Naar - Social E-commerce App: Bridging Social & Shopping

The Challenge

Traditional e-commerce platforms lack the engaging, social experience that modern consumers crave, whilst social media platforms struggle to convert engagement into sales. How might we create a seamless shopping experience that combines the entertainment value of social media with the conversion power of e-commerce?

The Solution

A unified social commerce platform where buyers discover products through an engaging feed whilst sellers can showcase products through live selling and static listings—all within the same interactive interface.

🎯 Problem Statement

Primary Problem: Existing e-commerce solutions create friction between product discovery, social interaction, and purchase completion, leading to high cart abandonment rates and low engagement.

User Pain Points Identified:

• Buyers find traditional e-commerce boring and impersonal

• Sellers struggle to build authentic connections with customers

• Context switching between social platforms and shopping apps creates friction

• Live selling experiences are fragmented across multiple platforms

Business Impact:

• 70% cart abandonment rate in traditional e-commerce

• Declining organic reach on social media platforms

• Sellers spending excessive time managing multiple platforms

🔍 Research & Discovery

User Research Methods

1. User Interviews (15 participants)

   • 8 frequent online shoppers (ages 22-45)

   • 7 small business owners/sellers (ages 28-52)

Interview Question - Click Here

2. Competitive Analysis

• TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping, Facebook Marketplace

• Traditional platforms: Amazon, eBay, Shopify stores

• Live selling platforms: Whatnot, PopShop Live

  
  

3. Behavioural Analytics

• Analysed user flow patterns from existing apps

• Identified drop-off points in purchase funnels

Key Research Insights

Buyer Insights:

• 78% prefer discovering products through recommendations rather than search

• 65% make impulse purchases when emotionally engaged with content

• 89% want to interact with sellers before major purchases

• Video content increases purchase intent by 4x

Seller Insights:

• 84% struggle with building customer relationships online

• 72% find managing multiple sales channels overwhelming

• Live selling increases conversion rates by 3-5x

• Authentic storytelling drives higher customer loyalty

  
  

User Personas

Primary Persona: "Social Shopper Sarah"

• Age: 28, Marketing Professional, London

• Goals: Discover unique products, support small businesses, enjoy shopping as entertainment

• Frustrations: Boring shopping experiences, difficulty finding authentic reviews, impersonal customer service

• Behaviours: Spends 2+ hours daily on social media, makes 3-5 online purchases monthly

Secondary Persona: "Entrepreneurial Emma"

• Age: 34, Small Business Owner, Manchester

• Goals: Build customer relationships, increase sales, streamline business operations

• Frustrations: Time-consuming platform management, difficulty standing out, limited customer interaction

• Behaviours: Active on multiple social platforms, hosts weekly live selling sessions

💡 Design Strategy

Core Design Principles

1. Unified Experience: Eliminate friction between social interaction and commerce

2. Authentic Connection: Enable genuine relationships between buyers and sellers

3. Contextual Commerce: Present products within relevant, engaging content

4. Inclusive Design: Accessible to users of varying technical abilities

   
   

Information Architecture

🎨 Design Process

Phase 1: Concept Development

Initial Sketches & Wireframes

• Explored 15+ layout variations for the unified feed

• Tested different approaches to integrate shopping without disrupting social flow

• Prioritised thumb-friendly navigation for mobile-first design

Key Design Decisions:

• Implemented vertical scroll feed similar to TikTok for familiarity

• Placed purchase CTAs strategically without overwhelming content

• Created overlay system for product details to maintain flow

Phase 2: Prototyping & Testing

Low-Fidelity Prototypes

• Created interactive prototypes using Figma

• Tested core user flows with 8 participants

• Identified navigation issues and content hierarchy problems

Iteration 1 Insights:

• Users missed product information when scrolling quickly

• Live selling interface needed clearer visual hierarchy

• Purchase flow required simplification

High-Fidelity Prototypes

• Developed pixel-perfect designs with micro-interactions

• Implemented design system with consistent components

• Created responsive layouts for various screen sizes

  
  

Phase 3: Unique Selling Point - Unified Interface

The Innovation: Simultaneous Buyer-Seller Interaction

Our key differentiator is the unified interface where buyers and sellers interact on the same screen during live sessions:

• Sellers see real-time engagement metrics, chat, and sales data

• Buyers view products, interact with sellers, and make purchases seamlessly

• Shared Elements include live chat, product showcases, and social reactions

Technical UX Considerations:

