Video shopping app for modern eCommerce

For our client Hiive isn’t the first project in the online shopping app business — the company has been providing services of a marketplace optimization platform for eCommerce businesses since 2015.

With insider knowledge of eCommerce and retail business and data-driven insights into customer pains, the client decided to develop a new shopping app that addresses the specific needs of contemporary businesses and buyers. The new app, Hiive, was designed as an alternative to popular marketplaces that offer exclusive discounts — but with a mobile-only and social-media-like, user-friendly, and intuitive interface to meet the expectations of the modern audience.

The client sought reliable Ukrainian development partners who could implement their idea of an iOS app and deliver a top-tier product. After reviewing 160 software development companies from Ukraine and elsewhere, the client found this partner in NERDZ LAB.

NERDZ LAB, a company with vast experience in providing mobile application development services, including iOS app development, saw this as a fascinating mission. Driven to deliver value to the customer rather than just get the job done, our team embraced this challenge — blending the best eCommerce practices and social media trends tocraft a cutting-edge shopping app tailored to the evolving demands of modern consumers.

• Comprehensive cross-market analysis. During the discovery phase, we focused on studying the market of eCommerce software and popular social media mobile apps to outline critical features and functionality of Hiive app: video review, comment sections, personalized feed, easy payment options, and other goodies.
• Building a video shopping app. We researched swiping patterns and even discovered some new ones, analyzed the features of competitive online shopping platforms, and studied the available technologies. All this helped us optimize buyers’ journeys and provide an excellent video shopping experience for Hiive’s customers.
• Developing a social-media-like interface. We cherry-picked the best features of social media apps and marketplaces to create their perfect symbiosis — an eCommerce app where users can read live reviews, watch product breakdowns and comments from favorite influencers, and share them with others.
• Creating a user-friendly app for different types of users. Hiive is an app where brands profit from selling, buyers benefit from buying at the best prices, and creators earn their share by connecting businesses and people with their content. We created different user-friendly interfaces catering to the needs of each target audience.

• With the Apple Pay integration and an array of social media features, such as video reviews, favorite brand content feeds, and seamless product sharing, Hiive has incorporated all the must-have features of a premium shopping app.
• With the integration of Facebook and Twitter, Hiive enabled users to promote their favorite products and special offers organically through popular social media channels, ultimately driving increased app awareness and downloads.
• Launched on iOS, the app landed in Top 100 Apps of the Week list in the United States.
• The app has been downloaded 50,000+ times.