TROBOS - Moving the whole shopping mall online
TROBOS is a unique online marketplace that aims to replace a real shopping mall. Here the main difference from your ordinary online store is the variety of products. In TROBOS you can find completely different items from different categories and sellers, make a single purchase and get your items the same day.
In cooperation with the Vilnius Prekyba (the largest group of private companies in Lithuania) we have created a new type of eCommerce that unites 15 biggest Lithuanian retailers: from pharmacies to DIY stores. We have developed 3 different solutions that came together into one ecosystem - TROBOS.
15 integrations
of major retail chains (Maxima, Eurovaistinė, Ermitažas, etc.)
55 000
different products at the project launch
3 systems
eshop, mobile app, Order Management System
40+
team members that took part in development
Task
To put it simply, online marketplaces usually combine multiple stores under one roof allowing buyers to get different category products more conveniently. It’s a fairly new concept that is rapidly getting more popular. Developing a complex project like this always causes many challenges in both, choosing the right technical approach and planning user behavior on them.
The main idea of TROBOS was even more ambitious: a buyer would choose items from different vendors, those items would be collected by a courier and delivered straight to the client’s door on the same day.
To make this goal come true we have developed 3 different solutions that would effectively communicate with each other and provide excellent experience for all parties - sellers, buyers and couriers.
Main tasks:
1. Create a digital marketplace
A platform that combines the catalogs of different vendors and provides all information in one convenient platform.
2. Develop a Mobile App for couriers
An app for Android and iOS devices that helps couriers to track and deliver orders efficiently.
3. Integrate Order Management System (OMS)
An internal tool for managing incoming orders, tracking inventory, accounting and other related processes.
Solution
Delivered technical solutions
Used a PWA solution that ensured best user experience: high load speed, usability and wider functionality.
Integrated Sylius eCommerce platform to deliver a customer-centric solution for online shopping.
Used Symfony PHP framework to develop OMS and Android/iOS applications.
Made full catalog integrations with 3 biggest retailers: Maxima, Eurovaistine, Ermitazas.
Developed an API for integration with other vendors and their order management.
Created SSR and caching solutions for better performance and smoother browsing experience.
Used Google Cloud platform to ensure high level security and technological edge.
Core technologies:
PWA, Sylius, Google Cloud, Symfony
Core technologies:
PWA, Sylius, Google Cloud, Symfony
Design and user experience (UX/UI)
Because of the chosen business model, information complexity is already preprogrammed in systems like this. In order to transform this information into a convenient product for different audiences (visitors, vendors, couriers) we had to find an effective visual solution. The main task for our UX/UI team was to create an unified design across 3 different systems and ensure their seamless connection.
Justina
UX/UI Lead
It was a real challenge to create a design solution for 3 separate systems at once. Nevertheless, straightforward communication between our team and the client allowed us to quickly make key decisions. After discovering the precise needs and recognizing objective project limitations we managed to find the optimal path to success.
Implemented UX/UI design solutions:
A modern design solution helped the clients to reach their goals and allowed the sellers to manage their orders effectively. Designed browsing patterns ensure smooth user experience across different parts of the system and fluid communication between them. Unified design combined different branches of the project into one recognizable ecosystem.
Marketplace design: designed user behavior flow, interactions, guidance for visual elements. Design system was created.
Mobile app: the design of mobile apps for Android and iOS devices was created.
OMS system: redesigned the default interface of the system and adapted it to specific client needs.
Project challenges
The complexity of the project and working with the biggest retailers in the country made the development of TROBOS a truly exceptional process. One of the most difficult tasks here was to connect separate vendors with different business logic into one mutual system. High expectations of the client combined with a limited time frame required high resilience of the whole team.
Vaidas
CTO
On the TROBOS project we had to be extra focused. Expectations for top level quality deliverables in combination with pretty tight deadlines made us find that extra gear. However, our team did the impossible and successfully overcame these challenges. At one point it was getting difficult to count all the people who took part in this project - at its peak we hit around 40 team members. I am grateful for having every one of them.
Results
Major delivered solutions:
Successfully launched trobos.lt online marketplace
At the starting day the system already had 15 integrations of major vendors (Maxima, Eurovaistine, Ermitazas, Pegasas, etc.) and a catalog of more than 55.000 products.
Integrated Order Management System
The OMS helped the client to process received orders, track the inventory, do accounting and manage other related processes.
Developed Android and iOS apps for couriers
Mobile applications were created to effectively track and manage order delivery. Android and iOS apps were to be used by couriers and delivery partners.
Created a UX/UI design solution
Designed customer behavior ensured a smooth experience for different audiences - sellers, buyers and couriers. Unified design connected different project parts into a recognizable ecosystem.
After successfully combining all these components into one we have successfully launched the TROBOS project. High complexity of the task, top-tier quality requirements and limited timeframe provided us with tough challenges along the way. However, discovering optimal technical solutions and finding an extra gear in productivity allowed us to prove our competence - we have finished this project in an unusually short time period.
At the same time TROBOS marketplace became not only a special product for Lithuanian shoppers, but also a unique sales channel for retail sellers.
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