E-commerce & retail software development
Stores and online, stock and customers: one set of data behind everything you sell.
EC sites and apps, POS, multi-marketplace management, AI demand and sales forecasting. We build the systems that help retailers and online sellers sell more and run leaner.
- EC, app and POS built as one
- Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo! and other marketplaces
- AI inventory and sales forecasting
Sound familiar?
The challenges companies in this industry bring to us most often.
Store and online data live in separate worlds
POS and EC data are disconnected, causing mistakes and extra work in stock allocation and customer service.
A slow EC site is costing you sales
As products and traffic grow, pages load more slowly and customers leave before they buy.
Marketplace orders swallow your day
Switching between each marketplace's admin screen to adjust stock and process orders takes people's time.
Ordering and sales forecasts run on gut feeling
Overstock and stock-outs keep repeating, and month-end forecasts vary by who makes them.
An old core system is holding you back
An on-premises Windows application is slow, cannot be used remotely, and few people can still change it.
Customer enquiries are piling up
Email, phone and chat enquiries are scattered, so some are missed and knowledge sits with individuals.
What we build
We learn how your business works first, then build only what you actually need.
EC sites and shopping apps
Your own EC site plus iOS and Android apps, designed to scale as traffic grows.
POS and OMO (stores + online)
POS, EC, app and CRM on one database, so stock and customer data are shared in real time.
Marketplace management and order automation
API integration with Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo! and others to automate everything from orders to shipping instructions and stock sync.
AI demand and sales forecasting
Forecast demand and monthly sales from past sales and shipment data and get recommended order quantities. We also detect early signs of customer churn.
Moving core and sales systems to the cloud
We analyse legacy order, stock, purchasing, shipping and membership systems and migrate them to web systems on AWS.
Secure transactions with blockchain
Drawing on our experience building services with Ethereum and NFTs, we design tamper-resistant transaction records, points and membership cards.
Case studies
A selection of projects we have delivered. Clients are described by industry only, under our confidentiality agreements.
Unified store and online OMO platform
- Challenge
- The existing EC site (EC-CUBE) had become slow, and data from the physical stores' POS was cut off from online. The client needed stock and customer data in one place and a shopping experience linking app and POS.
- What we did
- We built an OMO platform managing EC, POS, app and CRM together. A single database delivers real-time stock management and makes marketing based on customer behaviour possible.
- Technology
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- AWS
- Laravel
- React Native
- POS integration
ResultStock and customer data that were split across stores, EC and app now live in one place.
EC site, app and POS for an apparel retailer
- Challenge
- Support online and in-store sales with one system.
- What we did
- We built a system covering the EC site, iOS and Android apps, a POS register app and POS management, on a microservice architecture.
- Technology
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- Java (Spring Boot)
- Nuxt.js (TypeScript)
- iOS (Objective-C)
- Android (Java)
- AWS
- MySQL
ResultAfter the 18-month build we maintained and extended the system for more than three years.
Multi-marketplace management and order automation SaaS
- Challenge
- Running stores on Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo! and others made stock management messy and order processing ever more time-consuming. The client also wanted a SaaS it could sell to other companies.
- What we did
- We integrated each marketplace's API into one management system that automates everything from orders to shipping instructions, on a multi-tenant architecture designed to grow as a SaaS.
- Technology
-
- AWS
- Laravel
- React
- Marketplace APIs
ResultOrders to shipping instructions are automated, and the system is now a SaaS product offered to other companies.
Moving a cosmetics company's sales system to the cloud
- Challenge
- The core system for orders, purchasing, stock, receiving, shipping, accounting and membership was an on-premises Windows application, and batch processing took a long time.
- What we did
- We first analysed the existing system, wrote its specification and improved its features. Based on that specification we moved it to AWS and rebuilt it as a web system. For the same client we also built a customer messaging app similar to a LINE Official Account.
- Technology
-
- C# (.NET)
- SQL Server
- AWS
- Laravel
- Nuxt.js
- Flutter
ResultBatch processing went from 2 hours to 5 minutes. We have maintained the system since 2021.
AI for optimal stock and order quantities
- Challenge
- Restock and purchase quantities were set by staff experience, causing ongoing losses from overstock and missed sales from stock-outs.
- What we did
- We built an AI engine that forecasts demand from past shipment data, seasonality and lead times, and recommends when, what and how much to order.
- Technology
-
- Python
- Laravel
- Nuxt.js (TypeScript)
- AWS
- MySQL
ResultInventory down by about 20%, with far fewer stock-outs.
Monthly sales simulation and AI forecasting
- Challenge
- Monthly sales forecasts relied on staff intuition, so accuracy varied and work stalled when that person was away.
