Discovery and planning
We conducted workshops to understand Circulaire’s goals, identifying the need for user management, personalized recommendations, and secure user authentication. We analyzed their existing infrastructure to identify areas for improvement and scalability.
User registration and firebase authentication
A critical milestone was the introduction of user registration, securely managed through Firebase for authentication. Users could now create personalized accounts, enabling them to curate watchlists, pin favorite items, and receive customized recommendations.
Onboarding flow
We implemented an onboarding process where users could select their preferences (categories, brands, sizes). These selections became the basis for the recommendation system, ensuring personalized suggestions from the start.
Recommendation System
We built a recommendation engine that prioritized user-pinned items, watchlists, and onboarding preferences. If none of these were available, a default brand list was used to generate recommendations. The system also reminded users of the environmental benefits of choosing second-hand products over new ones.
Notification system
To keep users engaged, we designed and introduced a notification system that delivered daily updates for price drops on pinned items, watchlist notifications, and weekly reminders, driving user engagement without overwhelming them.
Eco-friendly motivation
We incorporated environmental impact data into the product details, showing users how much CO2 emissions and water they would save by choosing second-hand products over new ones. This customization aligned with Circulaire’s sustainability mission and encouraged conscious consumer behavior.
Scalability
Although Lucene was already in use for search functionality, our focus during the MVP phase was on ensuring the platform could handle up to 200 stores and the existing 6 million products in their database. This approach allowed Circulaire to meet their immediate needs while preparing for potential future expansion.
