Thryft: Designing a Scalable C2C Marketplace App from 0-to-1
Thryft is a conceptual mobile app created for a UX design course project. The goal was to rethink how people buy and sell secondhand furniture locally by focusing on trust, safety, and ease of use. Through extensive research, competitive analysis, and iterative design, I explored how design decisions can make community-based commerce more transparent and user-centered.
Role
Product Designer
Tools
Figma, Adobe CC, Miro
Timeline
August - December 2024
Skills
UI/UX, Prototyping, Information Architecture, Payment System Design
This case study walks through the end-to-end process using the Double Diamond framework, from discovery and definition to development and delivery.
Introduction
The secondhand furniture market continues to grow as more people move frequently and embrace sustainable living. However, platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp often leave users feeling uncertain about the safety and reliability of transactions.
Design Question
How might we create a local marketplace experience that encourages trust and convenience when buying or selling used furniture?
To answer this, I began by studying how users interact with existing resale platforms and identifying where their experiences fall short.
Research
Competitive Analysis
I conducted a competitive analysis of five major resale platforms: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, Chairish, and AptDeco. The goal was to identify best practices and uncover gaps in the user experience.
Key Takeaways
Users Prioritize
Trust, Security, and Verification
Platforms Lack
Integrated Payment System
Opportunity to Design
A Community-First Experience
User Interviews
To gain a deeper understanding of how people buy and sell furniture locally, I conducted 10 user interviews as well as on-site observations and contextual inquiries. Participants included college students, recent graduates, and young professionals who had recently engaged in secondhand furniture transactions through platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp.
The research aimed to uncover real-world frustrations, behaviors, and environmental factors that influence trust and usability in resale contexts. Observations were carried out in community spaces, dorms, and apartments to better understand how users photograph, list, and evaluate furniture in their everyday settings.
Insights
Trust Drives Every Decision
Users Want a Hybrid Social-Commerce Experience
Convenience Outweighs Cost
These findings directly supported the initial hypothesis that users feel friction and uncertainty throughout the resale process, particularly around trust, communication, and listing quality. These insights reinforced the need for a more structured, transparent, and guided experience, shaping Thryft’s core design principles: to simplify listing creation, ensure safe interactions, and promote confidence in local exchanges.
Affinity Diagramming
I synthesized all qualitative data using affinity diagramming. Each note, quote, and observation was grouped into clusters based on shared themes and behaviors. This process revealed consistent patterns that supported the initial hypothesis, users’ buying and selling experiences are primarily shaped by trust, efficiency, and ease of communication.
This process revealed consistent patterns including the reasons why people buy and sell furniture, the considerations when purchasing or selling something on a secondhand marketplace, the ability to negotiate, and the emotions or pain points from both perspectives.
Archetypes
Through 10 user interviews, observations, and contextual inquiries, clear behavioral distinctions began to emerge among participants. While some users consistently acted as buyers or sellers, many shifted between both roles depending on their immediate needs. To accurately capture these behaviors, I created three archetypes that represented the most common motivations within secondhand furniture exchange.
The Hunter
Actively seeks affordable, practical furniture on short notice. Prioritizes efficiency, trust, and quick decision-making.
The Seller
Wants to declutter with minimal effort. Values simplicity, speed, and reliable communication during transactions.
The Hybrid
Alternates between buying and selling based on life changes or space needs. Looks for a unified, seamless experience across both roles.
These archetypes emphasized that users are primarily need-driven, but trust and convenience still remain consistent priorities across all roles.
Personas
From these archetypes, two personas were developed to humanize user goals and guide design decisions:
Maya (The Hunter)
A 23-year-old design student moving into a new apartment. Maya values affordability, quick discovery, and secure exchanges when buying furniture.
Jordan (The Hybrid)
A 29-year-old creative professional who frequently refreshes his space. Jordan buys and sells items regularly, valuing flexibility and a smooth, connected platform experience.
These personas helped shape Thryft’s design direction by ensuring the interface supported both time-sensitive buyers and casual resellers within one cohesive journey.
Journey Mapping & Mental Models
After synthesizing findings from interviews and contextual inquiries, I created journey maps to visualize key pain points and emotional highs and lows across the buying and selling process. These maps highlighted moments of uncertainty, friction during communication, and lack of trust during transactions.
To deepen this understanding, I developed mental models to represent users’ underlying beliefs, motivations, and expectations when using peer-to-peer marketplaces. These models helped bridge the gap between what users say and what they do—revealing that most decisions stemmed from convenience, perceived safety, and transactional efficiency rather than social connection.
Together, the journey maps and mental models provided a strong foundation for aligning product decisions with real user needs and validated the earlier hypotheses about trust, communication, and usability challenges within secondhand furniture exchanges.
User Flows
I mapped out detailed user flows to visualize the step-by-step journey of how users would navigate Thryft. These flows helped align the team’s understanding of critical tasks and ensured each interaction supported a seamless, intuitive experience.
Key Takeaways
Users Prioritize
Trust, Security, and Verification
Platforms Lack
Integrated Payment System
Opportunity to Design
A Community-First Experience
Wireframing
The next step was to translate research insights into tangible design solutions. Low-fidelity wireframes were created to explore layout, hierarchy, and user flow without being constrained by visual design. These wireframes aimed to simplify navigation and streamline key interactions for both buyers and sellers.
The initial focus was on three core user goals identified during research:
Listing Items Quickly and Confidently
Browsing and Filtering Effectively
Facilitating Transparent Transactions
Final Design
Seller Onboarding
An intuitive onboarding flow that empowers users to seamlessly list and sell their furniture with confidence and ease.
Thryft SecurePay
Ensures safe and hassle-free transactions by holding payments until both buyers and sellers are satisfied
Home Page
Easily discover and purchase secondhand furniture with a seamless search experience—connect with sellers, explore listings, and find the perfect piece for your space.