ARC'TERYX REGEAR
Discovering one-of-a-kind technical gear made just for you.
Role
Product Designer
Timeframe
2 weeks
Skills
User Research, UX Heuristics, Information Architecture
TLDR
Shopping online can be a hit or miss.
Especially when you're buying pre-loved clothing.
I discovered ReGear on Arc'teryx's website and was immediately interested in their initiative to "Keep the Good in Play", by refurbishing and re-selling used gear.
However, a few points in the experience made me feel uneasy and question the quality of the products the website was promising.
80%
of participants correctly defined ReGear
2X
Faster when making purchase decisions
This project highlights a usability test conducted on regear.com. The final solution includes a revised user flow and redefined condition definitions that help users feel more confident in finding and purchasing their desired products.
INTRODUCTION
ReGear is an initiative by Arc'teryx aiming to "extend its active life beyond one adventure or user".
Customers visiting the Arc'teryx website are intrigued by ReGear, searching for high-quality gear at an affordable price.
For customers looking to reduce their carbon footprint and shop more responsibly, ReGear sounds like a great option. However, upon further inspection, they are now hesitant to make the purchase.
On the ReGear website, visitors are met with hundreds of products ranging from lightly worn wear to refurbished with new patches and pieces that give new life to the worn products.
However, my research revealed that the problem was less "finding" and more "committing." Even if a product was found, customers felt hesitant to purchase due to vague wording and inconsistent labelling.
THE CHALLENGE
How can we help Arc'teryx's customers, who want to shop responsibly for lasting gear, feel more confident shopping on ReGear?
High-Level Goals that defined my design decisions
Setting clear expectations; prioritizing transparency
Making decisions quicker and easier
Constraints
ReGear is not owned by Arc’teryx, Trove is a third-party company that handles used gear reselling for several apparel companies
Given their varying exposure to ReGear's program, extensive research is required to understand the needs of Arc'teryx customers' user behaviour.
*Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Arc'teryx in any way. I do not claim ownership of any official designs.
Success Metrics
To evaluate the success of the new design, here are a few KPIs we can track
Task Success Rate - A successful implementation should result in more users completing their task
Bounce-Rate - Visitors should not exit the user journey pre-maturely
Because this is a conceptual project I set the following success metrics to validate my solution:
User Emotion - How does the experience make the user feel? Does the new design succeed in making the user feel more confident, trusting, and happy?
Time-on-task - Does the new design help users complete their tasks more efficiently? High-Level Pattern Identification - Are users able to identify the products correctly in terms of the new categorizations?
UsABILITY TEST
Planning and running a usability test on ReGear's website to validate the problem.
The objective was to evaluate user understanding, navigation, and purchasing behaviour to validate concerns of overall usability and conversion rates.
TESTING INSIGHTS
Brand Understanding & Trust
Participants were unclear about ReGear’s purpose, with some assuming it was a repair service rather than a resale marketplace.
Some thought ReGear was a sustainability initiative within Arc’teryx, while others believed it was a standalone brand.
Navigation & Product Discovery
First Interaction: Users instinctively navigated to "Shop Women’s" without fully understanding the brand’s mission.
Filtering & Sorting Issues:
Users wanted a “Popular” or “Best Sellers” filter but couldn’t find one.
Sorting by price range was expected but unavailable.
Condition filters were confusing—users weren’t sure what terms like “Like New” or “Excellent” meant without additional guidance.
Product Page Experience
Lack of Multiple Images: Users were frustrated with only one product image and wanted more angles to assess condition.
Condition Descriptions Were Hard to Find:
Users assumed “Like New” and “Excellent” were similar until prompted to read definitions.
Purchase Decision Factors
Size Availability: Many users encountered issues with preferred sizes being unavailable.
Preference for Physical Store Experience: Some users hesitated to buy without seeing the product in person.
Durability Concerns: Users were unsure about the long-term wear of second-hand items.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Users are confused about the purpose of this initiative and drawing their own conclusions. The solution must include a distinction made between second-hand + refurbished products.
OpPORTUNITY
There is a gap between the brand experience Arc'teryx promotes and the experience users are encountering on their websites.
Questions to consider
How might we make buying used Arc'teryx gear online an experience that aligns with customer expectations?
How might we reduce points of friction and confusion when purchasing gear on the ReGear website?
Design Principles
1 . Instill Trust - Ensuring users feel secure, informed, and supported throughout their journey
2. Reinforce Value - Reminding users of the benefits and unique selling points of a product or service to maintain engagement and justify their investment
3. Recognition Rather than Recall - Minimizing the cognitive load by making relevant information easily accessible instead of requiring users to remember details
Looking to prioritize high-value product initiatives, I used the matrix below to develop an A/B testing strategy.
Synthesizing the information gathered during the usability testing, I decided on two initiatives that would benefit the user the most through their website journey.
1. Reorganization - Information architecture should be set up in a way that communicates important information clearly
2. Communication - To instill trust in customers, brands should try their best to set clear expectations and deliver a consistant experience
DECSION 1
Reorganizing the user flow to guide users through discovery
I mapped out the existing user flow with first-time visitors in mind, as this was where the most confusion was found during interviews.
EXISTING USER FLOW
Highlighted are the points of friction and catalysts for confusion
Skippable Important Information
Users were found to skip the information to do with "learning" and went straight to shopping without understanding the purpose of the initiative leading to confusion later in their journey.
Unorganized Filtering
Users had a difficult time finding products that they were looking for due to unexpected filtering options and unable to find options that they expected.
Hard to Discover Information
Crucial information regarding the condition of the garment and gear were hidden and users did not open the modal to read more.
How might we plant pieces of information that are easily accessible and actually viewed by users?
The revised flow reflects the customer's first-time exposure to the ReGear website, following their process of browsing through items, discovering the world of refurbished technical wear and making their first purchase.
REVISED USER FLOW
Important information that were being dismissed in the original flow are now given a spotlight working to provide an informed shopping experience
DECSION 2
Redefining condition definitions to better communicate the brand's purpose
I conducted a card-sorting activity to brainstorm a more user-focused approach to explaining the condition of the gear.
Participant 3 - Cart Sorting Activity
Current
Revised
OUTCOMES
Participants felt the revised conditions gave the website more credibility. Especially after being provided with the information that explains how ReGear works. Using the new definitions, participants could decide on their purchase 2X faster.
80%
of participants correctly defined ReGear
2X
Faster when making purchase decisions
NEW
Created a set of definitions that give users confidence
A/B Testing Strategy for Next Steps
Landing Page Clarity:
Version A: Current landing page
Version B: Landing page with a clearer "What is ReGear?" section and an explainer video
Product Page Enhancements:
Version A: Single product image
Version B: Multiple product images with condition close-ups
Goal: Measure impact on conversion rate and user confidence.
The A/B tests were not conducted but are highlighted to explore different testing experiments we can try in the future.
