WithMe Shopping Kiosk Application
Overview
From 2014 to 2016, WithMe's POS system, affectionately dubbed "Big Dipper," underwent significant evolution to become a cornerstone technology for the company. Debuting at the inaugural Zappos Pop Up store during the 2014 holiday season in downtown Las Vegas, the Big Dipper garnered widespread consumer acclaim. Its journey continued through notable events such as the NRF show in New York, TOMS pop up store in Chicago, and the Century21 Department Store in Santa Monica. With upscale mall locations slated for future holiday seasons, the design and development of the Big Dipper remained a central focus at WithMe.
Challenges & Solutions
WithMe recognized a fundamental gap in the shopping experience. Until the 2010s, consumers faced a dichotomy: convenient online shopping without the ability to try items on, or in-store shopping with the risk of items being out of stock. By introducing a smart shopping kiosk, our goal was to bridge this gap and provide customers with the best of both worlds.
Designing a Point of Sale fixture like the Big Dipper posed multifaceted challenges, spanning ergonomic considerations, environmental adaptation, and the psychology of merging online and brick-and-mortar shopping experiences. To effectively address these challenges, our design team conducted extensive research in the market and gathered feedback from customers in real-world settings.
Process & Tools
Our dedicated design team has been intricately involved in the Big Dipper's development from inception. While primarily responsible for interface design, we also contributed to the hardware design to ensure synergy with the software. My role evolved over time, beginning with assisting the lead UX/UI designer in asset creation and exports in 2014. Subsequently, I spearheaded modifications to various UX flows and visuals during the first redesign phase in 2015. With accumulated experience, I assumed full responsibility for redesigning the interface for the new version set to launch this holiday season.
Given the interface's heavy reliance on high-resolution images and graphics, we initially utilized Photoshop CC as our primary tool. However, for the latest redesign, I opted to explore Sketch, which seamlessly integrated with asset management tool Zeplin and animation generator Principle.
Result
During the 2016 holiday shopping season, WithMe successfully opened stores in five major cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Portland. The seamless omni-channel experience, with the Big Dipper as the centerpiece, yielded several notable outcomes:
Strong sales for major brands such as Toms, Zappos, Neiman Marcus, and Rain.
Increased investor confidence, leading to further investment in the technology.
Real-world testing for our hardware and software teams, paving the way for impactful subsequent iterations.
Above: browse and purchase flow. Have a more detailed look here: https://youtu.be/BVD-aXYFvfw
Below: additional photos to give you a better sense of the kiosk’s environment
