Custom Product Design Engine
We built a custom product personalization tool that integrates directly with Shopify's native checkout and fulfillment process.
Technologies used:
16 Dec 2025
USA
The Vision & Challenge
A direct-to-consumer retailer operated in the competitive phone case market. While successful, their products were commodities in a crowded space. The opportunity was to move from selling a standard product to offering a personalized one, allowing for premium pricing and greater brand loyalty.
The client's Shopify platform was effective for standard e-commerce but lacked the native capability for intricate, user-driven product design. This technical limitation was a business constraint, preventing them from offering the deep customization that would differentiate their brand and increase average order value.
Robust Devs was engaged to design and build a custom application that lives inside their existing Shopify store. We created an intuitive front-end design tool for customers and a reliable backend system to process the custom data, connecting a bespoke experience to a standard e-commerce platform.
Project challenges
- Shopify's API is built for standard products with fixed SKUs, not for complex, layered design data. A method was needed to pass user-generated designs through the native cart and checkout system.
- The design interface required a fluid, drag-and-drop experience that performed well on any device. It had to be intuitive for non-technical users while handling multiple image uploads and manipulations.
- The system needed to calculate pricing dynamically as users added premium assets. It also required a backend to manage design templates and process final orders into production-ready files for fulfillment.
Solutions
- We engineered an integration layer that packages the final design data from the React front-end. It sends this data to a Laravel backend, which then attaches a unique design identifier to the Shopify order's line item properties, preserving the custom data through the checkout process.
- The customization module was built as a single-page application using React. This provided a responsive and interactive canvas where users could manipulate text, images, and graphics in real-time without page reloads, ensuring a smooth design session.
- A Laravel backend was developed to serve two functions-a dynamic pricing engine that communicates with the front-end, and an asset management system for the client. Upon order completion, it processes all inputs into a single file ready for the production team.
Technologies used
We are concerned about the security and performance of our customers. That's why we always keep updating and use best technologies in our products
Front-end
ReactJS
JavaScript
HTML5
CSS3
Back-end
PHP
Laravel
DevOps
Linux
Digital Ocean
Database
MySQL
Interactive Design Canvas
The tool gives customers a simple interface to build their own product. They can upload photos, add and style text, and position graphics directly on a product template. This visual, hands-on control is what transforms a generic item into a personal one, giving the user a sense of ownership over the final design.
Shopify Order Integration
Once a design is complete, our system sends the customization data into the standard Shopify order workflow. The client’s fulfillment team sees a normal order come through, with the addition of a link to the print-ready design file. This connects the bespoke front-end experience to their existing backend operations.