Hobby Parts Finder
A parts-lookup app that turned confusing exploded diagrams into a one-tap retailer finder for RC hobbyists.
Project Snapshot
- Client
- Hobby Parts Finder Retailer
- Industry
- E-Commerce (Specialty Retail)
- Platform
- iOS & Android
- Timeline
- 3 months
- Our Role
- Mobile app development + UI/UX design
The Challenge
A regional hobby-shop retailer specializing in RC cars, trucks, and buggies came to iMobdev with a recurring service problem: customers regularly showed up holding a torn manual page or a blurry photo of a broken part, with no fast way to identify the exact component or confirm it was in stock nearby. Before this app, matching a customer's part to a SKU relied entirely on staff memory and paging through paper diagrams behind the counter.
The pain points were concrete. There was no searchable digital catalog tying exploded-view diagrams to real part numbers, so every lookup was manual and slow. There was no way for customers to check inventory or location before driving to a store, which meant wasted trips when a part wasn't in stock. And staff had no quick way to build and send a multi-part order — a broken suspension arm often needs three or four small components at once, and writing that list by hand was error-prone.
Every mis-identified part or wasted trip cost the retailer a sale and a customer's patience, and hobbyists frustrated by slow service increasingly turned to generic online marts instead of the local shop that could actually service them same-day.
Our Solution
iMobdev's approach was to put the retailer's own parts diagrams directly in the customer's hand, searchable and interactive, backed by a store locator so the nearest stocking location was never more than a tap away.
We built a native iOS and Android app with a lightweight local-first architecture: a bundled parts-diagram catalog for instant offline browsing, paired with a live store-locator layer built on mapping APIs for real-time "near me" search and check-in. A simple four-tile home screen — Find Parts, Check-In, View Location, Settings — kept the entire app usable by first-time visitors without a tutorial.
On the UX side, the core interaction is the model diagram itself: customers tap directly on an exploded-view schematic of their vehicle, and the matching part numbers surface in a running "Parts" list docked to the screen, so a customer working through a multi-part repair can build an accurate list without transcription errors.
For integrations, the store locator pulls in mapping and directions data plus store contact details and street-view previews, so a customer can confirm a location has the part in stock before making the trip. The parts list can be sent directly to a store via the in-app Send action, turning a walk-in guessing game into a pre-qualified order.
Delivery was a single focused build: diagram catalog and parts-list flow first, store locator and check-in second, with UI polish and on-device testing across a range of phone sizes closing out the project ahead of launch.
The Impact
The retailer went from paper-diagram guesswork to a self-serve parts lookup customers could use in the store, in the driveway, or at the track. Staff spend less time flipping through manuals, multi-part orders arrive pre-built and accurate, and the store locator has reduced wasted trips for out-of-stock parts. The app has become the retailer's go-to tool for walk-in service, and iMobdev continues to support new diagram sets as the vehicle catalog grows.
Key Features
What We Built
Tap-to-Identify Diagrams
Interactive exploded-view schematics let customers tap a component to reveal its exact part number.
Running Parts List
Selected parts collect in a docked list that can be edited before being sent to the store.
Nearby Store Locator
Map-based search surfaces the closest stocking locations with contact info and street view.
In-Store Check-In
One-tap check-in lets staff know a customer has arrived with a parts request ready.
Send-to-Store Ordering
Completed parts lists send directly to a location, replacing handwritten order slips.
Offline Diagram Catalog
Bundled schematics stay browsable without a signal, ideal for track-side or garage use.
Tech Stack
- React Native
- GOGoogle Maps SDK
- SQSQLite
- Node.js
- REREST APIs
- Firebase
Screenshots
App in Action
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“Our staff used to spend half their day flipping through paper diagrams. Now customers find the exact part themselves before they even reach the counter.”
Owner
Hobby Parts Finder Retailer
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