- Client: Assurant + eBay
- Role: Lead UX Designer
- Tools Used: Figma
A strategic pilot to increase insurance purchases on eBay’s collectibles platform
The eBay Collectibles Portal project was a collaborative experiment between eBay and Assurant, designed to boost insurance purchases on eBay’s platform by targeting the Collectibles section as a pilot. As the Senior UX/UI Designer, I worked with eBay’s team to explore how we could encourage collectors to purchase insurance in bulk by focusing on the value of protecting entire collections. Our solution involved designing a new app concept with checkout variants aimed at educating users and driving engagement.
Project Overview
This project aimed to increase awareness and purchases of insurance products across eBay, using collectibles as a targeted pilot area. Collectors often see value in protecting their entire collection rather than insuring individual items. We envisioned an app that would let users catalog their collections digitally, receive real-time valuations via the eBay API, and gently introduce insurance options as part of a holistic collection management tool. Although this concept was not developed, it provided a valuable opportunity to collaborate with eBay to define requirements and gather insights.
Process & Research
To create a meaningful solution, we took a user-centered approach, leveraging insights from eBay’s team and targeted user research:
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Stakeholder Collaboration:
Worked closely with eBay’s Collectibles team to gain access to user analytics and collector behavior insights. -
User Surveys and Feedback:
Conducted surveys to understand collectors’ habits, motivations, and the perceived value of insurance for their items. -
eBay Checkout Variants:
Designed and tested multiple versions of the checkout experience to evaluate the most effective way to introduce the app and educate users on the benefits of bulk insurance.
Key Insight: Collectors are interested in understanding their collection’s value in real-time, which provides a strategic entry point for insurance as a protective measure.
Solution
The solution was built around the concept of creating a seamless and engaging user experience that integrated valuation with insurance awareness:
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Digital Catalog and Valuation Tool:
Designed a prototype that allows collectors to catalog their items, sync with eBay’s API, and receive up-to-date valuations based on similar recently sold items. -
Subtle Insurance Integration:
Used a soft-sell approach to introduce insurance, providing gentle reminders about the value of protecting an entire collection as they manage and assess items within the app. -
Responsive Design:
The app was envisioned for both mobile and desktop, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for users across devices.
Design Iterations and Testing
1. Iterative Testing of Checkout Variants
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Checkout Page Variants:
Developed several options for eBay’s checkout page, subtly incorporating educational elements about the new app and bulk insurance options. -
User Feedback and Refinement:
Testing helped refine the placement and wording of insurance prompts, leading to a more seamless and informative user experience that aligns with collectors’ needs.
2. Prototype Development for Valuation App
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Interactive Prototyping:
Built a prototype demonstrating the app’s core functionality—collection management, real-time valuation, and insurance awareness. User feedback confirmed that the valuation feature added perceived value to the insurance offering.
Outcome & Impact
While the app was not fully developed, this pilot project demonstrated a viable approach to increasing insurance purchases on eBay’s platform by focusing on collection management and valuation. Collectors responded positively to the concept of real-time valuations, and the soft introduction of insurance helped build awareness without disrupting their experience. This project laid the groundwork for future partnerships and highlighted the potential of value-added services in e-commerce.
Reflection
This collaboration emphasized the importance of understanding user motivations in designing subtle but effective value-added services. Providing users with tools that enhance their experience—such as real-time valuation—can create natural touchpoints for insurance and other supplementary products.
Next Steps: Further iterations could incorporate predictive AI for valuation trends and personalized insurance recommendations, making the app even more valuable to collectors.