→ Swop: UX Case Study

Overview

Swop is a UX case study for a sustainable product reselling app that emphasizes trading over traditional buying and selling. Its local matching feature promotes cost-free consumerism while encouraging eco-friendly exchanges.

Key Skills

UX/UI (Figma)
Design systems
Prototyping
Research

VIEW PROTOTYPE

Process

Define

Address the problem
User journey
Goals

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Research

Brainstorm
Competitive Analysis
Design Sprint

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Design

Wireframing
Visual Design
Prototyping

Define

The Problem:

Environmental Impact and Waste:
The rise of consumerism contributes to environmental waste and the growing issue of landfills being filled with short-lived items.

Cost of Living and Affordability:
Shopping second-hand has become increasingly popular due to increasing prices and cost of living.

Inconvenience of Traditional Reselling Platforms:
Existing product reselling platforms may not provide an efficient way to connect users with mutual interests in trading items.

The Goals:

Simplify the Trading Process:
Implementing a "matching" system similar to dating apps ensures that users are presented with potential trades that match their interests.

Provide a Cost-Effective Solution:
By allowing users to trade goods directly, it eliminates the need for monetary transactions.

Promote Sustainable Consumption:
Swop aims to reduce environmental impact by encouraging users to trade and swap items they no longer need, giving these products a second life instead of contributing to waste.

Research

Competitive Analysis:

Depop

Focus on apparel
Users have a history of exploiting unconstrained pricing
Trading is possible, however, it is solely facilitated by users
The in-app payment method (Depop Pay) can be complicated and inconvenient

Facebook (Marketplace)

Wide range of product categories
An extension of the main Facebook social media app
No in-app payment methods
Communication between users is mainly self-sufficient

ThredUp

Focus on apparel, donating, sustainability
Typical online storefront, no direct exchange between users
Trading is not possible
Sophisticated in-app payment methods
Includes features that highlight sustainability metrics

User Flow:

Design Sprint Outcomes:

At the end of the design sprint, it was concluded that Swop would be based around three main ideas/features: user-to-user connection, refined trading processes, and sustainability.

Design

Takeaways

The Swop project has been a journey of blending user-centered design with sustainability-driven goals. Through the development and iteration process, several key takeaways have emerged:

Simplicity Drives Engagement:
Keeping the design minimalistic was essential in ensuring that users could easily navigate the app and participate in its features.

Balancing Visuals with Function:
The UI reinforced the importance of balancing visual design with usability. The chosen color palette and typography not only reflect the brand’s identity but also enhance user ease, especially in a photo-heavy environment.

Promoting Sustainable Practices:
Swop not only provides a cost-effective solution but also encourages users to adopt more environmentally conscious habits.