GilgitApp: C2C Ecommerce Buy/Sell in Pakistan

Problem Statement

The Pakistani market lacked a user-friendly, secure, and scalable C2C platform for buying and selling goods. Existing solutions were either outdated or failed to address the needs of diverse demographics, such as rural users, women sellers, and young entrepreneurs.

Objective

To design and launch a highly scalable and user-centric C2C marketplace that facilitates secure and seamless transactions while fostering trust and community engagement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Research & Discovery:

   • Conducted user interviews, surveys, and competitor analysis.

   • Identified pain points, including trust issues, lack of localized support, and complicated onboarding processes.

2. Ideation & Strategy:

   • Developed the product’s design strategy aligned with business goals.

   • Created user personas and customer journey maps to guide design decisions.

3. Design Execution:

   • Designed the end-to-end user experience, including onboarding, listings, search, and transaction workflows.

   • Delivered high-fidelity UI designs and interactive prototypes using Figma.

   • Ensured the design was responsive and accessible to cater to diverse devices and user groups.

4. Collaboration & Leadership:

   • Led a team of designers, providing mentorship and design reviews.

   • Collaborated closely with developers to ensure seamless implementation of the designs.

   • Worked with marketing teams to align the design with branding strategies.

5. Iterative Testing & Optimization:

   • Conducted usability testing with potential users to validate design choices.

   • Collected and analyzed feedback to continuously refine the product.

   • Monitored app metrics post-launch to identify areas for improvement.

Challenges Faced

1. Building trust in a digital platform in a market with low digital literacy.

2. Designing a highly intuitive interface for users unfamiliar with online marketplaces.

3. Ensuring scalability while maintaining a seamless user experience.

Solutions

1. Trust Features: Implemented features like seller ratings, secure payment options, and a dispute resolution system.

2. Localized Design: Designed in-app language support and region-specific marketing strategies.

3. Community Building: Introduced features for community interaction, such as reviews and localized recommendations.

Impact

• Growth Metrics: Achieved over 1 million downloads within two years.

• Market Position: Became the second-largest C2C app in Pakistan.

• User Retention: Maintained a retention rate of over 60%, attributed to user-friendly design and effective trust-building mechanisms.

• User Base: Attracted a diverse audience, including rural and urban demographics.

Learnings

1. The importance of iterative design and continuous feedback loops in product development.

2. The role of trust and community features in scaling C2C platforms in emerging markets.

3. The value of collaboration across cross-functional teams for a successful product launch.