As biotech and life science companies look to scale their commercial strategies, ecommerce has emerged as a crucial channel for growth. This article explores essential considerations for building an effective online shopping experience that can significantly expand your commercial reach in this specialized industry.
1. Choosing the right platform
When selecting an ecommerce platform, it’s critical to prioritize security, reliability, and scalability. Many small businesses begin with WordPress as their content management system (CMS) due to its popularity and ease of use. This often leads them to consider WooCommerce, a popular ecommerce plugin for WordPress, as their online store solution. However, while convenient for WordPress users, WooCommerce has significant drawbacks for growing biotech businesses. Its limited scalability, reduced customer support, potential security risks, and status as a plugin rather than a fully-fledged ecommerce platform make it less suitable for corporate-level operations in the biotech and life sciences sector.
Instead, consider industry-leading platforms designed specifically for robust ecommerce operations, such as Shopify, BigCommerce, or Adobe Commerce (formerly Magento). These solutions offer:
- Regular updates and robust security measures
- Extensive support and documentation
- Scalability to grow with your business
- Integration capabilities with other essential business systems
- More out-of-the-box eCommerce features such as integrations with multiple shipping providers, advanced tax calculations, abandoned cart recovery, mobile optimization, discounts and promotions, and B2B functionality.
By choosing a dedicated ecommerce platform, you can ensure your online store is well-equipped to handle the unique challenges of the biotech and life science industries while serving as a powerful commercial channel to reach new markets and customers. Just make sure to do your due diligence in gathering your commercial strategy and business requirements and gauge how well they align (or not) with platform capabilities.
2. Optimizing your product data model
The structure of your product data can significantly impact user experience and operational efficiency. When designing your product catalogue:
- Focus on accommodating your top-selling products rather than trying to capture every possible scenario. Prioritizing fringe use cases can send you down rabbit holes and further delay releases.
- Keep it customer-centric! Your product data structure should prioritize an intuitive shopping experience that’s easy for customers to navigate. Avoid pitfalls where the data structure conflicts with your ideal product browsing experience. When customers land on a Product Detail Page (PDP), it should be immediately clear what they’re viewing. The process of exploring PDPs and their respective product variants should be seamless, allowing customers to easily understand and compare options without confusion.
- Consider how the model will integrate with your inventory management and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. How does the data map between systems and is there two-way communication setup in your integration?
Ultimately, a well-designed product data model should not only streamline your operations but also provide an intuitive and efficient shopping experience for your customers, maximizing the potential of ecommerce as a key commercial channel.
3. Streamlining order processing
Efficient order processing is crucial for customer satisfaction and operational success, especially as ecommerce becomes an increasingly important commercial channel for biotech and life science companies. Many businesses claim to have ecommerce capabilities, but their systems are not truly integrated:
- Integrate your ecommerce platform directly with your ERP system, ensuring orders are automatically entered into your ERP upon checkout rather than just being sent to a company email inbox.
- Implement automatic order confirmation through your ERP when possible, but be mindful of inventory management challenges when setting up this feature to avoid stock discrepancies and ensure accuracy.
- Consider implementing real-time inventory updates to prevent overselling and improve customer experience.
True ecommerce integration means orders flow seamlessly from your online storefront into your backend systems, reducing manual intervention and potential errors.
4. Clear product presentation and social proof
In the biotech and life science fields, clarity in product descriptions is paramount. Your PDPs should clearly communicate what’s included in each product or kit, leaving no room for ambiguity. It’s crucial to strike a balance between providing comprehensive information and maintaining a clean, uncluttered layout.
When dealing with complex products, avoid overcrowding your PDPs with too many variants, as this can overwhelm customers and complicate their decision-making process. Instead, consider using separate PDPs for kits and their individual components. This approach, particularly relevant in the biotech industry, prevents confusion and allows customers to easily understand what they’ll receive upon purchase.
Equally important is the inclusion of social proof to build trust and credibility. Incorporate scientific publications that cite the use of your product directly on the PDP. This reassures scientists that the product is proven to perform in real research settings.
Additionally, feature product reviews prominently on your PDPs. Reviews serve as another form of social proof, helping to build community and trust around your product. They provide potential customers with real-world insights into the product’s performance and reliability.
Visual elements play a key role in product presentation. Incorporate high-quality images that showcase your products clearly. Where appropriate, consider adding videos that demonstrate product use or highlight key features. These visual aids can significantly enhance customer understanding and confidence in your offerings.
By focusing on clear, concise product presentations and leveraging social proof through scientific citations and customer reviews, you can improve the customer experience, build trust, and ultimately drive conversions, making your ecommerce platform a more effective commercial channel.
5. Additional considerations
- Commercial strategy integration: Ensure your ecommerce platform aligns with and enhances your overall commercial strategy, serving as a complementary channel to your existing sales efforts
- Regulatory compliance: Ensure your platform can handle region-specific requirements (e.g., FDA for US, IVDR for EU). Implement features to display appropriate product information, warnings, and certifications based on customer location.
- Currency support: Review for platform capability to handle multiple regional currencies if your business operates across various global markets.
- Customer support: Implement robust support options, including live chat or video consultations for complex products
- Content marketing: Develop educational content to support your products and establish thought leadership
- Mobile optimization: Ensure your site is fully responsive for scientists and business leaders accessing it from various devices.
Hi I’m Grace
As a digital marketing and ecommerce leader in the biotech industry, I’m dedicated to creating omnichannel experiences that drive transformative growth. My expertise lies in integrating digital technologies with effective marketing strategies to maximize commercial potential.
My approach to ecommerce focuses on developing comprehensive digital ecosystems that support the entire customer lifecycle. This involves implementing robust tech stacks, streamlining supply chains, and
optimizing operational efficiencies to deliver exceptional customer experiences.
I’m currently exploring opportunities to incorporate AI into digital strategy, navigating its potential to enhance personalization, automate routine tasks, and provide deeper insights into customer behaviour. This not only improves productivity, but also allows the delivery of more tailored, responsive experiences at scale.
Throughout my career, I’ve excelled in building high-performing teams and fostering cross-functional collaboration. My leadership style emphasizes clear communication and stakeholder alignment, enabling successful change management initiatives that drive digital transformation across organizations.
Ecommerce is more than online transactions
Launching an ecommerce platform for a biotech or life science company is a complex but rewarding endeavour. By focusing on the key areas outlined in this article – from choosing the right platform to optimizing product presentation – you can create a robust online presence that serves both your business and your customers effectively.
Remember that ecommerce in this industry is not just about transactions; it’s about creating a digital extension of your brand that supports your scientific innovations and serves as a powerful commercial channel. A well-implemented ecommerce solution can streamline operations, enhance customer experience, expand your market reach, and provide valuable data insights to drive your business forward. As the Biotech and Life Science fields continue to evolve rapidly, your ecommerce strategy should remain flexible and adaptable. Regularly reassess your platform, product presentation, and customer experience to ensure you’re meeting the changing needs of your market.
By embracing these ecommerce best practices, Biotech and Life Science businesses cannot only survive but thrive in the digital marketplace, reaching more customers and accelerating the impact of their innovations on the world.
If you’re looking for an ecommerce audit, or need help putting together an ecommerce strategy, get in touch with the Qincade team, today.
