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max-width: -webkit-fill-available;Buyr Marketplace
Buyr is a revolutionary e-commerce project that enables users to set fair prices for any product. By promoting active buyer engagement, the platform helps merchants boost sales and avoid overstock problems and outlet phases. This win-win model has been proven successful through the product we developed.
Overview
The project's primary objective is to increase the transaction volume between sellers and buyers. With declining customer purchasing power, sellers have had to devise various strategies to attract buyers. Many resort to discounts and sales, which can be inconsistent and challenging to manage. Recently, installment payments have become a popular trend.
In response, we developed an alternative system that enables sellers to increase sales from the start and enhance buyer engagement throughout the process. The project implementation focused on three key products: a marketplace, a widget for third-party e-commerce websites, and a merchant's inventory/price model management service.
My Role
I am the sole designer in our small team of 15 people. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, I handle a wide range of tasks, from problem formulation and validation to conducting user interviews and usability tests. Together with the product manager and engineers, I prioritize and iterate on hypotheses. My responsibilities also include designing mockups, documenting requirements, supporting QA, and contributing to marketing materials. I am committed to delivering a cohesive visual image and exceptional customer experience for Buyr.
Set Your Price Functionality
The ability for buyers to set any price on any product lies at the core of Buyr.com. We realized that the rest of the online marketplace's functionality should be as familiar to users as possible. The key differentiating factor is the ability for buyers to set their own discounts. Consequently, this part of the interface should be the most attractive and memorable, serving as our distinguishing feature.
Empathize & Define
Our initial focus was on identifying the target users for our product. Through extensive research and analysis, we have determined that our primary users are US residents between the ages of 20 and 50, with average or below-average income. These users already possess experience in online shopping and exhibit a willingness to explore new opportunities. Additionally, it is worth noting that nearly half of our user base accesses our platform through smartphones.
Building upon this understanding, we established a key objective for our interface: to provide users with a seamless and efficient way to set prices for their chosen products. As a young startup, we embraced an iterative approach, releasing products to production quickly to gather data and make rapid adjustments as needed. This allowed us to stay responsive, gather user feedback, and continuously improve our offerings.
So after defining goals we analyzed other products with similar functionality, created several low-fidelity prototypes, and identified their strengths and weaknesses. As a result, we arrived at the optimal design approach we needed.
We deemed it important to offer the most user-friendly control for setting prices, allowing users to view feedback directly from the interface without relying on keyboards. The price wheel emerged as a suitable solution, as its behavior was intuitive for users from the outset and somewhat familiar.
This served as an excellent starting point for a young startup with limited resources. However, as we began receiving data and feedback from users after the minimum viable product (MVP) launch, we identified certain issues that required attention to improve our business metrics.
Starting Point, MVP Launch:
We thought there was still room for improvement here and decided to dig deeper into the user's needs and start researching for better results.
User Problem
People dislike the hassle of searching for coupons or waiting for sales seasons. However, they are always delighted to save money. Hence, the problem we aim to address is that users want immediate control over prices, and even a small discount would make them more likely to purchase a product. However, we observed that complete freedom in choosing a price can discourage users. Therefore, we needed to create a framework within which users could play with the price.
Business Problem
As a platform, we, like any seller, strive for high sales, which directly impact our profit. When buyers realize they can set their own prices for products, their interest and conversion rates increase. If the price is approved, users are more likely to return for future purchases, thereby increasing retention rates and engagement.
Success Criteria
Given the unique nature of this functionality, we have defined some non-standard criteria for success. Technically, this screen functions as a shopping cart for a single product. If a user abandons the screen or checkout process without completing the order later, we consider it as an abandonment rate. We want users to feel encouraged to experiment and proceed with their purchases. Hence, our success criteria include the abandonment rate, conversion rate of the price confirmation button, and matching rate. The matching rate, although an unconventional metric, is crucial as it directly affects our business performance. It represents the number of approved deals compared to the total number of orders. We strive for a high matching rate.
Discovery: Analysis of Similar Products
After defining the success criteria, we conducted an analysis of other products in the market to identify areas for improvement and innovation.
During this analysis, we came across several interesting ideas. Firstly, we recognized the importance of showcasing the current best offer to help buyers focus on that particular price. Secondly, we realized the significance of streamlining the user's attention towards their primary task on the screen, removing any unnecessary elements. Thirdly, we understood the need for facilitating the input of round values to enhance convenience. Lastly, we considered incorporating a summary of the product for which the buyer is placing a bid. These insights generated numerous ideas for further exploration.
Hypothesis Formulation and Prototypes
Based on our positive findings, we have formulated the following hypotheses for further evaluation and development planning:
- Current Top Submission: Displaying the current top submission may increase the matching rate.
- Remove Unnecessary Elements and Add Context: Removing unnecessary elements and providing additional context may increase the conversion rate of the submit button.
- Easier Round Price Setting: Simplifying the process of setting round prices may increase the conversion rate of the submit button.
- Full-Screen Experience with Product Snippet: Utilizing the full screen and including a product snippet may reduce the abandonment rate.
- Updated Input Feedback Ranges: Providing clear feedback from the price wheel may increase the matching rate.
Usability Tests
After generating multiple ideas and creating lo-fi prototypes, we conducted comparative usability tests to assess their impact on the user experience. These tests spanned the entire checkout process, from the product page to the order confirmation screen. By comparing our current website screens with the updated low-fidelity screens, we aimed to identify any user confusion or obstacles encountered during the process. Through four in-depth interviews, we confirmed our initial insights and also recognized the importance of clearly defining the price intervals for price approval. These valuable findings will guide us in refining and improving the overall user experience.
