Horizon Discovery

About the client

Horizon Discovery serves the global life science market with gene editing and modulation products that support research and therapy development. Its customers include more than 1,400 organizations in over 50 countries, including major pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostic, and academic research organizations. In 2017, Horizon expanded its capabilities by acquiring Dharmacon Inc.

Challenge

After acquiring Dharmacon, Horizon needed to consolidate two separate websites into one unified digital experience. The new site had to bring together functionality, content, and design while making it easier for customers to find and buy products. This was especially important because Horizon’s catalog included 160 million SKUs. The experience also needed to support a global audience across devices.

Solution

Horizon partnered with XCentium to consolidate the Horizon and Dharmacon websites on Sitecore DXP. XCentium combined functionality, content, and updated design styles into one Sitecore solution to create a more consistent and usable experience.

The team built a custom Solr faceted search solution to support Horizon’s large product catalog. The search experience was developed through iteration to improve speed, accuracy, and relevance across 160 million SKUs.

XCentium also supported key integrations and customer flows. Active Directory enabled seamless login, Eloqua supported embedded data capture, and Live Chat provided real-time customer support. The redesigned site used a responsive, mobile-first approach, and external industry customers tested key flows to help ensure the experience met user needs.

Outcomes

Horizon brought the Horizon and Dharmacon brands together in one platform and created a stronger ecommerce experience for scientists and researchers worldwide. Customers could search for products, request quotes, add items to a cart, and complete purchases through a more streamlined flow.

The new responsive experience helped Horizon support global customers across devices while improving search, team efficiency, and Help Center activity.