eBay Mobile Case Study
Redesigning eBay's mobile selling and shopping experience via n=6 user research.
As part of a bootcamp project, I worked amongst a team of UX researchers to evaluate the user experience of eBay's mobile platform through n = 6 usability testing. The group garnered insights into what obstacles users faced through firsthand navigation of the app and participant studies.
Post completion of the group research I spent two weeks challenging myself to complete a case study focusing on the problems highlighted in our findings. The goal was to enhance the fluidity of the eBay mobile experience while remaining authentic to their brand and design system.
Timeline
October 9th - 22nd, 2023
Role
UI/UX Designer, UX Researcher, Prototyper
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Nielsen Norman Group, UX Stack Exchange
By using an established seller's account we were able to experience firsthand what the mobile experience for buying and selling entailed. Images of each step of the process were recorded to create current user flows and conceptualize revisions.
Time trials were conducted amongst participants to gauge dwell time for the main purposes, buying and selling. Notable points were spikes of hesitation between browsing and referencing prices. The issue of lacking a convenient comparison between active and sold listings was indicated.
Users also encountered a high degree of frustration with completing listing requirements and the multiple redundant processes incurred. Some individuals gave up towards the apex of this task feeling overwhelmed or confused in what felt to them to be an extraneously drawn on process.
Analyzing n = 6 categories through the lens of spectrums and situations. Applying these gradients of user factors helped solidify specific pain points and highlight which areas required most attention.
Analysis led the team to reimagine flows that reduced the amount of individual steps via task compartmentalization and nested interactivity. Clarifying the choice of basic vs advanced options would assuage the stress users felt in needing to complete populous details during item listing.
eBay Buyer
Age 18 - 72, looking for a specific item to purchase or casually browsing interests.
Pain points:
-
Lots of options, hard to specify a certain niche
-
Too many irrelevant filter options, mobile interface is cluttered.
-
No option to see pricing trends, new users may not know how to view "sold".
eBay Store Owner
Age 24 - 60, uses eBay as primary or secondary source of income.
Pain points:
-
Spends most of the workday on eBay, finds layout and user flow dizzying after extended periods of use.
-
Listing process consumes too much time, even when using previous drafts.
Casual eBay Seller
Age 15 - 54, wants to make extra cash, selling personal or new "flip" products.
Pain points:
-
Nuances of eBay selling is deep and not well introduced to novices.
-
Listing becomes overwhelming, new users often stop midway through.
-
Pricing, shipping, and costs/fees aren't highlighted, creates unease for users.
Insights gathered during the research was used to compose three main user personas: the casual seller, experienced eBay store owner, and typical shopper. An analysis of the unique and concurrent pain points were used to develop wireframes for a smoother experience.
Typography
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
H0 HEADING 0
Arial 56 pt
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
H1 HEADING 1
Arial 40 pt
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
H3 HEADING 3
Arial 24 pt
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
P0 PARAGRAPH 0
Arial 20 pt
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
P1 PARAGRAPH 1
Arial 16 pt
A comprehensive design system was established based on eBay's existing design language. Elements were crafted in balance with one another and the concept's 8 pt grid system. To combat the frustrations of overly extensive tasks, interactions that encouraged a fluid user experience that broke down long processes into easily manageable bits implemented.
Using Figma's variables, the design system's colors and spacing can be altered specifically from within a 3-tiered hierarchy. Inclusion of variables for a light and dark mode allowed me to practice utilizing variables to craft flexible, expansive digital ecosystems.
Create new listing
Revise listing
Search and purchase item
Feedback
My goal for this challenge was to uphold the essence of eBay's existing platform as I fine-tuned elements that resonated with users and optimized those that detracted from their experience.
I built upon a design system that focused on tangible upgrades while considering the practicality of implementation. This approach ensured that my design decisions were not only desirable from a user perspective but also feasible within the context of the company's operational boundaries.
After the case study was completed I had the opportunity to share my work with a pair of UX designers on the eBay digital development team. The feedback they provided concurred that the insights our team gleaned during user research aligned with the values they had been exploring in recent phases of work. During this conversation I was able to learn more about the depth of the brand's design culture and in which ways my concept adhered and strayed from their model.
Overall they expressed that the case study appropriately targeted the shortcomings of their current model and performed well in using existing and conceptual branding elements to visualize the upgrades desired through a realistic course of action.
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