Problem

In recent years, economic conditions in Iran have prompted consumers to increasingly favor second-hand goods. However, Digikala, the largest online shopping platform in Iran, only offered brand new items for sale, which left a significant untapped potential in the market. To address this issue, the company considered two options: either replacing a 15-year-old product that had a considerable user base, or creating a new product that would build on the existing one. Ultimately, the company chose the latter option, and this case study will focus on the design process for this new product called Pindo.

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Process & Solution

Ideation & Testing

During the ideation and testing phase, we, the product team and design team at Digikala, along with stakeholders, grappled with the challenge of how to capture a significant portion of the classifieds market in Iran in a short amount of time, which is currently dominated by Divar with over 20 million downloads. To address this, we developed three potential solutions.

• Firstly, we explored leveraging Digikala's existing user base and website traffic by integrating Pindo with Digikala.
• Secondly, we aimed to improve the user experience by delivering a more seamless and user-friendly platform.
• Lastly, we considered tapping into Digikala's established infrastructure and operational capabilities to support the new product.

Utilizing Digikala's User Base

To explore the best way to integrate Pindo with Digikala and leverage the latter's existing user base, we benchmarked similar products and evaluated different ideas by testing prototypes with real users. Ultimately, we identified a winning solution that involved linking ads of second-hand products to the same product page on Digikala. This approach allowed the ads to appear on both Digikala and Pindo, thus enabling us to tap into Digikala's traffic. Moreover, by comparing the price of a new product with that of a second-hand one in the ad, users could make an informed purchasing decision.

Enhancing User Experience

In assessing the competition in the classifieds market in Iran, we found that other products lacked a unique and engaging user experience. This led us to recognize that a minimal, trendy, easy-to-use, and eye-catching design could be one of the key ways to differentiate our product from competitors. By prioritizing a user-centered design approach and emphasizing simplicity and aesthetics, we aimed to provide a superior experience that would capture the attention of users and set us apart in the market.

Leveraging Digikala's Infrastructure and Operational Capabilities

Being an established e-commerce platform, Digikala boasted robust infrastructure and operational capabilities, including expansive storage facilities, a powerful shipping fleet, and a unique payment platform. While these advantages were valuable, our top priority was to make a rapid entry into the market. Thus, we made the strategic decision to view our product as a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and postpone the integration of these features to later versions. By prioritizing speed to market, we aimed to establish a foothold in the market and then build upon our initial success by leveraging Digikala's powerful infrastructure and operational capabilities in future iterations.

Designing the Pindo Application

To streamline the user experience, we structured the Pindo application into three distinct parts: Discovery, Ad Creation, and User/Ad Management. For each of these parts, we designed a separate flow while also keeping in mind our unique feature of attaching an ad to Digikala products in a meaningful way. Once we defined the main flow, we conducted extensive benchmarking of similar products to gather different UX ideas and gain a deeper understanding of classifieds apps before commencing with the visual design. Our goal was to create an intuitive and user-friendly interface that would not only meet but exceed users' expectations and help differentiate Pindo from other classifieds apps in Iran.

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Discovery Area

The discovery flow in Pindo allows users to browse through ads, select the desired ad, and contact the sellers. To enhance the user experience, during the ideation and design phase, I aimed to add meaningful and valuable touchpoints for users. One of the key features we developed was a seamless comparison between the price of second-hand products and the price of the brand new equivalent of the same product on Digikala. This feature allows users to make an informed decision when deciding between purchasing a second-hand or brand new product.

Ad Creation Flow

During the ad creation flow, users can register ads for goods or services. One of the biggest challenges we faced during the ideation and design phase was how to link ads to product pages on Digikala. Some sellers were concerned that linking their ads to brand new equivalent products may decrease their conversion rate. To address this, we came up with a solution to increase the visibility and sales of product ads by showing them on related pages of the Digikala application and website. This way, users can see and compare second-hand and brand new products, leading to a better chance of selling the ads.

User/Ad Management

The User/Ads section of Pindo allows users to manage their account information, the ads they have registered, and their favorite ads.

Illustrations

In order to create a unique and memorable user experience, the design team at Pindo decided to incorporate illustrations throughout the platform. The goal was to differentiate Pindo's user interface from that of its competitors and to create a sense of joy and positivity for users.

To achieve this, the team used a variety of colorful colors and happy concepts in the illustrations. The use of bright and bold colors was a deliberate choice, as it was intended to catch the user's attention and create a sense of excitement and energy. The happy concepts used in the illustrations were also chosen with the intention of creating a positive emotional response from users.

The illustrations were integrated into various parts of the platform, including the discovery flow, ad creation flow, and user/ads section. For example, in the discovery flow, illustrations were used to showcase the various categories of ads, such as electronics, clothing, and home goods. In the ad creation flow, illustrations were used to guide users through the process of creating an ad, making it more intuitive and user-friendly. In the user/ads section, illustrations were used to add visual interest and to make the section more engaging.

The design team also made a deliberate effort to ensure that the illustrations were inclusive and representative of a diverse range of users. This included using illustrations that featured people of different ages, genders, and ethnicities.

Dark Theme

In recognition of the fact that many users in Iran rely on classifieds apps to check product prices in low-light rooms, we made a deliberate decision to add a dark theme to Pindo. Our goal was to enhance the usability of the app and make it more accessible to users in low-light environments. Despite the constant change of prices in Iran, we wanted to ensure that users could easily navigate the app and view product prices without straining their eyes.

To implement the dark theme, we opted for a low-effort approach that involved defining two similar libraries with the same color style names in Figma. We then used the Themer plugin to quickly swap the light theme to dark. By doing so, we were able to streamline the process of creating the dark theme and ensure that it was consistent with the overall design language of the app.

To further improve the user experience, we also carefully selected colors and contrast ratios that would be easy on the eyes in low-light conditions. In addition, we incorporated user feedback and conducted usability testing to ensure that the dark theme was effective in enhancing the overall usability of the app. By prioritizing the dark theme in our design process, we were able to make Pindo more accessible and user-friendly for all users, regardless of their environment or lighting conditions.

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Pindo's Rapid Growth: +200,000 App Installs and Counting

Pindo has achieved over 200,000 app installs across the app store, cafe bazaar, and Iranian stores of iOS to date. The product is still in its early stages, and the team is constantly adding new features and improvements with each release. Although I am no longer part of the Pindo team, I'm excited to see the growth and progress of the product in the future.