YEAR
2017-2019
ROLE
Lead Product Designer, UI/UX, Brand Identity
PROJECT
E-commerce / iOS App
URL
5 min read
curio app case study
CURIO curates local boutiques into one platform for easy discoverability and to create a smoother shopping experience. At its peak, CURIO partnered with 20+ boutiques in L.A., offering over 5,000 items that can be searched by shop or location. Users also have the ability to chat with an in-app stylist for advice and recommendations. Dubbed the Postmates for fashion, every product on CURIO could be picked up in store or delivered on-demand within 2 hours.
THE CHALLENGE
How can we engage and onboard new customers and excite boutiques to join a new shopping service platform?
THE IDEA
Finding local shops and products can be a challenge, especially since not all are easily discoverable on Google or Yelp. When CEO, Lena Khouri, found herself in a bind looking for a last minute outfit to wear for a wedding, she scoured the crowded malls of LA in an attempt to find something unique. Feeling defeated with no luck, she stumbled upon a small boutique on her way home and found a dress that she actually liked. She wondered, “with technology today, why isn’t it easy for me to search for what I want from home and find it at a boutique near me without going to the mall?” From there the idea of CURIO was born.
THE COMMUNITY
In order to gauge the need and demand for this type of service, we started to gather input from potential customers. The initial offering was a website that featured products from different boutiques. This helped attract and curate a list of people that we could gain insight from and have them be a part of the process. To further build a community, we held a panel discussion inviting local experts and business leaders to chat about the future of retail in the digital era. This allowed us to create relationships with our users and also showcase CURIO’s service to prospective boutiques in the LA area.
THE BRAND
In the beginning, CURIO’s branding was geared towards a more feminine approach. Our target demographic were women in their early 20s to late 30s that was reflected towards the majority of boutiques around the LA area. Through building the app and continued community outreach, we discovered more and more boutiques that offered mens clothing, accessories, and gifts. So we pivoted the branding of the app to be more gender neutral with a focus on the product and the boutique.
THE INSPIRATION
Taking inspiration by the visual storytelling and architectural layouts found in editorial magazines, our goal was to infuse that aesthetic with our interface. Creating clear focal points and a simple design system allowed users to understand the apps functionality. This simplified aesthetic also helped to shorten development lead time. By keeping a similar map and list function as other products in the market and providing clear calls to action, it created an intuitive interface and experience for our users.
THE EDIT
Initially, our idea was to integrate a text service where users can opt to shop via text message instead of relying on an app. At the time, we found it cumbersome after we came up empty handed on our search to find a ‘shop-by-text’ service that could customize links and create automated messages.
the app
the features
PERSONAL STYLIST
After unsuccessful attempts to integrate a solid ‘shop-by-text’ feature we opted to use the Intercom API to allow users to chat with Audrey, our in-app personal stylist. With Audrey, users are able to chat in real time, discover new products, and complete orders.
SHOP PRODUCTS
We believe that supporting small businesses is a better way to shop and CURIO enables customers to buy quality goods from emerging and established local brands. Targeting boutiques that currently use Shopify allowed us to integrate their product shots into our platform, keeping it updated and consistent across all touch-points.
DISCOVER BOUTIQUES
At CURIO, we find the best local boutiques that have a story and offer a unique collection of products that you won’t find anywhere else. We use our chat feature to curate options for each customer for a truly personalized experience.
ABOUT THE BOUTIQUES
We utilize our platform to not only help expand local boutiques visibility, but to also shine a light on their journey in becoming store owners. Learning about how these brands and boutiques came to be allows our users to build a deeper connection with their purchases and know who they’re supporting.
THE MISSION
CURIO is a business with a purpose. Buying from local small businesses generates 70% more local economic activity per sq. ft. than big box retail. That means we make our city better by buying quality products from creative small business owners. With hundreds of boutiques and local brands in our communities, we have the opportunity to make a really big and positive impact. CURIO’s audacious goal is to put millions of dollars back into the local economy by making it easy for people to buy products from the incredible shops in their city.
THE IMPACT
At CURIO’S peak, they had signed on about 20+ local LA boutiques and had grown their social media following to a stylish 2K+ community. To learn more about the positive impact CURIO is having on the local boutique community, check out their cover story on the Hollywood Reporter.