Kit Konnect
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Overview
Freelance project where I helped a football reselling start up in creating a responsive web design for their first website.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Project Type
Freelance Website UI/UX
Tools
Figma, Adobe Photoshop,
Miro, Figma Simple Design System
The Problem
The client sought my help because their growing sales have outgrown Instagram's capabilities. Their sales team currently processes orders manually through direct messages, creating a bottleneck. Kitkonnect needs a more efficient and user-friendly solution to handle orders and meet demand.
Background
Kitkonnect is a new start-up that resells pre-worn and vintage football shirts online. They primarily sell through Instagram and have seen a steady increase in demand over the past four months.
So What Are The Potential Solutions?
Ebay
eBay is a widely used online marketplace that facilitates buying and selling of goods and services. It allows both individuals and businesses to trade a variety of items, including new and used products like books, clothing, cars, and even holiday packages.
Positives
eBay offers significant exposure to sellers.
In Q3 2017, eBay had 168 million active users.
It is a prime platform for reaching interested buyers.
Many buyers start their product searches on eBay.
Negatives
High fees can discourage eCommerce sellers from using eBay.
Low-profit margins can make selling certain products on eBay unprofitable.
Heavy competition on eBay exacerbates the issue for sellers.
Amazon
Amazon.com, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is the largest e-commerce platform in the United States. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, the company quickly gained over four million customers within its first four years. Today, Amazon attracts more than 100 million visitors each month and is renowned for its user-friendly interface that facilitates seamless merchandise ordering.
Positives
Amazon has a strong global presence and a trusted reputation.
It is easy to sell in various markets through Amazon.
Amazon has sites in 13 countries.
Amazon ships to over 100 countries.
Negatives
Selling on Amazon restricts communication to the Buyer-Seller Messaging Service.
The communication is focused solely on order fulfillment.
This limitation hinders brand development outside the Amazon platform.
Dedicated Website
Owning a bespoke website created to sell your products or services. This website can be tailored to suit your needs and can be adjusted over time
Positives
Higher Profit Margins
Customizable Shopping Experience
Direct Customer Relationship
Enhanced SEO
Scalability
Brand Credibility
Negatives
Initial Setup Costs
Maintenance and Updates:
Security Risks
Marketing and Traffic Generation
Technical Expertise Required
My Solution
Dedicated Website
Why I Chose a Dedicated Website:
Direct Sales & Customization
A dedicated website will allow Kitkonnect to sell merchandise directly to customers.
It offers full customization to align with Kitkonnect's brand image.
Revenue Retention
Selling through a dedicated website helps Kitkonnect retain more revenue by avoiding marketplace fees.
Cost Comparison:
eBay: Charges 12.9% of the total sale amount (up to $7,500) plus $0.30 per order.
Amazon: Charges around 15% for most categories of items.
Trust & Credibility
A dedicated website enhances trust with new customers, showcasing Kitkonnect's professionalism.
Research Insight: 75% of users judge a company’s credibility based on its website design (Stanford's Web Credibility Research).
Avoiding Marketplace Stereotypes
A dedicated website helps avoid negative stereotypes associated with online marketplaces, such as scams and low-quality products.
Consumer Concern: 38% of consumers worry about the authenticity of products sold by third-party sellers on Amazon (CPC Strategy).
User Survey
I surveyed 17 customers who purchased from Kitkonnect in the last 6 months
I found that 65% said they apprehensive about buying through Instagram direct messaging.
23.5% of people said they were dissatisfied with the response time when processing their order
88% of customers said they would rather buy through a website than through Instagram.
User Interviews
I then managed to interview 6 customers out of this group focusing on the following questions:
Interview question #1
What obstacles did you face that could deter you from using Kitkonnect?
Interview question #2
How often are you likely to buy directly through Instagram?
Interview question #3
What they liked about buying through Instagram?
Interview question #4
What information would you want to know before making a purchase?
Insights
#1
People are wary of sending their money through Instagram's direct message.
#2
Customers like having direct messages to the seller rather than communicating through email.
People find it frustrating that they have to message and wait for a response if they want to know more about a product.
