From Onboarding to Delivery: Enhancing User Experience with Filters and Beyond
From Onboarding to Delivery: Enhancing User Experience with Filters and Beyond
"In Giftd's early days, working with Bianca was a pleasure. Her thoughtful designs helped more users connect and made transactions smoother, moving us closer to our growth goals."
- Hannah, GIFTD Founder
"In Giftd's early days, working with Bianca was a pleasure. Her thoughtful designs helped more users connect and made transactions smoother, moving us closer to our growth goals."
- Hannah, GIFTD Founder
About
Giftd is a Berlin-based startup app for iOS and Android, designed to help users gift pre-loved clothes to friends and neighbors, promoting sustainability and community connection.
Problem
As Giftd grew, the app faced challenges with user engagement and retention. Users encountered friction in the onboarding process, and the lack of advanced filtering options made it difficult for them to find relevant items. Additionally, there was no streamlined way to manage deliveries, creating a barrier to completing transactions. The challenge was to improve these core areas of the user experience to drive higher engagement and ensure smooth transactions.
My role
As the sole UX/UI designer at Giftd, I collaborated with the founder, CTO, a developer, and a marketing person. I led key design initiatives, including the redesign of the onboarding process, the introduction of advanced filtering options, and the streamlining of the delivery feature.
About
Giftd is a Berlin-based startup app for iOS and Android, designed to help users gift pre-loved clothes to friends and neighbors, promoting sustainability and community connection.
Problem
As Giftd grew, the app faced challenges with user engagement and retention. Users encountered friction in the onboarding process, and the lack of advanced filtering options made it difficult for them to find relevant items. Additionally, there was no streamlined way to manage deliveries, creating a barrier to completing transactions. The challenge was to improve these core areas of the user experience to drive higher engagement and ensure smooth transactions.
My role
As the sole UX/UI designer at Giftd, I collaborated with the founder, CTO, a developer, and a marketing person. I led key design initiatives, including the redesign of the onboarding process, the introduction of advanced filtering options, and the streamlining of the delivery feature.
Key metrics:Increased user engagement and user base growth
My Contribution: UX Design, UI Design, Branding, Stakeholder Management, QA Testing
Team:1 UX/UI Designer – Myself, 1 Founder, 1 Co-Founder & CTO,2 Marketing Team Members
Timeline:4 months from concept to handoff, 2022
The Impact I Achieved
It All Started With... Elevating the Onboarding Experience
It All Started With... Elevating the Onboarding Experience
In reviewing the onboarding flow, I saw untapped potential to strengthen both user engagement and retention. Although 90% of users completed the process, the existing flow was overly technical—focused mainly on setup tasks like account creation and permissions. This missed the chance to communicate Giftd's unique value and purpose, leading to potential drop-off after onboarding.
Working closely with the founder, we identified improvements that could streamline the experience and create a stronger first impression for users. Here’s what we uncovered:
In reviewing the onboarding flow, I saw untapped potential to strengthen both user engagement and retention. Although 90% of users completed the process, the existing flow was overly technical—focused mainly on setup tasks like account creation and permissions. This missed the chance to communicate Giftd's unique value and purpose, leading to potential drop-off after onboarding.
Working closely with the founder, we identified improvements that could streamline the experience and create a stronger first impression for users. Here’s what we uncovered:
Doing Desk Research and Gathering User Insights
With our goals clearly defined, I conducted a competitive analysis to explore how other apps incorporate social connections during onboarding. Key insights from apps like Clubhouse and Instagram showed the importance of connecting users with their contacts early. This guided our decision to prioritize a 'connect with friends' feature for Giftd's onboarding flow.
At the same time, user surveys revealed that while onboarding was fast, users lacked clarity on how to connect with others and what items to upload. These findings reinforced the need for a more intuitive and informative onboarding process.
In addition, generational research helped shape our messaging. For younger users, we emphasized sustainability, while for older users, the focus was on community-building. These insights helped ensure our onboarding resonated with all target audiences.
With our goals clearly defined, I conducted a competitive analysis to explore how other apps incorporate social connections during onboarding. Key insights from apps like Clubhouse and Instagram showed the importance of connecting users with their contacts early. This guided our decision to prioritize a 'connect with friends' feature for Giftd's onboarding flow.
At the same time, user surveys revealed that while onboarding was fast, users lacked clarity on how to connect with others and what items to upload. These findings reinforced the need for a more intuitive and informative onboarding process.
In addition, generational research helped shape our messaging. For younger users, we emphasized sustainability, while for older users, the focus was on community-building. These insights helped ensure our onboarding resonated with all target audiences.
Aligning on Impact and Priorities
After conducting user research and a competitive analysis, I met with the founder to brainstorm ways to bring Giftd’s values to life in the onboarding process. We realized that creating a visually rich and interactive experience could address multiple goals. By focusing on visuals and interactivity, we could not only make the onboarding more engaging but also give users an immediate sense of connection to the app’s mission.
We focused on three key improvements:
Friend Discovery: Added a way for users to connect with friends right away, building a sense of community from the start.
Immediate Item Sharing: Enabled users to upload an item immediately, with a 48-hour exclusive preview for friends, creating a “VIP” experience.
