Context and Problem
While working at JN2, we identified a gap in the market for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs who were looking for a more accessible, less customized e-commerce solution than the enterprise Magento implementations typically offered by JN2. These potential clients faced challenges in finding a flexible, scalable, and affordable system to launch their online businesses. The lack of a suitable SaaS solution was a significant barrier for these smaller enterprises, preventing them from entering the e-commerce market effectively.
Hypothesis
We hypothesized that developing a SaaS e-commerce platform would enable JN2 to cater to this underserved segment, offering them a ready-to-use, scalable e-commerce solution with essential features and a lower cost of entry. This would allow us to redirect the demand that JN2’s enterprise solutions could not meet, creating a new revenue stream for the company.
Solution
We developed Linkia, a fully functional SaaS e-commerce platform designed to meet the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs. The platform provided a user-friendly interface, essential e-commerce functionalities, and integration capabilities with payment gateways and logistics providers. I led the UX design process, developing the end-to-end experience for the platform, including the main site, blog, sales pages, and the entire software interface. Additionally, I built the front-end using HTML and CSS, ensuring a responsive and intuitive design.
To address the challenge of migrating clients efficiently, we developed migration scripts that enabled us to seamlessly transition clients from Linkia to a Magento-based, less customized solution when the project was consolidated within JN2.
Results
⤷ Successfully onboarded approximately 200 clients within two years of launching Linkia, proving the concept and market demand.
⤷ Migrated all existing Linkia clients to a Magento-based solution with minimal disruption, using automated migration scripts that I helped to develop.
⤷ Created a scalable, low-cost e-commerce product that allowed JN2 to serve a broader market segment without compromising on quality or functionality.
Learnings
The project demonstrated the importance of aligning product offerings with market needs, especially in terms of cost-effectiveness and scalability. By understanding the challenges faced by smaller businesses, we were able to develop a solution that addressed their pain points effectively. This experience reinforced the value of flexible UX design and development practices, which were crucial in adapting the platform as the project evolved.