Background

A couple of months ago, one of my friends, who has a gymwear brand, told me about this new and hot app created by "Podcast and Chill." The app was designed with the sole purpose of boosting small businesses in South Africa. I loved this idea. Even though I had no business of my own besides design and graphic design, I downloaded the app anyway. However, my first impression was not great. I was not impressed with the UI design, and the overall experience didn't flow smoothly.

So, that one thing made me reluctant to sign up, and I left the app as it was. As time went on and I worked on more projects, I kept coming back to the idea of a B2B platform. In South Africa, we don't really have one, and Takealot is more popular. Initially, I assumed that this is something Takealot would include in their features. However, given their size, they might not give it the right attention. So, I set out to redesign the Chillers app.

I studied Instagram, Takealot, Pinterest, and a couple of design features that I had been meaning to try but always overlooked.

Home screen

My approach to the homepage was to incorporate a community feature for "Chillers" to feel more connected to other businesses and chillers. I included a "Recent Posts" section for businesses you follow so that you are always up-to-date with new products or announcements. I chose a modern social media look, but designed it more for e-commerce. 

Store profile screen

The Store profile is a great way for any business to explain themselves to their potential customers. However, more importantly, the Chillers App aims at helping small businesses. As a user of Instagram, I often find it hard to grow on the platform as a small business, but easier if you are already established. So, I implemented that on this app, allowing small businesses to optimize their page to help them stand out and tell their story in their way. This design helps the customer navigate through a business's page with ease. 

Product details screen

When it came to the Product Details screen, I simplified the UI, making it easier for users to add a product or offer a service, similar to how you would post on social media. 

Menu screen

From the menu section - the user can switch from being a "buyer" to a "seller" with a simplified UI and a profile preview with basic business analytics 

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