Comprehensive Mobile Application to Supplement Online Deals Service

  • Advanced location-based catalogue search
  • Smart notifications and alerts system
  • Integration with popular social networks
  • Seamless data exchange between the web and mobile parts
Expertise
Social Networking
eCommerce
Mobility
Verticals
Retail

Online group deals services have become extremely popular among consumers and sellers, bringing apparent value for both. Tipiness, a Swiss group buying service, decided to launch a mobile extension of their services to notably expand their market reach.

Calendar
4
Duration
Months
Gears
6
Efforts
Person-months

Context

Our Customer - Tipi S.A. – is a Swiss-based IT company connecting local businesses and consumers through their online collective buying service. To improve their services and increase customer loyalty, they decided to launch an iPhone application for the web service with extra functionality.

The idea was to provide a one-stop source of information for potential buyer groups on deals available nearby, whether they are at their desk or on the go.

Solution

The delivered iOS solution combines the existing website’s business logic with best social networking and personalized location-ware features. To enable seamless promotions and sales information exchange between the mobile and web parts, Iflexion deployed the remote server architecture.

Our team implemented a number of functional features providing for smooth mobile user experience:

  • Nearby store and event view. One of the key mobile app’s features, it allows users to check in and receive invitations to relevant events and marketplaces. The in-built GPS module determines the current location of the user and links him or her to a particular item within the social network. Users can also find a nearby sale, comment and share their impressions on each promo event
  • Sales location search. Additional search by location was integrated into the system to allow users to buy necessary products within a specific area. It helps save time and increases the chances of a purchase.
  • Tracking friends’ status in the network. While making purchases, users can watch their friends’ activity such as adding reviews, ranking stores, choosing sales campaigns, identifying the most interesting events, etc.

The Customer also requested additional changes in the user interface. However, the proposed mockups didn’t particularly meet the standard iOS guidelines, so our professional design team revamped a number of the application interface elements so that they offered a more user-friendly and compelling experience, while complying with the App Store requirements for iOS-enabled applications.

Technologies

The native iOS application was developed with the use of Cocoa Touch Frameworks. For data exchange between the web and mobile parts, Iflexion used JSON protocol. Multiple integration was implemented using Google Location API, Facebook and Twitter API.

Results

Applying the long-standing mobile development expertise, Iflexion delivered a powerful iPhone application running in tune with the existing group deals web service. We extended the functional capabilities, yet retaining the look and feel of the company and let all parties enjoy the benefits of the collaboration:

For application users: Tipiness users obtained great opportunity to source real-time information on best deals, bargains, and offers on local products and services on the go.

For Tipi S.A. With the registered Tipiness user database steadily growing, more shops and stores appreciate the increasing benefits of promoting their products or services thorough this web resource.

For local companies. Businesses can achieve a significant lift in sales, while gaining a greater brand popularity and customer loyalty by attracting users to particular promotions.

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