Secondhand

Mockups of 3 different screens of the application on an iPhone.

A case study created partly for the Google UX Design Certificate, partly out for my own interest.

I wanted to work on something that would reduce waste generation, and focused on the well meaning but limited second-hand sector.

My aim was to improve the experience of online second-hand clothes shopping, so that buyers can better find products that fit their needs.

Timeline

3 months, 2021

Deliverable

Mobile application

Role

UX, UI, prototyping

Platform

Figma

THE PROBLEM

Shopping second-hand is a good way to reduce waste produced. However, the shopping experience of existing platforms is not optimised. Buyers often end up with clothes they don't want.

When contemplating the direction of this project, I conducted an informal survey with 72 people.

92%

Bought second hand clothes that didn't fit

80%

Frustrated with second hand shopping

THE SOLUTION

Secondhand provides an improved online shopping experience for second-hand clothes.

Buyers are able to save and filter listings by their body measurements. Streamline the shopping process, and better find clothes for that perfect fit.

UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

I sought to answer some key questions using various qualitative research methods.

What does the typical shopping experience look like?

How do buyers decide on whether to buy something?

What do buyers struggle with when shopping second-hand online?

What do buyers need?

Which features of competitor’s platforms are most important, or most used?

THE CURRENT EXPERIENCE

I identified several common pain points from the user interviews.

1. Purchased clothes still don't fit well despite checking sizing

2. Difficult to remember exact sizing if user doesn't shop often

3. Time investment needed to check sellers' reliability

4. Sellers don't provide sufficient or correct information

I decided to improve the decision making stage, where users decide if the clothing would fit. This is a common pain point that directly affects whether buyers reach their primary goal of purchasing a desirable piece of clothing.

User journey of an online shopper. It's a positive experience when the shopper is looking for clothes, but emotions are more turbulent when deciding whether to purchase the item. User has to consider whether size and fit works for their body.

COMPETITOR REVIEW

I looked at several apps and sites that offered second hand clothing for sale.

Platforms that were primarily intended for the sale of clothes have a filter that allows buyers to filter listings by size - usually S/M/L or UK sizing. Only 1 platform allows buyers to save their sizing in-app, though this is limited to general clothing sizes.

Though apps like Telegram and Instagram were not originally intended for the sale of clothes, they are used as such. These offer a constant stream of listings, with heavy emphasis on visuals, descriptions and sizing, but with no way of sorting information.

Cartoon box containing logos of Refash, Carousell and Vestiraire Collective

Sale of clothes: primary function

Cartoon box containing logos of Telegram and Instagram

Sale of clothes: ancillary function

MEET THE SHOPPERS

Primary user persona displayed in a cartoon NRIC format. Persona is of Michelle, a Chinese female aged 22 who is a university student. Her goal is to buy cute clothes on a budget.

“Its hard to know if something fits just by looking online. It's a surprise each time.”

Michelle’s biggest frustration is that even after she checks her sizing, her new clothes sometimes don’t fit.

She just wants a simpler way to buy clothes that she can confidently wear.

Secondary user persona displayed in a cartoon NRIC format. Persona is of Ramesh, an Indian male aged 57 who is a senior sales director. His goal is to buy branded goods at a steal.

“I spend a lot of time checking and asking questions. Sometimes the seller lies.”

Ramesh learnt the hard way that some sellers aren’t selling authentic items. It was a painful mistake, and he spends more time doing his due diligence now.

Ramesh wishes that there is an easier way to identity genuine goods and sellers.

SKETCHES & WIREFRAMES

With the app’s value proposition in mind, I explored possible designs for each key flow.

3 features are required for the MVP:

1. A way to browse and purchase clothes

2. The ability to enter and save body measurements

3. A way to search for listings that fall within saved size

I wanted something comprehensive yet flexible, so that users could save their measurements in as much, or as little detail as they wanted.

This reduces the information and effort necessary to create a profile. Users can create a profile regardless of how well they know their sizes.

Wireframes for adding measurements and purchasing an item

I tested the prototype with 5 participants. I then grouped their comments into themes.

I identified 3 main issues.

1. CONFUSING PROFILE CREATION

Some users were unsure how to create a profile.

Many users shared that they were unsure of their measurements, and would not be able to create profile.

2. INCONVENIENT SEARCH

Though all users managed to complete the task, a few users took a while to filter out clothes that didn't fall within their size measurement.

3. TECHNICAL MICROCOPY

Users didn’t understand the purpose of creating a profile and adding their measurements.

This is because the microcopy used to explain and guide users was too technical.

These issues were transformed into goals for the next iteration.

CONFUSING PROFILE CREATION

STREAMLINED & SUPPORTED PROFILE CREATION

The process to add a new profile was broken down into simpler steps, with less information on each page.

Users are also provided with a wider reference for different types of sizing.

INCONVENIENT SEARCH

IMPROVED IA & MORE DETAILS

I improved the information architecture of the filters tab. More details were also provided to allow users better visibility of applied filters.

TECHNICAL MICROCOPY

WRITING FOR HUMANS

I simplified the microcopy and made it more personal and friendly. Uncommon terms like "user measurements" were also changed to clearer user-facing phrases.

MOOD & COLOUR

SecondHand is intended to uplift the second-hand shopping experience. No more “cheap” or ”questionable quality,” SecondHand lets you to treat yourself whilst saving the planet.

Neutral tones were used to keep the attention on the listings, as well as to avoid significant clashes of colour.

Ivory is used to create a gentler visual experience. A deeper navy blue acts as the secondary colour, binding the design with a touch of luxe. Terracotta red draws attention to important information, without being overly flashy.

Design system with components, colors, and text sizes

IN THE FUTURE

If this was continued, the next thing I'd do is to design the seller-side experience, with the aim of streamlining the listing process. After all, they make up the other half of the app's users.

One dream feature I'd like is a tape measuring feature, as this reduces the effort sellers need to provide additional detail.

There is also space to explore how accessibility can be improved. Some ideas I’ve briefly considered include:

1. Allowing users to exclude listings that don’t have descriptions;

2. Provide suggested alt text for images; and

3. Allowing users to customise the location of CTA buttons

REFLECTIONS

I learnt that there will always be questions - but we can only take what we think is the best approach, and test our assumptions out when the time comes. Diversity of users (& designers!) is thus crucial to ensure that a range of perspectives are considered.

Also, don’t rebuild the wheel. It works, and people expect the wheel. This however doesn’t mean that designs used by established companies are always straightforward or the “best.” Think before implementing.