Tackling technical complexity
The process involved navigating through the intricate details of creating an application equipped with UI dashboards, admin panels, and a Shopify plugin.
ReturnGO
Developing a public Shopify app with AI for seamless ecommerce returns & exchanges
Location
Tel-Aviv, Israel & Delaware, USA
Cooperation model
Time and material/Dedicated team
Partnership period
September 14, 2020 - Ongoing maintenance and support
Scope of work
Discovery phase, requirements and estimation analysis, prototyping and designing, new features development
Team size
Two full stack engineers with the stack PHP, Laravel, Node.js, React
Technologies
Shopify, Shopify Plus, Node.js, React.js, Laravel
About the client
Established in 2020, ReturnGO is a company with incorporation in both Tel Aviv, Israel, and Delaware, US. Their team consists of skilled professionals who work from diverse locations across the globe. With the mission of transforming the post-purchase model into a win-win situation, the company has strived to save retailers from lost revenue, additional shipping costs, staff expenses, and dissatisfied customers. ReturnGO company has become the go-to solution for 2700+ trusted brands.
About the product
With the idea of simplifying the process of managing post-purchases at every stage, ReturnGO marked the beginning of new data visibility across the entire post-purchase ecosystem. We connected to the project of creating public Shopify app from the ground up and went through all the development challenges together, resulting in a top-notch AI-powered solution. Since 2020, this has been made possible by developing a sustainable returns management Shopify application that facilitates returns and exchanges within the portal, increasing revenue and upselling with an experience akin to shopping.
Challenges overview
At the outset of our partnership, the client initially engaged us to develop a segment of the product related to Shopify integration. During the collaboration process, ReturnGO were truly satisfied with our work, which resulted in decision to let us take part in the entire project. What moved the project' forward? The client realized that ecommerce businesses could boost profits by introducing a bonus or credit system for returned orders. In the event of a product return, an online store can choose to refund customers through bonuses or retain the funds as store credit. Such a solution would help businesses stay in charge of their money and cut down on transaction costs linked to old-school banking operations. It's a win-win for both customers and ecommerce companies.
Discover the main hurdles we faced throughout the Shopify app development journey:
Our solution
We initiated the development of the Shopify app with a UI dashboard and an admin panel catering to two user categories: administrators and customers. The plugin functions as a store credit system specifically designed for users who have previously initiated a purchase return. It provides users with two options: either a bonus or a cash balance credited to their account.
In the following step, our experts were involved in building an analytical system for orders and returns, with ongoing work to introduce a Shopify refund feature to the application. The final option that was introduced by our developers was a cash refund, subsequently building the foundations of a well-rounded ecosystem and enhancing the end-user experience of online purchases.
Working from the ground up allowed us to introduce a new purchase experience, combined to promote sustainable ecommerce. That was expected to result in cultivating lifelong shoppers and supporting environmentally conscious shopping practices. As a solution to our challenging joint project, we presented a secure, fully hosted solution.The Shopify application caters to the evolving needs of businesses and their customers, offering a variety of benefits that reflect modern AI for ecommerce services. Among them:
Syncing with Shopify
Crafting a seamless integration with the Shopify platform brought its own set of challenges. Ensuring alignment with Shopify's ecosystem and guaranteeing compatibility added layers of complexity to the development process.
Prioritizing user experience (UX)
Striving for a positive experience for both administrators and customers was key, especially with the introduction of new features. This demanded meticulous attention to detail in UX design and usability.
Scaling up responsibly
Designing a platform capable of handling potential growth and increased user activity was a challenge. Ensuring scalability was crucial, making certain that the application could manage higher transaction volumes and data loads.
Fortifying data security
Implementing robust security measures to safeguard sensitive user and business data, especially in financial transactions, was a paramount challenge demanding rigorous attention to detail.
Incorporating AI smoothly
Developing an AI-powered portal required expertise in custom AI development. Challenges included training models, ensuring accuracy, and maintaining efficiency throughout the integration process.
Navigating continuous development
The iterative nature of development, particularly with ongoing efforts to introduce new features such as a Shopify refund system, demanded a dynamic approach.
Ensuring cross-platform compatibility
Our developers needed to make sure the solution worked seamlessly across various devices, browsers, and operating systems.
Exchange-first approach
for embracing an exchange-centric returns platform, prioritizing one-click exchanges for a smoother process.
Customizable policies
are those that tailor return and exchange policy rules, eligibility conditions, resolutions, and reasons to suit your business needs.
Automated, branded, and AI-powered portal
for providing a seamless returns experience with an automated, branded, and return portal based on generative AI solutions.
Centralized management system
for managing returns and exchanges in a single, centralized location.
Comprehensive order tracking and notifications
for every shipment, ensuring a complete end-to-end post-purchase experience.
