we launched the first partner-built mini on the shop app
built at a shopify hackathon. won first prize. now live for millions of shoppers.
about two months ago, during toronto tech week, yan and i joined the shop minis hackathon hosted by shopify.
we didn’t go in with a big plan. we just wanted to experiment with this new platform called shop minis, which lets developers create small, interactive experiences directly inside the shop app.
the idea
our idea came from a simple question every shopper has: “what goes with this?”
you find a shirt you love, but then wonder - what pants, shoes, or accessories would match?
so we built pair it with, an ai-powered shop mini that helps shoppers upload a photo of something they already own, and instantly discover products that go perfectly with it - all inside the shop app.
you can try it out here: https://shop.app/mini/pair-it-with
the hackathon
we built the entire thing in just one day. lots of last-minute coding, quick design changes, and “let’s just ship it” energy.
we had farhan from shopify engineering and david from the shop minis team on the panel, reviewing demos and giving feedback to everyone.
we pitched pair it with during the demo, showing how shoppers could upload a photo and instantly find products that go with it.
a few weeks later, we heard from dani from the shop minis team that pair it with had won the first prize.
the launch
a few weeks later, the shop minis team reached out and invited us for early production access. and now, pair it with is officially live inside the shop app - making it the first partner-built mini to launch on the platform.
it’s surreal to think that something built in one day during toronto tech week is now available to millions of shoppers worldwide.
thank you
none of this would’ve been possible without the incredible shop minis team - david hoffman, dani moubayed, and entire team who supported us throughout the journey.
thank you for building such an amazing platform and for giving partners like us the opportunity to experiment, create, and bring new ideas to life inside the shop app.
what’s next
we believe this is just the beginning for shop minis. there’s so much potential to make shopping more interactive, personal, and fun.
if you’re using the shop app, try pair it with and tell us what you think - we’d love your feedback on what features you’d like to see next.
you can send your thoughts directly to me at shibin@askangle.com. we’ll keep improving and adding more features soon.
about us
yan and i are currently building angle, an ai sales assistant for shopify stores.
angle helps online stores turn visitors into customers by answering product questions, recommending items, and guiding shoppers - just like a real sales assistant would.
if you’re a shopify merchant, you can try it out here.
if you enjoyed reading this, share it or tag someone who should try pair it with.