What's the right UX for that?

Developing qondition for its first go-live presented several complex challenges that required deep understanding of user needs and technical feasibility.

One of the biggest hurdles was defining the right UX for this completely new approach to sneaker reselling. Traditional platforms rely on standardized transaction flows, but we aimed to offer a more direct and transparent interaction between buyers and sellers. The challenge lay in figuring out how to make this direct communication intuitive without overwhelming users who were accustomed to simpler, more automated processes. It was difficult to anticipate how users would interact with each other in a marketplace setting, and there was concern that introducing too much freedom in communication could result in confusion or friction during transactions.

Another critical challenge was ensuring transparency and trust in an environment that historically faces skepticism over authenticity and fair pricing. Since the marketplace was designed to rely on direct communication, there were fears that this could lead to uncertainty or even distrust between users. Building trust in a digital space, especially when high-value goods like sneakers are involved, was an immense challenge. There was a risk that users would hesitate to engage on the platform without strong assurances regarding the condition of the products, the legitimacy of sellers, or the fairness of negotiations.

A third significant challenge involved developing a sustainable business model that didn’t rely on traditional transaction fees. Most marketplace platforms use commissions or other fees to generate revenue, but we were committed to offering a transaction-free business model for resellers. One subscription in which you can sell as much as you want!

This created uncertainty around how to effectively design an economic structure that would encourage user engagement and growth, while also ensuring long-term sustainability for the platform itself. The challenge was compounded by the need to balance the expectations of both buyers and sellers without relying on conventional revenue-generating methods.

Additionally, preparing the platform for scalability posed its own challenges. Even though this was only the initial launch, the marketplace needed to be capable of handling high user engagement and multiple ongoing transactions from day one. This presented difficulties in planning for infrastructure that could manage potentially unpredictable traffic volumes without performance issues. The team also needed to account for security concerns, especially as the platform involved direct peer-to-peer communication and the sale of high-value items, raising the stakes for protecting users’ data and transactions.

The new way of sneaker-trading

To address the challenges faced during the development of qondition, several key solutions were implemented.

For the challenge of creating an intuitive UX for a new way of selling sneakers, the team conducted extensive user research and testing to understand how potential users would navigate the platform. Rather than adopting traditional resale models, we focused on simplifying the interaction process while still offering the flexibility of direct communication. Prototyping and user feedback cycles helped refine the interface to ensure that it was user-friendly while still facilitating the negotiation and communication features that made the platform unique. This allowed users to quickly understand how to engage with one another without feeling overwhelmed by too many complex features.

To overcome the issue of transparency and trust, we implemented several features to help users feel secure in their transactions. The platform introduced a direct communication system that allowed buyers and sellers to discuss the product condition, price, and other important details before completing a transaction. This was supported by clear guidelines on how to use the platform safely and effectively, as well as optional verification features for sellers and sneaker authenticity checks. Additionally, the platform design emphasized transparency in listings, providing detailed product descriptions and high-quality images. These measures helped foster trust among users, reducing hesitation and uncertainty in transactions.

In response to the challenge of developing a transaction-free business model, we explored various pricing strategies that would allow resellers to engage in the marketplace without the burden of fees. The team developed alternative monetization methods that didn’t rely on traditional commissions. We were more thinking about a "pay once, use endlessly" method.

So what we introduced as the pricing for sellers was a subscription, in which they can sell as much as they can. And it get's even better - the more they sell, the less their subscription will be!

This approach incentivized engagement by offering a structure for basic transactions, while still creating opportunities for the platform to generate revenue through supplementary features. This model helped align with the platform’s commitment to creating a fair and cost-effective environment for resellers while ensuring long-term sustainability.

Finally, to address the scalability and performance challenges, our development team focused on building a robust and flexible backend infrastructure. We invested in scalable cloud-based technologies that allowed the platform to handle varying levels of traffic without compromising speed or reliability. In parallel, we implemented rigorous security measures to ensure data protection and secure peer-to-peer communication between users. The platform was designed with growth in mind, allowing for additional capacity as the user base expanded, while maintaining high performance standards from day one. This ensured that the platform would be stable and responsive, even during peak usage periods at launch.