When I set out to build Ziffy, a multi-vendor shopping application using Flutter, I knew I was tackling one of the most complex challenges in mobile app development Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app.
A marketplace of this scale demands real-time communication, secure payments, dynamic vendor management, and high performance — all wrapped in a clean, intuitive design Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app.
In this technical deep dive, I’ll share how I built Ziffy from scratch, the tools and packages I used, the architectural decisions I made, and the lessons I learned building a scalable, production-ready Flutter app Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app.
Why I Built Ziffy
Most e-commerce platforms are centralized, meaning vendors depend on a single platform to sell.
With Ziffy, my goal was different — I wanted a multi-vendor marketplace where multiple vendors could co-exist independently yet deliver a unified customer experience Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app.
This required careful thought around:
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Multi-tenancy and vendor-specific APIs
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Secure payment processing
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Scalable state management
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Seamless UX across iOS and Android
- Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app
Architecture & Core Technologies
Ziffy’s foundation lies in Flutter’s ability to handle both front-end UI and business logic efficiently.
The app uses WooCommerce as the backend, Dio for networking, Stripe for payments, and Firebase for authentication Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app.
State Management with Provider
Managing global state across vendors, carts, and users was a top priority.
I used Provider (v6.1.5) for:
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Authentication and session management
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Shopping cart data
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Product filters and sorting
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Vendor-specific streams
- Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app
Why Provider?
Flutter multi-vendor eCommerce app
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Simple yet scalable
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Rebuilds only what’s necessary
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Great performance for large UI trees
Learn more about Provider state management
Navigation: GoRouter
Instead of traditional navigation, I implemented GoRouter (v16.0.0) for:
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Deep linking
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Web compatibility
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Nested navigation flows
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Route guarding for authentication
Check out GoRouter documentation
UI & User Experience
Convex Bottom Bar
To stand out, I used ConvexBottomBar (v3.2.0) for premium-style navigation with five tabs:
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Home
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Search
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Offers
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Orders
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Profile
Image Handling: Performance Meets Beauty
Two critical packages power Ziffy’s visuals:
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Carousel Slider (v5.1.1) – smooth product image sliders
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Cached Network Image (v3.4.1) – instant loading via caching
Learn about image caching and lazy loading in Flutter
API Integration: Dio & WooCommerce
Ziffy communicates with a WooCommerce backend via Dio (v5.8.0+1).
Dio features used:
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Interceptors for auth and logs
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Retry logic on timeouts
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Multipart image uploads
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Cookie management
WooCommerce Multi-Vendor Marketplace
Dio Flutter HTTP Client Tutorial
Secure Data Handling
Security was non-negotiable.
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Firebase Core (v4.1.1) – Authentication & analytics
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Flutter Secure Storage (v9.2.4) – Encrypted token storage
Guide to Flutter Secure Storage
Payment Processing: Stripe Integration
Ziffy integrates Stripe using flutter_stripe (v11.5.0) for:
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Secure card tokenization
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Multiple payment options
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Real-time order updates
User Engagement: Push Notifications
OneSignal (v5.3.4) drives engagement with:
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Order updates
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Vendor messages
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Seasonal promotions
Media & Permissions
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Image Picker (v1.2.0) – for product uploads
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Permission Handler (v11.0.1) – for runtime permissions
Using Camera and Image Picker in Flutter
Handling Permissions in Flutter
Performance Optimization
After optimization, Ziffy achieved:
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2s startup time
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<1s API response
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60 FPS UI rendering
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180MB stable memory usage
Techniques:
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Disk + memory caching
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Lazy loading
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Request compression
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Code splitting
Key Lessons Learned
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Choose scalable state management early.
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Security must come first.
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Optimize for UX — users notice lag.
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Use existing ecosystems (like WooCommerce) to move faster.
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Multi-vendor logic is complex — plan your data relationships carefully.
Tech Stack Summary
| Category | Technology | Version |
|---|---|---|
| State Management | Provider | v6.1.5 |
| Navigation | GoRouter | v16.0.0 |
| UI Navigation | ConvexBottomBar | v3.2.0 |
| HTTP Client | Dio | v5.8.0+1 |
| Backend | WooCommerce | v1.3.0 |
| Payments | Stripe | v11.5.0 |
| Auth | Firebase | v4.1.1 |
| Notifications | OneSignal | v5.3.4 |
| Secure Storage | Flutter Secure Storage | v9.2.4 |
| Image Picker | Image Picker | v1.2.0 |
| Caching | DioCacheInterceptor | v4.0.3 |
Conclusion
Building Ziffy taught me that Flutter isn’t just for simple apps — it’s a robust platform capable of powering complex, scalable, and secure production applications.
With the right package selection, architecture, and performance mindset, you can create a multi-vendor marketplace that competes with the best.
Happy Coding!
Here is all the images
