Context

Etsy provides a place for makers to sell their goods and reach a large audience. Customers can search for items they’re looking for or they might have a product in mind that they’d like to customize. Etsy wanted to create a feature that built on this already existing practice and allowed customers to post design briefs and receive quotes from artisans.

A new user flow was designed within the Etsy platform by our team of four UX Designers. Under this new pathway, Etsy Buyers can directly post specific, personalized briefs to their favorite shops. Etsy Sellers are provided specialized briefs for custom work; they can review the brief, send quotes and accept the brief in order to commence the project. When both parties agree on a brief and quote, a step-by-step design process begins through integrated messaging and collaborative design feedback.

User Research

USER RESEARCH

PERSONAS

INTERACTION DESIGN

TEAM

User research took the form of online surveys and user interviews with buyers and sellers who have customized orders in the past. This exercised revealed that both buyers and sellers experience inefficient communication practices and have zero to limited collaboration tools on hand to communicate designs back and forth. To improve upon design brief clarity, Etsy buyers will create design and send design briefs to recommended or favorite shops. To protect Etsy designers, a quote and revision fee structure is introduced. Integrated messaging and visual, collaborative design feedback is put in place to streamline the design process.

Personas

USER RESEARCH

PERSONAS

INTERACTION DESIGN

TEAM

The user research also constructed a clear picture of who Etsy buyers and sellers are and what drives them.

Sellers are young women who aim to make a full-time career from their craft and design. Buyers are young women who have custom orders made for special occasions or significant moments; namely for weddings, personal use (jewelry, clothing, etc) or gifts.