Project 2 — e-Commerce: Karayas Eklektik Shop

The project worked with Miguel Mercado and Miguel Velazquez.

Introduction

In my second project at Ironhack, my team and I had the challenge of creating an eCommerce for a brand that had no exposure online. We brainstormed ideas for auto detailing shops, small town bakeries, and ultimately ended up finding Karayas, a small thrift store based in the town of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Thrift shops are known to offer affordable items and promote sustainability by giving used items a second life often for charitable causes. Therefore, as a team we decided that we loved the idea of promoting a positive cause and completing our task, all at the same time.

The Client

Our client is a 42-year-old entrepreneur based in the town of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. She believes in helping the community and helping those with scarce resources with an ideation of recycling first. She is the owner of said thrift store and is always on the run looking forward to doing more and giving more.

The store

Stakeholders:

1. Owner: Responsible for buying the merchandise and handpicking items to place on the sales floor. She handpicks each and every single item to make sure the quality, presentation, and cleanliness are up to par for sale.
2. Employees/Volunteers: Frontline staff and volunteers play a crucial role in the day-to-day operations of the store, including providing customer service to make people of all ages, shapes, genders, and colors feel welcome in the store. They also play a crucial role in inventory management and store maintenance, keeping everything organized and clean.
3. Donors: Individuals or organizations who donate goods to the thrift store contribute to its inventory and financial sustainability. This helps the owner contribute to the community by recycling, putting a halt to fast fashion culture, and decreasing product costs by having to buy fewer clothes in bulk.
4. Community: The community where the thrift store is located is also a stakeholder, as the store may impact the community’s economy, environmental sustainability, and social fabric.

The Customers:

1. Budget-Conscious Shoppers: Those who seek low-cost options to dress.
2. Vintage Enthusiasts: Who are looking for brand items from past seasons, also known as rare.
3. Fashionistas: Thrift stores can attract fashion-conscious individuals looking for unique and trendy pieces at a fraction of the cost of retail.
4. Eco-Conscious Consumers: Customers interested in second-hand clothing to prevent continuously shopping from big brands who create tons of waste yearly.

Market Insights:

1. Demand for Affordable Goods: The market for affordable secondhand goods remains strong.
2. Shift Towards Sustainable Shopping: There is a growing trend among consumers towards eco-friendly and sustainable shopping practices, driving interest in thrift stores.
3. Rise of Online Thrifting: While physical thrift stores remain popular, online platforms and apps for buying and selling secondhand goods are gaining traction, posing both competition and opportunity for traditional thrift stores.
4. Local Community Engagement: Thrift stores often serve as community hubs, hosting events, fundraisers, and volunteer opportunities that contribute to their appeal and relevance within the local community.

Business and competitive research insights

Stores that were considered to be competitors were stores located in a 5 mile radius from the store’s location. We compared their value propositions, audiences and ranges of authority, as well as their relationship, all compared to the insights Karayas has to offer.

Heuristics evaluation results

The findings and observations obtained from conducting our survey revealed the type of users that experience or have experienced visiting a thrift store, and/or shopping second hand, as well as donating old clothes to these entities. We interviewed 13 people ranging from the ages of 16 to 36 year olds. They helped us understand and improve the usability and user experience of the interface based on the goal we want to accomplish creating this eCommerce.

Ideation results

User Flow

Our user flow consists of starting our webpage from a main screen where customers are able to see new arrival pieces, to then select the menu tab and click for their desired category to browse from.

These categories to pick from were:

1. Mens clothing
2. Womens clothing
3. Accessories
4. Sale

After picking a category, clients had the option to browse the items posted online and then select them to proceed to their cart. Another option they would have within our user flow is to navigate to the top button and choose to learn about how to donate clothing, and the pros this action might have. After that they would get prompted to press a button to fill out a form and finally fill out their information to schedule a drop-off donation.

Mid-fi wireframes

Mid-fi interactive prototype

Moodboards

Based on the owner’s point of view and the clients as well, we crafted two moodboards in which we reflect what the user might go through before knowing about our eCommerce, and the aftermath of knowing and interacting with it. We did the same thing with the owner’s point of view before and after her thrift store begins to have an online presence.

Hi-fi wireframes

Hi-fi interactive prototype

Usability testing results and insights

Tools Used

• Slack: To communicate off class and send each other links/documents
• FigJam: To bring our ideas to life
• Figma: For crafting our prototypes and wireframes
• Maze: For evaluating user experience with our prototypes
• Medium: To share with the world our discoveries

In conclusion

As an aspiring UX Designer, I navigate dynamic landscapes where creativity meets functionality. By doing this project alongside my partners, we strive to showcase unique finds while ensuring an intuitive user experience. Our work contributes to helping a small shop owner continue her mission to bring sustainability, giving back to others, and birthing fashion into her small town by selling second-hand clothing. I’m passionate about fostering a sense of community among users. It’s a fulfilling journey of balancing aesthetics, usability, and purpose in a rapidly evolving industry that we know called fashion. I’m really proud of our outcome and can’t wait to tackle more projects along the way like this one.