Overview
The brief, in full
Build a React Native app for The Deal — a Chalhoub Group flash-sale platform offering designer brands at up to 70% off. The experience had to feel as exclusive as the products: dark, editorial, urgent, and fast.
Platform
React Native CLI, iOS & Android, shared codebase
Core Tech Stack
Analytics & Monitoring
Brand / Client
The Deal · Chalhoub Group · UAE & GCC
Key Features
Year
2023
Development Process
How it was built
A deliberate, phased approach — from discovery through to production delivery.
01
Discovery & UX Strategy
Mapped the core emotional arc of a flash-sale shopper: awareness (push notification) → curiosity (browse the drop) → urgency (countdown timer on PDP) → conversion (streamlined checkout). Every screen was designed to support this arc. Benchmarked against off-price and flash-sale apps: Gilt, Vestiaire Collective, and Ounass.
02
Architecture & Setup
React Native CLI for full native module access — required for Adjust deep links, Firebase push notifications, and Datadog RUM. Redux Toolkit for global sale state (active drops, countdown timers, wishlist) with RTK Query for the SFCC product catalogue. Defined the push notification architecture: Firebase Cloud Messaging with Adjust attribution for per-campaign tracking.
03
Flash Sale Engine & Timers
Built a real-time flash sale engine: server-driven sale windows synced to device time, countdown timers that update live on PDP and collection screens, and sold-out states that update in near-real-time. Sale drops are surfaced via a dedicated feed with editorial cover images and brand callouts, designed to feel like a curated event rather than a clearance rack.
04
Push Notifications & Deep Links
Implemented a full push notification system via Firebase Cloud Messaging: sale-start alerts, countdown reminders, and personalised brand alerts based on wishlist. Every notification deep-links directly into the relevant sale or product screen — no dead ends. Adjust attribution tracks the full journey from notification open to purchase.
05
Dark UI, Fashion Photography & RTL
The design system is built for dark mode: near-black surfaces, high-contrast white typography, and full-bleed fashion imagery that pops against the dark background. Built RTL-first for Arabic using I18nManager and a custom useRTL() hook. Implemented progressive image loading for high-res editorial photography — blur-up placeholders, lazy loading, and WebP for fast delivery.
06
QA, Performance & Launch
QA across 20+ device and OS configurations. End-to-end push notification testing across iOS and Android cold-start, background, and foreground states. Deep link testing for all notification entry points. Performance profiling to ensure 60fps scrolling on image-heavy collection screens. Staged rollout monitored via Datadog and Firebase Crashlytics.
Every drop should feel like an event. The app makes sure it does.
Reflection
What I learned
What went well
The editorial dark UI immediately set The Deal apart from generic discount apps. Building the push notification and deep-link system properly from day one — with Adjust attribution on every notification — meant the team had full visibility into which campaigns drove conversions.
- Dark editorial aesthetic felt premium, not clearance
- Push notification deep-link routing worked seamlessly across cold-start and background states
- Real-time countdown timers drove measurable urgency on PDP
- Adjust attribution gave clear campaign-to-conversion visibility from launch
What I'd Do Differently
With more time, I'd build a personalisation layer — using browsing and wishlist signals to surface the right brands in the right drops for each user. I'd also experiment with a live-commerce feature: a short video of a stylist walking through a new drop, embedded directly in the sale feed.
- Personalised drop feed based on wishlist and browse history
- Live-commerce video embedded in sale feeds
- Gamified wishlist alerts — notify when a wishlisted item goes on sale
- Sale calendar so shoppers can plan around upcoming drops
