Problem
Busy parents face a frustrating and time-consuming dilemma: traditional methods of buying and selling used children's clothing—from garage sales and consignment shops to online marketplaces—are often inefficient, cluttered, and overwhelming, leaving them with piles of outgrown clothes, a drain on their time and resources, and a sense of guilt about contributing to textile waste.
Solution
Tackling the challenge of time-consuming and inefficient children's clothing resale, Closet Circle offers a marketplace that simplifies the process for busy parents, providing a streamlined platform to declutter, earn, and shop sustainably
Design Process
Understand
Research
Analyse
Design
Feedback
Target Users
Research Findings
Pain Points - Busy Parents
“I wish I had the convenience to search for clothes for my kid online. Visiting various stores is just so time-consuming, and with my work schedule, it's nearly impossible."
"My kids' closets are overflowing with clothes they've outgrown. I wish there was a better way to declutter and give these clothes a second life instead of just throwing them away."
“Kids grow out of clothes so fast! It's so expensive to keep buying new things. I wish there were more affordable options for quality used clothing.”
Problem Statement
How might we empower busy parents to effortlessly buy and sell used children's clothing, addressing the challenges of time constraints, clutter, financial burdens, and sustainability concerns?
Personas
Aspiration
I aspire to be a more sustainable parent. I want to teach my kids the importance of reusing and recycling, and I wish there was a convenient way for me to participate in the circular economy.
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​Frustration
I feel guilty throwing away perfectly good clothes, but honestly, it's just easier than dealing with the hassle of auctioning them. I wish there was a more sustainable option that didn't involve me spending hours on it.
Robert Rose, 37, Product Owner
High Fidelity
Prototype
Fi
Re-imagining Children's Clothing Resale for Busy Parents
The split design directly addresses the persona's need for efficiency. By providing immediate access to both buying and selling functions, the home screen minimizes the steps required to complete a task. The visual emphasis on large buttons and clear icons further reduces the cognitive load, making the app intuitive and easy to use even during brief moments. The recent additions carousel provides a dynamic element that keeps the content fresh and engaging, attracting buyers and encouraging sellers. This design prioritizes speed and clarity, crucial for a user base of busy parents.
Product Listing Screen - Streamlined Discovery
The product listing screen is designed for efficient browsing and discovery. The sticky category navigation and robust filtering options empower parents to quickly narrow down their search and find exactly what they need. The dynamic product previews and readily available size information provide crucial details at a glance, minimizing the need for multiple clicks and page loads. The clear call-to-action buttons further streamline the shopping experience, making it easy for busy parents to add items to their cart or wishlist. The "New Arrival" banner adds a layer of dynamic content, keeping the experience fresh and engaging. This design prioritizes speed, clarity, and ease of use, catering to the specific needs of the busy parent persona.
Product Detail Page
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The PDP is designed to minimize cognitive load and maximize relevant information accessibility.
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Multiple Product Images (Carousel): Visuals are crucial. The carousel allows parents to quickly assess the item's condition, style, and suitability without extensive reading. This addresses the need for quick visual confirmation.
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Product Details (Description, Materials, Care Instructions): Transparency and detailed information build trust. A clear description, highlighting any imperfections (essential for used items), material composition, and care instructions, empowers parents to make informed decisions. This reduces post-purchase surprises and potential returns.
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This prioritizes visual communication, clear and concise information architecture, and streamlined purchasing and innovative features like the "Try On" experience pathways to cater to the time-sensitive needs of busy parents
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Virtual Try On
"Try On" Feature (Virtual Try-On): This feature directly addresses a major pain point in online clothing shopping: visualizing fit. By offering a virtual try-on, through a child model that allows parents to see the clothes on their own child, we significantly reduce the guesswork involved in online purchases.
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Reduced Returns: Accurate visualization of fit dramatically decreases the likelihood of returns due to sizing issues, a huge benefit for busy parents.
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Increased Confidence: Seeing how the clothes look on a child (or their own child) boosts purchase confidence, leading to higher conversion rates.
Order Summary and Checkout
Cart Overview: A clear, concise summary of the items
Quick Edits: ability to adjust quantities, remove items directly from the cart is crucial
Continue Shopping Button: Providing a clear path back to shopping allows parents to easily add more items if desired.
Sell Your Item Screen
The "Sell Items" screen, following the onboarding process, is where users actively create their listings. It is intuitive and also guide user through each step efficiently.
Upload your photos and watch the listing form fill itself! Our auto-fill feature uses image recognition to automatically populate key details suggest a competitive price, saving you time and effort.
Photo Upload: A prominent and easy-to-use photo upload feature is crucial. Allow users to upload multiple photos from their device's gallery.
Preview and Publish
Before publishing the listing, a preview screen is provided that summarizes all the information entered. This allows users to review their listing and make any necessary edits. A clear "List Items" button completes the listing process.
Takeaways
Closet Circle, a UX project for buying and selling used children's clothes, prioritizes efficiency and visual clarity for busy parents. Key takeaways include a mobile-first approach with streamlined navigation and intuitive icons. Addressing the pain point of inconsistent children's sizing, the app features clear size charts and ideally, AR-powered virtual try-ons. Trust and transparency are built through detailed product descriptions and a clear return policy. A smooth selling process, including photo-based auto-fill for listings, incentivizes participation. User testing is crucial for validating design decisions and ensuring the app meets the specific needs of its target audience.
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