One fine evening Sanskriti, a very outgoing college student, came back to her room after an exhausting day and dumped herself onto her bed to kill the time before dinner with her good companion Instagram; as many of us usually do.
Scrolling through funny memes, cringy reels, misguiding news she comes across a really cute top that she instantly fell in love with (Kudos to targeted advertising; you really know your stuff). She instantly clicked the buy now button, and thanks to Google's saved addresses, she had already checked out in less than 3 minutes.
Here comes the call for dinner and of she went. Life moves on, as it should, she drowned in her assignments, and days passed. Focusing in a very serious lecture, suddenly her phone rings. Her top was here! but sadly she was not. Apart from disturbing the class, she apologised to the delivery partner and asked him to come the next day.
Ofc she had forgotten about the order, it's not in her capacity neither her responsibility to remember everything. Anyways, she did get the top next day and wore it the next week. Cute as it was, got her many compliments. Her bestie wanted something similar too so wanted to know where she could get it.
Sanskriti went blank. It wasn't Amazon, neither Myntra, nor Hnm. No, it was just a random click on an Instagram ad. She did find the retailer eventually after exhaustive scrolling through her SMS looking for that one little confirmation message.
Personal Interviews
Products and services studied
The ones who came before: competitive analysis
“ If we could add reminders of the next delivery. As a student I have too many tasks thus at times I forget about the order’s delivery date. Further, it could also integrate personal deliveries sent through couriers…”
“ I think a unified tracking app where you can view all incoming orders from different websites could be really cool! I have never thought of a development like that but I think it would be very helpful for a lot of people.”
Thinks:
"There must be a better way to track all my packages."
"I'm worried about missing an important delivery."
"I wonder where my package is right now."
"Is this delivery company reliable?"
"I hope I don't have to wait in all day for my delivery."
Tracking Deliveries:
When I place an online order from any retailer or platform, I want to Easily track the location and status of my package in real-time, So that I know exactly where my package is and when to expect it, avoiding missed deliveries.
Centralized Tracking:
When I have multiple online orders in progress, I want to Track all my deliveries from different retailers in one central location, So that I can manage all my delivery information seamlessly without needing to switch between different apps or websites.
Timely Updates:
When The status of my delivery changes (e.g., shipped, out for delivery), I want to Receive timely notifications through push notifications or in-app updates, So that I can stay informed about the progress of my deliveries and plan accordingly.
Delivery Delays:
When There are any potential delays or unforeseen circumstances affecting my delivery, I want to Be notified as soon as possible, So that I can adjust my plans or make alternative arrangements if necessary (e.g., contact the seller or reschedule).
Delivery Preferences:
When I receive a delivery notification, I want to Select a preferred delivery window, So that I have more control over my deliveries and can ensure a smooth delivery experience.
Centraized Tracking:
All the orders are automatically added to the home screen, for easy access and quick info grab.
Easy Status tracking:
Easily see the status of the order and the estimated arrival date/time. If the order is already out for deliver, see the OTP and get an option to contact the delivery partner as well as the logistics support.
Complete control over your delivery:
See the entire order status, and go to retailer's order modification page with just a tap. you also get an option to request date/time change if you are not available; saving both, you and the delivery partner, some very valuable time.
Analyse your spending:
Easily break down where your money is going and be more mindful of your purchase decisions.
Get notified:
You don't need to remember any of your shipments anymore. Apart from the standard notifications from the retailer, you get a reminder a day before to help you figure your schedule. you also get another 2 reminders on the day of delivery with clear timings.
This project is in no shape or form, 'Complete'. There's a long road ahead. there need to be sorting functionalities, maybe a complete guide for analysing, or reminders that you already have it if you place an order for something similar; or perhaps a completely different set of features, eg- ability to place orders from within the app itself. Could be very useful for personal couriers. Multiple logistics quotes could simply be laid down for the user to choose(similar to shiprocket). Possibilities are endless, but making a 'Complete App' was never the point. The point was to explore a common problem that i observed and gain insights as to what all can be done, oh and also learn along the way! that's the most important part, the learning!
