The Challenge: Mobile users on our pet supply e-commerce site sometimes struggled to quickly navigate to specific product categories, leading to slower product discovery and potentially higher bounce rates. The existing category links were text-based or hidden within a hamburger menu, requiring more effort from the user. We aimed to introduce a more intuitive and visually engaging way to access key categories.
UX researchers & I hypothesized that leveraging a familiar and visually appealing UI pattern from popular social media platforms could significantly boost category engagement. Users are accustomed to "story-like" formats, and the design cues (circular images with colored rings) instinctively communicate a tappable, dynamic element with fresh content.
This project successfully validated the power of adapting well-known UI patterns to solve specific navigation challenges on mobile. It underscored how leveraging user familiarity can lead to a more engaging and efficient user experience, directly contributing to key business objectives.
