Growing Liverpool's Marketplace from 0 to 100+ Sellers
The Challenge
Liverpool, one of Mexico's largest department store chains, was launching a new cross-border marketplace initiative from scratch. The challenge was multifaceted:
- •Zero marketplace infrastructure: Building seller onboarding, management, and support systems from the ground up
- •Competitive market: Competing against established marketplaces like Mercado Libre and Amazon Mexico
- •Brand expectations: Maintaining Liverpool's premium brand standards while scaling seller acquisition
- •Operational complexity: Managing international sellers with varying compliance requirements
The Strategy
1. User-Centric Onboarding Design
Designed and implemented a seller onboarding experience that prioritized simplicity and transparency:
- • Clear, step-by-step process with estimated completion times
- • Real-time document validation and feedback
- • Personalized onboarding support via dedicated account managers
- • Comprehensive seller portal with analytics and tools
- • Multi-language support for international sellers
2. Conversion Rate Optimization
Through iterative UX improvements and A/B testing, we achieved a 78% increase in onboarding conversion:
Before: 23% of sellers completed onboarding
After: 41% of sellers completed onboarding
Key improvements included reducing form fields by 40%, adding progress indicators, and implementing smart defaults based on seller type.
3. Automation & Efficiency Tools
Built automation tools that reduced response times by 35%:
- • Automated seller verification workflows
- • AI-powered document processing
- • Chatbot for common seller queries
- • Automated compliance checks
- • Self-service knowledge base
4. Quality Control & Brand Protection
Established rigorous vetting processes to ensure seller quality while maintaining Liverpool's premium brand positioning. This included product quality checks, seller reputation scoring, and ongoing performance monitoring.
The Results
Grew from 0 to over 100 active cross-border sellers in 24 months
Improved seller onboarding conversion through UX redesign
Reduced average response time through automation and self-service tools
High satisfaction scores from seller feedback surveys
Business Impact
The cross-border marketplace became a strategic growth driver for Liverpool:
- ✓ Launched marketplace from concept to 100+ sellers in under 2 years
- ✓ Established scalable processes that can support 500+ sellers
- ✓ Created competitive advantage in premium cross-border segment
- ✓ Built foundation for future marketplace expansion
- ✓ Maintained brand quality standards while scaling rapidly
The UX Redesign Process
Research & Discovery
Conducted user interviews with potential sellers, analyzed competitor onboarding flows, and identified key friction points in the initial prototype.
Wireframing & Prototyping
Created low-fidelity wireframes focusing on information architecture and flow. Iterated based on stakeholder feedback and usability testing.
A/B Testing & Iteration
Launched with MVP and continuously tested variations of form fields, copy, and visual hierarchy to optimize conversion rates.
Scale & Optimize
Implemented automation tools and self-service features based on support ticket analysis and seller feedback.
Key Learnings
1. Start Simple, Then Scale
Launching with an MVP and iterating based on real seller feedback was more effective than trying to build the "perfect" system upfront.
2. Conversion is About Trust
The 78% conversion increase came primarily from transparency improvements—showing sellers exactly what to expect at each step.
3. Automation Enables Scale
Investing in automation early allowed us to maintain quality while growing from 10 to 100+ sellers without proportionally increasing headcount.
4. Data-Driven Decisions Win
Every major UX change was backed by data from user testing, analytics, or A/B tests. This made it easier to get stakeholder buy-in and measure success.
Let's Build Your Marketplace Together
Whether you're launching from scratch or optimizing an existing platform, I can help you achieve measurable results.