When we launched the first product of the choice platform (Introducing GiftChoice for Ultimate Gift Card Experience – A Product I am Proud to Lead) at the end of 2018, we did not know how the market would respond. As we launched the product at the last minute to catch the Christmas period, it was not easy to put the product in every Sainsbury and Argos shop due to the limited time in the distribution process. But things changed in 2019 as most of the shops had stocks, and sales started to grow.
It has been a very busy 2019 and 2020 for the choice technology team. After successfully launching GiftChoice, our first product in the Choice Platform, I led the engineering team to launch three more products in 2019 and one more product in 2020. StyleChoice, FitnesChoice and SocialChoice for the B2C market and GroceryChoice for the B2B market. All three B2C cards are now available in all major high-street shops, including Sainsbury’s, Argos, Currys, WHSmith, Wilko, PC World, Shell, and many other high-street shops. When I visit any of these retailers, it feels amazing to see the products that my team and I have developed on the shelf.
Choice has become one of the most popular gift card brands in the market, and we now supply millions of pounds worth of vouchers every month. StyleChoice offers vouchers for around 30 styling brands, including Adidas, Nike, and Reebok. SocialChoice provides brands from restaurant chains and entertainment spots, making it the perfect gift for social outings.
Due to the flexibility of the choice product, StyleChoice was also highlighted in the BBC article as a better choice when selecting gift cards.
New Challenges
But, bringing more Choice products and brands presented new challenges for us in terms of implementing them within the platform. However, my decision to set up the project as a SaaS model gave us the flexibility to make necessary changes based on product requirements. We kept the flexibility as much as possible when we launched the first product, GiftChoice. Since we did not have enough time to brainstorm the application structure exactly as we wanted, we kept many options open.
Here are some of the major technological challenges that we faced while launching new products and how we overcame them:
1. Integrating with Various High Street POS Systems
Different high-street POS systems work with different providers and technologies. This meant we had to adapt our integration process to comply with various technical requirements. To solve this, we built a modular API system that allowed seamless integration with multiple POS providers. We also collaborated closely with retailers to ensure smooth implementation.
2. Identifying Different Card Types for Central Verification
Since all cards go through a central verification process, identifying and categorizing each type was a challenge. To address this, we implemented a prefix process with the voucher code that allowed us to automatically recognize the card type. This allowed for quick and accurate validation without checking it with the database. We also set up a parent website where users can redeem any of the choice products.
3. Compliance with Different Brand Guidelines
Each brand we partnered with had its own terms and conditions, as well as a unique colour palette that our platform needed to comply with. To streamline this process, we developed a flexible UI framework that allowed us to customize the branding and terms for each retailer dynamically. This saved us time and ensured compliance with all brand requirements.
4. Managing Retailer Voucher Stock to Reduce Losses
Initially, we stocked retailer vouchers in advance, but this approach led to financial losses when less popular vouchers expired. To solve this, we developed a system that connects to the retailer API to get vouchers on demand where possible. I already have an artcile about this project that i published earlier this year. The microservice architecture of the project allows us to integrate with more retailers in future. So, instead of keeping a physical stock, we now integrate directly with retailer APIs to generate vouchers when needed. Unfortunately, not all retailers offer this service, but we managed to set it up for most of the popular brands, eliminating the issue of voucher expiry at a huge level.
5. Ensuring the Security of Stored Vouchers
Securing vouchers stored in our database was a critical challenge, as they represent real monetary value. We implemented end-to-end encryption and multi-factor authentication for all transactions. Additionally, we built an anomaly detection system to flag any suspicious activities, ensuring that our vouchers remain protected. I also published an article about this earlier this year.
6. Different Value Gift Cards
Another challenge we faced was the varying values of our gift cards. GiftChoice initially launched with a fixed £25 value, and the plan was to launch every new product with the same value. But SocialChoice came with £30 vouchers, and GroceryChoice had £10 vouchers. This meant our platform had to adapt to handle multiple values seamlessly. To address this, we redesigned our system to support dynamic pricing. This allowed us to process and manage vouchers of different values without disrupting the user experience. It was a significant technical adjustment, but it ensured that our platform could scale with the growing diversity of our products.
Choice Platform Roadmap
We plan to roll out the choice card to more high-street retailers, including ASDA, in September 2020, one of the biggest supermarkets in the UK. As for the product roadmap, this is how it looks.
One of my biggest satisfaction
The Choice Platform has been a huge success, but if you ask me what one of the best outcomes is for me personally, I would say it’s the moment when I see my 8-year-old daughter get excited every time she sees her “Daddy’s card” while shopping. That moment makes me feel proud.
I’m excited to see where the Choice Platform will take us next. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding, and I’m proud of what we’ve built together.
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