UX Case Study: Website to Buy & Sell used cars
This was a collaborative project done by me and Dhananjayan
where we worked together to solve significant problems that users face when trying to buy or sell used cars. Through this project, we will develop user-centered solutions that address some challenges and improve the overall user experience for potential users. Join us as we embark on a journey to create a better car-buying experience for all.
Problem Statement
As a passionate car enthusiasts and a UX designers, we’ve always been intrigued by the problems that come with buying and selling vehicles. As we are researching and getting to know more about this situation, we came across an issue which is that many car buyers are hesitant to purchase a used car due to concerns about vehicle condition and reliability.
As we delved deeper into this issue, we realized that the lack of trustworthy reviews and information about used cars and the fear of getting scammed by fake sellers is a significant factor contributing to this problem. Potential users often find themselves at a loss when trying to determine whether a particular used car is a good buy or not.
Goals
What we are trying to achieve here through this,
- To create a solution that would empower car buyers with reliable information
- Build trust in the used car market
- To create a user-centered platform that would transform the way people buy and sell used cars
Research
To know more about the problem that users face when it comes to purchasing or selling a used car, we aimed to uncover the root cause of these concerns and find ways to improve the user experience for the users.
Using various research methods, including user interviews, surveys and searching through some online reviews, We got the chance to know more about the user’s experience and identified some pain points in their car-buying journey.
We interviewed about four to five users for our research and here are some of the important pain points that we’ve gathered throughout the interview session.
User persona
How might we
The pain points above serve as our guide for thinking about what should we do. We prioritize solutions that address user issues that were most frequently mentioned or discovered in our initial research. By gathering all the data, we asked ourselves the questions that allow us to reframe our insights into opportunity areas and get perspective on the problems and create a smooth experience for all users
Information Architecture
Design Solution
After pinpointing the primary problems and obstacles encountered by the users, We came up with potential solutions to address the user’s issues and challenges.
Video Call Request
Car buyers can be tricked into purchasing a vehicle under false pretenses, and this can result in significant financial losses and safety risks. In some cases, fraudulent sellers may provide misleading information about the car’s condition, history, or even existence, and may use tactics to pressure buyers into making a quick decision.
To address this problem, the idea of a video call feature was proposed as a way to provide buyers with a more comprehensive and accurate view of the car they are considering. By allowing buyers to view the car in real time, ask questions, and verify key details, this feature can help reduce the risk of fraud and increase the confidence of buyers in their purchasing decision.
Home Inspection
It is possible that a seller may miss some details when uploading car details, as they may not be aware of certain issues or may choose not to disclose them.
So we came up with the idea of the home inspection, which typically involves a thorough examination of the vehicle’s interior and exterior, including its mechanical components, electrical systems, and safety features. The inspector may use specialized equipment to check for any issues, such as leaks, corrosion, or worn-out parts. They may also take the vehicle for a test drive to assess its performance on the road. Car inspections can be valuable for both buyers and sellers. After the users requested for home inspection, they will receive a confirmation to assure that the inspection team will reach them within two to three days
Map feature
Before diving into the design, we analyzed the user research data from our user interviews and online reviews and got to know that most of the users couldn’t be able to find their preferred car in their selected location in a simple manner.
So, we devised a solution: an Interactive Map that displays pertinent data concerning cars available for sale in a given area.
Users can zoom in and out and drag the map to target a specific location. Car markers have been added to the map to indicate sale availability in the region. Additionally, a filter option has been included to enable users to refine their search criteria to the city and area of their residence, streamlining the overall search process.
Review Section
Our primary objective was to enhance the user experience by building trust with users by providing them with reliable reviews and ratings. To avoid misconception among the users we added a rating system that shows reviews only from the verified users who had bought or sold cars on the website.
We also developed a moderation system to ensure that reviews were genuine and reliable. We added a search feature to make it easier for the users to find reviews that were relevant to their needs. Users could search for reviews of specific brands and models or car types, which helps them make an informed decision while buying or selling. This feature will help us to build trust with users and increase the credibility of the website.
Usability Test
For this usability testing, we selected 3 participants who are interested in buying a used car and represent the target audience of the website. Participants should have some familiarity with using websites to buy and sell cars.
We developed a set of tasks that reflect common user goals on the website, such as:
- Search used car.
- Sell your used car and get a price for your car.
- Get seller details.
- Write a review or rate your experience.
After reviewing our usability tests, we sorted each pain point to identify trends. We then used the data to make improvements to the website.
Here are some results we’ve collected throughout the usability testing process from the users,
- Get seller detail looks great and felt if you guys try to sell the car to the user never share the seller contact number so that they can contact direct and they may deal individually without our support
- The block beside the info form seems a bit distracting.
- I found the task very easy to perform. I can’t see a close button as opposed to buying a car pops up at the end, though. Slightly confusing.
- Consider adding a way to exit the modal window for the user.
- What if the user wants to see a review regarding the staff or something of a different nature other than the car they bought?
Design Iteration
Seller Details
In response to user feedback, we developed a solution that allows buyers to initiate conversations with the support team, making it easier for users to communicate their needs without hesitation. Also, we added a close button.
Home Inspection
To simplify the experience for users, we added an interactive feature to the form-filling process, allowing them to focus on the details without interruption.
Review Page
Based on the feedback, we categorized the review into different sections each as reviews about cars and testimonials where the users can see about the services they have offered to their valuable customers.
Conclusion
user-centric approach to this project helped us to build a trustworthy website for the users and improve their overall car buying experience by focusing on transparency, ease of use and reliability. We hope to learn about the process which we haven’t been able to use in this project and will execute it in our next one. See you there!!
Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed or learned something from this. If you have any feedback, we would appreciate to hear from you
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