The Challenge
Naturalla, a growing organic product brand, was relying on Shopify, a robust platform, but overly complex for their small-scale operations. The client needed a simpler, more tailored e-commerce experience. They approached us to build a streamlined MVP that would better reflect their brand, simplify product management, and improve customer engagement through a custom website and admin portal.
Key Pain Points Identified
Shopify offered too many unused features, creating a cluttered backend experience
Product management and order tracking were inefficient and hard to customize
The frontend UI was generic and not aligned with Naturalla’s organic brand identity
Customers found it difficult to navigate, discover, and purchase products quickly
No integration or control between the website, mobile app, and admin workflows
Phase 1: Research & Discovery
Duration: 1 week
Conducted interviews with the client and reviewed their existing Shopify analytics
Identified user drop-off points and friction in the current shopping journey
Researched organic product competitors to benchmark UI/UX patterns
Mapped the backend processes for managing inventory, orders, and customer data
Defined MVP requirements based on client priorities and business size
Phase 2: Strategy & Planning
Duration: 4 days
Designed a simplified product flow focused on discoverability and fast checkout
Scoped an MVP with essential features: product listing, cart, order summary, and admin controls
Outlined roles and workflows for the admin portal to support both web and mobile syncing
Created a content structure that aligned with Naturalla’s brand tone: fresh, natural, and clean
Set MVP goals: faster load time, simplified admin actions, and increased order conversion
Phase 3: Design & Prototyping
Duration: 2.5 weeks
Designed high-fidelity web interfaces with intuitive product categories and a minimal aesthetic
Built a responsive, mobile-friendly layout to complement the native app
Developed the admin portal UI with modules for inventory, orders, customers, and offers
Introduced micro-interactions for actions like “Add to Cart”, “Track Order”, and “Update Stock”
Focused on consistency in branding, color palette, and typography to build user trust
Phase 4: Testing & Iteration
Duration: 1 week
Conducted UI walkthroughs with the client and two early users for feedback
Identified usability improvements in the product filtering and order summary view
Enhanced form validations and loading feedback on the admin portal
Optimized product image compression and lazy loading for performance
Phase 5: Implementation Support
Duration: 1 week
Delivered all design assets and developer-ready specifications
Coordinated with the mobile team to ensure consistency across platforms
Provided QA support for UI bugs and content adjustments during the build phase
Created a style guide and usage documentation for future scaling
Key Solutions & Impact
By replacing a feature-heavy Shopify setup with a focused, cleanly designed custom platform, we helped Naturalla reduce operational overhead and improve the shopping experience. The new UI encouraged product exploration and trust-building, while the lightweight admin portal made it easier for the team to manage orders, inventory, and user data. The MVP is now live and ready to scale with mobile app integration in progress.
Key Learnings from the Project
This project highlighted the importance of designing lean digital solutions for small businesses. I learned how to strike a balance between user-focused e-commerce experiences and efficient backend workflows. Simplifying the admin interface without compromising functionality was key. It also reinforced that a strong brand experience starts with intuitive design choices—even in MVPs.
Future Enhancements
Future plans include adding personalized product recommendations, mobile app order tracking, and customer feedback integration. We also aim to introduce automated inventory notifications and email workflows to improve retention and streamline operations.
