E-commerce app development for retail and online commerce
Custom e-commerce apps that convert. From headless storefronts and native shopping apps to POS integrations and omnichannel platforms. We build the commerce technology that takes your retail or D2C brand forward.
Why custom e-commerce apps are essential
Consumers expect seamless shopping experiences regardless of channel. A standard webshop template is no longer enough when your competitors offer native apps with personalised recommendations, fast checkout and real-time stock visibility. Custom commerce technology gives you the freedom to build exactly the experience that suits your brand, audience and product range.
Whether you are a fashion retailer looking to integrate a loyalty programme into a native app, a D2C brand that needs a headless storefront for maximum performance, or a B2B wholesaler who wants to handle customer-specific pricing and ordering processes digitally: the solution must fit precisely with your business logic.
At Appfront, we combine in-depth e-commerce knowledge with technical expertise in headless architecture, API-first development and native mobile platforms. We do not build one-size-fits-all webshops. We develop commerce platforms that scale, integrate with your existing systems and offer your customers a shopping experience you won't get from standard SaaS solutions.
The result: higher conversion, lower bounce rates, better customer retention and a tech stack that grows with your ambitions, from start-up phase to enterprise scale.
Our e-commerce development services
From concept and architecture choices through to launch and ongoing development. We cover the full spectrum of commerce technology.
Headless Commerce Platforms
Frontend fully decoupled from your commerce engine. Use Shopify Hydrogen, commercetools, Medusa or a custom GraphQL layer as the backend, with a lightning-fast React or Next.js frontend that gives you full control over the customer experience.
Native Shopping Apps (iOS & Android)
Dedicated shopping apps with push notifications, biometric login, Apple Pay and Google Pay integration, offline product browsing and camera features such as barcode scanning. Built in Swift, Kotlin or cross-platform via React Native.
Progressive Web App Storefronts
An app-like shopping experience in the browser without App Store dependency. Installable, offline-capable with service workers, and with near-instant page loads through pre-caching and edge rendering. Lower acquisition costs than native apps.
POS Integration & Unified Commerce
Integration between your physical point-of-sale systems and online channels. Real-time stock synchronisation, click-and-collect flows, in-store returns for online orders and a single view of the customer across all touchpoints.
Order Management & Fulfilment
Central order orchestration across multiple warehouses, dropshipping partners and fulfilment centres. Intelligent order routing, split shipments, real-time tracking and returns handling as part of your platform.
Loyalty & Personalisation
Customer loyalty programmes integrated into your app and webshop. Points systems, tier-based rewards, personalised offers based on purchase history and browsing behaviour, and referral mechanisms that grow organically.
Headless commerce: why the architecture choice matters
With a headless setup, you choose your commerce backend (catalogue, checkout, payments) and your frontend (the experience customers see) separately. This gives you unprecedented flexibility.
Performance advantage
Static site generation and edge caching ensure page loads under one second, regardless of how large your catalogue is. Every millisecond counts: faster pages mean measurably higher conversion rates.
Omnichannel-ready
The same commerce API powers your webshop, native app, in-store kiosk, voice assistant and future channels. Build once, deploy everywhere, without duplicated work.
Freedom in frontend choice
Not bound by the templates and limitations of your e-commerce platform. Use Next.js, Remix, Astro or a native app as your frontend. Full control over UX, branding and performance.
When headless, and when not?
Headless is not always the right choice. For simple webshops with a limited range and little custom logic, a monolithic platform such as Shopify or WooCommerce can be more efficient. Headless pays off when you serve multiple channels, have high performance requirements, need custom checkout flows, or when your marketing team wants to update pages quickly without depending on developers.
E-commerce scenarios we build
From fashion to FMCG, from B2C to B2B: every commerce model has its own technical challenges. Here are typical scenarios for which businesses bring us in.
D2C brands with rapid growth
Direct-to-consumer brands that have outgrown their standard Shopify theme. We build headless storefronts with Hydrogen or custom Next.js, integrated with Shopify as the commerce backend. Including subscription logic, bundles and advanced upselling, without the limitations of Liquid templates.
Fashion and lifestyle retailers
Visually driven shopping experiences with advanced filtering (size, colour, style), size recommendation engines, lookbook functionality and social integrations. Native apps with wishlists, back-in-stock alerts and personalised feeds based on style profiles.
Grocery and quick commerce
Ordering apps for supermarkets, meal boxes and rapid delivery services. Real-time stock management per location, time-slot reservations, route optimisation for couriers, and substitution logic when products are unavailable. Performance under peak load is critical.
