As an app developer (18y) and Shopify store owner, I've always been intrigued by the intersection of technology and e-commerce. This fascination led me to build PlusSales, a Shopify app designed to help store owners optimize their conversion rates and drive sales. In this post, I want to share my journey of developing PlusSales, the challenges I faced, and the tools and technologies that made it possible.
The Idea Behind PlusSales
The inspiration for PlusSales (which you can check out here: plussales.co came from my own experience running a Shopify store. I realized that many store owners, including myself, struggled to understand why customers were dropping off at various points in the sales funnel. I wanted to create a tool that would provide clear, actionable insights to help store owners improve their conversion rates and overall performance.
As I started creating the app, I was also learning to code for the first time on codeacademy in javascript then react.
1 - Remix
Remix provided a modern framework for building scalable and performant web applications. Its seamless integration with React made it an ideal choice for developing a dynamic and interactive user interface.
2 - React
React's component-based architecture allowed me to build reusable UI components and manage the application state efficiently. Its popularity and extensive community support were additional benefits.
3 - JavaScript
JavaScript was a natural choice for the project due to its versatility and widespread use in web development. It enabled me to write both front-end and back-end code, ensuring a smooth development process.
4 - Shopify Ecosystem
Leveraging Shopify's APIs and development tools was essential for integrating PlusSales with Shopify stores. The Shopify App Bridge and Polaris component library helped create a consistent and intuitive user experience.
Development Process
The development process was both challenging and rewarding. Here are some key steps I took:
1 - Planning and Design
I started with a clear vision of what I wanted PlusSales to achieve. I sketched out the main features and user flows, focusing on simplicity and usability. I made sure to do the bare minimum to get my app approved and on the shopify app store as I would then be able to better decide in what direction I wanted to app to go. I also planned that until I got a few thousand users, the app would remain 100% free.
2 - Building the Front-End
Using React and Remix, I developed the front-end components of PlusSales. The drag-and-drop functionality for building conversion funnels and the integration with Google Analytics were particularly challenging especially making Google's API work in the shopify ecosystem.
3 - Back-End Integration
The back-end was built using Node.js and Express, handling data storage, user authentication, and API integrations. I ensured that the app could securely fetch and store data from Shopify and Google Analytics.
4 - Deployment and Maintenance
Deploying PlusSales to the Shopify App Store was a significant milestone. The biggest challenge was getting the app approved by SHopify which turned out to be 100x easier than I thought, turns out they just try and scare people from making a non complete app, which is fair enough.
The Future of PlusSales
The journey of developing PlusSales has been incredibly fulfilling. As the app continues to evolve, I plan to add more features and integrations based on user feedback. The goal remains the same: to provide Shopify store owners with powerful tools to optimize their performance and drive sales all for free.
If you're a Shopify store owner looking to enhance your store's conversion rates, I invite you to try PlusSales. It's available on the Shopify App Store, and you can learn more about it at plussales.co . Your feedback and suggestions are incredibly valuable as I continue to improve the app.
I definitely learned a lot from PlusSales and still have a lot to learn.
Thank you for reading about my journey.
Top comments (0)