Analysed user behaviour and redesigned decision points so customers could confidently move from browsing to purchase
Reduce purchase drop-off by redesigning key parts of the online grocery journey so shoppers could understand options and complete checkout quickly
Search returned irrelevant products
Stock availability and store context unclear
Delivery vs click-and-collect confusing
Forced account creation before commitment
Product and payment information surfaced too late
Impact: hesitation, frustration, and abandoned carts
Enabled guest shopping and checkout
Surfaced fulfilment options (delivery & click-and-collect) earlier
Displayed real-time stock and location context
Improved product pages (clearer descriptions & imagery)
Simplified checkout steps and reduced cognitive load
Revealed payment options before the final step
Interaction Validation (Evidence) → Project Presentation
Users could complete selection and checkout without assistance or hesitation
Reduced hesitation and cart abandonment
Clearer understanding of availability and fulfilment
More confident purchase decisions
In online retail, users commit only after certainty
Designing for decision clarity — availability, fulfilment, and cost — removes friction and enables action
DETAILS:
Imagine Meera, a busy Melbournian mum who spends hours each week hunting for deals online. Like most Aussie women (who make up two-thirds of local online shoppers!), she wants to save time, money, and effort. But her quest for a simple lunchbox at Coles turns into an odyssey.
Why? Because the current website throws up irrelevant search results, hides crucial information like stock and payment options, and forces her to commit to signing up just to add items to her cart. Frustrating, right?
Reeya embarked on a mission to redesign the Coles online shopping experience, making it as smooth and satisfying as a perfectly packed lunchbox. Here's her story:
*)Note: Concept redesign (not affiliated with Coles)
Where
Melbourne, Australia
What
Website Improvement
Why
Portfolio project
When
End of 2023
Role
Designer, Researcher
Category
Online Groceries
Pictures
Pexels, Unsplash
During a user research sprint, she conducted interviews with three women (urban dwellers aged 20-60+, living alone or with family/partners and experienced online grocery shoppers) via Google Meet discussions and dives into relevant online communities. By empathising with their frustrations, desires, and core needs, she identified key insights that would inform her design decisions to create a product that effectively addresses user pain points.
Based on pain points, the appropriate desk research or benchmarking methods would be:
Combining Landscape and Heuristic Reviews, Reeya gained a comprehensive understanding of the platform's position in the market and its usability. Landscape Review provided insights into where Coles stands compared to competitors, identified innovative features, and ensured alignment with industry best practices. Although this method might overlook specific user needs and consume significant time, Heuristic Reviews offered quick, cost-effective insights into usability issues and provided structured feedback. By combining objective market insights with subjective usability critiques, Reeya confirmed her hypothesis that search and checkout were key pain points, allowing her to iterate effectively toward a more competitive user experience.
Through Affinity Mapping, Reeya categorised common user complaints, transforming each one into a stepping stone for improvement. Whether grappling with search functionality or discontent with product information, each piece of feedback was a building block toward crafting a user-friendly Coles online experience. Customers deserved an intuitive and enjoyable shopping journey, and she was committed to delivering precisely that.
With a clearer user focus, Reeya transitioned from Ideation to a User-Centred Design (UCD) approach. By addressing browsing challenges, optimising product listings, and streamlining the purchasing process, she wasn't just reacting to problems; she was strategically enhancing the platform to boost user satisfaction, engagement, and ultimately, sales.
In her quest to improve the user experience, conducting usability testing on the prototypes was crucial. Every click, scroll, and interaction was scrutinised as she aimed to achieve seamless online shopping at Coles. The feedback she gathered wasn't just helpful; it was transformative.
From tweaking the review bar to simplifying the labyrinth of billing information input, each adjustment brought her closer to her goal: making Coles online a joy to navigate. But it wasn't just about fixing what was broken; it was about understanding customers on a deeper level. Reeya learned that the trolley confirmation needed a makeover, shedding unnecessary clutter to become a streamlined buying checklist. And who knew that something as simple as leaving a delivery note could make all the difference?
This case study represents hours of Reeya's research and design thinking.
In the end, Reeya transformed a frustrating shopping process into a streamlined experience, demonstrating how thoughtful UX strategy can turn user pain points into opportunities for delight.
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