An app for building-materials stores: repeat orders from tradespeople and crews without phone calls.
A contractor orders from the same depot dozens of times a season and messages a manager on WhatsApp every time. An app gives them their own price, order history, one-tap repeat and truck status — and gives the store a channel for push notifications and a rewards program for tradespeople.
Not every building-materials store needs a mobile app. A private buyer renovates once every few years and will not install an app for one purchase — the website and Kaspi are enough. An app pays off where there are regular buyers: tradespeople, crews, contractors, small construction companies.
For them it is a work tool. Open it, find an item by name or SKU, see your price and stock at the nearest warehouse, repeat a past order, choose a delivery slot to the site. The manager sees the order in the CRM rather than in a chat and does not spend an hour re-pricing a list.
The second reason is loyalty. Points for tradespeople, personal offers, a push when the material they waited for arrives. In our experience and according to market data, this is one of the few working ways to keep a tradesperson whom neighboring depots try to win over on price. We build natively in Swift and Kotlin or with Flutter — chosen for the task and budget.
What a store app must have.
Search by name, SKU and barcode, filters, stock by warehouse — the same data as on the website and in 1C.
After login the client sees their price column and terms: discount, deferral, credit limit. Changes in 1C show up in the app right away.
Repeat any past order, saved lists for typical projects, upload a handwritten list as a photo for the manager.
Project addresses with a map pin, choice of delivery slot and vehicle, order status and driver contact.
Kaspi Pay and Kaspi Red installments for individuals, invoices for companies, reconciliation statements and payment history for trade clients.
Points for purchases, tiers, redemption for tools or discounts; rules are configured without releasing a new version.
Notifications on order status, restocks, seasonal offers; segments by purchase category and city.
Chat with an assigned manager or a jump to WhatsApp; all messages land in the CRM on the client card.
App screens.
- Login by phone number
- Home: offers, repeat last order, rewards
- Catalog and search with barcode scanner
- Product page with price and stock
- Cart and checkout with delivery
- My orders and statuses
- Projects and delivery addresses
- Documents: invoices, reconciliation statements
- Tradesperson rewards balance
- Profile and chat with manager
Honestly: who an app won't pay off for.
If you have one store, mostly retail and no regular base of tradespeople, an app will not pay off: nobody will download it. Invest instead in a catalog website, Kaspi Магазин and a CRM.
The middle option is a trade account on the website or a PWA: a web app that installs on the phone home screen without the App Store or Google Play. It costs from ₸1,200,000 and covers repeat orders and personal prices.
A native app makes sense for a chain of several stores or a depot with hundreds of regular buyers and a rewards program — when a push and a quick repeat order cost less than a manager's call.
How we build it and how long it takes.
- Analysis — 1–2 weeks: buyer roles, order scenarios, pricing and rewards rules, 1C exchange.
- Design — 2–3 weeks: prototype of key screens, tested with a few tradespeople.
- Development — 6–10 weeks: app, backend, integrations with 1C, Kaspi and CRM.
- Testing and release — 1–2 weeks: closed beta with regular clients, publishing to the App Store and Google Play.
- Growth — fixes based on real use, new promotions and features under support.
The first version is best released before the building season starts, so tradespeople get used to it during peak months.
What drives the cost of an app.
An iOS and Android app with catalog, personal prices, orders, delivery and Kaspi — from ₸2,500,000, from 8 weeks. A PWA without app stores — from ₸1,200,000. Support and development — from ₸60,000 per month.
Cost goes up with several warehouses and price columns, a tiered rewards program, a barcode scanner, truck tracking, and 1C exchange without a ready API. Base prices are on the mobile apps page.
The short version.
How much does an app for a building-materials store cost?
A native iOS and Android app — from ₸2,500,000, from 8 weeks. A PWA or a trade account on the website — from ₸1,200,000.
Who will use the app?
Mostly regular buyers: tradespeople, crews, contractors, procurement staff. Private customers with a one-off renovation usually buy through the website and Kaspi.
Will the app show our prices and stock from 1C?
Yes, the app uses the same export as the website: prices, price columns, stock by warehouse, debts and credit limits.
How do we get tradespeople into the app?
Through cashiers and managers, a QR code in the store and on waybills, a bonus for the first order and promotions available only in the app.
What do you build apps with?
Natively in Swift and Kotlin, or with Flutter when you need to reach both platforms faster and cheaper. The choice depends on features and budget; we discuss it at the start.
Same service for other industries
Have a base of regular tradespeople? Describe how they order today — we will assess an app.
Tell us how many regular trade clients, stores and warehouses you have, and which accounting system you use. We will tell you whether an app will pay off and send an estimate within 1–2 business days.