How to Build a Smart Gift Shop with Automated Occasion Reminders

Simple Summary

Build an innovative online gift shop with integrated occasion reminders to help users never miss important gift-giving moments.

Product Requirements Document (PRD)

Goals:

• Develop a user-friendly ecommerce platform for gift shopping
• Implement an intelligent occasion reminder system
• Create a seamless shopping experience from browsing to checkout
• Ensure scalability and security of the application

Target Audience:

• Gift givers of all ages
• People who want to stay organized and thoughtful about special occasions

Key Features:

1. User registration and profile management
2. Product catalog with advanced search and filtering
3. Occasion reminder system with customizable alerts
4. Shopping cart and secure checkout process
5. Order tracking and history
6. Product reviews and ratings
7. Personalized gift recommendations based on occasions and preferences

User Requirements:

• Intuitive navigation and responsive design
• Secure user authentication and data protection
• Easy-to-use occasion reminder setup and management
• Smooth checkout process with multiple payment options
• Clear order status updates and tracking information

User Flows

1. Occasion Reminder Setup:

   • User registers/logs in
   • Navigates to "My Occasions" section
   • Adds new occasion (e.g., Mom's birthday)
   • Sets reminder preferences (frequency, notification method)
   • Saves occasion

2. Gift Purchase Flow:

   • User receives occasion reminder notification
   • Clicks through to app/website
   • Browses recommended gifts or searches catalog
   • Adds item to cart
   • Proceeds to checkout
   • Enters shipping details and payment information
   • Confirms order

3. Review Submission:

   • User logs in
   • Navigates to order history
   • Selects product to review
   • Rates product and writes review
   • Submits review for moderation

Technical Specifications

• Frontend: Next.js for server-side rendering and optimal performance
• Backend: Node.js with Express for API development
• Database: PostgreSQL for relational data storage
• Authentication: JWT for secure user authentication
• Payment Processing: Stripe API for handling transactions
• Image Storage: AWS S3 for scalable image hosting
• Notification Service: SendGrid for email notifications, Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications
• Hosting: Vercel for frontend, Heroku for backend
• Version Control: Git with GitHub for collaboration
• Testing: Jest for unit and integration testing, Cypress for end-to-end testing

API Endpoints

• POST /api/auth/register
• POST /api/auth/login
• GET /api/products
• GET /api/products/:id
• POST /api/cart/add
• GET /api/cart
• POST /api/orders/create
• GET /api/orders/:id
• POST /api/reviews/submit
• GET /api/occasions
• POST /api/occasions/create
• PUT /api/occasions/:id
• DELETE /api/occasions/:id

Database Schema

Users:

• id (PK)
• email
• password_hash
• name
• created_at

Products:

• id (PK)
• name
• description
• price
• image_url
• category
• stock_quantity

Orders:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• total_amount
• status
• created_at

OrderItems:

• id (PK)
• order_id (FK)
• product_id (FK)
• quantity
• price

Cart:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• product_id (FK)
• quantity

Reviews:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• product_id (FK)
• rating
• comment
• created_at

Occasions:

• id (PK)
• user_id (FK)
• title
• date
• reminder_frequency
• created_at

File Structure

Implementation Plan

1. Project Setup (1-2 days)

   • Initialize Next.js project
   • Set up version control with Git
   • Configure ESLint and Prettier

2. Backend Development (1-2 weeks)

   • Set up Node.js/Express server
   • Implement database schema and connections
   • Develop API endpoints for core functionality

3. Frontend Development (2-3 weeks)

   • Create reusable UI components
   • Implement pages for main user flows
   • Integrate with backend APIs

4. Authentication and User Management (3-5 days)

   • Implement user registration and login
   • Set up JWT authentication
   • Create protected routes

5. Occasion Reminder System (1 week)

   • Develop occasion management interface
   • Implement reminder logic and scheduling
   • Set up notification service integration

6. Shopping Cart and Checkout (1 week)

   • Build shopping cart functionality
   • Integrate Stripe for payment processing
   • Implement order creation and management

7. Product Reviews and Ratings (3-5 days)

   • Create review submission interface
   • Implement rating system
   • Develop moderation queue for reviews

8. Testing and Quality Assurance (1-2 weeks)

   • Write and run unit tests
   • Perform integration testing
   • Conduct end-to-end testing with Cypress

9. Deployment and Launch Preparation (3-5 days)

   • Set up production environments
   • Configure CI/CD pipeline
   • Perform final testing and bug fixes

10. Post-launch Monitoring and Iteration (Ongoing)

    • Monitor application performance and user feedback
    • Implement improvements and new features
    • Conduct regular security audits

Deployment Strategy

1. Set up separate environments for development, staging, and production
2. Use Vercel for frontend deployment, leveraging automatic deployments from Git
3. Deploy backend to Heroku, utilizing their PostgreSQL add-on for the database
4. Implement a CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions for automated testing and deployment
5. Use environment variables for sensitive configuration (API keys, database credentials)
6. Set up monitoring with tools like Sentry for error tracking and New Relic for performance monitoring
7. Implement automated backups for the database
8. Use a CDN (e.g., Cloudflare) to improve global content delivery and provide additional security

Design Rationale

• Next.js was chosen for its server-side rendering capabilities, which improve initial load times and SEO performance crucial for an ecommerce platform.
• PostgreSQL offers robust relational data management, essential for handling complex relationships between users, products, orders, and occasions.
• The occasion reminder system is a unique selling point, differentiating this gift shop from competitors and providing added value to users.
• Stripe integration ensures secure and reliable payment processing, a critical feature for any ecommerce application.
• The modular file structure and component-based architecture promote code reusability and easier maintenance as the application scales.
• Implementing a comprehensive testing strategy across unit, integration, and end-to-end tests ensures a high-quality, reliable user experience.
• The deployment strategy focuses on scalability and performance, utilizing cloud services that can easily accommodate growth in traffic and data.