LOCUS is an all-in-one digital platform connecting consumers to their favorite local businesses, allowing them to browse, receive tailored recommendations, and interact with shop owners.

People are frustrated with big-box stores and major online retailers. 53% of Gen Z and 49% of Millenials say they want to reduce their dependence on Amazon in particular. They would rather support small, independent, and local businesses in many cases. But they run into roadblocks when doing so, ranging from outdated e-commerce sites to infrequent hours to lack of inventory.

As COVID-19 shuttered businesses across the country, the calls to support struggling small businesses grew even louder. We imagined an alternative solution at this opportune time, launching LOCUS amid a disrupted economic landscape. I joined the team as their founding product designer, conducted initial research, developed and tested concepts, created the design system for the MVP build, and continuously iterated on the platform with new features and functionality.

Foundational research

Our primary body of research added clarity to the needs that would guide the creation of LOCUS. We needed to understand the core problems faced by shoppers when buying local, as well as the shop owners trying to serve their communities. We developed research criteria and protocols, conducted ethnographic interviews, and landed on a set of key insights to design for.

Key shopper insights

1. People prefer to browse online, but purchase in a physical store

2. People want to have a curated set of options to choose from when making a purchase

3. People place a high value on the knowledge and opinions of experts, friends, and family

4. People prefer unique goods over mass-produced

5. People know what they like, but struggle to make it real

6. People value the convenience and peace of mind of a local shop

Early design exploration

These insights, along with a number of others, led us to a round of early concepts. Through multiple rounds of generation and prioritization, we landed on a cohesive set of features to prototype and build. We used storyboarding to help us narrow in on the core user actions. This helped us understand the differences between passive and active browsing, as well as interacting with single or multiple vendors.

Our initial design focused on helping people discover local shops and on a product recommendation tool we called Scouts. A Scout (with the desired search criteria) would be sent to shops by the platform, then returned to users with custom recommendations based on their needs. Without a full algorithm to rely on, we initially matched shoppers with shops based on a tagging system in our database.

Towards MVP

Through continued user testing, we refined our early wireframes and feature mockups. This led us to ramp up into full UX and screen design, resulting in an initial design system that included mobile and web layouts for the key user flows.

We gathered quick feedback on our prototypes along the way from local shops that had expressed interest in partnering, as well as our shopper interviewees. After on-boarding a 2-person software engineering team, we began the initial sprint to develop an MVP.

Our 2-sided platform required views and toolsets for both shoppers and shops. We built interaction flows to communicate the back-and-forth nature of shopper actions and shop actions. There were simple examples, like messaging, as well as more complex interactions once we began adding full e-commerce functionality into the platform.

Building a moat

As the product began to take shape, it became clear that we needed a wider feature set to launch. We decided to move beyond a true MVP, adding full e-commerce and a more robust database. Our hope was to clearly differentiate the LOCUS platform from several competitors who had built skinned Shopify sites. We launched our initial product in the fall of 2020.

After launch

We went through multiple design and development rounds throughout 2021, working hand-in-hand with the small team to conceptualize, design, build, and test each new release. Our process was agile by nature of the small team, refining ideas directly in design files with the developers and product owners. Leveraging co-design allowed us to move quickly and minimize miscommunication.

Key updates

• Discoverability of items, neighborhoods, and posts from shops

• Updated search and recommendations

• Creation and sign-up for virtual and in-person events

• Shop dashboard and tools

• Member discount passes

The outcome

LOCUS launched in Grand Rapids, MI with over 15 local shops signed up on the platform. Our initial MVP has been developed into a more robust web app, complete with custom payment processing and backend systems designed to scale. We have continued to iterate with rounds of new features based on feedback from both shops and early users. Expansion is planned for additional cities and shops including Detroit, MI and Chicago, IL as further investment rounds are secured.