PricePoint
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The Inspiration
I built PricePoint after a late-night call with my brother, who runs a chicken shop in Argentina. With inflation spiking over 210% in 2023, he was having a hard time keeping track of rapidly changing prices. This sparked an idea: a mobile app that would let him update product prices with a few taps and keep them all in one place.
Technical Implementation
Under the hood, PricePoint is a React application wrapped in Ionic and Capacitor for native-like performance and feel. After a few evenings of coding, I created an app that helps my brother navigate to any product, update its price, and save it with minimal effort.
I added a visual price freshness system using colour coded badges: green for prices updated within seven days, yellow for 8-14 days, orange for 15-21 days, and red for anything older.
// Returns a badge color based on how many days have passed since last price update
const calculatePriceStatusColorClass = ({ product_updateDate }) => {
const diffDays = Math.floor(
(Date.now() - new Date(product_updateDate)) / (1000 * 3600 * 24)
);
if (diffDays <= 7) return "green-badge";
if (diffDays <= 14) return "yellow-badge";
if (diffDays <= 21) return "orange-badge";
return "red-badge";
};Customer Credit Tracking
In his small town where everyone knows everyone, it's common for customers to put purchases on their tab, especially during economic uncertainty. I implemented a customer profile feature allowing my brother to track who owes money and record partial payments, replacing his error-prone paper system with reliable digital records.
Impact and Future
What started as a simple solution for one chicken shop has become a daily operational tool. The most rewarding aspect isn't the technology itself, but seeing how this targeted solution makes someone's life easier in a challenging economic environment. It's a reminder that sometimes the best applications aren't the most complex, they're the ones that solve specific problems with precision. As developers, our greatest opportunity is turning real-world challenges into practical solutions, one line of code at a time.
One of my favorite things about being a developer is solving real problems like this. Sometimes you recommend a tool. Sometimes you build it yourself. Either way, the goal is the same: make someone’s day a little easier.