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
Transforming a home renovation blog into a full e-commerce platform for furniture and décor.
Problem
Clunky Navigation: Scattered content and poor IA made finding products difficult.
Low Conversion Rates: Confusing product pages and a multi-step checkout led to abandoned carts.
Risk to Brand Identity: Transition from content blog to e-commerce risked alienating loyal readers.
Solution
Navigation Overhaul: Clear product categories, filters, and improved IA.
Modern UI: Rebuilt visual identity using the existing logo and Material Design principles.
E-commerce Features: Added reviews, rich product pages, and faster checkout flow.
Content + Commerce: Integrated blog content with shopping for better SEO and user engagement.
My Contribution
Led full UX/UI redesign from research to launch.
Conducted market research and competitive analysis against Wayfair, Houzz, and IKEA.
Interviewed 12 target users to identify pain points and needs.
Created personas, user flows, and medium-fidelity prototypes.
Designed responsive layouts for web, tablet, and mobile.
Ran usability tests, improving checkout speed and reducing navigation friction.
Results
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.
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Impact
The HouseTipster redesign shifted the site from a blog to a revenue-driving e-commerce platform:
Navigation → Product Discovery: A clearer IA with filters and categories increased engagement by 35%, helping users find products faster.
Trust → Conversions: Adding reviews and rich product details built confidence, contributing to a 15% increase in returning customers.
Checkout Optimization: Streamlining the flow cuts checkout time by 20%, reducing drop-offs and abandoned carts.
Content + Commerce: Integrating blog articles with product pages improved SEO and kept loyal readers engaged while guiding them toward purchases.
Business ROI: These UX improvements translated into measurable growth, with a 20% increase in annual revenue post-launch.
The CRO takeaway: By merging content with commerce and removing friction in navigation and checkout, HouseTipster converted casual readers into loyal buyers and boosted revenue in the process.
