SOIF Native Mobile App BigCommerce B2B Trade Commerce

Type

Native Mobile App Development · BigCommerce API Integration · B2B Trade Commerce

Role

React Native · BigCommerce REST API v3 · Customer Groups API · iOS · Android Published Apple App Store · Google Play Store

Stack

React Native · BigCommerce REST API v3 · Customer Groups API · iOS · Android Published Apple App Store · Google Play Store

Status

App Dev Framework
REST API v3
OAuth 2.0
Webhooks
BigDesign
React
Node.js
PostgreSQL

01 The Problem

BigCommerce ships every merchant the same registration form. It collects a name, an email, and a password, and it creates an account on the spot no review, no qualification, no custom data.

That works for a standard retail store. It breaks immediately for merchants running wholesale programs, trade pricing, B2B onboarding, or members-only access. They need to know who is signing up before granting access. They need custom fields company name, trade pricing eligibility, purchase intent, tax ID. They need an approval step that sits between the application and the account.

Without a solution built for BigCommerce, merchants were stitching together generic form plugins with no real platform integration, creating customers manually inside the admin, and managing approvals through email threads. Submission data lived in spreadsheets. Nothing connected back to the customer record in BigCommerce. The process was slow, inconsistent, and entirely dependent on someone remembering to follow up.

02 The Solution

Codinative built a custom BigCommerce app that replaces the default registration flow with a controlled, branded, fully automated onboarding pipeline.

It installs natively into the merchant’s BigCommerce control panel through the App Development Framework, authenticated via OAuth 2.0. Customer creation on approval goes through the REST API v3. The active form injects into the storefront through the Scripts API. Every state change fires through Webhooks that trigger the correct branded email the moment a decision is made.

Merchants build forms visually without writing code. Every submission enters an approval queue. Approvals create a real customer in BigCommerce with all submitted data attached. Rejections and resubmission requests send the right branded email automatically. The entire pipeline lives in one dashboard inside the control panel. No spreadsheets. No manual emails. No developer needed after install.

Project Framework

Situation · Task · Action · Result

S Situation

SOIF had a functioning BigCommerce store but no mobile app. Their trade installer customers needed a fast, purpose-built way to browse products, check trade pricing, and place orders from job sites the desktop storefront on a mobile browser was not meeting that need.

T Task

Build and publish a native mobile app on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, fully synced with SOIF’s existing BigCommerce inventory and trade customer group pricing, giving installers a complete ordering tool they could use anywhere.

A Action

Built a full native app in React Native covering a branded splash screen, a category home with 500+ finishes across nine material categories pulled live from BigCommerce, product code and name search with live trade price badges and direct Add to Cart and Buy Now actions, product detail pages with stock status and specifications, a cart with live VAT calculation and BigCommerce coupon validation, and a complete in-app checkout with saved address and payment method selection all connected to BigCommerce via REST API v3.

R Result

SOIF became the first and only architectural film supplier in the UK with a dedicated native trade app published on both major stores. Trade installers browse the full catalogue, confirm pricing, and place orders from any job site. SOIF has a direct ordering channel their competitors do not have.

Core Features

01 Home Screen: 500+ Finishes Browsed by Category

The home screen is built around one priority getting a trade installer to the right finish as fast as possible. Nine material categories display as a visual grid of texture thumbnails pulled live from the BigCommerce category tree through the REST API v3 Categories endpoint. Wood, Concrete, Stone & Marble, Solid, Fabric, Metal, Leather, Premium Soft Touch, and 2025 Sample Book. A persistent search bar sits above the category grid with placeholder text “Search by code or name” so first-time users immediately understand the fastest route to any product. The bottom navigation Home, Favourite, Cart, Profile is accessible from every screen in the app. The cart icon carries a live badge with the current item count. Any category addition or restructure in the SOIF BigCommerce admin reflects in the app automatically with no app update required.

Search: Product Code and Name with Live Trade Price Badges

Trade installers know products by code. Searching “112” returns every matching finish Basic Solid SF 122, Basic Solid SF 1128, Painted Wood SF 1127, Painted Wood SF 1129 in a 2-column grid with texture thumbnail, product name, trade price, and a confirmed TRADE PRICE badge showing the Customer Groups API rate being applied to the authenticated session. Every search result card carries two direct actions Add to Cart and Buy Now without requiring the product detail page to open. For a repeat order on a known SKU, the path from search to cart is two taps. Search queries run against the BigCommerce REST API v3 Products endpoint with simultaneous name and SKU filtering. Pricing is resolved from the Customer Groups API against the logged-in customer record.

