Lokal Platform
Idea & Strategy Consultation | Website Consultation | UI/UX Design | Website Development | QA & Testing
Client
Lokal
Industry
E-Commerce
Services
Website Consultation
Idea & Strategy Consultation
Content Management
UI/UX Design
Website Development
API Development
QA & Testing
Lokal is an e-commerce hub, bringing together the best MENA designers. It's a curated space for solely MENA brands, from handmade jewelry to elegant clothing.
Lokal aims to celebrate the tremendous talent and style as well as craftsmanship that originates within the MENA region. Tying culture, ethnicity, and language to its eclectic selection of beautiful pieces.
The Goal
• New e-commerce website based on Shopify
• Multi-vendor Portal that allows designers to register & upload products
• Admin Portal to manage Vendors/Designers, products, and monitor transactions & shipments
• Direct integration between Admin Portal-Vendor Portal-Website
• Integrate several shipping providers and payment methods
• Responsiveness to all sizes
The Process
We knew that the Lokal Platform has several components that are all working together. To start off, we had to identify all the user types, map out user journeys, weigh each requirement, and organize our research. We've communicated with the client through site maps, diagrams, and user flows. Then listing all the features and creating behaviour flows and how each user came into play.
Analyzing the business requirements was stretch out as we had to cover all the basis before moving into the design phase. It required significant research to make sure all the systems integrated seamlessly. With previous knowledge of Shopify, we knew that some requirements had to be met through custom solutions.
For allowing multi-vendors to register on Lokal, our team built a Designer portal and custom Shopify app, that feeds directly into the website. This allowed designers to register, manage their products, view transactions, and fullfill purchases. The custom Shopify app linked all of this information directly to the e-commerce website to simplify the checkout process.
Lokal wanted to make sure that designers also had several shipping options: DHL, Aramex, UPS, and FedEx. However, each shipping provider had different rates and procedures. To make sure that the customer has the lowest rate, we had to map out the entire process & conditional flows. This was also connected to the e-commerce website and Shopify, through a custom Shopify app.
All actions taken by designers, customers, and shipping providers was monitored through the Admin Portal. This portal allowed Lokal Admin to approve designers, monitor sales & purchases, and view shipment statuses. This allowed them to provide support to designers when needed. Our team provided full onboarding & customer support to the Lokal Admin and Designers, along with tutorials on how to use the portals.
The Challenges
Starting out, our challenge for this project was to separate all the different components of the platform. Since there are four user types: Lokal Admin, Vendor/Designers, Shipping Providers, and Customers; each user type has different requirements. The platform also includes two portals: Admin Portal and Designer Portal. We had to ensure that all components integrate seamlessly with the e-commerce website and its backend systems (payment gateways and inventory management).
We needed to design an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows designers to easily manage their products, orders, and shipments, while also providing a seamless shopping experience for customers. Keeping in mind the business' scalability and accommofating future growth.
Due to Shopify limitations, we had difficulties in creating and integrating multi-vendor registration and coordinating with several shipping providers. By creating custom apps, we had to implement robust secuirty measures and ensure that the platform complies with data privacy laws and payment processing requirements.
Deliverables
• Online Store Website
• Vendor Portal
• Admin Portal
• Low & High Fidelity Wireframes
• User flows & Conditional flows
• UI/UX Design
• Custom Shopify Multi-vendor App
• Custom Shopify Shipping App
• Integration with DHL, Aramex, UPS, and FedEx
• Mapping of shipment flows & processes
• TAP Payment Configuration (CrediMax, Benefit, Apple Pay, American Express, and Mada)
• Integration with SendGrid as the mail client
• Integration with AfterShip for shipment tracking & status
• Testing & QA
Insights
The Lokal Platform currently hosts more than 30+ designers and hosts over 500+ MENA products. The client is able to access all the data on sales & revenue generated through the platform. Allowing them to track performance and make informed decisions about it's growth. This has resulted in creating a new Designer Portal, that is currently in progress.
Through the Lokal Platform, the client can monitor the performance of individual vendors, allowing them to identify top-performing vendors and provide support when needed.
As for customers, the platform provides a centralized checkout process, making it easier for them to complete their purchases without having to navigate between multiple vendor sites.
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