The Challenge

​

Thrive Market is a mission-driven online grocery store offering organic and sustainable products. While the platform had a strong visual identity and purpose, I identified several usability issues during exploratory analysis that could affect conversion, retention, and brand trust—particularly for new or budget-conscious users.

​

Objectives

• Identify usability and accessibility gaps that may hinder product discovery or checkout

• Evaluate key user flows: Join Now, Search, Product Browsing, and Cart

• Provide design recommendations to support user confidence, transparency, and ease of use

• Align UX improvements with the brand’s values: sustainability, affordability, and community

​

Research & Evaluation

I conducted a heuristic evaluation using Jakob Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics and analyzed:

• Information visibility (e.g., pricing clarity before sign-up)

• System feedback and error prevention

• Mobile responsiveness and loading experience

I also reviewed three competitors (Whole Foods, Imperfect Foods, Misfits Market) to benchmark:

• Onboarding flows

• Search & filter design

• Checkout usability

UX Analysis & Design Strategy

Key Findings

• Lack of pricing transparency upfront creates friction and mistrust

• Product filters are visually overwhelming and not mobile-optimized

• Cart and checkout flow lacks confidence-building cues (e.g., estimated total, delivery info)

• Sign-up wall appears before value is clearly communicated

UX Recommendations

• Introduce value-first onboarding before gating content with membership

• Improve filter hierarchy and make filter controls sticky on mobile

• Add clear pricing indicators and membership benefits throughout browsing

• Redesign cart preview to include order total + delivery timing, supporting purchase decisions

Wireframes (Optional Phase)
If implemented, these changes could be visualized through redesigned screens showing:

• Homepage with a scrollable product preview

• Filtered product grid with improved layout

• Cart drawer with enhanced summary details

 

Outcomes

• Identified 5 high-impact UX issues tied to conversion and trust

• Delivered clear, actionable recommendations based on heuristics and competitive patterns

• Proposed enhancements that support user goals and brand values without compromising visual identity

 

Reflection

This UX audit deepened my ability to apply usability heuristics to real-world, e-commerce contexts. It also reinforced how transparency, simplicity, and timing are critical to building trust in digital marketplaces, especially in purpose-driven brands like Thrive Market.