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UYE STORE

Designing a more trusted and less overwhelming way to shop for everyday gadgets and lifestyle products

Role: Product Designer / UX Designer
Project: E-commerce / Lifestyle Commerce
Scope: UX Research → Product Strategy → Information Architecture → User Flows → Wireframes → Prototyping
Status: UX phase completed; UI design and development not yet started
Research: 3 qualitative user interviews + competitor analysis
Tools: Figma, Chatgpt

‍

The Project

Shopping online should make finding a product easier.

But for many shoppers, the opposite happens.

There are too many products, similar options, unclear product information, concerns about authenticity, and uncertainty about whether what they see online is what they will actually receive.

UYE Store is a proposed lifestyle commerce platform designed around a different idea:

Don't make customers search through everything. Help them find something that fits their needs.

The concept focuses on curated everyday products and gadgets that support productivity, relaxation, travel and everyday living, while giving customers enough information and trust signals to make confident purchasing decisions.

The challenge was to determine:

How might we create an e-commerce experience that reduces decision fatigue while increasing trust and purchase confidence?

‍

The Business Context

UYE wanted to establish itself in a competitive e-commerce market.

The initial business goal was straightforward:

Convert visitors into buyers through trust, clarity and emotional lifestyle positioning.

The longer-term ambition was to become a top-of-mind lifestyle accessories store for its target audience.

Target audience

Young working professionals, approximately 26–45, across Nigeria and the African diaspora who:

• value convenience
• appreciate useful technology
• are interested in growth and innovation
• shop online during their leisure time
• want products that improve everyday life

Rather than simply selling "gadgets", UYE wanted to position products around the benefit they bring to people's lives.

‍

The Problem

The initial assumption was that UYE needed a better online store.

Research revealed that the problem was deeper.

Customers weren't simply asking:

"Where can I buy this?"

They were often asking:

"Which one should I buy?"

"Can I trust this seller?"

"Is this product actually what I'm seeing?"

"Is this worth my money?"

"What makes this product different from the other five?"

This shifted the design challenge from building an online catalogue to designing a decision-making experience.

‍

Research Approach

I conducted qualitative interviews with three users who had experience purchasing gadgets, accessories or everyday products online.

I wanted to understand:

• What triggers an online purchase?
• How do users discover products?
• What causes decision fatigue?
• What information do they need before buying?
• What makes an online store trustworthy?
• What makes them abandon a purchase?
• What brings them back?
• How do price, reviews and product information influence decisions?

I also reviewed competing experiences, particularly:

• Jumia
• Oraimo

I examined:

• Navigation
• Information architecture
• Login and signup
• Product information
• Trust signals
• Wishlist
• Checkout
• Customer support
• Order placement
• Post-purchase experience

‍

What Users Told Me

The interviews revealed several recurring behavioural patterns.

Online shopping is valuable because it saves time

One participant compared online shopping with physical stores and explained that online shopping makes it easier to:

• see multiple options
• compare prices
• work within a budget
• shop from home
• make faster decisions

Design implication

UYE shouldn't recreate the friction of physical shopping online.

The experience should make comparison and decision-making faster, not harder.

‍

Discovery Starts Outside the Store

Users mentioned discovering products through:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• WhatsApp Status
• Social media advertisements
• Friends/recommendations

This means the homepage isn't necessarily the first experience users have with UYE.

A user might arrive directly on a product or campaign page.

Design implication

Every landing experience needs enough context to answer:

What is this? Why should I trust it? Why should I buy it?

‍

Too Many Similar Choices Create Confusion

One participant explained that confusion happens when:

• brands are familiar
• prices are similar
• designs are similar
• there are multiple attractive options

Another described becoming confused when products appear to solve the same problem but have different ingredients or features.

This was one of the strongest insights from the research.

Design implication

UYE shouldn't compete by simply displaying more products. It should compete through curation and guidance.

‍

Trust Is a Major Purchase Barrier

Users expressed concerns about:

• receiving something different from what they saw online
• product quality
• authenticity
• unreliable vendors
• delayed returns or warranty processes
• online fraud

One participant specifically highlighted the fear of paying for one product and receiving something different.

