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

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.

Download the case study by clicking the PDF icon on the left-hand side above.