Living in Astoria, Queens, I watched many of the small mom-and-pop markets close down. These shops weren’t just places to grab groceries—they were neighborhood staples where the owners knew your name. Now, those relationships have been replaced with cardboard boxes from big-name delivery services like Amazon and Instacart.
The challenge was finding a balance: giving shoppers the speed and convenience they expect while giving stores the tools to survive in a digital-first market.
I was the only designer on GoodMarket, which meant I did it all—talking to users, sketching ideas, mapping flows, building wireframes, and polishing the final screens. It was a chance to take an idea from the ground up and shape every part of the experience.
To better understand both sides of the experience, I conducted interviews with grocery shoppers and local store owners.
Shoppers wanted
a simple way to browse essentials, transparent fees, reliable delivery, and confidence their order would arrive on time.
Store owners needed
an affordable solution that was easy to manage, inventory tools without technical overhead, and a way to build loyalty.
How might we create a grocery app that gives customers convenience while helping local stores compete in a digital-first world?
To understand the online grocery landscape, I reviewed leading competitors like Instacart, Shipt, FreshDirect, and Walmart Grocery. These platforms are powerful at scale, but they also reveal opportunities for smaller, community-focused markets.
What they do well
Fast delivery options, broad product variety, and multiple store partnerships. Many also offer personalized deals, saved shopping lists, and integrations with loyalty programs that make reordering seamless.
Where they fall short
High service fees, cluttered browsing experiences, and a feel that overlooks loyalty and community. Smaller stores are often deprioritized, leaving local businesses without the visibility or support they need.
This analysis showed that GoodMarket didn’t need to replicate every feature of the big guys—it needed to focus on clarity, trust, and simplicity to stand apart. This research confirmed that the real opportunity wasn’t to outscale competitors, but to design a lean, trustworthy MVP that met the needs of both shoppers and store owners.
With these insights in mind, I set out to design a focused MVP that would deliver real value to both shoppers and store owners. Instead of trying to replicate the complexity of large platforms, I aimed to create something lean, trustworthy, and easy to use.
Curated Selection
Limit the catalog to around 200 essential items so shoppers can browse quickly without feeling overwhelmed.
Premium Accounts
Offer loyalty perks that encourage repeat customers while giving stores a steady stream of revenue.
Order Tracking
Build trust and transparency by letting customers see exactly when their groceries are on the way.
By anchoring the product around these goals, GoodMarket could stand out from competitors. Not by being bigger but by being clearer, more personal, and easier for small markets to manage. With these priorities in place, I began sketching and wireframing different approaches—testing how navigation, layout, and checkout could best deliver on the promise of speed and simplicity.
Before moving into high-fidelity design, I translated my ideas into quick sketches to test layouts and flows. These early explorations helped me define what was essential—clear aisles, simple navigation, and a streamlined checkout.
From there, I created low-fidelity wireframes to map the information architecture and primary use cases. These wireframes became the foundation for the final product design.
Initial sketches of GoodMarket features
The sketches were translated into wireframes and flows
With the structure in place, I moved into high-fidelity design to bring GoodMarket to life. My focus was on making the experience feel fast, familiar, and trustworthy—giving shoppers the convenience of large platforms while keeping things simple enough for small stores to manage.
I conducted usability testing using the high-fidelity mockups, which gave participants a realistic sense of the app. The goal was to validate whether the flows felt intuitive and where users experienced friction.
What worked well
Where they fall short
Several users wanted even stronger reassurance during the delivery process. To address this, I proposed adding text notifications—keeping customers informed from order confirmation through delivery.
The final GoodMarket prototype brings the shopping experience to life—from browsing and adding items to reserving a delivery slot, customizing deli orders, and tracking groceries in real time. These flows show how convenience and trust come together for both shoppers and local stores.
Working on GoodMarket showed me how design can do more than solve tasks—it can build trust, highlight opportunities, and influence strategy. These are the key moments, lessons, and growth areas I carried forward.
Next Steps
Phase 1 went through user testing and the results were
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