E-COMMERCE
Student Project

Popshop Live

Role
Role

UX/UI Designer

timeline
timeline

June - July ‘24

(~5 weeks)

tools
tools

Figma

Lyssna

Optimal Sort

Procreate

Popshop Live (PSL) is an emerging livestream e-commerce platform that merges social interaction with online shopping, allowing sellers to showcase products in real-time while engaging directly with viewers.

The problem: lacking design organization, visual hierarchy and helpful consumer features that hinder its ability to fully leverage the potential of it’s livestream e-commerce platform.

Solution

Impact

Less taps to get to livestreams and/or storefronts for entertainment and browsing, respectively

Less taps to get to livestreams and/or storefronts for entertainment and browsing, respectively

Less taps to get to livestreams and/or storefronts for entertainment and browsing, respectively

Increased likelihood of purchasing items

Increased likelihood of purchasing items

Increased likelihood of purchasing items

Decreased amount of stress and uncertainty over orders closing, and in turn benefited sellers by creating a controlled sense of urgency for users to purchase last minute items

Decreased amount of stress and uncertainty over orders closing, and in turn benefited sellers by creating a controlled sense of urgency for users to purchase last minute items

Decreased amount of stress and uncertainty over orders closing, and in turn benefited sellers by creating a controlled sense of urgency for users to purchase last minute items

SKIP TO…
Research

PSL’s accension to disrupting online shopping, but what’s the catch?

PSL caters to small businesses and creators, fostering a unique space for them to connect with consumers in a more personal and immersive way. Livestreaming has altered the online shopping experience, allowing consumers to feel that personalized service you get shopping in-person. And due to the 2020 pandemic that caused the whole world to practically shut down, PSL accelerated into popularity along with other competitors like Whatnot, TalkShopLive, and Livescale.

However, users seem to not have a problem with the community aspect of PSL, the problem they’re having is with their buying experience, the basis of the app. While PSL has a unique “open box” feature (once an item is purchased from a particular seller, free shipping is unlocked for any purchases after that for a time period set by the seller), users have a mistrust for the app due to its chaotic nature which deters purchasing items they were interested in.

Research Objectives

Explore user’s buying habits on live e-commerce platforms

Explore user’s buying habits on live e-commerce platforms

Explore user’s buying habits on live e-commerce platforms

Understand what a user’s goal is in an e-commerce marketplace

Understand what a user’s goal is in an e-commerce marketplace

Understand what a user’s goal is in an e-commerce marketplace

Determine what are current pain points when purchasing items from sellers

Determine what are current pain points when purchasing items from sellers

Determine what are current pain points when purchasing items from sellers

Analyze the performance of competitors so PSL is on trend

Analyze the performance of competitors so PSL is on trend

Analyze the performance of competitors so PSL is on trend

Conducting user interviews to understand users who partake in livestream online shopping

User interviews were conducted over video call with 5 participants who have used livestreaming e-commerce platforms, 2 of which have used Popshop Live. Other platforms participants have used include Shopee, Whatnot, and Ebay Live.

Main takeaways of user interviews

1.

A favoriting or save feature is common and expected across e-commerce sites, even livestream ones

1.

A favoriting or save feature is common and expected across e-commerce sites, even livestream ones

1.

A favoriting or save feature is common and expected across e-commerce sites, even livestream ones

2.

Livestreaming creates a sense of urgency for buyers to purchase items, thus buying habits tend to be more impulsive

2.

Livestreaming creates a sense of urgency for buyers to purchase items, thus buying habits tend to be more impulsive

2.

Livestreaming creates a sense of urgency for buyers to purchase items, thus buying habits tend to be more impulsive

3.

Specific to PSL: not knowing when orders close bring upon unwanted mental stress as to when orders close and how to even calculate how much time is left

3.

Specific to PSL: not knowing when orders close bring upon unwanted mental stress as to when orders close and how to even calculate how much time is left

3.

Specific to PSL: not knowing when orders close bring upon unwanted mental stress as to when orders close and how to even calculate how much time is left

Analyzing what other competitors have to offer in the livestream online shopping space

While each competitor has their own niche and target audience, finding similarities and differences within each platform provides insight into what PSL is doing well in and what could be done better.

Main takeaways of competitive analysis

1.

Improvements could be made with PSL’s visual hierarchy and organization that’s on par with its competitors

1.

Improvements could be made with PSL’s visual hierarchy and organization that’s on par with its competitors

1.

Improvements could be made with PSL’s visual hierarchy and organization that’s on par with its competitors

2.

The exposure of suggested vs. followed sellers or products differ in each platform

2.

The exposure of suggested vs. followed sellers or products differ in each platform

2.

The exposure of suggested vs. followed sellers or products differ in each platform

3.

A bookmarking system isn’t standard across all platforms

3.

A bookmarking system isn’t standard across all platforms

3.

A bookmarking system isn’t standard across all platforms

Define

Where did I last see that necklace I wanted to buy? How long do I have left before my order closes?

It seems that everything is thrown in front of the users face in no organized fashion, user flows aren’t clear and convoluted, and being in the unknown about their orders closing adds unnecessary stress and anxiety for user buying experience. How can we alleviate those feelings?

