African Basket - Ecommerce Website Design
Based in South Africa, African Basket, celebrates the rich tapestry of African culture by welcoming expats from across the continent. Their curated selection includes products from countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, and Nigeria, offering a taste of home to those living away. Beyond groceries, African Basket honours Africa's culinary heritage, uniting a community bound by their shared love for the continent's diverse cuisine.
High-fidelity mockups of the African Basket website and app
Project Duration
6 months (February 2023 - August 2023)
My Role
As the Digital and UX designer leading the project, I collaborated closely with the marketing team to ensure alignment with business goals and user needs. My responsibilities included carrying out extensive user research and interviews with customers from diverse demographic groups to gather insights and understand their preferences and pain points. I conducted both paper and digital wireframing to outline the structure and layout of the website and app, followed by low and high-fidelity prototyping to visualise design concepts. Additionally, I conducted usability studies to evaluate the effectiveness and usability of the designs, accounting for accessibility to ensure inclusivity for all users. Throughout the process, I iterated on designs based on feedback and testing results to continually improve the user experience.
Art Direction and Brand Storytelling
Furthermore, I provided art direction and worked on brand storytelling to create a cohesive and engaging narrative that celebrated African excellence. We focused on developing a website that was uniquely African-focused, showcasing the richness and diversity of African culture while maintaining a modern and user-friendly design aesthetic.
In addition, we collaborated on a product launch campaign that aimed at creating anticipation through uniform designs, ensuring a consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. Through strategic design choices and storytelling elements, we successfully generated excitement and anticipation for the launch while reinforcing the African Basket brand identity.
Results
- The average sales value has increased by an impressive 19.61%, showing a significant boost in the value of purchases per transaction. Following the product launch campaign, there were 47 initial app downloads, indicating a promising start to user adoption and engagement with the African Basket app. This milestone underscores the effectiveness of the campaign in generating interest and driving app installations among the target audience.
- There has been a notable decrease in the bounce rate by approximately 5.89% after strategic changes to product landing pages. This adjustment highlights the effectiveness of targeted optimizations in retaining user interest and encouraging further exploration of the website's offerings.
- Furthermore, since the launch, African Basket has attracted a robust audience, with over 10,000 unique site visitors to date. This milestone demonstrates the effectiveness of the redesign in attracting and retaining a sizable user base.
- By incorporating multiple sales channels, including mobile, desktop, and app, with the new design, there has been a remarkable 228% increase in sales. This comprehensive approach ensured accessibility and convenience for customers across various platforms, driving significant revenue growth for African Basket.
Accessibility Considerations
- Applied high-contrast colour schemes to improve legibility, in line with WCAG guidelines.
- Descriptive alt text was included for all meaningful images to support screen reader users and ensure content is accessible to individuals with visual impairments.
- Buttons were designed with sufficient size, colour contrast, and spacing to ensure they are easily tappable for users with motor impairments or low vision.
