Roam
Product redesign: Enhancing the roam mobile site for high-end luggage sales
About Roam
Roam, a premium e-commerce platform for luggage, reimagines how travelers shop for high-quality travel gear. Designed as an end-to-end project for a UI/UX design bootcamp, this case study focuses on enhancing Roam's mobile-web experience to deliver a seamless and intuitive shopping journey.
The redesign prioritized simplifying product comparisons and introducing a guest checkout feature, ensuring users could make informed decisions with minimal friction. Through competitive research, user personas, optimized user flows, and usability testing, the project enhanced usability and increased conversion rates, aligning with Roam's commitment to quality and innovation.
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
TIMELINE
Feb 2024 - Apr 2024
LOCATION
Remote
Designed using
challenge
Roam sought to transform its mobile web experience to address critical business challenges. Analytics revealed that 50% of users were browsing without adding items to their cart, while 70% of those who added items abandoned their carts at the registration stage. These numbers highlighted two pressing issues:
Unclear Product Differentiation: Users struggled to compare luggage features and identify the best option for their needs.
Cumbersome Checkout Process: The mandatory account creation step deterred users from completing purchases.
The challenge was to design a seamless, luxurious shopping experience that empowered users to compare products effortlessly while minimizing friction at checkout. Success would require not only solving these usability pain points but also maintaining Roam’s premium brand identity throughout the design.
process
To tackle the usability challenges at Roam, I followed a structured, user-centered design process spanning 8 weeks. This approach allowed me to uncover key pain points, ideate solutions, and iteratively refine the design for optimal user experience.
1. Empathize
I began by conducting competitive research to benchmark Roam’s mobile site against industry leaders.
Key Findings:
Nordstrom.com offered strong UX but lacked a luggage-specific focus.
LuggagePros.com provided detailed comparisons but had a cluttered interface.
Tumi.com and Rimowa.com showcased luxury branding but lacked variety.
Amazon.com overwhelmed users with excessive options.
Insights Applied:
Simplify navigation and product categorization.
Emphasize luxury through clean, visually appealing design.
Introduce a clear, easy-to-use product comparison tool.
Using these insights, I created detailed personas representing two key user segments:
James, a frequent business traveler focused on functionality and durability.
David, a luxury traveler prioritizing design and prestige.
2. Define
I developed a comprehensive user journey to map out the key steps users take from landing on the homepage to completing checkout. This helped identify pain points, such as the lack of a guest checkout option and difficulty comparing product features.
3. Ideate
Sketching was the next step to translate findings into actionable design ideas. I focused on:
Simplified Navigation: Intuitive layout and clear categorization.
Product Pages: High-quality visuals, detailed descriptions, and a comparison tool.
Comparison Chart: A user-friendly interface to highlight relative features.
Streamlined Checkout: A guest checkout option to reduce cart abandonment.
4. Design
Using Figma, I created low-fidelity wireframes to structure the mobile site, followed by high-fidelity prototypes to incorporate branding elements like typography, colors, and imagery. This iterative process ensured alignment with both user needs and Roam’s business goals.
5. Test
I conducted two rounds of usability testing with 10 participants matching my user personas:
Round 1 Findings:
Issues with product comparison hierarchy and font visibility.
Changes implemented: Improved comparison table layout and adjusted font sizes using WebAIM’s contrast checker.
Round 2 Findings:
Positive feedback on the revised comparison chart and streamlined checkout process.
Each round of testing provided valuable insights, allowing me to refine the design and validate the solutions.
Outcome
The redesign of Roam’s mobile shopping experience successfully addressed key usability challenges and enhanced user satisfaction. Simplified navigation and intuitive categorization improved product browsing, while redesigned product pages and a clear comparison chart empowered users to make confident purchasing decisions.
The guest checkout option directly reduced cart abandonment in usability tests, and accessibility improvements, such as contrast adjustments, ensured an inclusive experience. User feedback praised the streamlined functionality, validating the design’s effectiveness.
This project reinforced the importance of iterative testing, accessibility, and user-centered design while deepening my expertise in creating seamless mobile e-commerce experiences.
