Startup MVP Design
YOYO Marketplace
Building trust in a chaotic second-hand market: A hyper-localized mobile marketplace tailored for the Chinese international student community in the US.
Role
UX/Product Designer (Sole Owner)
Timeline
5 Months (Concept to Launch)
Team
1 PM, 3 Engineers
Core Responsibility
0-to-1 MVP, Interaction Design, Trust System
The Challenge
International students face a dilemma: buying/selling used goods is essential but painful. US local apps (eBay) lack trust and speed, while social groups (WeChat) are chaotic and risky. The goal was to build a platform that combines 'E-commerce Efficiency' with 'Community Trust'.
Highlight 01
The Transparent State Machine
Breaking down the anxiety-inducing consignment process into visible, actionable states.
The Logic
Consignment is a Black Box
Users fear losing both item and money. The backend complexity of consignment (quality checks, listing, sales, payouts) was invisible, creating anxiety and friction for sellers.
Hidden Process Flow
The Solution
7-Stage Visibility System
I broke down the consignment process into 7 visible states (Pending → Quality Check → Listed → Sold → Payout). By visualizing system status, we reduced seller friction significantly.
Visible Process Flow
Embedded Trust Touchpoints
To mitigate anxiety during high-risk transitions (e.g., Quality Check), I embedded direct support access within the status card, giving users a psychological safety net.
Step 1: Granular Status Tags
Step 2: Real-time Logistics
Step 3: Embedded Support
Highlight 02
Cultural Localization
Three features designed specifically for international student communities, particularly Chinese users.
Gamified Negotiation
Replaced the sterile 'Make Offer' with a playful 'Show Your Price Card' (亮出您的价格牌) modal. This softer microcopy reduces the social anxiety often associated with direct bargaining.
Public Q&A Threads
Moved inquiries from private DMs to a public 'Comments' section. Seeing active peer interactions (e.g., 'Still available?') creates social proof and validates seller authenticity.
"Similar Items" Feed
Implemented 'Similar Recommendations' (相似推荐) at the end of product details. This transforms a linear search task into an endless browsing loop, significantly increasing user session time.
Execution & Systems
As the sole designer, I created a lightweight Component Library to support the 3-month launch timeline. In the absence of a UXR, I used Heuristic Evaluation to audit logic gaps and ensure usability.
Component Library
Lightweight design system built for speed and consistency across the MVP.
Heuristic Evaluation
Systematic review of interaction patterns to identify and fix usability issues before launch.
Results
The Impact
2,500+
Active Users
Active users in Boston MVP
4.9/5.0
App Store Rating
High user satisfaction score
High
Adoption
For consignment service
"Finally, a second-hand app that feels safe and understands how we trade."
User feedback from Boston MVP
Reflection
Learned to balance Engineering Constraints with User Experience in a fast-paced startup environment. The challenge of being the sole designer taught me to prioritize ruthlessly and build systems that scale.
Next Project
IKEA Food Mobile — O2O Experience Redesign