Priority
To prioritize these hypotheses, I scheduled a meeting with the product manager and engineers. We assessed each hypothesis based on two parameters: business value (rated from 1 to 5) and technical implementation complexity (rated from 1 to 5). By dividing the business value by the technical complexity, we obtained a high-level prioritization coefficient. This coefficient will guide us in determining the order in which these hypotheses will be evaluated and implemented.
Button Conversion Rate
- Remove Unnecessary Elements and Add Context: 2/2 = 1
- Easier Round Price Setting: 3/3 = 1
Matching Rate
- Current Top Submission: 3/2 = 1,5
- Updated Input Feedback Ranges: 3/1 = 3
Abandonment Rate
- Full-Screen Experience with Product Snippet: 2/4 = 0.5
Scoping
In order to deliver a valuable product quickly, we have divided the hypotheses into iterations. While we acknowledge that these hypotheses may influence each other, prioritizing speed is important.
Iteration 1
For the initial iteration, we focused on simplifying the user experience within the screen by improving the responsiveness and clarity of the interface.
- Current Top Submission
- Updated Input Feedback Ranges
- Easier Round Price Setting
Iteration 2
The remaining hypotheses impact the functionality of other screens, so we have set them aside for a separate iteration.
- Remove Unnecessary Elements and Add Context
- Full-Screen Experience with Product Snippet
Iteration 1 - Hi-fi
During the first iteration, our focus was on improving the behavior of the price wheel and providing clear feedback to enhance the ease of use. We analyzed the data and discovered that many users struggled with setting round prices, particularly with higher amounts. This led to interruptions in the flow and users closing the site.
To address this issue, we implemented updates to the input and automated the rounding of prices based on the price range. Additionally, we introduced a "detail mode" that users can access by long-tapping the input, allowing them to set any specific price.
To ensure convenience in working with the input in all scenarios, I defined price intervals that determine the rounding step:
- For prices ranging from $0 to $100, the rounding step is always 1
- For prices ranging from $100 to $700, the rounding step is 5 and 1 in detail mode
- For prices ranging from $700 to the maximum value, the rounding step is 10 and 5 in detail mode
By updating the feedback zones of the interactive input, I defined new values to focus users on the target values:
- 0% to 15%: High approval chance
- 16% to 25%: Medium approval chance
- 26% to 50%: Low approval chance
- 51% to 75%: Approval is unlikely
The initial results of the first iteration were promising. Users found it easier to set prices, resulting in a significant reduction in "rage clicks" to nearly zero. Additionally, users started setting prices closer to the current top submission and within the green range, leading to a 22% increase in the matching rate. With these positive outcomes, we are ready to proceed to the next iteration.
Let's continue improving the user experience and achieving our goals!
Iteration 2 - Hi-fi
One significant discovery we made after implementing the first version of the price input was that users could easily close the drawer, sometimes even accidentally, which had a negative impact on our metrics. Additionally, for many users, the new user experience of the drawer felt like an advertisement popup, leading to the initial instinct of swiping it away. Compounding the issue was the fact that the entire checkout process was contained within the drawer, which posed a major problem.
Given the challenges involved in changing the drawer to a full-screen experience and its impact on the entire checkout process, this task was considered difficult to develop. Our primary objective was to guide users into the funnel, allowing them to focus on the essential elements of the interface while hiding any distractions.
Fortunately, we worked on the redesign of the checkout flow simultaneously, and both changes were released together. The design process for each change in the checkout flow followed a similar approach, but that's a separate story in itself.
Final Result and Second Launch:
Highlighted buyr.com Difference
At buyr.com, we offer a unique feature that sets us apart from other marketplaces - the ability for buyers to set their own price for any product. To ensure that buyers are aware of this functionality, we have implemented several enhancements that highlight this feature throughout the marketplace, including the product tiles in the catalog.
User Problem
Users want to see the potential benefits of setting their own price without the need to navigate to the product page. By showcasing these benefits directly in the product tiles, users' interest and engagement can be immediately piqued.
Problem for business
Our goal is to increase click-through rates (CTR) with the product snippets in order to drive higher engagement and revenue from sales. By effectively communicating the unique value proposition of buyr.com within the product tiles, we can enhance the user experience and encourage increased interaction and conversions.
This is how product tile looks like normally for regular marketplaces, and what we had at the start:
Solution
- "Top Submission" hint: Each product snippet now includes a hint indicating the lowest price that another user recently obtained for that product. This creates a sense of competition and encourages users to aim for better prices.
- "or less" price indication: We added the phrase "or less" next to each product price, emphasizing that the displayed price is the maximum a buyer will pay, but there is a chance for discounts. This highlights the potential for savings and motivates users to explore further.
- Round values to dollar: To simplify the snippets and reduce cognitive load, we rounded the price values to the nearest dollar. This provides a clear and concise representation of the prices, making it easier for users to understand and compare.
By implementing these enhancements, we have created a visually appealing and informative product tile design that effectively communicates the unique benefits of buyr.com. This not only captures users' attention but also increases the likelihood of engagement and conversions on our platform:
Marketplace Overview
The buyr marketplace serves as a platform to showcase the capabilities of the buyr engine and caters to experienced users. We have recently implemented a user interface that offers a seamless and familiar checkout experience for users on both mobile and desktop devices.
Dark and White Modes
To ensure a wide distribution of our product and make it easily accessible to users, we have adopted a model where we install our widget on other merchant sites. This approach allows for a lower entry threshold and eliminates the need for extensive marketing efforts. We observed that merchant sites can have diverse styles, but our focus was on providing a seamless user experience. Therefore, we decided to support both light and dark modes, as they are the most commonly used modes among merchants.
By supporting both themes on the marketplace, we ensure that users can seamlessly transition from using the buyr widget on merchant sites to shopping on the marketplace. The interface of the checkout process remains identical, providing a consistent experience for users.
