Empowering local businesses with 70% retention
retention rate
conversion rate
orders in pilot launch
PROBLEM
Customers want to support local businesses, while local businesses face difficulties in establishing a strong online presence
To gain insights into ways of supporting local businesses, I conducted surveys and 15 interviews with 7 local residents and 8 shop owners to understand their needs and challenges.
Strong desire to support local businesses
Difficult finding local stores online
Convenience is the key
strategy
Making local shopping simple and accessible
After analyzing user and market insights, I had working sessions with the founders to define the company’s vision, product concept, target users, and project timeline. Together, we scoped the MVP to address key user needs:
Curated marketplace — a single site featuring products from local shops
One cart checkout — customers combine items from multiple stores into one order
Free delivery — everything arrives together in a single package at no extra cost
site map
Using the site map to define product framework
To convey the project scope to the team, I created site maps, prioritizing and referring back to our MVP concept to manage scope within the timeline - one of the project's key challenges.
Solution
Bringing flexibility and connection to the homepage
I designed the homepage to give users two clear ways to shop: browsing by store or exploring best-selling products. This flexibility let people support local businesses in the way that felt most natural to them. I also featured stories that gave local shops a voice, helping people understand and support them more meaningfully.
Home page, desktop version
Showing what’s nearby for added convenience
I designed the “Stores Near You” page to help people easily discover shops in their own neighborhood, giving customers more flexibility in how they shopped.
By showing distance and location on a map, users could see how close these stores were and choose pickup if it was more convenient.
Helping people discover more of what they love
I designed the product page to make shopping simple and inspiring. Clear product details and options helped customers quickly understand what they were buying.
Adding “More from this shop” to help people support their favorite stores, and “You may also like” to surface similar items from other shops, giving customers more choice.
Making checkout simple and flexible
I designed the cart to let customers add items from multiple stores into a single checkout.
One cart for multiple stores, with delivery or pickup options for added convenience.
The result
Launch at scale
15,000+ items live from 16 San Jose shops
Launched on time, gaining early investor attention
Strong early traction
5,000+ orders from residents
2,500+ active daily users
Driving retention and conversion
70% retention rate
15% conversion rate
reflection
The value of adaptability
Before we could scale the business, circumstances changed. Shutdowns eased, vaccines arrived, and people began craving the in-person shopping experience again. This shift in behavior created major challenges for Odyssey’s digital platform, and ultimately the founders decided to shut it down.
For me, the journey was a powerful learning experience. It showed that in a startup, success requires more than a clear strategy — it takes the agility to pivot quickly as circumstances evolve.
