Introduction

Courier companies often encounter numerous challenges, one of the most critical being the creation of an effective shipment booking system—the crucial first step in any shipping process. Emerging courier services find it particularly difficult to integrate with established platforms like WooCommerce, Shopify, and Squarespace, hampering their ability to efficiently onboard new vendors. Unify Retail aims to resolve these issues by offering an automated, comprehensive solution for all facets of e-commerce operations, from shipping and tracking to cash-on-delivery collections. The platform serves as a centralized hub for Pakistan's largest courier networks, empowering sellers to optimize their shipping processes by selecting the most suitable courier service for each shipment.

Research & Discovery

To understand the problem landscape, we conducted an in-depth analysis of two popular courier apps in Pakistan: Call Courier and Postex. Our research focused on:

UI elements such as button placements, color schemes, and navigation menus.
UX flows including onboarding, shipment booking, and tracking.
Shopify integrations, particularly looking at how these apps worked within the Shopify ecosystem.

Findings

Ui/Ux Analysis

Key Features

We found that both Call courier and Postex had complex and cluttered UI, making it difficult for new sellers to understand the platform's functionality. Moreover, the onboarding process was cumbersome and required extensive documentation, leading to a high drop-off rate of potential customers.

In terms of shipment booking, both platforms had several options, but the process was not user-friendly, and the flow was not streamlined. The overview of previous shipments was also challenging to access, and the data presented was not easily understandable for new sellers.

Unify Retail, on the other hand, provides an intuitive and user-friendly UI, making it easy for new sellers to understand the platform's functionality. The onboarding process is straightforward and requires minimal documentation, leading to a low drop-off rate of potential customers.

The shipment booking process is also streamlined, and sellers can choose from various courier services, enabling them to select the right one for their needs. The overview of previous shipments is readily accessible and presents data in a clear and understandable manner.

Comparison of UI design of Call Courier and Postex Shopify integrations

Ease of use for vendors in terms of shipment booking process and overview of previous shipments
Navigation and accessibility of key features
Visual design and use of color, typography, and imagery

After analyzing the competition and conducting user research, I identified the following key features that Unify Retail should offer to differentiate itself from the competition and meet the needs of its user personas:

Simple and intuitive onboarding process that can be completed in minutes.
A user-friendly and customizable dashboard that provides real-time insights and analytics to help sellers optimize their shipping and fulfilment operations.
Automated shipment booking and tracking that integrates with popular e-commerce platforms.
A comprehensive courier network that offers a wide range of courier services at competitive rates.
COD collection services that are secure and hassle-free.
Excellent customer support that provides timely and effective solutions to any issues or concerns.

my design process

Results: The research showed that both Call Courier and Postex had efficient shipment booking systems. However, the user interface design and user experience flow were not optimal. This could potentially lead to confusion and difficulty in using the platforms.

By providing an automated and simplified solution to shipping and fulfillment, Unify Retail has helped many small and medium-sized businesses streamline their operations and improve their deliverability. Its easy-to-use platform has received positive feedback from its users, and its comprehensive courier network and competitive rates have helped many sellers save time and money. With Unify Retail's solution, small businesses can focus on growing their business, while the platform takes care of the shipping and fulfillment.

User Personas

Persona 1: Sarah - The Small Business Owner

Demographics:

Age: 35
Gender: Female
Location: Karachi, Pakistan
Occupation: Owner of a small online clothing store

Goals:

To find an easy-to-use platform for shipping products.
To track shipments and offer reliable delivery times to customers.

Challenges:

Limited technical skills make it hard to integrate with platforms like Shopify.
Busy schedule with little time to learn new systems.

Quote: "I need a shipping solution that just works, without me having to be a tech wizard."

These personas help us understand the variety of users who interact with our platform, allowing us to tailor the UI/UX to meet their specific needs and challenges. With these insights, we were better equipped to develop a solution that addresses the real-world problems faced by our user base.