Automated RMA process
along with email notifications for enhanced efficiency.
Versatile functionality
includes product and variant exchange, gift returns, order cancellations, and store credit issuance.
Flexible return reasons:
follow-up questions and the ability to upload images and videos.
Automation rules,
such as auto-exchange, auto-refund, auto-approve, and auto-credits, for streamlined processes.
Pre-paid return labels
to simplify tracking and return logistics.
Seamless Integrations with shipping carriers,
3PLs, Shopify ERP integration, helpdesks, APIs, and more for a unified returns management solution.
Result
We are immensely proud to have contributed to the AI app development process of the public Shopify app. As a result, our client got an end-to-end platform that facilitates not only returns but also exchanges within the portal, increasing revenue and upselling for every merchant who chooses to use the app. The app is available in the Shopify portal and went through all the necessary steps of the app development certification exam.
With such features as tracking and notifications, our Shopify developers helped reduce customer support costs and engage customers by sending branded order tracking notifications for every shipment. By leveraging the platform, businesses can watch their numbers go up, with improvements such as 39% retained revenue, a $1.95 increase in revenue per return, $3.40 logistics costs saved per return, and a 15% reduced carbon footprint.
We are proud to take part in creating a platform that seamlessly integrates with any ecommerce stack, connecting to existing shipping carriers, platforms, and services worldwide. Backed by countless 5-star reviews, ReturnGO leads the returns management category globally and offers a solution that truly fits and makes informed decisions for businesses.
- Possibility to facilitate not only returns but also exchanges within the portal
- Seamless integration with any ecommerce stack
- Tracking and notification features
- Getting an increase in revenue
- Reduced logistics costs
What our clients say
The DigitalSuits team fully devoted themselves to producing a quality final product.
Their team was responsible for the IT architecture, front- and backend web development work for the platform components, and API implementations. The main app is programmed using Ruby on Rails, and the frontend was developed using React.js. They delivered superior services, assigning only highly-experienced professionals to the project.
They're extremely focused on making sure results achieve your standards.
Their team is extremely responsive and always tries to help. They're a pleasure to work with. Leadership is involved in every step of the process. They'll keep making changes until you're satisfied. Unfortunately, I can't share any metrics, other than to say, DigitalSuits achieved everything we asked for.
DigitalSuits proved themselves to be specialists in their field.
The successful launch of the first demo has generated positive feedback and interest. DigitalSuits seeks constant product improvement through continuous communication and proactive team integration. Their industry expertise contributes to intuitive, efficient project management.
They did everything possible to launch our website on time.
DigitalSuits successfully executed on time, adhering to requirements, and a strict budget. The team's project management was extremely efficient. The team lead, in particular, always maintained a positive attitude and showcased utmost professionalism at all times. They truly went above and beyond.
They quickly grasped what we wanted to do and have designed and delivered solutions to achieve this.
DigitalSuits dug deeper into the business and the idea to have a better understanding of the business and the market. They quickly grasped what we wanted to do and have designed and delivered solutions to achieve this. They regularly communicate well. I'm very happy working with them.
DigitalSuits has come to the rescue in our time of need.
No matter the challenge we throw at them, DigitalSuits listens to the issue and finds a solution. They never take the victim role; their team takes responsibility for their work.
I’m very happy with DigitalSuits.
Internal and external stakeholders have been pleased with DigitalSuits' development skills. The team is capable of pivoting if their strategy doesn't work as expected. They're also open to feedback. Their responsive, talented, and committed approach enables them to establish a fruitful partnership.
They pulled the right metrics that we needed..
The client was delighted with DigitalSuits' end product, which is now instrumental for their daily operations. The team praised their amazing project management and outstanding professionalism throughout the engagement.
The collaboration is insane! All previously discussed topics and promises were kept!
Despite their situation in Ukraine, DigitalSuits delivered all their promises on time and within budget. Their team showcased consistent professionalism and team spirit. Moreover, they leveraged Figma to present and implement their outputs. Overall, the client was satisfied with their service.
They're always motivated and a great addition to our current team.
Overall, the provided resources have gelled seamlessly with the internal team, establishing a highly collaborative workflow. What's more, they have a thorough understanding of every task, allowing them to deliver exactly what's needed and offer alternative solutions. They're skilled and driven, too.
We had quite a complicated project, but DigitalSuits managed to lead and support us.
We needed a partner well-versed in Shopify and back- and frontend development. Despite being in the middle of a war, DigitalSuits’ team has been very responsive and has deployed every aspect of the project on time. They’ve delivered projects within our budget.
They provide good value for money and have kind staff.
The DigitalSuits team stepped in to take over the project from another vendor. The team demonstrated their effective workflow and compliance with industry best practices. As a result of this, the team was able to deliver on their tasks in a timely and professional manner.
