St Vincent De Paul
Validating problem/solution fit for St Vincent De Paul's Ecommerce platform
Non-profit retail
eCommerce
6 week engagement
St Vincent De Paul
Validating problem/solution fit for St Vincent De Paul's Ecommerce platform
Non-profit retail
eCommerce
6 week engagement
St Vincent De Paul
Validating problem/solution fit for St Vincent De Paul's Ecommerce platform
Non-profit retail
eCommerce
6 week engagement
Overview
Background
St Vincent de Paul is a leading Australian charity, funding essential services through donations and proceeds from its second-hand stores.
To expand its impact, the NSW branch set an ambitious goal: become the category leader in for-purpose retail, with the most compelling omni-channel experience for shoppers, donors, and volunteers.
With second-hand shopping booming online—especially among younger audiences—Vinnies partnered with us on a six-week discovery to shape its first eCommerce offering. Together, we surfaced over 200 jobs-to-be-done–driven requirements, validated the proposition, and mapped the technical and operational blueprint for its new platform.
Activities
User research & proposition testing
Internal & external requirements gathering
Service design
Category & competitor benchmarking
My role
Product researcher
Timeline
Launched July 2025
Overview
Background
St Vincent de Paul is a leading Australian charity, funding essential services through donations and proceeds from its second-hand stores.
To expand its impact, the NSW branch set an ambitious goal: become the category leader in for-purpose retail, with the most compelling omni-channel experience for shoppers, donors, and volunteers.
With second-hand shopping booming online—especially among younger audiences—Vinnies partnered with us on a six-week discovery to shape its first eCommerce offering. Together, we surfaced over 200 jobs-to-be-done–driven requirements, validated the proposition, and mapped the technical and operational blueprint for its new platform.
Activities
User research & proposition testing
Internal & external requirements gathering
Service design
Category & competitor benchmarking
My role
Product researcher
Timeline
Launched July 2025
Overview
Background
St Vincent de Paul is a leading Australian charity, funding essential services through donations and proceeds from its second-hand stores.
To expand its impact, the NSW branch set an ambitious goal: become the category leader in for-purpose retail, with the most compelling omni-channel experience for shoppers, donors, and volunteers.
With second-hand shopping booming online—especially among younger audiences—Vinnies partnered with us on a six-week discovery to shape its first eCommerce offering. Together, we surfaced over 200 jobs-to-be-done–driven requirements, validated the proposition, and mapped the technical and operational blueprint for its new platform.
Activities
User research & proposition testing
Internal & external requirements gathering
Service design
Category & competitor benchmarking
My role
Product researcher
Timeline
Launched July 2025
Challenge
Launching eCommerce was uncharted territory, for both the organisation and much of the second-hand charity sector. Key strategic questions loomed: Centralised, decentralised, or hybrid business model? How to handle triaging, cataloguing, photographing, and shipping? What size and variety should the catalogue offer—and how would that differ by audience? These weren’t just build decisions, they shaped what the experience could (and should) feel like.
Challenge
Launching eCommerce was uncharted territory, for both the organisation and much of the second-hand charity sector. Key strategic questions loomed: Centralised, decentralised, or hybrid business model? How to handle triaging, cataloguing, photographing, and shipping? What size and variety should the catalogue offer—and how would that differ by audience? These weren’t just build decisions, they shaped what the experience could (and should) feel like.
Challenge
Launching eCommerce was uncharted territory, for both the organisation and much of the second-hand charity sector. Key strategic questions loomed: Centralised, decentralised, or hybrid business model? How to handle triaging, cataloguing, photographing, and shipping? What size and variety should the catalogue offer—and how would that differ by audience? These weren’t just build decisions, they shaped what the experience could (and should) feel like.
Approach
Gathering Context Quickly
We investigated how other charities run online retail, visiting warehouses, calling operators, and studying their workflows. In parallel, we benchmarked adjacent digital marketplaces to understand usability norms, platform structures, and customer expectations. This dual track gave us a clear picture of both operational constraints and UX standards.
