Grupo Q embarked on a groundbreaking journey to launch an e-commerce platform for the purchase of brand-new cars, a novel concept in the Costa Rican market where consumers typically favor in-person transactions. The project's primary challenge was designing an online shopping experience for a product outside the traditional consumer mental model for e-commerce. To meet this challenge, we placed users at the center of the design process, selecting individuals familiar with car purchases and comfortable with online services. Through usability testing with an HTML prototype, participants were invited to perform tasks under the assumption they intended to buy a vehicle. Encouraging a think-aloud method provided rich insights into their thought processes, allowing us to refine the platform based on real user feedback. This approach ensured that the new platform effectively aligned with consumer expectations and seamlessly integrated into their online shopping routines, successfully transforming how cars are retailed online in the region.

What I Learned

Usability testing was essential in accomplishing the goals of the experience. Concepts such as window shopping were introduced in the design, trying to give buyers all the necessary tools to make a purchase decision that, in their mental model, requires analysis and more significant commitment than the online purchases they usually make.