Project Name

eCommerce revamp

My Role

Product Designer

Project Type

eCommerce

Project Year

2018

INTRO

Context

As a member of the BuildDirect team, I was tasked with a pivotal mission: enhancing the eCommerce page experience. This was especially important because BuildDirect had recently shifted its business model from a traditional online retailer of heavyweight home improvement products to a thriving marketplace platform. My role was critical in ensuring the success of this transition.

THE START

UX Audit

To aid the Product Managers in their efforts to prioritize and identify areas of growth, I led the UX Team's initiative to conduct a comprehensive audit of the current marketplace experience. My specific focus was on the checkout and product pages, with the goal of identifying areas for improvement and enhancing the overall user experience.

I was assigned to lead the audit of the checkout and product page, leveraging the extensive research conducted by the Baymard Institute in their eCommerce UX report. I meticulously reviewed and analyzed the extensive 622 pages on the product detail page and 718 pages on the checkout process to inform our findings and recommendations.

I applied the Baymard Institute eCommerce UX guidelines to assess our marketplace experience, evaluating each aspect of the product detail page and checkout process. Using the ICE scoring system, I identified over 200 opportunities for improvement, prioritizing areas with the highest impact, confidence, and ease of implementation.

UNDERSTAND

Journey Map

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the "PRO" persona's experience with BuildDirect, I conducted a user journey analysis. This involved closely observing their interactions with the business and identifying any pain points they encountered. To do this, I analyzed support calls, listened to the needs and concerns of the "PRO" persona, and meticulously pieced together a detailed user journey to reflect their journey with BuildDirect.

With the creation of a comprehensive user journey for the "PRO" persona, I highlighted the importance of understanding the customer experience not just through isolated touchpoints, but as a holistic journey that encompasses all interactions with a brand. This shift in perspective required an organizational change, which I helped drive by showcasing the value of a journey-focused approach. The result was a marked improvement in customer satisfaction and loyalty, demonstrating the impact of my efforts.

Full Customer Journey:

DATA

Heatmap
& Clicks

I leveraged Hotjar to optimize BuildDirect's user experience. This tool provided heatmaps that helped me understand user behavior, such as how users interact with critical content, links, buttons, and CTAs, whether they get distracted by non-clickable elements, and if they encounter issues across devices. I used Hotjar's insights to make data-driven interface updates, with the goal of achieving the desired outcomes for the company.

DEFINE

From Concept to Revamp PDP

Leveraging the insights gained from the UX audit, user journey, and heatmap analysis, I designed a cutting-edge Product Detail Page. With this visualization, I effectively communicated the potential improvements to the developers, stakeholders, and various departments within the company. This allowed us to work collaboratively and break down the project into manageable, incremental deliverables.

COLLABORATION

Design Thinking

At BuildDirect, we initiated the innovative "Walking the Store" (WTS) sessions, which aimed to bring employees from diverse departments together to understand the customer experience on the website. During these sessions, participants put themselves in the shoes of our customers to empathize with their interactions and identify common challenges. This hands-on approach led to a deeper understanding of the customer journey and allowed the UX team to gather over 300 valuable insights and ideas to enhance the customer experience. The WTS sessions not only offered a unique perspective but also facilitated creative problem-solving and improvement of the overall customer experience.

LOW-HANGING FRUITS

Design Updates

Together with cross-functional teams, I collaborated with Product Managers, Product Owners, and Business Stakeholders to maximize the impact of the Walking the Store (WTS) sessions. We leveraged the insights and ideas gathered during the WTS to identify quick wins and prioritize actionable solutions that would improve the customer experience and drive business results.

THE IMPACT

Outcomes & Key results

Despite the financial struggles of BuildDirect to find the right revenue model, I was able to influence multiple areas of the area, and people started to recognize the value of design inside the organization.

+300 inputs from the Design Thinking sessions

17% increase iin pageviews for the categories page compared to the previous year

+200 items from the UX Audit

6% increase the Average Order Value

After we implemented Affirm, it started to represent approximately 3.3% of total revenue for the month

Ray Santos

For any further info or if you would just like to
reach out to me and say hi.

Vancouver, BC - Canada
Contact: renanfscanada@gmail.com
Instagram: @renanfsdesign
Linkedin: @renanfsdesign