buybuy BABY supplies parents-to-be with items such as strollers, car seats, baby furniture, baby gear, plus helping with friendly advice and style inspiration.
Platform migrations are always tough. Now imagine having to rebuild your entire tech stack, including a mobile app with millions of users, in just a few months.
That's exactly what buybuy BABY faced after being acquired by Dream On Me. Here's how they pulled it off.
A Complex Migration
It's always complicated to transition an already successful business to a new platform or tech stack.
But buybuy BABY wasn't just switching platforms. They were moving their entire operation, including their website and mobile app, to Shopify Plus on a tight deadline.
Their existing mobile app had millions of downloads. Their registry system was a core part of their business. Losing either during the transition wasn't an option.
The mobile app was the final piece of this puzzle. But with development resources focused on the Shopify migration, they needed a solution fast.
Why Traditional Solutions Wouldn't Work
They looked at the usual suspects – top app builders in the Shopify ecosystem and building a new native app. Both paths had deal-breaking problems.
Most app builders wanted to charge based on GMV. That was an immediate no from leadership.
But the bigger issue was that these platforms couldn't handle buybuy BABY's custom registry system. Building a native app would solve that, but they'd miss their launch deadline by months.
The MobiLoud Solution
MobiLoud offered a different approach. Instead of rebuilding everything, they could keep their existing functionality while moving to the new platform.
The key difference was flexibility. MobiLoud could handle both their Shopify Plus store and their separate registry platform in a single app. No compromises, no feature loss, and most importantly – no need to rebuild their registry system from scratch.
Making It Work Behind the Scenes
So how did MobiLoud help buybuy BABY provide a useful, native experience in their app?
Our implementation focused on what mattered most:
Registry Integration
Their registry runs on a completely different platform from their Shopify store, adding a layer of complexity when it came to integrating both platforms in one app.
MobiLoud let them keep this system while making it feel native to the app. Some custom CSS work ensured everything matched their new Shopify store design.
Barcode Scanner
Four months post-launch, they added a custom barcode scanner. Thanks to MobiLoud, they had no problems integrating this feature into their app.
Now buybuy BABY customers can quickly scan products in-store for their registry or cart, providing a great reason to download the app.
Push Notification Setup
For many eCommerce brands, push notifications are the reason do to an app.
We helped buybuy BABY implement a multi-layer notification system:
- Automated Shopify order updates
- Cart abandonment reminders
- Promotional campaigns
The numbers tell the story. Cart abandonment notifications alone recovered $10,000 from 30 orders in a 30-day period. That's a 20% recovery rate.
Real Performance in the Wild
The app maintains a 4.9-star rating on the App Store with 78,000 reviews. Their Android version has gathered over 4,100 reviews, and has more than 500,000 downloads.
They've also built a solid push notification subscriber base of 90,000 users.
The Support System
MobiLoud's support model made the rapid implementation possible. Slack channels and regular meetings kept everyone aligned across teams in the US and India.
A staging environment lets them test everything before going live. This proved invaluable when they recently launched a new website header – it integrated into the app without a hitch.
What's Next
buybuy BABY isn't standing still. They're working on a Klaviyo integration to level up their marketing automation.
This will help them make better use of those 90,000 push notification subscribers, by building more advanced workflows and generate more revenue on autopilot.
The MobiLoud Difference
Here's what made MobiLoud's approach work when others wouldn't:
Time to Market: Two weeks from decision to launch. Try that with custom development.
Platform Flexibility: While other solutions forced choices between Shopify and custom functionality, MobiLoud handled both. Their registry system stayed intact. Their Shopify store integrated seamlessly. Everything just worked.
Feature Development: Adding the barcode scanner? No App Store approval needed. New header design? Automatic integration. MobiLoud's approach means new features roll out faster.
Risk Management: Millions of existing users, a complex registry system, and a tight deadline. MobiLoud's platform handled it all without disrupting the business.
The platform proves you don't need months of development or platform restrictions to launch sophisticated mobile apps. Convert your existing functionality to native apps, add custom features when needed, and maintain everything without the usual overhead.
For buybuyBaby, this meant keeping their competitive edge during a crucial transition. They preserved their app presence, maintained their registry system, and gained new capabilities – all while focusing on their core Shopify Plus migration.
Ready to Launch Your App?
Whether you don't have an app yet, or you're looking to migrate your current app to a solution with lower overhead and better integration with your website, MobiLoud is the perfect option for you.
Get a free preview of your app now to see what's possible, and start the process of launching the perfect app for your business, with MobiLoud.
buybuy BABY supplies parents-to-be with items such as strollers, car seats, baby furniture, baby gear, plus helping with friendly advice and style inspiration.