Visual Conversational Prompts: Included an image prompt asking, “Why do you like giving clothes to friends?” to add warmth and reinforce Giftd’s mission.
After conducting user research and a competitive analysis, I met with the founder to brainstorm ways to bring Giftd’s values to life in the onboarding process. We realized that creating a visually rich and interactive experience could address multiple goals. By focusing on visuals and interactivity, we could not only make the onboarding more engaging but also give users an immediate sense of connection to the app’s mission.
We focused on three key improvements:
Friend Discovery: Added a way for users to connect with friends right away, building a sense of community from the start.
Immediate Item Sharing: Enabled users to upload an item immediately, with a 48-hour exclusive preview for friends, creating a “VIP” experience.
Visual Conversational Prompts: Included an image prompt asking, “Why do you like giving clothes to friends?” to add warmth and reinforce Giftd’s mission.
From Onboarding to Enhanced Browsing: Implementing Filters and running into a big problem
From Onboarding to Enhanced Browsing: Implementing Filters and running into a big problem
Recognizing the business need to improve discoverability and retain user engagement, I collaborated with the founder and developer to design and implement the app’s first filtering options. We prioritized filters by friends, reserved items, public listings, and gifted items—aiming to make browsing simpler and more tailored.
Shortly after the feature launched, we hit an unexpected roadblock. Users reported: "I think there’s a bug—I can’t see anything when I filter." That’s when I realized I’d missed an important detail: edge cases. For instance, what would happen if a user tried filtering by friends but didn’t have any? The result was an empty screen with no guidance, leaving users confused and frustrated.
This experience was a turning point. It taught me the importance of designing for all scenarios, ensuring that even when users hit a dead-end, the app still guides them forward.
Recognizing the business need to improve discoverability and retain user engagement, I collaborated with the founder and developer to design and implement the app’s first filtering options. We prioritized filters by friends, reserved items, public listings, and gifted items—aiming to make browsing simpler and more tailored.
Shortly after the feature launched, we hit an unexpected roadblock. Users reported: "I think there’s a bug—I can’t see anything when I filter." That’s when I realized I’d missed an important detail: edge cases. For instance, what would happen if a user tried filtering by friends but didn’t have any? The result was an empty screen with no guidance, leaving users confused and frustrated.
This experience was a turning point. It taught me the importance of designing for all scenarios, ensuring that even when users hit a dead-end, the app still guides them forward.
Strategic Expansion: Designing the Delivery Feature
While improving the onboarding flow and implementing filters, we recognized a new opportunity for Giftd: expanding beyond in-person exchanges. Up until now, users had to meet face-to-face to complete their transactions, limiting Giftd’s reach to Berlin. Introducing a delivery option would allow us to scale beyond our local market, giving users more flexibility in how they exchange items.
Designing the first delivery feature was both an exciting and challenging experience. I approached it by applying the lessons learned from improving the onboarding flow and implementing filters. My focus was to ensure we stayed aligned with user needs and business goals.
While improving the onboarding flow and implementing filters, we recognized a new opportunity for Giftd: expanding beyond in-person exchanges. Up until now, users had to meet face-to-face to complete their transactions, limiting Giftd’s reach to Berlin. Introducing a delivery option would allow us to scale beyond our local market, giving users more flexibility in how they exchange items.
Designing the first delivery feature was both an exciting and challenging experience. I approached it by applying the lessons learned from improving the onboarding flow and implementing filters. My focus was to ensure we stayed aligned with user needs and business goals.
Building Trust Through Transparent Delivery
In designing the delivery feature, I focused on building trust in the payment process and creating a clear, user-centered flow. By developing user stories for both gifters and receivers, I ensured that each step addressed their key goals, such as having quick access to shipping labels, understanding delivery timelines, and feeling secure with payment.
In designing the delivery feature, I focused on building trust in the payment process and creating a clear, user-centered flow. By developing user stories for both gifters and receivers, I ensured that each step addressed their key goals, such as having quick access to shipping labels, understanding delivery timelines, and feeling secure with payment.
Impact and Growth: Lessons from Giftd / Reflections and Key Learnings
When I first joined Giftd, users were navigating a platform that didn’t fully support their needs—whether it was struggling with onboarding, finding items through endless scrolling, or limited to face-to-face exchanges. My goal was to transform these challenges into opportunities for a smoother, more engaging user experience while helping Giftd scale beyond its initial market.
When I first joined Giftd, users were navigating a platform that didn’t fully support their needs—whether it was struggling with onboarding, finding items through endless scrolling, or limited to face-to-face exchanges. My goal was to transform these challenges into opportunities for a smoother, more engaging user experience while helping Giftd scale beyond its initial market.
Let's create thoughtful experiences, with care and intention,together.
Reach out 👋🏼 bianca.ioana.basan *at* gmail.com
Let's create thoughtful experiences, with care and intention,together.
Reach out 👋🏼 bianca.ioana.basan *at* gmail.com
Let's create thoughtful experiences,with care and intention, together.
Reach out 👋🏼 bianca.ioana.basan *at* gmail.com