- What we did
- We applied time-series models (Prophet, ARIMA and others) that account for seasonality and trends to historical data from the core system, and built a dashboard that calculates the forecast automatically.
- Technology
-
- Python (Prophet)
- Laravel
- Nuxt.js (TypeScript)
- AWS
- MySQL
Result95% forecast accuracy, and the monthly manual aggregation is gone.
Omnichannel customer support for e-commerce
- Challenge
- Enquiries arrived by email, phone, chat and social media, and it was hard to see what had been handled.
- What we did
- We brought enquiries into a single screen, turned emails and calls into tickets automatically, routed them by operator availability, and added an FAQ knowledge base and an AI chatbot for first-line answers.
- Technology
-
- Salesforce Service Cloud
- Einstein Bots
- Omni-Channel
- Lightning Web Components
ResultRolled out in five months, followed by a year of maintenance.
POS and cashless payment for ryokan and hotels
- Challenge
- Digitise "charge to room" (adding food and shop purchases to the room bill), to support separating lodging from meals and connecting with local businesses.
- What we did
- We built a POS and payment system on web and mobile that digitises charge-to-room, as a cashless service that can also connect with shops in the area.
- Technology
-
- Node.js
- Next.js (TypeScript)
- Flutter
- AWS
- MySQL
ResultLaunched after a 12-month build; we continue to maintain it.
Why Digi Dinos
150+ projects delivered
Since 2018 we have delivered more than 150 projects, from web systems and mobile apps to AI and blockchain.
Japanese staff on your project
Japanese staff take part directly in meetings and correspondence. Together with our Japanese-speaking bridge SEs and IT communicators (comtors), documents and day-to-day chat are handled in Japanese. We also have an office in Yokohama.
Offshore cost advantage
Our development team in Hanoi, Vietnam lets us keep quality high while costing less than building the same team in Japan.
ISO 27001 information security
We are certified to ISO/IEC 27001, the international standard for information security, so projects handling personal or confidential data follow defined rules.
Strong in AI and data
We have extensive experience building AI into real operations: generative AI (large language models), computer vision and demand forecasting.
From build to long-term support
Launch is not the end. The same team stays on for maintenance and improvement, and many clients have worked with us for years.
How we work
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Free consultation
We listen to your goals and give you an approach and a rough cost range.
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Requirements and quote
We agree the features and priorities, then fix the schedule and the cost.
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Design and prototype
Screen mock-ups and prototypes let you see the finished product early.
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Build
We show working software in short cycles and fold in your feedback.
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Test and sign-off
We test for quality, and you try it yourself and approve it before it goes live.
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Launch and support
After go-live we keep monitoring, improving and adding features.
Engagement models
Fixed-scope project
Scope, deadline and price are agreed before we start. Suited to projects with a clear budget and requirements.
Best forLaunching a new service or system
Dedicated team (LaaS)
A team dedicated to you for an agreed period. Flexible when requirements change, and ideal for ongoing development.
Best forLong-term development with continuous improvement
PoC / MVP
Build something small first and measure the effect. Ideal for trying out AI or validating a new business.
Best forProving the value before a full rollout
Frequently asked questions
- Can you integrate with our current EC site and core systems?
- Yes. We can design around your existing EC site, cart system and core systems. In one project we solved the problems of a site running on EC-CUBE by building a new unified platform.
- We want to use AI, but can we start with limited data?
- We recommend first checking the volume and quality of your data and running a small proof of concept (PoC) to see how well it can predict. You decide on a full rollout once you have seen the effect.
- Will the site cope with traffic spikes during sales?
- We use load-resilient designs such as cloud infrastructure that scales automatically and microservices split by function, and run load tests where needed.
- Where is blockchain actually useful?
- For tamper-resistant transaction histories, digital membership cards and points, and proof of product authenticity. We have built services with Ethereum and NFTs, and will tell you honestly whether you really need a blockchain.
- Can we work with you in Japanese?
- Yes. Japanese staff take part directly in meetings and correspondence, and together with our Japanese-speaking bridge SEs and communicators, documents and chat are all handled in Japanese. We also have an office in Yokohama for face-to-face meetings when needed.
- How much does it cost?
- It depends heavily on the features and the scale. Because we work with our team in Vietnam, costs are usually lower than building the same team in Japan. Start with a free consultation and we will propose a rough estimate and an approach.
Planning an e-commerce or retail system? Talk to us first.
Even if you are only wondering "could this be done?", talk to us. We will help you sort out the problem first. Consultations and quotes are free.