Swapme App

Swapme is a unique app that allows you to endlessly update your wardrobe for FREE by swapping your preloved clothes for new ones. It simultaneously saves you money and the planet.

My Role

User research, prototyping, UX/UI design

Managed the design and development team

Art direction and brand design

Results

Surveyed, wireframed, designed, & tested

Proved original app concept to be successful

Built a working prototype with 180+ users

The Problem

People are unsatisfied with the clothes in their closets. The only affordable and sustainable solution is to sell your clothes so you can afford to buy new ones or donate your clothes and buy new ones. Unfortunately, most of the time these people will only make back 25-30% of the

clothing items original value. Donating your used clothes isn't any better. 90% of clothes you donate end up in landfills where they burn the clothing releasing harmful gases into the atmosphere. The truth is buying new clothes can be very costly, and donating clothes causes further pollution.

“61% of Americans admitted they regularly or sometimes find themselves struggling to find something to wear, even though their closet is full of clothing.”

Study by Nordstrom Trunk Club

The Solution

The Swapme app is the perfect solution, combining the idea of an endless wardrobe with $0 price tags, only requiring that you swap out your unwanted clothes for something new. If you pair this with the growing trend of Second-hand Fashion, this

app will provide great value to millions of people. Swapme allows people to shop to their hearts content, completely guilt-free knowing that you're paying nothing for your new wardrobe.

Research

It seemed like a revoultionary idea, but the question remained, would people really want to swap their clothes instead of buying new ones?

Apps such as Poshmark, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace have proven the secondhand market to be very large but would that same market be open to swapping? To figure this out, I conducted a survey on my local campus to 50 students with multiple questions regarding second hand purchases and whether or not they would use an app to swap

clothes. rather than buy them. The survey results showed that 67% said they would use a swapping app while the other 33% would not. The majority of users who said they would use the app were predominantly female. When asked why they would or would not use the app these were some of the responses:

"Because I could get new clothes without spending money!"

"I love exchanging goods, flipping clothes, and saving money"

"Our kid is constantly outgrowing clothes and this would help us save money on new outfits."

"I love bargain shopping/ clothing exchanges! This sounds perfect!"

"Affordable, better for the environment, more ethical than buying new"

"Because I like thrifting for good deals and “swapping” can be done anytime of day or night. Way more convenient, little/no cost, and great deals. It’s a win/win cuz I get rid of something I won’t wear and gain something I will."

"It’s always fun to change up my wardrobe but I don’t want to break the bank"

I needed to figure out what features the users wanted in a swapping app and what features the current shopping apps were lacking.

To figure this out I conducted a focus group of 10 women between ages 20-30 years old. I also sent out numerous surveys via social media as well. I asked about their current shopping habits, which apps they used, which they liked best and what they liked about them. I then asked about what they disliked about the apps. Listening to their experiences, primarily their bad ones, gave me great insight into what to include in the Swapme app. Some of those insights were:

Best value for quality items
Great customer service
Simple user interface
Knowing the true size of a clothing item
Return policy
Reviews for each Swapper

Design Process

After conducting my research, I knew that the app needed a simple user experience since the other apps available are difficult to navigate and crammed with content. I also wanted to create a clean, vibrant design to make it fun and inviting to use.

Once I gathered all the information I had collected, I began selecting the key features that would help Swapme meet the needs of its users. The main feed would work like tinder, sliding cards left and right. Slide right on items you wish to swap and left on items you don't. The app would then do the hard work by matching you with other users who swiped right on your items. The other key pages included a

profile page/closet to store your items, a messages page to barter with other swappers, a camera to add new items, and a credits page to track your in app currency. To get started, I built a site map to layout the User journey from page to page. This helped me to see the full picture of how the app would function according to the selected page and/or feature. Then I started designing the interface for each screen.

The Process

Wireframing: Developed low-fidelity wireframes to outline the app's structure and user flow.

UI Design: Designed high-fidelity mockups with a clean and vibrant aesthetic to attract users.

Prototyping: Created interactive prototypes to test functionality and gather user feedback.

Usability Testing: Conducted tests with potential users to identify pain points and areas for improvement.

Shop the stack of clothing by swiping right and left.

Items from other users are displayed in a cardstack similar to Tinder. Each card contains photos and a description of the clothing item. Additional information can be viewed by clicking on the item.

Swipe left on the items you dont want.

When you come across an item you don't want, simply swipe left. This will disable that card from appearing in your feed again. And don't worry, if you accidentally swipe to fast you can always undo it.

Swipe right on items you would like to swap for.

When you come across an item you want to get, simply swipe right on that item. Once you've done that all you have to do is wait for the other swapper to swipe right on one of your items to creat a match and start chatting.

Additional Learnings

Throughout the development of Swapme, several key learnings emerged:

User Trust: Building a community where users feel safe and trust one another is crucial for the success of a swapping platform. Implementing robust verification processes and fostering a sense of community can enhance trust.

Simplicity: Users appreciate a straightforward and intuitive interface. Overcomplicating features can lead to user frustration and disengagement.

Feedback Integration: Continuous user feedback is invaluable. Regularly updating the app based on user suggestions can lead to higher satisfaction and retention rates.

What I Would Do Differently

Reflecting on the project, there are several aspects I would approach differently:

Enhanced User Verification: Implement more rigorous user verification methods to ensure safety and build trust within the community.

Scalability Considerations: Design the app's architecture with scalability in mind to accommodate a growing user base without compromising performance.

Comprehensive Onboarding: Develop a more comprehensive onboarding process to educate users on how to effectively use the app and understand its benefits.