Mobile appE-commerce & marketplaces
Gratis is one of Turkey's largest cosmetics and personal care chains, comparable to Boots or Superdrug. Its app succeeds by making beauty and personal care shopping seamless between store and online. Users follow promotions, collect points on their loyalty card, order online or check whether the nearest store has an item in stock. For frequently bought, low-basket products, personalised coupons and campaign notifications bring customers back again and again.
To build something similar you need, alongside the mobile app and web store, store and inventory integration, a digital loyalty card scanned at the till, a campaign and coupon engine, home delivery and click-and-collect options, and an ERP connection. An admin panel where the marketing team sends segment-based notifications and designs campaigns sits at the heart of the project.
How Gratis works: the core user flow
How many apps and dashboards do you need?
Customer app
Users browse products, place orders, earn points with their digital card and redeem coupons.
Store / POS integration
The digital card is scanned at the till and click-and-collect orders are prepared.
Admin and campaign panel
Products, prices, campaigns, segments and notifications are managed.
Critical features of a product like Gratis
Digital loyalty card
The QR code or barcode in the app is scanned at the till; points and purchase history merge with online shopping in a single account.
Campaign and coupon engine
Rules such as “3 for 2”, basket discounts and brand-specific coupons are defined in the panel without writing code.
In-store stock lookup
A map shows whether the product is available in nearby stores.
Click and collect
Online orders are prepared in the chosen store and the customer is notified when they are ready.
Personalised recommendations
Based on purchase history, users get replenishment reminders and related product suggestions.
Segment-based notifications
The marketing team sends targeted push notifications by age, city or shopping habits.
What goes into the first version, what comes later
First version (MVP)
- Product catalogue, search and basket
- Payments via Stripe or Adyen and carrier integration
- Digital loyalty card and points balance
- Basic campaign and coupon rules
- Push notifications and order tracking
Later releases
- In-store stock lookup and click and collect
- Personalised recommendation engine
- Augmented reality features such as virtual make-up try-on
- Subscription-based repeat delivery
Modules and how the budget is calculated
The budget is calculated with 360 SOFT’s pricing model from the modules below, about 30 screens and the project’s complexity: roughly 184 person-days for the full scope and 123 person-days for the first version. Every module you drop lowers the budget directly.
| Module | Phase |
|---|---|
| Sign-up, login, social login | First version |
| User profile and settings | First version |
| Admin dashboard | First version |
| Product / content catalogue | First version |
| Cart and checkout | First version |
| Online payments (Stripe / PSP) | First version |
| Advanced search and filters | First version |
| Push notifications | First version |
| Email / SMS notifications | First version |
| Maps, location, routing | First version |
| Barcode / RFID / handheld | Later release |
| ERP / accounting integration | Later release |
| E-invoicing | First version |
| Reporting and analytics | First version |
Hosting, SMS, map APIs, app store accounts and payment-provider fees are separate items. Maintenance and improvements (optional): €600 / month. We send a fixed written price within 24 hours after a free discovery call.
The hard parts
POS and ERP integration
Matching store POS systems, stock and points in real time often means working with legacy systems.
Conflicting campaign rules
When several discounts apply to the same basket, getting priority and calculation wrong leads to lost revenue or customer complaints.
Peak campaign traffic
Big sale days bring sudden traffic spikes; scalable infrastructure and caching are essential.
Business model
The core value of this kind of app is direct product sales and store footfall; the app is a loyalty tool that drives repeat purchases. As extra revenue, brands can be charged for in-app promotion and sponsored campaign placements. Running targeted campaigns on loyalty data draws both sales and supplier marketing budgets into the app.
Get a free quote for your project
Let us scope it together and send a fixed written quote within 24 hours. NDA on request; you own the source code.
Choosing a company to build an app like Gratis
Most people searching “build an app like gratis” are really looking for a reliable app development company. When comparing quotes, check four things:
- Can you try similar products they have shipped, in the stores or live?
- Are the source code, design files, servers and store accounts transferred to you by contract?
- Do they show a working demo every two weeks, with written scope and acceptance criteria?
- Are maintenance, scaling and GDPR/security costs written into the quote?
Copyright and trademarks
A business model and features are generally not protected on their own, but the Gratis name, logo, interface design, content and source code are. That is why we build a product with similar functionality but your own brand, design and code. This is not legal advice; we recommend a trademark search before launch.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build an app like Gratis?
A first version with catalogue, basket, payments and a loyalty card can be ready within a few months. The scope of store and ERP integration is the factor that affects the timeline most.
How many separate apps are needed?
Usually iOS and Android customer apps, a web store and an admin panel are enough. If click and collect is offered, a simple order-picking screen for store staff is added.
Are there copyright or trademark issues?
The cosmetics e-commerce and loyalty model is free to use; names, logos, design, content and code cannot be copied. Product images require brand permission. This is not legal advice.
What should I look for in an app development company?
Choose a company with experience in retail integration, POS and ERP connections and campaign engines. Ask for reference projects that run under heavy traffic.
