ShopSmart Exeter – Retail Loyalty & Shopping App

Project Overview

ShopSmart Retail Group, a 24-location independent supermarket chain across Devon and Cornwall, was losing loyal customers to Tesco's Clubcard and Sainsbury's Nectar app without a competitive mobile loyalty alternative.

The Challenge

Without a digital loyalty programme, ShopSmart had no transaction data visibility, no personalisation capability, and no mechanism to compete with national supermarket chains offering points-based rewards that drove habitual shopping.

Our Solution

We built a full-featured shopping app that matched national supermarket digital capabilities with local charm:

• Digital loyalty points earning on every purchase with partner brand bonus multiplier opportunities
• Personalised weekly offers engine serving relevant promotions based on individual purchase history
• Smart shopping list builder with aisle navigation using Bluetooth beacon technology in-store
• Click-and-collect ordering with real-time stock availability checking and collection slot booking
• Weekly digital catalogue with recipe inspiration and seasonal local produce promotions

Key Results

• 42,000 active app downloads within 6 months, representing 18% of ShopSmart's customer base
• £380,000 in loyalty point redemptions in year one, indicating strong programme engagement
• Average basket size for app users is £8 higher than non-app customers on matched cohort analysis
• Click-and-collect reached 18% of total grocery orders, driving operational efficiency gains

Technologies Used

React Native, PHP REST API, MySQL, Barcode Scanner, Push Notifications, BLE Beacon Navigation, Stripe