Case Study

A subscription-based weight loss service with custom logic for high-risk payment workflows.

Client Overview:

Gettrim, part of XO Medical, is a UK-based pharmacy offering prescription weight loss treatments, including Wegovy and Mounjaro. The platform is built on a subscription model that supports long-term care, with medication adjusted over time based on each patient’s treatment stage. The service prioritizes clarity and consistency, allowing users to stay on track without needing to manage details manually.

The Challenge

Because Gettrim operates in a regulated medical category, Shopify Payments wasn’t available. Most subscription tools rely on this integration, so the team needed an alternative way to process recurring payments, track subscription changes, and guide users through the onboarding process.

Without a replacement in place, the platform faced:

Disconnected payment flows.
Confusion during checkout.
Gaps in data handling and tracking.
Extra support load from users, unsure of what to do next.

What They Needed

Gettrim needed a setup that could support medical subscriptions without breaking their existing flow or creating extra work for the team.

A payment system that worked with Shopify while meeting high-risk compliance.
Subscription logic that adjusted based on each patient’s treatment stage.
A clearer onboarding experience to reduce drop-offs and billing issues.
Automation to handle updates in the background and free up the ops team

What We Built

We partnered with XO Medical’s team to develop a system that integrated with their existing Shopify setup, while meeting the compliance requirements for high-risk transactions. The build focused on modular tools that reduced friction and gave the team control over subscription logic and customer flows.

Stripe Payment Links

Used Stripe to process payments outside of Shopify’s native system. This allowed Gettrim to remain compliant while providing customers with a smooth checkout experience that was compatible across devices.

Zapier Automations

Set up automation to manage customer data, confirm transactions, and sync updates between systems, including treatment plan changes and order handling.

Custom Server Logic

Weight loss plans require dosage increases over time. We built server-side logic to auto-adjust subscriptions every 26 days, ensuring that each patient received the correct concentration on schedule. Swap logic was added to adapt based on individual user needs.

Shopify API + Meta Fields

Subscription data and treatment history were stored using Shopify meta fields. These allowed the backend to reference and update plans without relying on third-party plugins. This kept records clean and aligned with how Gettrim delivers care.

Email Workflows

We supported the rollout with targeted emails, helping customers understand the new payment process and manage their subscriptions. This reduced drop-offs and helped build trust during a sensitive purchase journey.

Results

The build delivered improvements across retention, onboarding, and internal workflows:

+35% subscription retention
Subscription logic aligned with treatment stages resulted in fewer cancellations and improved continuity of care.
+40% increase in successful sign-ups
An ideal checkout process and guided emails reduced drop-off during onboarding
Lower support volume
Customers had fewer questions about payment and account setup, which freed up internal resources for other priorities.
More reliable data and workflows
With automation and structured logic in place, the team no longer needed to handle plan updates or track payment issues manually.

Why It Worked

Rather than work against the platform’s constraints, we built with them in mind. The system was designed to extend Shopify’s core capabilities instead of replacing them, using Stripe Payment Links for high-risk transactions, Zapier to automate subscription workflows, and server-side logic to manage treatment adjustments.

This setup enabled the team to maintain existing operations, introduce more intelligent workflows, and remain compliant without complicating the tech stack. The result is a subscription platform that operates with less friction, adapts to patient needs, and provides Gettrim with complete control over how the service scales.

Still figuring things out?

Let’s Talk Today