What builds trust?

The interviews highlighted:

Product reviews

Detailed information

Pay on Delivery

Warranty

Recommendations from people they know

Interestingly, social media presence was considered less important than these practical trust signals.

Design implication

Trust shouldn't be hidden in an "About Us" page.

It should appear at the point of decision.

‍

Users Want Information Before They Commit

The most important product information mentioned included:

• Price
• Reviews
• Product description
• Specifications
• Product features

This became one of the foundations of the product-detail experience.

Instead of simply showing:

Image + Name + Price + Buy

the UYE product page should help answer:

What does this do?

Who is it for?

What makes it useful?

Is it authentic?

What are its specifications?

Can I trust it?

When will I receive it?

‍

Affinity Mapping

After the interviews, I grouped observations into behavioural themes.

Discovery

• Social media
• Ads
• Recommendations
• Status updates

Decision Making

• Price
• Reviews
• Specifications
• Product description
• Quality

Trust

• Pay on Delivery
• Warranty
• Reviews
• Known vendors
• Detailed information

Frustrations

• Too many similar choices
• Unclear information
• Fear of receiving something different
• Poor quality
• Difficult returns

Motivations

• Convenience
• Saving time
• Finding useful products
• Affordability
• Comfort
• Productivity

Retention

• Product quality
• Customer service
• Fast delivery
• Trust
• Easy shopping

‍

The Core Opportunity

The research led to one central opportunity:

UYE can differentiate itself not by having the most products, but by helping customers make better product decisions.

This became the foundation of the product strategy.

‍

User Personas

Rather than designing for an abstract "online shopper", I translated the research into behavioural personas.

The Practical Explorer

Primary motivation: Find useful products without wasting time.

Goals

• Find products quickly
• Understand what a product does
• Stay within budget
• Buy with confidence

Frustrations

• Too many similar products
• Poor product descriptions
• Unclear quality
• Fear of scams

Needs

• Curated collections
• Clear product benefits
• Reviews
• Specifications
• Trust signals

‍

The Value-Seeking Shopper

Primary motivation: Get useful products at an affordable price.

Goals

• Discover affordable products
• Compare options
• Find deals
• Minimize purchasing risk

Frustrations

• Unclear quality
• Attractive products with poor quality
• Delivery concerns

Needs

• Transparent pricing
• Reviews
• Product information
• Delivery information
• Pay on Delivery

‍

Empathy Map

The research also revealed what users are experiencing beyond the interface.

THINKS

"Is this product really what they are showing me?"

"Which one should I choose?"

"Is this worth the money?"

FEELS

• cautious
• overwhelmed
• curious
• excited
• uncertain

SAYS

"I check reviews."

"I check the specifications."

"I want to know if it is original."

DOES

• compares prices
• checks reviews
• examines specifications
• searches social media
• considers recommendations
• evaluates delivery options

This helped move the design from feature-driven to behaviour-driven.

‍

User Journey

I mapped the customer's experience from discovery through post-purchase.

Stage - User Goal - Pain Point - UYE Opportunity

Discover - Find something useful - Too many products online - Lifestyle-led discovery

Explore - Understand options - Similar products - Curated collections

Evaluate - Decide confidently - Trust concerns - Reviews + specs + warranty

Purchase - Complete order - Payment anxiety - Pay on Delivery

Wait - Know what is happening - Delivery uncertainty - Order tracking

Receive - Confirm satisfactiom - Quality concerns - Support + returns

Return - Buy again - Previous experience determines trust - Reliable service

‍

Competitor Analysis

I examined Jumia and Oraimo to understand what they do well and where an opportunity exists for UYE.

Jumia

Strengths

• Large product selection
• Strong marketplace familiarity
• Multiple price points
• Pay on Delivery
• Search and filtering
• Order tracking
• Established logistics

Weakness

The breadth that makes Jumia powerful can also create decision overload.

