Global eCommerce

A scalable, easily-adaptable platform - including local markets in the future

Project outline

The Client was unable to effectively manage and develop a network of eShops (8 implemented eShops with over 10k active user accounts). Despite the fact the shops operated under one brand, they were separate, not integrated entities both in terms of the environment in which they were created as well as the management through two different B2C and B2B sales channels.

The business goals of the Client:

To create a global, scalable eCommerce platform for all Clients (B2B and B2C) of Mercator Medical with a centrally managed logistics system and administration, as well as with full integration of other systems used by the company (WMS, CRM, PIM, ERP)
To increase the effectiveness of sales through the eCommerce channel
To prepare the platform for an easy introduction to all markets where Mercator Medical is present

About the client

The Mercator Medical Group is a Polish company from Cracow which has been manufacturing and distributing single-use medical materials and gloves. It is currently one of the biggest companies of this type in the world and it sells its products in over 70 countries.

About the project flow

We began our cooperation with Mercator by

Determining the business needs in detail

1

Presenting the possibilities and technical limitations that might occur

2

Discussing the pros and cons of different options of creating an integrated platform

3

Establishing a cooperation model that would fulfil the business goals

4

The project was implemented in the T&M model in which the Client has a real influence and may model work as part of sprints while paying only for the work that has been completed by the team. At the beginning of the cooperation, the main goals were determined, which served as the navigators during the planning stages of further sprints and tasks associated with them.

Our cooperation was based on two pillars. First, from the very beginning, together with the Client we assumed that the process of the platform’s creation is a combination of constant integration of systems with constant introduction to new customer groups. Second, to provide code of the highest quality through automated tests, GIT flow and the process of code revision and verification.

Solution

Together with the Client, the development of a scalable platform that easily adapts to new customer groups, including local markets in the future, while simultaneously connecting integrated operating global and local systems. The basis of our solution is the possibility to develop the platform in two dimensions: horizontally – the introduction to new markets, vertically – the introduction of new functionalities to international instances of the platform. createIT also provided SEO services and performed a marketing analysis.

System architecture

The core of the system is a hub that ensures platform integration for two markets – B2B and B2C. Because of this, Mercator is capable of:

The addition of price lists to the platform through ERP
Performing a quick business analysis of Client behavior, product popularity, development of product groups for selected Client groups, etc.

The hub is built from monolithic modules that can be quickly expanded or changed in their own ecosystems, so without consequences (changes) to other modules operating within the hub.

System performance

Good performance of such a complex platform is ensured by:

CQRS, so the separation of commands and queries in platform architecture to a non-relational database
The reduction of the number of queries for the API
Activity based on the cloud

The main functionalities of the platform that are important from the Client’s perspective

Automation of displaying individual prices for Clients from a specific country or geographical region
Automation of displaying individual prices for each Client
Automation of displaying individual prices on the basis of defined Client groups

The main functionalities of the platform that are important from the user’s perspective

Easy access to Mercator products using any device (desktop/mobile)
Easy shopping, a clear purchasing path for the Client, easy management of documents, invoices
A credit limit for the B2B Client
Depending on the Client type, the platform adapts the purchasing path for each client based on his segmentation

Systems integrated with the platform

The challenges we have overcome

Data bus – the assumption before the project was that the data bus would easily transfer data from other Mercator Medical systems to the eCommerce platform. The custom solutions used during implementation did not allow for that, so it was necessary to implement functionalities enabling verification through data provided to the platform, as well as functionalities that allow for the management of incoming data.

Optimized challenges for ecommerce platform

Duplicated Client data & addresses – one of the bigger challenges regarding the correctness of data supplied to the platform was the amount of duplicated or incorrect data related to the platform’s Clients – the mechanism we implemented turned out to be far more complicated than the project assumed earlier, and it required a non-standard approach.

Data bus – the assumption before the project was that the data bus would easily transfer data from other Mercator Medical systems to the eCommerce platform. The custom solutions used during implementation did not allow for that, so it was necessary to implement functionalities enabling verification through data provided to the platform, as well as functionalities that allow for the management of incoming data.

Sector: B2B, eHealth & Sports, Retail & eCommerce

Services: Web development