Vitusapotek launches Norway's first online prescription service
Vitusapotek, Norway's chain of over 200 pharmacies owned by Norsk Medisinaldepot (NMD), made history by becoming the first Norwegian pharmacy to sell prescription drugs online.
When new legislation allowed online prescription sales, the company faced strict regulatory requirements and tight development timelines with their outdated system unable to handle increasing traffic. Pearl Group delivered an omnichannel solution based on SAP Commerce Platform, including advanced product information management and order management systems. The pioneering solution achieved remarkable results: 10% increase in shopping cart conversion rates and 5% growth in loyal customer base, establishing Vitusapotek as the market leader in digital pharmacy services.
Challenge
When Norwegian legislation changed to allow online prescription drug sales, Vitusapotek faced a unique opportunity with significant technical challenges. The company needed to meet strict regulatory requirements for correct medicine dispensing and comprehensive patient information systems.
The challenge was compounded by extremely low profit margins on medicines, making large, advanced online solutions economically challenging to justify. NMD operated under tight development schedules while working with a system so outdated that further development was impossible and couldn't handle increasing website traffic.
The company needed a solution that could handle the complexity of prescription drug sales while remaining cost-effective within the challenging economics of the pharmaceutical retail market.
Solution
Pearl Group delivered a comprehensive omnichannel solution based on SAP's Commerce platform, specifically designed to support online prescription drug sales with all necessary regulatory compliance features.
The implementation began with establishing simplified and transparent product information management (PIM) using Hybris' PIM solution and Product Management Workflows. For streamlined logistics processes including pick, pack, and label operations, the team integrated Hybris Order Management Module with existing ERP systems.
To deliver a true omnichannel experience, all customer service personnel received training on Hybris' customer service solution, ensuring consistent support across all touchpoints.
Customer's benefits
Vitus Apotek achieved first-mover advantage, becoming the first company in the Norwegian market to offer prescription drugs online. This pioneering position delivered immediate competitive benefits and established the company as an innovation leader in digital pharmacy services.
The technical improvements delivered measurable business results: annual shopping cart conversion rates increased by 10%, while the loyal customer base grew by 5%. These improvements directly addressed the low-margin challenges inherent in pharmaceutical retail.
The solution also enabled development of complementary services, including an e-prescription app that simplifies the pharmacy experience for regular medicine users and a loyalty program app, further strengthening customer relationships.
"We see Pearl more as a partner than a supplier – in short, we are very impressed," explains Lene Strand, Head of eCommerce at the Norwegian Medical Depot, highlighting the collaborative nature of the partnership.
Pearl's ability to work within extremely tight timelines proved crucial to the project's success. "The timeline was so tight that Pearl was the only one who thought they could complete the project on time," Strand notes, emphasizing Pearl's unique capability in handling complex, time-sensitive implementations.
The ongoing partnership extends beyond the initial implementation, with Pearl continuing to provide efficient and flexible support. "Pearl is the most efficient and flexible supplier we have had. They have strong expertise and integrity, are solution-oriented, and have a constructive and positive approach," Strand concludes.
We see Pearl more as a partner than a supplier - in short, we are very impressed.
- Lene Strand, Head of eCommerce at the Norwegian Medical Depot
