PRODUCT DESIGN

Gotiger
Freshlatex
Spacious
Buytime

INTERACTIVE INSTALLTAIONSAlone/Lonely
BeRealReal.
Space Audition
Withered Away

Films

About


Buytime

Product Design
2013 - 2015
Buytime is an app that enables buyers and sellers to trade secondhand goods at ease.

Challenge
The secondhand goods market lacked a mobile-first platform for easy trading. Existing platforms like Yahoo Bids and eBay hadn't optimized their mobile experiences. 

How could we create an app that simplifies secondhand trading in the densely populated city of Taipei?



Research
We surveyed a group of people aged between 18 and 25 to find out their needs and problems from experiences trading in secondhand goods online.

Key Findings
  • Users own many used items that they cannot sell efficiently
  • They think uploading listings on a PC takes too much time
  • They want an easier way to browse and discover secondhand items
  • Users want to communicate with buyers/sellers quickly and safely 
  • They are curious to discover secondhand offers in their area

Goal
  1. Develop a location-based marketplace to connect local buyers and sellers
  2. Simplify the listing process for sellers
  3. Create an intuitive browsing experience for buyers
  4. Implement an efficient communication system between users




We built a location-based marketplace app from the ground up, with a minimalist learning curve, so users can start selling and browsing immediately after installing Buytime on their phone. 





Lowering the Entry Bar
One of my main goals when designing Buytime was to make it as easy as possible for an average iPhone user to get started using the app once they installed it. I intended to maintain a sense of familiarity across all screens and design the interface to resemble the iTunes Store and App Store, so that Buytime feels like part of the built-in apps on your iPhone.




Transition to Flat Design
Apple introduced iOS 7 with a radically simplified flat design while we were in the development process. It was tough to rework all the interfaces from scratch, but with the new skin Buytime received, I was satisfied that Buytime presented a content-oriented interface to minimize distractions.





Outcome

  • Successfully launched Buytime on both iOS and Android platforms
  • Created one of the first end-to-end mobile experiences for secondhand trading in Taiwan
  • Achieved a user-friendly interface with a minimal learning curve
  • Established a robust design system for future app updates and features
  • Positive user feedback on the ease of listing and browsing items


Key Learnings

  • Importance of familiarity in UI design for quick user adoption
  • Value of adapting to major OS design changes, like transition to flat design
  • Significance of cross-platform design considerations
  • Impact of simplifying complex processes in mobile apps