How we do it: Coffebox - first coffee subscription in Poland

Client

As we previously mentioned, our client offers monthly coffee subscriptions. We were provided with very well-specified requirements that helped us with precise pricing.

Site’s guidelines

1. A onepage website with a side menu that pushes content out while hovered
2. A graphic layout referring to “coffee climates”
3. Responsiveness – website adjusts its content’s styling to most mobile devices
4. The integration with payment gateway Paylane using recursive payments. Charges are collected in fixed time – on the last day of the month while orders can be made any time, any day. With the cyclical payments clients do not have to remember about paying invoice.

From wireframes to Design

The very first step we made during our work on the website was the preparation of a specification, along with mockups for four resolutions that were made in Axure. We do not want to go into wireframes’ details this time but we would like to focus on the design which perfectly reflects coffee climates. Our designers did a great job in paying attention to details and polishing particular elements to perfection.

Below we present a few views we prepared:

Long onepage – loading website problem

One of the problems we had was loading time optimization. We had to optimize content loading, something crucial for onepage websites.

In this project we used the technique of lazy loading. Its aim is to load the part of the page depending on the position we are currently at, using script written in javascript. Images that are currently out of the screen will not be loaded until a user scrolls the site to that location.

Shop in Drupal?

Despite creating a simple payments’ management system we decided to implement proven content management system – Drupal – which has many useful default features.

Our task on the backend (except bring the system itself), was the integration with PayLane’s API and creating ability to manage/edit customer data. In this way, we can easily suspend and cancel the order without interfering in administrative PayLane ‘s panel.

Recurring payments – a way to automate orders

We implemented subscription payments, also known as recursive payments. During first purchase, a customer is asked to enter his credit card’s data and agree on regular charging his account with fixed value. After that, he does not have to remember about monthly payment and worry about his coffee supplies.

Image taken from the Paylane.pl

Implementation of the new functionality: “buy as a gift”

To increase popularity of the product, our client decided to implement a new section: “buy as a gift”. This feature allows the customer to configure parameters of his package, like package size, additional cup and/or a bag for a small fee. All that with a dynamic preview of that particular order.

We also added the ability to pay via a one-time transfer. If the customer chooses that option, he is redirected to the previously selected bank and has all the data necessary for a transfer filled in. It is a very user-friendly solution that shortens the entire process of buy a product and reduces the possibility of order cancelling by the potential customer/client.

A small website with great potential

Coffeebox is a perfect example that the implementation of the Drupal content management system should be considered even for smaller websites that plan to expand the functionality and capabilities.

It was a great experience to work on this project. Especially designers could show off their skills and talent. We also cannot forget about Front-end developers who were responsible for coding templates in different resolutions, Back-end developers who implemented suitable environment and integrated payment’s system and QA department for checking the site thoroughly.