The challenge
An e-commerce and distribution business in Thailand already had a web store and a warehouse system. Its next step was shopping app development for Thailand: a mobile app that matched how its shoppers expected to buy.
That set a clear list of requirements. Shoppers expected to sign in with LINE or Apple rather than fill in a long form. They wanted to scan a barcode to find a product, and to choose between delivery and pickup.
The marketplace's loyalty points and shop-specific vouchers also had to work in the app, not only on the website. And the app had to run on both Android and iOS.
Shopping app development for Thailand: what we built
We built a React Native app for Android and iOS, backed by MongoDB on an Ubuntu cloud server.
Sign-in. Shoppers register by email or phone with a password or OTP, or sign in with LINE or Apple. New users are prompted to add a photo and an address.
Home screen. The app asks for a delivery location, then shows search, barcode scan, promotions, categories, pre-order items and recommendations.
Browsing. Categories run three levels deep, and product lists can be filtered, sorted and searched.
Checkout. Shoppers apply vouchers, pick delivery or pickup and choose which cart items to pay for. The cart shows total savings and the shipping cost before payment.
Orders. Orders are grouped from payment pending to delivered, with a tab for returns and refunds and a buy-again option.
Points wallet. Shoppers see their points history, available and expired points, and what they have earned and spent.
Account controls. Users manage addresses, switch between dark and light themes and delete their account in the app.
We also changed the back end. Admins can issue coupons tied to a single partner shop, or coupons that pay out in points. Shop registrations from the app sync to the business's warehouse management system, and we added push notifications.
How it works day to day
Follow one shopper. She signs in with LINE, sets her delivery location and scans the barcode on a product she wants to buy again. She adds it to her cart with a few other items, applies a voucher and sees how much she has saved and what shipping will cost.
She decides to pay for only part of the cart now and chooses pickup. Once paid, the order moves through its stages on her orders screen, from payment pending onward. If something is wrong, returns and refunds have their own tab.
Later, she opens her points wallet to see what she has earned and spent, and which points have expired. Because only customers who bought an item can review it, the rating she leaves comes from a real purchase.
The result
Customers can shop, pay, track orders and spend loyalty points from their phone. Ratings come only from buyers, and the marketplace can run vouchers for a single partner shop or pay coupons out in points.
The app sits alongside the business's partner shop portal, where admins decide which shops take part in the loyalty points scheme.
What the research says
Thai shoppers are online, and mostly on smartphones. In the first quarter of 2024, the National Statistical Office counted 59.0 million internet users, 89.5% of people aged six and over. Among those with a mobile phone, 96.5% had a smartphone (NSO ICT household survey, 2024 Q1).
Social sign-in comes with store rules. Apple's App Review Guideline 4.8 says an app that uses a third-party or social login for the user's primary account must also offer an equivalent option that limits data collection to name and email, lets users keep their email private and does not track them for advertising without consent.
Account deletion is a store requirement. Apple's guideline 5.1.1(v) requires apps that support account creation to offer account deletion within the app. Google Play asks for an in-app path to delete an account and its data, plus a web link to request it.
Where AI fits next
Shoppers will not find AI in the app today. Here is where it could help later. A model could personalize recommendations from each shopper's orders and points balance. It could answer common order questions in the app and hand harder ones to staff, and summarize review text on each product page so shoppers see the main points quickly.
Planning something similar?
Before you build a shopping app, it helps to answer four questions:
Which sign-in methods do your customers already use every day?
Will shoppers collect in person as well as take delivery, and can they split a cart?
How do points and vouchers work today, and who can issue them?
What must sync back to your stock, shop and order systems?
One codebase served both stores here; our native or cross-platform guide explains when that works. More on our shopping and customer apps and other online retail builds.
