IPhone Discount - Online store
Developing an online store is a serious task that requires a deep understanding of online business processes. It becomes more complicated when it comes to creating a reselling platform that offers products from a well-known brand. The iPhone Discount startup contacted us to solve this problem. We helped them build a technological foundation for the further development and scaling of their online business.
web
e-commerce
IPhone Discount: problems of building business processes of an online store that we had to solve
IPhone Discount is an online store offering Apple mobile devices. The idea of development belongs to a private entrepreneur who decided to finally fulfill his dream and start reselling. However, difficulties with implementing the idea arose at the planning stage: our client had experience with online projects, but had no experience with web projects and their specifics.
The startup team contacted BuildApps specialists at the "zero" stage when the development process had not yet begun, and there was no work plan. According to the customer, his choice fell on our company for a simple reason: we have already helped several online stores start a business, which means we know exactly how to establish business processes from scratch. It was the mission we had to complete in 3 months before the planned launch of the project.
5 essential project tasks to complete in 3 months
We started the work by planning the development process. The BuildApps team compiled a set of priority tasks based on the purposes of the online business and the features of the product:
- Creation of a technological basis for the development of an online store operating according to the reselling model.
- Expanding the capabilities of the admin panel to ensure the convenience of business users.
- Implementation of a monitoring system to track the customer's journey at every stage: from ordering to receiving the goods.
- Reducing the processing time for applications both from the technical side and for store employees.
- Integration of the platform with several payment systems, the most reliable and popular.
We had to create a minimalistic store. We partially formulated tasks to implement the functionality, but only in terms of the admin panel. It is important to note that the customer set some tasks during the development process, for example, adding a loyalty program and a cryptocurrency payment system.
To complete the tasks set at the first stage, we engaged 4 specialized IT specialists: 1 technical analyst to agree on requirements, 2 developers (back-end and front-end) for the comprehensive implementation of the project, and 1 tester to ensure the product quality. Later, at the stage of making changes, a marketer joined us to create a customer acquisition strategy. So the team expanded to 5 people.
Our approach to organizing teamwork and implementing project tasks
During the project implementation, we adhered to a flexible methodology based on constant communication with the customer. To organize the work, our team chose the flexible Scrum technique and divided the process into two-week stages (sprints). We negotiated with the customer and reported to him the results of each period. So our client had the opportunity to participate in the project development and make timely changes to the workflow.
Thanks to flexible project management, we managed to:
- establish quality control at each development and deployment process, optimize decision-making;
- ensure full accountability of processes, allowing the client to follow the progress of the project;
- improve the efficiency of teamwork and eliminate routine by evenly distributing responsibilities among all performers;
- adapt the project to the changing requirements of the target audience and market conditions without compromising the customer's budget.
Using flexible methodologies to write a product from scratch allowed us to avoid planning and decision-making problems. This approach to work was an ideal solution for us because we controlled the entire process. It had a positive impact on the speed of the online store development and testing its functionality.
The works that we completed to achieve the goal
BuildApps specialists carried out a number of works:
- Building the architecture and structure of the project for its further development and entering new markets.
- Combine development, test, and deployment (CI/CD) to ensure product delivery reliability.
- Implementation of tools for scaling and deploying the product, refining the design, and expanding functionality in the future.
- Creating a personal account and integrating with reliable electronic payment systems for secure transactions.
- Development of a convenient admin panel with the option to customize the product list of products, discounts, and characteristics to simplify the work of managers.
- Adding a Cart module to improve user experience and improve product selection;
- Integration of the site with monitoring systems to analyze the results at each stage of the sales funnel.
- Providing convenient administration and technical support of the online store.
As a result, the first version of the site was created. The client was satisfied with the interface, but he needed more functions, so he asked for additional work.
The tasks that we completed at the editing stage:
- Conducting research related to cryptocurrency payments to find the most profitable payment methods.
- Implementation of the stablecoin post-payment function to simplify payments and multi-currency transactions.
- Development of a multi-level referral loyalty program and a bonus system to expand the client base.
Results that we got after 3 months of work
Using a flexible approach and following the best website development tactics paid off: we did not face big problems throughout the entire process. Thanks to the experience in this industry and ready-made cases, we completed all the tasks with high quality, made corrections from the customer quickly, and delivered the project on time.
As a result of the phased work on the project by 5 specialists, a full-fledged online store of mobile devices was created with a simple interface and wide functionality for both customers and business users.
For clients, we have introduced a unique loyalty program: a client brings a friend to the store and receives a discount on their first paid purchase. For store employees, we have provided the best sales management capabilities, for example: an intuitive administrative panel designed to work with the assortment and adding characteristics, and a monitoring system to track the customer journey and individual service.
All of this made the startup competitive in the industry, expanded the customer base, and increased sales that keep growing today.