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Viable Marketplace

Viable Community, Phase 1

​Collaborative project with a non-profit based in the Netherlands to build a new  type of sustainable platform with traceable environmental impact.​​

UX Consulting

My role: Product Strategist &

UX Researcher, Team of 4

Scope

Research

Discovery

Tools

Figjam

Background & Assumptions

State of the World

Many people want to be sustainable and one way is by purchasing sustainable products. 

Challenge

As a non-profit, Viable Community, sustaining funding for ecological projects through donations is challenging ​

How might we...

empower ecological restoration initiatives to scale their impact through innovative, sustainable financing methods?

Research

 
The Process: Strategic Efforts to fill gaps
What's Missing 

​

  • geographical market research 

  • primary research with real users

  • proto persona validation

Questions to Validate​
 

  • Who are the main users and what do they want?

  • Are users comfortable with  cryptocurrencies for shopping?

  • What are the potential risks and barriers?

What we Did​

​

  • Stakeholder interviews

  • Market Analysis in Netherlands + UK/USA

  • Analysis of 6 direct and 5 indirect competitors

  • Research Analysis & Insights

  • MMP & MVP Vison and Scope

  • Proto personas and empathy maps

  • Research test plan

Areas of Focus​

​

  • Sustainable e-commerce platforms in the EU (focus on Netherlands) & USA

  • Traditional commerce, Ethical marketplaces, Decentralized platforms

  • E-commerce that uses cryptocurrencies

Problem Statement

 
Non-profit organizations leading ecological renewal projects struggle to secure stable, long-term funding because they rely on unpredictable grants and donations. This gap between ecological impact and sustainable revenue limits their ability to scale and maintain critical initiatives.

Competitive Analysis

The Criteria for Research
Product & Market Experience
Sustainability & Impact
Market & Audience
Business & Trust Model
The Approach

While doing market research, we identified a breadth of competitors to get a big picture​ to analyze. Then with the help of AI, conducted a feature comparison analysis and compared it to our evaluations from user testing.

Direct Competitors

Ecomondo

NoPlasticPlease

Ecoplaza

Wallapop

Odin

Ethical Superstore

Indirect Competitors

Canopy Planet

Veo World

Nature Token Merit

Eco Coin

Greener Coin

Feature Comparison Summary

1. Access & Affordability​

  • Pricing structures and cost barriers

  • Marketplace categories available

2. Discovery & User Experience​

  • Sustainability filters and comparison tools

  • ​Clarity of information at point of decision

4. Circular & Regenerative Capabilities​

  • Integration of circular behaviors into the marketplace

5. Trust, Governance & Participation​

  • Loyalty programs vs participation incentives

  • Community ownership or governance models

3. Sustainability Signals & Impact Clarity​

  • Certifications and verified labels

  • Transparency of sustainability claims

Insights

 
Key Points the Research Revealed
The Market Gaps

  1. No true one-stop shop for sustainable living (products + services)

  2. ​Sustainability is still a premium and not accessible to all

  3. ​Greenwashing impacts consumer trust

  4. ​No platform embeds true regenerative models

  5. ​Communities don't have ownership or voice

  6. ​No platform that unites all stakeholders

Differentiators over Competitors

  1. Affordability Built in through token-based payments

  2. ​Universal impact rating system removes greenwashing

  3. ​Built-in Regenerative Funding

  4. ​No platform embeds true regenerative models

  5. ​Community Ownership & Participation through micro-investing

  6. ​Verified Trust & Compliance (Blockchain-backed)

After doing a SWOT analysis of the data, we identified the product's unique value proposition.

Unique Value Proposition

 
“Steward-owned, community-driven sustainable marketplace where purchases are transparently rated and driven by a token-powered circular economy that rewards both people and ecosystems.”

Buyer Persona

 
Inclusive design for the budget consumer with accessibility and affordability-first
VC Budget Persona.jpg

Team Challenges

 
 
 
Pain Points

Absence of team participation and collaboration 

Lack of team communication and awareness

Sprint goals and tasks were unclear​, team felt lost

Lack of agile coach and project manager

Low Client engagement 

Solutions

Acted as Scrum Master to identify blockers and realign team asynchronously

Communicated daily on team channels about project priorities, current tasks, and blockers

Located sprint resources and facilitated team workshops using project templates

Pivoted from seeking direction to self-leading through trial and error

Started client chat channel for quick communication

Result: Cross-functional communication and overall team engagement increased

 
 

Next Steps: Phase 2

Continue to...

​

  • Conduct interviews and data analysis

  • Verify Proto Personas & Empathy Maps

  • Define KPIs for new personas

  • Review MMP & MVP release scope

​Start Identifying...

​

  • Customer Experience strategy

  • User journey mapping

  • User stories & acceptance criteria

  • Epics, features, tasks

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