GOAL
Conduct a 14-week individual research study of ocean educators to inform the design of a new product or service to present as a compelling investment proposal in an additional 14-weeks.
OUTCOME
Good, Better, Best: An enjoyable, inspiring, and trustworthy life-style focused online platform to shop sustainably without sacrificing quality design.
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING PLATFORM
Tasks
Research Study Tasks
Secondary research
Research design
6 in-depth interviews
Information organization and analysis
Generation of 50+ concepts
Refinement of 6 promising concepts
Product Design Tasks
Competitive analysis
Customer research
Trend research and analysis
System modeling
Design development including branding and web design
Market analysis
Business model design
Design Process
01
Problem Identification
Following secondary research, in-depth interviews, and extensive analysis, 50+ concepts were developed and refined down to six promising concepts shown in the sketches below.
Building upon one of the refined concepts, a key design opportunity was identified to pursue:
While a strong consumer desire for sustainable well designed products exists, the market is highly fragmented and information regarding the environmental impact of products is often confusing or conflicting.
Data backs this up: 80% of US adults aged 18-34 are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, but 78% don't know how to identify environmentally friendly companies.
02
Competitive Advantage
Good better best provides a number of advantages:
-
a curated selection of sustainable goods comprehensively evaluated throughout their product lifestyle all in one place
-
positive personal reflection and measurable positive impacts through the rewards program
-
lifestyle-focused approach that engages consumers beyond the purchasing process to incentivize sustainable behavior
-
mutual benefit between good better best and makers through providing makers with consumer purchasing and site use behavior data
03
Go To Market Strategy
Phase 1: Grow Customer Base
The platform will begin as an online boutique and lifestyle brand for sustainable goods where good better best will purchase and store goods from makers at a discount and then resell the products to consumers. As fast shipping and easy returns are key factors to consumers, this structure places shipping and return control with good better best to help establish trust with the customers. Good better best will find and evaluate products on their sustainability before publishing on the site and provide sustainable packaging.
Phase 2: Grow Offerings + Customers
The platform will expand to an online market place with a democratized evaluation process through which makers can apply to sell their products on good better best. Key products may continue to be shipped from good, better, best but most products will be shipped directly from the maker. Good better best will provide sustainable packaging at a lower cost makers through leveraging economies of scale.
Phase 3: Grow Impact
The brand will extend to pop-up shops to sell local sustainable products and grow brand interest. In addition, good better best will provide branded certifications to interested makers so makers can leverage good better bests trustworthy brand name. The online boutique, marketplace, and lifestyle brand will continue through the platform.
04
Next Steps
Next steps for the project include:
-
Solidifying the evaluation process
-
Continuing discussions with stakeholders
-
Building the inventory list
-
Developing relationships with makers
-
Finalizing web and mobile development
-
User testing