PROJECTS | personal-resume

depop

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Role

UX/UI Designer

Project Type

Add a Feature

Timeframe

5 Weeks

Tools

Figma

WHAT IS DEPOP

Depop is a social shopping app where users can buy and sell secondhand fashion, from vintage pieces to trendy streetwear. With over 35 million registered users worldwide, it has become a leading platform for buying and selling unique fashion items.

THE PROBLEM

Currently, Depop only shows shipping costs after an item is added to the bag, which creates unnecessary friction in the buying process. Since shipping fees vary by location, this lack of transparency can lead to frustration, hesitation, and ultimately abandoned carts. This creates a lose-lose situation where buyers face a back-and-forth experience, while the business risks losing potential sales.

How might we make the checkout process easier and more seamless for users?

How might we prevent users from abandoning their cart?

THE SOLUTION

Adding a feature to Depop that shows estimated shipping costs in the item description would allow for more transparency for users and make the check out process a lot smoother.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

To explore how other resale platforms approach shipping costs, I analyzed Etsy, Mercari, Poshmark, and eBay to compare how each calculates and displays shipping information.

KEY INSIGHTS

Etsy and eBay provide zip code-based shipping estimates upfront, making pricing more transparent and helping users feel confident before checkout
Mercari and Poshmark simplify shipping with fixed rates, but offer less flexibility or accuracy, which may not reflect the true cost for every buyer

OPPORTUNITIES

Make shipping costs more visible and accessible upfront
Simplify how users check shipping costs with fewer clicks
Encourage more completed purchases by showing total costs earlier

When it comes to shipping transparency, Depop falls short. Users must add items to their cart just to see shipping costs, which interrupts the browsing flow. This lack of transparency can frustrate shoppers, leading to abandoned carts and missed sales.

CONDUCTING USER INTERVIEWS

To better understand how users feel about Depop’s shipping experience, I interviewed people who have used the app in the past or are currently using it. The focus was on how shipping costs are shown, what users find frustrating, and how the process could be improved.

From the insights gathered, I created the persona Kelly.

WHAT DID WE LEARN

From our user interviews, I identified key insights about how people manage stress and process emotions:

1. Shipping costs affect buying

Shipping costs play a major role in whether users decide to buy an item or not.

2. Frustrating check out

Many found it annoying to add items to their bag just to view shipping fees.

3. Want transparency

Users want clearer shipping details earlier in the shopping journey as higher-than-expected shipping costs that caused them to back out of purchases.

CRAFTING THE SOLUTION

The goal was to incorporate a feature that allows users to view estimated shipping costs directly on the item page. By entering their zip code, users can see accurate shipping fees upfront without needing to add items to their bag. This feature helps simplify the shopping experience, improve transparency, and make it easier for users to commit to a purchase.

FEATURE ROADMAP

I created a feature roadmap to help prioritize what to build first. The shipping cost feature is a must-have, while ideas like a free shipping filter and multiple checkout are nice additions for later. Features like a personalized explore page and PayPal checkout can be explored in future updates.

USER FLOWS

I created a flow that maps a buyer’s journey from account creation to order confirmation. It highlights a new step on the item page where users can enter their zip code to view estimated shipping costs to boost transparency.

DEVELOPING MID-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

For my first draft of wireframes, I recreated Depop’s item page to test ideas for showing shipping costs. In this version, users have already logged in and have a saved address in their account. Because of that, the item page automatically shows an estimated shipping cost based on their location.

EARLY TESTING

I tested the wireframes with the same participants from my earlier user interviews. While the testing wasn’t fully interactive, all users were able to complete the task and found the feature helpful.

KEY FEEDBACK

Found the feature helpful and easy to understand
Felt the design matched Depop’s existing interface
Suggested adding the actual shipping cost to the sticky button for better visibility
Liked that the feature was simple and not overwhelming

ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK

After reviewing my wireframes with my mentor, we realized users might want to check shipping costs to different zip codes - possibly for gifts or just to compare prices. To make this easier, I added a zip code input on the item page so they can quickly calculate shipping without changing their address on their profile.

HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

Using feedback from testing and my mentor, I created high-fidelity wireframes. These reflect a more polished version of the feature, including the updated shipping calculator where users can enter a zip code directly on the item page to view estimated shipping costs.

Country is now a mandatory field

USER TESTING

After updating my design, I tested the high-fidelity wireframes with the same group of users. The results were positive - users found the experience clear and helpful.

All success metrics were met:

4 out of 5 users completed the tasks without confusion
Average task time was under 2 minutes
Low error rate across both flows
100% user satisfaction with the zip code feature
Average ease-of-use rating: 4 out of 5

While the results were strong, my mentor noticed I had missed a small step: I made the zip code a required field but forgot to make the country field mandatory, which could affect accuracy for international users.

Country is now a mandatory field

REFLECTION

I really enjoyed working on this project! Since I use Depop myself, it was exciting to improve a feature I’d actually use. One of the main challenges was designing screens with a lot of elements and making sure everything matched Depop’s existing style. It pushed me to get creative with layout and icon choices. Overall, this experience taught me the value of keeping designs simple and how helpful early feedback can be for making smart improvements.