HypeClub
Project highlights
About the client
About the client
HypeClub NY is a New York-based retailer specializing in rare sneakers and streetwear. Their collection features top brands like Nike, Jordan, and Supreme, catering to the needs of urban fashion enthusiasts.
The streetwear culture is thriving in the USA. Companies like GOAT and StockX have successfully launched online marketplaces focused on hard-to-get sneakers and luxury apparel. Inspired by these market leaders, Zachary Brown-Kullman, HypeClub’s founder and avid sneakerhead, came up with an idea to build the first 0% seller fee bid-and-ask marketplace for people to buy and sell authentic products.
Zachary Brown-Kullman came to Flyaps to create this platform.
CLIENT REQUEST
Zachary Brown-Kullman partnered with Flyaps to build a bid-and-ask iOS marketplace for rare sneakers, poised to compete with industry giants like GOAT and StockX.
When the client came to us, they had a raw prototype that they wanted to turn into a fully functional marketplace. The prototype allowed sellers to upload product images, but these images were often of poor quality and varied in style and format. This compromised the marketplace's visual appeal, undermining its credibility and user trust.
Payments were initially handled by Stripe. However, Stripe's policy changes made this integration unsuitable. Our client had to switch to a different gateway for easy and compliant payment functionality.
Finally, the prototype didn’t allow customers to compare prices on sneakers and streetwear across similar platforms. Since one of HypeClub's key advantages is offering the best deals, we needed a way to demonstrate the potential savings customers could achieve by buying sneakers on HypeClub.
problem
To build a marketplace that could compete with market leaders, we had to solve several challenges:
Since HypeClub is a marketplace where each seller uploads their own product descriptions and images, this can create a lot of problems. The inconsistent descriptions and images can confuse buyers and make the site look unprofessional. Misleading or inaccurate information can lead to unhappy customers and increased returns, while non-standardized data complicates product search and damages the site's branding. Handling all this manually is both challenging and costly.
AI can solve these issues. It can create high-quality product listings that are automatically tailored to HypeClub's store, improving the user experience. At Flyaps, we're specialized in building AI-powered custom solutions, so implementing this functionality was a straightforward task for us.
approach
To achieve high-quality visuals and accurate product descriptions, we developed AI algorithms that improve product images and generate detailed descriptions automatically.
solution
For sneakerheads, sports shoes are more than just footwear. It’s a way to express their personal style. Understanding that most HypeClub users use their iPhones for shopping, the client decided to build a user-friendly iOS app that would connect people with rare sneakers offered by resellers.
We built the initial version of HypeClub for iOS in just six months. The app included a bid-and-ask system, allowing users to negotiate prices with sellers in real-time. We also integrated AI to tweak images and generate clear and informative product descriptions.
To align with the expectations of the target audience, we also helped our client design a sleek logo and picked black and red colors for the user interface.
Here are the core components of the HypeClub marketplace:
Product description Sellers, or Askers, can list their sneakers and clothes for sale, using product descriptions automatically generated by our custom AI model. They also set an “ask price,” which is the minimum price they are willing to accept. The platform matches buyers and sellers when a buyer’s bid meets or exceeds a seller’s asking price.
Checkout Buyers, or Bidders, can browse the available listings and place bids on sneakers, setting a “bid price,” which is the maximum price they are willing to pay. The payment is processed via the PayPal gateway.
Pricing information Users can see prices from similar marketplaces and compare them with those on HypeClub, increasing the probability of conversion.
When sellers want to list their products on the marketplace, they need pictures, sizes, and product characteristics for reference. To provide sellers with the right tools for listing their shoes and clothes, we built a database featuring pictures and descriptions of sneakers and streetwear.
Because product photos might come with unsuitable backgrounds (for example, a black background that clashes with the app’s interface in the dark mode), we developed an AI model that enhances product images, ensuring items are presented in the best possible way.
In the beginning, HypeClub used Stripe for payment processing. However, changes in Stripe’s Terms of Service slowed down the payout duration by up to 14 days, which was a major obstacle for sellers using the marketplace.
To offer instant payouts, we decided to switch to PayPal. Our team integrated PayPal via an API, providing users with a smooth and reliable payment experience.
To provide users with an overview of prices across similar platforms, we developed a data flow system that aggregates pricing information from around ten competitors. This system constantly monitors and updates real-time data, ensuring users always have access to the most current and relevant pricing information.
Result
We launched the fully functional bid-and-ask marketplace on iOS in just 6 months. A few years later, Zachary expanded it to the web and opened a physical store at 710 Broadway, in the heart of NoHo.
In 2021, HypeClub moved offline, opening a 2,900-square-foot store in NoHo, NYC.
HypeClub is now among the top 200 shopping apps on the App Store and has 1K+ positive reviews.
HypeClub has over 24K happy customers and an active community of sneakerheads.
FINALLY Hey, so I am your sort of typical hype buyer that loves to buy what is hyped to wear but does not like buying new items (dead stock) since the value of the item depreciates...
VERY UNDERSTANDING AND LEGIT Hypeclubapp is great i thought they where gonna scam me at first but then when I contacted them it said there phones was busy so i left a voicemail and they texted...
Jack C This app is going to be huge, it is goat and stock X combined and will most likely surpass both. There is an optional middle man for those who like stock X. And alike to goa...
AWESOME HypeClub is one of the best selling and buying app for shoes, clothes, etc... HypeClub has a cheaper price than most app and has bids or deals that you can do. HypeClub...
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