Leihdich Frei
Leihdich Frei, a German startup, ventured into the fashion industry with a unique rental subscription model. The idea was to allow customers to borrow up to four pieces of clothing each month, thereby promoting creativity and variety in style.
Technology:
PHP, Woocommerce, Wordpress
Service:
eCommerce Development
Challenge
Developing a Functional MVP
The most pressing challenge was to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that could not only demonstrate the feasibility of the unique rental model but also secure funding from investors and gain early market traction.
The Complexity of the Unique Rental Subscription Service
There weren't any off-the-shelf solutions to develop the web platform that offered the features that the founder of Leidichfrei envisaged. This was a major challenge as the MVP had to be developed for a reasonable cost. Having to build custom solutions could exceed the budget.
Scope
- Web Development with recurring subscription model
- Custom WooCommerce plugin development
- Integration of Pop-up Notices
- Shipping Carrier API Integration
Solution
Building the Web Application Using WooCommerce and WordPress
Due to the limited budget of the MVP, Codup used WooCommerce and WordPress to build the platform and all the features the asked for. Being open source, WooCommerce gave us the flexibility to customize and build the features as requested.
Implementing and Customizing WooCommerce Subscription Extension
Codup used the WooCommerce Subscriptions extension to implement the recurring subscription model. This provided a robust framework that could handle recurring payments and renewals, thereby enabling a seamless subscription experience for customers.
Developing Custom WooCommerce Plugin
Codup developed a custom plugin to limit the number of items a customer could borrow each month. This plugin enabled real-time tracking of borrowed items and available slots, providing transparency for both customers and administrators.
Implementing Error Messages to Track Rentals
Codup integrated the Pop-up Notices plugin, which alerted the user when the number of items exceeded the monthly allowance.
Shipping Carrier API Integration
To tackle the shipping management challenge, Codup integrated the store with the shipping carrier’s API for real-time shipping cost calculation. This allowed them to implement a system where shipping costs would only be charged when the monthly shipping quota was exceeded, ensuring cost-effective shipping management.
Results
The collaboration with Codup led to the successful launch of a functional MVP for Leihdich Frei, effectively capturing both investor interest and early market traction. The platform not only operationalized the unique rental subscription model but also offered a seamless and engaging user experience. Customized WooCommerce plugins facilitated real-time tracking of borrowed items and available slots, enhancing transparency for both customers and administrators. The integration of Pop-up Notices and the shipping carrier’s API further streamlined the user experience and operational efficiency. Overall, the project not only met but exceeded the initial objectives, setting a strong foundation for Leihdich Frei's innovative venture in the fashion industry.
