Lisa's Popcorn Monthly Subscription Boxes

morgan stone

UX Designer
Researcher
UI Designer
Canva
Figma
Shopify
Redesigned and implemented a successful popcorn subscription box service.

OVERVIEW

Lisa's Popcorn sought assistance with rebranding, product redesign, and website development. In this case study, I will concentrate on the Subscription box service, while also acknowledging the brand and website redesigns that accompanied it.

MY ROLE

As the sole UX designer in a small business, I collaborated directly with the CEO and Production Manager. My responsibilities encompassed researching, designing, testing, iterating, and troubleshooting unforeseen issues. Throughout the project, I remained flexible, pivoting when necessary, and continuing to design until the final launch.

THE PROBLEM

The current subscription model of Lisa's Popcorn presents challenges for monthly subscribers who desire to customize their popcorn box with various flavors. Customers are required to email customer service to request changes, a manual process that is inconvenient and time-consuming.
To address this problem, the project's business requirements include developing a system that allows subscribers to easily modify their monthly popcorn box with the flavors of their choice. This involves creating a user-friendly interface that enables customers to browse and select their desired flavors.
Additionally, subscribers require an account portal that offers details on upcoming boxes, enables them to edit shipping dates or address, and modify their popcorn flavor selections each month.
To achieve these requirements, the minimum viable product (MVP) involves developing a website flow that facilitates subscribers in modifying their popcorn box flavors every month, providing them with the flexibility and convenience they need to enhance their customer experience.

THE PROCESS

I began the UX process by conducting thorough research with Lisa's Popcorn's existing customer base, which comprises over 11,000 individuals. Through polling, I gained insight into what customers value most in a subscription box, as well as their motivations for buying popcorn. The results of the research were somewhat unexpected for the CEO, who initially assumed that customers primarily purchased popcorn as gifts. Instead, I discovered that customers mostly bought popcorn for snacking and family gatherings.
To better understand the target audience and empathize with their needs, you created a persona named Rachel. Using this persona as a reference, I developed journey and empathy maps, which helped me visualize the customer's experience and identify any pain points. These tools proved essential in providing a deeper understanding of the customer's perspective and informing the design process.

RESEARCH EVALUATION

Rachel, the persona I created, plays a crucial role in helping the team understand Lisa's Popcorn's target audience. By embodying the characteristics, needs, and wants of the customer base, Rachel provides valuable insights that enabled me to develop a product that caters to their preferences and desires.
As a monthly subscriber, Rachel expects a predictable and effortless experience from Lisa's Popcorn. Therefore, the team must design a user-friendly interface that enables her to modify her popcorn box easily and try new flavors seamlessly.
In addition, it's important to convey to Rachel that she is a valued and special customer. This can be achieved through personalized communications and exclusive offers, highlighting her importance to the brand.
Based on the customer discovery survey, it was discovered that 90% of customers purchase popcorn for personal consumption, indicating a "Self-Care" option would resonate with the target audience. This insight is important in developing messaging and branding that appeals to customers who view popcorn as a snack to enjoy on their own.

DESIGNING

In my design process, I began by creating a flow chart to map out the user journey and determine the placement of the "edit flavor" section. To gain inspiration, I researched several e-commerce websites and analyzed their process.
Next, I started with some quick sketching to explore possible layout options for the website. I then moved on to creating lofi digital wireframes to bring my ideas to life. By combining my sketches with the insights gained from my research, I was able to produce a solid design plan.
To further enhance the design, I requested a list of brands that Lisa's Popcorn admired and incorporated some elements from their websites. I understood that users have mental models when it comes to spending money, and they expect websites to follow similar patterns and flows. By designing a website that is familiar and easy to navigate, I made it simpler for users to edit their flavors.

MID-PROJECT PIVOT

Around this time, the CEO approached me with the idea of launching new product packaging and sizes simultaneously with the new brand, website and subscriptions. I began with creating a flow chart of the website that incorporated the new subscription options and also started working on the new brand design. This process allowed me to develop my skills in building websites on Shopify.

VISUAL DESIGN

When developing Lisa's Popcorn brand identity, we wanted to create a classic yet modern look that embodied the glamour of Old Hollywood. Our customer base is passionate about movies, so we drew inspiration from vintage Hollywood aesthetics to create a sense of luxury and indulgence. By evoking the feeling of treating oneself to a gourmet and upscale experience in the comfort of one's own home, we aimed to position Lisa's Popcorn as a high-end and sophisticated snack brand. The resulting visual design and moodboard reflect the brand's focus on quality and elegance, with a touch of playfulness and nostalgia.
Lisa's Popcorn website redesign successfully addressed the main problem of the difficulty subscribers had in customizing their boxes with different flavors each month. By providing an intuitive and user-friendly website flow, subscribers can easily change or add flavors to their monthly box, browse all flavors of popcorn, and edit their account details. The website's design also helped the customer easily understand subscriptions and improved usability. The clear call-to-action buttons and simplified subscription process guide the user through the experience. Additionally, the brand identity of "old Hollywood" is well-executed, as the glam vintage aesthetic conveys a feeling of indulgence and luxury. Overall, the website redesign effectively solved the problem of customization difficulties for subscribers while creating a visually appealing and user-friendly experience.

UNFORESEEN ISSUES

During the project, I encountered some unforeseen issues. Firstly, I discovered that the client was already using an e-commerce platform that was not in the budget to replace with a custom website. So, I adjusted my design to work within the existing website they had.
Secondly, the CEO approached me with the idea of launching new product packaging and sizes simultaneously with the new website and subscriptions. I began with creating a flow chart of the website that incorporated the new subscription options and also started working on the new bag design. This process allowed me to develop my skills in building websites on Shopify.
Thirdly, the software integration the client was currently using did not work as expected. To solve this, I conducted extensive research and found a new software. After setting it up, I worked on migrating the client's data to the new software. However, this process presented its own set of challenges that I am currently working on resolving.

REFLECTION

Throughout this project, I had the opportunity to learn and develop a variety of skills. From researching software solutions to building a Shopify store from scratch, the experience was invaluable. Additionally, I conducted extensive research to develop new packaging that accurately reflected the brand's identity. The customer portal I built has also streamlined the subscription process, reducing the need for customers to reach out to us every month to change their flavors. Working closely with the CEO allowed me to better understand the financial implications of my decisions and how they affect the business's bottom line. In addition to my core responsibilities, I also handled customer email inquiries, email and social media marketing, and collaborated with our photographer to produce new images for the brand. Moving forward, I plan to conduct more surveys and testing to ensure that our subscription option is resonating with our customers. I recognize that there is always room for improvement and that research is the foundation for any successful project. Overall, this project allowed me to grow both professionally and personally, and I am excited to continue applying the knowledge and skills I gained in future endeavors.
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