Copy, Design
VetBox
Client
VetBox
Services
Design,Web
Date
2023+
Result
Oriel has partnered with VetBox since 2019, helping transform Dr. Will Woodley’s vision of affordable pet healthcare from a slow, 400-customer prototype into a thriving subscription service delivering over 55,000 tailored treatments monthly. We rebuilt the entire technology stack from the ground up, creating a bespoke Laravel API and Next.js frontend that powers intelligent subscription management for cats and dogs across the UK. Our work spans platform architecture, CRM integration, payment migration, and ongoing development that supports VetBox’s continued growth.
Opportunity
VetBox needed a complete technological overhaul. Their initial CodeIgniter prototype was buckling under its own weight – dashboards took eight minutes to load with just 400 customers, making day-to-day operations frustratingly slow. The system was built for early-stage validation, not sustainable growth.
The business model added further complexity. VetBox’s unique selling point is personalisation: every box contains treatments tailored to each pet’s species, weight, age, and subscription plan. This couldn’t be handled by off-the-shelf e-commerce platforms. The company needed technology that could scale intelligently while maintaining that level of customisation.
As the business grew, VetBox decided to migrate from Stripe to Recurly for better subscription management. This meant moving 10,000 customers and all their pet and payment data without disruption. At the same time, they wanted to expand from a single “essential” plan to multiple subscription tiers, each with different treatment combinations and delivery schedules.
The warehouse team needed better tools to manage increasing order volumes. They required a flexible system that could automatically determine box contents based on complex criteria, while still allowing manual overrides when needed. Integration with Linnworks for logistics, Klaviyo for marketing automation, and robust analytics through Google Analytics and GTM were all essential.
VetBox sought a long-term technical partner who could redesign their entire architecture, handle a complex data migration, and build a platform capable of supporting tens of thousands of monthly subscriptions.
Result
Oriel delivered a complete platform rebuild that transformed VetBox’s operational capacity and growth trajectory. We re-architected the entire system from scratch, designing new data structures and third-party integrations that formed the foundation for sustainable scaling.
Dashboard performance improved dramatically. What took eight minutes to load now completes in six seconds through asynchronous loading and optimised API requests. This single improvement changed how the VetBox team works day-to-day, enabling them to respond quickly to customer needs and operational demands.
We managed the full migration from Stripe to Recurly, moving 10,000 customers and their complete payment and pet information without service interruption. This migration unlocked new subscription management capabilities that supported VetBox’s expansion into multiple plan types.
At the heart of the system sits a custom rules engine we built in Laravel Nova. Over 150 rules automatically determine which treatments appear in each monthly box based on subscription plan, pet species, age, weight, and delivery number. This powers 25 different subscription plans and ensures every pet receives the right treatment at the right time.
The frontend Next.js website achieves Google Lighthouse scores above 95 on all pages, combining fast performance with strong SEO optimisation. Integration with Klaviyo opened new marketing opportunities – upsells and remarketing campaigns that were previously impossible.
The platform now processes over 55,000 individual orders monthly across VetBox and partner brands including ManyPets, Tails, and Republic of Cats. VetBox has grown from 400 subscriptions to 36,000, with annual revenue exceeding £1.2 million. The business maintains a 4.2 rating on Trustpilot while delivering consistent, personalised pet healthcare nationwide.
Our partnership continues as we develop the next evolution: a “Mix and Match” model that moves customers from fixed plans to fully customisable monthly boxes, giving pet owners even greater control over their subscriptions.
55,00
+
orders processed monthly
90
x
growth from 400 to 36,000 active subscriptions
95
+
Google Lighthouse score across all pages
Projects
Bespoke Laravel Nova API and admin panelWe built a complete backend system in Laravel Nova that handles 36,000 subscriptions and over 55,000 monthly orders. The custom admin panel provides VetBox’s team with intuitive order management, customer support tools, and real-time operational insights.High-performance Next.js frontendWe designed and developed a lightning-fast website in Next.js that achieves 95+ Google Lighthouse scores on all pages. The SEO-optimised frontend clearly communicates VetBox’s value proposition while providing seamless subscription management for customers.Intelligent rules engine for automated treatment selectionWe created a sophisticated rules engine with over 150 rules that automatically determines box contents for 25 different subscription plans. The system considers pet species, weight, age, and delivery schedule to ensure every animal receives appropriate treatments every month.
Oriel has been a fundamental part of our story at VetBox from start-up to where we find ourselves today. The team always goes above and beyond and the manner in which this is carried out means at no point are you left feeling in the dark no matter the complexity of the challenge. Could not recommend highly enough.
Ben Stileman
Head of Operations, VetBox
Let’s collaborate and evolve your brand into something genuinely remarkable
Other Work
