BelieversArt

What is it?

BelieversArt is a custom full-stack e-commerce platform and admin management system built for an art client in Canada. The platform allows art collectors to browse sketch collections, view high-resolution artwork previews, purchase pieces via Stripe, and track orders through a dedicated customer dashboard.

Why did I build it?

The client needed an independent, customized online storefront for their art brand rather than paying ongoing SaaS subscription fees on generic e-commerce builders. Key requirements included:

1. A clean, focused gallery layout with high-resolution art previews.
2. Complete autonomy over catalog management, art sizing variants, and pricing without recurring platform fees.
3. Automated payment workflows and instant transactional order emails.

The problem

Standard off-the-shelf e-commerce builders imposed recurring monthly fees, transaction commissions, and limited customization for unique sketch variants (dimensions, paper weight, custom framing options), along with poor performance on high-resolution image portfolios.

Building it

1. Storefront & App Architecture

• Built with Next.js (App Router) utilizing Server Components for fast page loads and clean indexing of product catalog pages.
• Client-side state managed the shopping cart, customer checkout inputs, and live currency calculations.

2. Headless Content Management

• Integrated Strapi CMS as the headless backend, providing the artist with a dedicated admin dashboard to publish new sketches, manage inventory stock, and update pricing without modifying code.

3. Payment Processing

• Integrated Stripe Checkout with webhook endpoints to handle asynchronous payment confirmations, verify transaction signatures, and update order statuses.

4. Transactional Messaging

• Integrated Resend for sending immediate order confirmation receipts to buyers and dispatch notifications to the seller.

What happened

Delivered across a 2-month development cycle. The store handled real user purchases smoothly with verified Stripe payouts, and the client completed the 500 CAD contract payment.

What I learned

1. Webhook Idempotency: Payment webhooks can be delivered more than once by gateways; designing order creation handlers with strict idempotency keys avoids duplicate order records.
2. Headless CMS Workflows: Decoupling the admin interface (Strapi) from the public storefront (Next.js) gave the client total editorial freedom while keeping the frontend performant.