Greenlight Bookstore is an independent bookstore on Fulton Street in Brooklyn. It has been a place of warmth and connection for the community since its founding. Although the bookstore launched its e-commerce website in the fall of 2010, the platform has become outdated and no longer meets the expectations of today’s users.
We turned this challenge into an opportunity! This case study explores how we reimagined the digital experience for Greenlight Bookstore’s customers.
Project Type: Academic Project
Team: Lanting Ko(Me👋), Jasmine Chen, Keertana Gunnam, Hridya Nadapattel
Skill: User Interview, Information Architecture, Card Sorting, Tree Testing, Prototype
Duration: 16 Weeks
Background Photo by Greenlight Bookstore
What We Set Out to Achieve?
Design an intuitive and engaging website experience.
Restructure the website’s information architecture to align with users’ priorities.
Deliver a solution that helps users easily achieve their goals on mobile and website.
How I Contributed to the Team?
This was an academic project completed in a team of four. I led the design of the product and event detail page experience over a 16-week period. I collaborated closely with three other designers—Jasmine Chen (Home Page), Keertana Gunnam (Search Results Page), and Hridya Nadapattel (Checkout Page)—and contributed to the design of global navigation, as well as the header and footer elements.
Walk in the Shoes of Our Users
We screened people who bought books at independent bookstore and purchased books online in past 2 years and conducted user interviews to learn more about customers. How do they decide which book to buy? What matters the most to them while buying books? What’s their typical buying process? Why do they go to independent bookstores?
Here is what they told us:
Community
“I went to a local bookstore to buy sci fi books. It’s nice and cozy. The people there are super helpful.”
Price, Price, Price
“If I know I want to buy a book, one of the main things that will be for me personally, is the price.”
Recommendation
“My favorite quality of a smaller bookstore is the helpful employees that aren’t afraid to give recommendations ... sometimes word of mouth is the best way to give a recommendation.”
And More Detail
“Does not like online shopping because there is no connection to the book or no way to sort of check it out before purchasing.”
Take a Quick Look at Our Users
Stand on the Shoulders of Giants
Before diving into the redesign, we conducted a competitor analysis to understand industry standards and gather inspiration. This analysis provided a framework to build upon, enabling us to create solutions for Greenlight Bookstore’s audience. We focused on bookstore and e-commerce websites that target a similar audience to Greenlight Bookstore.
We Analyzed… 9 Websites 7 Direct 2 Indirect
Rating Matrix
Each website was evaluated based on 8 dimensions and were rated on a scale of 1-3 for each dimension, 1 being the lowest and 3 being the highest rank.
Results
We created a metric of evaluation with dimensions chosen based on priorities of our users. The websites were evaluated according to these dimensions.
Everyone is Unique, But How Do We Find the Common Thread?
Card Sorting
Tree Testing
Site Map
Break Down Current Information Architecture
We deconstruct the existing information architecture of the Greenlight Bookstore website, conduct card sorting to examine users' mental models, and propose our first draft of information architecture.
Upon checking similarity between each participant’s answers, these 4 categories stand out as most grouped together.
We contracted the first information architecture draft based on the group we found.
Validate Again and Again to See If We Got It Right
We recruited 7 participants to test our first information architecture proposal.
They encountered similar problems in distinguishing subscriptions and programs. The words used are ambiguous, leading to only a 73% success rate.
There were too many things starting with the event, like an event venue, event calendar, and Greenlight event, causing a 59% directness rate.
How We Eliminate Barriers to Achieve 90% Task Success Rate (+17 %)
6 out of 7 participants failed to find “Picture Book Club.”
According to their paths, participants can’t differentiate “Young Reader Reviewer Program” and “Picture Book Club” because they are all under “Program & Subscription”, which might causes confusions.
Separate “Programs” and “Subscriptions” to minimize confusion.
Rename “Young Reader Review Program” and “Picture Book Club for Kids” to make distinctions.
How We Streamline User Decisions to Increase Directness Rate to 87% (+28 %)
4 out of 7 participants hesitated on finding “Event Calendar.”
We have “Event Calendar,” “Event Venues,” and “Greenlight Event” under the Event section.
Their path shows they went to “Event” but hesitated after choosing that.
Consolidate “Event Calendar” and “Event Venues” into “Greenlight Event” to reduce hesitation.
Get a Glimpse of the New IA
Maintain a simple structure in our global navigation.
Move the secondary information to the footer.
Consolidate and rename unclear naming.
The Must-Haves for Our Users (MVP)
We defined our scope to focus on two main task flows to meet our users’ and Greenlight Bookstore’s priorities.
Search and purchase a book within budget
Register for a Bookstore Event
Tackling Checkout Frustrations on Mobile
The checkout process is the primary task when users complete a book purchase. Most users felt confused and frustrated during the process, especially on mobile. We move back and forth to refine the process to make it secure, seamless, and intuitive for mobile users.
Add Items Wherever You Are
To improve usability, we ensured users no longer need to scroll back to the top to add items to their cart. A fixed “Add to Cart” button remains accessible as they browse, creating a more seamless shopping experience.
Outcome
Curated by Staff, Rooted in Community
Inspired by the sticky notes I saw on the bookshelves at Greenlight Bookstore. Each carries heartfelt messages from the staff with a warmth unique to this community. I designed the staff picks section to bring this same thoughtful curation Greenlight is proud of to their online experience.
Add the Voices of the Greenlight Team
Price Matters Most
Users' primary concern when purchasing books online is budget. Through competitive analysis, I discovered that providing clear shipping information helps users easily understand the overall costs involved.
Product Detail
Shopping Cart
Provide Clear and Transparent Price Information in Every Process
Love it or not? Discover what others are saying!
Based on our research, users prefer online shopping for its convenience and the ability to view reviews and ratings from others. To address this preference, I added a reviews feature and integrated Goodread ratings to supplement customer feedback in cases where Greenlight Bookstore’s customer reviews are limited or unavailable.
Through the Eyes of Fellow Book Lovers
Read a Sample Before You Decide
In the research, users expressed a desire to learn more about the book's content. Providing samples offers a preview of the material, helping them decide whether to purchase the book while recreating the in-person browsing experience.
Take a Sneak Peek Before Purchasing
Be Part of the Greenlight Community
Events set Greenlight apart from other independent bookstores. With over 10 programs and book groups, Greenlight fosters a close-knit community. We discovered that users love meeting their favorite authors, shopping at book fairs, and attending events with their families through interviews. These experiences connect them not only with the Greenlight team but also with fellow book lovers. To enhance this connection, we aim to ensure users can stay informed about events while browsing the website.
Browse Upcoming Events Online
Every Ending Leads to a New Story
If I Had the Chance to Redo It…
I would look at where users first land on Greenlight Bookstore’s website. Is it always the homepage? Or do they often arrive from social media, personal recommendations, or Google Maps? Understanding this could help me design more targeted and impactful entry points that better align with user expectations.
People are attracted to independent bookstores like Greenlight because of their strong sense of community and unique character. We could display more information or features that amplify the warmth and personality of the store.
Working together is always interesting because I can learn a lot from other thinking processes, but it’s also challenging because we need to keep everything coherent and consistent. How could I improve the collaborative process? Align the team through clearer communication, shared design guidelines, or more frequent check-ins.