The project set out to achieve the following goals:

Customer-Facing Tool:

• Enable customers to submit their handbag details online, including photos and hardware information, to receive an instant quote.

• Provide clear, step-by-step guidance throughout the submission process.

• Facilitate communication between customers and admins, allowing requests for additional information or clarifications.

Admin Tool:

• Allow administrators to review bag submissions, approve or reject applications, and request additional details or photos via email.

• Ensure the admin workflow supported fast and accurate evaluations, reducing manual effort.

• Offer scalability to accommodate increased demand over time.

As the Senior UX Designer, I led the user experience strategy, research, and testing efforts to shape the product vision and ensure both tools delivered exceptional usability. My key responsibilities included:

Research and Usability Testing:

• Conducted initial usability tests on the existing resale service to evaluate performance, identify pain points, and uncover opportunities for improvement.

• Tested the admin tool with Selfridges’ internal admin teams to validate workflows and collect feedback.

Journey Mapping and Workflow Analysis:

• Mapped user journeys and workflows for both customers and admins, identifying inefficiencies and areas for enhancement.

Design and Prototyping:

• Collaborated closely with the Principal Product Designer in Figma to create wireframes, interactive prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.

• Iterated designs based on user testing insights and stakeholder feedback.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Worked closely with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders to align on requirements and ensure technical feasibility.

• Provided design specifications and supported implementation to maintain consistency and quality.

Continuous Improvement:

• Delivered recommendations for refining both tools post-launch, ensuring scalability and long-term success.

Our cross funtional team, comprised of Red Badger and Compare the Market members, ensured expertise across UX, design, engineering, and product management. Key contributors included:

Senior UX Designer: Myself, Red Badger.

Principal Product Designer: Clementine Brown, Red Badger.

Tech Lead: Dan Train / Tim Lee, Red Badger.

Senior Product Manager: Katie McGowan, Red Badger.

Principal Delivery Lead: Raphael Lee, Red Badger.

Tech Lead: Patrick Williams, Red Badger

QA: Nik, Selfridges

Software Engineer: Ru Owyong, Red Badger

Software Engineer: Tom Barwick, Red Badger

Additional stakeholders across Selfridges teams.

The Selfridges Resell initiative successfully delivered a dual-platform solution that aligned with Selfridges’ commitment to sustainability and circular fashion. The project achieved the following outcomes:

Customer-Facing Tool:

• Enabled a seamless submission process for customers to provide details, photos, and information about their luxury handbags.

• Delivered an instant quote system that provided users with clear and transparent valuations.

• Introduced efficient communication features between customers and admins for additional information requests, ensuring a smooth and engaging user experience.

Admin Tool:

• Streamlined the workflow for administrators, allowing them to efficiently review, approve, or reject bag submissions while requesting further details as necessary.

• Reduced manual effort through clear workflows and thoughtful design, supporting scalability for increased demand.

• Provided a scalable foundation to accommodate future growth in customer submissions and operational needs.

The usability testing efforts played a crucial role in identifying pain points and refining the experience for both customers and admins, resulting in tools that were user-friendly and operationally effective.

One of the biggest hurdles faced during the project was advocating for the importance of usability testing for the admin tool. Despite resistance, we pushed to test the tool with individual customer service staff who would eventually use it. Initial suggestions to test as a group were counterproductive, as they failed to capture the nuances of individual workflows. Through persistent advocacy, we successfully conducted one-on-one testing, which provided invaluable insights into user behavior, preferences, and pain points.

Key learnings from this project include:

The Importance of Advocacy: Fighting for usability testing, even in the face of internal resistance, underscored the critical role of user research in developing effective tools. This experience reinforced the need to stand firm on user-centered design principles.

Adapting to Dual Audiences: Designing for both external customers and internal staff required a flexible approach, as the needs and workflows of these two groups were vastly different. Balancing these perspectives was essential to delivering a cohesive solution.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close collaboration with product managers, engineers, and stakeholders ensured that the designs were both user-friendly and technically feasible, reinforcing the value of a unified team effort.

Iterative Improvement: Testing and iterating early and often proved essential for addressing usability challenges and refining workflows for optimal efficiency.

Final Thoughts
The Selfridges Resell project was a rewarding experience that highlighted the power of perseverance and collaboration in delivering impactful solutions. By focusing on usability and advocating for individual testing, we were able to design tools that not only met business objectives but also prioritized the needs of their users—both customers and administrators.

This project also reinforced the importance of taking a proactive stance when facing resistance to UX best practices. It demonstrated that thoughtful design and a commitment to user research can overcome organizational hurdles, resulting in solutions that are both effective and scalable.

Ultimately, the Selfridges Resell initiative represents a significant step forward in blending sustainability with customer engagement, and I am proud to have contributed to an effort that empowers users while supporting a more circular economy.