Printed catalog converted to digital format and integrated with newly automated subscription service

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First Line Software was engaged to create a digital subscription catalog and integrate it into the online subscription order placement system.

The client

Our client is the largest logistics enterprise operating in Russia with 41,900 post office locations and 350,00 employees. It provides a wide range of services including domestic and international parcel delivery, mail, acceptance of payments, pensions and allowances payments, and money transfers, to one billion customers annually.

The customer also collects subscriptions to magazines and newspapers and delivers those publications to subscribers.

Previously, the client's subscription catalog was only available at post offices in a printed format. To subscribe, purchasers needed to complete an application form and hand it off to the office employee along with payment. It was a complex and inefficient process.

The task

First Line Software was engaged to create a digital subscription catalog and integrate it into the online subscription order placement system.

The solution

Since the online catalog service had to be able to accept and process subscriptions, an online store structure was used for this project.

The newly-implemented online subscription process is intuitive, which makes it easy to use.

A clean, light interface and convenient navigation elements help users easily find their favorite publication, become familiar with the entire catalog, and place an order.

Filtering

An alphabetical index, filtered by the publication topic and specific collections helps site visitors quickly find their way around the catalog.

Output

Elements in the form of cards make it easy to understand the information. Cards with a large cover image, the subscription price, the publication topic and publication frequency provide all the necessary information. There’s no need to click further around the site.

Publication cards

After reviewing a detailed description of the publication, the user can complete their application, including the subscription period, delivery method and address. Intuitive prompts guide users through the application process and minimize any confusion.

Cart and order placement

The large accents in the cart create a sense of simplicity. Each step is clear, which inspires trust.

Tree of good

In addition to being able to order their favorite publication with a few clicks, customers also have the option to order a subscription gift for orphanages, boarding schools and nursing homes. The user simply chooses the institution and the publication.

All requests are sent to the client’s office for activation and delivery of the subscriptions.

The result

Magazine catalog subscribers now have access to a convenient online subscription tool.

The customer has an additional sales channel with an optimized online system for accepting and managing magazine orders.

During the first year of service 14,000 customers used the online portal to order subscriptions. The second year this figure rose to 40,000, nearly a 300 percent increase of subscribers. The increase of subscriptions can be directly attributed to the availability of an online catalog and order system.

The technology

Spring Framework (Apache License 2.0) provides component integration, inter-service communication, security and configuration.
Hibernate (GNU Lesser General Public License) is a Java programming language library designed to solve object-relational mapping (ORM) problems. It is used to simplify access to the database (DB) and the program code in all components except for the database schemes.
Liquibase (Apache License 2.0) is a database migration management system used to update the database scheme, introduce new data and delete unnecessary data.
Apache Commons (Apache License 2.0) is a library that provides additional opportunities for manipulating standard Java Core classes.
React.JS and Redux (MIT License) are open-source JavaScript frameworks. They are designed for one-page web-applications development and used in conjunction with HTML to build a user interface in a web browser.
Puppet (Apache License 2.0) is a configuration management system used to automate deployment and services updates in different environments.
Mahout (Apache License 2.0) is a system used to build recommendations based on user actions.
Elasticsearch (Apache License 2.0) is a data warehouse with fast full-text search.
PostgreSQL (PostgreSQL License) is a freely distributed object relational database management system (DBMS)
Liferay (LGPL License) is a Java-based platform used to create web applications and for content management (CMS).
Nginx is used to route requests, provide security, and manage load distribution.

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Client References

I want to express my gratitude for all of your team’s hard work, support and extra help. We are very grateful for all that you have done for us.
Senior Project Manager, a U.S. specialty digital design and web development agency

Your quality of work is exceptional, and your flexible approach has allowed us to build and deploy a large amount of complex functionality in a very short space of time. Kudos to everyone for their professionalism and for delivering results that exceeded our expectations.
CEO, leading social media analytics provider

We have never had a better release that we can think of. And that is all because of your hard and dedicated work. So here is a big THANK YOU to everyone from all of us!
Editor, leading Scandinavian newspaper

For a software vendor like ourselves, picking the right development partner is crucial. First Line’s technical expertise and solid project management, coupled with their proficiency in Agile methodologies, have made them an integral part of our product development group.
VP Product Development, leading enterprise software vendor

Our First Line Team has been doing a great job. All of the guys check in great code, and they have a forward thinking mindset, not a feature-to-feature approach. They are also very open in terms of sharing knowledge, which is critical to running productive distributed teams.
Application Development Director, global marketing company

We've all learned a lot from you, and it is great working with you.
Application Development Director, global marketing company

The First Line team has an excellent process and we can learn from your team and improve.
Product Owner, Strategic Software Consultancy

I would like to thank the First Line development team for their dedication and high level of quality in their work. Despite being thousands of miles apart, we have been able to work quickly, effectively, and intelligently. Your team has been a major part of why we have been successful thus far.
VP Engineering, e-learning startup

First Line is a great technology partner capable of delivering complex, ‘industrial grade’ projects. They have demonstrated strong technical competence and solid understanding of the media and publishing domain. We have also been very impressed by the management team's attention to our needs and commitment to our success.
CEO, leading European digital media company

Your effort is the #1 reason that this project is going so well. I've worked with a lot of teams over the years and there are very few teams that I trust and respect. When you are given a task or feature, I never have to worry whether or not it will be accomplished on time and I never worry about the quality - you always deliver.
Architect, Strategic Software Consultancy

The team we put together in the last half of this year is one of the most productive, skilled and enjoyable I’ve ever worked on. It’s great to see the product brought to life, and I’m proud to work with all you folks.
Senior Architect, Fortune 100 company

The First Line Software team is professional, results driven, and proactive. I know that when we provide requirements for new functionality, they will not only deliver on the scope of what has been asked but will look beyond and give insight into how we can make our product even better. It has been a privilege to work with First Line Software, and I look forward to continuing our partnership in future.
VP, global marketing company

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