New Feature for Etsy Marketplace

As an online global marketplace that specializes

in handmade items, Etsy wants to broaden

its customer base through custom services.

THE CHALLENGE

Our team of 3 was tasked with providing an option for Etsy users to commission a product and allow quality artisans to provide quotes. The areas where our attention were focused were: to provide access to this new feature for users to commission products in a safe, spam free environment and for artisans to have a way to offer their services for specific commissions. In a team of 3, we had 2 weeks to complete the project from start to finish, including all research, wireframes, and prototyping.

ROLE, SCOPE & CONSTRAINTS

In a team of 3, we had 2 weeks to complete the project from start to finish, including all research, wireframes, and prototyping for both mobile and desktop formats. My role in the team involved being the project manager and all aspects of the UI and UX specifically focusing on the overall visual design of the prototype and presentation.

APPROACH

We utilized the “double diamond” UX process to develop an overall plan. With quick iterations based on user testing, I was able to adjust the project as I worked.

User Interviews: 5

Usability Tests: 2 Rounds of Testing with 7 Users

Using an agile workflow, we created fast iterations based on user research and testing (using Maze).

RESULTS

Based on our research as well as our findings on the target users, we designed a new, additional user flow for Etsy that allows customers to post a product request and also allows artisans to provide quotes for these requests. We created a high fidelity working prototype of the new feature in Figma which includes an addition to the homepage, a new buyer page and a new maker page with the ability for the user to communicate with each other seamlessly. Our new Etsy experience had a completion rate of 98%.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

We began our research for this project by conducting in-depth interviews with current Etsy users. We wanted to learn about what their thoughts and experiences were, and their use of what currently exists when using the customizing options on Etsy. I also wanted to look more into the current customizing options that Etsy offers.

CURRENT

The current customization options are limited. Both mobile and desktop users have long scrolls to get to the messaging option. Our users mentioned how they wish they could have more customization options. The only way to communicate with the maker is by DM-ing, take a look at the long scroll…

TAKEAWAYS

• Users mentioned the customizing options were limited. Anything needed outside of the option parameters require DM-ing.

• 100% mentioned that they enjoyed using Etsy and spent 1-2 hours on average browsing.

• 4/5 users used the desktop for buying and their mobile for browsing.

It seemed as though this new feature would require a more formalized yet personalized order form. The current customizing does not promote communication between the buyer and the seller. (we found a way to message at the end of the mobile scroll, and we want to make sure our users can have the freedom to have more flexibility when ordering a unique item. Also, the freedom to communicate

COMPETITIVE/ COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Following the the interviews, I conducted a comparative analysis with the sites that offer a similar service to what Etsy is requesting. I wanted to see what methods they use for such a unique experience. How can we combine the best of these sites and what our users want to create a new feature for Etsy? Thumbtack , although not a competitor, offered a very streamlined method for ordering unique services.

My problem statement evolved to the following “Customers need a way to commission products in a safe, spam free environment and artisans need a way to offer their services for specific commissions."

PERSONA & PROBLEM STATEMENT

This is not a one way street. We decided to create two personas. Not only were we trying to understand the buyer, in this case, Jill, but also the maker, Steve. We needed to learn about the experience from both ends of the transaction.

Meet Jill and Steve.

Persona 1: Jill is the user wanting to commission an item.

Persona 2: Steve is the artisan that would make the item.

DESIGN ITERATIONS

My first sketches for the project grappled with how to unite the new feature with the existing site. I realized that it needed to be clearly visible while it was new, but at the same time it needed to be of equal value, visually, to the other features of the site.

Questions I tried to answer with my initial sketches:

• How can I integrate this new feature yet highlight it as "new" so the user can easily see it?

• How do I gear this site toward both the buyers and the makers and make searching for talent/commissions easy?

• How do I create a solution to allow the customer and the artisan to communicate with each other for the transaction to take place as efficiently and safely as possible?

• How can I provide the buyer with a more formalized method of ordering so that specifics can be included.?

Mobile

Not only could the new feature be added to the hamburger, but it could be in the form of an icon at the top right of the mobile.

Desktop

Add “Commission” to the navigation bar. This can be complemented with a pop up when entering the site to remind or show there is a new feature added.

Order form

Figuring out how to include an ordering process

Communication

Direct communication for the specific commission before the order is formalized (or not)

USER/SELLER FLOWS

We sketched out many ideas on how to make this a user-centered experience. We iterated on several user flows. We wanted to make sure the 2 paths (buyer & maker) shared the same features, such as the ability to browse and filter

Buyer’s perspective

You can use this space to add a nice little description about the work you’ve shown above. Click to edit.

Maker’s perspective

You can use this space to add a nice little description about the work you’ve shown above. Click to edit.

Persona 1 (buyer): Lo-fidelity proposed journey for Jill choosing a maker, communicating with him/her and ordering.

Persona 2 (maker): Lo-fidelity proposed journey for Steve. He can choose and make a bid, communicate with Jill and accept bid.

USABILITY TESTING

Once our mid-fidelity prototype was made, we got ten volunteers to test both the mobile and desktop versions . For the mobile we had a 89% completion rate, and for the desktop, 88%. The mobile user had issues with the pop-up calendar. It was finicky, it needs some adjustments to make it more user-friendly. A few desktop users had an issue finding where to go to order a commission.

User #4 said “I did not think to go to commissions initially I wanted to go straight to the jewelry section.”

Calendar issues

We need to enlarge the calendar for easier tapping capabilities.

Finding the Commission option

2 users tried the jewelry category (circles under the navigation bar) to get to the commission option.

ADJUSTMENTS

We listened, we had to focus in on the user automatically going to the jewelry category first, bypassing the 2 commission options on the home page. We decided to cover all bases and add the ability to go to the commission category via the 9 categories (listed in the navigation bar). So now, if the user goes “straight to the jewelry section”, they will see the commission option. See below.

2 users also suggested the need for a notification for when bids or offers come to the buyer/seller. We welcomed this suggestion, it was humbling to be made aware of this oversight.

Finding the Commission option

Several users tried the jewelry category (circles under the navigation bar) to get to the commission option. We need to enlarge the calendar for easier tapping capabilities.