UX DESIGN • CONTENT DESIGN 

Redesigning an e-commerce platform for Life Essenz (Case Study Is In Progress)

As a UX Designer, I was responsible for merging e-commerce and non-profit platforms, ensuring the design not only aligned with the brand’s identity but also resonated with the target audience. I focused on creating strong calls to action to drive product purchases and affiliate sign-ups, while also highlighting the mission and emphasizing quality to build trust with both customers and affiliates.

What is Life Essenz?

Life Essenz is a brand that sells essential oils and fragrances and supports affiliate marketing programs for low-socioeconomic students to help them save money for their education.

Client

Life Essenz

My Role
 

UX Designer

Tools Used

Figma, FigJam, Slack, Chat GPT, Zoom, Google workspace

My Responsibilities

  • Content Design
  • Information Architecture
  • Wireframing
  • Prototyping
  • User Interviews
  • Usability Testing
  • Cross-functional collaboration

Our Team

UX Design Team of 5

Timeline

June 2024 - August 2024

Problem Statement

Users need an intuitive and easy-to-use platform that empowers them to sell items and earn commissions, ultimately helping them save money.

 

The client seeks to combine the strengths of e-commerce and non-profit platforms to create a unique solution for students looking to achieve financial savings.

 

Main Goals

  • Clearly communicate the benefits and details of the affiliate program to drive product purchases and affiliate sign-ups;
  • Ensure the design aligns with the brand's identity and appeals to the target audience;
  • Migrate the e-commerce website from WordPress to the Shopify platform.

Heuristic evaluation

To make more informed choices that align with user needs and expectations, I decided to conduct a heuristic evaluation of the existing e-commerce website.

 

I documented all usability issues and their resolutions using Jakob Nielsen's 10 general principles for interaction design. Based on these 10 usability heuristics I divided all issues by severity into critical, moderate, and cosmetic. This helped me understand common pitfalls and areas for improvement.

Annotations to each page
Severity and recommendations
Heuristic evaluation of all pages of the existing website

Shopify vs. WebFlow

During the heuristic evaluation, I understood that the existing website currently built on WordPress needed to be migrated to the platform with more functionality for the e-commerce website to make it more efficient and scalable in the future.

 

I considered several platforms and ended up choosing between Shopify and WebFlow. Each platform had its strengths, so the best choice depended on the client's needs, including the scale of the business, the budget, and the level of customization the client required.

 

I did a competitive analysis and analyzed key features: functionality, responsive design, pricing, SEO and marketing and payment options.

Key features, strengths and weaknesses of Shopify
Key features, strengths and weaknesses of WebFlow

Who is our user?

The users of an e-commerce platform that helps students earn and save money can be diverse, but they generally share some common characteristics. Here’s a breakdown of potential user profiles:

User persona of a student

The student user persona represents a young, budget-conscious, and environmentally-aware person seeking extra income through an easy-to-use platform that aligns with their busy lifestyle and financial goals. 

As a busy student, I need a platform that allows me to quickly and easily sell items so that I can earn some extra cash without disrupting my studies. The platform must be straightforward. I also want to feel good about my sales, knowing that I’m contributing to a more sustainable world.

User persona of a parent

A parent user persona represents a mindful parent who values education, safety, and sustainability. They support their children’s use of the platform as a way to teach them important life skills, such as financial responsibility and independence. 

As a parent, I want to ensure that the platform my kids use is safe and secure, while also offering valuable lessons in financial responsibility. It’s important that this platform helps them understand the value of money and encourages responsible spending and saving.

User persona of a customer

A customer user persona represents a wellness-conscious, community-minded consumer who values high-quality, natural products and are looking for an e-commerce experience that aligns with their values of health and sustainability, offering them not only excellent products but also opportunities to make a positive impact.

As someone passionate about wellness and natural living, I want to buy high-quality essential oils and fragrances that I can trust. I also appreciate a platform that not only offers great products but also empowers young people to earn and learn. I should get good value for my money, with opportunities to save through the platform, while knowing that I’m supporting a good cause.

What about ideation?

Another step in designing a new website was creating a mood board for our client's e-commerce store that sells essential oils, diffusers, candles, and fragrances to visually communicate the intended aesthetic, tone, and overall feel of the site. 

 

I created two different versions of the mood boards, one for the e-store and another one for the affiliate program. They served as a visual reference that aligns the design team, stakeholders, and clients on the creative direction before the actual design work begins.

 

The main words I used to describe Life Essenz brand were relaxing, sustainable, natural, and artisanal. I used neutral and earthy tones to create calm and natural aestetics.

 

On the other hand, we had a Life Beautified non-profit organization that should empower students to earn and save. Power words I used to inspire copy creation are empowering, rewarding, reliable, supportive.

E-commerce website mood board
Affiliate program mood board

User Flow

To create a seamless, user-centered design that enhances the shopping experience, improves conversion rates, and meets both user needs and business objectives, our team created a user flow showing customers' flow from landing on the Life Essenz homepage to completing a purchase.

User flow for purchasing a product

Information Architecture & Sitemap

One of the most fundamental steps in developing the MVP was creating the sitemap that ensures the site is well-organized and optimized for users. It improved communication and coordination with stakeholders and inside our team, ensuring that everyone was aligned on the website’s structure and goals.

 

Creating a sitemap allowed me to see the entire structure of the website and ensure that important pages had not been overlooked and there was a logical flow to the user journey.

Final two-level sitemap

Wireframing

After creating the structure of the website, I started working on wireframes of the Home and About Us pages.

Enhancing User Onboarding Experience

VIEW CASE STUDY

Creating Information Architecture for the Mentorship Platform

VIEW CASE STUDY

Let's Connect

sukhova.alina@gmail.com

(346) 971-2781