Mobile and web applications that simplify communication between clothing resale stores and their clients.
My role:
UX Research / Branding / Product Design
Design Challange
Despite the enduring business model for physical clothing resale stores, there is still confusion and frustration regarding miscommunication between employees and clients. What features and information would help alleviate these difficulties?
Research
Competitive Analysis
Brick-and-mortar resale stores use various forms of online communication, including e-mail and direct messaging on different apps (Depop, Poshmark, Tradesy, Instagram). Most of these are targeted towards personal use and inefficient for store clients and employees.
Understanding Users
I conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with potential users spanning those who have no resale experience to seasoned resale business owners and store employees.
• Why Resale?
Resale enthusiasts enjoy finding rare and unique pieces that would otherwise be difficult to find or out of their budget.
• Clarity
Employees unanimously agreed communication prior to an in-person exchange would help in achieving a mutual understanding.
• Miscommunication
Clients find it discouraging when an effort to consign/sell certain items is unsuccessful and it’s unclear why.
Branding
Quirky, Playful, Personal, Light-hearted
Reselling your clothing should be fun. Half of the appeal of shopping consignment/resale is that rush of excitement when you find something special, something perfect for you, something that no one else has. Syft keeps the fun and personal nature of resale stores through simple designs, clean lines, sans-serif typefaces, and elements of whimsy and quirk.
Product Solutions
Most resale stores rely solely on clients to bring in all of the merchandise sold. This process leaves room for a sense of ownership amongst the clients who shop and sell in these stores. However, the current experience frequently lacks communication regarding what is acceptable for resale in a specific store at a particular time. To successfully break this communication barrier Syft allows simple navigation between three solutions.
Store Profiles
Every participating store will have access to a web platform where they are quickly and easily able to update a custom profile where any updates are to be immediately visible on the mobile app.
Appointments
Clients will be able to directly book and confirm selling/consigning appointments through the scheduling feature. Store employees will be able to view and plan for appointments on the web app.
Direct Messages
Clients will be able to communicate with multiple stores on one platform, decreasing miscommunication, and saving time. Employees will be able to directly answer any messages to clients immediately.
Mobile Screens
The bottom navigation features three main user flows: the Syft logo corresponds to browsing and learning more about different stores and what they are buying, the hanger leads to booking appointments at stores and the envelope corresponds to direct messages between stores and clients.
Desktop Screens
Employees are able to make instant updates to the store profile, check upcoming appointments, and respond to messages.
Future
Opportunities
Expansion to Selling
Explore expanding content to include digital storefronts where users are able to browse inventory, put items on hold, and purchase directly from stores.
Integration
The information on store profiles could be most useful if combined with existing selling and buying platforms that resale stores currently use.
