Beauty E-commerce Platform Development

When Shopify apps stop working together, you've outgrown Shopify apps

Shopify handles standard catalogue and checkout well. It doesn't handle a shade-matching quiz that feeds a subscription replenishment model, or a loyalty programme that updates in real time at checkout without a separate reconciliation job. The shade quiz recommends a shade but has no connection to the subscription model. The loyalty programme records points in its own database that the e-commerce platform doesn't know about until someone exports and imports manually. We build the platform when the off-the-shelf stack can no longer be duct-taped together.

  • Product catalogue with shade, variant, and formula management

  • Subscription and replenishment ordering with pause and swap

  • Shade-matching and skin-type recommendation tools

  • Loyalty programme fully integrated with purchase and redemption

Recent outcomes

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4.9
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See our work

The problem

Sound familiar?

  • Selling on Shopify but unable to build a shade-matching quiz or a subscription replenishment model without expensive custom apps that conflict with each other?

  • Loyalty programme living in a separate tool from the e-commerce platform, so points balances only update after manual reconciliation each week?

Short answer

RaftLabs builds custom beauty e-commerce platforms with shade and variant product catalogue management, subscription replenishment with pause and swap, shade-matching and skin-type recommendation tools, a loyalty programme that updates in real time at checkout without a weekly reconciliation job, and influencer and affiliate tracking with real-time commission reporting. A custom platform is the right choice when Shopify apps conflict or cannot support your subscription and personalisation model as a single integrated system. Most projects deliver in 12-16 weeks at a fixed cost.

Key takeaways

  • Custom makes sense from two directions - features Shopify apps can't support without conflicting (shade quiz feeding a subscription model), or per-transaction and app-subscription costs at higher GMV exceeding a custom build's total cost over 2-3 years.
  • Photo-based shade matching maps a device-camera image to the closest catalogue shade via colour analysis, distinct from the simpler quiz-based matcher.
  • Loyalty points calculate and post to the account in real time at checkout, no weekly reconciliation job, with tiered levels and bonus events configurable by the brand team.
  • A full platform (catalogue, subscription, shade-matching, loyalty, affiliate tracking, multi-channel inventory) runs $30,000-$80,000; a focused catalogue/subscription/loyalty build runs $15,000-$40,000.

Trusted by

Vodafone logo
Aldi logo
Nike logo
Microsoft logo
Heineken logo
Cisco logo
Calorgas logo
Energia Rewards logo

E-commerce platform delivery, by the numbers

software products shipped
100+
cost delivery
Fixed
week delivery cycles
10-14
industries served
24+

When Shopify apps stop working together, you've outgrown Shopify apps

Each app works in isolation, a shade quiz here, a subscription app there, a loyalty tool from a third vendor. The brand's model requires them to work as a single system, and that requirement is exactly what a custom platform is built around from the start.

Capabilities

What we build

  • 01
    Product catalogue and variant management

    Shade variants group under a single listing with formula versions tracked over time, filter and search by shade family and finish, bulk variant creation for shade launches, and low-stock alerts per variant.

  • 02
    Subscription and replenishment ordering

    Cycles configured per product (30, 45, or 60 days) under one account, with pause, swap, and skip controls, pre-shipment notifications, and failed payment retry with SMS prompts.

  • 03
    Shade-matching and recommendation tools

    A quiz-based matcher returns a ranked recommendation; photo-based matching maps skin tone via device camera and colour analysis, with all logic manageable in the admin panel without a code change.

  • 04
    Loyalty and rewards programme

    Points earn and update in real time at checkout, with tiered levels, redemption thresholds, and bonus points events, no reconciliation job because the balance is always current.

  • 05
    Influencer and affiliate tracking

    Unique tracking links and discount codes apply automatically at checkout, with per-affiliate commission configuration, real-time dashboards, automated payouts, and fraud detection rules.

  • 06
    Multi-channel inventory and order management

    A single inventory record spans the brand's own site, wholesale portal, and retail pop-ups, with wholesale order management, fulfilment tracking, and returns management restocking on confirmed receipt.

How we work

From scope to live e-commerce platform

  1. Week 1
    01

    Model and app-stack scoping

    We map your current Shopify app stack, subscription model, and loyalty mechanics. You leave week 1 with a written scope document and a fixed-price quote.

  2. Weeks 2-4
    02

    Catalogue and personalisation design

    Shade variant model, shade-matching logic, and loyalty tier structure designed against your actual product range.

  3. Weeks 5-11
    03

    Build and integrate

    Catalogue, subscription engine, and loyalty layer built in parallel, tested against real order scenarios.

  4. Final 2-3 weeks
    04

    Launch and brand team training

    Brand team trained on the recommendation and affiliate admin tools before full rollout.

Why us

Why beauty brands choose RaftLabs

  • 01
    Senior engineers build what they scope

    The engineers who assess your app stack also build the solution. No bait-and-switch, no offshore handoff after the contract is signed.

  • 02
    Fixed price before development starts

    We scope the work, calculate the cost, and lock it in writing before any development starts.

  • 03
    9 years and 100+ products shipped

    Clients include Vodafone, T-Mobile, Aldi, Nike, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin. Track record building loyalty and e-commerce platforms.

  • 04
    We'll tell you when Shopify apps are enough

    Custom software is justified when the app stack has broken down, not recommended by default.

  • 05
    One system, not three disconnected apps

    Shade-matching, subscription, and loyalty share the same data model from day one.

Have a beauty e-commerce platform project?

Tell us your current platform, what's broken, and which features you need first: subscription, shade matching, loyalty, or affiliate tracking. We'll scope it and give you a fixed cost.

Talk about your beauty e-commerce platform project

Related services

Beauty E-commerce Platform Development, scoped in one call.

Tell us what's broken. Within one business day you get a straight take on cost, timeline, and the right first step. No deck, no pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

Shopify handles standard catalogues, checkout, and payment well. Custom usually builds from two directions: features that Shopify apps can't support without conflicting with each other (a shade quiz feeding a subscription model is the clearest example), or per-transaction fees and app subscription costs at higher GMV exceeding what a custom platform would cost to build and maintain over two to three years.

A subscription stores the product, variant, quantity, frequency, and next order date for each item. Pause stops the billing and shipment cycle for a set period and resumes automatically. Skip cancels the next single order without changing the cycle. Swap lets the client change product or variant before the next order processes, all from the client account without a support ticket.

A quiz-based matcher asks about undertone, coverage, skin type, and finish and returns a ranked recommendation. Photo-based matching uses the device camera to map skin tone to the closest catalogue shade via colour analysis. For skin-type personalisation, a diagnostic quiz recommends a full routine connected to the subscription model.

A full platform covering catalogue with shade/variant management, subscription, shade-matching, integrated loyalty, affiliate tracking, and multi-channel inventory typically runs $30,000-$80,000. A more focused build covering catalogue, subscription, and loyalty runs $15,000-$40,000. Most full platform builds deliver in 12-16 weeks.

Work with us

Tell us what you need. We'll tell you what it would take.

We scope Beauty E-commerce Platform Development in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.

  • Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
  • Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
  • Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
  • 60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.
  • All conversations are NDA-protected.

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