The Librería Carlos Fuentes, part of the University of Guadalajara, set out to modernize its sales model by launching a robust e-commerce platform. The goal was to digitize the entire process of commercializing its editorial catalog and offer an intuitive and secure online shopping experience. Built with Drupal and Drupal Commerce, the new site enables users to easily explore and purchase both physical and digital books, while ensuring a seamless connection with the library’s internal inventory systems.
Inside the project
Librería Carlos Fuentes is one of the most important cultural and academic bookstores in Mexico. As part of the University of Guadalajara, it manages a vast catalog of books and publications. The institution required a scalable and secure e-commerce platform that would enable users to browse, order, and pay for both physical and digital books through a modern, mobile-friendly interface.
The starting point
Before the new platform was developed, the bookstore’s inventory and catalog were not integrated into any web-based system. All product information was stored as plain-text files on an FTP server, making it difficult to manage stock and ensure real-time accuracy. The bookstore needed to automate catalog updates and support online payments, while integrating with both internal inventory systems and external digital content providers.
Additionally, the platform had to comply with high standards of security, accessibility, and sustainability, and be built with a CMS flexible enough to evolve without the high costs of proprietary software.
Our strategy
A custom module called Gestlib was developed to automate the synchronization between the FTP server and the online product catalog. Through scheduled tasks (cronjobs), the module retrieves product information such as ISBN, author, price, availability, and cover image, and updates the store in real time.
Additional customizations included personalized order forms and a tailored shopping cart experience. Integration with a third-party provider (Publícala) allowed the sale of fully digital books, expanding the bookstore’s offering.
The site was deployed on Platform.sh, providing a scalable and secure environment ready to handle high traffic volumes during special events or editorial campaigns.
Results
- Automated catalog synchronization: The custom Gestlib module automates the sync between the bookstore’s FTP inventory and the Drupal Commerce product database, ensuring accurate stock and pricing with minimal manual effort.
- Unified platform for physical and digital sales: The solution supports both print and digital books, integrating external services like Publícala for e-book delivery.
- Custom e-commerce experience: Order forms and the checkout flow were tailored to meet the specific needs of the university bookstore, improving usability and streamlining the customer journey.
- Mobile-first and scalable: Deployed on Platform.sh, the site performs reliably under peak loads, offering a responsive experience across devices.
- Open-source sustainability: Built with Drupal, the platform avoids proprietary licensing costs while enabling long-term flexibility, customization, and community support.
Conclusion
This project represents a major step forward in the digital transformation of Librería Carlos Fuentes. The tailored Drupal-based solution addresses current e-commerce needs while laying the foundation for future growth. By integrating seamlessly with internal systems and enabling the sale of digital and physical books, the new platform offers a reliable and user-friendly shopping experience.
Why Drupal?
Drupal was selected as the foundation for this project thanks to its powerful open-source framework, strong security standards, and modular architecture. Its native compatibility with Drupal Commerce enabled the team to manage products, orders, payments, and logistics from a single system.
The platform also offered deep customization capabilities, allowing seamless integration with the bookstore’s inventory system and external services. Combined with its proven scalability and performance on environments like Platform.sh, Drupal was the ideal choice for a project that required flexibility, reliability, and long-term sustainability.