FloraGo is a mobile-first startup that lets users have flowers and plants delivered to anyone within an hour. By replicating the flower shop experience as truly as possible, the goal is to deliver a seamless and intuitive product.
The users create an account, choose their delivery location, select a delivery time, and can then choose from a variety of products. The app partners with local florists, who are able to “claim” a new order whenever it comes in. They then prepare the order and deliver it to the recipient within the specified timeframe.
SKILLS USED:
UX Research
Contextual Interviews
UI Design
TOOLS USED:
Sketch App
Survey Monkey
The Survey
The process, as always, needs to start with a market research. With 5 one-on-one interviews and a survey of 10 questions targeting the commonly faced issues in our market, the results collected were what steered the direction of the design to the needed path.
Here are the highlights of the survey.
Additionally, 65% of the users buy flowers for ‘someone else’ & only 27% for their 'significant other'.
88% of the users ordered products online before while 62% never bought flowers online but they find it very convenient and 77% preferred to visit a one-stop shop for flowers and other gifts.
The Personas
After the survey and the interviews, it was almost clear that the market can be categorized into three profiles.
The UX Flowchart
A UX flowchart helps you visualize the steps a user takes to complete a task or achieve a goal on the app. The research was based on apps like Uber, Postmates, Zomato, Toters and Onlivery. The journey was basically clear because we were replicating the Flower Shop Experience but the main question was whether to let the user create an account during on-boarding or leave the user to roam the app and ask for their account when checking out. The answer was to stick to the objective of being true to the physical experience and leaving the user to explore before creating an account.
The Search
First, we start with the ‘hunt’ for the shop. People usually tend to visit their familiar florist, a place they trust and they’re used to which is highlighted in ‘Your Favorite Florists’.
Secondly, the main image of the shop is of the whole place, because this is what you see if you’re passing by or entering one. And we usually scan the place horizontally which explains the rectangular frame. I also highlighted the shops’ top selling products in the listing because most shops display their products in front of their stores.
Catering for special occasions
A big majority of the users gift flowers on special occasions. Anniversaries, hospital visits, etc. are the biggest drives for buying flowers and not romantic gestures. Also, 77% of the users expect the flower shop to be a one stop shop for other gifts as well.
Therefore, this was translated by the type and order of the categories listed under the shops.
The first category ‘Birthday’ is the most requested and it’s replaced when there is a relevant national occasion when people flock to buy flowers or plants such as Valentine’s, Christmas...
Occasions hold other sub-categories such as Get Well, Anniversaries, Sympathy, Weddings, Love & Romance, etc.
It is then followed by Flowers in general, Plants and a Gift Shop section.
Keeping the person in mind
When picking the perfect arrangement you are constantly thinking if the other person will like it or not. That’s why the header includes not only the delivery address but also the person receiving the gift. It is there on all screens.
Adding a personal touch
After picking your arrangement, we encourage you to add a personal touch by including a flower card and/or a gift wrap.
The card is displayed in a hand written type and is printed at the florist as is.
Additionally, the sheet is displayed as a modal view for more immersion and focuses the users’ attention on performing the task at hand that’s different from their current task.
A worry-free payment
As it is the case with most online shopping, paying online is still a big fear for most users and offering a Cash On Delivery option was mandatory for 46% of the users.
The technicalities of it are the following: the user has already handed their phone number and location at the beginning. So, a team member contacts the user to collect the money after placing the order but the order will be scheduled for a later day and can’t be processed on the spot.
And if the user wants to deliver in an hour he can of course pay easily online.
Tracking every detail
Most users had uncertainties that the florist might not design the flower arrangement up to their expectations, and what’s better than tackling this issue like real life scenarios.
After the order is accepted, the florist jumps to the preparation of the arrangement and when done, they share a picture using the messaging interface and the user is notified on the tracking screen to respond. When satisfied with the result, the user confirms the order and it is then processed to shipping.