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HouseTipster

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Work info

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Client:

Marble.com

Industry:

E-commerce

Role:

Sr. UX/UI Designer

Year:

2020

Platform:

Desktop, Tablet & Mobile

Project Overview

HouseTipster was originally a content-first home renovation and inspiration blog that had begun selling furniture and décor. Users struggled to find products, navigate inconsistent layouts, and complete purchases, which limited engagement and conversions. The challenge was to transform the site from a scattered content blog into a cohesive shopping platform without losing the brand’s editorial identity

Goal

Make browsing and shopping easy and intuitive.
Build trust through product details and reviews.
Smooth checkout experience.
Retain loyal readers while driving conversions.

Target metrics:

Increase engagement
Improve conversion rate
Reduce checkout time

Constraints:

Maintain the brand identity of the original blog
Responsive design across web, tablet, and mobile
Limited internal data at project start

Options Considered

Keep content and commerce separate — easier implementation but confusing user paths.
Full e-commerce redesign — risked alienating readers.
Integrated content + commerce — editorial supports shopping, improves engagement and SEO.

Decision

Chose integrated content + commerce model to balance editorial voice with e-commerce goals.

My Contribution

UX research and competitive analysis
User interviews and persona creation
User flows, wireframes, and prototypes
Visual design and responsive layouts
Usability testing and iteration
Collaboration with developers and product stakeholders

Results

Engagement Rate

Returning Customer Rate

Faster Checkout Time

Before

A blog-style site with scattered articles and limited product shopping features. Users struggled to browse, find, and buy products, leading to high drop-off.

After

A structured e-commerce platform with intuitive navigation, improved product discovery, integrated blog content, and a frictionless checkout process.

My Approach

Discovery Phase

Reviewed client goals: grow revenue, keep brand personality, and add e-commerce.
Conducted market research confirming home improvement market growth potential.
Competitive analysis revealed UX gaps competitors left open.
User interviews uncovered pain points: lack of trust, poor navigation, and missing product details

Design and Development

Built intuitive navigation for product discovery.
Applied Material Design principles for consistent UI.
Integrated product reviews and detailed descriptions to boost trust.
Streamlined checkout process into fewer steps.
Designed responsive layouts for all screen sizes.

Testing and Iteration

Ran usability tests with 7 participants.
Achieved 80–90% task success rate, 20–30% faster time on task, and <10% error rate.
Adjusted navigation labels, improved visual hierarchy, and ensured WCAG AA compliance.

Validation

Pre-launch usability tests and post-launch engagement metrics
Positive user feedback and measurable business improvements

Human Insight

Users wanted quick browsing, clear product info, and trust signals (reviews, ratings)
Loyalty depended on preserving editorial content while enabling commerce