RugOutlet
Rugoutlet Website Re-design
Rugoutlet is an online retailer specialising in sales for a wide range of rugs. Despite having a diverse product range, the website struggled to attract and retain customers, resulting in low sales and minimal online presence.
Client
Rugoutlet
Role
Visual Design UI & UX Design UX Research
Industry
e-commerce
Date
January 2023
Objectives
I conducted a current-state evaluation of the website and identified several usability and design issues. The overall interface was outdated, with poor logo placement and an obsolete logo design. The dark background on the landing page clashed with the black text, reducing readability. Additionally, the featured product page lacked clarity—pricing information was difficult to find, and there was no well-defined checkout flow. Most critically, users had no option for online payments, creating a major barrier to conversion.
Discovery
Establishing the user’s needs and Problems Ella Chaning was chosen as the user persona for the redesign of RugOutlet due to her representativeness of a key target demographic: interior designers seeking reliable online stores for rug procurement. As an interior designer based in London, Ella embodies the challenges and aspirations of professionals in her field, particularly the need for a platform that offers a diverse range of rug designs, sizes, and materials. By designing with Ella in mind, the redesign can address the specific pain points and preferences of interior designers like her, ensuring that RugOutlet becomes their go-to destination for sourcing high-quality rugs for their projects.
User Research
User & Task Flow - The user flow diagram for the RugOutlet redesign showcases a streamlined journey from the homepage to the final purchase. Users can navigate to sections like "All Rugs," "Rug Collections," and "Rug Services," with the latter providing a direct link to the client's other website, Rugmaster, for cleaning and restoration services. Key sections like "Reviews," "Blog," and "About Us" build trust and offer valuable information. The flow ensures a smooth shopping experience, with options for quick checkout or detailed checkout, concluding with invoice generation, payment, and order confirmation, tailored for users like Ella Chaning...
Mockup
While building out my wireframes, I looked at several different rugstore websites. For the shopping experience, I looked at Lilla Rugs and Benuta rugs, which both had very detailed filters on their product pages. In addition to that, I also looked at several different websites like John Lewis and Fenwick, and noticed that these websites provided users with comprehensive details about materials, sizes and care instructions. Which I hoped to also include in the website redesign.
Final Design
After defining the main user task and flow, I attempted to create the first set of low-fi wireframes to run some preliminary testing with my manager. That allowed me to gather some initial feedback and save time later in the process before I started the high-fidelity prototype.
Feedback from users highlighted the websites ease of use, reliability, and the valuable insights it provided, cementing Rugoutlet's position as a leader in the rug industry.