Approach
Gathering Context Quickly
We investigated how other charities run online retail, visiting warehouses, calling operators, and studying their workflows. In parallel, we benchmarked adjacent digital marketplaces to understand usability norms, platform structures, and customer expectations. This dual track gave us a clear picture of both operational constraints and UX standards.
Approach
Gathering Context Quickly
We investigated how other charities run online retail, visiting warehouses, calling operators, and studying their workflows. In parallel, we benchmarked adjacent digital marketplaces to understand usability norms, platform structures, and customer expectations. This dual track gave us a clear picture of both operational constraints and UX standards.
Mapping cross-department needs
Through co-design workshops with Finance, Tech, Marketing, and frontline operations, and warehouse site visits, we uncovered the jobs-to-be-done across the organisation. These insights directly shaped the future-state process map and the operational requirements behind the technical solution.
Mapping cross-department needs
Through co-design workshops with Finance, Tech, Marketing, and frontline operations, and warehouse site visits, we uncovered the jobs-to-be-done across the organisation. These insights directly shaped the future-state process map and the operational requirements behind the technical solution.
Mapping Cross-Department Needs
Through co-design workshops with Finance, Tech, Marketing, and frontline operations, and warehouse site visits, we uncovered the jobs-to-be-done across the organisation. These insights directly shaped the future-state process map and the operational requirements behind the technical solution.
Grounding in real-world insight
We interviewed 40+ customers and store staff across Sydney, exploring their shopping habits, platform expectations, and the role of community in second-hand retail. We asked how the “treasure hunt” element of op-shopping could translate online without losing its charm.
Grounding in real-world insight
We interviewed 40+ customers and store staff across Sydney, exploring their shopping habits, platform expectations, and the role of community in second-hand retail. We asked how the “treasure hunt” element of op-shopping could translate online without losing its charm.
Grounding in real-world insight
We interviewed 40+ customers and store staff across Sydney, exploring their shopping habits, platform expectations, and the role of community in second-hand retail. We asked how the “treasure hunt” element of op-shopping could translate online without losing its charm.
The treasure hunt factor
Research revealed the heart of the experience: serendipity. Shoppers loved the thrill of chance finds, something far beyond affordability. While filtering, fast checkout, and product detail pages were must-haves, community, gamification, and discovery were the features that could truly differentiate Vinnies’ platform from typical marketplaces.
The treasure hunt factor
Research revealed the heart of the experience: serendipity. Shoppers loved the thrill of chance finds, something far beyond affordability. While filtering, fast checkout, and product detail pages were must-haves, community, gamification, and discovery were the features that could truly differentiate Vinnies’ platform from typical marketplaces.
The treasure hunt factor
Research revealed the heart of the experience: serendipity. Shoppers loved the thrill of chance finds, something far beyond affordability. While filtering, fast checkout, and product detail pages were must-haves, community, gamification, and discovery were the features that could truly differentiate Vinnies’ platform from typical marketplaces.
Outcome
Our work laid the foundation for Vinnies Finds, a new eCommerce platform now generating vital funds for community programs.
In the first week:
900+ sales nationwide
Established as a viable new revenue stream for essential services
200+ requirement set for technical and design teams
Current and future-state operational workflows with integration points
CX research reports guiding strategy, requirements, and JTBD mapping
Outcome
Our work laid the foundation for Vinnies Finds, a new eCommerce platform now generating vital funds for community programs.
In the first week:
900+ sales nationwide
Established as a viable new revenue stream for essential services
200+ requirement set for technical and design teams
Current and future-state operational workflows with integration points
CX research reports guiding strategy, requirements, and JTBD mapping
Outcome
Our work laid the foundation for Vinnies Finds, a new eCommerce platform now generating vital funds for community programs.
In the first week:
900+ sales nationwide
Established as a viable new revenue stream for essential services
200+ requirement set for technical and design teams
Current and future-state operational workflows with integration points
CX research reports guiding strategy, requirements, and JTBD mapping