Wayfair Store Openings
A B O U T
Good design is the standard for all.
Not a luxury for the few.
Wayfair, renowned for its extensive array of retail websites such as Wayfair.com, Joss & Main, AllModern, Birch Lane, and Perigold, is advancing its market footprint by initiating brick-and-mortar stores throughout the USA. This initiative is designed to amplify the visibility of its unique product range and strengthen brand recognition. We developed a bespoke app solution to streamline in-store operations and elevate the customer experience, seamlessly blending digital convenience with the tactile richness of physical retail
R O L E
My Role: Principal Product Designer
Tools: Figma, Miro, AirTable
Skills: ADA, Interaction Design, Information Architecture, Prototyping, Storytelling, UI and UX Principles, Usability Testing, User Interviews, Design System, Workshops, Presentations
Platforms: Android, Zebra Devices, Apple, iPads
T H E P R O B L E M
Define the undefined
We were racing against time, with just six months to open the doors to our first AllModern store! 🏁 It was a whirlwind; we hadn’t hired our team, defined roles, or ironed out the responsibilities and processes needed for a smooth store launch. And the tech? We were still figuring out what would support the myriad of tasks awaiting our in-store associates. It was a journey filled with anticipation and discovery, setting the stage for a store buzzing with innovation and customer-centric experiences!
Skills: Competitive Analysis, Information Architecture, User Feedback Analysis, User Interviews, Vision Work Shops, Concepting
People
Problems*
I feel overwhelmed by the app’s complexity and outdated interface; it’s challenging to navigate and use.
There are so many tools to familiarize myself with; it’s exhausting and time-consuming to learn how to use each one.
Searching for products is frustrating; the app's response time feels too slow, hindering my ability to find what I need efficiently.
*Drawing from insights shared by users and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), the product team possessed prior experience in the retail sector
Validated with our users subsequent to hiring
Business
Problems
Given the high turnover in retail, training solutions must be efficient and succinct to facilitate rapid onboarding.
It’s essential for our tools to seamlessly integrate with adjacent systems to ensure coherent workflow.
Tools must accurately reflect our brand, considering the possibility of limited customer access, to maintain brand integrity.
The use of shared devices necessitates the provision of private, user-specific experiences to maintain confidentiality and individuality
D I S C O V E R Y
Revolutionizing Retail Operations
We transformed store operations through a vital discovery process, starting with a detailed retail management analysis and stakeholder interviews for key insights. Our team's brainstorming and planning sessions focused on addressing retail challenges and optimizing store operations, incorporating a competitive analysis for industry benchmarks. Drawing on our extensive retail experience, we tackled issues in inventory, customer service, and technology. This led to a comprehensive strategy, not just for opening stores, but for reinventing the retail experience with collaborative planning and deep industry insights.
A comprehensive examination of fulfillment services and online messaging.
N A R R O W I N G T H E S C O P E
What are we doing?!
Due to existing ambiguity surrounding ownership and the extensive task list, we initiated defining the scope and prioritizing essential requirements for store openings, alongside elements enhancing customer experience. Our discussions with various teams, including store operations, enhanced our understanding of the hiring process and respective roles, enabling us to identify and support the needed responsibilities effectively.
Inventory Management
How can we optimize and enhance visibility into the product's lifecycle, and monitor its progression and movements throughout our diverse range of stores, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of its journey from arrival to purchase?
Merchandising
How can we ensure and guarantee that the assortment of products we present in our stores is curated, precisely aligning with our customers' preferences, needs, and expectations, ensuring optimal satisfaction and engagement?
Store Fulfillment
How can we strategically align with our customers' preferences and locations to offer them optimal delivery options, thereby minimizing any shopping inconveniences and enhancing their overall experience?
Store Ops
How can we empower our associates to manage the store more efficiently by providing seamless access to essential tools such as training resources, communication platforms, task assignments, and ensuring privacy on shared devices?
G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S
Our North Star
Empower in-store associates with a one-stop, intuitive experience that streamlines operations and enhances the customer experience
🛠️ Associate Empowerment
We empower associates by giving them what they need when they need it. They are in control, and we provide them with the tools to act with confidence
🤝🏾 Unified Experience
By fostering familiarity and confidence through consistent patterns, we establish trust. Our unified user experience encompasses all tools, touchpoints, and channels, ensuring a single, cohesive voice throughout the platform.
🌟 Enhance Customer Experience
Elevating the associate experience equips them to deliver outstanding customer service. By providing essential tools, training, and support, we empower our associates to excel, leading to heightened customer satisfaction and loyalty.
