Urban Barter
A concept app that takes a fresh approach at Barter in the modern day
Mobile App
Academic
Starting with the Problem
The idea for URBN Barter began with a simple observation - our homes are full of products that still work perfectly but no longer fit our lives. A guitar bought during lockdown, an unopened coffee machine, books from college, or hobby equipment that hasn't been touched in years. These products haven't lost their value; they've simply lost their place in someone's routine.
Existing resale platforms solve this problem by encouraging people to sell, but selling often feels slow, transactional, and focused on depreciation. Through research, I realized many people weren't necessarily looking for money—they simply wanted something more useful in return. This became the foundation of the project: creating a platform that brings back the culture of barter in a way that feels relevant to today's cities.
Building Trust Through Design
Created as part of a UI/UX design assignment, URBN Barter explored how thoughtful product design could reimagine the traditional barter system for modern urban life. The challenge wasn’t simply designing a marketplace, but building enough trust for people to exchange valuable possessions with confidence.
Designing the Product Experience
I designed the complete UI/UX for the platform, mapping the end-to-end user journey from onboarding to successful exchanges. Alongside the interface, I developed the platform’s operating model and business logic, defining how products would be matched, exchanged, and kept in circulation. Every interaction was designed to reduce friction while making the experience feel transparent, intuitive, and reliable.