B2B e-commerce and wholesale portals
Ordering portals for business customers with customer-specific pricing, volume discounts, approval workflows and integration with ERP systems. Repeat orders, departmental budget limits, and invoice-based payment alongside iDEAL and credit card.
Technology stack for e-commerce projects
We work platform-agnostically and choose, per project, the tech stack that best suits your scale, budget and growth ambitions.
Commerce backends
- Shopify (Plus) + Hydrogen
- commercetools
- Medusa.js (open source)
- Saleor
- Custom headless (Node.js)
Frontend and mobile
- Next.js / Remix / Astro
- React Native (iOS + Android)
- Swift (native iOS)
- Kotlin (native Android)
- PWA with Workbox
Payments and checkout
- Mollie / Adyen / Stripe
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Klarna / in3 (BNPL)
- iDEAL / Bancontact
- Subscription billing (Recurly)
Integrations and data
- ERP (Exact, SAP, NetSuite)
- PIM (Akeneo, Plytix)
- WMS and fulfilment APIs
- Analytics (GA4, Segment)
- CDP and marketing automation
Omnichannel and stock management
The line between online and offline is blurring. Customers expect a consistent experience, whether they are in your shop, opening your app or ordering via social media.
A genuine omnichannel approach requires more than offering the same products online and offline. It calls for a unified product data layer, real-time stock visibility across all locations, and an order management system that intelligently routes orders to the nearest or most efficient fulfilment point.
We build the middleware and integration layer that connects your POS system, warehouse management, e-commerce platform and marketing tools. Click and collect, ship-from-store and endless aisle (ordering the online range in-store) become standard parts of your platform rather than add-ons.
Inventory management in an omnichannel setting is complex. Stock reserved for a click-and-collect order should no longer be visible online. A product in transit to a store can already be made available for ship-from-store once it arrives. We build that logic at API level so every front end always shows accurate availability.
The result: fewer 'out of stock' disappointments, higher conversion thanks to accurate availability information, and less revenue loss because orders always take the fastest route to the customer.
Our approach to e-commerce projects
From discovery to ongoing development: a proven approach designed specifically for commerce projects.
Discovery & Architecture
Analysis of your business model, integration landscape and performance requirements. Platform selection and architecture design.
UX & Conversion Design
Wireframes and prototypes optimised for checkout conversion, mobile-first and your brand identity.
Iterative Development
Agile sprints with fortnightly demos. An API-first approach so front end and back end are developed in parallel.
Integration & Migration
Integration with ERP, PIM, WMS and payment providers. Data migration from existing systems with a zero-downtime cutover.
Launch & Optimisation
A phased go-live with load testing, monitoring set-up and post-launch conversion optimisation based on real data.
Frequently asked questions about e-commerce app development
How much does a custom e-commerce app cost?
Costs depend on complexity, the number of integrations and channels. A headless storefront with basic functionality starts from around €30,000. A fully omnichannel platform with native apps, POS integration and custom order management typically falls between €75,000 and €150,000. We work with a transparent hourly rate and fixed scope agreements per phase.
How long does it take to develop an e-commerce platform?
We deliver an MVP storefront with basic commerce functionality in 8 to 12 weeks. More complex projects involving multiple integrations, custom apps and data migration take 4 to 8 months. We work in phases so you can go live quickly and then build out iteratively based on real user data.
Can I migrate my existing Shopify or WooCommerce shop to headless?
Yes. With Shopify, you can keep the back end (products, orders, customers) and simply replace the front end with a custom headless storefront via the Storefront API. With WooCommerce, we build an API layer on top of your existing data and migrate in phases, so there is no interruption for your customers.
Do I need a native app alongside a webshop?
That depends on your repeat purchase rate and customer relationship. For brands with high retention (fashion, grocery, subscriptions), a native app delivers measurably higher engagement and order frequency thanks to push notifications and biometric login. For brands where customers buy once, a fast PWA is often more cost-effective.
How do you integrate with my existing ERP or WMS?
We build a middleware layer that connects your commerce platform to your ERP (Exact, SAP, NetSuite) and warehouse systems via API. Product data, stock levels, prices and orders are synchronised in real time or near real time. We use an event-driven architecture so every change flows through automatically, without manual exports or imports.
Do you also offer ongoing development and maintenance after launch?
Yes. After launch, we offer SLA-based support with guaranteed response times for bugs and incidents. In addition, many of our e-commerce clients work with a fixed monthly hours budget for new features, A/B tests and conversion optimisation. This way your platform grows with your business without starting a new project each time.
Ready to take your e-commerce to the next level?
Tell us about your commerce challenge. We'll help you think through architecture, platform choice and an approach that suits your growth ambitions.
A complementary perspective on this theme can be found at applatenmaken.com: retail and e-commerce software.