Challenge

• Perform website audit and code review, eliminate defects from previous developers that reduced performance
• Add several custom solutions and change the ordering logic to reduce the number of returns
• Develop and launch a PWA application for mobile users.
• Add a virtual wallet and set up the Visanet payment system

Implementing the Project

Why the client addresses us for a performance audit?

The collaboration between Simtech Development and the multi-product marketplace
Shopmundo began when its owner, Mr. Chang, asked our team to investigate why the
website was slow and experiencing performance errors. Additionally, they wanted to
make several improvements in the future, but we decided to address the bugs first. These
issues were causing regular complaints from users and resulting in lost profits. The
turnover decreased by 18%, and the client needed to regain customer loyalty.

The store based on the CS-Cart platform had many customized solutions and a history
of multiple successive developers working on it, from Indian to European. Throughout
the setup and integration process, each developer made changes to the code and
databases. As a result, we assumed that poorly written code was the root cause of the
problems. Our review confirmed this assumption, revealing that some custom add-ons
did not adhere to CS-Cart standards.

This led to disruptions in the marketplace's operation and hindered the implementation
of subsequent improvements.

What errors appeared on the website?

During the investigation, we identified the following issues:

• System notifications on order statuses were not functioning, users and sellers didn't receive them.
• Promotional codes for discounts were not working.
• The local VisaNet payment system didn’t operate.

We conducted a comprehensive analysis, identified the causes, and addressed the issues:

• The notification malfunction stemmed from errors in the server settings. We fine-tunes the server to streamline the notification process.
• Promotional code failures occurred due to errors in the code, which we promptly fixed.
• We also resolved the issue with the Visanet payment system resulting from the incorrect mapping and synchronization with external service. 

Previous developers had initiated integration with the platform, but the process was left
incomplete. We rectified this by fully integrating the gateway with the CS-Cart order
management system. This integration allowed us to introduce new statuses for
administrators, sellers, and buyers, including order review, not approved by product
supplier, pre-approved, and fraud.

Mr. Chang was pleased with the results and asked our team to continue working on the
project for further website development. We gathered a dedicated development team and
proceeded with the work.

How we enhanced the Shopmundo marketplace

One-Click Checkout

After discussing with the client, we decided to add a quick payment for goods. So,
we introduced a new button next to the "Add to Cart" option - "Pay Now." Clicking
it directs the user straight to the checkout skipping the step of adding it to the cart.
This streamlined the purchasing process and enhanced user convenience.

If users had other products in their cart, they remained in the cart rather than
being transferred to the checkout page in case the user was not ready to purchase
all remaining products.

Virtual Wallet

We developed additional pages and an algorithm for the buyer's virtual wallet
generated during registration and displayed in the user profile

The wallet allowed buyers to:

• View current balance and transaction history
• Accumulate rewards received under the loyalty program
• Self-replenish their account
• Process returns
• Track cashback and partially pay for orders with it
• Transfer money to another registered user on the marketplace

PWA app for Shopmundo

From our initial meeting, the client expressed interest in launching a mobile
application for the store. As an alternative, we proposed our own development:
a hybrid of responsive website and mobile application based on PWA technology.

From the user's perspective, PWA functions like a regular smartphone application
but offers several advantages:

• Works effectively on any device supporting the latest HTML versions
• Available offline
• Occupies minimal space in device memory (traditional mobile apps weigh up to 200 MB, while PWAs are a maximum of 2 MB)
• Can be installed on various devices, including tablets and laptops
• Easy to update - new content and functionality are added remotely by developers and automatically displayed

To provide evidence, we suggested the client install a test version, try it out, and decide.
After positive feedback, the client proceeded with the implementation.

New order placement logic

Another customization involved altering the order placement logic. The "Add to Cart" button became active only after users selected the necessary goods variations (color, size, quantity, additional services).

This change was implemented because the CS-Cart CMS sets product options by default.
Initially, buyers might see a black T-shirt in size XL, but upon opening the product card,
they see other available sizes and colors. Some returns occurred at Shopmundo because
users selected products with default options, only to realize later that they didn't want
them. Adjusting this logic enabled buyers to make more informed purchases and sellers
to receive relevant orders.

Additionally, we integrated Doofinder smart search into the application, reducing
the load on CS-Cart and enhancing site performance, which proved highly beneficial
for a marketplace with nearly 40 thousand products.

How we launched the PWA app

The unique aspect of PWA is that it utilizes the code written during site creation. This
significantly reduces development costs since developers don't need to start from scratch.

When we received layouts from Shopmundo specialists, we made several additions
during the integration process:

• Reduced the size of banners, product cards, and icons
• Adjusted fonts
• Updated colors for labels indicating product discounts and "Sold Out" status
• Ensured product names and prices aligned with the desktop version
• Enhanced the "Share" button on product card pages for easy link sharing
• Refined the stylistic design of the site's footer and included social network links

Additionally, we crafted a presentation page for vendors and a template for their mini-shops.

Results

• Eliminated the accumulated problems on the site.
• Integrated a virtual wallet for quick payment for goods.
• Developed a PWA application for convenient mobile shopping.