Overview
One of the most popular car auction platforms in the US is gradually moving its website to AWS. Rather than a single, all-at-once migration, the client chose a long-term path: build new features on AWS that work alongside the current website, and expand the cloud footprint step by step.
That means the work is less a single project and more a steady stream of features and microservices, each one serving a specific purpose. Some run on AWS Lambda, others are complete websites hosted on AWS Amplify. Flatiron Software sits at the point where both worlds meet, building the AWS services and the legacy website integrations that connect them.
Team and Timeline
The client runs an internal team of about 15 AWS engineers. Flatiron works alongside them with four engineers: one who covers both AWS and the legacy CMS, and three dedicated to the CMS side.
Work moves in six-week cycles. Most features ship within a single cycle, while larger ones are split across several. This rhythm gives the client a predictable cadence for planning and lets each feature reach production quickly.
Opportunities
A gradual migration comes with a clear requirement: every new AWS feature has to work seamlessly with the existing website. Data has to stay in sync, users have to move between experiences without friction, and the business has to keep running as usual while the architecture changes underneath it.
This also creates a skills gap. Most teams have either cloud engineers or CMS engineers, and features that span both often get lost in the handoff. The client needed a partner able to design, build, and debug across the full path, from the website to the cloud and back.
Solution
The first step was the foundation. Before adding any new feature, Flatiron integrated the website with AWS so that all listing data stays properly synced between the CMS and AWS. With every listing available in the cloud, new services could be built on top of it.
The first major feature built on that foundation was Reserve Not Met Offers. When a listing closes without reaching its reserve price, the highest bidder and the seller can now negotiate an offer directly. Users move from the main website to a dedicated React application hosted on AWS Amplify, backed by a microservice architecture. A second version followed, focused on architecture improvements and on turning hardcoded settings into dynamic configurations the client can adjust as the business evolves.
Next came a full checkout experience. Flatiron built the microservice infrastructure that allows listings to be purchased in full on the platform, integrated with a third-party transaction service that handles payments between buyer and seller.
The current focus is translation. Flatiron designed the full architecture and workflow for a shared translation service built on Amazon Translate, which every dependent website will be able to use to translate its content. Flatiron leads both the AWS and the CMS work on this feature.
Along the way, the team grew its AWS expertise in real time. Starting from the foundation of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Flatiron's engineer absorbed a wide range of services and turned that learning into production features, one cycle at a time.
Outcome
Flatiron has delivered several multiplatform features that connect the legacy website with AWS, from data sync to offer negotiation to full checkout, and continues to evolve with the client as its needs change.
The biggest advantage has been having one engineer who understands both sides. Combining AWS and CMS expertise in a single person closes the gap that usually sits between two teams, and it has brought real value to how features are designed and debugged. For a platform modernizing in stages, that bridge keeps each step moving forward with confidence.
AWS Services Used
- AWS Lambda: Serverless functions behind the microservices that power new platform features.
- AWS Amplify: Hosting for dedicated web applications, including the React-based Reserve Not Met Offers experience.
- Amazon Translate: Core of the shared translation service currently in development.
Why Flatiron?
Flatiron delivers complex AI transformation projects at enterprise scale, fast, independently, and with no disruption to your existing teams. Our model lets you capture the value of AI while protecting your core business and product roadmap. From project management to technical delivery, we bring deep expertise, proven process, and clear accountability.
Ready to see what AI can do for your company? Let's talk.
.avif)