• Implemented adaptive UI that adjusts based on user role

• Created notification system that doesn't interrupt the live experience

• Designed modular interface elements that appear contextually

  
  

🛠 Key Features & Solutions

1. Smart Discovery Feed

Problem: Users overwhelmed by irrelevant products Solution: AI-powered feed combining social signals with purchase intent

• Personalised based on viewing behaviour and social interactions

• Balances entertainment content with shopping opportunities

• Includes social proof through friend activities and reviews

2. Integrated Live Selling

Problem: Fragmented live selling experience across platforms Solution: Native live streaming with built-in commerce tools

• One-tap product highlighting during streams

• Real-time inventory updates

• Instant purchase without leaving stream

3. Contextual Product Discovery

Problem: Products presented without context or story Solution: Products embedded within engaging content

• Seller stories and behind-the-scenes content

• User-generated content featuring products

• Community discussions around products

4. Streamlined Purchase Flow

Problem: Complex checkout processes causing abandonment Solution: Progressive purchase flow with smart defaults

• One-touch purchasing for returning customers

• Guest checkout option with account creation post-purchase

• Multiple payment methods including digital wallets

  
  

📱 Design System & Visual Design

Brand Principles

• Vibrant & Energetic: Reflects the dynamic nature of social commerce

• Trustworthy: Professional enough for significant purchases

• Inclusive: Welcomes diverse communities and sellers

  
  

🧪 Testing & Validation

Usability Testing Results

Round 1: Initial Concept (8 participants)

• Task completion rate: 73%

• Average time to purchase: 3.2 minutes

• Key insight: Users confused by dual buyer/seller interface

Round 2: Refined Design (12 participants)

• Task completion rate: 91%

• Average time to purchase: 1.8 minutes

• Key insight: Live selling feature highly engaging but needed clearer product focus

Round 3: Final Validation (15 participants)

• Task completion rate: 95%

• Average time to purchase: 1.4 minutes

• NPS Score: 8.2/10

A/B Testing Results

• Feed Layout: Vertical scroll vs. Grid view (Vertical won by 34% engagement)

• Purchase CTA: "Buy Now" vs. "Add to Bag" (Buy Now increased conversions by 23%)

• Live Selling UI: Split screen vs. Overlay (Overlay reduced drop-offs by 41%)

Brand Principles

• Vibrant & Energetic: Reflects the dynamic nature of social commerce

• Trustworthy: Professional enough for significant purchases

• Inclusive: Welcomes diverse communities and sellers

📊 Impact & Results

Quantitative Results

• Conversion Rate: 12.3% (industry average: 3.2%)

• Session Duration: 8.4 minutes (2.3x longer than traditional e-commerce)

• Return User Rate: 67% within 7 days

• Seller Retention: 89% after 3 months

Qualitative Feedback

"Finally, an app that makes shopping feel like hanging out with friends!" - Beta User

"I've tripled my sales since moving to this platform. The live selling feature is game-changing." - Small Business Owner

"The unified experience means I don't have to juggle multiple apps anymore." - Content Creator

Business Impact

• 40% reduction in customer acquisition cost

• 2.8x higher average order value compared to traditional platforms

• 85% reduction in cart abandonment rate

  
  

🔮 Future Iterations

Planned Enhancements

1. AR Product Visualisation: Try-before-you-buy experiences

2. Social Commerce Groups: Community-driven product discovery

3. AI Shopping Assistant: Personalised product recommendations via chat

4. Creator Economy Tools: Revenue sharing and promotional features

5. International Expansion: Multi-currency and localisation support

Metrics to Monitor

• User engagement depth (time spent in live streams)

• Seller success metrics (revenue growth, customer retention)

• Social features adoption rate

• Cross-platform usage patterns

💭 Reflection & Learnings

What Worked Well

• User-centred design approach led to high satisfaction scores

• Rapid prototyping allowed for quick iteration and validation

• Focus on mobile-first design aligned with user behaviour

• Integration of social and commerce felt natural to users

Challenges & Solutions

• Challenge: Balancing social experience with commerce goals

• Solution: Contextual commerce approach - products within content, not interrupting it

• Challenge: Complex dual-interface for buyers and sellers

• Solution: Progressive disclosure and role-based UI adaptation

Key Learnings

1. Social proof drives commerce: Users purchase more when they see authentic social engagement

2. Simplicity wins: Each additional step in purchase flow significantly impacts conversion

3. Live content creates urgency: Real-time interaction dramatically increases purchase intent

4. Mobile-first is crucial: 89% of users primarily engage via mobile devices