‍Oraimo

Strengths

• Strong product branding
• Clear category structure
• Product-focused experience
• Strong brand recognition
• Consistent product presentation

Weakness‍

Its experience is primarily centered around one ecosystem/brand, whereas UYE has an opportunity to curate products across different lifestyle needs and brands.

‍

The Strategic Gap

This led to the positioning:

Jumia

"Find almost anything."

Oraimo

"Explore our ecosystem."

UYE

"Find something useful for your life, without the overwhelm."

That became the strategic opportunity.

‍

Product Strategy

I defined three UX principles for UYE.

01. Reduce Decision Fatigue

Help users discover products according to what they want to accomplish, not just what category a product belongs to.

Examples:

• Work Smarter
• Relax Better
• Travel Essentials
• Home Comfort
• Gift Ideas

‍

02. Build Trust at the Point of Decision

Bring trust signals directly into the shopping journey:

• Authenticity
• Reviews
• Warranty
• Specifications
• Delivery estimate
• Pay on Delivery
• Customer support

‍

03. Make Buying Feel Simple

Reduce unnecessary friction between:

Product discovery → Product evaluation → Checkout → Delivery

‍

System Model

I mapped the wider ecosystem to understand the actors involved.

Primary actor

Customer

Supporting actors

• UYE Admin
• Customer Support
• Delivery Agent
• Inventory/Admin
• Payment Provider

The system model helped identify that UYE isn't simply a customer-facing website.

It is an ecosystem connecting customers, products, operations, payments, support and delivery.

‍

Feature Prioritization

I translated research findings into a feature matrix and prioritized features according to user value and implementation complexity.

Easy Wins

• Lifestyle collections
• Search
• Categories
• Filters
• Detailed descriptions
• Product benefits
• Specifications
• Reviews
• Warranty
• Authenticity information
• Delivery estimates
• Pay on Delivery
• Wishlist
• FAQs
• WhatsApp support
• Order tracking

Strategic Investments

• Product comparison
• Recommendation engine
• Personalization
• Loyalty
• Referral system
• Advanced analytics

Deferred

• AR
• Voice shopping
• Gamification
• 360° product viewer
• Social community

The important decision here was:

Don't build features simply because competitors have them. Build features because they solve a validated user problem or support a clear business objective.

‍

Information Architecture

The research influenced the architecture directly.

Instead of forcing customers to navigate through endless technical categories, UYE introduces lifestyle-oriented discovery.

Primary structure

UYE STORE

│

├── Home

├── Shop

│   ├── Lifestyle Collections

│   ├── Categories

│   ├── Brands

│   └── Budget

│

├── Search

├── Product Details

├── Wishlist

├── Cart

├── Checkout

├── My Account

├── Customer Support

└── About UYE

The architecture was designed around the user's mental model rather than the company's internal inventory structure.

‍

User Flow

The primary purchase flow became:

Social Media / Search

        ↓

    UYE Landing

        ↓

Lifestyle Collection

        ↓

 Product Listing

        ↓

 Product Details

        ↓

Evaluate

 ┌──────┼────────┐

Reviews Specs Warranty

 └──────┼────────┘

        ↓

    Add to Cart

        ↓

       Cart

        ↓

     Checkout

        ↓

 Address + Payment

        ↓

 Pay on Delivery /

 Online Payment

        ↓

 Order Confirmation

        ↓

 Order Tracking

        ↓

    Delivery

This became the backbone of the prototype.

‍

Hierarchical Task Model

The primary customer task was broken down into:

1. Discover

• Open UYE
• Search/browse
• Select lifestyle collection

2. Evaluate

• View product
• Understand benefits
• Check specifications
• Read reviews
• Check authenticity
• Check warranty
• Check delivery

3. Purchase

• Add to cart
• Review order
• Enter address
• Select payment
• Confirm order

4. Receive

• Track order
• Receive notifications
• Receive delivery
• Contact support if necessary

5. Re-engage

• Review product
• Return
• Reorder
• Continue shopping

‍

User Scenarios

I created scenarios to test how the product could behave in realistic situations.