🎉 Create Delight
Every design we create should leave a lasting, positive impression on our brand. Our designs should exceed expectations, offering intuitive and effortless interactions. The experience should be seamless, personalized, and smooth.
👆🏾 These principles fueled our creation of concepts and prototypes, tangible expressions of our vision and possibilities. Each concept and prototype was a piece of our story, shared with stakeholders, partners, and teams to inspire and invite collaboration.
Enables the display of personal schedules and tasks for users, while also allowing managers to track who is on shift and monitor sales efficiently.
Provide associates with real-time updates on store inventory and item locations, aiding in efficient store management.
Enable associates to start tasks, communicate with their team, and stay updated on store activities in real-time.
P L A N N I N G
Prioritization & Timeline
Recognizing the time constraints before launching our inaugural brick-and-mortar store, we meticulously examined Wayfair’s established procedures for online operations. Leveraging our team’s proficiency, we conducted an exhaustive analysis of workflows, enabling us to discern and allocate priority to tasks necessitating technological interventions over those that could be handled manually.
Airtable empowers us with the capability to effortlessly monitor and visualize our ongoing activities and objectives, providing a clear picture of what we are striving to accomplish.
T E S T I N G
Our compact team structure enabled swift testing. In our retail lab, we validated customer experiences, conducting usability tests with associates to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. Utilizing A/B testing in stores alongside time studies, we identified which experiences resonated most with customers. Feature tagging across components further informed us about user preferences, guiding us to focus on high-impact areas and de-prioritize lesser-valued features. This agile testing approach allowed for rapid, user-focused, and data-informed development.
Rapid & Agile
Ensuring a positive inventory audit experience in the store prior to going live.
V I S U A L S
Store Focused App
Serving as the epitome of efficiency for store operations, this platform is a one-stop solution. It seamlessly integrates essential functionalities—whether it's helping you set your store’s plan or directing you to the items that need to be restocked. This comprehensive app streamlines various store processes, ensuring everything is readily accessible and easy to manage
In the Activities section of our app, users can seamlessly launch various applications tailored for efficient store operations. This includes tools for product reception, conducting audits, and employee training, each designed to optimize workflow and enhance overall store management.
Planogramming at your fingertips! Visualize your store's layout, review item presentation guidelines, and update product locations seamlessly.
The product page is tailored for store operations, showcasing back-of-house inventory, label printing capabilities, and displaying key information for associates.
T H E T E A M
Fully Remote Cross-Functional
Our team, operating entirely remotely, spanned time zones from California and New York to Belgium. I spearheaded the in-store experience, ensuring the implementation of optimal solutions to support our associates effectively. This endeavor was made possible through the collective efforts of Product Managers, Data Scientists, Developers, Store Operations personnel, User Researchers, and Product Designers, each contributing their expertise and insights.
R E S U L T S
Supporting The Associate
Our team has triumphantly met the significant challenge of launching our initial stores. We’ve minimized the plethora of tools typically encountered by retail employees and, from day one, implemented features that some established retail stores still lack.
S T O R E R E V E N U E
$8Mil +
To date, we have generated over $8 million in revenue. With five open stores, we are consistently enhancing and refining our technology to improve our services and operational efficiency.
Problem Solved: “It’s essential for our tools to seamlessly integrate with adjacent systems to ensure coherent workflow.”
U S E R R A T I N G
4.8
Present CSAT scores indicate a high level of satisfaction among store associates with our app, reflecting its effectiveness and popularity.
Problem Solved: “I feel overwhelmed by the app’s complexity and outdated interface; it’s challenging to navigate and use.”
A P P S C R E A T E D
1
The team has proficiently developed a singular app, serving as a one-stop solution for users to execute all in-store related tasks. This innovation empowers them to assist customers efficiently, eliminating the friction experienced with outdated and cumbersome apps.
Problem Solved: “There are so many tools to familiarize myself with; it’s exhausting and time-consuming to learn how to use each one.”
Thank you so so so much with your help (and patience lol )on the prototypes and the process overview!!! It was a hit. Honestly you contributed to the walk through going so well. Your talent is much appreciated 👊 thanks againnn.
— Faridah Bada Sr. Manager Store Ops
C O N T A C T M E
Let’s Chat.
I’m always open to discussing design, sharing insights, exploring collaboration opportunities, or just having a friendly chat about anything creative! Feel free to reach out.