Implementation of an online pharmacy and drugstore for Dr.Max brand

About the customer

Dr.Max Poland is a part of an international holding Dr.Max - the leader in the pharmaceutical market in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with more than 2000 pharmacies in 8 European countries.

The brand sales network in Poland consists of more than 500 pharmacies. The company also provides its customers throughout the country with access to a wide online offer, which includes dermo-cosmetics, medical devices, private label products, and much more. Thanks to its diverse offer, easy accessibility, and well-thought-out strategy, it has become a leader in the market of online pharmacies. 

History of cooperation

We have been working with Dr. Max brand since 2019 as part of one international team. One of the main concerns of our client was the instability of the e-commerce system, which resulted in downtime of the store and a large number of errors that made it impossible to make purchases. Therefore, as part of the first stage of our cooperation, we conducted an audit of the e-commerce system to optimize its stability and performance. 

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Read about the effects of the first stage of work in the case study on the audit of the e-commerce system for Dr. Max brand. 

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As part of system optimization, we have also implemented new solutions such as:

Integration with Algolia search engine

To optimize the speed and relevance of the store's search results, we used Algolia's AI-based search engine. The new search engine has significantly improved the shopping experience and makes it easier for store users to navigate the product catalog, so they find the products they need faster. 

Integration with Pharmalink

Pharmalink is a solution for pharmacies to deliver medications that require transport and cold storage.

New checkout 

We implemented a new checkout based on Vue.js framework. The new checkout streamlined the ordering process in the store, resulting in a reduced number of abandoned shopping carts, which increased conversions. 

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Migrating the system to a new solution

The second stage of cooperation with our client was the migration of the online pharmacy to the new e-commerce platform and the unification of all the elements constituting the system. Due to international sales, our client wanted the stores in all countries to have common module versions. Thanks to this, changes created within the store in one country can be used in other countries. This approach to creating an e-commerce system allows to maintain the consistency of the code and optimize costs. 

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The new version of the Internet pharmacy was adjusted to the Polish market, both in terms of legal regulations, preparation of translations, and adjusting the website to the shopping patterns of Polish consumers. 

Implemented Solutions: 

Headless

We have used the headless approach, which is to separate the frontend layer from the backend. The frontend communicates with the backend via API, and Elastic Query and GraphQL are used to communicate with the backend. This gives us the freedom to customize the look of the store depending on the country or device using the same backend. Moreover, if necessary, the e-commerce system can be changed to another solution, which is similar in the case of such systems as CRM and payments. The advantage of the headless approach is primarily the flexibility and acceleration of the service. Frontend in our project was created on Vue.js using Nuxt.js. 

CRM 

CRM integration and customer database migration.

SEO 

Adapting SEO modules to the requirements of positioning in the Polish search engine in order to maintain high positions in search results developed over the years. 

Selling on the marketplace

Integration with Empik marketplace using Miracl solution. As part of the integration project, we have automated some of the processes to make it even easier for our clients to sell on the marketplace. 

Paczkomaty

Preparation of dedicated integration with parcel machines. The module is reusable, so our client can implement it faster in other markets. The option is currently disabled and waiting to be launched. 

Dr. Max online drugstore

The last stage of cooperation with the brand was the implementation of the online drugstore in Poland.  The drugstore was created based on the solution launched earlier on the Romanian market and is part of one Magento Commerce system, operating as a separate website. Thanks to this the client can manage their stores from one administration panel. According to our client's needs, the whole implementation is modular - each function is a separate element that our client can implement in any e-commerce system in another country. All modules were adjusted to the needs of the Polish market. The drugstore project is also based on a headless approach.