e - commerece application
Bridging the Gap Between Digital Shopping and Personal Service
Designed e-commerce to prioritize conversation over catalogs. By enabling direct seller communication and custom product requests.
Category
Mobile App
Client
Freelancing
Year
Before the Redesign
The e-commerce landscape was dominated by impersonal, catalog-driven platforms that treated shopping as a transactional experience. Users were limited to browsing available inventory with no way to communicate directly with sellers or request specific items.
Existing User Journey Issues:
Generic product searches with limited inventory
No communication channel with sellers
High cart abandonment due to uncertainty about products
Frustration when desired items weren't available
Lack of personalized shopping assistance
Market Reality:
70% of users abandon carts due to lack of product information
65% of shoppers prefer speaking to someone before making purchases
Traditional e-commerce conversion rates plateau at 2-3%
Why It Mattered
The Human Connection Gap in Digital Commerce
Critical Business Problems:
For Users: Impersonal shopping experiences leading to purchase anxiety
For Sellers: Limited reach and inability to showcase expertise
For Market: Homogenization of e-commerce reducing innovationTimeline: 4 months (Research + Design + Testing)
Team: Product Manager, 2 Engineers, 1 Senior UX Designer (me)
Platform: iOS Mobile Application
Target Market: Urban millennials seeking personalized shopping experiences
Project Overview
My Role & Responsibilities:
Led user research and competitive analysis
Designed complete user experience from onboarding to purchase
Created design system and interaction patterns
Conducted usability testing and iteration
Collaborated with engineering on technical feasibility
Design Process:
Discovery Phase : User interviews, market research, technical constraints
Ideation Phase : Concept development, user journey mapping
Design Phase : Wireframing, prototyping, visual design
Testing Phase : User testing, iteration, final refinements
The Opportunity: Creating the first truly conversational e-commerce platform could capture underserved market segments while providing sustainable competitive advantage through relationship-building rather than just price competition.
The Core Problem
"I can't find what I'm looking for, and when I do, I'm not sure it's right for me."
Through user research, we identified the fundamental disconnect in e-commerce:
Problem Statement: How might we create a shopping experience that combines the convenience of online shopping with the trust and personalization of talking to a knowledgeable shopkeeper?
User Pain Points:
Inventory Limitations: "The exact thing I need is never available"
Information Gap: "Product descriptions don't answer my specific questions"
Trust Deficit: "I don't know if this seller is reliable"
Lack of Flexibility: "I can't ask for modifications or alternatives"
Root Cause Analysis: Traditional e-commerce treats shopping as a self-service transaction, but purchasing decisions often require guidance, reassurance, and customization that only human interaction can provide.
Our Solution
Conversational Commerce: Where Every Purchase Starts with a Conversation
Instead of building another product catalog, we created a platform where shopping begins with communication.
Core Innovation: Chat-First Shopping Experience
Key Features Designed:
1. Integrated Communication System
Real-time chat with verified sellers
Message templates for common inquiries
Media sharing for product clarification
Order management within conversation threads
2. Flexible Product Discovery
Traditional catalog browsing for immediate needs
Custom request system for specific requirements
Smart seller matching based on specialization
"Not found" flow that converts frustration into opportunity
3. Trust-Building Architecture
Seller verification and rating system
Transparent communication history
Location-based seller prioritization
Design Decisions :
Chat-First Interface:
Leveraged familiar messaging patterns for zero learning curve
Integrated shopping actions within conversation flow
Persistent chat threads to build seller relationships
Emotional Shift
We transformed frustration into excitement through conversation-driven discovery, replaced uncertainty with confidence via direct seller communication, eliminated purchase anxiety with trusted recommendations, and built ongoing relationships beyond transactions.
Key Psychology: Leveraged social proof through ratings, prevented loss aversion with custom requests, encouraged reciprocity through helpful interactions, and established authority via expert sellers.
Potential Impact
Differentiation: First conversational e-commerce platform in local market
Network Effects: More engaged sellers attract more users.
Defensibility: Relationship-based commerce harder to replicate than price competition
Future Updates
Video Integration
Video calls for complex product discussions
Product demonstration recordings
Advanced Analytics Dashboard
Seller performance insights
Market trend analysis
Multi-Platform Expansion
Web platform for desktop users
Seller mobile app for inventory management
Integration with social media platforms
What I Learned
Innovation Often Comes from Combining Existing Patterns
Chat + E-commerce wasn't new individually, but the integration created new value
Users adapted quickly because individual components were familiar
Successful innovation builds on user mental models rather than replacing them
This project reinforced that great UX design isn't just about making things look good—it's about understanding human behavior deeply enough to create experiences that feel inevitable once users try them.
