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Thrifter
A community app for thrifters to review stores and share what they have found and/or looking for
Summary
The idea of Thrifter came to me while searching for a dress for a party. After raiding the racks for multiple thrift stores I still could not find what I was looking for. I was empty-handed and frustrated. Being an avid thrifter, I know the highs and lows that come with shopping second hand, many of which you do not encounter until at the store. Thrifters essentially need more insight prior to going to a store.
Role: User Research, UX/UI, Prototyping
Team: Independent Project w/ mentor consultation
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Zoom
Timeline: 80 hours
Process: Research, interviews, ideation, prototyping, testing
Solution
An easy to use app for thrifters to review stores and share what they have found and/or looking for.
Problem
Second-hand and vintage shops have a revolving inventory making it difficult to know exactly what a store has in stock prior to going.
List of all the stores in a specific area
Detailed store page
Store review page
Where users can look for specific items
Research
Playing Detective
In this beginning phase I sought out to understand how people experience thrifting. My assumptions were that thrifters experience common pain points and frustrations and there would be a need for Thrifter.
Competitive Analysis
Interview Questions
What Thrifters Have to Say
I conducted 6 interviews to determine how my target users currently search and choose new thrift stores to visit, their shopping preferences and the pain points they experience with the current process.
Research Findings
My assumptions were validated and showed that there were many commonalities among my target users.
User Goals
User Pain Points
Define
Say Hello to Our Persona
Cassandra Conner is an environmentally conscious, fashion forward woman who hates wasting time searching for a particular item.
Demographics
Let's Go on a Journey
This journey map helped to show where the users pain points and frustrations were in order to make for a better user experience.
Following the Flow
Following a path a user could take to find a thrift store they want to go to, find a particular item by searching or by making a post.
Ideate
Ideate
Wireframing
Wireframes
After gathering my insights and
defining the features of the MVP,
I focused on designing how users would find a store and two ways to find a specific item.
It's a Mood
This mood board gives the aesthetic of the app and helps the direction when designing. Fun, retro and bold is the vibe!
Test
Putting the Design to the Test
My aim was to determine whether my design would help users find a thrift store as well as support them to find a specific item with the help of the community.
Demographics
Set up
Reflections
What I Learned
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Simple language and clear instructions contributes to a positive user experience
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Identifying the key moments of frustration are essential when designing a solution
Next Steps
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Incorporate a 'Plan my Trip' feature
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Get thrift stores involved
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Set up profile page for users