Briefly about the Company and Product
Her-Age is a platform where vintage and pre-loved luxury meet a tech-driven trading experience. The Sell with Us app connects sellers with the marketplace: it accepts consignment applications, helps normalize product data, facilitates agreement on terms, and guides items to publication in the store.
The team's goal was to make this journey transparent, predictable, and scalable, without overwhelming either the seller or the operator. This is not an open marketplace, but a carefully curated environment for the consignment of vintage and luxury items. Her-Age invites individuals and collectors to submit applications for listing items that reflect their values — authenticity, character, and timeless style. Each submission undergoes a manual review and selection process: only truly exceptional pieces become available to a global audience of discerning buyers.
Context and Objective
The key goal was a careful system revitalization and evolution: not just to fix issues, but to build a foundation for future growth while preserving the established functional framework.
What We Did
Rethinking Integrations and Transition to the Modern Shopify API
-
Completely rewrote the integration layer using the latest quarterly Shopify API (priority on GraphQL).
-
Implemented robust exchange protocols: request idempotency, graceful retries, unified webhook handling.
-
Resolved "legacy" edge cases: consolidated disparate endpoints into a single contract and removed fragile dependencies.
Data Consistency and DynamoDB
-
Conducted a deep consistency check of all entities: applications, product drafts, media, pricing components, users.
-
Cleared out artifacts and "forgotten" relationships, introduced a versioned schema, and implemented controlled-rollout migrations.
Restoring Functionality and Eliminating Errors
-
Identified and fixed bottlenecks causing scenarios to fail or stall in intermediate states.
-
Added safeguards: queues, clear error messages for operators.
User Interface (Next.js)
-
Redesigned the application tracking section: statuses, timelines, action history, comments.
-
Expanded forms: tax fields, jurisdictions, valuation parameters, hints, and validation.
-
Introduced autofill for the operator admin panel — data pulls from profiles, related applications, and catalogs; taxes are added automatically based on conditions; some fields are auto-populated based on customer-defined patterns.
-
Accelerated interface responsiveness and improved user experience for both the Client and the operator.
Tax Logic for Europe and Price Recalculation
-
The embedded Shopify app received a unified VAT module: modes for "price with/without tax", accounting for buyer/seller country.
-
Implemented automatic recalculation of display and estimated prices when jurisdiction or taxpayer status changes.
-
Harmonized logic between Sell with Us and the storefront, ensuring numbers align everywhere: from the application form to the product page.
DevOps and Operations (AWS, abstract but to the point)
-
Conducted resource inventory, cleanup, and storage optimization (media, logs, temporary artifacts).
-
Reviewed subscriptions and configurations to reduce costs without compromising reliability.
-
Consolidated components onto a single server where rational: lower overhead, easier maintenance.
Principles That Formed the Foundation
-
Minimum surprises for the user: the application status in the UI equals the actual system state.
-
Clear boundaries between layers: integrations, business rules, presentation — each is responsible for its own domain.
-
Calculation determinism: the same input → the same result, regardless of where the calculation takes place.
-
Built-in observability: any complex operation leaves a trace that allows for its reconstruction.
-
Scalability without drama: growth in application volume and assortment should not break familiar workflows.
What the Business Gained
A stable "application → moderation → publication" chain without manual workarounds.
Transparent tax accounting and synchronized price recalculation — fewer disputes and returns.
A fast interface for sellers and operators — less time per application and predictable timelines.
Optimized infrastructure — lower total cost of ownership and a clear path to scaling.