Old school bookshop
Case Study Summary
Our Challenge
Online book shopping is convenient but it lacks the magic of wandering through a bookshop and discovering something unexpected. With giants like Amazon focused on transactions I set out to design an engaging, discovery-driven experience for an independent bookshop’s website. One that captured the personal, serendipitous joy of browsing in-store.
Our Approach
Using the Double Diamond process, I:
Researched competitors and gained a better understanding of online shopping for books.
Conducted interviews with owner Lucie Riches and customers, confirming the need for a more engaging, personalised experience.
Ran usability tests uncovering navigation pain points that needed refinement.
Our Solution
I created a high-fidelity prototype that made online browsing feel more intuitive and immersive. I redesigned the website to prioritise exploration while keeping search functionality intact. Key features included:
Endless book scrolling: Users can browse by genre or at random, mimicking the experience of moving between bookshop tables and shelves.
Audio samples: Brief snippets bring books to life, helping users decide before they buy.
Seamless purchasing: When they find ‘the one,’ they can order instantly.
The Impact
By blending usability with a bookshop’s personal touch the new design transformed the website into an interactive discovery platform rather than just a storefront. Users engaged more deeply with the site, with the System Usability Scale (SUS) score increasing from 54 on the previous website to 88 after my iterations.
Full Case Study
Will Only Take 5 Mins
The Old School Bookshop
KiDSiE is a children’s product retailer that offers high-quality items at reduced prices. Through competitor analysis, discussions with the owners, and data review, we identified issues with conversion rates.
We set out to speak with a diverse group of parents to better understand what might be causing issues with the site.
Research
Competitor Analysis & User Research
It all began with a question: why do so many small business websites fail to capture the charm of shopping locally?
To find out, I started by analysing competitor websites. What quickly became clear was that many small businesses struggle to stand out online. Poor navigation, a lack of personalisation, and confusing interfaces were common themes. As a result, customers often abandoned these sites in favour of larger, more streamlined e-commerce platforms—even though they actually preferred to buy from local shops.
What We Discovered
Through numerous interviews we began to see patterns emerge:
Customers value the personal service and curated products offered by small businesses.
Clunky navigation and unclear layouts often led them to give up on purchases.
People wanted clearer product descriptions, smarter categorisation, and trustworthy recommendations to help guide their choices.
How Might We Questions
I brainstormed "How Might We" questions to guide my design decisions:
How might we recreate the in-personal book shopping experience?
How might we show users interesting reviews to help them find the right book?
How might we better integrate different aspects of the shopping experience?
How might we show users potential extras before checking out?
The Hook Model
I was inspired by the psychology of the Hook Model, particularly the variable rewards concept. Much like browsing in a book shop where customers stumble upon unexpected finds. I aimed to replicate this excitement in an online space. This led to a key feature:
An interactive browsing experience where users could explore curated collections, receive personalised recommendations, and uncover hidden gems—mimicking the thrill of shopping in-store.
Structuring the Site
Open Card Sort
To improve the website’s structure I ran an open card sorting exercise with over 20 participants. They grouped products in the way that felt most natural to them, which helped us create a streamlined, user-friendly categorisation with six main sections.
Children’s Books
Mystery Books
Classics
Historical Books
Accessories & Gifts
Join the Club (Membership options)
I created a site map to help visualise my findings.
Designing the Solution
I added a book scroll section to the homepage, allowing users to browse endlessly through titles. To personalise the experience, I included product recommendations based on browsing behaviour and preferences. A “Shopkeeper’s Picks” section, curated weekly by the owner, added a human touch by highlighting seasonal and trending items.
SOLUTION 2: Making Product Discovery more engaging and intuitive
I reimagined the homepage and category structure to encourage exploration. Filters were simplified, while visual cues and storytelling elements (e.g., brand stories, product origins) made browsing feel more like window shopping than data sifting.
SOLUTION 3: Intergrating the shopping experience across
To create a seamless journey I unified the browsing, product info and checkout processes within a single, cohesive flow. This reduced drop-offs and gave users more confidence that they were in the right place from start to finish.
Refinement
Prototyping
I mapped out the user journey and developed a low-fidelity prototype. One feature I especially enjoyed designing was the endless scroll (shown in the first slide). Exploring multiple approaches pushed me to balance creativity with usability—what looked best wasn’t always the most intuitive, and through tests this became clear.
I tested a mid-fidelity prototype with five participants. Feedback was positive overall, but some users found the discovery sections overwhelming with random books coming round. To refine the design, I:
Added a category filter to help users browse by interest.
Improved navigation menus for faster product discovery.
With a clear direction in place, I moved on to high-fidelity prototyping. My aim was to create a digital space that captured the warmth and cosy feel of an independent bookshop, while remaining functional and easy to navigate.
To establish the right tone and visual identity I curated a mood board inspired by soft textures and warm tones. This formed the foundation for a visual language that felt personal, approachable, and well-suited to small businesses.
I also ensured the site met WCAG Level AAA accessibility standards — an important consideration for a platform likely to attract an older audience.
Usability testing showed an obvious improvement. The System Usability Scale (SUS) score jumped from 54 to 88 reflecting a substantial boost in user satisfaction and confidence.
Conclusion
IMPACT
This project was a powerful reminder that successful e-commerce isn't just about transactions—it's about experience.
Small businesses may not be able to match retail giants like Amazon in terms of speed or inventory. But what they can offer is something far more meaningful: authenticity, personal service, and a sense of connection. And with the right design, that charm can be translated beautifully into the digital space.
By focusing on product discovery, usability, and personalisation, this redesign transformed a clunky, underperforming websites into welcoming, engaging platforms that reflect the values and personalities of the business. The result? A user experience that supports local shopping while meeting modern expectations—online and in-store.
