Coupang has been the most popular mobile e-commerce app in South Korea since 2019, largely due to its 'easy payment' and 'fast delivery' features. The app also employs a customer-centric strategy, prominently displaying items that users are likely to be interested in. At its core, the focus is on providing users with maximum convenience, minimizing the time and effort required for shopping.
During the pandemic, as the number of 'homebodies' increased, there was significant growth in mobile shopping users. In South Korea alone, there were 22.49 million mobile shopping app installations as of August 2019.
Due to the pandemic, there has been an economic slump, and people are more aware of their spending—7 out of 10 people compare prices on a site before making a purchase.
I began my user research with both qualitative and quantitative methods: surveying 30 people and interviewing a few women in their early 20s. Overall, I found that users want an effortless online shopping experience with the same quality as shopping in stores.
1. The biggest pain points for offline shopping are the physical energy it requires (44%) and the use of fitting rooms (32%).
2. The biggest pain points for online shopping are uncertainty about sizing (48%) and concern over whether the clothes will suit them (36%).
After gathering data from interviews and survey, I categorized data into overlapping groups to understand users' most essential needs in shopping experience.
1. Users prefer online shopping that doesn’t require too much time and energy.
2. Online shopping lacks product information about sizing and suitability.
3. Users need a shopping companion to get advice.
Developed personas representing SmartCody's target audience, primarily focused on women, with ages ranging from the 20s to the 30s.
Created journey maps to gain a better understanding of personas in their daily lives, helping me uncover more relevant insights to solve their potential problems.
Online mobile shopping has become dominant since COVID.
Consumers struggle with indecisiveness and a lack of fashion sense while shopping.
Consumers want to be certain about how apparel will fit them online.
For millennials who desire to be effortlessly fashionable, SmartCody will enhance their shopping experience by offering an AR fitting room connected to a smart mirror, a price adjustment feature for easy price comparison between brands, and an AI stylist that analyzes users' daily biorhythms and the weather.
After completing the research and deriving insights, I developed a clear, step-by-step information architecture for the entire app. This structure ensures a seamless navigation experience, allowing users to focus on their tasks without distractions.
After creating the information architecture, I developed a flowchart for the entire system to streamline task completion within the interface and further clarify and organize the structure.
With a clear understanding of the product's structure, I focused on translating it to the screen. Using low-fidelity wireframes, I sketched multiple screens, concentrating on the placement and flow of each task.
After creating wireframes and UI drafts, I tested them with multiple users, gathering feedback to further improve the interface’s usability.
1. Many users were confused about the core features and had difficulty accessing the AI stylist. The suggestion was to highlight the styling button on the home page by using a bold color and larger size.
2. Users were confused about whether they needed to tap the avatar in the top left corner or the hamburger icon in the top right to access their profile page.
3. Users found it difficult to recognize the size information and the smart mirror button on the camera page of the AR fitting room.
Despite the abundance of shopping apps, users still seek greater convenience, creating a demand for new features and technologies to address their pain points.
SmartCody redefines shopping, transforming it from a stressful and tiring task into an enjoyable experience where users can effortlessly shape their look with fashion that suits them.
