InStock mobile app
An app to increase the efficiency of store associates and drive in-store conversion rates.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Challenge
Store associates struggled with outdated manual systems for tracking and replenishing inventory, leading to costly errors and hidden stock.
Solution
Led 0→1 design for a mobile-first inventory management app that gave real-time visibility into stock levels and replenishment needs. Designed intuitive workflows for scanning, searching, and restocking that simplified daily operations.
Impact
In addition to the metrics above, this app increased revenue and store efficiency chain-wide, while also optimizing labor models. Store teams touted its effects as "brilliant" and "life changing" — not only for the business, but for their daily work lives as well.
Role
Principal Product Designer
Contribution
Partnered with Product, Engineering, and Retail Ops to redesign legacy systems into a single modern tool. Drove research, prototyping, requirements, and the strategic product roadmap.
Collaborators
Product Management, Visual Design, Engineering, Store Ops, Retail Managers, Change Management, and Executives.
Timeline
0→MVP in 9 months
PROBLEM
Customers of Gap Inc.'s stores — including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta — often complained that they were unable to find an item they want in their size. At the same time, store tools and processes for managing stock and floor replenishment were inefficient and non-standardized (think: Paper, Pens, clunky LRTs, walkie-talkies).
An investigation found that 40% of the time when a product size was not on the floor, it was in the stockroom. This was a significant missed sales opportunity. An internal team began working on solutions.
PROCESS
Gap Inc.'s digital, engineering, and store leadership teams devised and tested a new stockroom management and replenishment model using a bare-bones Proof-of-Concept app. After aligning on the new store models, the team looked to me to fully design the new InStock app experience. I synthesized the learnings to date, then visited SF Bay Area Gap and Banana Republic stores of varying sizes, where I observed and interviewed associates and managers. On one visit I helped store employees scan in and shelve inventory while setting up the new stockroom model.
DESIGN
The InStock app automates many processes that were previously labor intensive. Not only does it keep track of all store inventory, but it also notifies store associates when items need to be replenished on the sales floor. It then generates an in-app replenishment list that efficiently guides associates (including haptic feedback and custom chimes) through the stockroom as they collect items to replenish.
In addition, the design allows users to:
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Scan an item on the floor and immediately see which sizes are in stock and exactly where they are located
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Easily manage and reorganize inventory in the stockroom when needed
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Track the volume of items being replenished for any given time period
InStock app: Selected Screens
OUTCOMES
While the MVP app was being piloted across various Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores, we gained feedback from store employees that enabled us to rapidly iterate and expand app features. The InStock app was eventually rolled out to all Gap Inc's North American stores.
The rate at which items were in the stockroom but not on the sales floor decreased from 40% to 1% with the adoption of this app, thus increasing revenue by many millions of dollars. Store teams have touted the effects of new technology as "brilliant" and "life changing" — not only for the business, but for their daily work lives as well.