02

03 Product Detail: Trade Price, Stock Status, and Specifications

The product detail screen gives an installer everything needed before committing to an order. Full-width texture image with a thumbnail gallery for additional angles. Product name and SKU displayed together. An In Stock badge at the top of the image so stock status is visible before anything else. Trade price per metre shown prominently with a TRADE PRICE badge confirming the rate is the account-specific Customer Groups price not a public price. Description, specifications, and material details scroll below the pricing section. Two action buttons Add to Cart and Shop Now are pinned to the bottom of the screen throughout the scroll so the installer never loses access to the purchase action regardless of how far down the product description runs. A Live Chat button provides direct access to SOIF’s support team without leaving the app.

Cart: VAT Breakdown, Coupon Validation, Grand Total

The cart screen shows every line item with product name, size variant, per-unit price, a quantity stepper with minus and plus controls, the line total, and a remove button. The financial summary below the line items separates Subtotal and VAT as independent lines before showing the Grand Total so trade customers see their full VAT liability before confirming the order, which matters for UK B2B trade transactions. A coupon code input field sits between the VAT line and the Grand Total. The Apply button validates the code against the BigCommerce Promotions engine in real time and updates the Grand Total immediately if the code is valid. A single Check Out button advances to checkout. Cart state is managed through the BigCommerce REST API v3 Carts endpoint and persists across sessions installers can build an order across multiple visits without losing their cart.

04

05 Checkout: Saved Address, Payment Selection, In-App Completion

The checkout screen opens with the full cart summary every line item, quantity, per-unit price, and line total followed by the complete financial breakdown: Subtotal, Shipping, VAT, and Grand Total with the GBP figure confirmed. User information is pre-populated from the trade account name and email. Shipping address pulls from the saved addresses on the BigCommerce customer record and displays with a green Saved badge and a Change link for one-tap address switching. Payment method selection presents Credit Card/Debit with Mastercard and Visa options. A single Pay Now button submits the order entirely in-app through the BigCommerce REST API v3 Orders endpoint. No browser redirect. No external payment page. The order appears in the SOIF BigCommerce admin in real time. The installer stays in the app.

01 Feature 01

Visual Form Builder

The builder splits into a field palette and a real-time live preview. Drag a field in, the preview updates immediately. Thirteen field types across four groups.

Basic Inputs — Text · Email · Phone · Number
Selection Fields — Textarea · Select · Radio · Checkbox
Address Fields — Country · State/Province
Special Fields — Date · File · URL

A theme editor handles form colors, typography, and button styles — no CSS needed. First Name, Last Name, Email, and Password are locked because BigCommerce requires them to create a customer through the REST API v3. Desktop and Mobile viewport toggles let merchants verify the form renders correctly before it goes live.

Core Features

Architecture

Registered through the BigCommerce App Development Framework. OAuth 2.0 handles authentication through a standard handshake identical to every app in the BigCommerce App Marketplace. Customer creation uses the REST API v3 Customers endpoint. The active form injects into the storefront through the Scripts API. Submission and approval events fire through Webhooks that trigger email dispatch the moment a status changes. The dashboard runs on BigDesign tokens for native control panel styling with custom React components for the form builder and preview.

Layer	Technology
App Framework	App Framework
Authentication	OAuth 2.0
Customer Creation	BigCommerce REST API v3
Storefront Injection	Scripts API
Event Layer	Webhooks
Admin UI	BigDesign + React
Backend	Node.js
Database	PostgreSQL
Email	Transactional Email API

What Was Shipped

Deliverables

Native iOS and Android app built in React Native and published on both stores

Branded splash screen aligned with SOIF brand identity

Category home 9 material finish categories synced live from BigCommerce

Product code and name search with trade price badges and direct Add to Cart and Buy Now

Product detail trade price, stock status, specifications, image gallery, pinned action buttons

Cart with live VAT calculation, quantity steppers, coupon validation, persistent session

In-app checkout saved address, payment method selection, order submission via REST API v3

Trade account login with Customer Groups API integration for exclusive pricing visibility

Full real-time order sync every in-app order appears in the SOIF BigCommerce admin immediately

Apple App Store and Google Play Store submission including metadata, screenshots, and compliance

BigCommerce app with OAuth 2.0 install flow and native control panel integration

No-code visual form builder — 13 field types, live preview, theme editor

Multi-form library with independent configurations and one-click exclusive activation

Approval workflow engine — Pending · Approved · Rejected · Resubmission

Filterable, searchable request management queue

Applicant detail view with full submission data and instant action buttons

Five branded transactional email templates — merge variables, Custom HTML, live preview

Analytics dashboard with real-time approval rate and recent submissions

Native BigDesign UI throughout — matches BigCommerce admin exactly

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a native BigCommerce mobile app and how is it different from a mobile website?

A native mobile app is built specifically for iOS and Android, published through the App Store and Google Play Store, and installed on the customer's device. It loads faster than a mobile browser, persists the customer's login and saved addresses between sessions, and can be built around the specific workflows of trade users SKU search, quick reorder, in-app checkout without browser redirects. A mobile browser experience cannot match the session persistence, speed, or workflow optimization a native app provides for a B2B trade audience.