Scenario 1 — The Overwhelmed Shopper

Thomas needs gadgets before travelling.

He discovers UYE through Instagram.

Instead of landing on a page filled with promotional banners and unrelated products, UYE guides him toward:

Travel Essentials → Recommended Products → Product Information → Purchase

The experience reduces the amount of searching he needs to do.

‍

Scenario 2 — The Gift Buyer

Linda needs a birthday gift for her father.

She searches for men's products and discovers:

Gift Ideas → Men's Gifts → Watches

She evaluates:

• reviews
• specifications
• price
• warranty

and completes the purchase.

The important interaction isn't simply finding the watch.

It is confidence in the decision.

‍

Wireframing

I translated the architecture and flows into low-fidelity wireframes.

The wireframes focused on:

Homepage

• Lifestyle discovery
• USP
• Trust signals
• Featured products
• Reviews

Collection

• Lifestyle filtering
• Product cards
• Search
• Sorting
• Filters

Product Detail

• Product imagery
• Benefits
• Specifications
• Reviews
• Warranty
• Authenticity
• Delivery information
• CTA

Cart

• Products
• Quantity
• Delivery
• Total
• Checkout

Checkout

• Address
• Delivery
• Payment
• Pay on Delivery
• Order summary

Post-purchase

• Confirmation
• Tracking
• Support

‍

Prototype Strategy

The prototype is designed around the critical customer journey, rather than attempting to prototype every possible interaction.

Primary prototype

Discover → Evaluate → Purchase → Track

This allows usability testing around the most important business question:

Can users confidently find and purchase a product without feeling overwhelmed or uncertain?

‍

Key Interactions to Prototype

The prototype includes interactions such as:

Search

Search → suggestions → results

Filters

Filter → select → update results

Product Gallery

Thumbnail → change primary image

Product Information

Accordion → expand/collapse specifications

Reviews

CTA → reviews section

Warranty

Badge → information overlay

Authenticity

Badge → trust explanation tooltip

Wishlist

Heart → saved state

Cart

Add → confirmation toast → cart update

Checkout

Address → payment → confirmation

Payment

Pay on Delivery / Online Payment

Order

Place order → success → tracking

Tracking

Status → delivery progress

Support

Help → WhatsApp/support

‍

The Design Decision

The biggest design decision from this project was:

UYE should not try to win by giving users more choices. It should win by helping users make better choices.

Expected Product Impact

Because the product has not launched, I would not claim actual conversion or revenue results.

Instead, I would define the success metrics that should be measured after implementation.

Business metrics

• Conversion rate
• Repeat purchase rate
• Average order value
• Cart abandonment
• Product-page-to-cart conversion

UX metrics

• Product discovery success rate
• Time to find a suitable product
• Checkout completion
• Search success rate
• Task completion rate
• Support requests
• User confidence rating

Trust metrics

• Pay on Delivery usage
• Return rate
• Product review rate
• Product-page engagement

‍

What I Learned

01. More choice doesn't always mean more value.

A large catalogue can be useful, but when products become difficult to distinguish, more options can create friction.

02. Trust is part of the product experience.

Trust isn't just branding.

It appears in:

reviews + information + warranty + payment + delivery + support.

03. Research changes the problem.

I initially approached the project as an e-commerce design problem.

The research revealed a more interesting problem:

How do we help people confidently decide what to buy?

04. UX decisions should connect to business goals.

Every major feature was evaluated against:

User need + business value + implementation effort.

‍

Final UX Solution

The proposed UYE experience is built around four principles:

                   UYE

                     │

        ┌────────────┼────────────┐

        ↓            ↓            ↓

     DISCOVER      TRUST        DECIDE

        │            │            │

   Curated        Reviews      Clear

   Collections    Warranty     Benefits

   Search         Authenticity Specs

   Categories     POD          Comparison

        │            │            │

        └────────────┼────────────┘

                     ↓

                 PURCHASE

                     ↓

                  RETAIN

The experience helps users move from:

"I need something."

to

"I know what I want."

to

"I trust this store."

to

"I'm confident buying it."

‍