Creating user personas to ensure what I’m designing keeps users in mind

After getting a better understanding of my users, I identified two distinct groups as a reference to go back to when brainstorming design solutions:

Selected design solutions based on user interviews and competitive analysis

It seems that everything is thrown in front of the users face in no organized fashion, user flows aren’t clear and convoluted, and being in the unknown about their orders closing adds unnecessary stress and anxiety for user buying experience. How can we alleviate those feelings?

Selected Solutions

Favorite feature - all favorited items will be shown on this page so users can easily access them without tedious navigation through storefronts or search bars trying to remember the item name

Favorite feature - all favorited items will be shown on this page so users can easily access them without tedious navigation through storefronts or search bars trying to remember the item name

Favorite feature - all favorited items will be shown on this page so users can easily access them without tedious navigation through storefronts or search bars trying to remember the item name

Close date status - a way for users to know when their orders will close so they can make necessary decisions for their purchase

Close date status - a way for users to know when their orders will close so they can make necessary decisions for their purchase

Close date status - a way for users to know when their orders will close so they can make necessary decisions for their purchase

Reorganize home page - initial page where users can find storefronts and livestreams from sellers they follow

Reorganize home page - initial page where users can find storefronts and livestreams from sellers they follow

Reorganize home page - initial page where users can find storefronts and livestreams from sellers they follow

Creating user flows to provide a blueprint for how my solutions would work

Design

Brainstorming solutions and sketching out initial wireframes

I hand drew some low-fidelity wireframes before committing to a design and digitally translating them onto Figma.

Transforming ideas to high fidelity wireframes

Favoriting

Order Closing Status

Homepage

** the ‘before’ screenshot was taken just after PSL updated their app where they changed the Home page to the now Discovery page.

tESTING

Hi-fi Usability Testing

Users were tested by completing three tasks and answering a questionnaire about their experience. The three tasks included:
1. Favoriting an item
2. Purchasing an item through the favorites tab
3. Checking their order status

Usability Test Objectives

Assess users in how well they navigate favoriting an item and accessing it again to purchase it

Assess users in how well they navigate favoriting an item and accessing it again to purchase it

Assess users in how well they navigate favoriting an item and accessing it again to purchase it

Assess the usefulness of the close date/timer for users who already have an open order

Assess the usefulness of the close date/timer for users who already have an open order

Assess the usefulness of the close date/timer for users who already have an open order

Identify any flaws and improvements in user flow

Identify any flaws and improvements in user flow

Identify any flaws and improvements in user flow

Validate how my designs compare to the current app

Validate how my designs compare to the current app

Validate how my designs compare to the current app

Results

1.

5/5 participants successfully completed all three tasks

1.

5/5 participants successfully completed all three tasks

1.

5/5 participants successfully completed all three tasks

2.

Little to no confusion on finding items and purchasing them via the favorites tab

2.

Little to no confusion on finding items and purchasing them via the favorites tab

2.

Little to no confusion on finding items and purchasing them via the favorites tab

3.

Close date status was easy to understand and very helpful in making decisions

3.

Close date status was easy to understand and very helpful in making decisions

3.

Close date status was easy to understand and very helpful in making decisions

4.

Current PSL users praised the added features and organized visual hierarchy

4.

Current PSL users praised the added features and organized visual hierarchy

4.

Current PSL users praised the added features and organized visual hierarchy

Iterations

1.

Bigger icons for seller profiles and add their names to help users distinguish between sellers and make it easier to tap

1.

Bigger icons for seller profiles and add their names to help users distinguish between sellers and make it easier to tap

1.

Bigger icons for seller profiles and add their names to help users distinguish between sellers and make it easier to tap

2.

A countdown timer would be beneficial when orders are closing in less than 24 hours to provide a better reference point for users and also create some urgency in buying last minute items

2.

A countdown timer would be beneficial when orders are closing in less than 24 hours to provide a better reference point for users and also create some urgency in buying last minute items

2.

A countdown timer would be beneficial when orders are closing in less than 24 hours to provide a better reference point for users and also create some urgency in buying last minute items

Interactive Prototype
Takeaways

Simple features can make a big difference in user experience

Something like a favoriting feature can decrease extra user flows that are redundant and unnecessary

Simple features can make a big difference in user experience

Something like a favoriting feature can decrease extra user flows that are redundant and unnecessary

Simple features can make a big difference in user experience

Something like a favoriting feature can decrease extra user flows that are redundant and unnecessary

Asking the right questions

Coming up with insightful questions that ask ‘why’ are much more helpful in understanding the users and in turn help create a better solution.

Asking the right questions

Coming up with insightful questions that ask ‘why’ are much more helpful in understanding the users and in turn help create a better solution.

Asking the right questions

Coming up with insightful questions that ask ‘why’ are much more helpful in understanding the users and in turn help create a better solution.

Want to see more?

OR JUST HIRE ME
OR JUST HIRE ME

OR JUST HIRE ME

© Chelsea Wang 2025
thanks for stopping by! ♡
© Chelsea Wang 2025
thanks for stopping by! ♡
© Chelsea Wang 2025
thanks for stopping by! ♡