How does the app stay in sync with the BigCommerce store?

The app connects directly to the BigCommerce REST API v3 for all product, category, pricing, cart, and order data. When SOIF adds a product, updates a price, or changes stock status in the BigCommerce admin, the app reflects it immediately on the next data fetch. There is no separate product database to maintain. The BigCommerce store is the single source of truth for everything the app displays.

How does trade pricing work in the app?

Trade pricing is handled through the BigCommerce Customer Groups API. When a trade account holder logs in, the app authenticates against their BigCommerce customer record and retrieves the pricing tier assigned to their customer group. Every product page, search result, and cart line item then displays the trade price for that account. A TRADE PRICE badge confirms the account rate is being applied. Non-authenticated users see public pricing.

Does the app handle UK VAT correctly for trade customers?

Yes. The cart separates Subtotal and VAT as independent line items calculated against the BigCommerce tax configuration for the SOIF store. Grand Total includes VAT. This matters for UK B2B trade transactions where customers need visibility of their VAT liability before confirming an order particularly for VAT-registered trade businesses reclaiming input tax.

Can this type of native BigCommerce mobile app be built for other stores?

Yes. The architecture React Native frontend connected to BigCommerce REST API v3, Customer Groups API for trade pricing, and REST API v3 Carts and Orders endpoints for purchasing applies to any BigCommerce store. Codinative builds custom-branded native mobile apps for BigCommerce merchants across industries. SOIF is one implementation. The same foundation works for any B2B or B2C BigCommerce store that needs a native mobile ordering experience.

What does the App Store and Google Play publishing process involve?

Both stores require developer account registration, app binary submission, metadata including screenshots and descriptions, privacy policy compliance, and a review period. Apple's review typically takes one to three business days. Google Play reviews are generally faster. Codinative manages the full submission process including store listing copy, screenshots, and compliance documentation.

How long does it take to build a native BigCommerce mobile app of this scope?

A full native iOS and Android app with BigCommerce API integration, trade pricing, category browsing, SKU search, VAT cart, and in-app checkout takes Codinative ten to sixteen weeks from discovery to App Store and Google Play submission. That timeline covers BigCommerce API integration, React Native development, UI/UX design, QA across device types and OS versions, and both store submission processes.

Can the app support multiple customer groups with different pricing tiers?

Yes. The BigCommerce Customer Groups API supports multiple groups with independent price lists. The app reads the authenticated customer's group assignment at login and applies the correct pricing tier across every screen product pages, search results, cart, and checkout all reflect the correct group price for that account automatically.

What is a custom signup form app for BigCommerce?

It replaces the native BigCommerce customer registration with a configurable form that routes every submission into a merchant-controlled approval workflow. The merchant collects whatever data the business needs, reviews applications from a centralized dashboard, and approves or rejects them before a customer account is created in BigCommerce through the REST API v3. It installs directly into the control panel through the App Development Framework no third-party dashboard, no separate login.

Why does this need to be a BigCommerce app and not a script or plugin?

A script tag renders a form in the storefront but cannot create customers, listen to Webhooks, or build an admin UI inside the BigCommerce control panel. The App Development Framework provides OAuth 2.0 authentication and authorized REST API v3 access both required for an approval workflow that produces real customer records with full attribute data in BigCommerce. Any solution not built on the App Development Framework has no reliable path to the customer API.

What OAuth scopes does the app request?

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Does this app support B2B and wholesale onboarding on BigCommerce?

Three at install. store_v2_customers to create approved customers through the REST API v3. store_themes_manage to inject the active form into the storefront via the Scripts API. store_v2_information_read_only for store context currency, locale, platform name. No payment, order, catalog, or financial data scopes are requested.

Can merchants switch between different signup forms for different campaigns?

Yes. The approval workflow, custom fields for business qualification trade pricing eligibility, company type, purchase intent, order volume and the applicant detail view with instant actions make this a direct fit for wholesale gating, trade pricing programs, B2B Edition onboarding, and any merchant who needs to qualify buyers before granting account access.

What happens the moment a merchant approves an applicant?

Yes. Every saved form keeps its own field configuration and theme independently. Merchants build once, deactivate after the campaign, reactivate next time with one toggle. Nothing is rebuilt. Wholesale forms, seasonal forms, and standard forms all live in the same library and switch in a single click.

Can this be built as a private app for one store instead of a marketplace app?

Yes. Codinative builds both App Marketplace apps and private single-client apps. A private app installs into one store only, carries the merchant's branding throughout, and bypasses the marketplace review timeline. It is the right choice when the app handles logic specific to one merchant's operation.

How long does it take to build a BigCommerce app like this?

Six to ten weeks from discovery to App Marketplace submission. That covers OAuth setup, REST API v3 integration, dashboard UI, cross-device QA, and the BigCommerce security review. Private apps without the marketplace review run slightly faster.