VerticalScope recognized the need to design a feature for their forum community that would allow users to post items related to specific topics for sale in a dedicated marketplace. Existing posting capabilities within the forum were being misused, resulting in a poor user experience. The absence of a dedicated solution also prevented the company from monetizing the platform and ensuring security against spam and scams.

I started with defining the requirements for the marketplace feature by working with stakeholders on different levels/teams. Through user interviews and surveys I began to understand the needs and behaviours of forum users, which influenced the job flows that users would go through to seamlessly post items for sale. I produced design deliverables such as wireframes, prototypes, and final high-fidelity designs to guide the development process.

The primary goal of this work was to provide forum users with a trustworthy, safe, and engaged marketplace experience. By introducing a dedicated marketplace feature, VerticalScope aimed to enhance the user experience, facilitate secure transactions, and be enabled to monetize the platform effectively. The feature would also provide a centralized space for buying and selling items, improving convenience and engagement.

Success in this initiative was measured through key metrics related to marketplace usage and user satisfaction. I focused on tracking the number of marketplace posts per week, as an indicator of user engagement and adoption of the new feature. Additionally, the amount of users leaving a 5-star review after a successful transaction served as a measure of user satisfaction, indicating trust and confidence in the marketplace experience.

A significant risk associated with the marketplace feature was the potential influx of spam accounts and attempts at scamming existing users. To mitigate this risk, I designed a user verification process that leveraged time based milestones. By ensuring a stringent account registration process and enabled capabilities based on the amount of time you’ve been a part of the community, the risk of spam and scams was minimized, providing a safer environment for users.

In conclusion, the design of the marketplace feature aimed to address the challenges faced by forum users, providing them with a dedicated and engaging platform for buying and selling items. Through defining requirements, determining user flows, and producing comprehensive design deliverables, I contributed in a large way to the launch of this side of the business. Ultimately, the marketplace feature provided a trustworthy, safe, and thriving platform for users within the forum community.