Building a Flexible, Scalable Mobile App for a Global E-Commerce Platform
METRO BRAZIL needed a cross-platform mobile application that would offer a seamless and unified shopping experience across devices. The team delivered by designing and building a Flutter-based app that reused existing e-commerce components, integrated seamlessly with Shopify, and enhanced flexibility, performance, and international accessibility.
Client
METRO BRAZIL is a global e-commerce company that connects customers—primarily in the Middle East—with premium Brazilian products. It is actively expanding globally, with strong ongoing growth in the Middle East and GCC region, where it offers localized experiences in multiple languages and currencies.
Challenges
Before the mobile app was developed, METRO BRAZIL’s mobile commerce relied on native technologies that were difficult to maintain and inconsistent with the web platform. This created friction for users and made it challenging to keep the mobile shopping experience up to date.
Key challenges included:
- Outdated native mobile apps that lacked maintainability and flexibility
- Inconsistent UI/UX between mobile and web platforms
- Lack of multilingual and multi-currency support in mobile apps
- High cost of updates and maintenance across platforms
- Limited analytics and tracking from mobile-specific sales
- Performance gaps, particularly in transitions and animations
METRO BRAZIL was looking for a flexible solution that mirrored the e-commerce experience, was easy to update, and offered high performance across regions and platforms.
Project Journey
The mobile app project followed a clear, phased approach, leveraging Flutter for fast, cross-platform development:
- Product Design
The project began with a review and improvement of existing graphic designs to align with METRO BRAZIL’s brand. User journeys and app structure were mapped out, and wireframes were created to define the layout and core screens. The team designed key native UI components and recommended design patterns to ensure a consistent and user-friendly mobile experience. - Mobile App Development
Development started with app setup and navigation design. WebViews were integrated to reuse e-commerce screens while maintaining a native-like feel. Custom mechanisms were built to handle interactions within WebViews, and full navigation logic was implemented. The app was thoroughly tested to ensure a smooth end-to-end shopping experience. - Go-live & Maintenance
Before launch, the app was updated with final assets, including logos, splash screens, and animations. UTM tracking was added to monitor mobile-driven sales, and Firebase’s advanced tracking and remote configuration features were leveraged to enable targeted updates, A/B testing, and real-time optimization. The app was published on both Google Play and the App Store. Post-launch efforts focused on bug fixes, animation optimization, and support during peak traffic periods.
Results
- One cross-platform app launched on Google Play and App Store
- +70% increase in daily active users within the first three months
- +50% improvement in customer satisfaction
- +40% growth in international and GCC orders
- Seamless UI/UX consistent with web platform
- App features exclusive "METRO BRAZIL VIP PROGRAM" for GCC VIP customers
- Multi-language and multi-currency support tailored for the Middle East and GCC
