Caro

About the project

Caro is a high-performance auction engine API with support for over 10,000 bids per second. It features unique mechanisms that engage customers and drive revenue. This case study details the design process of the Caro auction house platform, showcasing how users can bid on rare items by using over six types of auctions, track favorite collections from various independent artists, understand the platform’s features and guidelines, track auction status from their personal dashboard, and see how the auction handles wins and losses.

Business side

Develop an auction platform with a user-friendly interface that caters to users of all experience levels and budgets. The platform should present the bidding process in a way that feels more like a seamless e-commerce experience rather than a traditional auction or gambling environment. It should simplify starting and managing auctions, support multiple payment methods, and include advanced tools for promotion and analytics specifically designed for independent artists, enhancing user interaction and streamlining platform operations.

My tasks

- Creating a UI kit
- Conducting competitor research
- Developing the visual concept
- Structuring the information architecture
- Conducting design reviews with devs
- Iterating on designs
- Prototyping
- Designing layouts and delivering them to development

Team

- CEO
- 2 Engineers
- 1 Product designer
- 1 Web designer
- 1 Graphic designer
- 1 Marketing lead
- 1 Lawyer

Methods used

- Interviews
- User flows with scenarios
- Job Stories
- Prototyping
- Bug-testing

Designing the «Landing Page» Section

Collecting feedback and iterations

Analysis of user needs and market research revealed that to attract and retain users on the auction platform, it’s important to deliver a simple and efficient way to monitor current trends and listings. The solution was to design a landing page featuring integrated trading charts, enabling users to swiftly analyze the most popular items for sale.

Trading charts addressed the following aspects:
1. Interactive Analysis: Integrating trading charts on the landing page allows users to interactively explore current trends and the most popular auction items

2. Variety of Auctions: The landing page features sections for current, closed, and rare auctions, giving users a comprehensive view of the range of available offers

3. Support for New Users: At the end of the landing page, there is information about the basic principles of auctions and a guide on how to get started, making the platform accessible for everyone

Key aspects:
1. Quick Head Start: The trading charts on the landing page provide users with instant market analysis, facilitating rapid purchasing decisions.

2. Variety and Content refresh: Regularly updating collectible items and featuring new artists every 24 hours help engage and retain a diverse audience.

3. Educational Component: Offering details about auction principles and the participation process on the landing page makes it easier for new users to get started with the platform.

Conclusion:
This landing page design approach not only improved the user experience but also boosted engagement and conversion rates on the Caro.

Designing the “Quick Activity” Sidebar Menu

Demand validation and qualitative interviews

To enhance user experience and engagement, we identified a need for quick access to key activities. The aim was to equip users with tools to participate in auctions, track their favorite lots, and receive feedback.

To validate the demand and clarify the target audience's preferences, qualitative interviews were conducted with active platform users. These interviews helped identify key needs and expectations for the sidebar menu functionality.

“Quick Activity” addressed the following aspects:
1. Instant Auction Access: Users can browse and engage in active auctions directly from the sidebar menu, greatly enhancing the speed of interaction

2. Tracking Lots and Sales: Users can keep track of their favorite lots and view the status of their own sales. This feature allows them to receive updates on auctions of interest and manage their sales more efficiently

3. Quick Feedback and Suggestions: Users can submit suggestions for platform improvements and provide comments on lots through an integrated feedback form. A streamlined feedback feature, using thumbs ratings, enables users to quickly share their thoughts on recently concluded auctions, making the process more intuitive and efficient

Key aspects:
1. Demand validation: Qualitative interviews verified the need for quick access to platform activities and identified specific user preferences

2. User Experience: The "Quick Activity" sidebar menu is crafted for intuitive and user-friendly navigation, enhancing the platform's appeal for both existing and new users

3. Continuous Improvement Feedback: The sidebar’s quick feedback feature, using thumbs ratings, facilitates a steady flow of user input, enabling ongoing platform improvements and streamlining the feedback process.

Conclusion:
These improvements to the "Quick Activity" sidebar enhance the efficiency of both customer service and users, ensure more accurate data, and foster a stronger relationship between users and the platform.

Challenges and their solutions

1. Challenge: Integrating a reliable and versatile payment system to ensure secure and convenient transactions for users, while adapting to new requirements and interfaces.
Solution: A dedicated team was formed to manage the integration with Plaid. They focused on redesigning payment processes, ensuring API compatibility, and conducting thorough testing to guarantee transaction security and reliability. Despite the complexities and the need for rapid team training, the successful implementation of Plaid enhanced user trust by improving payment quality and security.

2. Challenge: The project encountered severe funding constraints that impeded its development and growth. Efforts to obtain additional financing failed due to intense competition, making it unfeasible to proceed as planned.
Solution: Faced with these financial and competitive barriers, the decision was made to close the project. Team members were transitioned to other teams where their expertise could be leveraged more effectively.