfully revamp its digital ecosystem, Obut sought more than just a service provider: it needed a partner capable of understanding its business challenges, target audiences, and environment. The Antadis agency quickly emerged as the right choice, both for the quality of its support and its ability to propose an efficient solution.
"A website is not just a shop for individuals or a purchasing platform for resellers; it is also a vector for image and communication. It serves to announce new products, facilitate the search for our products and resellers, and offer locations for practice or discovery, such as a bar or a pétanque hotel. It must also provide a seamless connection between online navigation and the in-store experience." Romain Souvignet, CEO of Obut
Thanks to this holistic approach, Obut was able to rethink its BtoC and BtoB journeys as two facets of the same branding strategy.
Why PrestaShop was the obvious choice
Several platforms were considered for the overhaul. Magento, previously used, was showing its limitations: each evolution required heavy and costly developments. Shopify was quickly ruled out due to insufficient flexibility to manage the BtoB interface and the numerous product variations in the BtoC catalog, a key criterion for Obut.
Ultimately, PrestaShop checked all the boxes. Supported by Antadis' expertise, the solution proved perfectly suited to handle the complexity of the catalog, manage peak activity loads, and remain accessible for internal teams. It now interfaces with the ERP, a PIM, and the content management tool Prismic. Most importantly, it offers the brand an evolving foundation designed to support its digital ambitions.
"At Antadis, we work with several ecommerce CMS, but in this project, PrestaShop was the clear choice. A French solution that is stable and reliable, capable of serving all customer profiles, from small businesses to those generating 250 million euros in revenue. It offers the necessary flexibility to support growth, manage large catalogs, and create a coherent brand experience." Mathilde Abgrall, Associate Communication Director, Antadis Group
A multilingual and multi-target platform to reach all markets
Thanks to PrestaShop, Obut can now manage its ecommerce activities on a global scale while tailoring journeys to the specifics of each target audience. The BtoC site is available in six languages (French, English, Spanish, Dutch, German, and Swedish) to support its export strategy. The BtoB site is gradually opening to the same markets, with payment methods adjusted to local practices. A specific solution is also under development for large exports: a dedicated workflow to handle deferred orders with customized transport quotes.
"PrestaShop allows us to address final customers, resellers, competitors, and event organizers. This is what makes the solution so powerful: we can manage everything from a single platform." Fanny Tallon, Digital Manager at Obut
This ability to segment and personalize journeys paves the way for numerous projects. A space is being created for professional players to facilitate the management of their sponsorships. In the future, this logic could also extend to sponsorship contracts. Event organizers will then have the option to create their own product packages (trophies, textiles, accessories), instead of receiving a standardized kit.
Finally, Obut is considering highlighting its other brands, such as JB or La Boule Noire, through distinct shops. PrestaShop's multistore mode offers valuable flexibility to support product diversification and strengthen the company's presence in all markets.
An enriched brand experience
Beyond selling triplets, Obut embodies a whole lifestyle that it nurtures through a range of services and ancillary products: directories of practice locations, workshops, textiles, accessories… and customization. This service relies on the Hapcticmedia solution, enabling users to preview the marking on the boules. An ideal feature for gifts, especially at Christmas or for Father's Day, two key commercial moments for the brand.
Another key asset is the assistance in product selection. Developed tailor-made, it guides the user to the right product — size, weight, model — based on their playing habits, morphology, and terrain. Thanks to PrestaShop's flexibility, this fun and effective customer journey remains true to the brand's universe.
Thus, the site is no longer just a sales channel. It becomes a tool for discovery, learning, and connection: geolocation of pétanque bars or hotels, connection with other players, participation in events like the Tour de France… Obut fosters its community.
Journeys designed for each profile
With a consistent graphic universe, the BtoB site has been designed to meet the concrete needs of professionals. Quick ordering, accessible history and invoices online, bulk cart options, access to sales support tools, order tracking from the homepage. Everything has been designed to save them time. A workflow system also allows for managing different buyer statuses.
"This is one of the advantages of PrestaShop: the flexibility of the front-end to customize journeys, leveraging data from the back office. All within an engaging experience that remains true to Obut's tone of voice." Mathilde Abgrall, Associate Communication Director, Antadis Group
Concrete benefits for internal teams
This overhaul has also helped streamline internal processes. Real-time stock synchronization now prevents errors, and new product updates occur simultaneously across both sites. With simplified management, the digital and marketing teams can easily oversee daily site activity: creating a blog, dedicated pages for co-branding, special promotions, etc.
In BtoB, the automation of certain tasks has also freed up valuable time. Sales teams can focus on higher-value actions: supporting the opening of new sales points, advising on in-store placements, and developing merchandising. In short, bringing the human element back into relationships with resellers.
Rationalized budgets for better innovation
Another notable benefit of the overhaul is a significant budget optimization. Where maintenance under Magento consumed a considerable portion of resources, Obut can now reallocate these expenses towards high-value developments. The budget previously dedicated to maintenance has been shifted toward evolving maintenance, allowing for continuous platform upgrades rather than mere maintenance. New services, new journeys, new targets: the investment directly benefits innovation.
Moreover, merging the BtoB and BtoC environments onto a single technical foundation promotes a more efficient approach, with shared developments and economies of scale.
With this overhaul, Obut is not just modernizing its interfaces. By leveraging PrestaShop, the brand lays the groundwork for a unified digital ecosystem designed to evolve, innovate, and enhance the customer experience. A platform that enables it to multiply services, better target its audiences, and promote the spirit of pétanque.
A new digital playing field that is cutting-edge, designed to hit accurately... and far.
Thanks to:
- Romain Souvignet, CEO, and Fanny Tallon, Digital Manager at Obut
- Mathilde Abgrall, Associate Communication Director at Antadis Group
