Introduction

• Brief: Redesign the online wine shopping experience for a local merchant.

• Challenge: Make wine approachable, not intimidating, and turn the site into a social, inviting place to shop.

• Goals: Boost engagement, simplify purchase flow, and make the vibe as warm as a good glass of red.

Discovery Phase

• Stakeholder interviews: Chatted with the merchant about their brand and customer stories.

• Business requirements: Highlight wine selection, make checkout painless, and encourage repeat visits.

• User needs: Easy browsing, clear info (not wine snobbery), and a friendly feel.

Discovery Phase

• Stakeholder interviews: Chatted with the merchant about their brand and customer stories.

• Business requirements: Highlight wine selection, make checkout painless, and encourage repeat visits.

• User needs: Easy browsing, clear info (not wine snobbery), and a friendly feel.

Problem Framing

• Problem: Old site felt stiff and confusing—users bounced before buying.

• Success: Users browse, find, and buy wine in a few clicks, and feel good doing it.

• Constraints: Small business budget, limited product images, must work for all ages.

User Research

• User interviews: Talked to casual drinkers and wine fans about how they shop online.

• Competitive analysis: Most small wine sites felt either too fancy or too cheap.

• Market research: Found that “approachable” beats “exclusive” for local wine shops.

Synthesis

• Personas: The “curious newbie” and the “busy enthusiast.”

• Journey mapping: From homepage to first buy, with lots of drop-off at product pages.

• Key insights: People want suggestions, not jargon, and a checkout that doesn’t ask for a blood sample.

Solution Development

• Info architecture: Homepage with highlights, simple categories, and a “staff picks” section.

• Wireframes & prototypes: Focused on big images, bold CTAs, and a streamlined cart.

• Visual design: Warm colors, relaxed typography, and friendly microcopy.

Testing

• Usability testing: Ran quick sessions with locals—flagged confusing filters and slow checkout.

• User feedback: Added more recommendations, simplified filtering, and made the cart persistent.

• Iterations: Tweaked visuals and button copy for clarity and warmth.

Implementation

• Handoff: Shared annotated screens with the dev (one-person team, so super tight loop).

• Development: Built quick, tested live, fixed bugs on the fly.

• Go-to-market: Launched with a local promo and social shoutouts.

Results & Impact

• Metrics: More time on site, higher conversion, fewer support questions.

• User adoption: Repeat buyers went up, and folks said the site “felt like a real shop.”

• Business impact: More sales, better reviews, and a happier merchant.

• Lessons learned: Approachable copy and clear paths beat fancy features every time.