Own Referral Engine AI.

What you'd own.

Every artifact below transfers to your accounts on day one. The whole engine.

• ●Shopify app codebase, deployment infrastructure, and multi-tenant architecture
• ●Landing page, email sequences, and LinkedIn outreach playbook
• ●Founder positioning and AI recommendation engine specifications
• ●Year 1 financial model with unit economics and TAM assumptions
• ●Customer onboarding framework and 90-day success metrics
• ●Admin dashboard and merchant interface with referral tracking

What Roll Digital builds for you.

Custom scope to take Referral Engine AI from MVP shell to operating business.

• ▸Production Shopify app backend with Node.js and Postgres database
• ▸Stripe billing integration across three monthly pricing tiers
• ▸Multi-tenant authentication with email and Google OAuth sign-in
• ▸AI recommendation engine that surfaces ROI and automates follow-ups
• ▸Merchant dashboard with real-time referral metrics and campaign controls
• ▸Customer onboarding flow with guided setup and 30-day support
• ▸Shopify App Store submission preparation and initial review support

Why this could work.

The GTM is proven: Shopify App Store distribution and $99/mo pricing fit SMB budgets. The TAM is real: 400k US e-commerce businesses spend $300+ annually on referral tools. The AI angle addresses real pain: automating follow-ups reduces the 60% abandonment rate when participation drops. Reaching 10-15 new customers monthly through LinkedIn outreach and app store reviews unlocks $150k ARR year one.

What you'd risk.

The Shopify App Store has 100+ referral competitors. Gaining early discoverability requires volume reviews, creating a months-long cold start that can stall you below 10 customers. The AI differentiator is thin: major competitors like ReferralCandy and Viral Loops can bolt on GPT in a sprint, erasing your edge. Finally, referral programs have high churn: 60% of SMBs abandon them within 90 days. Without proactive ROI communication, your customer base evaporates fast.

Who this fits.

This business fits a technical operator with e-commerce or SaaS founder relationships. You'll own customer success, manage Shopify infrastructure, and execute LinkedIn outreach consistently. It rewards persistence: expect 6-9 months before hitting 10-15 monthly signups. This is operational work, not passive. Best suited for someone already connected to SMB founders and comfortable with direct sales execution.

Timeline.

From contract signing to operating business.

1. Day 1
   Receive codebase, deployment infrastructure, and customer acquisition playbook
2. Week 1
   Deploy to Shopify dev store, verify core app flows
3. Week 3
   Submit to Shopify App Store, launch LinkedIn outreach
4. Week 6
   First paid customer onboarding, dashboard optimization begins
5. Day 90
   Evaluate churn rate, refine retention plays, assess market fit

Pricing.

Three ways in, depending on how much you want to build yourself.