One of the main challenges is showing the value to India customers on buying through Apple.com instead of another retail store like they are used to. Additionally, in order to trade in the old phone, a delivery system called BlueDart will go directly to the customer’s door to evaluate their phone for trade-in price. Challenges arise when customers aren’t honest about the condition of their current phone when submitting online. We have to be very clear with instructions as the user goes through the buy flow experience. This is a unique experience because unlike the US, they do not have Apple retail stores.
Once the team felt confident in the flow, I helped create all the mobile screens to be used for our prototype and usability testing. The prototyper and ACDs flew to India and tested with internal Apple employees gathering insights on usability issues and payment confusion.
The UX team created wireframes and user flows while taking inspiration from the iPhone US experience to start. Once wireframes are approved, they are handed off to the back-end engineering team to start implementing. After the initial hand-off, UX and interaction teams collaborate more on the visuals and edge cases that arise.
Once the buy flow and checkout screens for visual design were in a solid place, I led the design of all marketing pages in collaboration with a UX Designer. There are three pages that were created to help users understand the process and how to buy iPhone online to be delivered to their door. The first was an affordability page that allows customers to learn about a payment option called EMI that is very popular in India. The second and third help explain what Trade In is and what the process is like for an iPhone or Android user.
The UX Designer and I at first split the work where she wireframed for the Affordability page while I wireframed the Apple Trade In Overview and How To pages. While creating the How To page, we were trying to grab layout inspiration from existing Apple.com components and exploring a little further with a calculator. The business team did not know how many potential Android phones there could be available for the offer. If there were going to be more than 15, a calculator would have been the best choice. The decision was to keep it simple and provide a list (option 4).
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Option 1
Option 2
Once wireframes are approved, there are several more rounds of the visual design reviews with the ACDs. In those meetings we will make sure we have an agenda and set rules on the type of feedback we are looking for. Most of the time it is fine tweaking the images and making sure the copy is telling the right story in Apple's brand voice.
The goal for this page was to inform customers of the different paying options available to them. User would first select their preferred bank and then the amount of their purchase to calculate their installment options. EMI is very popular in India and a great engagement to purchase with Apple.
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Here the customers can learn exactly what trading in means to them and how much value they can get with their current phone. Most customers are Android users so it was important to have a long list of “Other Smartphones”.
Learn more >Trading in can be complex, especially if you are not able to go into a store OR trust your local delivery system. We created a step-by-step guide on how to get your phone ready to exchange, iPhone or Android user.
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Apple Trade In India launched in the summer of 2020 soon after I left for my next job. Before leaving, I was able to hand off and work with developers on the buy flow + checkout experience and all marketing pages. Professionally, I learned how to collaborate with developers and business associates overseas and how important clear communication is.
This project was a pivotal moment where I realized I wanted to focus my UX career on product development rather than marketing communications.
