Merch Flow AI is a proof-of-concept operations platform built for teams that manage custom promotional merchandise—from embroidered patches and apparel to branded corporate gifts. Instead of treating CRM, design, quoting, and production as separate tools, the application follows one connected workflow: a single project moves stage by stage from customer intake through design, vendor matching, quoting, order management, people assignment, and vendor fulfillment. Built on Next.js with a modern dashboard interface, the platform combines AI-assisted automation with practical business controls. Sales and ops staff work in one workspace with left-sidebar navigation, live dashboards, and module-specific views that read and write the same underlying project data. AI is used where it adds real value—logo strategy planning, image generation, semantic analysis, and vendor ranking—while human teams retain approval points at critical handoffs. The result is a demo-ready system that shows how a merchandise provider can reduce friction between “new RFQ” and “production started,” without losing visibility into cost, lead time, or accountability at each step.
Design Studio
The Design Studio module is where creative work begins after a deal reaches the opportunity stage. The flow starts with an AI-generated logo strategy plan that captures brand persona, objectives, color direction, and constraints—editable before anything is generated. Once approved, the system produces a single starter logo (not a grid of unrelated concepts), giving teams a clear starting point. Users can refine that artwork in two ways: an interactive canvas editor for hands-on changes—brush colors, freehand lines, text placement, and shapes—and an AI chat panel for natural-language edits such as bolder typography or a navy-and-gold palette. When the logo is ready, Send to Client locks the final version, including any canvas modifications, and passes it forward to mockup generation so product placements use the exact approved artwork. This single-logo, plan-first approach keeps the process focused and demo-friendly while still showing both manual and AI-driven refinement.
Vendor Categorization
After design milestones are complete, the Vendor Selection module helps ops teams choose the right production partner for each RFQ. For a request like 500 embroidered security patches, the platform surfaces a balanced shortlist of vendors ranked by spec fit, capabilities, historical performance, and commercial value. Each vendor card presents the information buyers need at a glance: location, rating, on-time percentage, total cost, unit price, and estimated lead time in business days. Supporting bullets highlight why a vendor appears on the list—spec match (e.g., certified embroidery), relevant capabilities, and track record across past orders. Users can open details for deeper comparison or select a vendor to advance the project toward scope building, quoting, and fulfillment. By tying vendor choice to the same project record used in design and order management, Merch Flow AI keeps sourcing decisions traceable and aligned with the artwork and specifications already approved upstream.
Technologies Used
- Platform: React 19
- AI Models: Google Gemini + Claude Opus
- Database: Firebase — Auth, Firestore, Cloud Storage
- Infrastructure: Vercel Edge Network
- Industries: Promotional Products
