In 2016, we embarked on building Automatic Discounts & Upsells, a Shopify app designed to handle complex promotional strategies for e-commerce stores. The journey from concept to acquisition was both challenging and rewarding.
Technical Architecture
The app was built using a microservices architecture with:
- NodeJS for the backend services
- MongoDB for flexible data storage
- Redis for caching and real-time operations
- AWS for cloud infrastructure
Key Challenges & Solutions
Scalability
Handling millions of requests per second required careful architectural decisions:
- Implemented microservices to distribute load
- Used Redis for caching frequently accessed data
- Optimized AWS infrastructure for cost efficiency
User Experience
We focused on making complex promotional features accessible to non-technical users:
- Simplified UI for easy configuration
- Real-time preview of discount effects
- Automated testing of promotion rules
Business Impact
The app was successfully acquired in a seven-figure deal, validating our technical and business approach. The acquisition process was featured on They Got Acquired and discussed on the Startup Acquisition Stories Podcast.
Lessons Learned
- Performance is crucial: Even small latency improvements can significantly impact user satisfaction
- User feedback is gold: Regular testing with real users helped shape the product
- Infrastructure costs matter: Careful optimization of AWS resources saved significant operational costs
The Book
The journey of building and selling Automatic Discounts & Upsells was documented in the book "Fin heureuse: Comment vendre son entreprise" (Happy Ending: How to Sell Your Business). The book provides insights into the acquisition process, sharing valuable lessons about preparing a business for sale, negotiating deals, and ensuring a successful transition.