My role
UX Designer
UI Designer
User Researcher
Tools
Figma, Photoshop
Year
The Problem
1. Inefficient Product Sourcing
Local retailers often have to physically travel to major markets to restock their inventory. This process involves closing their shops, incurring logistics costs, and spending valuable time away from their business, all just to purchase stock.
2. Demand-Supply Gaps
Big suppliers often focus only on large markets where they compete with each other for attention. Meanwhile, smaller neighborhood markets — where many shop owners operate are left out. These retailers are then forced to go to those crowded major markets, even though there's clear demand in their local areas.
3. Scattered Buying Experience
There’s no one place where a retailer can get everything they need. They buy noodles from one seller, curry from another, and tissue paper from a third — spending a lot of time and energy moving from shop to shop without knowing if all the products are even available or fairly priced.
4. Limited Access to Credit Lines
While large retail chains like ShopRite or Spar enjoy access to credit facilities (buy now, pay later), small shop owners like Iya Sikirat are excluded due to a lack of formal credit history. This restricts their ability to grow or take advantage of bulk discounts.
The Solution
Order Without leaving the Shop
Retailers can now browse and order products directly from their phones. No need to close their shop or travel to big markets — Supplya brings the market to them.
Direct Access to Trusted Suppliers
Instead of depending on middlemen or traveling long distances, retailers can now buy directly from trusted suppliers and manufacturers — even those who previously only focused on large markets.
Building Credit Through Use
As retailers continue to buy on the platform, we help track their purchase history and build a digital credit record. This makes it easier to offer small, short-term credit lines over time — giving them the same advantage big retailers enjoy.
Delivery Support for Hard-to-Reach Areas
To support retailers in remote or underserved areas, Supplya works with local delivery partners to get products to them — helping them stay stocked and competitive without extra hassle.
Design Process
4. Wireframes & Prototyping
Using Figma, I created low-fidelity wireframes to test layout ideas quickly. These wireframes were used in early feedback sessions with shop owners and internal stakeholders.
Once the flow felt right, we moved to high-fidelity mockups that reflected the brand’s bold, trustworthy, and accessible tone, using large tap targets, readable text, and simple language.
5. Testing & Iteration
We conducted usability tests with early-stage prototypes. Some users struggled with filtering suppliers or understanding why certain products had minimum order quantities. Based on this, I:
Added visual cues for supplier types
Simplified the cart structure
Introduced onboarding tooltips
6. Handoff & Collaboration
I worked closely with developers to ensure the design translated smoothly into the final build. We used Figma inspect, shared design tokens, style guides, and interaction guidelines and kept a tight feedback loop throughout development.
Outcome and Impact