#4
People don't want to message to find out updates on orders and would rather have it automatically.
#5
Users are put off by promotional content being mixed in with their regular content and unfollow the page as a result.
User Persona
Alex Thompson
Age: 28
Occupation: Marketing Analyst
Location: Oxford, UK
Tech Savvy Level: High
Interests: Football, vintage fashion, online shopping, social media
Platforms Used: Instagram, Facebook, eBay, Amazon, various e-commerce websites
Personal Details:
Bio: Alex is a football enthusiast who collects vintage shirts and seeks out rare finds. A marketing analyst, he's tech-savvy and regularly shops online for personal and professional needs.
Lifestyle: Alex leads a busy life, balancing work and personal interests. With limited free time, he prefers efficient and reliable online shopping.
Goals and Needs:
Goals:
To easily find and purchase vintage football shirts.
To have a seamless shopping experience without the need for back-and-forth messaging.
To trust the authenticity and quality of the products being purchased.
To stay updated on his orders without having to manually inquire.
Needs:
A dedicated, user-friendly website for Kitkonnect to browse and purchase items directly.
Clear product information and availability without needing to message the seller.
Reliable and efficient order processing and tracking.
Trustworthy payment methods and a professional shopping platform.
User Journey
Competitive Analysis
Feature analysis:
Clean and visually appealing design with a focus on high-quality images of products.
Size and colour options with real-time availability.
Extensive filtering options (brand, size, price range, customer rating, etc.).
Streamlined checkout process with multiple payment options (credit card, PayPal, etc.).
Multiple shipping options, including standard, express, and click-and-collect.
easy access to order history and returns management.
Option to create wish lists and save favourite items.
Email newsletters and notifications for new arrivals and sales.
Competitive advantage:
Competitive Pricing
Widespread Presence
Email Marketing
Weaknesses:
Inconsistent Service Quality: Customers have frequently reported issues with customer service, including slow response times and difficulty resolving problems.
Website Usability: While functional, the website and app can sometimes be slow and difficult to navigate, leading to frustration among users.
Quality Variability: While offering a wide range of products, there is variability in quality, particularly among their lower-priced items and exclusive brands.
Feature analysis:
Acts as a marketplace which means Users can list items for sale by uploading photos, adding descriptions, setting prices, and selecting categories.
Advanced search filters (size, brand, price, condition, colour, etc.).
Search function to find specific products
intuitive onboarding process
Detailed product pages with multiple images, seller information, item condition, and shipping options.
Secure in-app payment processing.
Forum and group discussions for users to connect and share tips.
Buyer protection policies.
Competitive advantage:
User friendly platform
No seller fees
Eco friendly focus
Weaknesses:
Response Times: Users have reported long response times for customer support, which can be frustrating, especially when dealing with transaction issues.
Scams and Fraud: Despite protection policies, some users may still encounter scams or fraudulent listings, which can harm the platform’s reputation.
Order Management: Managing sales and communicating with buyers through direct messages can be cumbersome and inefficient.
Inconsistent Quality: The quality of listings can vary significantly since they are user-generated. Poor-quality photos and descriptions can detract from the shopping experience.
Information Architecture
User Flow
Sketching & Wireframes
The next stage was to sketch some designs based on the insights I gained from my research. Once I decided on my chosen designs I made wireframes which I could use for my usability tests.
Home Page
Search Page
Size Option Page
Basket Page
Payment Information Page
Confirmation Page
High-Fidelity Prototype
Home
A clear and intuitive UI allows users to easily browse for their favourite football shirts
Search
Advanced filters allow you to find exactly what your searching for and if its in currently in stock
Basket
Selected items stay in your basket allowing you to carry on shopping at your convenience
Delivery
A smooth checkout process for hassle-free shopping
Confirmation
Keep tabs on your order with live shipping updates
My next Steps
After user testing the app with a limited group of Kitkonnect customers we discovered some further improvements we could make:
Create a login feature allowing users to save their personal information for their next purchase
Add additional information detailing the history of the vintage shirts
User test to a wider audience to target more user groups