The Challenge

The shopping page felt random and impersonal. Users were presented with a generic feed of products that didn’t reflect their individual preferences, interests, or shopping behaviors. This lack of personalization created a disconnect between what users wanted to discover and what they were actually seeing, resulting in a browsing experience that felt more like noise than curated content.

The core problem was twofold: new users had no way to signal their preferences from the start, and existing users lacked control over the content surfacing in their feed. Without a mechanism for users to actively shape their experience, the platform was missing an opportunity to create meaningful engagement and build trust through transparency and user autonomy.

My Approach

I designed a cold-start experience that empowered both new and returning users to personalize the content appearing in their shopping feed. The solution centered on giving users explicit control over their preferences from the beginning, rather than relying solely on passive data collection or algorithmic assumptions.

The cold-start flow introduced a thoughtful onboarding sequence where users could select their interests, preferred categories, and shopping priorities. This wasn’t just about gathering data, it was about establishing a relationship built on transparency and user agency. By allowing users to actively participate in shaping their experience, we addressed a critical concern: according to research from the Pew Research Center, 81% of Americans feel they have little to no control over the data collected about them by companies. Our approach directly countered this anxiety by putting personalization choices explicitly in users’ hands.

For existing users, I created pathways to refine and adjust their preferences at any time, ensuring the personalization remained dynamic and responsive to evolving interests. The design emphasized clarity about how selections would influence their feed, making the connection between user input and content output transparent and understandable.

Impact

The personalized feed approach resulted in measurable improvements in user engagement. Time spent browsing the shopping feed increased as users encountered content more aligned with their stated preferences. The experience shifted from feeling random to feeling curated, creating a sense that the platform understood and respected individual shopping journeys.

Beyond the metrics, the solution established a foundation of trust. Users appreciated having control over their experience without feeling surveilled or manipulated. The explicit nature of the personalization, where users actively chose their preferences rather than having them inferred or generically selected.

Looking Forward

While the cold-start experience established the foundation for personalization, I see significant opportunity to deepen feed refinement through in-line modules. These contextual touch-points would allow users to make micro-adjustments as they browse, selecting specific brands they want to see more of, indicating interest levels in particular product categories, or fine-tuning the balance between discovery and familiarity.

These in-line modules would transform the feed from a static, one-time personalized experience into a living, evolving space that continuously learns and adapts. Rather than requiring users to navigate back to settings, they could refine their preferences in the moment, when context and intent are clearest. This approach would encourage ongoing engagement with personalization features, creating a feedback loop that makes the feed increasingly relevant over time.

The vision is a shopping experience that feels genuinely personal. Not because it’s watching everything you do, but because it’s listening to what you tell it you want to see.

Auxier, Brooke, et al. “Americans and Privacy: Concerned, Confused and Feeling Lack of Control Over Their Personal Information.” Pew Research Center, November 15, 2019. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/11/15/americans-and-privacy-concerned-confused-and-feeling-lack-of-control-over-their-personal-information/