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Empik Foto

Creating memories for 5 stars

The main goal set for the new application was to build a process where uploading photos and placing an order would not take more than 3 minutes.

In a Nutshell

Empik Foto in numbers

144 million
prints made in 2021
close to 500,000
active users
1 million
app downloads
5.0
rating on Google Play
over 50,000 ratings (April 2022)
4.9
rating on App Store
over 20,000 ratings (April 2022)
Industry
E-commerce
Project Scope
  • Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Maintenance
Download the Application
iOS App
Android App
Huawei App Gallery

Client

Empik Foto Sp. z o.o. is a modern photographic laboratory that allows you to conveniently order prints, gadgets, and decorative elements from digital photos through its service empikfoto.pl. It belongs to the Empik Group – a company with a 75-year tradition, one of the most recognizable omnichannel retailers in Poland.

Challenge

In 2017, Empik Foto decided to replace their existing mobile application, which had been developed over several years, with a more modern version. It was supposed to provide better support for the dynamically expanding product offering and simplify the purchasing process. The main goal set for the new application was to build a process where uploading photos and placing an order would not take more than 3 minutes.

Solution

After an initial analysis of the requirements and source code of the existing solution, we proposed the preparation of new applications for Android and iOS systems, which would be freed from previous design decisions and allow for the creation of a new architecture planned for the next years of product development.

Based on the client's API system documentation and the screens of the new version designed by them, we prepared pre-project functional documentation describing in detail the mechanics of the application's operation and how it would be powered with content from the servers.

The project's realization was divided into several stages, each encompassing a closed functional block.

Empik Foto staff are experienced, professional, and reliable. In all commissioned works, the company has been professional, solid, and timely.

Thanks to the cooperation with Norbsoft, we have access to professionals taking care of the proper quality of our product and business. The ongoing cooperation allows us to confidently recommend Norbsoft as a reliable business partner and expert in the field of mobile application production.

Przemysław Bednarek
Product Owner, Empik Foto

Onboarding

The user is greeted by an inspiring slideshow immediately after installing the application on the device, introducing them to the basic functions of the product.

An important element was the appropriate preparation of graphic materials, taking into account protective areas so that the content is presented well on devices with different screen proportions. Where possible, we applied separate layers with vector texts.

Wide Product Offer

The category tree, a classic component of every e-commerce application, was implemented using tabs for the top level and a grid for nested categories.

Each product category in this mobile application allows for additional parameterization from the product card level. For example, for prints, it is the type of paper; for paintings and posters, it is the size; for calendars, it is the starting month (users can order a calendar for a given year even during its course); for T-shirts, it is the color and size; for cases, it is the brand and model of the device.

Numerous Photo Sources

An interesting feature of the Empik Foto mobile application is enabling the user to create a personalized product with photos, regardless of where they are stored.

The photo source can be:

  • the internal memory of the device on which the application is running
  • the user's Facebook account
  • Google Photos service
  • the user's gallery in the Empikfoto.pl service

When choosing photos for a specific product, the application also verifies their quality based on the minimum resolution and informs the user if the requirements are not met, warning of low-quality results.

Product Personalization

Before adding a product to the cart, the user has the opportunity for personalization. After selecting one or more photos, depending on the type of product, they see a preview and can decide on the order or layout of the photographs.

Photos can be cropped and rotated using the built-in editor.

For a product like a mug, the preview is in the form of a 3D model visualization, which can be rotated 360°. In the case of calendars, we decide which photo will be placed with which month and from which month to start creating it.

Photo Gifts

The collage editor for photo gifts is a bit more complex. It allows you to select of one of the predefined layouts and then drag and drop photos into chosen places.

Photo Books

The editor for photo books allows you to create collages on each page separately.

Photo Upload in Minutes

A single order can include even hundreds of photos, which must be uploaded to the server along with its submission. This process, often taking minutes, required the creation of a dedicated screen presenting the current status of the operation in an attractive way for the user, using the uploaded material.

Enhanced Basket

As befits an e-commerce application, the user can accumulate products they plan to purchase in the basket. In addition to presenting and managing the contents of the basket, functions such as discount codes or cross-selling are available by proposing another product from the offering, thematically related to the ordered one.

Placing an Order

The final step in placing an order is choosing the delivery method and form of payment.

Empik Foto offers delivery to over 20,000 different collection points which had to be visualized on a map. We utilized a clustering mechanism, which involves grouping elements that appear close to each other when the map view is zoomed out more.

For the purpose of making payments, mobile software development kits (SDKs) from payment intermediaries PayU and DotPay, whose services are used by Empik Foto, were utilized.

Push Notifications

The application uses notifications implemented with Firebase Cloud Messaging. In addition to standard marketing messages providing information about promotions, reminders about abandoned shopping baskets are also generated.

Highest Application Ratings

Empik Foto applications enjoy very high ratings in Apple and Google stores. One of the elements that allowed the achievement of such a result is a properly constructed process of collecting feedback from users.

If a user is dissatisfied with the application for some reason, we ask them to provide additional information by email. Otherwise, we suggest leaving a rating in the store where they downloaded the application.

Huawei App Gallery

Thanks to close cooperation with Huawei Poland, we were able to prepare the Empik Foto application version that operates on devices of this company devoid of Google services and publish it in the App Gallery.

Empik Foto uses Google services to implement several functions of the application. We replaced them with Huawei equivalents.

  • Map Kit – Google Maps, used to present order pickup points, has been replaced by Huawei Petal Maps
  • Drive Kit – users can personalize the ordered product with photos from Google Photos; in the version for Huawei devices, this service has been replaced by integration with Huawei Drive
  • Account Kit – in place of a Google account login, users can log in to the application using a Huawei account
  • Location Kit – Google services have also been replaced for the so-called Fused Location - intelligent and optimal determination of the user's location using GLNS, WiFi, and cellular network, used by Empik Foto to suggest an order pickup point

The application version for Huawei devices enjoys huge popularity (over 216,000 downloads) and is highly rated (4.9).

AWARD - Empik Foto
Mobile Trends Awards 2017

The application was recognized at the Mobile Trends Awards

In 2018, Empik Foto received an award in the "mobile application" category at the Mobile Trends Awards, the most recognizable event in the mobile solutions industry in Poland.

Empik Foto x Norbsoft
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